Ahhh ! The Peggy Bedord, the Three Magpies, remember them well. Lived in Osterley whilst initially working out of Heathrow

The absence of BEA aircraft can be noted. They built up quite a substantial operation immediate postwar from Northolt instead with DC-3s and Vickers Vikings, surprisingly the frequencies to the likes of Paris or Amsterdam by the early 1950s were not a lot different to nowadays - much smaller aircraft, of course. BEA were waiting for the completion of the Queens Building. The Airspeed Ambassador's arrival (and very soon after the Viscount) changed things, these were never operated from Northolt, although it was apparently not unknown for their flights to be in the transition years - passengers had reported to Heathrow and were suddenly told the Ambassador was u/s and the flight would now be operated by two Vikings from Northolt; all aboard this bus.

Speaking of buses, note the aircraft in the pictures are all on remote stands. The apron bus contract had been given to London Transport, who used a motley collection on airside transfers, quite separate to the elegant (for their times) new vehicles running from the central London terminals. Some of them were even pre-war. It was however a nice driving experience compared to regular bus routes, so came to the more elderly, most senior drivers, who apparently struggled negotiating the ramp, especially at night, between the aircraft.

The European operators came to Heathrow much earlier, although a few pioneers, like KLM, actually went back to Croydon at the beginning, from 1946. They were handled by a separate BEA team.

Such was the popularity of the airport as a tourist attraction that a sightseeing operation, with Dragon Rapids running 10-minute flights, started from alongside the spectators' enclosure; there have been several posts about the detail of this here in the past, so won't repeat that.

The big Northside ramp west of the tunnel later became the long term car park, not resurfaced, and certainly until the early 2000s had the original concrete surface, looking a bit careworn, with the ghosts of where various flush lights etc had been patched over.

The Master Robert was demolished about 3 years ago and a brand new budget hotel built on the site, which was finished about 6 month before the first lockdown started!
There used to be a big aviation model shop/book shop etc where they sold/made a lot of the big models that used to be in travel agents etc across the road from the Master Robert, in the curved row of shops, but the name of the shop completely escapes me now 45+ years on despite many visits there.

Was it Skyline Models? I never went there, used to go to the enthusiasts' shop further east down the Bath Road - same people as the Aviation Hobby Shop?

Or is that the one you mean - I don't recall the travel agents' models though...

Edit: I think we are talking about the same place!

1950's airlines at LON
 

What airlines did we see at North side?


BOAC up to the Comet 4 and 707 era

Pan Am up to the 707 era

TWA

TCA up to the DC-8 era

KLM

SAS

Flugfelag (Iceland Airways)

Air India up to the 707 era

Qantas Empire up to the 707 era

SAA

Lufthansa

Swiss Air

Air France

Panair do Brasil

Air Ceylon

PIA first 707 1960

CAA

CAA WAAC EAAC SAA Malayan Nigeria Ghana BWIA (all flown by BOAC types)

Aeroflot

EL AL

Slick

Sabena

Iberia

Capitol

Hunting Clan


Fascinating stuff, seems St Mawgan NQY was the only other place that had the same tower as Heathrow, complete with the SECO huts and Met. square all laid out the same, it's all still there?

Runway No1 28R/10L was closed from about 1952 - 1955 while the road tunnel was dug by cut and cover. The eastern end was used for overspill aircraft parking from the Northside apron which BEA was using increasingly with Ambassadors and Viscounts and eventually all of their London ops went there when they had to vacate Northolt, the passengers were processed in the Northside terminal then bussed to the temporary apron on Runway No1.

I don't think there was ever a northside ramp west of the tunnel, just a continuation of the parallel taxiway that eventually rejoined the northern runway at the 09L (10L) threshold, just past the threshold of the relocated 15R (originally 16R), opposite what is now exit A11:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a4c43144c2.jpg

You can indeed still see the neglected concrete taxiway slabs on GE, at least up to the boundary fence, and I remember them in the northside staff car park when I used to work in the CTA, though it looks like the car parks themselves are pretty well all tarmac now.

The stretch of the Northern Perimeter Road past the Renaissance is on the line of the original taxiway, and you can still see part of the Heathrow North apron to the south of the road, opposite the Heathrow Academy.

Thanks for the additions/corrections to my recollections and indeed ut was the Travellers Friend at the A4 A30 split-it was, of course, the A4 not the A3 as well.

My first date with my wife was in the very old White Horse in Longford village 45 years ago, of course being locals the fact that the lovely old pub was so very close to the airport and noisy as hell-this is 1976 -was just unnoticed.

As has been pointed out being an old coaching era road there were several pubs along the Bath road and indeed if one headed a little further west to Colnbrooke there were several coaching inn types including the famous/infamous Ostrich .
Perhaps they have all gone too.

As for the poster who cycled from Ashford to Beacon road via Stanwell village (,wouldnt Clare Road through the 'Airways Estate' have been quicker of perhaps it was not built by then. The road access at Beacon road was open to all and I remember the Skyways Yorks parked down that end of the airfield at 'Field Aviation' or thereabouts. Fields was the main handling company for various biz jets light aircraft and other oddities back then and a spotters target even though for those days it was fairly secure.

Pre WWII.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9190315675.jpg
Then in 1948


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ba4cf57a61.jpg

Wasn’t Hunting Clan before Fields?

Look above the two 15R thresholds; there's a site outside the taxiway with connnection to the taxiway. This was originally an air defence radar unit (nothing to do with airport ops) for Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) ie vectoring fighters onto attacking aircraft.
It was operational from WW2 until the mid '50s when its function was transferred to a new unit at Chenies, just south of Bovingdon airfield and the site was then occupied by Southern Air Traffic Control Centre controlling civil aircraft in controlled airspace around the south of England who moved in from Uxbridge.
This was later joined by Heathrow Radar, an RAF ATCRU ie not air defence and the two operated from this site until 1971 when they moved to RAF West Drayton, Southern ATCC being re-named London ATCC in the late '60s and Heathrow Radar becoming London Military Radar..

During WW2, Northolt was a fighter airfield and as such, did not have aprons large enough for large numbers of transport aircraft nor did it have buildings suitable for processing large numbers of passengers, so these were built on the south side of the airfield next to the A40 road.
The apron is still in use nowadays.

In the late 80s, I was with a group of fifteen oil-company colleagues that overnighted in the Sheraton at Heathrow, on the way back to Calgary, after two weeks in Russia. Collectively we were desperate for something other than vodka to drink, so after checking-in, the plan was to meet in the lobby and go to the hotel bar. The bar didn't look very inviting so I went to the concierge and asked him if there was a decent pub nearby. He enthusiastically recommended the White Horse so we strolled the half-mile down to the pub. It was the evening of Guy Fawkes Day and I distinctly remember the smell of gunpowder in the air and rockets littering the streets.

Several of my colleagues had never been to England before and were stunned to discover that the building was 400 years old! We had a very convivial evening and probably drove out some of the regulars, but I don't think the landlord minded. We drank vast amounts of beer and the smokers amongst us bought the whole of the landlord's cigar stock. I remember a blue-haze overcast between the ceiling beams that was becoming lower and lower as the evening progressed. ;)

I believe Baron Knyvet who was instrumental in foiling the Gunpowder Plot had connections with the Heathrow area...

VHF Supplies?

Great thread, how about same for LGW
 

Hi, I am really enjoying this thread. As a boy I grew up around LGW. Anyone care to offer similar memories? Thanks!

Yes, VHF Supplies at Noble Corner (opposite the Master Robert), run by the late Brian Tomkins who later traded as Collectors Aircraft Models.

You'd have to tell us whether you mean 23L or 23R. :O

DRUK. As you are a venerable poster, I shall refrain from saying Smart@rse! We were approaching from IOM and, somewhere near the usual Wenbley point of turning on to the Eastbound circuit, the flight deck announced we would see an unusual view of LHR but not to be worried as it also meant we would arrive early! As far as I recall, it was then in from the North East on to 23 [?]

Ah yes, that's the place I used to go to - could never afford much as an impecunious teenager, would generally just buy a few postcards from their extraordinary collection. Rather more spacious than AHS as I recall...

That's it.....:ok:

I've been trying to remember what it was called for years and years. For about 4 years I used to drive past that junction every morning on way to work, and often used to sit at the lights looking over to where it was and trying to remember what it was called. :rolleyes:

Heathrow before the Europa Terminal and Queens Building
 

In 1948 on the 81 bus towards Slough on the Bath Road, whilst on way the the ATC gliding School at Langley, Heathrow had Yorks, Lancastrians and the odd Halifax. Lots of mud and cement mixers.

In Sept. 1951 with 26 other RAF trainees on a BOAC coach from Victoria, we shivered in the tents before boarding a brand new Stratocruiser to Montreal via Keflavik. Still lots of mud and cement mixers.

Rather surprised and the lack of progress over the intervening ears although things picked up in the mid '50's.

Bought my first Airband Radio in VHF Supplies many years ago.

Sorry! Though I've been called worse. :O

The last movement on 23 (23L) was a landing by a South African Airways 747 on 27th October 2002. Even in those days, using 23 (in strong south-westerly winds) was a PITA because it meant that the stands at the end of the T2 piers weren't able to be used at the same time.

There was an airside roadway crossing the runway which I used to take advantage of whenever I had a need to get from the CTA to the BA East Base (just discernable in the photo below). The spoilsports used to close it on the rare occasions when 05R/23L was in use, but even with no landings it was still fun crossing the inner and outer ring taxiways, giving way to aircraft taxying past if necessary.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3c97b7408a.jpg

Most interesting. I did not realise that 23L functioned so long. It could certainly have been used by the Manx 146 which took over from the Viscounts and started operations in December 1987. I remember it well as, by chance I was on the innaugural rotation of G-MIMA (I think it was) from LHR.

The aircraft was officially launching on the Friday evening rotation and there was to be the usual razzamatazz, I learnt. I had booked on the lunch time rotation to see my mother for the weekend and found myself with a small group of others being given champagne as the lunch time was a proving flight for the evening and the photographers. We could have popped in and out on 05R/23L with ease, especially as we usually went from gate 12 (or 14?) at the end of the long pier - this done for inspection and isolation of pax as IOM was a known staging point from Northern Ireland.

It turned out to be the only time I've been on a new a/c for a route but did find myself on the innaugral rotation of a new route once - but that did not involve EGLL.

Several memories from me. Old school mate of mine used to work at VHF supplies. My wife and family lived opposite VHF supplies Upper Sutton Lane. I worked for British Eagle 1966-68. Walking down passed the hangers from the ops huts to the admin building and witnessed BOAC 707 WE landing with engine fire ran out to the aircraft with a bunch of Eagle engineers to help pax onto the grass verge next to the RWY.

23L ? April 1974, on the final leg of my check flight to be promoted to Captain, Bahrain to London, I was cleared for a visual approach to runway 05R ! This was not a plot organised by the Training Captain, he was as surprised as I was. Visual Approach in a 707 ? Rwy. 05 R ? Never ever landed on that runway, or anything other than the 10/28's but at least it was daylight. All happened, and as I applied the brakes and shut down, the Training Captain extended his hand and said " Congratulations, CAPTAIN XXXX " Success.

Me too.
I was stationed at West Drayton so I took a trip down to the Bath Road late 1969 after a morning duty to buy my first airband radio; also bought a kit for a 1/72 scale Islander but could never figure out how to build it as it was vacform and I was used to 'standard' Airfix and Frog plastic kits.

I am not sure of the year, probably 56/7, but the only thing I can remember about a day trip to Heathrow was a line of Constellations. I first saw them, gleaming in the sunshine, when we were about a mile away. When we were taken past them I could see that they were covered in green mould and were obviously awaiting disposal. The visit was part of an ATC camp which was either at Andover or Benson.

I used to sneak out of school at lunchtime through a gap in the fence and cross the great west rd to visit VHF Supplies. I remember an airband scanner was always on and tuned into Heathrow App and TWR. There was also a list of interesting movements at Heathrow (and others?) on the wall that was constantly updated. Used to get excited when the latest edition of World Airline Fleets arrived.

ExSp33db1rd Great story! So you declined the suggestion and asked for a '28'??

Didn't the BOAC accident 707 in 1968 (engine fell off) make a tight visual onto 05R ?

Yes it did - and not the easiest runway to land on.

I used to visit in the early-mid 1980s the large office building (non-aviation) Heathrow House on the A4 at Cranford. Inbound to 28R were pretty close and low on the A4 side of the building, but rooms further back gave a westward view of anyone on finals for 23L. Not a lot, but suddenly they would start passing by at close intervals, often for just a couple of hours, then stop again. The same company used to have another place by Wembley Stadium, and if 23 was in use they used to pass right over there as well.

I am convinced that one morning there at that time I saw a Northwest 747 passing by for 28R, which I worked out at length was a subcharter substitute for Malaysian coming in from Kuala Lumpur, but have never found any more to substantiate that. No documented lease, nor can I see any reason why Northwest would do it. Alternatives could be a Gatwick diversion ? White House press charter ? Any offers ?

Real memory lane for me this thread,
Yes the White horse in Longford was ancient and a real picture postcard English pub , door way was tiny and you had to stoop if much over 5 ft tall. Ostrich in Colnbrook was even older I think.

landings on 05R were rare to say the least although i was on a Trident 3 Faro LHR returning from my honeymoon on the only time in probably 200 landings at LHR i have clocked up as pax. Very strange sort of massively upscaled GA type approach flying overhead LHR then a big sweeping base leg to take us back south of Staines and then back for a visual or 'talk down approach-extremely strong and extremely cold NE winds. I used to listen to the talk downs on my Airband on the rare occasions in use, very interesting . If I recall the approach controller handled the aircraft until 'report crossing the Thames at Laleham , sort of outer marker and then pilots told to change frequency and 'not to respond to further instructions as controller began a stream of slightly high on the glide , on the glidepath etc etc or turn left 5 degrees , two miles to touchdown etc ending very abruptly with half a mile from touchdown on glidepath on localiser check wheels down and locked approach completed out . Fascinating .

As to BOAC 707 accident I watched that happen, sitting on my wall in Stanwell with a friend a small boy (i was a bigger boy just) -said to us look that plane is on fire and we both thought it was sunlight glinting on the fuselage as it was early evening but were horrified to see flames and smoke streaming from it and as it disappeared from view (it would have been only about 100ft) at that point waited until an inevitable huge pall of black smoke welled up from the direction of the eastern end of LHR . Pretty shocking site that i can see in my minds eye today.

As for the relationship between the man who caught and probably tortured Guy Fawkes was Sir Thomas Knyvett , He was given lands in what would have been the south western part of LHR and Stanwell village. A Lord Knyvetts Close is there to this day and he has what is for a small country church (albeit one with a very tall spire) quite a substantial memorial inside the church itself. The Church, with the rather un Anglican name of St Mary the Virgin dates from the 12th Century and is a grade 1 listed building. Readily visible from LHR it also has a strange twisted spire and was where I got married. Only a few hundred meters from 27L anyone on the left hand side of a departure from that runway gets a striking view of the lovely old building. It also had a beautiful Georgian Vicarage in the Church close on the small village green I also went to Sunday School there as a kid , rather unwilling but in 1957 that wasn't uncommon. I attended Lord Knyvetts School built in 1624 after a provision in Knyvetts will. he was a very distinguished servant of the crown, the ancient school is barely 100m from the southern perimeter road . Back then it was open country at that end of the airport before the Cargo centre was built and spoiled much of the view.

By a bizarre coincidence I am writing this in my new home in Frome Somerset where a man came today to mend my dishwasher and he also grew up in Stanwell and the stricken BOAC 707 would have flown over the road he lived in at the other end of the village from me .

So excuse my self indulgent thread drift but I often feel that because of its once rural nature the southside of LHR gets a bit overlooked .

PB

About 1982 there was a Northwest 747 that spat out a load of turbine blades on take off at Gatwick. It diverted to Heathrow as the Gatwick runway was being swept and inspected for FOD.
Were there fire engines about?

That could fit the NW 747 indeed. The office is a mile or so from the threshold so no idea what was happening inside the airport, and I was back inside the office. But there was something about it (low ? noise ?) that caught my attention more than most, as I saw it flash past.

My association starts with being at school alongside Croydon airport from 60 to 65, and getting the aviation bug. I did not train spot but moved to aviation instead, travelling to LHR or LGW. Unable somehow to get into aviation,
I did arrive in Staines to live just as the PI accident had taken place. I did work at Northside from 75 to 81, and had access to all areas.
My first flight from LHR was in 76, and it took over 40 yrs before my first pax go around inbound on 09L AE from Dublin. I also had a jump seat on a BMA DC 9 from Teeside and on BA 747 - 300 inbound from Chicago. Visited both towers to the top. Close friends with retired and current pilots, and ATC staff.
Got my PPL eventually aged #&. I organised the start for the memorial for PI in 2000+ via pprune and local folk.
LHR still by home airport.

Leovinus - pls. see P.M.

Not in the early '80s when I lived in Frimley.
Inbounds would pass virtually overhead on long final; I was woken up several times by 05 ops and of course when I got to work at Farnborough, our departures from 07 had to be limited so as not to climb into the Heathrow inbounds as normally when Heathrow was on easterlies, we could climb our departures to 6,000ft overhead Farnborough.