Lanark's Aviation History Marked In 2010

1910 was an exciting time in aviation. It was less than 7 years since the Wright Brothers had made their first powered flight. Only the previous summer, on 25 July 1909, Louis Bleriot was the first person to fly across the English channel. It was against this background that the first Scottish Flight Meeting took place at Lanark racecourse over 8 days in August 1910, and only the second International Flight Meeting to be held in Britain.
From the 6th to the 13th August, 17 aviators from 7 countries demonstrated their 'aeroplaning' to massive crowds, and competed for various prizes. 22 competitors were invited but some failed to make it. A railway company accidentally set fire to 2 aircraft in transit to Lanark!
The flight meeting attracted 250,000 people over the event. A railway station was constructed at Lanark racecourse to handle up to 50,000 people a day attending. Altogether 14 special trains a day were organized for each day of the show; there has never been anything like it since.
So in 2010 a memorial was position on an old railway embankment en route to lanark Racecourse close to the entrance to Lanark Loch.