Post by viscount on Sept 19, 2011 13:59:37 GMT 1
Not an airline I ever associate with being based at Liverpool despite being around at the time as a young pre-teenage "spotter". I always considered them Trans World Leasing operated as that is what CAM said! However Tony Merton Jones in 'British Independent Airlines since 1946' considered Trans Meridian as being 'based' at Speke while it operated DC-4s. When a Douglas DC-7 was acquired and replaced both DC-4s, the airline moved to Luton and Cambridge and then with CL-44s based them at Stansted.
A detailed account from 'BIAL', retyped here for completeness of the survey of Liverpool based operators, with some additional information from PHB's visiting aircraft logs woven into the story.
Transmeridian Flying Services was registered as an airline company on 5th October 1962. Founded by a group of airline pilots, Trans Meridian's initial board of directors consisted of Viscount Long of Wraxhall (Chairman), Capt A.H.Benson (Managing Director), Capt A.J.Burridge (Chief Pilot) and Mr.R.Huggins (Co-Director). The capital of Trans Meridian was subscribed jointly by Mr.T.D.Keegan, through a subsidiary company, and Mr John Gaul. The company intended to begin operations on 1st November 1962 with one Douglas Skymaster for use on long-range ad-hoc freight charters in addition to a number of passenger charters. Trans Meridian received technical assistance from Keegan Aviation, and it was agreed that one Skymaster would be leased to Trans Meridian by Trans World Leasing (a Keegan Company).
Crew training was set to start at Liverpool Airport with Skymaster G-APID, but on 18th October on arrival from Gatwick, this aircraft was substantially damaged when it made a wheels-up landing at Speke. Meanwhile, a second Skymaster, G-ARXJ, which was already present at Speke (had arrived 16.4.62 from Sywell newly imported for attention by Starways) flew a C of A airtest 23rd October, then to and from Manchester 7th November. Meanwhile G-APID was made airworthy by a party of Scottish Aviation engineers and was ferried out to Prestwick on 10th November for full inspection.
So G-ARXJ became Trans Meridian's first aircraft to enter service, leaving Liverpool on the evening of Saturday 15th December when Capt A.H.Benson positioned the aircraft from Liverpool to Luxembourg to begin commercial flying operations. Over the next five days, Captains Benson and Burridge flew this aircraft on a number of charters in Europe, finally ending up at Luton on 20th December and ferried the same evening by Capt Burridge to Liverpool. During late evening of Tuesday 27th December Capt Benson flew 'XJ from Liverpool to Athens, and after completing several long-distance flights during January, the aircraft arrived back at Liverpool from Nice on the morning of Tuesday 22nd January 1963. The aircraft remained at Liverpool for a fortnight before departure to Gatwick on 6th February was Capt Burridge at the controls. Loaded with cargo at Gatwick over-night, it left for Brindisi in the early hours of 7th, the first leg of a journey to the Middle East. Arrival back at Liverpool was on the 9th direct from Damascus. 'XJ returned to Gatwick on 14th February and for the next two months operated a number of flights from Gatwick to the Middle and Far East, staging through Brinidisi, Amman, Brussels, Munich, Lyon and Nice. The last of these flights left Gatwick 12th April, but on its return via Manston, limped into Liverpool on the evening of 21st April on only three engines. After an engine change, the Skymaster was pronounced servicable once more, positioning on 24th April to Luton. Many of Trans Meridian's long distance charters were subsequently flown from Luton, and the company also undertook a small number of inclusive tour passenger charters from this airport during the year. By the end of May, Trans Meridian had begun to undertake contract freight work on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, this resulted in the Skymaster becoming a regular visitor to Lyneham and Manston. During the summer, Trans Meridian's Skymaster also visited Athens and Damascus on several occasions, and visits were also made during the year to Brussels, Dublin, Paris and Rotterdam, with a regular freight flight between Dublin and Paris Le Bourget operated from September. Appearances back at Liverpool were on 30th April from Manston leaving for Luton 14th May; from Stansted 22nd June out direct to Damascus on 25th; from Athens 8th July, departing back there on 18th July; from Luton 25th August out to Brussels on 28th; and from Athens 11th September to Rotterdam on 15th.
A second Skymaster was acquired by Trans Meridian on lease from Trans World Leasing, G-APID being delivered from Luton on 6th July and ferried to Lyneham the next day for Capt Benson to take on another MoD flight to the Far East. G-APID appeared back at Liverpool 15th September routing through from Luton to Dublin; on 22nd September from Le Bourget to Dublin on 24th; again from Le Bourget 29th September onto Dublin the next day; and yet again from Le Bourget 4th October onto Dublin the next day.
However as winter approached, it was decided to place both aircraft in storage at Liverpool pending the award of further contracts. Skymaster G-APID arrived at Liverpool from Luton on 15th October, followed by G-ARXJ also from Luton on 24th October. Both aircraft then remained in storage at Liverpool until lunchtime on Thursday 5th December when Capt Burridge took G-ARXJ aloft for a one and a half hour Certificate of Airworthiness test flight followed on 13th by a radio test flight. On 20th December Capt Burridge took off from Liverpool in G-ARXJ at 9am bound for Stansted. However, due to technical trouble the aircraft returned to Liverpool and after necessary attention the aircraft departed again at midday, but this time headed for Luton. The other Skymaster G-APID remained in hibernation until the afternoon of Wednesday 1st January 1964 when it left Liverpool bound for Dublin. From Dublin, Capt Burridge operated another charter flight between Dublin and Le Bourget.
1963 had been Trans Meridian's first complete year of commercial operations and during the year 94 passenger and 103 freight charter flights were operated by the company. Almost 1,200 flying hours were recorded and 1,126 passengers carried by Trans Meridian during the year.
Business was bouyant during the early part of 1964, and consequently Capt M.W.Quinn joined the airline's flying staff and also became a director of the company along with Capt Rhenius. The first 6 months of 1964 saw the operation of numerous freight charters between Dublin and Le Bourget, using both Skymasters. The first long-distance charter of 1964 was undertaken on 11th January by G-APID piloted by Capt Rhenius, and involved the operation of a cargo charter flight from Newcastle to Damascus. Other charter flights during the spring included a Dublin to Stuttgart service on 23rd March and a Liverpool to Rotterdam service on 9th April. During the summer a number of inclusive tour charter flights were undertaken by the Skymasters, including a Cardiff to Tarbes service on 15th May carrying pilgrims to Lourdes. This flight was operated by G-ARXJ commanded by Captain Rhenius, with the return leg flown by the same aircraft and crew on 18th May. Both aircraft continued to call at Liverpool regularly until late July 1964, after which they disappeared from the Liverpool scene. Throughout the summer, Trans Meridian's two Skymasters continued to operate regularly from Luton carrying both freight consignments and passengers, although increasingly the company concentrated on the operation of freight charters. On Sunday 15th November 1964, Skymaster G-ARXJ paid a rare visit to Belfast to operate a charter to Belgrade.
A near complete list of the visits that were made to Liverpool during 1964 was recorded by Phil Butler. G-APID which left for Dublin on 1st January returned from Le Bourget on 9th leaving for Newcastle/Woolsington on 11th; on 21st January from Le Bourget and out to Dublin 5th February; on 5th March in from Le Bourget, out to Dublin on 23rd; in from Saarbrucken 24th March and out to Luton the following day; from Luton 7th April and to Rotterdam on a charter 9th; on 28th April to and from Antwerp, leaving for Rotterdam on 29th; from Marseilles on 27th May and out to Dublin 31st; back in from Le Bourget 2nd June; back in again from Le Bourget 24th June, to Dublin 29th; from Dublin 30th June; from Stuttgart 17th July and out to Dublin 20th July.
While G-ARXJ arrived on 10th January from Luton and onwards to Dublin on 22nd; at Liverpool again 23rd January from Le Bourget; again on 20th February noted inbound from Le Bourget and out to Dublin on 15th April; back the next day from Le Bourget, to Dublin 20th; on 23rd April Le Bourget and onward to Dublin; 7th May from Le Bourget, to Amsterdam and back from Hamburg the next day; departed for Dublin on 11th; back from Le Bourget 14th; in from Cardiff 18th May and onto Dublin the next day; back from Dublin on 21st May and out to Palma and return on 23rd (sub charter for Euravia perhaps?); departed for Dublin 3rd June, returning on 5th from Brussels; arrived again on 10th June from Le Bourget leaving for Dublin on 15th; in from Gatwick 22nd June; in from Stuttgart 2nd July and out to Dublin 7th; in from Stuttgart again 10th July and to Southend on 13th; from Le Bourget 16th July and out to Stansted 20th July. After 20th July 1964 with the departure of both aircraft, no further visits by the two Trans-Meridian again during the year.
A Douglas DC-7BF, G-ATAB, arrived at Southend Airport late in December 1964 for a pre-service check, and this aircraft entered service with Trans Meridian in March 1965, replacing both Skymasters which had been returned to Trans World Leasing earlier in 1965.
The Trans Meridian Air Cargo story goes on in BIAL (I've only repeated a quarter of the BIAL entry here), however the subsequent company story has no relevance to Liverpool Airport whatsoever. Indeed the DC-7 type review elsewhere on the forum show that there were only ever two visits by Trans Meridian operated DC-7s to Liverpool, in 1968 and a Ford parts charter during 1969.
FLEET during the period 1962-1964
The airline went on to operate a number of DC-7s: G-ATAB, G-ATMF, G-ATOB. G-AVXH, G-AWBL in the period 12.64 to 3.72
Later CL-44s: G-ATZH, G-ATZI, G-AWWB, G-AXAA, G-AXUL, G-AZIN, G-AZKJ, G-AZML & CL-44-0 N447T at least, from 12.68 to 8.79
Later still DC-8-54Fs: G-BFHW, G-BTAC & also ex RAF Belfasts.
TMAC merged 8.79 with rivals IAS Cargo to form British Cargo Airlines, however BCA did not last long, failing during 1980. BCA was then incorporated into Heavylift Cargo. See www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmeridian_Air_Cargo for more. Interestingly their entry states that Transmeridian Flying Services had their headquarters at Liverpool 1962 to 1968, then Stansted 1968-1979. Be warned, not all statements on wikipedia are correct though, being only as good as the author's interpretation of researched detail! Mind you that applies to my work as well!!
SPECULATION & CONJECTURE
Since entering this history of the early years of Trans Meridan there has been a flurry of e-mail activity, especially with Phil Butler. He also never considered them as a 'based' operator at the time, but in hindsight conceeds that their aircraft were very often here between charters during a year and half period.
The question developed, why did Trans Meridian have their aircraft here? One strand of thought is that there must have been a connection with Starways (and after 1.1.64 Aviation Overhauls) who had maintainance DC-4 line-rated engineers. However at least some of the maintenance work was done in No.1 hangar (eg G-ARXJ in March '63 in backgound of a photo on the Noratlas thread). An additional speculation is that someone at the top of Trans Meridian had a Liverpool connection, maybe Capt Benson as MD, or Capt Burridge as Chief Pilot (maybe both). While certainly maintenance was done at Liverpool, many of the first half 1964 visits have the look of popping home for a few days between flights rather than for two weeks of maintenance. The sudden and complete cessation of visits in July 1964 could be that there was a change of maintenance arrangements and at the same time the personal connection with Liverpool left the company (Capt Benson though did not leave Trans Meridian until helping to set up Monarch early 1968), or maybe whoever it was just simply moved house and family to near Luton.
Phil also uncovered another Liverpool connection as Capt Rhenius, who joined Trans Meridian 1.1.64 was a former Starways Chief Pilot, but had left Starways for Overseas Aviation (and called at Liverpool with Overseas in an Argonaut (see type review elsewhere on this section)) before joining Trans Meridian.
Near 50 years removed from the events related, it is highly unlikely now that the whole story will ever be known, but that does not change the fact that Liverpool Speke played an unsung role in the early years of one of Britain's iconic cargo airlines.
Dated 1962, this is unlikely as the arrival at Liverpool resulted in a slow speed undercarriage collapse with damage to the underside and propellers 18th October 1962 and after inspection, a ferry flight to Prestwick for repairs 10th November. Next recorded at Liverpool on 10th July 1963 back in full airworthy health.
Recently imported Douglas C-54B G-ARXJ exhibited by Keegan Aviation at an event at Sywell in April 1964. Those walking through were impressed by the plush fittings. From Sywell it was delivered to Speke on Monday 14th April 1962 and entered Starways care for a British C of A. It flew again 23rd October for the required air test before certification and entry into service with Trans Meridian. We have got so used to airports with acres of concrete apron space, it is now almost a 'culture shock' surprise to see an aircraft as heavy as a Skymaster standing on grass at the tail-end of a British winter.
G-ARXJ a few weeks after delivery to Liverpool, awaiting its turn to enter the hangar for overhaul. The activity out on the airfield is in the days leading to the 26th May 1962 Air Display.
Although Starways initially used no.3 hangar (later used by Vernair) and No.1 for the Skymaster, if this snowy Liverpool scene is correctly dated 21st January 1963 they should be in their own new hangar alongside Speke Boulevard. Perhaps due to the weather they were sheltering in No.1 hangar. Deeper inside the hangar is a Starways Skymaster too.
Not a regular viewpoint for photographers, this is G-ARXJ lined up to depart on runway 26 as seen from further up Speke Hall Road near the Speke Hall entrance. Dated 11th May 1963, this is likely not accurate, as transcripts from ATC records show G-ARXJ arrived from Manston 30th April and departed for Luton on 15th May 1963. Then, what's a few days difference after 60 years?
G-ARXJ on the airport apron, as seen from the public balcony on 8th July 1963 after arrival from Athens. At Liverpool for routine check by Starways, it returned to Athens on 18th July.
A detailed account from 'BIAL', retyped here for completeness of the survey of Liverpool based operators, with some additional information from PHB's visiting aircraft logs woven into the story.
Trans-Meridian Flying Services Ltd
While at Liverpool 1962-1964
While at Liverpool 1962-1964
Transmeridian Flying Services was registered as an airline company on 5th October 1962. Founded by a group of airline pilots, Trans Meridian's initial board of directors consisted of Viscount Long of Wraxhall (Chairman), Capt A.H.Benson (Managing Director), Capt A.J.Burridge (Chief Pilot) and Mr.R.Huggins (Co-Director). The capital of Trans Meridian was subscribed jointly by Mr.T.D.Keegan, through a subsidiary company, and Mr John Gaul. The company intended to begin operations on 1st November 1962 with one Douglas Skymaster for use on long-range ad-hoc freight charters in addition to a number of passenger charters. Trans Meridian received technical assistance from Keegan Aviation, and it was agreed that one Skymaster would be leased to Trans Meridian by Trans World Leasing (a Keegan Company).
Crew training was set to start at Liverpool Airport with Skymaster G-APID, but on 18th October on arrival from Gatwick, this aircraft was substantially damaged when it made a wheels-up landing at Speke. Meanwhile, a second Skymaster, G-ARXJ, which was already present at Speke (had arrived 16.4.62 from Sywell newly imported for attention by Starways) flew a C of A airtest 23rd October, then to and from Manchester 7th November. Meanwhile G-APID was made airworthy by a party of Scottish Aviation engineers and was ferried out to Prestwick on 10th November for full inspection.
So G-ARXJ became Trans Meridian's first aircraft to enter service, leaving Liverpool on the evening of Saturday 15th December when Capt A.H.Benson positioned the aircraft from Liverpool to Luxembourg to begin commercial flying operations. Over the next five days, Captains Benson and Burridge flew this aircraft on a number of charters in Europe, finally ending up at Luton on 20th December and ferried the same evening by Capt Burridge to Liverpool. During late evening of Tuesday 27th December Capt Benson flew 'XJ from Liverpool to Athens, and after completing several long-distance flights during January, the aircraft arrived back at Liverpool from Nice on the morning of Tuesday 22nd January 1963. The aircraft remained at Liverpool for a fortnight before departure to Gatwick on 6th February was Capt Burridge at the controls. Loaded with cargo at Gatwick over-night, it left for Brindisi in the early hours of 7th, the first leg of a journey to the Middle East. Arrival back at Liverpool was on the 9th direct from Damascus. 'XJ returned to Gatwick on 14th February and for the next two months operated a number of flights from Gatwick to the Middle and Far East, staging through Brinidisi, Amman, Brussels, Munich, Lyon and Nice. The last of these flights left Gatwick 12th April, but on its return via Manston, limped into Liverpool on the evening of 21st April on only three engines. After an engine change, the Skymaster was pronounced servicable once more, positioning on 24th April to Luton. Many of Trans Meridian's long distance charters were subsequently flown from Luton, and the company also undertook a small number of inclusive tour passenger charters from this airport during the year. By the end of May, Trans Meridian had begun to undertake contract freight work on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, this resulted in the Skymaster becoming a regular visitor to Lyneham and Manston. During the summer, Trans Meridian's Skymaster also visited Athens and Damascus on several occasions, and visits were also made during the year to Brussels, Dublin, Paris and Rotterdam, with a regular freight flight between Dublin and Paris Le Bourget operated from September. Appearances back at Liverpool were on 30th April from Manston leaving for Luton 14th May; from Stansted 22nd June out direct to Damascus on 25th; from Athens 8th July, departing back there on 18th July; from Luton 25th August out to Brussels on 28th; and from Athens 11th September to Rotterdam on 15th.
A second Skymaster was acquired by Trans Meridian on lease from Trans World Leasing, G-APID being delivered from Luton on 6th July and ferried to Lyneham the next day for Capt Benson to take on another MoD flight to the Far East. G-APID appeared back at Liverpool 15th September routing through from Luton to Dublin; on 22nd September from Le Bourget to Dublin on 24th; again from Le Bourget 29th September onto Dublin the next day; and yet again from Le Bourget 4th October onto Dublin the next day.
However as winter approached, it was decided to place both aircraft in storage at Liverpool pending the award of further contracts. Skymaster G-APID arrived at Liverpool from Luton on 15th October, followed by G-ARXJ also from Luton on 24th October. Both aircraft then remained in storage at Liverpool until lunchtime on Thursday 5th December when Capt Burridge took G-ARXJ aloft for a one and a half hour Certificate of Airworthiness test flight followed on 13th by a radio test flight. On 20th December Capt Burridge took off from Liverpool in G-ARXJ at 9am bound for Stansted. However, due to technical trouble the aircraft returned to Liverpool and after necessary attention the aircraft departed again at midday, but this time headed for Luton. The other Skymaster G-APID remained in hibernation until the afternoon of Wednesday 1st January 1964 when it left Liverpool bound for Dublin. From Dublin, Capt Burridge operated another charter flight between Dublin and Le Bourget.
1963 had been Trans Meridian's first complete year of commercial operations and during the year 94 passenger and 103 freight charter flights were operated by the company. Almost 1,200 flying hours were recorded and 1,126 passengers carried by Trans Meridian during the year.
Business was bouyant during the early part of 1964, and consequently Capt M.W.Quinn joined the airline's flying staff and also became a director of the company along with Capt Rhenius. The first 6 months of 1964 saw the operation of numerous freight charters between Dublin and Le Bourget, using both Skymasters. The first long-distance charter of 1964 was undertaken on 11th January by G-APID piloted by Capt Rhenius, and involved the operation of a cargo charter flight from Newcastle to Damascus. Other charter flights during the spring included a Dublin to Stuttgart service on 23rd March and a Liverpool to Rotterdam service on 9th April. During the summer a number of inclusive tour charter flights were undertaken by the Skymasters, including a Cardiff to Tarbes service on 15th May carrying pilgrims to Lourdes. This flight was operated by G-ARXJ commanded by Captain Rhenius, with the return leg flown by the same aircraft and crew on 18th May. Both aircraft continued to call at Liverpool regularly until late July 1964, after which they disappeared from the Liverpool scene. Throughout the summer, Trans Meridian's two Skymasters continued to operate regularly from Luton carrying both freight consignments and passengers, although increasingly the company concentrated on the operation of freight charters. On Sunday 15th November 1964, Skymaster G-ARXJ paid a rare visit to Belfast to operate a charter to Belgrade.
A near complete list of the visits that were made to Liverpool during 1964 was recorded by Phil Butler. G-APID which left for Dublin on 1st January returned from Le Bourget on 9th leaving for Newcastle/Woolsington on 11th; on 21st January from Le Bourget and out to Dublin 5th February; on 5th March in from Le Bourget, out to Dublin on 23rd; in from Saarbrucken 24th March and out to Luton the following day; from Luton 7th April and to Rotterdam on a charter 9th; on 28th April to and from Antwerp, leaving for Rotterdam on 29th; from Marseilles on 27th May and out to Dublin 31st; back in from Le Bourget 2nd June; back in again from Le Bourget 24th June, to Dublin 29th; from Dublin 30th June; from Stuttgart 17th July and out to Dublin 20th July.
While G-ARXJ arrived on 10th January from Luton and onwards to Dublin on 22nd; at Liverpool again 23rd January from Le Bourget; again on 20th February noted inbound from Le Bourget and out to Dublin on 15th April; back the next day from Le Bourget, to Dublin 20th; on 23rd April Le Bourget and onward to Dublin; 7th May from Le Bourget, to Amsterdam and back from Hamburg the next day; departed for Dublin on 11th; back from Le Bourget 14th; in from Cardiff 18th May and onto Dublin the next day; back from Dublin on 21st May and out to Palma and return on 23rd (sub charter for Euravia perhaps?); departed for Dublin 3rd June, returning on 5th from Brussels; arrived again on 10th June from Le Bourget leaving for Dublin on 15th; in from Gatwick 22nd June; in from Stuttgart 2nd July and out to Dublin 7th; in from Stuttgart again 10th July and to Southend on 13th; from Le Bourget 16th July and out to Stansted 20th July. After 20th July 1964 with the departure of both aircraft, no further visits by the two Trans-Meridian again during the year.
A Douglas DC-7BF, G-ATAB, arrived at Southend Airport late in December 1964 for a pre-service check, and this aircraft entered service with Trans Meridian in March 1965, replacing both Skymasters which had been returned to Trans World Leasing earlier in 1965.
The Trans Meridian Air Cargo story goes on in BIAL (I've only repeated a quarter of the BIAL entry here), however the subsequent company story has no relevance to Liverpool Airport whatsoever. Indeed the DC-7 type review elsewhere on the forum show that there were only ever two visits by Trans Meridian operated DC-7s to Liverpool, in 1968 and a Ford parts charter during 1969.
FLEET during the period 1962-1964
G-ARXJ Douglas C-54B Skymaster lsd 11.62 ret 01.65 from Trans World Leasing
G-APID Douglas C-54A Skymaster lsd 07.63 ret 01.65 from Trans World Leasing
The airline went on to operate a number of DC-7s: G-ATAB, G-ATMF, G-ATOB. G-AVXH, G-AWBL in the period 12.64 to 3.72
Later CL-44s: G-ATZH, G-ATZI, G-AWWB, G-AXAA, G-AXUL, G-AZIN, G-AZKJ, G-AZML & CL-44-0 N447T at least, from 12.68 to 8.79
Later still DC-8-54Fs: G-BFHW, G-BTAC & also ex RAF Belfasts.
TMAC merged 8.79 with rivals IAS Cargo to form British Cargo Airlines, however BCA did not last long, failing during 1980. BCA was then incorporated into Heavylift Cargo. See www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmeridian_Air_Cargo for more. Interestingly their entry states that Transmeridian Flying Services had their headquarters at Liverpool 1962 to 1968, then Stansted 1968-1979. Be warned, not all statements on wikipedia are correct though, being only as good as the author's interpretation of researched detail! Mind you that applies to my work as well!!
SPECULATION & CONJECTURE
Since entering this history of the early years of Trans Meridan there has been a flurry of e-mail activity, especially with Phil Butler. He also never considered them as a 'based' operator at the time, but in hindsight conceeds that their aircraft were very often here between charters during a year and half period.
The question developed, why did Trans Meridian have their aircraft here? One strand of thought is that there must have been a connection with Starways (and after 1.1.64 Aviation Overhauls) who had maintainance DC-4 line-rated engineers. However at least some of the maintenance work was done in No.1 hangar (eg G-ARXJ in March '63 in backgound of a photo on the Noratlas thread). An additional speculation is that someone at the top of Trans Meridian had a Liverpool connection, maybe Capt Benson as MD, or Capt Burridge as Chief Pilot (maybe both). While certainly maintenance was done at Liverpool, many of the first half 1964 visits have the look of popping home for a few days between flights rather than for two weeks of maintenance. The sudden and complete cessation of visits in July 1964 could be that there was a change of maintenance arrangements and at the same time the personal connection with Liverpool left the company (Capt Benson though did not leave Trans Meridian until helping to set up Monarch early 1968), or maybe whoever it was just simply moved house and family to near Luton.
Phil also uncovered another Liverpool connection as Capt Rhenius, who joined Trans Meridian 1.1.64 was a former Starways Chief Pilot, but had left Starways for Overseas Aviation (and called at Liverpool with Overseas in an Argonaut (see type review elsewhere on this section)) before joining Trans Meridian.
Near 50 years removed from the events related, it is highly unlikely now that the whole story will ever be known, but that does not change the fact that Liverpool Speke played an unsung role in the early years of one of Britain's iconic cargo airlines.
Dated 1962, this is unlikely as the arrival at Liverpool resulted in a slow speed undercarriage collapse with damage to the underside and propellers 18th October 1962 and after inspection, a ferry flight to Prestwick for repairs 10th November. Next recorded at Liverpool on 10th July 1963 back in full airworthy health.
Recently imported Douglas C-54B G-ARXJ exhibited by Keegan Aviation at an event at Sywell in April 1964. Those walking through were impressed by the plush fittings. From Sywell it was delivered to Speke on Monday 14th April 1962 and entered Starways care for a British C of A. It flew again 23rd October for the required air test before certification and entry into service with Trans Meridian. We have got so used to airports with acres of concrete apron space, it is now almost a 'culture shock' surprise to see an aircraft as heavy as a Skymaster standing on grass at the tail-end of a British winter.
G-ARXJ a few weeks after delivery to Liverpool, awaiting its turn to enter the hangar for overhaul. The activity out on the airfield is in the days leading to the 26th May 1962 Air Display.
Although Starways initially used no.3 hangar (later used by Vernair) and No.1 for the Skymaster, if this snowy Liverpool scene is correctly dated 21st January 1963 they should be in their own new hangar alongside Speke Boulevard. Perhaps due to the weather they were sheltering in No.1 hangar. Deeper inside the hangar is a Starways Skymaster too.
Not a regular viewpoint for photographers, this is G-ARXJ lined up to depart on runway 26 as seen from further up Speke Hall Road near the Speke Hall entrance. Dated 11th May 1963, this is likely not accurate, as transcripts from ATC records show G-ARXJ arrived from Manston 30th April and departed for Luton on 15th May 1963. Then, what's a few days difference after 60 years?
G-ARXJ on the airport apron, as seen from the public balcony on 8th July 1963 after arrival from Athens. At Liverpool for routine check by Starways, it returned to Athens on 18th July.
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