Nostalgia at BHX

[Kevin Farnell]

I'm not sure exactly when I started visiting BHX, but I do remember my Dad driving me there some Sunday afternoons when I was very young. As I said earlier, I first flew in a BEA Airtours Comet 4B when I was 6 (so approx. 1970). After that, I used to run out of the house every time an aircraft flew over (they were few and far between in those days). My Dad obviously saw my interest, hence the Sunday afternoon trips.
Later, probably aged around 11 or 12, myself and my cousin would travel by bus, train then another bus on many Saturdays. We would always call in at Beaties model/toy shop (above New Street Station - anyone remember that?) on the way back and come home with a model kit.
I recall one visit, when Manchester Airport firemen were on strike. We sat on the grass mound by the golf course and saw a DC-8 (Kar-Air I think) and also a JU-52 doing a flypast.
I can also remember going to see what I think was the first Concorde visit (Air France F-BTSC) and standing in a field where the current terminals now stand.
I do recall the old viewing lounge, but can't remember the bar ever being open.
Lots of great memories, and I have loads of old slides/photos which I'll have to try and share some day.

Kevin

 

[wolfheze]

Blimey Beatties! I took over kit building duties from my Dad who must have started to collect them before I was born, he would often return home from work with 4 or 5 kits. I am guessing most of them would have come Bob's models who at that time were up the Coventry road in Small heath where I was born and lived until moving to Meriden when I was 4. In the end my collection consisted of just over 300 kits of Aircraft, ships and military vehicles. Towards the end my focus was turned to the Airfix civil airliner range however at that time not all were available namely the Comet, Vanguard, Caravelle, BAC 111 and VC10. To try and compensate for this I used to make models relevant to what I was seeing at elmdon so custom painted Brtannia and Aer Lingus 737s and a DanAir 727 were produced using some lettering cut out of baggage tags, boarding cards or in flight magazines. I also made a Trident 3 by cut and shutting two fuselages and a series 100 Lufthansa 737 by shortening it. So many trips were taken to the Bull ring on a Saturday in search of the unobtainable ones. As a bonus the bus called at the Airport and went past the end of 33 of which you had a great view from the top deck.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Beaties - remember it well also the model shop in Hobbs Moat Rd near the Ice Rink(another second home) remember Barnaby's in the old Arcade in town? i believe it was owned by Nick Rhodes parents and as a lad nick was known to play in the shop on the keybaords and stuff.

E.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Did anyone ever buy a soft back binder book from the Aviation hobby shop in the new terminal, called military airfields of britain, it was A5 size with OS field plans and a bit of info?

E.

 

[wolfheze]

Didn't know about

Beaties - remember it well also the model shop in Hobbs Moat Rd near the Ice Rink(another second home) remember Barnaby's in the old Arcade in town? i believe it was owned by Nick Rhodes parents and as a lad nick was known to play in the shop on the keybaords and stuff.

E.

Didn't know there was a Barnabys in Brum. Was quite a big Duran Duran fan in the early 80s. Used to frequent Hostaria, the Holy City Zoo and the Rum runner but that's another story! Bob's Models moved to Hobs Moat road but I think closed down a couple of years ago.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Me too i was a N rom and was a rummy good old days.........

E.

 

[wolfheze]

Thank god I wasn't the only one! Leather trousers, shoulder pads and pixie boots!

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Oh yes - studdied belts back combed hair and all that my fave clubs were Rummy and then Snobs in the back room with the punks/new wave weirdo's like i was

 

[wolfheze]

Oh yes - studdied belts back combed hair and all that my fave clubs were Rummy and then Snobs in the back room with the punks/new wave weirdo's like i was

I still had one of those ammunition belts until a few years ago.
Seem to remember the DJ in kaleidoscope ( the basement place next to Sam Wellers) had a bit of a trophy girlfriend in the form of a page three model Janine James who we also used to see quite a lot at the Snooty Fox in Solihull.
My girlfriend at the time had a sister who a few years later had 15 minutes of fame as the singer in 'fuzzbox'

 

[psychomouse]

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

 

[wolfheze]

Would yo be able to confirm when the shop opened on the Elmdon site?
Am hoping it was post 79 because i'd be gutted if i found out it was there when i was a regular and didnt know!

 

[psychomouse]

I'll ask my folks when I next see them!

 

[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

Wow its a small world - hello Dan welcome to the site, i used to talk to your grandad in the old shop infact i purchased my first airband radio off him i knew your dad quite well used to speak to him quite a lot, i sold him a set of books i had created called Military Airfields of Britain, he also took a manuscript off me for a massive book project called Birmingham Airport Diversions.
Would be great to get in touch with your dad its a small world and full of great supprises

E.

 

[psychomouse]

Hi Elmdon,

I'll mention you to my old man then i'm sure he'll get in contact with you through this site.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Hi Elmdon,

I'll mention you to my old man then i'm sure he'll get in contact with you through this site.

Thta will be great i will look at for him.

Regards
E.

 

[Elmdon80slad]

What a small world folks.....

E.

 

[stevepayne]

I too remember Adrian & Co.He sold me countless books including
Civil Aircraft Markings,binoculars and at least 2 airband radios/scanners
Good old days. used to be able to park outside the new terminal then
to pop to the shop

 

[wolfheze]

Now it's very unlikely anyone will have this info but I've been trying to remember the reg numbers of a couple of Cessna's that I used to see doing circuits for hours mostly on 06/24, one was a blue and white 150 and the other a red and white 172.

 

[Brummiegem]

Now it's very unlikely anyone will have this info but I've been trying to remember the reg numbers of a couple of Cessna's that I used to see doing circuits for hours mostly on 06/24, one was a blue and white 150 and the other a red and white 172.

From memory of my spotting days,there were 2 Cessna aircraft based at BHX belonging to the Warwickshire Aero club.They were registered G-OWAC and G-OWAK.
There may well have been others but these 2 spring to mind as the regs were so similar.

 

[JENNYJET]

Didn't know about

Didn't know there was a Barnabys in Brum. Was quite a big Duran Duran fan in the early 80s. Used to frequent Hostaria, the Holy City Zoo and the Rum runner but that's another story! Bob's Models moved to Hobs Moat road but I think closed down a couple of years ago.

Was it near to the ASDA store was then became ARGOS? I have not been to Birmingham for 10 years but remember a large toy shop having made-up models hanging from the ceiling!

I used to buy HAGESAWA because of the variations of liveries for airliners at 1:200 scale.