Somerset A371 |
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Approaching Banwell Village from the North West
Banwell Somerset A371 - Seasons Restaurant - Banwell Winscombe North Somerset
Until the A370 into Weston super Mare was re-routed and entered the town via the new Flowerdown Bridge, our journey into Banwell started by the Borough Arms on Locking Road into Locking Moor Road - the start of the A371. Past the warning sign - Danger Two Narrow Hump Bridges - over the first bridge on the Weston super Mare railway loop line, by the then named "Weston Milton Halt" railway station, and then onto Locking Bridge, over the Bristol to Exeter line.
Locking Bridge OS Map Circa 1900 Locking Moor Road is now a one-way road for motorised vehicles from The Borough Arms to the roundabout, and local shops, between the two railway lines; it then continues as a cycle track over Locking Bridge until its original route is cut by the new A370 on the approach to the Flowerdown Bridge. The Flowerdown Bridge on the A370 and junction with the A371 to Banwell (Locking Bridge can be seen just to the North East).
Cycle Routes The new development in the area has embraced a network of cycle routes linking Weston super Mare, with Uphill, Hutton, Worle, and Emborough, past Locking Village on the A371.
Cycle Route Maps produced by "cyclewest.co.uk" are obtainable from North Somerset Council, and links to the maps can be found on their website. The maps have a detailed key to the amenities, and food and drink venues, available on the various routes.
Locking Bridge - Cycle Route to Banwell
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The cycle route from Locking Bridge, firstly doubles back underneath the Flowerdown Bridge, and then joins Locking Moor Road on the other side of the A370. Initially on the boundary of Locking Parish with Weston super Mare Parish at the edge of the airfield, the cycle route joins the A371 as a vehicle free carriageway. The A371 passes through the middle of Locking Parish, with Locking Village off the main road to the right, and the new development at Locking Parklands to the left. It then reaches the boundary with Banwell Parish at the bridge over the M5 Motorway.
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RAF Locking was opened in 1938 as a hutted camp; in January 1939 No. 5 School of Technical Training was inaugurated - an establishment for the RAF and Fleet Air Arm, which occupied a triangular area, north of Locking Village, bounded by Drove Farm to the west, Locking Head Farm to the north, and the outskirts of Knightcott to the east.
During 1941 Weston super Mare airfield was developed to support WW2 aircraft production at Filton Bristol. Passing the North East end of the main runway, Locking Moor Road was widened from Moorlane Drove (now Moor Lane) to the junction with the road to Drove Farm. The lampposts on the approach to the runway from the North East (seen in the photograph opposite), were shortened to facilitate aircraft takeoff and landing; long after powered aircraft and gliders ceased to operate from the airfield, the lampposts were replaced with new short versions which can be seen today.
Locking Moor Road - New Section to Knightcott 1941Banwell Somerset A371 - Seasons Restaurant - Banwell Winscombe North Somerset From the original junction of Locking Moor Road and the road to Drove Farm (Locking Head Drove), a new wide road by-passed Locking Village and continued past the southern boundary of RAF Locking to rejoin the path of the Old Banwell Road east of Locking. The wide road allowed aircraft to be transported, or taxied, to the airfield near Locking, from BAC's new Banwell factory. Click to the right of the "o" in title "Locking" on the map below to see the new road today. Elm Tree Road on the right continues through Locking Village and joins the Old Banwell Road. Locking and former RAF Locking TodayFor various views of the former R.A.F. Locking site, please click on the active areas of the map below. The red line follows the track of an ancient road through the site from the Encampment, at the top, to Hillend to the south-east.
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Banwell Somerset A371 - Seasons Restaurant - Banwell Winscombe North Somerset The area was defended by several Pillbox emplacements built for wartime Defence of Britain, with accommodation and training facility buildings constructed to the east of the factory on the Old Banwell Road.
Aircrew and ground crew training at RAF Locking, and aircraft production during WW2 had a significant effect on the prosperity of Banwell for several decades. The initial WW2 development of RAF Locking, BAC's Banwell factory, and the accommodation and training unit buildings (now Knightcott Industrial Estate) continued after the war until the 1990's. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Banwell Somerset A371 - Seasons Restaurant - Banwell Winscombe North Somerset
The RAF No. 1 Radio School moved from Cranwell to RAF Locking in January 1950, to be followed by RAF Apprentice Training which commenced in November 1952. National Service and Regular Servicemen received technical training in parallel with a number of Aircraft Apprentice and Craft Apprentice Entries; the RAF Western Band established their base, and the United States Navy opened a Contingency Wartime Hospital at the RAF Station in the late 1980’s.
The Filton based (BAC) commenced civilian aircraft production at the Banwell factory in the 1950’s; Bristol Freighter assembly was transferred from Filton in 1953, and in 1956 a rocket manufacturing facility was established at the factory. Later BAC undertook a joint venture with Aerojet General Corporation of the USA, with the formation of Bristol Aerojet (BAJ). The Banwell factory housed specialised machinery and furnaces for rocket motor casing manufacture. A new housing development is now located on the site of the former BAC factory, the airfield and RAF Locking are now closed with most of the buildings, excepting the Chapel and former married quarters, now completely demolished. The former accommodation and training unit buildings are still in use but a large dome that formed part of the training facility was dismantled when the M5 Motorway was constructed. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Banwell Somerset A371 - Seasons Restaurant - Banwell Winscombe North Somerset The M5 Motorway cut a swathe through the hillside between Banwell and Locking severing the Old Banwell Road between Knightcott and Hillend; a new road and motorway bridge then linked the widened road, constructed during WW2, and Banwell Village. The new road followed the route of a footpath from the Old Banwell Road to Knightcott, thus isolating the former accommodation and training unit buildings, and Hillend on the west side of the motorway from the A371 main road. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Banwell Somerset A371 - Seasons Restaurant - Banwell Winscombe North Somerset After nearly nine years since the RAF left Locking there are new developments for Locking and Banwell Villages. The site formerly occupied by RAF Locking is now promoted by the South West Regional Development Agency as: The widened A371, and the A368, still serve today as a convenient link between the A38 and Weston super Mare, often carrying diverted traffic during motorway hold-ups through Banwell Village. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Seasons Restaurant
Banwell Somerset A371 - Seasons Restaurant - Banwell Winscombe North Somerset
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