Glimpses: A Day in the life of London Airport

[The Tomohawk Kid]

A quick heads up Talking Pictures have just shown a real time capsule and slice nostalgia.  A fly on the wall (in its truest sense - no narration) film from the '60s shot at Heathrow, it  is not dated - TPTV's description below:

 

"Glimpses: Made in early 60s. A day In the life of the 'London' Airport. The Passengers, the 'Wavers-goodbye', the Airport Staff, the Pilots, the Cleaning Staff and those left behind"

 

Given the Lufthansa B.727 makes and appearance I would hazard a guess it must have been filmed circa 1965. Lots B.707s, DC 6s et al, fill your boots!.

 

The real curio was the lady giving running commentary of the airport activities, that fed over PA of the airport's viewing deck.

 

TPTV tend have these sort features on rotation, its well worth keeping an eye out for.

 

Tommo.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[bzn20]

It's a great film . The woman in  the Queen's Building was ace . We used to go up a few steps to her glazed cubicle overlooking the apron for The Europa and Britannic Building ( became T2 later) and ask her for or to see printouts of movements . She used give or show us reams of movements with times ,Airline , aircraft type and  registrations … Have you got any for yesterday afternoon please ,sometimes we were lucky !

[The Tomohawk Kid]

2 hours ago, bzn20 said:

It's a great film . The woman in  the Queen's Building was ace . We used to go up a few steps to her glazed cubicle overlooking the apron for The Europa and Britannic Building ( became T2 later) and ask her for or to see printouts of movements . She used give or show us reams of movements with times ,Airline , aircraft type and  registrations … Have you got any for yesterday afternoon please ,sometimes we were lucky !

 

I only managed to get to the viewing deck at Heathrow once, my excuse was at the time I lived in Lincoln and Heathrow was not exactly local - however, being only two miles from Waddington had its compensation.

 

My father had a buddy who had recently left the RAF and got a job at Heathrow and when we had a family visit we got a guided behind the scenes tour (something that would be unthinkable today). I don't know when it was precisely, I think it must have been either spring or summer 1970, at the end of the tour we all ended up on the viewing deck to watch a 747 land as they were the new hot thing and had very recently entered service. No recall of the lady providing a running commentary though. But, I do remember buying a T3 Airfix boxing of the Dakota at one of the shops.

 

Tommo. 

Edited August 29, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[Tim R-T-C]

I remember going in the late 90s, always seemed very busy. Picked up a 1.288 scale Russian Antonov kit at the shop - I should built it someday!

 

It seems so daft that despite strong interest in watching planes - especially among "the general public" - that viewing galleries are essentially extinct in the UK now.

 

Considering "security" is the primary reason given - surely it is much better to have all the spotters in one neat spot than scattered around miles of perimeter fencing?

[Graham Boak]

They aren't scattered around miles and miles of perimeter fencing but grouped in specific permitted areas, and are accepted by the police as informed observers who will note anything odd going on.

 

But yes, my girlfriend and I used to enjoy watching the airliners from the roof on Queens Building in the early 70s.

[Skodadriver]

Thanks for the heads up. My aunt and uncle lived in Uxbridge from about 1960 until the mid 1970s. When we made our every-other-year family trip down from Scotland at least one full day's spotting at Heathrow was de rigeur. I haven't seen the film yet but I look forward to the rekindling of some very happy memories.

[bentwaters81tfw]

Had a school trip in 64. A shiny new VC10 about to enter service with BOAC. Trip around the perimiter road and a couple of hours on the Queens Building.

Wish I could do it again.

[bzn20]

4 hours ago, The Tomohawk Kid said:

not exactly local

I lived between 2  and 4 miles of London (Heathrow) Airport 58- 70 and 2 addresses . LHR was my playground . I got in to every Hangar and building ( they never stopped building and still are , never got in the Control tower and VIP suite) . You could get arrested/ thrown out the airport being on the peri track ( perimeter road) if you weren't flying or working , TRUE . BAA Police and then the MET Police took over late 60s. No business being on it , go home , names taken and I think they still have that  level of control . Loved Heathrow . Home from school , bike to LHR and back . Have tea ( bought up  by Northerners ) and go back there ! I lived a dream ,left school and joined up and lived a dream . How lucky was I ? Careers person at school ...What do you want to do when you leave school ? Work on planes, travel the World and loads of wom… That's enough !

 

 

Didn't like or even meet wombats  anyway

Edited August 29, 2019 by bzn20

[The Tomohawk Kid]

17 hours ago, bzn20 said:

I lived between 2  and 4 miles of London (Heathrow) Airport 58- 70 and 2 addresses . LHR was my playground . I got in to every Hangar and building ( they never stopped building and still are , never got in the Control tower and VIP suite) . You could get arrested/ thrown out the airport being on the peri track ( perimeter road) if you weren't flying or working , TRUE . BAA Police and then the MET Police took over late 60s. No business being on it , go home , names taken and I think they still have that  level of control . Loved Heathrow . Home from school , bike to LHR and back . Have tea ( bought up  by Northerners ) and go back there ! I lived a dream ,left school and joined up and lived a dream . How lucky was I ? Careers person at school ...What do you want to do when you leave school ? Work on planes, travel the World and loads of wom… That's enough !

 

 

Didn't like or even meet wombats  anyway

 

As young 'un if one loitered within half a mile of the perimeter fence at Waddington one was shooed away pretty promptly back in the day. Even driving slowly on the A15 would attract attention of the military police.  I believe they have a viewing area now. 

 

Tommo.

[bzn20]

They have a Ten mile radius where they can stop you and ask questions, think an arrest has to be by real Police . Long time since I did GSK in training.

 

[junglierating]

That's similar to the MoD plod and up until around 10 20 years ago there weren't many places in the UK that weren't covered ....however since UK forces are probably half what they were in say the mid 90s I doubt that is the case anymore

[bzn20]

Not so sure as it was a law , part of the Airforce, Army and Navy Acts , 19 Canteen . Snow Drops wouldn't like it if they've repealed it , there was 20 odd pubs in Wendover less than a mile away from Halton !

[bzn20]

On 8/30/2019 at 12:50 PM, The Tomohawk Kid said:

As young 'un if one loitered within half a mile of the perimeter fence at Waddington

 

How apt ..I've just got a piece  of Avro Lincoln forward fuselage skin with 61 Sqn Badge , with your Lincoln Imp on it ! Dad cut it out while it was being scrapped at Waddo . I also got the Flight Engineer's Throttle's off ex BA Super VC10 'SGR while that was being scrapped at Abingdon 1992  That Lincoln also flew with 101 Sqn at some point . I was working on a 101 Sqn K2 at the same time I got those throttles . How's that for a coincidence ?

[T-21]

Once parked up near the eastern end of Alconburys main runway down a farm track. Sat watching TR-1s and A-10s.  Some pilot must have reported me saw a USAF patrol car coming down the track in the distance and it parked behind some potato clamps some way from me . Heard the guard say he's over there . I drove off down the track the opposite way swirls of dust like the films ! onto the main road and did not stop till i got home in Bedford.  Expecting a knock on the door all evening but it never happened. I presume they would have confiscated  my film if stopped. Phew !!  Plane spotting can be risky don't try it in Greece or Turkey .

[JWM]

In 1973 I was first time in London for two weeks perhaps, travelling with my brother Michael ( @KRK4m ) and of course Mum (I was 14) to visit our Grandpa, who lived there those days (he passed away in 1989 in age of 101...). The communism curtain releases a bit and such trip become possible when Grandpa invited us.

Since we were already an airplane freaks we did spent a day on a spectator balcony on Heathrow  airport with my Fathers camera - Russian Smena V constant focus, without any light measurements etc... I was photographing using almost all 36 frames of AGWA film bought in UK purposely for it (I can't remember why it was not a Kodak?). I have still those photos (even with negatives), below the set of 18 of them (unfortunately in random order, as they are in a box). Those are just photos of prints, so the quality can be improved if someone will need better. Next 13 of them I can post later...

 

1. Caravelle of Royal Air Maroc, Air France 727 and tail of 707. On left Trident

 

2. In background start of Delta 747, taxing Caravelle and two SAS DC9

 

3. Taxing IL 62 M LOT, BOAC (?) 747 in back

 

4. Long distance machines, among them Singapore 707, Boac VC10, 747s. Some Caravelle at foreground. I cannot recognize the company (now).

 

5. Singapore 707

 

6. Olimpic 707 (or 720)

 

7. Polish LOT IL 62M, Air France 727, Trident, DC9

 

8. A couple of DC9 (Alitalia, SAS, Austrian) and Finnair Caravelle

 

9. A pair of Alitalia Douglases: DC8 and DC9

 

10. Lufthansa (???)  737

 

11. JAT DC9, Vanguard (BEA) and BOAC VC 10

 

 

12. Air Canada 747, Iberia 727, KLM DC8

 

13.  Air India 747, BOAC 747 and VC 10

 

14. Iranair 707 and BOAC VC10

 

15. DC 8 Super 63 (?) I think Air Canada...

 

16. Iberia 727

 

17. BOAC VC 10

 

18. Qantas 707, BOAC 747, Iberia 727

 

regards

J-W

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bzn20]

48 minutes ago, JWM said:

10. Lufthansa (???)  737

 

Aer Lingus ( Irish Airlines) 737

 

15. DC 8 Super 63 (?) I think Air Canada..

 

Yes

4. Long distance machines, among them Singapore 707, Boac VC10, 747s. Some Caravelle at foreground. I cannot recognize the company (now)

 

Syrian Air Caravelle

747s are TWA , Pan-Am and a tiny bit of an Air India Fin. You already mentioned BOAC 747.

Good collection of photo, thanks for putting them up . Not an Airbus or 737-300 upward either. Thank goodness

Edited February 11, 2021 by bzn20

[bzn20]

1 hour ago, JWM said:

7. Polish LOT IL 62M, Air France 727, Trident, DC9

DC-9 Could be the JAT one you caught taxiing out on another photo or Turkish Airlines .

[Swamp Donkey]

My money is on a JAT DC9

 

Thanks for posting the photos, such happy memories of those day, spending weeks on end during the summer holidays on the car parks and Queens Building. I used to love the QANTAS V-Jets.  And bzn20 has it spot on - aircraft of character back then, ahhhhh, the nostalgia - Aeroflot 104’s on the Friday Leningrad flight, TMA DC6’s.....sitting on the grass inside the fence down by the threshold of 28L, I’m sure many of us could go on forever........

 

SD

 

[KRK4m]

2 hours ago, JWM said:

3. Taxiing IL 62M Lot, BOAC (?) 747 in back

 

6. Olympic 707 (or 720)

 

7. Polish Lot IL 62M, Air France 727, Trident, DC9

 

Those were the days....

Actually the Lot Polish Airlines IL-62 is a Kuznetsov-engined "bare" IL-62 (look at the thrust reversers). The Soloviev-engined IL-62M was introduced some 7 years later.

And the Olympic Boeing is 707-384B - all six Greek (ex-Northwest) 720-051Bs had the ventral fin.

Cheers

Michael

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by KRK4m

[noelh]

The airport viewing galleries were closed off when certain members of the PLO brought RPGs instead of cameras to one airport viewing gallery in the seventies. Spoilsports. 

 

I do believe there are airports that still have them with appropriate security. Possibly Schipol? 

 

Another point when viewing at an airport is that while you might be outside the fence you might still be on the property. Something the occasional 'I know my rights' protestor has found out to their cost. 

[bzn20]

On 2/11/2021 at 8:38 PM, Swamp Donkey said:

TMA DC6’s.....sitting on the grass inside the fence down by the threshold of 28L, I’m sure many of us could go on forever........

 Ha !!  One Sunny day in 68 ish I rode my bike on to the Fields Aircraft Services pan , South side (next to Pan-Am hangar and now United Airlines' ) and there were two TMA kites,  A DC-4 and a DC-6 . They were getting a washing down with 100 octane AVGAS. Went and asked the ground crew . Can I look around please . Yes but don't touch anything . Brilliant . Left there and on my bike again . Douglas Bader had just flown his Shell Aviation HS125 in and parked up . Saw me on my bike and  told me to get lost/bugger off and went from there to the Pan-Am hangar next door . Saw the Crew Chief as normal ,same question ,same answer , JAL DC-8 and a Pan-Am DC-8 . While I was on to a winner I cycled to BOAC and got on the Argonaut apprentice trainer ( G-ALHJ)  Never had much trouble ,we always behaved etc.

Edited February 12, 2021 by bzn20

[Tim R-T-C]

45 minutes ago, noelh said:

The airport viewing galleries were closed off when certain members of the PLO brought RPGs instead of cameras to one airport viewing gallery in the seventies. Spoilsports. 

 

I do believe there are airports that still have them with appropriate security. Possibly Schipol? 

 

Another point when viewing at an airport is that while you might be outside the fence you might still be on the property. Something the occasional 'I know my rights' protestor has found out to their cost. 

 

Most German airports do, some you have to pass a small security check.

 

Sadly even Manchester has all but lost its viewing park now, although due to commercialisation rather than any security issies.

[Swamp Donkey]

Zurich still had pretty good viewing deck last time I was there a couple of years ago. Always first choice for a business lunch, and even the treat of the Breitling Connie on the odd occasion 

 

SD

[Eric Mc]

Heathrow Queen's Building spectator's terrace stayed open well into the 1990s. I know, I shot these videos back in 1992.

 

 

Regarding the pictures taken in 1973 at Heathrow, in 1973 British Airways was only a few months away from being officially launched (1 April 1974) so much of the BEA, Northeast and Cambrian fleets were already beginning to amend their colour schemes in advance. I remember seeing Tridents at Dublin with the "BEA" wording blanked out with a rectangle of fresh white paint.

Cambrian and Northeast Viscounts (and Tridents as well, in the case of Northeast) had been carrying in small lettering on the nose "British Air Services". This was subtly changed to "British Airways" in this changeover period. 

[bzn20]

30 minutes ago, Eric Mc said:

"British Air Services"

Remember the weird BAS contrived colour scheme. It was formed as early as 1967as a company but didn't have BAS on the planes til around 1969 . Even then it still had the BKS and Globe logo on the fins with British Air Services titles on the fuselage above the window belt . It s amazing looking back that they were allowed to change to the name North Eastin 1970 .There was already a North East in the States and in Vivid Yellows

Last time I was in the Queen's Building was Jan 24th ,2002 .

BTW BAS Tridents were the 4 (of 5,One , VYA not taken up) 1Es that Channel Airways had . VYB , VYC , VYD and VYE . 

Cambria BAS had 1-11s and Viscounts