Leeds Bradford: Aviation Nostalgia Thread

[DH106]

Looks like Whitehouse Lane to me with Bramhope in the distance.

Yes - I guess it's sitting well away from the flight shed at the edge of the apron nearest R28, pointing towards the south side hanger?
Anyone got a schematic of how big and the shape of that flight shed apron?

 

[White Heather]

This all brings back memories! Flew in the early/mid 70’s on YH,YL,YR and EY. NCL-LHR return and LBA-LHR, supposed to be return but ended up on a very foggy night at Teesside with a coach to LBA. After a long delay at Heathrow when we boarded the captain welcomed us on board our flight to Teesside. He told us the weather was so bad at LBA and not forecast to improve it was highly unlikely that he would be able to make an approach so we would be going direct to Teesside. Happy days.

Of course, they acquired a couple of Trident 1Es then specifucally for the NCL to LHR route, replacing their Bristol Britannia's, although they were used also on longer routes from there. They were G-AVYC and G-AVYD. I still have a model of YD. Neither could operate off LBAs then mini runway but one did a fly past on its way to Church Fenton where it did another fly by appearance at the SSAFA air display. Probably around 1974 or 5.

 

[blotbuc1]

Of course, they acquired a couple of Trident 1Es then specifucally for the NCL to LHR route, replacing their Bristol Britannia's, although they were used also on longer routes from there. They were G-AVYC and G-AVYD. I still have a model of YD. Neither could operate off LBAs then mini runway but one did a fly past on its way to Church Fenton where it did another fly by appearance at the SSAFA air display. Probably around 1974 or 5.

In the early 70’s I lived in Newcastle and was frequently woken up by the early morning Trident departure to LHR. Had the LBA runway been long enough and the Tridents used it would definitely have given LACAN something to moan about!

 

[dakota eng]

The flight shed was half its original size when BKS used it and half was also used as the terminal after the original burnt down.
We could get 3 viscounts in there overnight or 2 Dakotas and a 748.
I remember removing all the reusable spares from the 2 BEA Viscounts.
I think Eric Walton was originally an engineer , but he had to work in stores after having heart problems.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

LACAN, it was all about aircraft noise in those days even though apart from the Aer Lingus 1-11s it was mainly turboprops.

Tridents were used for Heathrow -Bilbao services as well if I remember correctly.

 

[White Heather]

LACAN, it was all about aircraft noise in those days even though apart from the Aer Lingus 1-11s it was mainly turboprops.

Tridents were used for Heathrow -Bilbao services as well if I remember correctly.

Aer Lingus used a mix of 737 200s and 1-11s on DUB. We never really knew what would turn up. The days they didn't operate, the route was flown by BKS/Northeast /BA Viscounts as it was a shared route. 737 200 EI-ASC was the first Aer Lingus jet aircraft to operate the route.

 

[White Heather]

The flight shed was half its original size when BKS used it and half was also used as the terminal after the original burnt down.
We could get 3 viscounts in there overnight or 2 Dakotas and a 748.
I remember removing all the reusable spares from the 2 BEA Viscounts.
I think Eric Walton was originally an engineer , but he had to work in stores after having heart problems.

That sounds about right regarding Eric.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Im probably going back to the days before the 737s were delivered. The 737s were all combis werent they?

 

[LBAYORKIE]

That sounds about right regarding Eric.

Yes, it was a big shed. After the new terminal was opened the freight agents moved in and later the transit shed moved down there.

I knew a couple of the people who worked in engineering. I knew Jim Longden very well. Im sure the other person was Jim as well but cant recall his surname.

 

[dakota eng]

Probably myself Jim Braithwaite. Jim Longden died a few years ago.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Yes, it was Jim Braithwaite. So I must have bumped into you at some point. Did you move away when BA closed engineering down? I bumped into Jim's grandson at the cemetery viewing area a couple of years ago, I think he said he was working for Jet2.

 

[dakota eng]

No I stayed with Air Anglia / Air UK, Then Dan-air /FLS/SR Technics Storm Aviation and finished at Jet 2. Happy Days.

 

[blotbuc1]

The flight shed was half its original size when BKS used it and half was also used as the terminal after the original burnt down.
We could get 3 viscounts in there overnight or 2 Dakotas and a 748.
I remember removing all the reusable spares from the 2 BEA Viscounts.
I think Eric Walton was originally an engineer , but he had to work in stores after having heart problems.

I remember holidays in the early 60’s, flying LBA-IOM, using the original terminal at first, then the black flight shed. Flying on Silver City DC3’s and once a SilverCity Bristol 170 Wayfarer (so noisy you were given cotton wool for your ears!). The last time I remember using the shed was in 1966 and a BUIA Herald was the aircraft.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Impressive. I did a stint outside of cargo working for Servisair handling in about 1978/9'ish. I think it was in the period when Air Anglia and BIA merged to form Air UK. I really enjoyed it, best thing was it was easy to get virtually free tickets so I often went to AMS for weekends or even day trips. Worked alongside Steve Taylor and Andy Barker and Phil 'the fly' Solomon (my boss in the handling dept) John Garner was station manager. A300 boy was at Air Anglia/Air UK as well. Les Rackham and ? Dakin were memorable flight deck crew, back in those days of the F27. I remember we had a northbound and southbound service each day plus the Amsterdams. The former had a southern 'terminus' but I cant remember the northern one, I think it was Edinburgh, so nwi-lba-edi. I remember there was also a Paris service which routed ory-lba-edi which was operated by an F28 sometimes. At that time we also hade an Air Anglia Navajo Chieftain on Gatwick. I also recall after the launch of Air UK Embraer Bandeirantes appeared on the scene.

 

[dakota eng]

I worked with A300 boy at Air UK . I never admit to working on Bandeirantes. A300 boy will. The name you are looking for was Brian Dakin and his mate Steve Raspin.

 

[Finger66]

I have a feeling the F28 service was ABZ -LBA -ORY and return. Once a day each way but can’t remember whether the a/c o/n in ABZ or ORY, but think it did a direct ABZ - ORY and return in between. And I am sure Air Anglia used to use F27s routing NWI - LBA - EDI - ABZ and there was one unit based either end so day returns very possible. Happy days indeed

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I think you are right on all counts. I need to dig out my old timetables! I do think there was a direct LBA-ORY at some point though operated by F27s. I think the Bandeirante probably took over LGW from the Navajo.

 

[oldendays]

The F28 was Edinburgh - Leeds - Orly and return. The other F28 operated Aberdeen - Newcastle - Orly.

The southern stop for the north/south routes was Norwich. AQ209, UK209 and so on.

 

[White Heather]

Im probably going back to the days before the 737s were delivered. The 737s were all combis werent they?

No, they buses the 737 200s first, before introducing the 1-11s. As I said their first ever jet flight from Dublin to Leeds was 737 200 EI- ASC. That replaced the previously used Viscount 800 service. The 1-11s appeared shortly after and for the most part the route was served by a mix of the types.
You may be thinking of Aer Lingus 1-11s landing at LBA prior to this when they operated charters for Leeds United, when playing in Europe.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Im probably just not remembering properly. The 1-11s seemed to get my attention as they sounded like 'real' jets.