Janus Airways memories
 

Any fond memories of Janus Airways at Lydd on there?

I remember the airline but I personally never saw a single aircraft of theirs. They started out with an ex-Brymon Herald then acquired three Stone Age Viscount 700s, I think from Alidair/Inter City.

I believe it was a moderately successful outfit, backed by Hards Travel. Euroair took over after a few years.

When they ceased operation a friend was told to go and paint out the titles, he painted out the "J" first.

I remember spannering on the Herald ( BAF supported the Janus Engineering)....remember carrying out an engine change mid winter in Lydd, Mind numbing cold even inside the Hangar .

I flew on one of the Viscounts (Originally delivered to Air Inter in 1954 I believe) from Coventry to Beauvais, in 1984 I think. Not sure if ARGR or ARIR. Feel free to correct me, I believe they had a 3rd Viscount but that never flew due to corrosion issues.

I had a friend who used them a few times from lydd they operated a coach air service beleive from Victoria coach station like the old skyways service said basis but fine I also beleive one of the viscounts ended up on manstons fire dump i also beleive when Janus went under later on British independent started to use a 748 from lydd similar service flew on this to liege on a sports charter some experience

I seem to recall there was some connection with `Hards Travel Service`...in fact the viscounts were registered to them. RGR & RIR left Janus in the direction of Zaire....BDRC was PWFU after just 8 months with Janus....co the suggestion of corrosion is probably correct

Hards Travel Service operated for many years out of BHX, mainly offering Ski holidays in winter, and lakes and mountains holidays to resorts in Austria. Back in the day the chartered Bavaria Flug 1-11s operating from BHX to Munich (Riem). My histrorical copies of the Birmingham Airport Timetable (6d. from the airport shop - that's 2.5 pence in today's money) show several flight per week in peak season - destinations included Mayrhofen in Austria, and Malcesine on Lake Garda. The company was owned by Cliff Hards, who founded it back in the 1960s.

The Viscounts began operating from Coventry, I believe to Beauvais, several times a day, where passengers transferred to coaches to their onward destinations. I can't remember the Heralds operating from CVT, I think they came in after the operation moved to Lydd.

Sadly, today there seems no room for niche operators like Hards.