Close to extinction several times, the last intact Beverley again faces an uncertain future. Ken Ellis examines the twilight years of Blackburn’s heavy lifter
There has been a fortification at Paull, on the north shore of the River Humber east of Kingston upon Hull, since the 16th century. The current edifice was completed in the 1860s and was owned by the Ministry of Defence until the 1960s. Under the title Fort Paull Armouries, the site was opened to the public in 2000.
Inside the walls is a remarkable survivor – the last intact Blackburn Beverley C.1, XB259. With a span of 162ft (49.37m), a height of 38ft 9in (11.81m) and an empty weight of about 80,000lb (36,287kg) it is one of the largest aircraft preserved in Britain. At Fort Paull, XB259 is on home ground, as it was built at Brough, 15 miles (24km) west.
In the spring of 2020, it was announced that Fort Paull and its contents were to be offered for sale during the summer. If the entire package failed to attract suitable bids, it would be divided into piecemeal lots and auctioned. This is not the first time that XB259 has been on the market, possibly facing the end of the road.
Speed not essential
Capitalising on its experience developing the Ham…
