A question for the fine ladies and gentlemen at EGCC. You may know of
my site which exists, primarily, to document the history of Reporting Points before those involved in their naming leave the ATC profession and all the anecdotes are lost forever.
The site has been expanded in recent months to include details of major beacons and, even more recently, to include photographs (two so far,
Pole Hill and
Whitegate).
As I live near Manchester, it makes sense to look in detail at the local stuff. Looking at an undated Jeppesen chart for 06 lurking in the 1992 edition of Trevor Thom's Book 5, I can see a beacon at Congleton (CON on 360.5). This has presumably long since disappeared to be replaced by DAYNE. There was also a BOLIN hold (on the 230 Radial from POL at 16 DME). This was replaced by the LYLAK hold (on the 076 Radial from WAL at 27 DME) when POL was out of service. Manchester Tower was on 118.7.
Does anyone remember those days? All information such as when CON ceased to be and when/why the BOLIN and LYLAK holds were superseded is very welcome. How did LYLAK get its name? Where in/near Congleton was CON located?
Turning to the 1997 edition of the same Trevor Thom book, there is a 1994 Aerad chart, again for 06. CON has gone and DAYNE has appeared. BOLIN and LYLAK are still there, but now sport references to MCT in addition to POL and WAL.
There is still a beacon at Oldham (OLD on 344). I presume that has vanished sometime during the last nine years. Any knowledge?
The chart also shows two beacons (locators?) on the extended centreline of 24/06. There is ME on 396 and MCR on 388. No mention of MCH though. I would guess that ME and MCR are long gone - do we know exactly when? Where were they on the ground?
The chart also shows two markers at 3.9 DME (MCR I think) and 0.8 DME. These have disappeared from the latest charts. Would it be a fair guess that markers are somewhat outmoded in this world of ILS/DME etc? If so, was 1994 a time when Manchester had ILS (or more to the point DME) but the markers were still there "just in case"? I tend to hear "160 to 4" a lot, but just occasionally, one of you says "160 to the outer marker" - old habits die hard? -- or are they still there? If so, where?
I have also spotted that Whitegate appears to be bang on the extended centreline - I'm sure that can't be coincidence, but it seems to have nothing to do with Manchester operations today. Any ideas?
Folks, having read that again I realise that there is a lot there. I would welcome any snippets, however sketchy. I will of course be more than happy to mention any contributors on the site in the acknowledgements section.
Thanks in advance,
Nick Locke