Vertico, I agree that the cockpit was an ergonomic nightmare. However, in those days, cockpit layout did not feature large in the design team agenda. It was not until the manned space programme got underway did the whole subject of cockpit design take off.
Milt, I can also vouch for the ability of the Avons to swallow birds and keep going. I got airborne in a T4 for an IRT, but before the IRE could pull back an engine, there was a series of loud thumps and one of the engines surged for a few seconds before recovery. We looked at each other and simultaneously revealed that the engine on our side had evidence of birds having been ingested - in other words, both engines took a hit. The IRE told me that they looked like pigeons, not exactly small birds. Anyway, we flew the approach on 2 engines with the asymmetric speeds and made a safe landing. I went to the engine bay when they had split the engines (you could lift off the whole top half of the engine). All bleed valves were completely clogged with bird remains, compressor blades were nicked on both engines, but more seriously, one complete stage of rotor blades was missing from one of the engines! But they both kept going as though there was nothing wrong. Who sez that Rolls Royce weren't the finest?