Northeast Airlines (UK)
Thread Starter
Northeast Airlines (UK)
As far as I can remember Northeast had a fleet of six Viscount 806s, some based at Newcastle, some at Leeds Bradford. I don't know if there were any of their Viscounts based elsewhere. Does anyone know how many were based at which airport and their destinations ? I think the LBA fleet did Heathrow, Belfast, Dublin, Amsterdam, Jersey and Klagenfurt.
Thankyou.
Thankyou.
There were indeed six. AOYH, YL, YO, YR, APEX and EY. I'd seen then all at LBA within a fortnight or so of starting collecting reggies in August 1974.
Don't know about earlier operations but by that time I'd think all six were used on all routes.
Some maintenance was done at Leeds but ISTR major overhauls were at Cardiff by then.
EDIT: Routes then were LHR, BFS, JER, GCI, DUB (pooled with EI) and AMS. Paris and Brussels had been tried but dropped following the Yom Kippur war and consequent 'fuel crisis'. The Channel Islands were summer only.
AMS was only three rotations a week and NE dropped it in early 75. Air Anglia stepped in immediately upping frequency to double daily at business sensible timings at first opportunity. There is then a continuous line over next 40 yrs via Air UK, KLM UK to the current City Hopper service.
Don't know about earlier operations but by that time I'd think all six were used on all routes.
Some maintenance was done at Leeds but ISTR major overhauls were at Cardiff by then.
EDIT: Routes then were LHR, BFS, JER, GCI, DUB (pooled with EI) and AMS. Paris and Brussels had been tried but dropped following the Yom Kippur war and consequent 'fuel crisis'. The Channel Islands were summer only.
AMS was only three rotations a week and NE dropped it in early 75. Air Anglia stepped in immediately upping frequency to double daily at business sensible timings at first opportunity. There is then a continuous line over next 40 yrs via Air UK, KLM UK to the current City Hopper service.
Last edited by Airbanda; 12th Jan 2015 at 16:58.
I was based in LBA 66/67 and LHR 68-70 flying initially the HS748 and latterly the various marks of Viscount. Initially we had 3 748s and 4 V700s. We also leased some Skyways 748s for winter seasons as required. As the V806x were introduced the 748s disappeared and eventually the V700s too. Meanwhile the Ambassadors, which were based in LHR and NCL went also, barring the horse freighters.
When we eventually got down to just 6 V800s the network had shrunk a bit. No longer were there so frequent flights to the Channel Islands and weekend charters to places like OST had stopped. Originally we operated a much larger scheduled network from LHR to places like KFT, BIO, EAS and BIQ. Also there were IT operations such as GOA night flights and bulb field charters to RTM.
The distribution of aircraft – from long distant memory, were 1 in LHR to operate the first LBA flight, one in NCL for the BFS and DUB flights and the rest in LBA. Just what they did I don’t completely remember, Certainly there was an early LHR and a BFS. What is certain though was that the aircraft all rotated through all bases on a frequent basis. A day’s work for us might be LBA-LHR-LBA-LHR-NCL-LHR-LBA. Alternatively we might do the LBA-AMS-DUS-AMS-LBA which I think was also the first flight of the day for one aircraft. The 6th was probably a floater for maintenance which moved from SEN to CWL around ‘68.
Certainly by the time I left the tie-up with BEA was kicking in and we operated rotations through MAN e.g. LHR-MAN-BFS-MAN-LHR.
When we eventually got down to just 6 V800s the network had shrunk a bit. No longer were there so frequent flights to the Channel Islands and weekend charters to places like OST had stopped. Originally we operated a much larger scheduled network from LHR to places like KFT, BIO, EAS and BIQ. Also there were IT operations such as GOA night flights and bulb field charters to RTM.
The distribution of aircraft – from long distant memory, were 1 in LHR to operate the first LBA flight, one in NCL for the BFS and DUB flights and the rest in LBA. Just what they did I don’t completely remember, Certainly there was an early LHR and a BFS. What is certain though was that the aircraft all rotated through all bases on a frequent basis. A day’s work for us might be LBA-LHR-LBA-LHR-NCL-LHR-LBA. Alternatively we might do the LBA-AMS-DUS-AMS-LBA which I think was also the first flight of the day for one aircraft. The 6th was probably a floater for maintenance which moved from SEN to CWL around ‘68.
Certainly by the time I left the tie-up with BEA was kicking in and we operated rotations through MAN e.g. LHR-MAN-BFS-MAN-LHR.
Thread Starter
Thank you Airbanda and Flightwatch. Lots of interesting reading there. Those aeroplanes certainly got about. Did the Cambrian 806s ever pass through LBA for maintenance ?
The only time I saw a Cambrian V806 at LBA as a reggie collector was in 1975. A footy charter to/from Paris in connection with Leeds United's ill fated European Cup Final. There may have been others ad-hoc or on CI flights but not routinely or for maintenance.
Vague recollection of the odd one pre-spotting days, perhaps 69/70, but only noticed 'cos it was 'different' in a red variation of NE's livery.
The order changed in April 76 when BA merged Cambrian/Northeast with Channel and Scottish operations to form BA Regional. Some V802s were withdrawn then including at least one that was scrapped for spares at Leeds. Thereafter operation was a mix of 802 and 806 variants.
I've an idea the 806 variant was built with more powerful Dart engines for certain hot/high or otherwise operationally difficult BEA duties. They were changed to the same version as the 802 when the machines passed to Cambrian/NE, becoming the 806x as mentioned above. Might have been some other detail differences in internal layout too.
Vague recollection of the odd one pre-spotting days, perhaps 69/70, but only noticed 'cos it was 'different' in a red variation of NE's livery.
The order changed in April 76 when BA merged Cambrian/Northeast with Channel and Scottish operations to form BA Regional. Some V802s were withdrawn then including at least one that was scrapped for spares at Leeds. Thereafter operation was a mix of 802 and 806 variants.
I've an idea the 806 variant was built with more powerful Dart engines for certain hot/high or otherwise operationally difficult BEA duties. They were changed to the same version as the 802 when the machines passed to Cambrian/NE, becoming the 806x as mentioned above. Might have been some other detail differences in internal layout too.
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Thanks Airbanda. Cambrian - "the orange Northeast" as my brother used to say.
Odd to think they only offered three flights a week to Amsterdam. Little wonder Air Anglia got their hands on the route. From Viscounts to F27s to Embraers. Some of these aircraft can cope with LBA weather !
I don't remember seeing a Northeast Trident. I guess our short runway at LBA wasn't suitable so those aircraft stuck to Newcastle and Heathrow.
Odd to think they only offered three flights a week to Amsterdam. Little wonder Air Anglia got their hands on the route. From Viscounts to F27s to Embraers. Some of these aircraft can cope with LBA weather !
I don't remember seeing a Northeast Trident. I guess our short runway at LBA wasn't suitable so those aircraft stuck to Newcastle and Heathrow.
The Tridents were used on LHR/NCL and a few other routes including LHR Bilbao which for some reason stayed with NE rather then BA European Division. I think there were a couple of other European routes including Bordeaux and Klagenfurt.
One of the Tridents, AVYD, was written off in a take off accident at Bilbao in 1975.
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...0G-AVYD%20.pdf
The machines flow by BKS/NE were originally built for Channel Airways with an 'imaginative' cabin layout allowing 140 seats. On BK/NE operations they were limited to 110. SFAIK none visited Leeds. Though there is a story of one being shown at a SSAFA display at Church Fenton performing an approach and G/A at Yeadon en-route bak to its base at NCCL.
One of the Tridents, AVYD, was written off in a take off accident at Bilbao in 1975.
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...0G-AVYD%20.pdf
The machines flow by BKS/NE were originally built for Channel Airways with an 'imaginative' cabin layout allowing 140 seats. On BK/NE operations they were limited to 110. SFAIK none visited Leeds. Though there is a story of one being shown at a SSAFA display at Church Fenton performing an approach and G/A at Yeadon en-route bak to its base at NCCL.
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Loved the bright yellow of Northeast, green Aer Lingus and red BIA. Made the LBA apron very colourful in the 70s.
Interesting that Paris and Dusseldorf didn't work out for Northeast. Even forty years later we still don't have daily flights to these destinations. Brussels is history too.
Interesting that Paris and Dusseldorf didn't work out for Northeast. Even forty years later we still don't have daily flights to these destinations. Brussels is history too.
From Airbanda's post above:
I've a vivid memory of standing on my bike saddle and peeping over the fence to the apron outside the hangar that used to be to the left of the terminal at LBA, sometime in the early to mid 70's. There was a Viscount in BEA/red wing livery sitting on it's belly in the process of being scrapped. Twas before my spotting days so I didn't get a reg. 
Could have been G-AOHH or 'HK according to VVN.
True - most 806's were re-engined down to 802 standards.
I think the catering layout internally was slightly different between the 802 & 806, and that led to the one external way of telling the difference - the position of the single window behind the forward door. Further back on the 802.
Some V802s were withdrawn then including at least one that was scrapped for spares at Leeds. Thereafter operation was a mix of 802 and 806 variants.
Could have been G-AOHH or 'HK according to VVN.
I've an idea the 806 variant was built with more powerful Dart engines for certain hot/high or otherwise operationally difficult BEA duties. They were changed to the same version as the 802 when the machines passed to Cambrian/NE, becoming the 806x as mentioned above. Might have been some other detail differences in internal layout too.
I think the catering layout internally was slightly different between the 802 & 806, and that led to the one external way of telling the difference - the position of the single window behind the forward door. Further back on the 802.
My CAM suggests AOHH was broken up at Leeds on 75/6. 76 was my O level year and exams finished mid June so I spent most of rest of month in the old spectators enclosure opposite stands2/3.
At some stage the scrappie called and we saw cockpit section of a Viscount go by towards the Harrogate Road on it's way to the smelter.
At some stage the scrappie called and we saw cockpit section of a Viscount go by towards the Harrogate Road on it's way to the smelter.
G-AOHK was also scrapped in 76 at LBA, with the forward fuselage being saved for use at a hotel in Jersey for some years.
Wish I could determine which of the two I saw on that occasion, but they were both wearing the same livery on scrapping. There was definitely only one there that I saw so the two must have been scrapped at different times in 75/76.
Wish I could determine which of the two I saw on that occasion, but they were both wearing the same livery on scrapping. There was definitely only one there that I saw so the two must have been scrapped at different times in 75/76.
the BKS/NE trident 1e's seated 123 pax
6 abreast
they flew a big charter program at weekends for Swans Tours from London airport to the mediterranean balearic islands, spanish mainland, austria, italy and zurich.
all quite short haul - malaga and dubrovnik was the furthest
in the winter ski flights were operated to MUC ZRH TRN and MXP
they obtained both of channels tridents when they folded which had 139 seats with the forward cabin in a 7 abreast arrangement
i sat in this at a sunday open day at STN - was quite ok actually
http://www.shockcone.co.uk/hs121/tri...es/1ecabin.jpg
http://www.shockcone.co.uk/hs121/tri...ges/1eseat.jpg
6 abreast
they flew a big charter program at weekends for Swans Tours from London airport to the mediterranean balearic islands, spanish mainland, austria, italy and zurich.
all quite short haul - malaga and dubrovnik was the furthest
in the winter ski flights were operated to MUC ZRH TRN and MXP
they obtained both of channels tridents when they folded which had 139 seats with the forward cabin in a 7 abreast arrangement
i sat in this at a sunday open day at STN - was quite ok actually
http://www.shockcone.co.uk/hs121/tri...es/1ecabin.jpg
http://www.shockcone.co.uk/hs121/tri...ges/1eseat.jpg
The V806 was re-engined from the Dart Mk525 to the Dart Mk510 whilst still with BEA to use the more powerful engines for the Argosy, which sorely needed them! Apart from the very few Hot/High airfields in the BEA network the 525 didn't bestow much benefit. The 806s still had the bigger engine when BEA went as far as Doha.
Thread Starter
It's pleasing to see there is still so much interest in Northeast. How nice it would be for British Airways to paint a few A320 family aircraft in Northeast, Cambrian and BEA liveries to act as a reminder of the short-haul heritage. I wanted this to happen when BA resumed LBA to LHR but it never did.
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At least the Livery will live on as the Trident 1C at the museum in Sunderland is in the process of being painted in the in Northeast Colours
Have a look a www.savethetrident.co.uk to see the progress
Have a look a www.savethetrident.co.uk to see the progress
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Great bunch, Norjet. One evening, maybe Christmas Eve, one of the Tridents got a direct route from Aberdeen to Bovingdon and broke all the records. I can't recall but it might have been 40 minutes. They said they'd like to come up and thank us so I said that's fine, as long as they brought the hosties. They all came, along with a couple of cases of lager! Great fun.
