Funny how you remember a/c numbers, XV 307 brings back a terrifying moment as my pension was due in a couple of months; winter 89/90, towing 307 to bay 43 at Rompers, directly in front of ops, wet night. Little Annie on the brakes; as the chocks were put in, I shouted breaks off. The tug had been disconnected and 3 of us had hold of the towing arm. As Annie let go the brakes the bl##dy kite jumped up and pushed the nose wheel chocks out of the way and headed off towards the Bund Road Fence.... fortunately Annie was on the ball and leapt back into the seat and screamed down the back for more pressure of which there was not alot. fortunately the guy on the pump gave it all he had and Annie had the sense to wait before having another go at the pedals. She banged on the brakes and 307 fortunately shuddered to a halt mere inches from chain link and concrete posts. CHOCKS IN shouts I before almost collapsing in a heap of relief...... unfortunately the lads on the towing arm had seem me vainly tugging on the arm trying to stop Albert + 34k from rolling down the hill. Annie was a stroppy moo but I could have klissed her that night!
Had to laugh at the comments regarding bottle trolleys at Waddo. In the early 70's there were 22 nitrogen trolleys on the line and they were constantly having to be topped up at the weir (spelling?) the line tractor had a rev counter that basically said 19 mph per thousand revs; what nobody said was you cant make the tractor rev counter hit the stops at 2000 rpm with just the judicious use of a safety raiser handle jammed on the throttle cable. When you are towing perhaps a dozen trolleys and supper and the Raven club disco were about to start and it is peeing down or just Waddos brand of freezing fog surrounding you, 4 tons of tractor + trolleys could be a very interesting ride at around 40mph or so..........
Also remember back at Rompers when told to closr the hangar doors in J2 when just as the nose dock door was nearly closed, XV 177 jumped 4ft side ways to attack the door honest.......