Just going back to the Blackpool to Luton route, I see from my passenger logbook I flew on this route in a Pegasus Viking sometime in 1960 and followed this up in an Autair Viking in 1963. I always remember the hostie quietly cursing under her breath as she had to step over the main spar which ran through the cabin. Happy days.
I have been visiting Blackpool Airport for over 40 years. I have flown in BIA Heralds and Ryanair 737’s both into and out of Blackpool and have used both the wooden terminal and the new terminal.
I have seen airlines and aircraft come and go that are now apart of Blackpool's history.
I have used the wings of an abandoned Vulcan as an umbrella and as a kid played inside a Lancaster bomber that was parked up landside for some reason.
For me the visits are now over but I wish the airport well. Good luck Blackpool Airport, I will miss you.
For me the visits are now over but I wish the airport well. Good luck Blackpool Airport, I will miss you.
Unlike you I have only used the airport for 10 years, except I remember once in the past flying to the IOM..Like many though, I thought MAN was automatically the place to fly from in Lancashire..many people now don't know there are scheduled and charter destinations to Europe.
I use BLK as choice if I can, simple because it is easy to use..You are on your way home from BLK, while you would still be waiting at the carousel at larger airports.
For me the visits are now over but I wish the airport well. Good luck Blackpool Airport, I will miss you.
Sorry to hear that LTNman, maybe you will now consider a season ticket at Kenilworth Road !
Strange how time and circumstances create a bond between places. My very first flight was from Blackpool airport whilst my first wide-body aircraft flight was from Luton airport, a Lockheed Tristar of Court Line to the Paris Air Show in 1973. I mention Kenilworth Road as Luton Town were Preston North End's opponents for Sir Tom Finney's last ever match in the football league when both teams played in the top flight of English football. How times have changed.
I mention Kenilworth Road as Luton Town were Preston North End's opponents for Sir Tom Finney's last ever match in the football league when both teams played in the top flight of English football. How times have changed.
Yes, times have changed..Money for one thing..When Sir Tom Finny retired, he carried on his life with a plumbing business.
Now a player carrying on as Long as Sir Tom Finny, are able to retire to places permanently in the sun. But IMO football was better in the era you mention.
Well im one of those oddballs that doesnt follow football avidly, but 'resting' players after a few games, when they are on over 100K a week , never heard such rubbish, and people wonder whats wrong with the world???????
On a different note , does anybody know of any new developments going on down at airport, anything new in pipeline, before book next summers holiday???
No take-off..Not as yet anyway..I have booked Dalaman for nest summer, as the price when I booked was very attractive. Time will tell whether that was a wise choice or not..Syrian and Tremors in Marmaris.
Can't think of any options for spring, The only Canaria Island that I have not been, is Gran Canaria, and I don't fancy that.. Every time we go to Majorca in May/June - It rains most of the week. That's out and Ibiza is not that cheap.
I don't follow football avidly these days, the nature of the game has changed. and the prices are extortionate.
While we are talking about Luton , Blackpool and football, I remember being on Luton station after a mid-week FA Cup replay (which Blackpool lost 1-0, I think) and hearing Sir Stanley talking to some fans saying that he never got his £25 match winning bonus for the '53 Cup Final. How much would he be worth these days. A drop of the shoulder and he was gone....marvellous.
Quote: "Strange how time and circumstances create a bond between places. My very first flight was from Blackpool airport whilst my first wide-body aircraft flight was from Luton airport, a Lockheed Tristar of Court Line to the Paris Air Show in 1973."
Was also on a Court Line L1011 in 1973, LTN-ALC-LTN for a holiday in Benidorm with Clarksons Holidays!
We had a great time and returned the following year and were in Benidorm when Court Line/Clarksons went belly up!
Rescued by Laker, first time on a DC10.
IIRC, Court Line had two Tristars, both with great colour schemes: one was pink and purple, the other yellow and orange.
Quote: "Yes, times have changed..Money for one thing..When Sir Tom Finny retired, he carried on his life with a plumbing business.
Now a player carrying on as Long as Sir Tom Finny, are able to retire to places permanently in the sun. But IMO football was better in the era you mention."
Quote: "Certainly more affordableErnest ..... and players did not have to be 'rested' a few weeks into the season."
Quote: "I don't follow football avidly these days, the nature of the game has changed. and the prices are extortionate."
Quite right, agree with all of this!
Getting back to aviation, is Brentford FC, under the LHR flightpath, the only club with a pub on all 4 corners?
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 14th Nov 2012 at 17:05.
My first visits to a league football ground were to Bloomfield Road with my father aged circa 6/7 years, to watch Stanley Matthews, Jimmy Armfield and George Farm, to name three of the Blackpool players I can remember. Had an orange box to stand on, so I could see.
Think this may get the thread back to Blackpool topics.
My first flights to/from BLK were on HP Heralds to/from IOM, some 35 years ago.
Stanley Matthews, Jimmy Armfield and George Farm, to name three of the Blackpool players I can remember.
You forgot Stan Mortensen..He was prolific for Blackpool..He came out of retirement to play for Lancaster in the Lancashire Combination..I remember that well.he scored in the first few seconds against my local none league side.
I think this thread is full of old farts like me but it is good to look back.
I used to like Blackpool's spectator viewing area until a 12 foot wooden fence was put up to spoil the party and the view. Wonder why they put that fence up?
If you mean the wooden fence one alongside the heliport ? It went up without any consultation with the resident helicopter operator at all , who I believe were annoyed at the time because they had no objections to kids/families/spotters etc watching their coming and goings - and always managed a wave from the crews - good PR especially for the offshore passenger meeters/greeters watching their partners arrive/depart , fence originally installed by the airport operator supposedly to reduce noise for the local residents in the area
All the decent viewing areas are disappearing fast , watch that fence around the front of Blackpool Air Centre entrance going up , another one installed by the airport
Yes, it certainly was a place full of character in the 70s with the old wooden terminal in place, the regular Annual two-day Air Pageant, the smells of newly-cut grass & hot tarmac (not together - even at Blackpool!).
There was indeed, as someone mentioned, a static bomber positioned along the front of the airfield, either a Wellington or a Lancaster, which you could actually board. Highlight of the day was watching the BIA/Air UK Herald/F27 arrive & position alongside the terminal. I think they also originally ran newspaper flights to the IOM early a.m. Also everthing was on 118.4. Just a primitive radar system which was primary only & could track all but one aircraft at once, and which they only used when it was foggy anyway!
It was a Lancaster bomber and the year must have been around 1970. Why it was left with its doors open so the likes of me could use it as a play area is beyond me.
Someone had used the inside of the aircraft as a toilet and left a heap of something unmentionable in the forward section of the aircraft. This worked better than a Rottweiler in keeping us kids away from the bomb aimers’ position.
The Lancaster was NX611, and it is still alive and well as "Just Jane" at East Kirkby. NX611 was at Squires Gate for two years between 1970 and 1972 as part of a museum which really didn't get going. It reminds me of the Lincoln and Beverley which stood at Southend's museum in the 1970s; you could climb up to the towering cockpit of the Beverley - no nasty piles of whatever to keep kids out.
