Goodbye Heathrow Tower
Join Date: May 2000
Location: EGTT/FAB/LGW/BOH/FAB/LGW
Posts: 458
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Were those of you that worked in and enjoyed the old tower more attached to the tower or the people that you worked with there? There experiences and good memories you have of the building are surely more related to the people and characters rather than the bricks, mortar and windows?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It was both for me. I recall looking longingly at the Tower when I was a spotter there in the late 50s and early 60s, but never ever believed that I would work there. When I did, it was like a dream come true! I loved the layout of the Tower and Approach rooms, especially when Approach was on the 6th floor. It just seemed a magical place to be. Once I trained and got to know everyone, they too became precious and I recall them all fondly now, some 20+ years after I left there.
I detest the look of the new tower so much that I have never tried to visit it, (assuming they would have even me that is!). It has no appeal to me at all but I hope that those employed there have as much fun as I and my ex-colleagues did in the old tower..
I detest the look of the new tower so much that I have never tried to visit it, (assuming they would have even me that is!). It has no appeal to me at all but I hope that those employed there have as much fun as I and my ex-colleagues did in the old tower..
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: LHR/EGLL
Age: 45
Posts: 4,392
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does a great job of heating the patio though......
Seriously though, I preferred working in the old tower...yes it was cramped in the VCR, and the view was compromised, but actually controlling traffic in the old tower was more fun. GMC was significantly more complex than it is now, due to the taxiway layout, but was more intuitive with paper strips. Also, the cramped VCR layout was a benefit when things got busy because it was pretty easy to monitor the workload of those around you.
In the new VCR you're surrounded by screens and it is very easy to get sucked into tunnel vision concentrating on your own task, and in GMC it's no longer so easy to see how busy your colleagues are.
But then of course electronic strips brings a whole lot of benefits that a paper based system couldn't.
All the above IMHO of course.
Seriously though, I preferred working in the old tower...yes it was cramped in the VCR, and the view was compromised, but actually controlling traffic in the old tower was more fun. GMC was significantly more complex than it is now, due to the taxiway layout, but was more intuitive with paper strips. Also, the cramped VCR layout was a benefit when things got busy because it was pretty easy to monitor the workload of those around you.
In the new VCR you're surrounded by screens and it is very easy to get sucked into tunnel vision concentrating on your own task, and in GMC it's no longer so easy to see how busy your colleagues are.
But then of course electronic strips brings a whole lot of benefits that a paper based system couldn't.
All the above IMHO of course.
Last edited by Gonzo; 13th Jan 2013 at 14:15.
Join Date: May 2000
Location: EGTT/FAB/LGW/BOH/FAB/LGW
Posts: 458
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fair points all, I guess I just have never felt such an attachment to the towers I have worked in. I had a similar aim of working in my current regional airport's (is that how you described it Gonzo? 
) tower as HD from a young age and now I am working there love it but if they offered us a new sparkling shiny tower I think I'd quite happily wave goodbye to the creaking and banging and the temperamental heating system!
) tower as HD from a young age and now I am working there love it but if they offered us a new sparkling shiny tower I think I'd quite happily wave goodbye to the creaking and banging and the temperamental heating system!
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Cornwall UK
Age: 79
Posts: 507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air-Britain : berry
I twisted Peter's arm to get these 15 photos put on the publicly viewable ABPIC site....in the photo albums of the Air-Britain members Yahoo Group 'ab-ix' he has several more albums including rare early colour at Farnborough.
I twisted Peter's arm to get these 15 photos put on the publicly viewable ABPIC site....in the photo albums of the Air-Britain members Yahoo Group 'ab-ix' he has several more albums including rare early colour at Farnborough.
Last edited by A30yoyo; 13th Jan 2013 at 16:12.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Cornwall UK
Age: 79
Posts: 507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There's a variety of shots of LHR towers old and new on Air-Britain : heathrow tower
'Guy ropes'? Shirley they're fire escapes for when you can't use the lift! (A similar system was discussed in the planning stage for the present Farnborough tower - no seriously it was!)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Cornwall UK
Age: 79
Posts: 507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Apologies Heathrow Director I should have said more precisely 'shots featuring the old towers and from the new tower'.....there is a shot of the redbrick one from the new one
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: On the wireless...
Posts: 1,901
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by chevvron
'Guy ropes'? Shirley they're fire escapes for when you can't use the lift! (A similar system was discussed in the planning stage for the present Farnborough tower - no seriously it was!)
Emergency high-speed lift.
Escape capsule on a guy wire á la Flash Gordon.
Inertia reel harness (which should stop when 6 inches from the concrete...).
Guest
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: On the Beach
Posts: 3,336
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gonvo:
I suspect that is the operative word. Ancient buildings don't have that awful material.
Falling apart and riddled with asbestos?
Last edited by aterpster; 14th Jan 2013 at 13:04.
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Lincolnshire UK
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"I guess the ghosts of the Captain and the Colonel will still be there long after the building has gone."
I haven't heard those stories Heathrow Director - do tell...
I haven't heard those stories Heathrow Director - do tell...
I left England in 1962 bound for Australia on board a BOAC Comet 4. I have been back many times since, the last being in 2011, and once I caught sight of the red brick tower I knew I was home and all was well with the world. I guess next time it will be the Concorde at the round about..oh no wait it's a 380.