Handley Page Transport Ltd was an

airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...

company founded in 1919, soon after the end of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, by

Frederick Handley Page Sir Frederick Handley Page (15 November 1885 – 21 April 1962) was an English industrialist who was a pioneer in the aircraft industry and became known as the father of the heavy bomber. His company Handley Page, Handley Page Limited wa ...

. The company's first planes were Handley Page Type O/400 bombers modified for passenger use. They flew a

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

route. Per a request from the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force and civil aviation that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the ...

, the Handley Page Type W8 was later used for flights to both Paris and

Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...

. On 31 March 1924 the assets and operations of Handley were merged with three other British airlines to found Imperial Airways. That company remained dormant until reconstituted to take over operations for Miles Aircraft in 1947 as ''Handley Page (Reading) Ltd.'' The world's first in-flight meal was offered by Handley Page Transport.

Cricklewood Aerodrome

Cricklewood Aerodrome was adjacent to the

Handley Page Handley Page Limited was a British aerospace manufacturer. Founded by Frederick Handley Page (later Sir Frederick) in 1909, it was the United Kingdom's first publicly traded aircraft manufacturing company. It went into voluntary liquidation a ...

factory in Cricklewood, which had been established in 1912. The airfield was used by the factory and the transport company. Until 17 February 1920 Handley Page Transport used Hounslow Heath Aerodrome to embark and disembark passengers for

customs Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...

clearance, as customs facilities were not provided at Cricklewood initially. A London-Paris air service from Cricklewood Aerodrome was inaugurated in 1920. The aerodrome closed in 1929 due to suburban development, and the Golders Green Estate was built on the site. A new aerodrome was built at Radlett, where most aircraft were then constructed. At Cricklewood construction of aircraft continued until 1964, when the premises were sold to become the Cricklewood trading estate.

Accidents and incidents

* On 23 February 1920, a Handley Page O/7 (G-EANV) was destroyed in Acadia Siding, Cape Province, in a forced landing after the rudder came loose. All 10 occupants survived. * On 25 February 1920, a Handley Page O/400 (G-EAMC) crashed 10 km (6.3 miles) N of El Shereik,

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

, on a flight from

Aswan Aswan (, also ; ) is a city in Southern Egypt, and is the capital of the Aswan Governorate. Aswan is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract. The modern city ha ...

Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum is the capital city of Sudan as well as Khartoum State. With an estimated population of 7.1 million people, Greater Khartoum is the largest urban area in Sudan. Khartoum is located at the confluence of the White Nile – flo ...

. All 4 occupants were thrown clear on impact and survived. The plane was on a first attempted flight from

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

. * On 30 June 1920, a Handley Page O/400 (G-EAKE) crashed in Östanå, Sweden, during a demonstrative competition to land an airmail contract. Both occupants survived. * On 14 December 1920 a Handley Page O/400 used by the airline crashed on take-off from Cricklewood Aerodrome, hitting a tree; both crew and two of the six passengers died. * On 30 December 1921, a Handley Page O/10 (G-EATM) crashed in Berck-sur-Mer, France. No details are available. * On 14 January 1922, the Handley Page Transport Handley Page O/10 ''G-EATN'', operating on a scheduled passenger flight from Croydon Airport in London to Paris–Le Bourget Airport outside Paris in Senlis, crashed while on approach to Le Bourget; all four people on board survived. * On 10 July 1923, a Handley Page W.8 (G-EAPJ) made a forced landing in Poix, France, due to engine trouble on a Paris-London and was destroyed. All 9 occupants survived; the pilot and mechanic had minor injuries.

References

External links

Photos of inaugural London-Paris service, 1920

{{Airlines of the United Kingdom Airlines established in 1919 1919 establishments in England Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom Handley Page

Cricklewood Aerodrome

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

External links