Originally Posted by
SincoTC
On my way to school sometime in the mid fifties, I saw a Hermes at Southend Airport that was rather tail high (about 40 degrees), unfortunately, it had buried its nose in the Southend (Victoria) to London (Liverpool Street) railway line after running of the end of the runway. I dont think there were any serious injuries, but the operator's name was soon painted over to cover their embarrassment.
I can't remember the operator or if the line had been electrified by this time, but it would have been very near to the 24kV overhead wires if it was!
This would be G-ALDC, operated by Falcon Airways, which aquaplaned and pitched in at Southend on 9 October 1960, returning on a holiday charter from Barcelona. Several of the Hermes losses, from quite a small fleet, were on landing, I get the impression it was quite a handful.
Going back to the start of this thread, this aircraft had also performed a couple of charters across the Atlantic earlier that 1960 summer, transiting via Keflavik. Not stated what its ultimate destination was, but it seems several Hermes ventured over there through time.
That railway line was electrified in 1956. I come overhead it from time to time myself on the Southend 24 approach; even when right on the PAPIs you still feel quite close to the wires ! There are special guard wires on short poles at the railway fence on both sides of the tracks which, if broken, set the railway signals to red and cut off the power. I presume if the Hermes aquaplaned and ended up against the railway they must have been on 06. I believe its not the only aircraft to have ended up there.