Heathrow before the Europa terminal and Queens building

[MarkB1]

I remember sitting on the grass area close to where aircraft would be towed across the perimeter road from the maintainence hangers. Probably inside the airport boundary now, it was fully open back in the late 70s when I was there. Good views for 28R arrivals and the odd very close up view of a 747 being pulled across the road. There used to be a Comet parked on the grass for training.

[PAXboy]

I remember that junction well! It (Eastchurch Road) was secured many years ago and all other traffic routed past the Long Stay 2+3 parks and to the Eastern Perimiter Road and Envoy Avenue to skirt all the maintenance areas and reach Hatton Cross.

[Max Tow]

And in the very beginning....
Somewhat before the time under discussion, but I recently came across this in a parliamentary report on LHR expansion.

[ZFT]

Originally Posted by MarkB1

I remember sitting on the grass area close to where aircraft would be towed across the perimeter road from the maintainence hangers. Probably inside the airport boundary now, it was fully open back in the late 70s when I was there. Good views for 28R arrivals and the odd very close up view of a 747 being pulled across the road. There used to be a Comet parked on the grass for training.

That Comet arrived from Mexicana if my memory is correct in about 1969/1970. The BOAC apprentices moved over from an Argonaut to this Comet for training purposes. Whilst I was lucky enough to do engine runs on that Argonaut, I don't recall if the Comet was ever utilised for that.

[treadigraph]

I recall the rather singed looking Argonaut GALHJ was on the fire dump down near the threshold of 10L, as was, and the Comet G-APDT was parked nearby sans wings during my first visits in '75/'76

[ZFT]

All such a long time ago but I suspect you are totally correct with both airframes, especially APDT as I'm sure this was the aircraft BOAC leased to Mexicana

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Max Tow

And in the very beginning....
Somewhat before the time under discussion, but I recently came across this in a parliamentary report on LHR expansion.

Nice find !

Although, interestingly, that plan was changed even before construction began, with the result that the northern runway was built longer (9000 feet) than the plan shows, so that the western NW-SE taxiway was no longer parallel to its runway (No 3):

[sandringham1]

Originally Posted by treadigraph

I recall the rather singed looking Argonaut GALHJ was on the fire dump down near the threshold of 10L, as was, and the Comet G-APDT was parked nearby sans wings during my first visits in '75/'76

I was a BOAC apprentice 68/71, the Argonout was heavily corroded and went for fire training before I could get to play with it but the Comet arrived and we did use that, we would open the engine cowling, function controls and systems culminating with running the engines which seemed to worry the instructor in case we opened the throttles too wide, as if we would!
The radio still worked in RX but no longer in TX after someone broadcast music on a LHR's frequency and the cabin had been kitted out as a classroom with chairs and desks, t didn't go to the BAA fire crews until sometime in the 80's. .

[dixi188]

What and when was the first aircraft to use the new LAP?
Immediatly after WW2 long haul flights operated from Hurn, BOAC moved most ops. to LAP around 1948.
As an aside, in 1976 I worked in Airworks radio section at Hurn and outside on a concrete bollard you could still read "B.O.A.C No2 Line Headquarters".

[pax britanica]

Interesting to look at the very old map-oldest i have seen and with secret stamped all over it one assumes wartime.

Interesting to see the rail link from the Reading /Windsor to Waterloo line at Feltham which was never built but probably should have been - even today there is still a lot of open space between that line and southern LHR.

The 'Sludge' works known as Perry Oaks was reduced in size a little and the Duke of Northumberland's canal rerouted parallel to the Longford river along the southern boundary.

Perry Oaks hamlet had to be the least desirable place to live in Britain with runways on either side of it and back in the day another runway immediately to the east with sewage works to the west. Challenge for any estate agent to make that sound good.

All gone now of course under T5

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by dixi188

What and when was the first aircraft to use the new LAP?

British South American Airways Lancastrian, to Buenos Aires. Captain was Don Bennett. 1 January 1946.

Originally Posted by ZFT

That Comet arrived from Mexicana if my memory is correct in about 1969/1970. The BOAC apprentices moved over from an Argonaut to this Comet for training purposes. Whilst I was lucky enough to do engine runs on that Argonaut, I don't recall if the Comet was ever utilised for that.

The Comet 4 was ex-BOAC fleet G-APDT. Out of service at BOAC Autumn 1965 with the rest of the fleet, instead of being sold to Dan-Air like its compatriots it was one of a pair leased, only, to Mexicana, supplementing their fleet they bought new, which lasted for four years. BOAC probably thought they had seen the last of it but it came back at the very end of 1969, and was used as a ground trainer through to 1980, nicely in BOAC livery again. There's a well-known photo of it and a BOAC 747 nose-to-nose, for of course they were never in service together. It was subsequently given to the fire service. The last BOAC Comet flight was November 1965, it coincided with the opening of the new Auckland airport in New Zealand, where the old one had been able to handle Comets, just, but not 707s/DC8, and the Comet doubtless hung on. The last BOAC Britannia was a few months before; it was a time of change.

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by WHBM

British South American Airways Lancastrian, to Buenos Aires. Captain was Don Bennett. 1 January 1946.

It was named Starlight.

And this is why the 'temporary/semi-permanent' office accommodation block (old T2 site offices) was named Starlight Point......although Covid situation has now resulted in this building being closed down last autumn and won't be re-opening.

[Ancient Observer]

I have an old rolled up 1975 1:50000 map of the area covering LHR. (Not the folded version)
A friend was clearing his office and I thought "That might be useful". No great projects emerged, so it has lived in my man cave for over 10 years.

It has close to zero value, and the postage might be expensive, as might be acquiring the tube for it, but if it is of value to anyone, do PM me.
AO

[PAXboy]

AO Perhaps consider a museum that covers the area, or civilian aviation?

[WHBM]

This film was shot in 1962 driving along the A4 road.

Journey Without Incident 1962 | bpvideolibrary

From the 6 minute mark, for about a minute, it is passing Heathrow Northside. The road diversion seen there is around the works for the bridge over M4 motorway spur.

[Nineiron]

Heathrow Memories

I was based on the south side in the mid sixties.This was the original Harmondsworth Airport. The southern perimeter road from Hatton cross would take you past the Pan-Am base (best canteen on the airfield), the executive aircraft park, then what were known as the Comet hangars. Hunting Clan was based there, I remember the 'Clan' being painted out as it became the base for Fields, Shell Aircraft Ambassadors with Douglas Bader being a regular visitor as he kept his twin Beech in the hangar, One hangar was used as a freight shed for Seaboard & Western Airlines CL44 aircraft and another housed all the snow ploughs and runway clearing equipment. Fields often had aircraft for maintenance, the Syrian Arab DC6, Iraqi Viscounts and the Misrair Comet come to mind. Further round the peri track you would find the Air India base and the flashing beacon, which was a large cone of green flourescent tubes. There was a glue factory (hoof & horn) down that way and if the wind was right down the runway, everybody knew about it. Regarding the Northside, it became very congested and restrictions were made on Britannias using reverse pitch in the area. Although the Europa building was eventually finished the West London Air terminal at Brompton continued with check-in and the BEA half decker buses with their baggage trailers were a regular sight. Anybody remember collecting mushrooms off the airfield? The best ones were to be found near the runway holding points where the hot air would pass over the grass.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by pax britanica

Interesting to see the rail link from the Reading /Windsor to Waterloo line at Feltham which was never built but probably should have been - even today there is still a lot of open space between that line and southern LHR.

But there was a railway line there; single tracked splitting from the main Paddington - Slough line at Yiewsley. What it was used for I don't know but the tracks south of the old Bath Road (no longer the A4 as this designation was transferred to the Colnbrook bypass) were still down up until the '80s at least so probably just used for goods trains; I think it originally joined the line from Staines to Windsor and Eton Riverside just north of the Staines bypass near where 'PI crashed however I think the section of it south of Bath Road disappeared when the M25 was built and it looks as if it finishes at Poyle now in an industrial area just north of the old Bath Road .
There was also a huge marshalling yard on the south side of Hounslow Heath, just north of Hanworth aerodrome; you can still see traces of it on ZoomEarth..

[Fareastdriver]

I have an old rolled up 1975 1:50000 map of the area covering LHR.

Here is a 1959 1/10560.

https://maps.nls.uk/view/189258389

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by chevvron

But there was a railway line there; single tracked splitting from the main Paddington - Slough line at Yiewsley. What it was used for I don't know but the tracks south of the old Bath Road (no longer the A4 as this designation was transferred to the Colnbrook bypass) were still down up until the '80s at least so probably just used for goods trains;

Line runs right under the M4/M25 junction from the GWR main line, and is still in use for the two concrete/aggregate works located in Thornley and Colnbrook. It was also heavily used for bring in materials and equipment to the purpose built logistics centre set up for building Terminal 5.

[treadigraph]

Yes, looking at the old maps it ran from West Drayton via Poyle and joined the Staines/Eton line just NW of Staines. Staines Station used to be Staines Junction and there was another Staines Station which was a branch terminus on the west side of the River Wraysbury. Ones lives and learns...