I have to say that I find this an extremely interesting thread and similar ones regarding other airlines and their particular aircraft should be opened, a good example could be BUA/BCAL VC10's.
My first ever flight on a BAC-11 was actually on one of the Aer Lingus quartet flying from LHR to Dublin in January 1984.
I always had fond memories of seeing the Aer Lingus BAC-11's at LGW along with LHR.