Who are you?

[RICEY]

if you have photos you should create a gallery on the site flickr. ive got loads of pics on there at the moment.

[Nino Alfonso]

Under what title, do you have a direct link to your album?And ifso could you please post it!

[RICEY]

heres the link to my gallery. when ive got chance ill upload all my plane pics to it as i recently got a new computer so have no pics other than what ive copied over. mainly classic buses on there at the moment
www.flickr.com/photos/27922915@N08/

[geeforce]

I veteran of the 1970/80s spotting on Piers A-C @ Manchester and a younger balcony enthusiast

[columbo]

Hi folks, I'm Steve, live in Bolton and have a young son (aged 6 and is into reg collecting already), going through a painful break at the moment with his mum, so stayin single forever now I think.

Before people ask, I dont ave a light brown mack, smoke cigars or drive a blue peugeot I got the nickname a few years ago as a few friends said I had similar characteristics

I work in Bolton as a home care worker, looking after the elderly and supporting vulnerable adults to live their lives at home without going into nursing homes etc... The pay is rubbish but I love doing what I do.

I go spotting as much as I can but with my work time off is rare. My favourite place is Atlanta however Amsterdam and Dusseldorf are good for a quick break when I can.

I drive a black Nissan Note s keep an eye out and I hope to meet some people soon and put faces to names.

All the best.

Steve

[scanner]

Hi all,

I started spotting at mcr back in 66 at the age of 8,With my older brother, I lived in Stockport 5 miles out on R24, and still do, R23 nowadays...as you can probably guess from my nickname my scanners are my main interest, although the SBS takes some beating.
I used to go to MAN most evenings on my bike with a few other spotters in my early teens, we used to go on trips with NORWAG to LHR and the yearly trip to Biggen Hill, where the new Civil Aircraft Markings was always on sale, I remember getting into trouble at school for nicking off whenever there was a decent Diversion Day, but my Form tutor always copied my log !!!!I also scribed my initials on the steelwork on pier C, when they put the first framework up.
When I got my first car it was off to LHR, bliss sat there nice and warm and dry, on top of the car park, the years I had been wet through and freezing following my hobby, alas no more!!but then beer and girls came onto the scene, 5 children and 5 grandkids later, and I am still watching,logging and listening like I was a 12 yr old, nowadays its Man/LJLA, The Ramada at LHR,lots of German trips,Cyprus,Mombasa and a lot more the latest being Bali and Singapore on the A380.
Nowadays I have my own business in Stockport printing T Shirts and things, but my office is like my own little contol tower, scanner/SBS/ and a great view of the approach.

Thanks to all concerned for re igniting this great forum, it has been really missed.
Regards Graham B

[viscount]

Nice to see this thread is back 'on topic' after wandering off last weekend. This entry will probably be as long as most of mine on the Nostalgia section!

First taken to Speke Airport in March 1961 by an ex-wartime RAF dad who did not want his asthmatic son hanging around smoke filled draughty railway platforms! First flights Summer 1961 with Aer Lingus on Fokker Friendships - first one was into the teeth of a summer storm with progress forward and vertically in equal proportions. Great fun for 10 year old!

First Air show the 'At Home' display at Speke in May 1962, then RAF Tern Hill Battle of Britain in Sept 1965. Next flights, as a reward for passing the 11+, July 1962 for a days' spotting at Heathrow by Starways DC-4 G-APEZ - flew back the whole way, including the landing, hanging on between the pilot's seats - applauded and congratulated on the landing on re-entering the cabin!

In the early years encouraged (I suppose nowadays we'd say mentored) by Don Stephens. As a teenager wore a grove by 81 bus and later bicycle from the top of Woolton Hill to the balcony. Great outbound, but b....y hard work getting home again.

Initially the MSAE in Hangar 50 were the 'enemy' as they chased us kids on bikes from looking in the gaps to see the gems in the big black Hangar 39. Grew up and joined the Liverpool Branch of Air Britain circa 1966, despite being well under age for the Stork Hotel and so came under the influence of Phil Butler, George Jones, Keith Crowden, Gerry Manning, Steve Williams, Cliff Hodgson and others. Must have joined the MSAE around that time too, as my first coach trip was to Biggin Hill in 1966.

In 1969-1972 contributed the 'Fylde Report' to Flypast while studying near Blackpool. First proper camera purchased 1972 - even so the Practika Nova had to have the aperture and focus set manually. Initially used little due to high cost of slide processing and the high wastage of frames due mis-exposure! Started teaching in South Liverpool autumn 1972 and have been looking out of the windows ever since - as a fair few members of this forum are well aware!

Roped onto the committee of the MAS on return from Poulton-le-Fylde College, and for many years marketed and mail order distributed the wide ranging and ever increasing catalogue of aviation titles compiled by Phil Butler, Peter Danby, Ken Ellis and Aldon Ferguson - many breaking new ground when published. When MAS Flypast reduced to 8 issues a year, I started a local newsletter 'EGGP' for the MAS which was produced 1979-1986 and set the style and depth of reporting Liverpool movements that continues on nwan.co.uk today. Unofficial rumour spreader for the august loose grouping of spotters known as BRAS 1979-1984. Typed most of the FoLA magazines 1980-86, before becoming editor (and remaining as the typist) 1987-1992. I became expert at wrestling with (and swearing at) Banda and Gestetner printers, getting the best out of cold ink and damp paper. Long forgotten technologies - thank goodness for the photo copier, laser and ink jet. Who here remembers the long hours walking around the tables collating and stapling Flypast, EGGP and 09/27? More than just a few!

Contribute regularly to FoLA's '09/27' and on this site; in particular sharing some of the activity and excitement of the past 4 or 5 decades of aviation around Liverpool with deeply researched information, while continuing to encourage interest in our hobby. A not infrequent sight parked up at the 27 end in a beige German tank (aka Passat Estate).

Well thats only used only 3,600 characters out of my allowance of 60,000 - so count yourselves lucky! BPJ

[kevmul]

Having just turned 50, these postings have got me all nostalgic and thinking back to my own beginnings. As a youngster I lived near Alder Hey Hosptial so trips to Liverpool were a rarity. Members of my family were involved in the aviation business, working for British Eagle, then BOAC and BEA.
My mum used to work in Speke on a friday so during school holidays it wasn't unusual to be dropped off with a bag of butties and a drink and spend the day on the balcony watching the comings and goings of British Eagle, Cambrian etc.
When I discovered Manchester I used to jump a couple of buses (took a couple of hours I guess) and spend every Saturday up on the piers watching the comings and goings of the likes of Dan-Air and Britannia, but he highlights were the heavies like Laker or Wardair.

My first trip to Heathrow was when I was about 14; my cousin lived in Stanwell Village and her road was at the very end of the runway so I was in heaven! Spent every day either there or in the Queens building taking down the registrations of Tridents, Viscounts and the like. The trip will stay with me forever!

With my uncle working for BA, he took me on a tour of the Heathrow engineering base, and I wandered around B747s and Concordes even sitting in the left hand seats.....what an experience!

I still regularly wander up to Liverpool and Manchester, and although I long ago stopped jotting down the registrations, I pass many an hour sitting in my car and reminiscing about the 'good old days'. Wouldn't have missed them for the world!

[stu]

Hi all
My name is Stu and only just joined the new NWAN forum, so it's good to see some familiar names here.
Started my intrest in planes when my dad took me to Ringway to see the Air France Concorde, F-BVFB if my memory serves me right, back in '81. Soon slipped into the geek mode by collecting numbers. But as usual, a bloody woman and kids put pay to me getting down to the airport as often as i would of liked but wasn't until Christmas 2004 that re-kindled my love of planes.
Started collecting numbers at firt but to be honest I didn't have the time or the drive to start arseing around with all that. So now I just take pics and some of them can be seen at www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=22676
I live in Atherton with my son and will soon be getting the old heave-ho from the Quinn Group! lol