Colour photos at Speke Airport, around the mid 60s

[viscount]

THE JOHN POPE COLLECTION 1961-1967

I have had a box and half of Speke Airport slides, some 60 images, a mix of Kodak and Agfa since the late 70s, given to me by John Pope as he gave up active aircraft spotting. There were once also two larger boxes of mainly light aircraft from around Europe, but these got damp and attacked by mold so were destroyed to ensure it did not spread into my main collection a good few years ago. Some of the slides are swops, or purchases, mainly with Brian Bond and Ken Fielding, while many are his own. It would appear that John got his first 35mm camera early 1965. Indeed that is the period I knew John best as he was a year or two above at school. The collection of Speke shots ends around September 1967, so likely when he left for University, so the majority are 1966 and 1967. I have used some of these photos before (but now wiped out by Photobucket), but never posted them altogether as a collection before now. It is many years since I last met John, although I gather that he is still around.

Some of these shots are someone else's 'seconds', others vary greatly in quality from good all the way down to should have been thrown out! A number have an issue whereby the focus on the left is crisp, but over the right edge, rather 'soft' - likely a camera/lens issue, as I have re-scanned some without improvement. I have included some quite 'duff' images due to the content, although have spent less time cleaning these up (as there was a limit as to how good I could get them), compared to the better images.

Debated with myself whether to keep these in calendar date sequence, or sort by category eg airliner, military, general aviation themes. Some interesting aircraft included such as the BEA S-61N, USAF Hercules, an Aer Lingus BAC-111 before 5.66, Britannias, a Beverley, VC-118A (DC-6) USAF etc.
Anyway scroll through this "ode to the balcony" - where would we have been at the time without it?


THE EARLY '60s - 1961 to end of 1965.




G-ARIR a Viscount 708 of Starways and their first. This somewhat overexposed 'thin' slide taken by an uncredited photographer 20th June 1961



G-AMNL A Douglas C-47B Dakota 4 of Bardock Aviation Services, seen on 24th February 1964 outside Aviation Overhauls hangars. It was one of two ex Itavia Airlines aircraft, and had arrived as I-TAVO 10th January 1964 from Radlett, where it had been traded-in for new Dart Herald aircraft. Although here painted as G-AMNL, it left for Keegans at Luton as I-TAVO again on 1st June 1964. A Brian Bond photo.



PH-SCC A Douglas C-47A Dakota 3 of Fairways Rotterdam. One of two Fairways C-47s that arrived from Hamburg Saturday 28th February, departing Sunday 1st. March. Again a 'brave' night shot with the equipment available at the time. A Brian Bond photo.



A rather charming, and far from easy to take with the cameras of the time, study at night from the balcony of Derby Airways Canadair C-4 Argonaut G-ALHG preparing to leave on an Easter pilgrimage charter to Rome on Thursday 23rd March 1964. A Brian Bond photo.



G-ASNM Sikorsky S-61N of BEA on Thursday 18th June 1964, a first visit by type to Speke. Did try and crop out the apron hand, but eventually decided to leave him in! A Brian Bond photo.



OY-EAO Douglas DC-6B on Tuesday 14th July on an inbound charter from Copenhagen, before departing for Gatwick. A Brian Bond photo.



G-ANBJ Bristol B.175 Britannia 102, operating an Inclusive Tour charter on Tuesday 25th May 1965. The aircraft had recently arrived from BOAC, and while painted in Britannia's scheme, had to have the tail logo and titles added.



Only the second ever visit by type, this 00295 a Lockheed C-130B Hercules of 313TCW (Troop Carrier Wing) in from Neubiberg with returning British TA troops after an exercise, before departing to its base at Evreux in France.



The date makes this a most interesting shot. Taken on Monday 15th November 1965, this is quite clearly EI-ANG a BAC-111 of Aer Lingus which had arrived from Frankfurt, on weather (fog) diversion from Ringway, along with a Vanguard flight. Why is this significant, well this is only the second visit by a BAC-111 to Liverpool, and only the third ever by any jet airliner. Bear in mind that this is before the new (longer)runway was opened in May 1966.

[viscount]

PHOTOGRAPHS DURING 1966



G-AKJH Douglas C-47A Dakota 3 of Derby Airways at night. John credits this as a Brian Bond photo taken on 16th May 1966, which is indeed a date that G-AKJH called. However since July 1965 this aircraft had been visiting Speke in Gregory Air Services colours and titles. It certainly last visited Speke while with Derby Aviation on 21st September 1964 - so clearly something is awry here! Another great night shot from the balcony, bit of a Brian Bond speciality it would seem. I wonder if he still has his slide collection from the 60s?



Douglas C-47B Dakota 4 EI-APB of Hibernian Airways on Tuesday 31st May - one of 5 visits made that day f&t Isle of Man during a ferry or dock strike that summer.



A slightly odd Dakota in that it is a Douglas C-53D Dakota 4. A former Silver City aircraft, here it is in the marking of British United Radar Calibration Unit, at Speke Monday 6th June operating one of two freight charters out to Belfast for Morton Air Services during one of the strikes.



One of the poorest images, with far more camera shake than normally permitted. Included as it is the only Friendship image in the collection, LN-SUW of Braathens. However this is another mislabled image, as it did not visit in 1966! There was one visit in 1966 by a Braathens Friendship LN-SUA in January and 3 by their Douglas DC-6 aircraft.



A well known image, the 'tail tip' performed by ACE Freighters L-749 Constellation on Saturday 2nd July when inbound on its second freight run of the day from Belfast with a load of cigarettes that shifted on landing. A Ken Fielding photo.



Taken a while, but the first of several British Eagle photos, this being G-ATPJ BAC-111 'Stalwart' on Friday 5th August - only two weeks after its first visit to Liverpool.



DH.104 Dove 8 194 of the Irish Air Corps on Monday 15th August, on which day it routed Baldonnel (Dublin)-Speke-Tern Hill-Speke-Dublin.



Not the best of images, but Beech 23 Musketeer G-ATBI on 23rd August 1966, likely outside No.39 hangar.



The worst image in the collection is this one of G-AROI DH.104 Dove 'Eaglet' of British Eagle during October. Operated on a feeder route Dundee-Glasgow, it was maintained by British Eagle at Liverpool. Anyone got a really good colour image of G-AROI as 'Eaglet'?



Another image a tad 'thin' and over-exposed, G-ATDR A viscount 739 'City of Glasgow' of British Eagle on 9th October.



Two British United BAC-111s, G-ASJG and G-ASJF preparing to depart on a charter to Basle on Saturday 15th October



Cessna 182J EI-AOD a frequent visitor through Speke at the time, here on Sunday 16th October, from an to Dublin.



DH.82A Tiger Moth G-ANKK, one of 4 (plus a Stampe) purchased from a film company and arrived from Ireland December 1965. G-ANKK was overhauled, resprayed and retained by the Liverpool Flying School for several years. Here seen on 16th October 1966 before being re-flown in March 1967.



G-AIRK was another of the 4 Tiger Moths, seen here on 28th October 1966 still in the German lozenge scheme worn during the filming. Re-flown a month later and delivered to new owners early January 1967.



Rescued from a rather dark image, G-ASBY is a Beagle A.109 Airedale passing through on Sunday 4th December, Blackpool to Jersey.



Bristol 175 Britannia 312 G-AOVL 'Resolution" on Wednesday 7th December, one of several aircraft taking LFC fans out to Amsterdam, another as a second British Eagle Britannia G-AOVA, which can be glimpsed parked on one of the 'fingers'.



G-AMPP Douglas C-47B Dakota 4 of Dan Air operating a scheduled service on the same day, 7th December.



F-BHGI a Jodel D.117 Grand Tourisme en route Le Touquet to Blackpool on Tuesday 13th December 1966, the day Ajax FC arrived on an Lockheed Electra of KLM. The Jodel was imported onto the British register at Blackpool as G-AVEI during January 1967.

AJAX SUPPORTERS AIRLIFT INBOUND, Wednesday 14th December 1966.





PH-DCF a Douglas DC-8-30 of KLM arriving with Ajax FC supporters in rather poor damp, misty conditions that turned to fog later.



A somewhat misty view of the apron with the DC-8, G-ANBF Britannia 102 of Britannia and a Convair Cv.640 PH-CGD of Martinair. Later two DC-7s of Martinair parked down by No.39 hangar and much of time could not be seen from the terminal.





Douglas C-54A G-ASEN of Invicta, also with Ajax fans. This aircraft in the early '60s was operated by Starways



PH-DAC, Dakota C-47A Dakota 3 of Scheiner Airways, with dark blue wings parked beside No.1 hangar on the western apron. On several of these shots note the framework construction of the extension to the side door of No.1 hangar being built to house the tall tail of British Eagle's Britannia aircraft.



PH-TRC Douglas DC-6B of Transavia, also parked on the western apron.



PH-DSO one of two Schreiner Douglas DC-7 aircraft parked on a disused taxiway and viewed through the mist from Speke Boulevard.

Well that completes 1966, so move onto 1967:

[viscount]

SPEKE PHOTOGRAPHS, 1967



Handley Page Hastings C.2 WJ343 on Saturday 6th May with military 'top brass' to attend the 'Battle of the Atlantic' commemorative service at Liverpool Cathedral on Sunday morning.



Same day, a few yards further along the Banks Road fence showing Viscount 739 G-ATFN and Britannia 312 G-AOVN.



Another on the same day, but a change of location to the balcony for EI-AOI Viscount 803 of Aer Lingus. This is in the later 'white top' Viscount scheme adopted before the aircraft purchased from KLM were delivered.





Summer 1967 was the summer of short lived I/T operator, Treffield International. The airline had three aircraft, 2 Viscounts from Channel, and a Britannia 102 G-ANBM on lease from Laker. This photo of G-ANBN on Sunday 28th May is of a Laker schemed aircraft substituting for the two tone blue G-ANBM for a flight to and from Palma.



Unfortunately there is no good shot of a Treffield International aircraft, this being Viscount G-ATVE waiting on a 'finger' apron between flights on 20th June 1967. It gives very little indication of the two tone blue scheme.



A less than conventional view of a British Eagle BAC.111, G-ATPK, also on 20th June.



Another one of those shots best ignored, but digitised anyhow. DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AGTM of the Army Parachute Free-Fall Association en route, after a week in Northern Ireland. Here on Saturday 24th June, en route Newtownards to Blackbushe the following day.



On the other hand, this is a delightful shot of Blackburn Beverley C.1 XB287/T of 47 Squadron on Sunday 9th July having brought home Liverpool based TA Para Regiment troops from a weekend exercise at Wattisham.



G-ASSZ is not quite what it first appears to be. It is a Riley 65 rather than a Cessna 310 - from which it is a conversion. The logo is that of Williams Air Charter of York, however ownership had passed onto Slingsby Air Charter; the aircraft operating from and to Leeds on Saturday 15th July.





The US Army had moved into part of the former USAF base at Burtonwood early in 1967. A few of their Otter and Seminole communications aircraft had called at Speke, this though was a much larger surprise. Douglas VC-118A (VIP fit in a DC-6) 0-33303, clearly with 'top brass' (note the cockpit flags) on 15th August 1967, from and to Paris/Orly.



Another Douglas, this a smaller Douglas DC-4, EI-APK of Aer Turas "Monarch of Munster" and a regular at Speke. Another shot on Saturday 15th August.



G-AVJB Viscount 815 of British Midland on a regular summer I/T service, likely Sunday 23rd July.



This looks to be G-AMOP, but is certainly a Viscount 701 of Cambrian on a regular scheduled flight sometime July or August 1967



Another of shots likely better left out, a shaky G-ASVV Cessna 310I, owned by the Earl of Sefton, but operated from Blackpool by Westair Aviation and a very frequent visitor to Speke. Again sometime July or August 1967.





Two views of a daily event, Liverpool Flying School operating from premises alongside Hangar No.4, putting their aircraft under cover for the night in No.39 hangar - a scene viewed from the MSAE clubroom alongside No.50 hangar. In in the line-up Colts G-ARGO, G-ARKN, G-ARJC and Tri-Pacer G-ARGY. August 1967. Fading evening light and Agfa65 film don't mix easily, but tripods were awkward to lug around on the 'off-chance' of a shot.



A rather nice image of Dan Air AS.57 Ambassador G-AMAH framed under the tail of British Eagle Viscount G-AOCB. The peace and serenity would be spoilt when with much clanking and banging the Ambassador started up, blowing clouds of oily smoke at those gathered on the balcony. August 1967.



Another shaky shot, retained because of the aircraft featured. Aeronavle MS.760 Paris No.46 on Monday 25th September either Lorient to Ballykelly, or more likely, later in the day Ballykelly to Paris/Le Bourget.



A regular, once or twice a week for several years was the Medevac USAF Convair C-131A(M) (although at the time universally called MC-131A) Samaritan. 0-25787 (52-5787) on 25th September 1967 when it routed Ballykelly to Mildenhall, the route depended on requirements and changed frequently.



Beech Queen Air 80 D-ILKE of Pegulan also on Monday 25th September, an aircraft that made a number of visits over the following few months.



This one has somehow slipped in, G-BBDK Viscount and G-APRL Argosy, both of ABC Cargo on newspaper flights - but the date is more likely mid 1970s and certainly not later 60's.

Well hope you enjoyed these, a mixed bag in term of photographic quality, but enjoyable ramble down memory lane nether-the-less, and in colour too!

[northbynorthwest]

Brian, what a wonderful trip down memory lane. I started visiting the airport in 1963 as a spotty little schoolboy, and spent untold number of hours on the balcony. People who are too young to have experienced these panoramic views of the ramp really missed out on a unique experience. You could soak up all the sights and sounds - it was so close, you could almost touch it. This era was far removed from the sterile airports and security issues of today that make looking at airplanes nowadays a far more impersonal experience.

I can remember many of the aircraft from John's collection, and I enjoyed the comments that you added about many of these pictures, brought back many ah-ha moments. To name a few, the procession of the Liverpool Aero Club fleet down to Hangar 39 at the end of the flying day, the Dock Strike, British Eagle Britannias and BAC 1-11's, the arrival of the Tiger Moths and Stampe from Ireland (I was sitting in a classroom in school when I saw them fly in trail over All Hallows Church just south of my school. Got bollocked out by my teacher for not paying attention.) Ahhh, Treffield Britannias - I was there when the left wingtip of one clipped a set of steps as it was being marshalled in to operate an I/T flight - it can't have been more than 50 feet from me. Fond memories that these pictures have brought back to life for me.

[ronturner]

Being away from home at the moment, not a lot of chances to log on but like to say how much I have enjoyed looking at these and other recent images.
Ron

[kuga59]

Great memories from this collection.
Remember the Ajax match, should not have been played, far too foggy to see anything that evening. Cruyff and co murdered us, so I was told, even though I was there?

[andyh]

Fantastic collection of images, yet again. Thanks to John of making them available and to you Brian for your hard working in cleaning them up, digitising them and uploading to the forum. I have to say I am struggling a little bit to orientate myself in terms of the Beverly image. I can only assume that it is at the threshold of either Rwy 26 or 17, but the buildings in the background (including what look like some interesting changes in levels) just don't seem right?

Any thoughts?

[viscount]

Andy, a fair question. I too have looked at and pondered over just exactly where the photographer was standing. It is quite certainly the 26 threshold, from the Speke Hall side. I am sure that it must have been taken from beside the perimeter track inside the airfield with a telephoto lens, rather than over the (then) low Speke Hall Road fencing. I know as a teenager I several times got a 'ride' around the perimeter by the Police when all was very quiet and the 'right' Sergeant on duty. Indeed as a twelve year old a group of us walked with one of the Airport Constables right around the perimeter road and returned to the terminal absolutely knackered, but with the reggies of the Meteors and other aircraft assembled the day before the 1962 Air Display. That's irrelevant to the question, but shows that a photo from on the airfield was possible.

Mid '60s the land the other side of Speke Boulevard was used for storing timber and giant rolls of paper. Motacks (have I spelt that right?) factory (later Ridgeways Tea and now a leveled site) must be further to the right, and the paper rolls storage sheds hidden by the bulk of the Beverley. The sheds were served by railway sidings that brought in timber and paper and until Fords left (or they still might?) bringing in and out new vehicles. The main building visible alongside Speke Boulevard, with the white roof and a tall door to permit loaded trucks to pass through I think still be there (now close to the back entrance into the Retail Park big roundabout), but currently partly shielded by the plastic wrapping over the fence that prevents views of the car storage and transportation yard. Brian.

[Deleted]

Brian, I think you've answered Andy's question correctly. I did a double-take on the Beverley photo as well, but I'm convinced it was taken from Speke Hall Road and the aircraft is sitting just forward of the 'piano keys' at the end of 26. Either he was very naughty and nipped over the fence, or he'd acquired a telephoto lens - I'm saying nothing!

You are right about the Viscount and the Argosy. They would have positioned in on the Saturday afternoon. As Aer Lingus got rid of the Viscounts, they began to sub-charter the work to other carriers,including Aer Turas of course. Generally, E Higgs, the agency who handled and paid for the newspaper operation, did not like Aer Lingus sub-contracting, because occasionally the aircraft they'd sub-contracted would go tech in some God-forsaken corner of Europe and one of the Viscounts would have to do a double trip. The timing of the whole operation was very slick, because driving around Ireland in the 1960s was no easy task! We used to have a 'Mayfly'* just for that operation, and any delay to the operation would cause all sorts of problems. In a nutshell, it was a hell of a way to spend a Saturday night when you were in your 20s!

I worked in Air UK ops at Blackpool from '79 to '81 and the operation was taking place from there, usually with ABCs Argosies and Vanguards. I think it started at Blackpool in about 1978.

* A Mayfly is the daily running list of flights to be handled by the airline or handling agent for a given day, which is still in use by most ops departments, both electronically, but also printed out for the ground handling teams and is something of a Bible. There's a bit of ops dark humour involved on the basis that it may fly (or it may not!), but it is actually named after the insect, some species of which it is believed, live only for a day.

[andyh]

Thanks both - that makes sense, and since you pointed out the building to the left (in front of the nose) that is now recognisable to me. To be honest, after I posted the query it did strike me that there would have been a structure of some sort on the corner of Speke Road and Speke Hall Avenue. I believe it was spelt Mothak (they made mothballs!).

[Deleted]

Feb 1, 2018 19:30:09 GMT 1 andyh said:

Thanks both - that makes sense, and since you pointed out the building to the left (in front of the nose) that is now recognisable to me. To be honest, after I posted the query it did strike me that there would have been a structure of some sort on the corner of Speke Road and Speke Hall Avenue. I believe it was spelt Mothak (they made mothballs!).

Yes, it was known locally as Mothaks, but that's not their building. The building to the nose of the Beverley was I think some sort of admin and verification building which was put up to deal with the Ford cars which were being taken away from the sidings. Below the tail is what used to be Goodlass Walls, a paint factory. The old Mothaks, known formally (as the titles over the building announced) as Thompson & Capper because they made more than just mothballs would have been further to the right, as Viscount pointed out.

(I always knew that walking the dogs to Speke Hall entrance virtually every day would come in useful one day!)