Midland and Scottish Air Ferries Ltd.

Midland and Scottish Air Ferries

Midland and Scottish Ferries was formed on the 10 th March 1932, although it did not have any planes and do any flying until the following year. It was founded by Scottish bus owner John Sword who amalgamated the words Midland (Scottish Midlands) from his own Midland Bus Company and Scottish from Scottish Transport who bought the Midland. Sword was based out of Airdrie and the airline out of Renfrew airport to the West of Glasgow. Initially it did charters and joy riding, but on the 18 th April 1933 it did its first scheduled flight from Renfrew to Campbeltown (newspapers, passengers from 27 th ). It expanded its scheduled services which included Glasgow to London (Maylands) which linked with his great friend Edward Hillman’s service to Paris. Although it had some involvement with the Birmingham Industrial fair (BIF) in 1933, in 1934 it decided to offer a letter service between Birmingham and London (Heston) and between Birmingham and Liverpool (Hooton and Speke). This was not authorised by the Postmaster General and was shut down after 2 days. The airline iclosed in June 1934 by Sword as he was under pressure from his SMT (Scottish Motor Traction) directors, who were involved with the RAS and demanded he choose between coach and air. Mail flights flew on two days, the 19th and 20th February 1934. On day one there were flights to Heston and Hooton, on day 2 the airline which flew from both Hooton and Speke in Liverpool flew from Speke. There were also flights from Heston to Birmingham. There were no air mail labels instead the Airline charged 3d and produced a cachet. In collecting the envelopes, the most important item is the cachet in which there were a number: 1) For letters and cards sent from BIF there was a blue double oval cachet, with the date and various details. 2) For letters and cards sent to Hooton, There was a red 2 line cachet with name of airline and 3 line red cachet to Hooton. 3) A purple two-line oval cachet for Liverpool, Hooton Park with the date of the 19th. Only used as a receiver from BIF 4) A purple two-line oval cachet receiver with date in middle for Heston Air Park. Dates for 19th receiver and 20th sent on front. 5) A one line ‘B.I.F., B’HAM TO LONDON’ cachet in blue. 6) An oval two-line blue cachet with BIF Birmingham used on the flight to Heston on the 19th. It appears on the rear as a receiver on the 20th. 7) A two-line cachet with airline identical to 2) except it was in purple not red. 8) A three line cachet saying first despatch SPEKE TO BIF in purple with the date. 9) Not a cachet, but there was a special postmark for letters sent from Heston on the 20th which said B’HAM industries fair and the date. There were only 4 flights over the two days. On the first day the 19th, a plane went from BIF to Hooton, and from BIF to Heston. On the second day both planes returned. The flight that went to Hooton went across the Mersey and returned from Speke; the second plane returned from Heston.

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