Domestic UK - London-midlands
I remember back around 1972 with fog at LHR, BOAC diverted a number of aircraft into BHX. One morning they got a B707 to operate the flight to LHR as there were no Viscounts available. Not sure if they served the hot breakfast or not.
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I was at Uni in Birmingham early 70's. The train was 90 mins every half hour most of the day, but hourly late evening. Regularly used it to go to concerts in London and back same night.
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BHX-LHR/LGW
I flew BHX-LHR first time in 1967 on a BEA Vanguard. During the 70's I think it was several times daily by BEA. From 1980's BMA, in 1982 did BHX-LHR and return by BMA F27 (sat in flight deck on outward journey...my sister in law was BMA cabin crew and we were on our honeymoon) it was later replaced by the SD360. Flew several times BMA ATP BHX-LHR during late 1980's 1990's it was 5 times daily every day. Also flew several times BHX-LGW originally with BCAL Twin Otter and later Air Europe SD360 it was 3 Daily every day. Most of my flights were to connect, although I did use BHX-LGW in mid 80's several times on a day return basis p2p for business around the area of the airport and even to Brighton, it was a good fare and much faster than train or road. I bet everyone's bored now! I think both LHR and LGW were well used at the time, and used by a lot of airline crew too. At this time fast train from Coventry to Euston was around 60 minutes every 20 mins or so as I recall.
Joined BMA at LHR in 1977 and we flew to EMA (was CDD Castle Donn) 3 or 4 times daily with a Viscount, and sometimes a DC-9 on a Friday night in the summer months would take over to get the a/c up there for the weekend JER or IT holiday flights say to RMI PMI IBZ ALC etc.
It would come back to LHR on the last Sunday evening flight.
Later years saw the VC8 relegated to a SH-330 or 360 and the F27.
The LHR-BHX was the domain of BEA/BA Viscounts until when in 1980 HM Govt made them give up some Domestic routes and so BMA gained the route, plus the LHR-LBA.
BHX was flown 5 times daily with a Viscount, and the LBA four times a day with a Viscount.
In 1977 BA gave up the LHR-LPL which went to BMA who introduced initially the DC-9 flying 5 times daily, but later a Viscount was put on the LPL, 4 x times daily.
I think BCAL used someone for LGW-BHX route (Genair I think using a SH330 but not sure if I am correct here) and Brymon covered the LGW-BHX with a Twin Otter (one pilot).
Air Europe Express took on the LGW-BHX with SH360 and this carried on with a Management buyout after the parent went bust in 1991.
Cannot recall anyone flying LGW-EMA though....
It would come back to LHR on the last Sunday evening flight.
Later years saw the VC8 relegated to a SH-330 or 360 and the F27.
The LHR-BHX was the domain of BEA/BA Viscounts until when in 1980 HM Govt made them give up some Domestic routes and so BMA gained the route, plus the LHR-LBA.
BHX was flown 5 times daily with a Viscount, and the LBA four times a day with a Viscount.
In 1977 BA gave up the LHR-LPL which went to BMA who introduced initially the DC-9 flying 5 times daily, but later a Viscount was put on the LPL, 4 x times daily.
I think BCAL used someone for LGW-BHX route (Genair I think using a SH330 but not sure if I am correct here) and Brymon covered the LGW-BHX with a Twin Otter (one pilot).
Air Europe Express took on the LGW-BHX with SH360 and this carried on with a Management buyout after the parent went bust in 1991.
Cannot recall anyone flying LGW-EMA though....
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Joined BMA at LHR in 1977 and we flew to EMA (was CDD Castle Donn) 3 or 4 times daily with a Viscount, and sometimes a DC-9 on a Friday night in the summer months would take over to get the a/c up there for the weekend JER or IT holiday flights say to RMI PMI IBZ ALC etc.
It would come back to LHR on the last Sunday evening flight.
Later years saw the VC8 relegated to a SH-330 or 360 and the F27.
The LHR-BHX was the domain of BEA/BA Viscounts until when in 1980 HM Govt made them give up some Domestic routes and so BMA gained the route, plus the LHR-LBA.
BHX was flown 5 times daily with a Viscount, and the LBA four times a day with a Viscount.
In 1977 BA gave up the LHR-LPL which went to BMA who introduced initially the DC-9 flying 5 times daily, but later a Viscount was put on the LPL, 4 x times daily.
I think BCAL used someone for LGW-BHX route (Genair I think using a SH330 but not sure if I am correct here) and Brymon covered the LGW-BHX with a Twin Otter (one pilot).
Air Europe Express took on the LGW-BHX with SH360 and this carried on with a Management buyout after the parent went bust in 1991.
Cannot recall anyone flying LGW-EMA though....
It would come back to LHR on the last Sunday evening flight.
Later years saw the VC8 relegated to a SH-330 or 360 and the F27.
The LHR-BHX was the domain of BEA/BA Viscounts until when in 1980 HM Govt made them give up some Domestic routes and so BMA gained the route, plus the LHR-LBA.
BHX was flown 5 times daily with a Viscount, and the LBA four times a day with a Viscount.
In 1977 BA gave up the LHR-LPL which went to BMA who introduced initially the DC-9 flying 5 times daily, but later a Viscount was put on the LPL, 4 x times daily.
I think BCAL used someone for LGW-BHX route (Genair I think using a SH330 but not sure if I am correct here) and Brymon covered the LGW-BHX with a Twin Otter (one pilot).
Air Europe Express took on the LGW-BHX with SH360 and this carried on with a Management buyout after the parent went bust in 1991.
Cannot recall anyone flying LGW-EMA though....
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Community Express, operated flights from East Midlands and Birmingham to Gatwick for a short period back in 1995-1996, until they went bust, using Shorts 360 and BAe Jetstreams.
British Midland used all sorts of aircraft types on the Birmingham - Heathrow service, flight numbers, BD771-BD782, Shorts 330s, Shorts 360s, Fokker F27s, Fokker 70s, Fokker 100s, Douglas DC9-14, Douglas DC9-32, De Havilland Dash 7 & BAe ATP, until the service finished in 1993
British Midland used all sorts of aircraft types on the Birmingham - Heathrow service, flight numbers, BD771-BD782, Shorts 330s, Shorts 360s, Fokker F27s, Fokker 70s, Fokker 100s, Douglas DC9-14, Douglas DC9-32, De Havilland Dash 7 & BAe ATP, until the service finished in 1993
Thanks for popping up my memory re Euroworld Express from LGW - I was there at LGW, so I should have recalled, but its 30 years ago LOL.
Re the BD LHR-BHX flight numbers, they were at first BD371 and so on, using Viscounts, then changed to BD771 etc.
LHR-LPL was at first BD 381 etc with a DC-9, then changed to BD 581 etc with a Viscount.
It was great times at LHR when 5 or even 6 BMA Viscounts were on the deck all at the same time (Usually a FRI evening in the summer when we only had one DC-9 for a spell)
MME
LPL (The last LHR-LPL would then do a night LPL-PMI Mallorca charter flight)
LBA
IOM
BHX (The last LHR-BHX would then do a night BHX-MAH Menorca IT charter flight)
and sometimes the EMA was also a Viscount.
Re the BD LHR-BHX flight numbers, they were at first BD371 and so on, using Viscounts, then changed to BD771 etc.
LHR-LPL was at first BD 381 etc with a DC-9, then changed to BD 581 etc with a Viscount.
It was great times at LHR when 5 or even 6 BMA Viscounts were on the deck all at the same time (Usually a FRI evening in the summer when we only had one DC-9 for a spell)
MME
LPL (The last LHR-LPL would then do a night LPL-PMI Mallorca charter flight)
LBA
IOM
BHX (The last LHR-BHX would then do a night BHX-MAH Menorca IT charter flight)
and sometimes the EMA was also a Viscount.
rog747,
I was pretty sure that Brymon did operate EMA/LGW back in the mists of time and having delved into the Airport Timetables UK archive I have BC202 and upwards routing LGW-BHX-EMA at least during Summer 1984, but I believe they were doing so before then too.
I was pretty sure that Brymon did operate EMA/LGW back in the mists of time and having delved into the Airport Timetables UK archive I have BC202 and upwards routing LGW-BHX-EMA at least during Summer 1984, but I believe they were doing so before then too.
Ah thanks.....
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Took many British Midland flights from LHR to BHX or EMA in the early 1990s in either an ATP or a Dash 7. Flight times around 30 mins unless a few circuits in the hold on the return leg. Once it was a triangular journey (LHR/BHX/EMA).
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Twotter domestic flights still available
You can also fly on a very nice Twotter from NQY EXT or Lands End to St Mary's ISC. (and also on BN Islanders too)
Fares are not cheap but a superb flight to the Islands, if you go from EXT it's a hours flight and sometimes you get an extra stop at NQY.
They still an ex Brymon a/c, G-BIHO being one....1981 vintage.
Fares are not cheap but a superb flight to the Islands, if you go from EXT it's a hours flight and sometimes you get an extra stop at NQY.
They still an ex Brymon a/c, G-BIHO being one....1981 vintage.
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