PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Heathrow before the Europa terminal and Queens building
Old 6th Mar 2021, 09:41
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Leovinus
 
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Originally Posted by ExSp33db1rd
1958/9 - I recall walking from the the BOAC Crew Reporting and Flight Operations office, known as Building 221, across the apron and on to the Stratocruisers, alongside Britannias, Connies, Argonauts and DC-7C's parked at the Northside terminal, also awaiting our passengers. This "apron" was parallel to the Slough (name?) Rd. near the subsequent entrance to the tunnel into the new Central Area, Queens Bldg, T.2 etc. BOAC crews subsequently parked at the BOAC building at Hatton Cross on the Staines Rd, officially named Tech. Block A, which housed aircraft hangar and maintenance facilities as well as being the Corporate headquarters, but called The Kremlin by most employees, and were then bussed to the Central Area Crew Reporting, Operations Centre in T.2 from where we would eventually walk out to our aircraft, before "Elf and Safety" got into the act. No yellow jackets in those days, commonsense prevailed. BOAC also built a training Empire at Cranebank, just up the road from Hatton Cross towards Hounslow.

Fond memories of it all.
chevvron mentioned the marshalling kids across active runways. I might have a dark sense of humor, but it did make me wonder what percentage of kids returned in one piece was viewed as a successful outing!

On a side note, I must say that I've been on this forum a while as a passive observer, and your posts ExSp33db1rd are some of the ones that have been a special pleasure to read. Have you ever thought of writing a book?
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