Extended ground runs of the Merchantmen at Castle Don. on the compass base eventually took the novelty out of the sound (and feel) of the Tynes. Some days, the whole airfield seemed to resonate for around four hours.
However, only today I was describing to a fellow enthusiast hearing a Merchantman run up at Teesside, over four miles from my house, taxi to the far end, then depart on a still summer's evening, coming into sight looking very heavy indeed. Embarrassingly, I got goosebumps simply describing the event of thirty years ago.