The reason the planes are there seems to have been lost to time
Just like our trusty motors, aeroplanes also have a shelf life. So what becomes of them when they’re no longer fit to fly or are simply put out to pasture?
Much like us, they end up in a graveyard. Not your conventional burial ground, naturally, but an aircraft graveyard.
And you might be surprised to learn there’s one hidden away just a short journey from London. This plane graveyard, also referred to as an aircraft boneyard, is situated between the Skylark Hotel and London Southend Airport – merely an hour’s drive along the M25 from South London, and even nearer for residents of East and parts of North London.
This overgrown site, scattered with dusty, abandoned planes, occupies land thought to belong to the hotel and adjoins the airport. It’s believed that some of these aircraft could hark back to the 1950s, according to our sister site EssexLive.
Where is the graveyard?
You can identify three planes through Google Maps’ satellite view at Aviation Way, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6UN.
The stretch of land behind the Skylark Hotel has remained undisturbed for years, permitting nature to gradually reclaim the planes amongst the wild vegetation.
A Google search uncovers three aircraft in the graveyard – two larger ones resembling contemporary passenger planes and a smaller one, potentially a private plane built for fewer passengers. So, what kinds of aircraft are gathering dust in this graveyard?
Several posts on the Fighter Control forum shed some light on these abandoned planes.
One post suggests that the two larger aircraft could be ex-RAAF Hawker Siddeley HS 748’s. For those unfamiliar, this is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed and manufactured by British aircraft maker Avro.
However, there has been no official confirmation regarding the precise type of aircraft left to deteriorate at the site.
But how did they end up there?
The exact reason why these planes were abandoned here remains shrouded in mystery.
They don’t appear to have crash-landed, as the bodywork on the larger planes looks largely intact from a distance, though they are showing signs of rust and have been targeted by graffiti artists.
Sadly, the history behind these planes may never come to light.
How can you catch a glimpse of them?
Access to the area is restricted by locked gates and fencing, so simply wandering up to the planes is not an option.
However, one of the larger aircraft can be spotted from a distance if you position yourself in the hotel’s car park.
It is always advisable to obtain permission from the landowner before venturing onto any private land.
Trespassing on someone’s property without consent could potentially result in legal consequences.
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