Heathrow runway change from 28L to 27L
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I logged LH 727s there 1960-64, but they were probably there some years later.
BEA Daks, or Pionairs as they used to call them, were 1950s and the latest I logged one was 1960, although some were to be seen in the liveries of other airlines until some years later.
Aaahh.. thoses big stairs, not Panam SuperStairs perchance? They used to ferry them across to the Panam hangar and a colleague of mine used to sing:
"Here he comes, SuperStairs, going to the hangar to collect some spares".
BEA Daks, or Pionairs as they used to call them, were 1950s and the latest I logged one was 1960, although some were to be seen in the liveries of other airlines until some years later.
Aaahh.. thoses big stairs, not Panam SuperStairs perchance? They used to ferry them across to the Panam hangar and a colleague of mine used to sing:
"Here he comes, SuperStairs, going to the hangar to collect some spares".
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Well yes, 'modellers licence' again having a BEA DC-3 and a Lufthansa 727 together which never would have met! The last BEA DC-3 service was indeed on 10th May 1962 between Islay-Cambletown-Glasgow and the first Lufthansa Boeing 727 service into LHR was in May 1964 (not before!). Since that photo was taken, I have since added Starways and British Westpoint Airlines DC-3s to the collection, which would be more authentic.
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Just an an 'ad on' to this, I am working on a book marking the 70th anniversary of Heathrow next year. Does anyone have any original prints of the official aerial views showing the BEA and BOAC engineering bases in the '50s and '60s that they would be kind enough to scan to include in this?
Just an an 'ad on' to this, I am working on a book marking the 70th anniversary of Heathrow next year. Does anyone have any original prints of the official aerial views showing the BEA and BOAC engineering bases in the '50s and '60s that they would be kind enough to scan to include in this?
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Minesthechevy
That era of music will live on forever and not "in the past". You need to be "Thick as a Brick" not to appreciate it. I may have listened to some of it in your company.
Back to the subject thread. Back in July '87 I remember being involved in the planning of the 10/28 to 09/27 changeover. We hoped it wasn't going to rain on the night when the runway painted designators were changed and I believe it was dry. What a relief.
In those days the red/white holding point signs didn't have the designators, they just stated "Runway Ahead" so these didn't have to change. Nowadays all airport runway holding point red/white signs are required to show the runway designators, also some yellow/black info signs have runway numbers, so when magnetic variation changes require runway designations to change then there's a lot more for an airport to do than just repainting the runway numbers.
Time to listen again to "Aqualung" I think. Brilliant album
That era of music will live on forever and not "in the past". You need to be "Thick as a Brick" not to appreciate it. I may have listened to some of it in your company.
Back to the subject thread. Back in July '87 I remember being involved in the planning of the 10/28 to 09/27 changeover. We hoped it wasn't going to rain on the night when the runway painted designators were changed and I believe it was dry. What a relief.
In those days the red/white holding point signs didn't have the designators, they just stated "Runway Ahead" so these didn't have to change. Nowadays all airport runway holding point red/white signs are required to show the runway designators, also some yellow/black info signs have runway numbers, so when magnetic variation changes require runway designations to change then there's a lot more for an airport to do than just repainting the runway numbers.
Time to listen again to "Aqualung" I think. Brilliant album
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We must have spoken many times on the wireless!
Take care and GL.. Brendan McCartney (Ex A Watch ATC).
Take care and GL.. Brendan McCartney (Ex A Watch ATC).
Last edited by HEATHROW DIRECTOR; 29th Aug 2015 at 15:33.
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Off-topic but here's a pic of them swapping the RW28 designator to RW27 at London City.... 
http://www.navjot-singh.com/uploads/...30477_orig.jpg
http://www.navjot-singh.com/uploads/...30477_orig.jpg
For those that didn't click through:
There's nothing going on at the other end of the runway so presumably it became Runway 10/27!!
With the shadows to the east, it must've been a saturday afternoon.
With the shadows to the east, it must've been a saturday afternoon.