Manchester Airport - Then & Now
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Yes, the 200 bus runs hourly Wilmslow - Styal Mill - Airport bus station - Runway Visitor Park (RVP) and return. In addition, the 88 bus runs hourly in each direction Altrincham - Wilmslow - Knutsford and return (no service on Sundays), stopping at Sunbank Lane on Altrincham Road near the Romper pub, a short walk from the RVP.
If you walk or cycle in, it's free entry!
If you walk or cycle in, it's free entry!
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Memories of GMAG in the seventies! Happy Days!
Having seen this thread I just had to sign up and add my memories of the Greater Manchester Aviation Group - GMAG.
I was a spotter at MAN from 1973 to 1980 before moving on to a career in ATC and was a regular on the GMAG coach trips during the seventies; happy days!
Memories come flooding back about the trips ; I remember Graham Froggatt as a Real Gent and Phil Lines as a Rough Diamond!
Who will ever forget the experience of trips on Vales Coaches ; either boiling hot in summer or freezing cold in winter!
When you weren't getting slowly poisoned by exhaust fumes coming up from the underfloor panels you might find yourself rolling backwards down the sliproad of the motorway trying to jump start the coach back to life!
My favourite pasttime when returning home was sitting at the back watching your fellow spotters falling asleep and sliding sideways into the aisle then waking up and doing it all again a few minutes later!
Even better was 2 people sliding sideways in opposite rows and banging heads together!!
There was nothing better than a trip on "One Of Vales"!!
Who else remembers ;
Piling out of the coach at Luton at 4am to check out the biz jets?
In all my trips with GMAG I only ever saw Luton once in the daylight coming back from a trip to Brussels!
Visiting Reymerston Hall in Norfolk, home of Wing Commander Wallace who put on an impromptu demo of the Wallis Gyrocopter from his front lawn and getting a round of applause from 50 spotters after landing
We did several trips to Lasham and I am sure that on one trip a logbook was "liberated" from a Dan Air Comet after a walk inside the plane - we were left to wander around the field on our own unsupervised - 9/11 and the security clampdown was still so far away.
The excitement at approaching Mildenhall ( a great airshow ) and seeing a triple tail which meant my first EC121 Connie was in the bag!
I think back to my spotting days at MAN in the 70's thinking how varied the airliner types were in those days; I feel sorry for todays spotters as everything looks the same now!
Access to the piers was fantastic ;I regret not taking photos at the time!
I would happily stand there as Viscounts and 1-11s started up just feet away and I also crawled under the fence at the pub near the threshold to watch the 1-11s, 707s and VC10s taking off from mere feet away- I now have the tinnitis to prove it!
I spend my time these days searching out propliners and older classic jets in the USA - I have no interest in the modern airliner types - they are all so similar that I have difficulties telling them apart!
I would be interested in other GMAG members memories
I was a spotter at MAN from 1973 to 1980 before moving on to a career in ATC and was a regular on the GMAG coach trips during the seventies; happy days!
Memories come flooding back about the trips ; I remember Graham Froggatt as a Real Gent and Phil Lines as a Rough Diamond!
Who will ever forget the experience of trips on Vales Coaches ; either boiling hot in summer or freezing cold in winter!
When you weren't getting slowly poisoned by exhaust fumes coming up from the underfloor panels you might find yourself rolling backwards down the sliproad of the motorway trying to jump start the coach back to life!
My favourite pasttime when returning home was sitting at the back watching your fellow spotters falling asleep and sliding sideways into the aisle then waking up and doing it all again a few minutes later!
Even better was 2 people sliding sideways in opposite rows and banging heads together!!
There was nothing better than a trip on "One Of Vales"!!
Who else remembers ;
Piling out of the coach at Luton at 4am to check out the biz jets?
In all my trips with GMAG I only ever saw Luton once in the daylight coming back from a trip to Brussels!
Visiting Reymerston Hall in Norfolk, home of Wing Commander Wallace who put on an impromptu demo of the Wallis Gyrocopter from his front lawn and getting a round of applause from 50 spotters after landing
We did several trips to Lasham and I am sure that on one trip a logbook was "liberated" from a Dan Air Comet after a walk inside the plane - we were left to wander around the field on our own unsupervised - 9/11 and the security clampdown was still so far away.
The excitement at approaching Mildenhall ( a great airshow ) and seeing a triple tail which meant my first EC121 Connie was in the bag!
I think back to my spotting days at MAN in the 70's thinking how varied the airliner types were in those days; I feel sorry for todays spotters as everything looks the same now!
Access to the piers was fantastic ;I regret not taking photos at the time!
I would happily stand there as Viscounts and 1-11s started up just feet away and I also crawled under the fence at the pub near the threshold to watch the 1-11s, 707s and VC10s taking off from mere feet away- I now have the tinnitis to prove it!
I spend my time these days searching out propliners and older classic jets in the USA - I have no interest in the modern airliner types - they are all so similar that I have difficulties telling them apart!
I would be interested in other GMAG members memories
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Back in the 70's, I used to catch the 44 bus to the airport from Gatley, after quite a long walk from my parents' house in Cheadle.
There was always a Fred Olsen Convair in on Sat mornings and also the weekly TransAmerica DC10 to look forward to.
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My first recollection of Ringway is my dad taking myself and brother up to the Styal rd area. If i remember correctly there was a seating area made out of scaffolding, i think this would be circa 1963.
Also waiting until the last minute to see the Swissair Coronado arrive before running to catch the last bus down to Gatley.
Also waiting until the last minute to see the Swissair Coronado arrive before running to catch the last bus down to Gatley.
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Ringway 1960's Memories
Lots of Memories of Ringway in the Sixties in the space between boyhood and manhood when more interesting 60's things got in the way of Aircraft spotting
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A Piaggio a very noisy thing the engines seemed to be screaming their nuts off even taxying . the DC3 is I think the Fairie's Aviation one .
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I remember looking at the joyridingComanche of NEA taking the the lucky people a trip round the Airport , I could just about buy a roll of film out of my paper round wages back then , the bus stop outside the Domestic pier , and people looking over the 4 foot high wire fence .
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Manchester in the 70's
Hi All,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAk4bMxAYvc
Just thought I'd let you know I posted a short 18min movie on Youtube of Ringway circa 1970. Still getting used to using a vid editing program, lol, but didnt turn out too bad. Enjoy Cheers Chris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAk4bMxAYvc
Just thought I'd let you know I posted a short 18min movie on Youtube of Ringway circa 1970. Still getting used to using a vid editing program, lol, but didnt turn out too bad. Enjoy Cheers Chris
Manchester in the 70's
RAF Transport Command did not exist in 1970. The Comet and Britannia should be from Air Support Command. The VC-10 should also have Air Support Command titles.
RAF Transport Command did not exist in 1970. The Comet and Britannia should be from Air Support Command. The VC-10 should also have Air Support Command titles.
The aircraft shown in the image on msg #207 is PA-28 160 Cherokee G-ARVS. It is still on the UK register under the mks G-JAKS.
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Glad u enjoyed the video. I was thinking about the approach speeds, and thought it was ok. None of the aircraft in the video are AI models, but fully flyable detailed models, controlled by the AI engine in FSX, which may explain why the approach speeds appear slow?
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spargazer
For what could be a really interesting thread it has taken you four and a half months just to make a comment about a bus service going hourly!
No wonder this thread has died off.
For what could be a really interesting thread it has taken you four and a half months just to make a comment about a bus service going hourly!
No wonder this thread has died off.
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Just wanted to bring to everyone's attention a brand new DVD, Six Miles From Home - The Story of The Stockport Air Disaster.
I've watched it and it's fantastic, a superb documentary covering one of the worst urban air crashes in UK history.
This is now available at Ringway Publications - BOOKS
I've watched it and it's fantastic, a superb documentary covering one of the worst urban air crashes in UK history.
This is now available at Ringway Publications - BOOKS
DVD and the new book too - BMA stockport crash 1967
Just wanted to bring to everyone's attention a brand new DVD, Six Miles From Home - The Story of The Stockport Air Disaster.
I've watched it and it's fantastic, a superb documentary covering one of the worst urban air crashes in UK history.
This is now available at Ringway Publications - BOOKS
I've watched it and it's fantastic, a superb documentary covering one of the worst urban air crashes in UK history.
This is now available at Ringway Publications - BOOKS
yes - also not to mention also the new book by Stephen Morrin to compliment the DVD
of the same title 6 miles from home - quite a read
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Maybe it was VT340 just maybe, scrapped 1963 sh Meteor E4 Perhaps?
This thread brought back memories for me too. As a young spotter in about 1962/63 I often used to cycle to Ringway from near Lymm. I have a vague memory of noting a Gloster Meteor preserved there. Unfortunately all my notes have been lost in various house moves over many years. Has memory played tricks, or does anyone else remember it?If I am right, can anyone help with its serial please? Many tanks, George.
Last edited by spargazer; 3rd Aug 2017 at 10:31.
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Here's a few bits from one who started in Dec 1963.
First aircraft Cambrian C-47 G-ALCC.
Was the lady who ran the shop on top of the roof called Dillys ?
Hot food in the roof top cafe Fish fingers and chips 1/10d sausage was 2/= but think you got a slice of bread and butter with the sausage and chips?
For all you ATC chaps on here I was the P.I.T.A. that used to park his gypsey call sign on the old GCA site near the central taxiway and do my paperwork well away from supervision. Clearance Back to the north side was often by alldis type lamp and on one memeorable occasion verry pistol. ( was that you chiglet?)
Bit of homework for you guys.
What was the last arrival and departure from runway 20
----------------------------------"-------------------------02
----------------------------------"-------------------------28
----------------------------------"-------------------------10
Who can remember the Martinair DC-10 that took out helicopters for the Rhodesian elections?
How many helicopters were there?
More to come if you want ?
David
First aircraft Cambrian C-47 G-ALCC.
Was the lady who ran the shop on top of the roof called Dillys ?
Hot food in the roof top cafe Fish fingers and chips 1/10d sausage was 2/= but think you got a slice of bread and butter with the sausage and chips?
For all you ATC chaps on here I was the P.I.T.A. that used to park his gypsey call sign on the old GCA site near the central taxiway and do my paperwork well away from supervision. Clearance Back to the north side was often by alldis type lamp and on one memeorable occasion verry pistol. ( was that you chiglet?)
Bit of homework for you guys.
What was the last arrival and departure from runway 20
----------------------------------"-------------------------02
----------------------------------"-------------------------28
----------------------------------"-------------------------10
Who can remember the Martinair DC-10 that took out helicopters for the Rhodesian elections?
How many helicopters were there?
More to come if you want ?
David