Nostalgia at BHX

[Brum X]

Yeah I remember plane spotting in my nan/granddads back garden (They lived in Garretts Green) in the summer holidays and the Wardair 747 and the Highland Express 747 would take off within minuites of each other and thinking this is awesome.

 

[elmdon74]

11th July 1987

regards,simon.

 

[Brum X]

Great photo of the x 2 747's at BHX

 

[jfy1999]

Can anyone give a run-down of what the full BHX long haul schedule was like back then and perhaps compare it with what we have today?

 

[Brum X]

Can anyone give a run-down of what the full BHX long haul schedule was like back then and perhaps compare it with what we have today?

TBH jfy, if we are talking about 1987 i think it was only Wardair to Toronto, Highland Express to Newark and maybe Britannia Airways to Orlando International ??? (Yes Britannia aka Thomson) used to fly into MCO rather than SFB

Really cant think of any others in the 80s as the BA to JFK and AA to ORD was the 90s

 

[JENNYJET]

11th July 1987

regards,simon.

29 years have passed us by and the 'only' widebodies are the old B767 when one turns up, The new Dreamliners and the A380.

Progress? A new tier added to the 'new airport' with and extra walkway for the 380, a daily India service using not the B777 but a Dreamliner, Pakistan using B777, the Americans using ageing B757's to New York and Newark added to the charters to Florida, Mexico and the West Indies on ... yes, the Dreamliner.

The good days of Wardair and CP Air with 747's and DC-10 are now a solitary A310 with the promise of A330 but only to Toronto....progress?

Spotting used to be an interesting pastime because of the variety and prospect of seeing something of a surprise on a nice day but it now the snowy, foggy, windy and thundery days down there that offer the prospect of diverted traffic that keep me interested but a leisurely drive down to there would give me the satisfaction that BHX cannot offer.

I guess Manchester could offer a few morsels and Prestwick may offer transit stopover flights but sad to say, BHX is getting somewhat dull!

We aviation buffs know our A321 from a 319 and the differences that B737 from Ryanair from a 739 from Turkish but to a novice spotter, all twin engine airliners look the same as any flat screen at Curries if the makers brand name was missing!!!

The Tristar was different to the B707 because of the shape and number of engines and the 747 was simply the Jumbojet and unmistakable.

East Midlands has the Cargo operations at night but they also get the occasional visit from Singapore Cargo 747's, Cargolux and others not to mention the AN124 Ruslan in full daylight!

Brize Norton being a military airport ( not just an airbase ) one can see many interesting movements from global Air Forces and the occasional fast jet calling in for .... well....reasons!

My point I guess is that BHX has become the bus terminal for Ryanair, Monarch, Flybe with occasional Long Distance coach to exotic seaside destinations but a bus is a bus is a bus.

No variation in the offerings and before people jump on me, I fully understand that it is business and not for my pleasure. Heathrow is business but it is a spotting paradise if one can find a spot near Hatton Cross or on an industrial park near the M25 .

Four Engine jets are vanishing rapidly making the spotting game more about airline liveries and registrations rather than te aircrafts.

Train spotting died a death when British Rail died and operators chose similar locomotive units and set ups like Voyager and Pendolino and the ever disappearing HS125. No variety of Locomotive such as Diesel or Electric and the varied classes of the diesels each with it's unique shapes and capabilities.

Train buffs flock to Barnt Green station when the heritage charters arrive with the Deltic pulling 10 coaches down to Devon. BHX attraction is the A380.

Is that it???

If I had the money and the courage, I would join a tour to North Korea to see and maybe catch a ride on one of the Soviet relics still in service there.

Apologies for the rant folks but I needed to unload!!!

 

[Brum X]

This isnt a BHX problem, go down to LHR or upto MAN and all you will see is Dreamliners or A380. I dont really see your point ?????

You may get a few occasional cargo airliners go into the other airports but its not all the time.

Its now 2016, not 1987.

Today we are in the EU, on the 7th July 2016 we may not be in the EU, times change.

 

[JENNYJET]

This isnt a BHX problem, go down to LHR or upto MAN and all you will see is Dreamliners or A380. I dont really see your point ?????

You may get a few occasional cargo airliners go into the other airports but its not all the time.

Its now 2016, not 1987.

Today we are in the EU, on the 7th July 2016 we may not be in the EU, times change.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Really cant think of any others in the 80s as the BA to JFK and AA to ORD was the 90s

When did we have Air India to Mumbai, was that in the 80's?

Four Engine jets are vanishing rapidly making the spotting game more about airline liveries and registrations rather than te aircrafts.

I have to agree to some point.

Every time I'm at the airport it's an endless stream of Airbus and Boeing with the Flybe's mixed in, I guess it comes down to the aircraft manufacturers and what they need to do to be profitable. I also agree that it's not necessarily just Birmingham that sees this but nearly all UK airports.

I definitely agree that it's about the liveries these days rather than the aircraft type.

Sadly times change and not always for the better

 

[Brum X]

Oh yeah, i forgot about Air India in the 80s.

Cant think of any other long haul routes from BHX though ????


So actually we have come a long way, even though the aircraft have changed and we have the same old problem with YYZ and SFB

 

[Ray Finkle]

Long haul in 2009

Toronto - 2x Weekly (Today weekly)
New York Newark - Daily (Same)
Philadelphia - 5x weekly (Gone)
Orlando - Weekly (Same)
Cancun - Weekly (Now 2x weekly)
Montego Bay - Weekly (Now 2x weekly)
Puerto Plata - Weekly (Gone)
Punta Cana - Weekly (2x weekly as of 2017)
La Romana - Weekly (Gone)
Aruba - Every 2 weeks alternating with Bridgetown.
Bridgetown - "" (Now 3x weekly)
Sal - Weekly (Now 2x weekly)
Dubai - 2x daily (Now 3x daily)
Ashgabat - 4x Weekly (Same)
Islamabad - 4x weekly (Same)
Tehran - 4x weekly? (Gone)
Banjul - Weekly (Now 2x weekly)
Amritsar - Weekly on the short lived Air Sylhet flights

Total up to 50 weekly flights.

Today we have

New York Newark - Daily
New York JFK - Daily
Toronto - Weekly
Orlando - Weekly
Cancun - 2x weekly
Montego Bay - 2x weekly
Punta Cana - 2x weekly
Bridgetown - 3x weekly
Delhi - Daily
Dubai International - 3x daily
Dubai Al Makhtoum - Weekly
Doha - 8x weekly
Ashgabat - 4x weekly
Istanbul - 2x daily
Islamabad - 4x weekly
Sal - 2x weekly
Banjul - 2x weekly
Boa Vista - Weekly

Up to 77 weekly flights.

Philadelphia, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Aruba and Tehran all no longer served but we have gained New York JFK, Dubai Al Makhtoum, Delhi, Istanbul, Doha and Boa Vista. A definite increase with Air India, Turkish Airlines and Qatar having 29 weekly flights.

Dubai International increased to 3x weekly, with one service an A380 and Cancun and Montego Bay both increased replacing the loss of capacity to Dominican Republic. Bridgetown now 3x weekly.

Canada and Orlando have been done to death and the signs are that we may see more for 2017. One route that finished in 2008 is Goa, I think it's about time that we had that back.

 

[JENNYJET]

I am grateful to Mr. Finkle for his grasp upon my earlier remarks. My lawyers training and methodic way of written composition perhaps is beyond some but thankfully not all on this forum.

The airframe builder follows the demands of airlines and create aircraft not by committee but by computer. Why else do most aircraft in 2016 look alike?

My point was that whether it is BIRMINGHAM, LEEDS/BRADFORD, EDINBURGH or NORWICH, it is like a bus terminal because every arrival and departure is Ryanair, Flybe, Monarch or Thomson/TUI.

My point was, if not entirely understood, that as an aviation geek for most of my life, I am wondering why I should spend empty time and pay expensive charges to visit BHX or go to Brize Norton, or visit the Kemble graveyard for free apart from Diesel costs.

Ask any parent, does your child bored quickly?

 

[Ray Finkle]

It's one of the reasons why I think an aviation viewing park would struggle at BHX, unless it was in a position unrivalled by any other and so close to the action that people had to be there.

I look at some of the new arrivals that I have been out to photograph in recent times, Czech Airlines, Vueling, Norwegian, Wizz, American, Iberia, Qatar, Blue Air.....A319, A320, B757, B787, B737. All a different variation of the same design. There is only the A380 that really stands out, mainly because of it's sheer bulk.

I think you have answered your own point, "I fully understand that it is business and not for my pleasure". The Dreamliner is one of the most economical aircraft flying today and airlines such as Air India, Qatar and hopefully, in the future, Norwegian long haul may not be at BHX without it. Likewise the 77W has such an immense capacity for freight that it has seen off many dedicated cargo routes and makes flights with Emirates profitable even at the quieter passenger times.

Sadly four engines just cannot compete with the modern day newcomers. The A340 is a horrendously expensive aircraft to operate and is being phased out, likewise the good old 747. Unfortunately the 747-8 hasn't taken off as anticipated and even the show stopping A380 is (Emirates aside) struggling somewhat. These days it is all about maximising profit.

It seems as if liveries will be what we are looking out for in the future with the odd rare visit of interest thrown in, MAEL certainly enhances the chances of that.

All hope is not lost though with airlines such as Mahan Air buying up some older A340's. Maybe, just maybe we may see them back one day and for a few days a week there will be something to look out for.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Good evening all.

I've had great fun reading this thread and looking at all the pictures. This is my first post and what led me to sign up and reply was all the talk about Swinburne's (Swinburne spelled correctly with an E)

Let me introduce myself I'm Daniel Myatt and Ron Swinburne is my granddad. My dad is Adrian who has been mentioned, he used to work in the shop when it was on the Elmdon side, and in the new terminal at the viewing gallery. He married my mom Jenny who is Ron Swinburne's daughter and we all used to be in the shop all the time.

Some of you may remember a little lad running around the viewing gallery and the shop in the mid/late 90's up till it closed in the early 2000's... That was probably me.

Just to let you all know my granddad is well and is still a keen radio operator and invests his time is his post war Land Rover radio wagon which is his pride and joy along with his motorbikes. Adrian and Jenny are brill too.

Thanks,
Dan

Any news on this please.

E.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Links to my updated Flickr sets of old BHX pictures,

1970`s https://flic.kr/s/aHsk5PX5e9

1980`s https://flic.kr/s/aHsk6stRhX

1990`s https://flic.kr/s/aHsk6rk4j2

2000-2007 https://flic.kr/s/aHsk6ri485

Regards,simon.

I have been looking through All your flickr nostalgia pics - mainly the 80s set, its amazing just so many memories of occasions and days when i was there also, infact it wouldn't supprise me if I was there the same time as you, dont suppose you remember a few of the airport regualars - I think one chap who was quite tall and called Tiny, and another chap (Forgive me if it sounds rude) but he had a beard and glasses and looked a bit like a mix of Bill Oddy and Wurzel Gumage, I think he was called Wurzel, anyway a weekend trip was organised around the East Coast including East Anglia and London, using a rented Transit Bus and tents.

E.

 

[wolfheze]

I have previously said much the same but about the 70s set. I only wish i had had a camera back then, the only one i ever had as a kid was obtained by sending a couple of thousand bazooka joe bubblegum wrappers off to claim a free gift. Unfortunately it melted on the parcel shelf of my dads vauxhall viva on the way to Salcombe in 1973!

 

[Elmdon80slad]

My first cam that i used to use at BHX or LHR was a Canon AE1 with a 70-210 zoom, had this for a few years, I must have taken thousands of pictures and had about 10 folders full of pics but alas they were distroyed.

My first cam i used as a teeanger was my late mums 126 instametic cam, i used it when we visted London and the LHR for the first time, it took tiny very poor images but i thought LHR was brilliant.

E.

 

[wolfheze]

I had an interest in photography in the mid to late 80s when i bought an Olympus OM10, a Ziess 70/200 zoom, 28 mm wide angle lens and various filters. After months of practice and many, many of rolls of film I finally cracked it and was able to take pretty good photos. After a while I lost interest and the camera went in a drawer until I got it back out ten years ago for a trip on the London eye. When i had the film developed it was like a journey back in time, every frame was a blank!

 

[Derwent Dale]

Is it really 48 years ? Blimey ! Here is a peek at what kept this thirteen year old's interest in June 1968.

Cheers DD

View attachment 3400 View attachment 3402

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Cheers, DD.
Very interesting and great to look at what was operating back then (although a few years before my interest began).
I'm intrigued as to how the Trident got the code 'T.90'? Manufacturers designation was HS121.

Regards

Kevin