Who are The Hooton Park Trust?

Hooton Park painting (Click to make larger) Picture curtosy of The Griffin Trust

The Hooton Park Trust (HPT) was formed in 2000 with the aim of forming a Trust to oversee and manage the restoration of the remaining WW1/2 hangars on the former RAF airfield at Hooton Park, Cheshire. The long term aim is to provide a multifunctional site, as well as restoring the buildings & the site itself as valuable historic artefacts in their own right. The buildings will then provide the perfect environment for the projects and initiatives that are planned.

Situated just off the M53, alongside the mighty Ellesmere Port Vauxhall car plant and River Mersey, much still remains of the Hooton Park airfield and its buildings. Three original, belfast-trussed, hangars dominate the landscape, surrounded by the original access roads, taxiways, and numerous outbuildings and offices, all steeped in the colourful history of this one-time Royal Air Force airbase.

Some of the runway also exists. All manner of aircraft types have operated from this aerodrome, for example Austers of the Army Air Training Corps, Supermarine Spitfires of 610 Sqdn, and, during the postwar years, classic jets such as Gloster Meteors, De Havilland Vampires, Venoms and much much more.

TAC Workshop
(Click to make larger) Picture curtosy of The Hooton Park Trust

There are numerous projects ongoing at Hooton Park. Alongside the ongoing restoration of the buildings themselves, associated groups and individuals are progressing with their own restoration projects .. for example, a Meteor F8 on display as flown by the 610 squadron when based at Hooton Park in the 1950's, and an Auster.

The Aeroplane Collections current projects include; a Parker CA-4, a Miles Gemini and a Miles Messenger. Hooton Park is also home to Griffin Trusts varied collection of classic commercial vehicles, which include Austin, Dodge and Thames Trader.

The Hooton Park Trust is still in its infancy, but, with the vital assistance afforded by the associated groups and volunteers involved with the resurrection of Hooton Park (and hopefully not forgetting the National Lottery), the aim of making this former RAF airfield come alive once again will be realised.

Special mention must also go to Vauxhall Motors themselves, who have been very supportive in getting The Hooton Park Trust off the ground.

Getting to Hooton Park couldn't be easier - it is situated just off the M53 motorway, very close to the "Cheshire Oaks" shopping complex in Ellesmere Port, nr Liverpool. Nearby attractions also include The Boat Museum and, of course, the Beatles museum in Liverpool itself.

Exact dates for the 'Open Days' are the 11th and 12th of September, please visit the Events page for more information.

If you wish to contact HPT in the meantime, please use our email form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for visiting the HPT website.