Queen's Building Viewing Terrace
I think it a shame that airport design seems to conspire to hide the aircraft from the view of the public. Even regional airports are guilty - waiting to pick my son up at Exeter arrivals I was reduced to squinting through a crack in a locked door to get a highly restricted view of the manouevring area. On flights using major airports it is quite likely you will never actually see the exterior of the aircraft you have flown in as you will embark and disembark in an enclosed tube.
Playing devil's advocate I can sort of see that spotters might be considered a nuisance, but to deny the fare paying passenger a view of the aircraft they have paid to fly in seems extreme.
Playing devil's advocate I can sort of see that spotters might be considered a nuisance, but to deny the fare paying passenger a view of the aircraft they have paid to fly in seems extreme.
The Queens Building probably did more to enhance my early spotting interests than anything else.
I can remember sitting on the old balcony in the early 70's listening to the commentary. I can also remember the 'new' location for spotting, whilst not as good, got you up close to the action.
Don't let anyone fool you into thinking it was anti terrorism reasons that the QB closed. I believe it was down to manpower in maintaining and running a facility that didn't play an integral part in a profit making business.
RIP QB, you are missed but not forgotten.
I can remember sitting on the old balcony in the early 70's listening to the commentary. I can also remember the 'new' location for spotting, whilst not as good, got you up close to the action.
Don't let anyone fool you into thinking it was anti terrorism reasons that the QB closed. I believe it was down to manpower in maintaining and running a facility that didn't play an integral part in a profit making business.
RIP QB, you are missed but not forgotten.
Nemesis of the Proot Dynasty
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I remember back in the 50s my cousin and me being taken to Heathrow for the day by my uncle. At that time, you could have a tour round the pans and airside area in a BOAC double decker bus with the radio tuned in to arrivals/departures. For a 10 year old, it was like being taken round Cape Canaveral!
More than once I visited the viewing area atop QB.
25 years later I worked out of LHR.
More than once I visited the viewing area atop QB.
25 years later I worked out of LHR.
My first recollection of Heathrow was climbing the frost covered steps leading to the viewing galleries on the Queens Building.
I had been taken on the overnight coach trip from Cheadle by my elder brother and the his group of Spotter mates from Ringway.
All I can really remember, apart from the frosty steps, is listening to the radio speach of Harold Wilson devaluing the pound on the trip down.
I had been taken on the overnight coach trip from Cheadle by my elder brother and the his group of Spotter mates from Ringway.
All I can really remember, apart from the frosty steps, is listening to the radio speach of Harold Wilson devaluing the pound on the trip down.
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Re cycling into the central area
You can still cycle in and out of the Central Area via the small tunnels; I've done it myself several times. It can be a tad scary as you share the tunnel with the taxi's. Due to the width and the speed bumps, which have a cycle gap in the middle, you have to ride in the center of the road so the taxi's have to go at your speed. `Patient' taxi drivers versus aging legs - mmm!
One morning I was well over half way through and all alone, until I heard the regular `bump-bump' of a taxi starting it's journey over the speed bumps behind me. Silly really but I did wonder if the driver would see me, and found myself pedaling ever faster to keep him at bay.
On the way out you can carry your bike up the steps at the tunnel exit and pop up just west of the Police Station. There is quite a lot of cycling information on the BAA website.
One morning I was well over half way through and all alone, until I heard the regular `bump-bump' of a taxi starting it's journey over the speed bumps behind me. Silly really but I did wonder if the driver would see me, and found myself pedaling ever faster to keep him at bay.
On the way out you can carry your bike up the steps at the tunnel exit and pop up just west of the Police Station. There is quite a lot of cycling information on the BAA website.
VX275....
So that's why the terraces were shut...no de-icing facilities for the stairs! That would never pass "H and S" requirements nowadays!
Spent many happy days on the Roof Gardens from 1964-67, come rain, ice or shine. Thereafter I worked inside the Queen's Building for three years.
The only "unsatisfactory" occasion spent spotting from the gallery was on the day when The Beetles returned from their tour of USA. Thousands of screaming young girls awaited the arrival of the PanAm flight, which parked in front of the commentary box. The noise was so loud it was impossible to listen to our VHF sets!
I've lost touch with my old "gang" from those days. If Les Hitchings, Dick Johnson or his sister Margaret happen to read this, please send me a PM.
P.H.
So that's why the terraces were shut...no de-icing facilities for the stairs! That would never pass "H and S" requirements nowadays!
Spent many happy days on the Roof Gardens from 1964-67, come rain, ice or shine. Thereafter I worked inside the Queen's Building for three years.
The only "unsatisfactory" occasion spent spotting from the gallery was on the day when The Beetles returned from their tour of USA. Thousands of screaming young girls awaited the arrival of the PanAm flight, which parked in front of the commentary box. The noise was so loud it was impossible to listen to our VHF sets!
I've lost touch with my old "gang" from those days. If Les Hitchings, Dick Johnson or his sister Margaret happen to read this, please send me a PM.
P.H.
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VX275: was that on a NORWAG trip? My first visit to LHR as a spotter rather than a passenger was on one of those, plus many more trips there and elsewhere from 1972-5.
Last edited by Proplinerman; 16th Apr 2011 at 17:45. Reason: Spacing error
NWSRG
My small contribution to this thread.
In 1956 stationed with Fighter Command Communications Squadron at R.A.F. Bovingdon I went along for the ride in a 90 Group Varsity calibrating the nearby ROTOR radar station at Chenies in Hertfordshire (near Bovingdon) and took this photo of LHR as it was in the summer of 1956 from 10,000ft looking east.
On the left alongside the Bath Road (A4) the North Terminal with the silver shapes of airliners is visible. In 1956 until at least 1960 transatlantic and intercontinental traffic departed from the North Terminal (I have a photo of a friend boarding a Pan Am B-707 bound for Baltimore taken at this terminal in October 1960). This terminal was housed in pre-fab buildings and was still in use until late 1960. I don’t know when the newly built Oceanic Terminal came into use to handle long-haul traffic.
My photo shows the layout in June 1956 taken from 10,000ft looking east. The centre island as shown consisted then of the ‘Europa Building’ (now Terminal 2) which can be seen at about 2 - 3 o'clock in the centre island, whilst the future 'Oceanic Terminal' (now Terminal 3) for long-haul flights (visible at about 5 o'clock in the centre island) was under construction
The Bath Road (A4) shows up on the left as the dark strip running top to bottom parallel with the north main taxiway & runway. In 1956 the M4 was but a gleam in the planner’s eye – it was to be another nine years before the first stretch of the of the M4 westwards from Central London to Heathrow opened in 1965.
On the right the A30 (the lighter of the two darkish strips) wends its way through the (then) rural delights of Middlesex towards Hounslow and London. Straight ahead and beyond the airfield boundary, just beneath the cloud line the A312 can be seen running left to right.
Three years earlier on 8th October 1953 I visited London Heathrow to watch the start of the London to Christchurch (New Zealand) air race and took the photo (above) which shows one of the competitors, the first licence-built Royal Australian Air Force Canberra serial number A84-201.
Interestingly the background shows the girders for the new ‘Europa Building’, which was actually the first true terminal building and was opened by the Queen two years later in 1955. The higher girders outline what I think is the ATC control tower under construction.
I also have in my album a photo I cut out of a newspaper showing the line-up of the NZ air-race competitors with the terminal with building works in progress.
And this photo shows the LHR ATC on the north-side of the airfield near the north-side terminal, much earlier I think, but am not sure of the date.
There seems to be precious little out there that charts the development of the airport, and I would love to find something that would show the terminals as they grew...
In 1956 stationed with Fighter Command Communications Squadron at R.A.F. Bovingdon I went along for the ride in a 90 Group Varsity calibrating the nearby ROTOR radar station at Chenies in Hertfordshire (near Bovingdon) and took this photo of LHR as it was in the summer of 1956 from 10,000ft looking east.
On the left alongside the Bath Road (A4) the North Terminal with the silver shapes of airliners is visible. In 1956 until at least 1960 transatlantic and intercontinental traffic departed from the North Terminal (I have a photo of a friend boarding a Pan Am B-707 bound for Baltimore taken at this terminal in October 1960). This terminal was housed in pre-fab buildings and was still in use until late 1960. I don’t know when the newly built Oceanic Terminal came into use to handle long-haul traffic.
My photo shows the layout in June 1956 taken from 10,000ft looking east. The centre island as shown consisted then of the ‘Europa Building’ (now Terminal 2) which can be seen at about 2 - 3 o'clock in the centre island, whilst the future 'Oceanic Terminal' (now Terminal 3) for long-haul flights (visible at about 5 o'clock in the centre island) was under construction
The Bath Road (A4) shows up on the left as the dark strip running top to bottom parallel with the north main taxiway & runway. In 1956 the M4 was but a gleam in the planner’s eye – it was to be another nine years before the first stretch of the of the M4 westwards from Central London to Heathrow opened in 1965.
On the right the A30 (the lighter of the two darkish strips) wends its way through the (then) rural delights of Middlesex towards Hounslow and London. Straight ahead and beyond the airfield boundary, just beneath the cloud line the A312 can be seen running left to right.
Three years earlier on 8th October 1953 I visited London Heathrow to watch the start of the London to Christchurch (New Zealand) air race and took the photo (above) which shows one of the competitors, the first licence-built Royal Australian Air Force Canberra serial number A84-201.
Interestingly the background shows the girders for the new ‘Europa Building’, which was actually the first true terminal building and was opened by the Queen two years later in 1955. The higher girders outline what I think is the ATC control tower under construction.
I also have in my album a photo I cut out of a newspaper showing the line-up of the NZ air-race competitors with the terminal with building works in progress.
And this photo shows the LHR ATC on the north-side of the airfield near the north-side terminal, much earlier I think, but am not sure of the date.
Warmtoast
A few months before that, July/August 1953, on a summer visit from Glasgow, my English grandad took me, aged 11 years, to Heathrow to satisfy my raging passion for airplanes in any form. I well remember leaning up against a portable barrier watching the passengers board a Comet 1, like the one in the distance in your photograph, and getting an intoxicating whiff of burned kerosene as it taxied out.
Six months later the family emigrated to Canada. 13 years later I started work at DHC!
The effect of that whiff of burnt kerosene lasted 50+ years and provided me with a great career and a world of experiences.
I cannot believe my good fortune in life!
A few months before that, July/August 1953, on a summer visit from Glasgow, my English grandad took me, aged 11 years, to Heathrow to satisfy my raging passion for airplanes in any form. I well remember leaning up against a portable barrier watching the passengers board a Comet 1, like the one in the distance in your photograph, and getting an intoxicating whiff of burned kerosene as it taxied out.
Six months later the family emigrated to Canada. 13 years later I started work at DHC!
The effect of that whiff of burnt kerosene lasted 50+ years and provided me with a great career and a world of experiences.
I cannot believe my good fortune in life!
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And what happened to the Mustang model on a plinth donated by, I believe Captain Blair (?), husband of Maureen O'Hara?
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<<I seem to recall seeing the P51 model whilst walking between T1 and the QB along the passage that joined the buildings (would that be correct?). >>
Yes. Pity if it has been destroyed, but nobody nowadays would understand the significance. Where's Alcock and Brown and the Cedar of Lebanon tree??
<<a lot of 50's/60's vintage VHF radio transmitters were mentioned; what might these have been used for? >>
Possibly airline communications? Many airlines at Heathrow have their own ops frequencies for talking to their aircraft.
Yes. Pity if it has been destroyed, but nobody nowadays would understand the significance. Where's Alcock and Brown and the Cedar of Lebanon tree??
<<a lot of 50's/60's vintage VHF radio transmitters were mentioned; what might these have been used for? >>
Possibly airline communications? Many airlines at Heathrow have their own ops frequencies for talking to their aircraft.
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I'm another old spotter that used to love to visit the Queen's Building in the 70's. It was just a 5 pence bus journey on the 285 from New Malden.
My brother and I shared a pair of broken binoculars; we had a one half each of some old german pair. So a monocular each I suppose! We took a Sandwich with us and spent many a happy day watching the Tridents, VC-10s and even Concordes.
Oh yes, and underlining the regs in Civil Aircraft Markings books, whilst listening to ATC on an old Sharp Airband Radio. ( Still have it and it still works )
What a shame that today's kids have nothing like this now!
My brother and I shared a pair of broken binoculars; we had a one half each of some old german pair. So a monocular each I suppose! We took a Sandwich with us and spent many a happy day watching the Tridents, VC-10s and even Concordes.
Oh yes, and underlining the regs in Civil Aircraft Markings books, whilst listening to ATC on an old Sharp Airband Radio. ( Still have it and it still works )
What a shame that today's kids have nothing like this now!
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As a child, I was very interested in railways, as my father worked fo Brush in Loughborough.
In 1967, my Aunt Maud took me on a coach trip to London Airport, and we spent the whole day on The Queens Building roof-terraces. I was 11 years old.
That day changed my life.
Everyone should have an Aunt Maud.
XXX.
In 1967, my Aunt Maud took me on a coach trip to London Airport, and we spent the whole day on The Queens Building roof-terraces. I was 11 years old.
That day changed my life.
Everyone should have an Aunt Maud.
XXX.
Enter (b), struggling as ever with the weight of (a), crashes into (c) which is dislodged, (b) attempts to catch it but just manages to depress the plunger instead, which then causes (c) to vent all over (d), causing substantial delays for the rest of the day !