Originally Posted by
RichardRS
Thank you Four Wings for your comments. For the purposes of my original enquiry are you referring to the buildings in my pictures as the "WWll" huts?
The whole of the bus WHBM mentions is seen in earlier frames of that film.
As always, I have to say a big "thank you" to you all for not only answering my questions but providing such an interesting and enjoyable read. The fund of background information never cease to amaze me. Due credit will, as always, be given when I complete the captions for our website.
They're 'Seco' huts often seen on 'expansion scheme' airfields. Last time I went to Northolt back in 2008 there were still a lot there next to the A40.
There were some of these at Heathrow used for Southern ATCC from when it transfered from Uxbridge until London ATCC radar unit moved to West Drayton in Feb 1971 and presumably originally built for the RAF radar unit which was co-located. They were situated west of the tunnel entrance where Compass Centre now stands, the other side of the tunnel from where the airline terminal buildings were.
I visited 'London Airport' with my parents several times in the early '50s and remember having to walk from the bus stop on the Bath Road (we used to get the Greenline from Chesham to Uxbridge then changed to a red LT double decker) through or past wooden huts, (presumably the terminal buildings mentioned above) not Seco type, situated east of the tunnel entrance, to access the public viewing areas which gradually moved south until they were in the Central Area.
On one visit, we had to walk across an active taxiway to access the public viewing area, the crossing being guarded by what I believe may have been airline personnel. I remember seeing my brother and sister walking across and I ran to follow, only to be snatched back by a man in a dark airline style uniform as something large with 4 engines was fast approaching (DC4 or 6 type).
Of course as I was only about 4 years old and this occured well over 60 years ago, some of the details of my recollection may be inaccurate, but the incident certainly happened!