Goodbye Heathrow Tower
HD
Bren, IIRC Nicky started in late '87, I believe she was destined for City when it opened and was holding with us but managed to persuade 'the powers that be' to give her a go at LL - on E Watch initially?
Called in to see her in Verwood a while back (she was living in the next road to my uncle), just before she moved to the sea front at Barton on Sea. I keep looking out for her when visiting Bob Hillyer - he lives about 500yds away - but no sightings.
Tony
Did Steve die as a result of diabetes? I remember him as a very nice guy. RIP.
Called in to see her in Verwood a while back (she was living in the next road to my uncle), just before she moved to the sea front at Barton on Sea. I keep looking out for her when visiting Bob Hillyer - he lives about 500yds away - but no sightings.
Tony
Did Steve die as a result of diabetes? I remember him as a very nice guy. RIP.
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Brian.
Unfortunately yes, about ten years ago when he was based at Manchester and a few weeks before he was due to get married.
Tony F
Unfortunately yes, about ten years ago when he was based at Manchester and a few weeks before he was due to get married.
Tony F
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Talking of the ladder......
One day in the eighties the Duchess of York visited after parking a helocopter on Block 85. A rather stern looking policeman was stationed at the bottom of the stairs. The Duchess had rather a short skirt on and Roger Darling was happy to let her go first. He had to be told to 'avert his eyes'
to maintain royal protocol. Can't remember what Rogers reply was....
Happy Days.
One day in the eighties the Duchess of York visited after parking a helocopter on Block 85. A rather stern looking policeman was stationed at the bottom of the stairs. The Duchess had rather a short skirt on and Roger Darling was happy to let her go first. He had to be told to 'avert his eyes'
to maintain royal protocol. Can't remember what Rogers reply was....
Happy Days.
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Brian. Nicky was at Heathrow 1987-99. She came to Ruth's funeral, although I did not see her. She wrote to me later but did not give her address so i don't know where she is now.
Tony. Yes. Steve was a truly nice guy and I was devastated to hear of his passing. Had many, many fun times with him.
Tony. Yes. Steve was a truly nice guy and I was devastated to hear of his passing. Had many, many fun times with him.
Blimey, Malc you must have stood too close to the old 155 bus (from down my way at South Wimbledon) and had your roots shaken loose. Who was the lucky lady?
25 years later this year since John Smeath left us, RIP mate - didn't know 'The Colonel', Harry something?? Think he was in H&I same time as me.
BW
25 years later this year since John Smeath left us, RIP mate - didn't know 'The Colonel', Harry something?? Think he was in H&I same time as me.
BW
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Harry Richardson was The Colonel.
Deputy to Les West on B watch then as you say went to inspectorate or something.
Retired and went to the US and became a part time coastguard!
I used to travel with the Captain, my missus used to work with his wife Diana and we're still in touch, saw her a couple of years ago in Truro where they both came from.
He used to fly Canberras and one of the nicest blokes you could meet.
Deputy to Les West on B watch then as you say went to inspectorate or something.
Retired and went to the US and became a part time coastguard!
I used to travel with the Captain, my missus used to work with his wife Diana and we're still in touch, saw her a couple of years ago in Truro where they both came from.
He used to fly Canberras and one of the nicest blokes you could meet.
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Harry Richardson was at Kirkwall and he was always was very polite when you passed him a clearance from Scottish, he always ended the phone call " I will call you as soon as its airborne". He must have said it thousands of times. I finally got to meet him at Kirkwall in the early eighties at the BEA/BA/ Highland Division Viscount retirement shindig. 
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Last I heard of Harry was he was living in the USA but I don't know if he is still with us. Before I left the Tower in 1993, Harry visited us. He was wearing the most incredible pair of cowboy boots you have ever seen. A few stories:
1. Harry had a Wurlitzer organ. Just how competent he was with it I don't know. He didn't bring it to work.
2. Ernie Abery came in one day to take over from Harry. Like most of us, Harry seemed a bit nervous of Ernie so to make small talk he said: "I see QPR has gone down". Ernie walked purposefully across the room and studied the met TV!
3. Cessna 310 had a gear problem and did a fly-by for us to look. As usual the Sup (Harry) called to the Air Man that he would tell the AFS when the twitcher was #1. Problem is, nobody told Harry the twitcher was on a fly-by. The AFS had a great time chasing it down 10L.....
4. Harry's log entries were legendary. For something concerning an outbound he would always put the FPLN details. So.... "Bealine XXX "EGLL, Amber 1, Green 3, Blue 4, White 19 to Roma, delayed five minutes for catering".
Amazing that he flew Canberras but as M said, he was a really nice bloke.
Now, who has any stories about JK...
1. Harry had a Wurlitzer organ. Just how competent he was with it I don't know. He didn't bring it to work.
2. Ernie Abery came in one day to take over from Harry. Like most of us, Harry seemed a bit nervous of Ernie so to make small talk he said: "I see QPR has gone down". Ernie walked purposefully across the room and studied the met TV!
3. Cessna 310 had a gear problem and did a fly-by for us to look. As usual the Sup (Harry) called to the Air Man that he would tell the AFS when the twitcher was #1. Problem is, nobody told Harry the twitcher was on a fly-by. The AFS had a great time chasing it down 10L.....
4. Harry's log entries were legendary. For something concerning an outbound he would always put the FPLN details. So.... "Bealine XXX "EGLL, Amber 1, Green 3, Blue 4, White 19 to Roma, delayed five minutes for catering".
Amazing that he flew Canberras but as M said, he was a really nice bloke.
Now, who has any stories about JK...
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JK. Ah, yes, JK.
'I will be late for the afternoon duty tomorrow, I have to meet the Dutch Ambassador about financing a self-propelled barge'
'Anyone want to drive a Beemer for a few days, I'm holding it in case the owner doesn't pay me what he lost on cards the other night'.
Please could someone give chapter and verse about the 'Airline XX, do you have the traffic in sight?' transmission? I remember it was a JK classic, but cannot for the life of me remember the details......
And the urban legend - well, I'm assuming it was UG, it seemed a tad extreme even for JK - about two large gentlemen who turned up at the CTB one night asking to see 'Da Supervisor' because they felt they had a prior call on JKs presence, and he was scheduled for a night duty.
As a raw newbie to the CTB, I wondered how many more like him there could be. I don't know if I should say y'all were like that or he was a one-off, after 21 years there I was still undecided.
'I will be late for the afternoon duty tomorrow, I have to meet the Dutch Ambassador about financing a self-propelled barge'
'Anyone want to drive a Beemer for a few days, I'm holding it in case the owner doesn't pay me what he lost on cards the other night'.
Please could someone give chapter and verse about the 'Airline XX, do you have the traffic in sight?' transmission? I remember it was a JK classic, but cannot for the life of me remember the details......
And the urban legend - well, I'm assuming it was UG, it seemed a tad extreme even for JK - about two large gentlemen who turned up at the CTB one night asking to see 'Da Supervisor' because they felt they had a prior call on JKs presence, and he was scheduled for a night duty.
As a raw newbie to the CTB, I wondered how many more like him there could be. I don't know if I should say y'all were like that or he was a one-off, after 21 years there I was still undecided.
When I first met JK at LATCC, he immediately impressed me a being the popular image of a spiv. He used to regale us with stories of his mortgages, his au-pairs etc in the canteen during breaks.
I heard when he returned to Heathrow, he started re-training in GMC and managed to turn a 747 up a dead end, and it took ages to get a tug to push/tow it out!
I heard when he returned to Heathrow, he started re-training in GMC and managed to turn a 747 up a dead end, and it took ages to get a tug to push/tow it out!
Last edited by chevvron; 20th Jan 2013 at 18:33.
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That's right. I've transferred aircraft to JK as they left the cul-de-sac and he'd say.. "Do you see the BOAC 707 ahead", "Affirm", "Roger, that traffic will be turning left after take-off, you're cleared for take-off....." And the pilots lapped it up!!
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Dunno about JK's Beemer..... remember Cowboy's orange Rolls Royce?
Oh yes... JK versus Chief Officer MY in the tower.. MY became exasperated with Jake over something and shouted "You come to work in an ostentatious car.." Jake said: "Excuse me; it's not an Austin, it's a Jaguar".
Oh yes... JK versus Chief Officer MY in the tower.. MY became exasperated with Jake over something and shouted "You come to work in an ostentatious car.." Jake said: "Excuse me; it's not an Austin, it's a Jaguar".
JK
I may have put this story on Prune before.... but never mind. A few of us are sitting in the rest room at LL and in he walks dressed up in a 3 piece suit and very smart overcoat.
'What brings you here, JK' we say - he now being at City.
'I've got an appointment at CATO' says he.
'Oh, you after a posting to a desk then?'
'No, I've got a disciplinary interview'
We of course are all ears.
'I was temporary SATCO while the real one was ill and did a favour for one of the airlines, who promised me two free tickets. By the time they arrived a new boss had been installed and as the tickets had been addressed to his office he opened the letter and found them. So I'm on a charge of granting favours and accepting reward!'.
He didn't seem too worried as he left with our best wishes ringing in his ears.
Later we hear that he had come out of the hearing 'smelling of roses' as his solicitor threatened to report the new chief officer for the very very serious offence, against the Post Office Act of xxxx, of opening mail addressed to someone else as the letter containing the 'gift' had been clearly addressed to Mr J K, SATCO.
'What brings you here, JK' we say - he now being at City.
'I've got an appointment at CATO' says he.
'Oh, you after a posting to a desk then?'
'No, I've got a disciplinary interview'
We of course are all ears.
'I was temporary SATCO while the real one was ill and did a favour for one of the airlines, who promised me two free tickets. By the time they arrived a new boss had been installed and as the tickets had been addressed to his office he opened the letter and found them. So I'm on a charge of granting favours and accepting reward!'.
He didn't seem too worried as he left with our best wishes ringing in his ears.
Later we hear that he had come out of the hearing 'smelling of roses' as his solicitor threatened to report the new chief officer for the very very serious offence, against the Post Office Act of xxxx, of opening mail addressed to someone else as the letter containing the 'gift' had been clearly addressed to Mr J K, SATCO.
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And on Derby Day he was a D2 spinner. When B Watch arrived he told Harry he wasn't too well and was going off sick....... complete with binoculars over his shoulder!! What a character..
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The 16th Heathrow Nostalgia Evening will be held at the Lasham Gliding Club on Friday 15th February 2013. Doors open at 1700 and the Gliding Club Café will remain open serving simple but adequate hot meals until 1830.
The bar will open around 1800.
Programme starts at 1900.
Entry fee (payable on the evening) is £4.
For further information please email: [email protected]
The bar will open around 1800.
Programme starts at 1900.
Entry fee (payable on the evening) is £4.
For further information please email: [email protected]