Speke - Various pics from yesteryear

[springy]

9th Nov 1968, Liverpool Aero Club's Piper Colt G-ARGO (top) and Piper Tri-Pacer 'RGY, over the runway threshold on Speke Hall Ave



9th Nov 1968, view from Speke Hall Ave; two British Eagle Britannias awaiting an unknown fate after the collapse of the airline (G-ARXA with 'OVN nearer, to the right)

[springy]

The following pics were taken on Grand National Day 29 March 1969:
British Air Services-Cambrian Viscount G-AMNZ


G-APWJ, HPR-7 Herald 201 of British United Island Airways


EI-AOK, Cessns F.172G of the Irish Aero Club, passing 'MNZ


G-AVBY, BAC One-Eleven 320 of Laker Airways



The Banks Road Apron, with A.S.57 Ambassador Srs.2 (G-ALZR) of Dan-Air Services


21 May 1969; PH-MAN, Douglas DC-9 Srs.30 of Martinair (the first "stretched" DC-9 to visit Speke


26 May 1969; EI-ASB, Boeing 737-248 of Aer Lingus. First visit of 737 to Speke.


14 Dec 1969; Aer Lingus One-Eleven and BEA Viscount, plus BEA "Super One-Eleven". Ringway diversions.



14 Dec 1969; EC-BFL, B.175 Britannia 312 of Air Spain


20 Dec 1969; an exotic mid-winter visitor, VR-BCW, Douglas DC-7C of ARCO Bermuda



20 Dec 1969; view of terminal from Banks Road, showing the Hangar No.1 extension built by British Eagle in 1968

[kevmul]

Wonderful shots, with so many memories.

Keep them coming!

[Deleted]

Nice shots everyone not sure about the reg of one of the Britannia's parked up after the collapse of BE, unless there were three abandoned here. From memory, and it is many years ago, I feel sure it was G-ARXA and not RKA as many (not just Springy) seem to think.

No doubt someone will be able to confirm this or put me right.

Steve.

[springy]

Thanks for the comments - and apologies for some of the crappy scans; I'll try to do better!
Re. 'RKA or 'RXA; I think a lot of us were still in shock after the collapse of Eagle, and I might have mistaken the X for a K, so you may well be correct, ste-t. According to "The Eagle Years" 'RXA was returned to El Al on 8/11/68 - the day before I took the pic. But perhaps that was just a paper transaction.
I'm sure someone can clarify this, so I can correct my records.

Ken
(P.S. I've just rescanned the last three, so they look a little better)

[viscount]

At Liverpool, either in storage or on schedules at the time of closure were:

G-ATDR Viscount 739A 'City of Glasgow', stored at Liverpool until departed for Blackbushe 20.11.69. Broken up there for spares recovery.

G-ATPH BAC.1-11-304AX 'Salute'. Left Liverpool for Weybridge 18.1.69 en route to Quebecair as CF-QBN

G-AOVA B.175 Britannia 319 'Justice'. Left Liverpool for Lasham 25.3.69, then to Southend 18.4.69, and onto Gatwick 6.5.69 on lease to Caledonian. Owned CCT Aircraft Leasings. Caldeonian lease ended 11.69. Briefly stored Coventry. Coventry-Southend 13.12.69, then 30 days lease to Lloyd International.

G-AOVN B.175 Britannia 312 'Prospect'. Left Liverpool for Luton 20.8.69 for Monarch

G-ARKA B.175 Britannia 324 'Good Fortune'. Left Liverpool for Luton 27.2.69, and to Tellair as HB-ITF 24.3.69. CCT Aircraft Leasing. Noted stored at Coventry as G-ARKA 11.69.

G-ARXA B.175 Britannia 313 'Liberty'. Owned by El Al, left Liverpool for Luton 16.3.70 destined for Monarch.

Information is from MSAE 'Flypast' magazine dated December 1969. So contempary records show that there were 4 Britannias at Liverpool 8.11.68 onwards, with BOTH G-ARKA and G-ARXA, plus a BAC.1-11 and a Viscount. All 6 departing Speke between January 1969 and March 1970. So, the original statement was the correct one! I suspect that G-ARXA, at least, was stored inside No.1 hangar, out of sight.

[Deleted]

A couple more from long ago:

[Deleted]

Thanks for the info Viscount. Springy and others are correct. Although, it was very early in my spotting days I only recall seeing G-ARXA and that was purely because of its prominent position in relation to Speke Road. I was aware of others through what other people had told me but had been lead to believe they were three Viscounts and another Britannia.

[springy]

Lovely pics, garstonboy - wish my instamatic snaps were half as good!
Glad the Brit question's cleared up. I've amended my caption accordingly, and I've just remembered this Echo newspaper pic from Thurs 7th Nov 1968, showing 'OVN "Prospect", left, and 'RXA "Liberty", right.
So the four Brits grounded at Speke were 'OVA, 'OVN, 'RKA, and 'RXA. Can't think why I didn't note this at the time, or take more pics of the Brits.
It all seemed so unreal, as everything was apparently hunky-dory a few days earlier

[thetexpat]

Here's some photoes from Grand National Day, 1961.


G-AOXL Heron 1b of British United Airways, previously Morton Air Services


G-ANPH Dove 6 of Atlantis Air Ltd.


G-AMYO Dove 1b previously Morton Air Services though the title above the cheat line does not look like British United Airways. Anybody any ideas?


G-AHKV Rapide of the AA (was this the first instance of airborne traffic reporting I wonder?)


G-AGUG Rapide 6 still in early BUA/Morton Air Service colours. 'MYO & 'OXL in the background.


EI-ACE & EI-AFA of Aer Lingus


OO-SID Aero Commander 500(?) operated by Sotramat en-route DUB-BRU. Believe was the first visit of type?

[viscount]

From PHB's visiting aircraft logs, transcribed by hand from the tower records at the time, coupled with comments from the highlights log in MGAE's 'Northern Aeronews' of the time (I've left owners as given then, even if they differ slightly from the captions):

Wed 22.3.61

G-ARBC Cessna 310. f&t Birmingham
G-ARFT Jodel DR.1050. Rollasons, from Redhill, to Barton 23.3
TX226 Avro C.19. RAF Jurby Comms Flt, from Woodvale to Jurby
G-AMLJ B.170 Freighter. BKS, from Dublin, to Luton, presumably with race-horses inbound.
----- Chipmunk T.10. RAF, "Clearcase ZC", f&t Woodvale

Thursday 23.3.61

----- Chipmunk T.10. RAF, "Clearcase ZB", f&t Woodvale
----- Chipmunk T.10. RAF, "Clearcase BD", f&t Woodvale
G-AHKV DH.89 Dragon Rapide. The AA for Grand National traffic, from Biggin Hill, to Coventry on 26th.

Friday 24.3.61

G-APWV Meta-Sokol. from Biggin Hill, arrival of a new resident
G-ARJR PA-23 Apache. Vigors, from Dublin, to Kidlington. on delivery.
WP973 Chimunk T.10. RAF, "Equity 30", f&t Woodvale
G-APCZ DH.104 Dove. f&t Coventry
G-APZU DH.104 Dove. Staverton, to Gatwick
0-293181 Douglas C-47. USAF, f&t Bovingdon

Saturday 25.3.61, Grand National Day.

G-ARCA PA-22 Tri-Pacer. from Kidlington, to Dublin and reverse route later.
G-AMYO DH.104 Dove. Morton Air Service. f&t Deauville
G-ANPH DH.104 Dove. from Biggin Hill, to Gatwick
G-AOXL DH.114 Heron. BUA, f&t Gatwick
G-AGVG DH.89 Dragon Rapide, Olley, f&t Gatwick
OO-SID Aero Commander 500. Sotramat, from Dublin, to Brussels. *First visit of type*
G-AMAC AS.57 Ambassador, BKS. from Jersey to Dublin
G-AGYP Auster Alpha. f&t Ringway

Sunday 26.3.61

G-ANAN DH.104 Dove. f&t Gatwick
G-APZU DH.104 Dove. from Gatwick, to Staverton

No note of regular airliners was made, including those on charter flights. The BKS aircraft were noted as they did not appear on schedules at the time, while the Aer Lingus Dakotas on charter flights were not recorded as they did appear on schedules.

Many thanks to Thetextpat and Springy for the memories. 1961 was my first GND Saturday as a 'spotter'. Each arrival brought great excitement - as little was known in advance by those on the balcony. Then a rustle of anticipation as the few with a 'Shorrocks' passed on the 'last two' call-sign, followed by a wait to see what type would appear from behind No.2 hangar (if on 26), or on finals over the river (if on 08).

From a few posts earlier:

N5007W PA-28 Cherokee was on 3.7.61, arrived in company with G-ARJH a Colt and G-AREO Super Cub, all 3 from Dublin to Kidlington. Almost certainly this was the first visit by a Cherokee to Liverpool.

F-BGOA DH.104 Dove was on 15.7.61, M. Canterall, from and to Caen-Carpiquet. This was an excellent day with more visitors than GND, for motor racing at Aintree.

VP976 DH.104 Devon was likely on 9.10.61, from & to Wyton

[springy]

Lovely pics, thetexpat, much appreciated. A quick search of the net shows OO-SID as an Aero Commander 580, together with a couple of photos. Thanks Viscount for confirming the "1st Visit" status.
Those Aer Lingus Dakotas remind me of the first time I saw the green-top livery, which stood out from all the other airline colours.

Re. 'MYO query - Morton Air Services became part of the BUA group on 1 July 1960, but retained its separate identity and titles until 1 Nov 1968. The fleet was gradually being resprayed in BUIA colours from 1967, until the last ones were transferred to BUIA on 1 Nov 68, or sold off (see - British Independent Airlines 1946-76)

Ken

[Deleted]

Here's a pic of G-ARXA "Liberty" standing outside after the sad demise of British Eagle.




Further to Viscount's listing of ex British Eagle departures, see my previous thread re Viscount G-ATDR.

derbosoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=history&action=display&thread=2001

I wonder did anyone get a photo?

Cheers,

Dave

[springy]

Lovely shot, Dave - a symbolic photo, if ever there was one. It doesn't look like anyone has a last late shot of 'TDR, though.
In the meantime, here's some I posted earlier on the late forum:

11 June 1970; Massey Ferguson opened a new Merseyside factory, resulting in these superb charters:







HB-ICN, Caravelle III of SATA (S.A. de Transport Aerien Geneve)
HB-IMM, Convair 640 of SATA
F-BOEV, Douglas DC-6B of Trans Union
EI-ATT, Douglas DC-7CF of Aer Turas
G-ANCD & 'CE, Britannia 307F's of Lloyd International
F-BRIM, Caravelle III of Trans Union
plus Philips Queen Air HB-ILS, a 737 (EI-ASD) of Aer Lingus, and a One-Eleven (G-AVOF) of Cambrian Airways

[springy]

23 Mar 1971; The "Day of the Comets" - footie charters taking Liverpool fans to Munich, and Everton fans to Athens





G-APDA, Comet 4 of Dan-Air
G-APMF & 'RJK, Comet 4B's of BEA Airtours
plus G-AXNC, 737-204 of Britannia Airways (on runway). G-ATPJ, One-Eleven 301 of Dan-Air, and G-AVBW, One-Eleven 320 of Laker Airways.