The Solway Aviation Museum is located at Carlisle Lake District Airport in Cumbria, England. It is a volunteer-run museum dedicated to preserving aviation history, with a particular focus on British aviation during the Cold War era.

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Solway Aviation Museum

Aviation House, Carlisle Airport

Crosby on Eden

Cumbria CA6 4NW

United Kingdom

www.solway-aviation-museum.co.uk

info@solway-aviation-museum.co.uk

+44 1228 573823

April – October

• Saturday – Sunday and School Summer Holidays at Friday 10:30 – 17:00

Admission fee

Aircraft collection

G-APLG XJ823 XS209/29 XX477 XB259 WZ515 WG303 WE188 ZF583/M XA459/394 WS832/W XG190 G-ARPP XV259 XV406/D WP314/573 XX146/GT WZ784 WV198

Auster J/5L Aiglet Avro Vulcan B.2 BAC Jet Provost T.4 BAE Jetstream T.1 (fuselage) Blackburn Beverley C.1 de Havilland Vampire T.11 de Havilland Chipmunk T.10 English Electric Canberra T.4 English Electric Lightning F.53 Fairey Gannet ECM.6 Gloster Meteor NF.14 Hawker Hunter F.51 Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident 1C Hawker Siddeley Nimrod AEW.3 MCD Douglas Phantom FGr.2 Percival Sea Prince T.1 SEPECAT Jaguar T.4 Slingsby Grasshopper TX.1 Westland Whirlwind HAR.21

• Exhibits: In addition to aircraft, the Solway Aviation Museum houses numerous aviation-related artifacts, engines, and other displays that provide insight into the history of flight and military aviation.
• Engines and Technology: The Solway Aviation Museum also showcases various aviation engines, like the Rolls-Royce Avon, and offers detailed explanations of the technology behind them.
• Educational Focus: The museum serves as an educational resource for schools and aviation enthusiasts, with exhibits that explain the evolution of aircraft, aviation technology, and the role of aviation in military history.

Visiting the Solway Aviation Museum offers a unique opportunity to explore historic aircraft up close and learn about the significant role aviation played in the UK’s military and technological history.

The Beverley was gradually phased out of service in the late 1960s as newer, more efficient transport aircraft like the Lockheed C-130 Hercules became available. XB259 was one of the 47 Blackburn Beverleys built and served faithfully before retirement.

Unfortunately, very few Blackburn Beverleys have survived in preservation, and only one complete example remains (XB259), which was previously on display at the Fort Paull Museum before it closed down in 2020. However, the Solway Aviation Museum has the cockpit of a Beverley as part of its collection and now also the fuselage from Fort Paull Museum, allowing visitors to see this piece of British aviation history up close.

The Blackburn Beverley remains a symbol of the RAF’s ability to operate in tough environments, providing critical logistical support during the Cold War period.