Birmingham: Airport Nostalgia

[Elmdon80slad]

Does anyone remember the spiral stairs near the old Elmdon side terminal? that was my second home - if you spotted from there 1979 onwards i would have probably spoken to you(got a reg off you or gave info i had)

E.

 

[wolfheze]

Yes, remember going up there, normally to be suffocated, deafened and blown about from the prop wash of viscounts! . Learnt something the other day from a photo taken from that area of some diversions parked in front of the hangers in I think in late 73 or early 74, in the foreground were a couple of BEA tridents and at the back a 111 /500 in a livery I'd never seen before, bit of research revealed it was operated by BEA but with tiny BEA titles on the fuselage and the speedjack on the tail replaced with super one eleven script. Apparently was BEA had taken over a route to Paris from Air France and the one elevens used were painted in this colour scheme to avoid offending the French.

 

[Seasider]

I believe it was for the Berlin - Paris flights as Berlin was still part of East Germany and Lufthansa were not allowed to fly from there.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

In addition to the old BEA Viscounts, I used to love the sound of the Vanguard starting up.

The noisiest, I seem to remember, were the BEA/BA BAC1/11's with the compressed air start.

 

[wolfheze]

Never managed to see a Vanguard at Birmingham. Also missed out on any Bristol Britannias. Do remember seeing a Short Belfast fly low over my school when I was about 8 years old. Recognised it by the refuelling probe. Checked it out on bhx over the years and yes there were I think 2 visits in 1970.

 

[wolfheze]

Now this is a real longshot but was anyone at bhx when there was an incident invoving a Dan Air comet ? Dont have a firm date but am thinking probably 78. We were in the viewing lounge when the comet appeared from behind the terminal building just after touchdown on 33. As it crossed the short runway intersection it was enveloped in thick smoke. The smoke cleared after a couple of minutes just as the fire trucks reached it. Am guessing was a blown tyre but never found out.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Now this is a real longshot but was anyone at bhx when there was an incident invoving a Dan Air comet ? Dont have a firm date but am thinking probably 78. We were in the viewing lounge when the comet appeared from behind the terminal building just after touchdown on 33. As it crossed the short runway intersection it was enveloped in thick smoke. The smoke cleared after a couple of minutes just as the fire trucks reached it. Am guessing was a blown tyre but never found out.

Amazingly, Wolfheze I believe that I was there.

I was in the lounge of the old terminal (the one with the curved windows). I recall the comet going past enveloped in a ball of white smoke. I could only really see the nose, wingtips and tail. ATC enquired if they were OK (heard over my beloved Sharp airband radio), to which the pilot replied that de-icer had been thrown up by the nosewheel, ingested into the engines and the resulting smoke sent forward by the reverse thrust. It was obviously winter time, for the runway to have been treated with de-icer, and most likely a Saturday as I remember being there with my cousin. We used to go to BHX on Saturday's from Bloxwich by bus, train and another bus taking about 2 hours. Other than that I can't give any better idea of date.
It was certainly quite scary as it happened, but neither the aircraft or passengers were any worse for wear.

Hope that is of help.

Kevin

 

[wolfheze]

Thats amazing! Would have never really expected that after over 35 years someone would be reading this thread that was there. Was going to mention the smoke seeming to coinside with reverse thrust being used but then wasnt sure comets even had thrust reversers and didnt want to mug myself off!
Certainly livened up what had been up to that point quite a dull day if i recall. Think we normally had our radios tuned to radar and not the tower so didnt hear the explanation.

 

[wolfheze]

I suppose we were lucky only having to travel from meriden on the 159 or 900 bus. Twenty minutes max. About 5 miles as the crow flies so was able to listen to birmingham radar but not the tower from my bedroom.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I've been reading the recent posts on here with great interest. What an incredible thing that two posters on this forum were at BHX at the same time over 35 years ago.

Great stuff!!

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Thats amazing! Would have never really expected that after over 35 years someone would be reading this thread that was there.

My thoughts exactly Wolfheze as I read your post :s_thumbsup.

Was going to mention the smoke seeming to coinside with reverse thrust being used but then wasnt sure comets even had thrust reversers

I believe that the Comet 4 series had thrust reversers on the outboard engines. My first ever flight was on a BEA Airtours Comet 4B from Gatwick. I still have a photo of myself descending the steps, aged about 6.

We were in the viewing lounge when the comet appeared from behind the terminal building just after touchdown on 33.

I remember a small building (fibreglass and yellow if memory serves me right), first floor out towards the A45 from the Terminal entrance. Is that where you were?

I've been reading the recent posts on here with great interest. What an incredible thing that two posters on this forum were at BHX at the same time over 35 years ago.

Great stuff!!

Thanks, LocalYokel. I think it just goes to show how an interest gained at a young age can stay with you for a lifetime.

Regards

Kevin

 

[wolfheze]

Have been trying to think of any other stand out occurencies and apart from the comet incident and the winter diversions nose to tail on 24 the only other thing i remember was the night of the high winds which saw 737s and 111s taking off on the short runway. I am assuming they had pax onboard but i suppose they might have been positioning elsewhere. If i had been on one of those flights i think i would have asked to get off! I cant remember what category ILS was used back then but I would quite often be listening at home to Britannia, BA and midland inbounds trying to get in when the fog was coming down, was quite common to hear radar telling an aircraft on approach that the preceding aircraft had reported seeing the lights at 200ft. From where i lived you could hear the engines spool up if there was a go around on 33 followed 10 minutes later by them passing directly overhead on the downwind leg trying again.

 

[wolfheze]

We used to be in the old terminals viewing lounge which was above the arrivals hall by the taxi rank. Access was at the far end via a swing door and some stairs. Dont think it ever closed at night but we had to get the last bus home about 10.20. Would sometimes go in the restaurant with the curved windows to get a closer look at the DanAir 727s which always used to park directly in front of it. First flight for me was on a BEA Viscount from Birmingham to Rimini when I was 3 years old so around 65. Can still remember looking at the lights of paris and playing with a dinky car on the table between the seats which i think faced each other.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

We used to have a lot if fun in the photo booth at the end of that lounge. If one of us put some coins in, everyone else jumped in.

Does anyone remember the hot summer of 75 when the grass bank on the A45 went up in flames?

 

[wolfheze]

Yes i have vague memory of a photobooth being in there. Hate having my picture taken so wouldnt have ever used it!

 

[wolfheze]

Was there also some kind of bar that was never open and had metal shutters along the front of it?

 

[Jon Dempsey]

I seem to remember buying glasses of Coke from that bar.

 

[wolfheze]

What years were you going? Im racking my brains trying to remember whether i did ever see that bar open! My visits started in 75 and went on until late 78/79. Dosent sound that long but we were going probably once or twice every week, probably 3 or 4 times a week in the winter in the hope of seeing some diversions. Although I started finding other things to fill my time i have retained an interest in aviation to this day although i probably wouldnt know an A320 from an A321! :blush: Modern technology is great in some respects (FR24 etc) but i wonder if its taken some of the fun out of the hobby, after all had it been available back then i could have done all my spotting from the house.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

I started going (regularly) from about 78 me and and friend used to get the bus 58/900 and spend almost every weekend at the drome, later when the 174 bus started we used to attend more often, i think i worked out over a five year strech i had visited the airport 1190 times(they should have charged me rent the time i was there)😉
Its funny how you soon recognise regular faces and perhaps create your own little click.
I certainly remember a couple of folks who had their own knick names - Tiny, worzal etc.

A group of us even did a mini bus trip all over East Anglia staying in tents - it was fun🙁

E.

 

[wolfheze]

Had a couple of hours spare yesterday so decided to take the dog for a walk from Bickenhill to the old terminal. Across the fields at the end of 33 to the back of the land rover and down damson lane. I then crossed the footbridge for only the second time in my life, the first was in 78 when we decided to get off the bus there one night to see a Transavia 737 parked at the fuel farm end of the apron. Was there a 'fuel farm Rd ' off the main entrance road back then? Actually brought a tear to my eye when I reached the terminal with its peeling paint and a car park where the old terminal extension used to be. Went back up the 45 using the new crossing by the travelodge. Noticed there's no sign at all of Elmdon Lane which led down to the aero club.
The two lads we saw regularly came in on the 58, one was a bit taller than the other and wore glasses, not much of a description but it was a very long time ago!