British Caledonian Boeing 707s

[Sotonsean]

Originally Posted by Flightrider

Same for 1981 - again one or two oddities.Mon BR 358 Arrive 06:25 Monrovia

BR 551F Depart 07:00 Tripoli

BR 667 Depart 09:00 Sao Paulo

BR 552F Arrive 15:20 Tripoli

BR 352 Arrive 17:10 Freetown



Tue BR 212 Arrive 06:10 Lusaka

BR 333 Depart 10:00 Tripoli

BR 668 Arrive 15:25 Sao Paulo

BR 334 Arrive 18:00 Tripoli



Wed BR 357 Depart 09:15 Monrovia

BR 213 Depart 20:10 Lusaka



Thu BR 358 Arrive 06:40 Monrovia

BR 333 Depart 10:00 Tripoli

BR 554F Arrive 17:10 Tripoli

BR 334 Arrive 18:00 Tripoli

BR 355 Depart 22:35 Accra



Fri BR 214 Arrive 06:10 Lusaka

BR 333 Depart 10:00 Tripoli

BR 334 Arrive 18:00 Tripoli

BR 356 Arrive 18:25 Accra

BR 215 Depart 20:10 Lusaka

BR 351 Depart 22:55 Freetown



Sat BR 567F Depart 08:00 Houston

BR 352 Arrive 17:10 Freetown



Sun BR 214 Arrive 06:10 Lusaka

BR 681 Depart 09:00 Las Palmas

BR 333 Depart 10:00 Tripoli

BR 568F Arrive 10:45 Houston

BR 353 Depart 11:15 Monrovia

BR 334 Arrive 18:00 Tripoli

BR 682 Arrive 19:10 Las Palmas

BR 211 Depart 22:00 Lusaka

BR 351 Depart 22:55 Freetown



1981 DC10 operations were on Lagos, Atlanta, Accra, Hong Kong, St Louis, Houston, Dallas, Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires.

Very informative schedule's for 1979 and 1981. I remember during my youthful days on the viewing terrace during this period witnessing the BCAL fleet and in particular their Boeing 707s.

I'm assuming that Banjul was routed via Freetown and Monrovia as BCAL definitely served the Gambia during this period.

Wasn't Bogota and Caracas also served by the DC-10 in 1981?

Also during this period a BCAL Boeing 707F operated a weekly scheduled freighter flight between London Heathrow and Houston international. It operated from London Heathrow to Houston every Sunday afternoon. The BCAL Boeing 707F always seemed a bit of an oddity on a Sunday afternoon at LHR whilst viewing from the Queen's Building terraces. But very welcome all the same.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Sotonsean

I'm assuming that Banjul was routed via Freetown and Monrovia as BCAL definitely served the Gambia during this period.

I experienced the BCAL flight from Gatwick to Banjul in late 1984 when it was a DC10 but it was just a return to Gatwick, there were no other sectors. A year later, the same carrier and type but it was in a different colour scheme, I think it was called 'Novair' or something but not without a certain amount of confusion.
Knowing the inbound flight was due, I slipped a few 'dalasi' to one of the ground staff and he allowed me up to the tower; quite an impressive tall tower it was.
Banjul Tower had 2 frequencies which could only be selected to either transmit or receive, unusually (in my experience) you couldn't transmit on both simultaneously.
Anyway the inbound BCal flight called and the controller replied but he transmitted on the other frequency, so the controller switched transmitters. The pilot called again but he had already switched to the other frequency too so they were both still on the wrong frequencies. Meantime the other inbound of the day, an RAF Hercules c/s 'Ascot XXX' called. This confused the controller further because he replied to the Ascot using the BCal callsign! Eventually he managed to get both aircraft on the same frequency.
The controller's explanation was it was getting very complicated with as many as 14 flights per week!

[dixi188]

The Houston service was marketed as "Texacargo" I think.
There was also the Africa Coastal flights using BAC1-11s that fed into the 707/DC-10 long haul routes.

[SWBKCB]

Originally Posted by dixi188

There was also the Africa Coastal flights using BAC1-11s that fed into the 707/DC-10 long haul routes.

What's does this refer to? Can anybody expand?

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by Sotonsean

Also during this period a BCAL Boeing 707F operated a weekly scheduled freighter flight between London Heathrow and Houston international. It operated from London Heathrow to Houston every Sunday afternoon. The BCAL Boeing 707F always seemed a bit of an oddity on a Sunday afternoon at LHR whilst viewing from the Queen's Building terraces. But very welcome all the same.

Must have been a cost to position between Gatwick and Heathrow for each flight.

I believe this freight flight used to do a tech stop at Bangor ME, and was one of the first flights to use that regularly rather than Gander. I presume the crew also slipped there, as Gatwick-Heathrow-Bangor-Houston would be just too much. Bangor later came back as a significant stop when the revitalised Caledonian (which had only a tenuous connection with the original one, but had all their branding) ran both Tristars and 757s to Florida and the Caribbean.

[dixi188]

Originally Posted by SWBKCB

What's does this refer to? Can anybody expand?

IIRC, The Africa coastal used to depart Gatwick and stop at around 7 cities on the west coast of Africa and end up in Accra and then the same stops on return.
Something like Casablanca, Dakar, Banjul, Bissau, Freetown, Monrovia, Abidjan, Accra. It may have continued on to Lagos.
Anyone have a timetable for the early 1980s?

[WHBM]

The weekly West African One-Eleven flight was longstanding, from back with BUA's predecessors Airwork and Hunting-Clan in the early 1950s, when it had been allowed as a low fare competitor to BOAC with Vickers Viking aircraft, which had a range of about 800nm, if that. Working up through Viscounts to One-Elevens, it varied the route in B Cal times, but the classic was Gatwick-Lisbon-Las Palmas, where there was a nightstop, then next day Las Palmas-Bathurst-Freetown-Accra-Lagos. Overnight turnround, back the same. Later variants included Casablanca instead of Lisbon, and the night stop moved further down into Africa.

It was a four day round trip, and a real blast for otherwise European-based One-Eleven crews. The same crew handled the trip throughout. Cabin was always one steward and one stewardess, plus they carried a flight engineer who signed the aircraft off each morning and handled as many snags as they could. A significant spares pack was loaded in the hold. Following some "issues" the crew hotel at the both-ways Las Palmas nightstop was made different to the pax one !

[SWBKCB]

Thanks - all new to me, everyday's a school day!

[Flightrider]

Different source this time - the British Airports Authority 1980 Airport Timetable (and this was back in the day when Stansted had only two flights a day - Air UK F27s doing Stansted-Norwich-Leeds-Edinburgh-Aberdeen and back, plus the occasional Jersey European Herald on Stansted-Jersey). With a full timetable, you can ascertain the routes more readily, so the BCal timetable for Gatwick on the 707s and DC10s for July to October 1980 is listed as follows.

By the looks of it, it must omit tech-stop points as the 707 must have had one (something in mind says Sharjah, but could well be wrong) to fly Gatwick-Hong Kong. This was the first summer of BCal's Hong Kong operation, and by 1981, Hong Kong is listed as flying on a DC10. The flightdeck crewing must have been a total riot - one trip a week to South America and a multiple-drop service at that!

In case anyone is wondering, I reckon the programme below requires a minimum of six 707s and five DC10s.

Boeing 707 schedules

Mon BR 322 BJL 0740 – DKR 0905 - 1540 LGW

Mon BR 667 LGW 0945 – 1510 REC – 1845 GIG – 2050 GRU

Mon BR 331 LGW 1030 – 1450 TIP / BR 334 TIP 1600 – 1830 LGW

Mon BR 382 LGW 1930 – 1800 HKG (from 1 August 1980)

Mon BR 381 HKG 2050 – 0605 LGW (from 1 August 1980)

Mon BR 212 LUN 2115 – 0610 LGW

Mon BR 668 GRU 2220 – GIG 0015 – 1525 LGW

Mon BR 355 LGW 2235 – 0430 ROB - 0640 ABJ

Mon BR 375 LGW 2300 – 0705 LOS

Tue BR 356 ABJ 0800 – ROB 1010 - 1745 LGW

Tue BR 333 LGW 1000 – 1420 TIP / BR 334 TIP 1600 – 1830 LGW

Tue BR 267 LGW 1300 – 1615 STL / BR 268 STL 1800 – 0835 LGW

Tue BR 381 HKG 2050 – 0605 LGW (from 1 August 1980)

Wed BR 313 LGW 1000 – 1440 BEN / BR 314 BEN 1620 – 1910 LGW

Wed BR 357 LGW 1030 – 1530 BJL – 1730 FNA / BR 358 FNA 2145 - BJL 2345 – 0640 LGW

Wed BR 267 LGW 1300 – 1615 STL / BR 267 STL 1800 – 0835 LGW

Wed BR 382 LGW 1930 – 1800 HKG (from 1 August 1980)

Wed BR 213 LGW 2245 – 0930 LUN

Thu BR 333 LGW 1000 – 1420 TIP / BR 334 TIP 1600 – 1830 LGW

Thu BR 381 HKG 2050 – 0605 LGW (from 1 August 1980)

Thu BR 214 LUN 2115 – 0610 LGW

Thu BR 323 LGW 2235 – 0430 ROB - 0710 ACC

Thu BR 373 LGW 2300 – 0525 LOS

Fri BR 324 ACC 0900 – ROB 1140 - 1915 LGW

Fri BR 333 LGW 1000 – 1420 TIP / BR 334 TIP 1600 – 1830 LGW

Fri BR 376 LOS 1015 – 1645 LGW

Fri BR 382 LGW 1930 – 1800 HKG (from 1 August 1980)

Fri BR 215 LGW 2040 – 0725 LUN

Fri BR 351 LGW 2300 – 0400 BJL – 0600 FNA

Sat BR 333 LGW 1000 – 1420 TIP / BR 334 TIP 1600 – 1830 LGW

Sat BR 352 FNA 0940 - BJL 1140 – 1835 LGW

Sat BR 267 LGW 1300 – 1615 STL / BR 268 STL 1800 – 0835 LGW

Sat BR 381 HKG 2050 – 0605 LGW (from 1 August 1980)

Sat BR 216 LUN 2115 – 0610 LGW

Sat BR 371 LGW 2300 – 0445 KAN

Sun BR 333 LGW 1000 – 1420 TIP / BR 334 TIP 1600 – 1830 LGW

Sun BR 372 KAN 1135 – 1725 LGW

Sun BR 353 LGW 1230 – 1800 FNA – 1940 ROB / BR 354 ROB 2130 - FNA 2310 – 0635 LGW

Sun BR 267 LGW 1300 – 1615 STL / BR 268 STL 1800 – 0835 LGW

Sun BR 382 LGW 1930 – 1800 HKG (from 1 August 1980)

Sun BR 211 LGW 2130 – 0815 LUN

Sun BR 321 LGW 2300 – 0340 DKR - 0505 BJL


DC10 schedules

Mon BR 245 LGW 1140 – 1600 IAH / BR 246 IAH 1800 – 0900 LGW

Mon BR 361 LGW 1200 – 1810 LOS / BR 362 LOS 2255 – 0515 LGW

Mon BR 375 LGW 2300 – 0420 ACC – 0705 LOS

Tue BR 231 LGW 1100 – 1505 ATL / BR 232 ATL 1745 – 0635 LGW

Tue BR 245 LGW 1140 – 1600 IAH / BR 246 IAH 1800 – 0900 LGW

Tue BR 374 LOS 0915 - KAN 1130 – 1720 LGW

Tue BR 363 LGW 1200 – 1740 KAN – 1955 LOS / BR 362 LOS 2255 – 0515 LGW

Tue BR 665 LGW 2100 – 0205 REC – 0540 GIG – 0745 GRU - 1145 SCL

Wed BR 231 LGW 1100 – 1505 ATL / BR 232 ATL 1745 – 0635 LGW

Wed BR 245 LGW 1140 – 1600 IAH / BR 246 IAH 1800 – 0900 LGW

Wed BR 365 LGW 1200 – 1810 LOS - 1905 ACC / BR 364 ACC 2045 – LOS 2355 – 0615 LGW

Wed BR 666 SCL 1355 – GRU 1935 - GIG 2130 - REC 0100 - LIS 1250 – 1510 LGW

Thu BR 231 LGW 1100 – 1505 ATL / BR 232 ATL 1745 – 0635 LGW

Thu BR 245 LGW 1140 – 1600 IAH / BR 246 IAH 1800 – 0900 LGW

Thu BR 361 LGW 1200 – 1810 LOS / BR 366 LOS 2130 - KAN 2350 – 0535 LGW

Thu BR 661 LGW 2100 – 0550 GIG – 0755 GRU - 1130 EZE

Thu BR 675 LGW 2345 – 0410 CCS – 0700 GYE – 0940 LIM

Fri BR 231 LGW 1100 – 1505 ATL / BR 232 ATL 1745 – 0635 LGW

Fri BR 245 LGW 1140 – 1600 IAH / BR 246 IAH 1800 – 0900 LGW

Fri BR 363 LGW 1200 – 1740 KAN – 1955 LOS / BR 362 LOS 2255 – 0515 LGW

Fri BR 676 LIM 1150 - BOG 1520 – CCS 1900 - 0850 LGW

Fri BR 662 EZE 1725 – GRU 2050 - GIG 2245 - 1505 LGW

Sat BR 231 LGW 1100 – 1505 ATL / BR 232 ATL 1745 – 0635 LGW

Sat BR 245 LGW 1140 – 1600 IAH / BR 246 IAH 1800 – 0900 LGW

Sat BR 361 LGW 1200 – 1810 LOS / BR 366 LOS 2130 - KAN 2350 – 0535 LGW

Sat BR 663 LGW 2100 – 2320 LIS – 0540 GIG – 0745 GRU - 1120 EZE – 1320 SCL

Sat BR 671 LGW 2345 – 0410 CCS - 0555 BOG – 0920 LIM

Sun BR 231 LGW 1100 – 1505 ATL / BR 232 ATL 1745 – 0635 LGW

Sun BR 245 LGW 1140 – 1600 IAH / BR 246 IAH 1800 – 0900 LGW

Sun BR 363 LGW 1200 – 1740 KAN – 1955 LOS / BR 368 LOS 2145 - ACC 2330 – 0600 LGW

Sun BR 664 SCL 1520 - EZE 1900 – GIG 2245 - 1335 LGW

Sun BR 672 LIM 1130 – UIO 1430 - CCS 1900 – 0850 LGW

The 1-11 operated to Lisbon and Las Palmas on Mondays and Fridays with return flights also operating from LPA on the same days.

Bizarre that the DC10 routed south through Guayaquil to Lima and came north through Quito, with no obvious service returning from Guayaquil or outbound to Quito in the schedule. Does anyone know how this worked, or more to the point, why it was that way?

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by Flightrider

Bizarre that the DC10 routed south through Guayaquil to Lima and came north through Quito, with no obvious service returning from Guayaquil or outbound to Quito in the schedule. Does anyone know how this worked, or more to the point, why it was that way?

That is indeed how it was, back to 707 days in 1979

br793-03.jpg (1582×1704) (timetableimages.com)

One thing not apparent is the extent to which the B Cal 707s were used on charter flights. Obviously at the start of the merger from the Caledonian side that was all the 707s did, with schedules meanwhile coming from BUA VC-10s. Progressively the 707s moved across to the scheduled operation, presumably with a completely different cabin fit, and ran down charter work, but past schedules of charters are very difficult to come across.

I believe that in the first B Cal year there were even charters on the VC-10, which came forward from BUA contracts; there was a weekly operation from Gatwick to JFK, and work they still did for the military.

[Sotonsean]

Flightrider

​​​​London Gatwick to Hong Kong was always via Dubai. Although Dubai was in affect a technical stop BCAL had full passenger rights on the routing. Dubai was very much part of the schedule for BCAL.

London Gatwick-Dubai-Hong Kong was originally flown by a DC10-30 when it inaugurated on the 01 August 1980. The route was upgraded to a Boeing 747-200 in April 1982. LGW-DBX-HKG was BCAL's first route to be operated by their recently purchased Boeing 747-230B G-BJXN.

Having previously been owned by Lufthansa as D-ABYG, this was the first ever Boeing 747-200 to enter the BCAL fleet. Although BCAL had previously leased a Boeing 747-100 G-BDPZ in 1978 to cover the grounding of the DC10s.

Regarding Jersey European at London Stansted.

Jersey European Airways never operated the Dart Herald in it's entire history.

Jersey European Airways operated seasonal between Jersey and London Stansted along with a service to Belfast City. Jersey European Airways initially used the DHC Twin Otter when they started operations at London Stansted in 1979. Flights would soon be upgraded to be operated by the Shorts 330/360.

[Sotonsean]

Originally Posted by WHBM

Must have been a cost to position between Gatwick and Heathrow for each flight.

I believe this freight flight used to do a tech stop at Bangor ME, and was one of the first flights to use that regularly rather than Gander. I presume the crew also slipped there, as Gatwick-Heathrow-Bangor-Houston would be just too much. Bangor later came back as a significant stop when the revitalised Caledonian (which had only a tenuous connection with the original one, but had all their branding) ran both Tristars and 757s to Florida and the Caribbean.

I had inadvertently omitted the tech stop at Bangor. I thought, shall I add it or not? I decided not to, wish I had now 😂

Can't recall it being a position flight from London Gatwick. I can't confirm but I should imagine that it operated LGW-IAH-LHR-IAH-LGW. Departure time from LHR if I can remember correctly was around 15.00 GMT. The dedicated BCAL Boeing 707F cargo flight operated on a weekly basis, scheduled every Sunday.

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by Sotonsean

London Gatwick-Dubai-Hong Kong was originally flown by a DC10-30 when it inaugurated on the 01 August 1980. The route was upgraded to a Boeing 747-200 in April 1982. LGW-DBX-HKG was BCAL's first route to be operated by their recently purchased Boeing 747-230B G-BJXN.

I'm reminded that a customer of mine at the time provided 2 tons of freight each day for B Cal Gatwick to Dubai, and it must have been around 1981 they started.

They were a dairy in Sussex, and they sent out 2 tons of fresh milk, in pint cartons. It was synchronised in with the morning milking at farms, taken to their base, processed and packed, trucked over to Gatwick, and off to the Middle East, where a local distributor took it pre-ordered to the various oil and construction companies. All refrigerated up to loading into the aircraft and after collection, but I don't think the hold had reefer capability. It cost a bomb over there, of course.

[Asturias56]

Originally Posted by WHBM

The weekly West African One-Eleven flight was longstanding, from back with BUA's predecessors Airwork and Hunting-Clan in the early 1950s, when it had been allowed as a low fare competitor to BOAC with Vickers Viking aircraft, which had a range of about 800nm, if that. Working up through Viscounts to One-Elevens, it varied the route in B Cal times, but the classic was Gatwick-Lisbon-Las Palmas, where there was a nightstop, then next day Las Palmas-Bathurst-Freetown-Accra-Lagos. Overnight turnround, back the same. Later variants included Casablanca instead of Lisbon, and the night stop moved further down into Africa.

It was a four day round trip, and a real blast for otherwise European-based One-Eleven crews. The same crew handled the trip throughout. Cabin was always one steward and one stewardess, plus they carried a flight engineer who signed the aircraft off each morning and handled as many snags as they could. A significant spares pack was loaded in the hold. Following some "issues" the crew hotel at the both-ways Las Palmas nightstop was made different to the pax one !

It was really useful as almost all W African Countries ran flights only back to Europe - and normally to their old "colonial" Capital. A friend of mine worked for Medicine sans Frontiers. He was based in the main hospital in Kinshasa but also operated in the Brazzaville General Hospital across the river - he could see it from his Kinshasa Office. When thing turned sticky between the 2 countries he had to fly to Brussels, then to Paris and pick up a flight to Brazzaville- 4 days rather than an hour................... People in Ouagadougou had the same problems - no direct flights to Lagos for example - faster via Paris.

[dixi188]

Sotonsean.
Not sure about the first route for G-BJXN.
My memory is that it started on the Lagos route.
I remember changing all 16 mainwheels the night before it went into service after it had spent a week at Shannon doing circuits.
Over 40 years ago now.
Happy days.
Dixi.

[Flightrider]

The BCal website (a trove of good stuff) notes that larger aircraft were needed for services to Africa and G-BJXN joined in May 1982 flying to Lagos. If that's what the BCal site says, I'd take it as given otherwise dozens of people would have been in touch to correct it long before now.

And on the off-topic subject of the Jersey European Herald - that's what the BAA 1980 timetable says for Stansted - airline code JY and aircraft type HPH. Whether that's what actually happened and they borrowed one from Air UK or BAF or something, or what they published as a timetable didn't actually materialise, who knows - but that is what is listed.

[rog747]

Originally Posted by WHBM

That is indeed how it was, back to 707 days in 1979

br793-03.jpg (1582×1704) (timetableimages.com)

One thing not apparent is the extent to which the B Cal 707s were used on charter flights. Obviously at the start of the merger from the Caledonian side that was all the 707s did, with schedules meanwhile coming from BUA VC-10s. Progressively the 707s moved across to the scheduled operation, presumably with a completely different cabin fit, and ran down charter work, but past schedules of charters are very difficult to come across.

I believe that in the first B Cal year there were even charters on the VC-10, which came forward from BUA contracts; there was a weekly operation from Gatwick to JFK, and work they still did for the military.

From 1972 BCAL 707's still had a large Transatlantic ABC charter flight programme flying for the likes of Golden Lion/Jetsave etc, and yes the VC-10's still flew charters, mostly long haul but Tenerife was flown. I think East Africa and SIN/HKG was still flown too for FETC.
In summer 1976 my parents flew LGW-YYZ-LGW on a BCAL 707 ABC charter and on the flight home BCAL subbed it out to a Dan Air 707 instead of their own 707.
They had so many charters still they leased in Dan Air frequently.

The short haul IT 707 Med flying was not as busy as in Caledonian AW days but TCI were still served for some years.
I think the MAN and GLA Med IT's on 707's had ended.

Even the new DC-10's carried on the ABC charter flights when they were introduced and had a all Y charter config fitted for a few summers IIRC.

[Sotonsean]

Originally Posted by dixi188

Sotonsean.
Not sure about the first route for G-BJXN.
My memory is that it started on the Lagos route.
I remember changing all 16 mainwheels the night before it went into service after it had spent a week at Shannon doing circuits.
Over 40 years ago now.
Happy days.
Dixi.

My apologies 😊

Lagos was indeed the first destination served by G-BJXN.

I was always under the impression that LGW-DBX-HKG was served by Boeing 747 from July no 1982 replacing the DC-10-30 on the route.

I can remember seeing a BCAL Boeing 747 at Hong Kong Kai Tak airport from the viewing terrace in February 1984.

Yes I know that it's over 40 year's ago now but I thought I could remember correctly regarding the up gauge in aircraft on the route.

G-BJXN Boeing 747-200 delivered April 1982
G-CITB Boeing 747-200 delivered September 1987
G-GLYN Boeing 747-200 delivered October 1986
G-HUGE Boeing 747-200M delivered March 1985
G-NIGB Boeing 747-200 March 1987.

I know that this a thread regarding BCAL Boeing 707s and I hate to go off topic but whilst we are discussing the Boeing 747, I have a question.

Out of curiosity without making assumptions on my part but which Boeing 747 intially resumed LGW to New York JFK operations in 1985. I have a feeling "if I can remember correctly" that it was G-HUGE.

BCAL Boeing 747 routes as you are aware we're, Hong Kong, Houston, Lagos, New York JFK and Tokyo Narita.

If only and I'll type it again, if only 'in my dreams', BCAL had survived a couple of more years we could have more than likely seen some Australian destinations added to that 747 list. BCAL was finally given the authority to fly to Australia in late 1987, in collaboration with Ansett Australia. Both airlines at the time were considering ordering the Boeing 747-300 to fly their newly awarded Australian routes with flights expected to commence in 1988/89.

I can remember vividly when I first heard the announcement that British Airways were going ahead with their take over of BCAL. I was in the USA at the time and I was absolutely gob smacked and devestated by the news.

I 💓 BCAL

[India Four Two]

I can remember vividly when I first heard the announcement that British Airways were going ahead with their take over of BCAL. I was in the USA at the time and I was absolutely gob smacked and devestated by the news.

I'm reminded of the apocryphal PR statement* from BA, saying that it wasn't a takeover, it was a merger of equals - "We've even merged the names - British from BCAL and Airways from BA."

* Was it Roger Bacon in Straight and Level?

[treadigraph]

Pretty safe bet that it was! Got the splendid Mike Ramsden written all over it!