The £20m UK airport once world's biggest now abandoned - and it's 39 miles from Heathrow

Croydon Airport opened successful 1920 by merging Beddington and Waddon aerodromes (Image: Getty)

A £20m UK airport which was erstwhile the biggest successful the satellite is present abandoned aft it was forced to scrap flights much than 60 years ago.

Croydon Airport opened successful 1920 by merging Beddington and Waddon aerodromes, becoming RAF Station Croydon. 

Over the adjacent decade, it expanded significantly, featuring the world's archetypal purpose-built airdrome terminal, aerial postulation power tower, and airdrome hotel—the Aerodrome Hotel, which outgo astir £267,000 (equivalent to £20 cardinal today).

At its peak, Croydon Airport was the world’s largest and the UK’s archetypal large planetary airport, offering flights to Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam, arsenic good arsenic long-haul routes to India, the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia. 

It was besides wherever the "Mayday" distress awesome originated.

At its peak, Croydon Airport was the world’s largest and the UK’s archetypal large planetary airdrome (Image: Getty)

Notable figures similar Winston Churchill, who took flying lessons there, and Amy Johnson, who completed her record-breaking formation to Australia successful 1930, were among the full big of celebrities who utilized the airdrome successful southbound London.

The airdrome closed to the nationalist successful 1939 with the outbreak of WWII but served arsenic a basal for combatant aircraft. 

Its value made it a target, and successful 1940, it was bombed during 1 of London's aboriginal aerial raids. 

After the war, different London airports expanded, and Croydon mislaid its presumption arsenic the UK’s main airdrome to Heathrow successful 1946. It yet closed successful 1958 aft Gatwick was redeveloped.

Today, remnants of Croydon Airport, including the power operation and arrivals hall, person been preserved arsenic the Croydon Airport Visitor Centre. 

Open to the nationalist erstwhile a month, with escaped introduction and a suggested donation of £8, tours past astir 45 minutes and see entree to a acquisition store and café. 

The adjacent opening is connected July 7, with tickets disposable starting June 23. 

Visitors tin besides enactment adjacent astatine the London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel, with rooms starting from £44. Croydon Airport isn't the lone defunct airdrome successful the UK. 

Manston Airport successful Kent, closed successful 2014, has plans to relaunch flights, starting with cargo and perchance expanding to rider services by 2028. 

Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which unopen successful 2022, is besides eyeing a reopening, with TUI expressing involvement successful returning. 

Similarly, Plymouth Airport, closed for 13 years, has shown involvement successful reopening contempt facing opposition.