Southend Vikings

I remember landing in a non-radio Auster on Runway 06 and coming to a halt well before the first taxiway. I turned off the runway and then wondered what would happen if I had met a Viscount or something taxiing for take-off in the opposite direction. Therefore I decided to taxi back onto the main runway with the intention of taxiing as far as the 33/15 intersection and then turning off, only to suddenly find a Bristol Freighter on short final. I then quickly turned off again and stuck to my original plan and luckily didn’t meet anything coming the other way!

Here is another one about to land on zero six along with Bristol Freighter G-AICT thrown in for good measure

I remember seeing a copy of Flight International in the late 60’s which had a picture of a Donaldson Britannia landing on 06 and just clearing the top of the barn like building. In 1968 or 69 myself and a couple of friiends were allowed to look around the Channel Airways Maintenance facility so long as we didn’t get in the way and we even walked up the single taxiway (from the maintenance area to the main runway) part way to watch a a Channel Viscount landing. It wouldn’t happen today.

We had a seat in our dining room which came out of G-AGRU after it had been in service with British International Airlines and had been used by the Sheik of Kuwait. It had been recovered but looked absolutely awful!

Wow the Royal Throne, bet that turns up on Ebay with the Tangmere sign 🙂

Folks, this is way out of date, judging by the last post, but…
My father was an exec at Tradair (Southend) from the start to finish of the company, before we emigrated to Oz. I was 13 at the time. I spent a lot of hours sitting in Vikings, including G-APOP (King’s Flight), en route to the Costa Brava, Paris, Rotterdam, etc, and also made a few (noisy) trips in Bristol Freighters. It’s a long shot, but I’m always on the lookout for people who might have contacts with former Tradair employees, or recollections of the airline. Oddly, I have only a couple of rather poor shots of the Vikings, so your thumbnails were good to see.
(BTW, if I remember correctly, there were four aircraft in the King’s Flight, and the King’s personal Viking was naturally stripped out on purchase. We had the ‘Royal’ seats from the King’s Viking in our Ramsden Heath, Essex home for some years – one being slightly smaller, the larger one distinguishable by the hair-oil stain on the anti-macassar! Someone else, I believe, snaffled the loo seat and had it mounted on his wall at home, with a rather disrespectful plaque beneath it.)
Cheers.

Viking G-APOP was ex-Kings Flight machine VL246 when its flying days were over the wings were scrapped with the fisealarge being offored to the Southend musum, BKS has a spare set of wings sadly trhe museum could not take them on due to restricted space both were then scrapped.

Yes it was rather sad that at least one of the King’s flight could not have been preserved!

Viking G-APOP was ex-Kings Flight machine VL246 when its flying days were over the wings were scrapped with the fisealarge being offored to the Southend musum, BKS has a spare set of wings sadly trhe museum could not take them on due to restricted space both were then scrapped.

Here are some Tradair examples, G-AJFR, G-APOO and G-APOP all taken in early 1962. Sorry for the poor quality!

CM – Sorry I can’t be any more precise but I guess it was around 1964/65.

Thanks so much for posting – I remember the Freighters well, the Vikings less well. Certainly brings back some old memories. Do you know when they were taken?

CM

Here is another one about to land on zero six along with Bristol Freighter G-AICT thrown in for good measure

That Viking shot is amazing piece of history just look at how small the road is, the farm is still operating as well!

Well Done

Great shots – what part of the airfield is the ground picture taken?

The 06 shot has a barn like building on the left, which i don`t remember at all, i remember the cottages there that were pulled down, but all this maybe before my time, as all i remember Channel Airways wise are Viscounts, 1-11s etc when i was 5 or there abouts, living the otherside of the railway line from Laddie Marmols!

The ground shot of the Viking was taken outside the Channel hangar. If you leave the hangar heading out, the road suddenly bends and it is on actual bend that aircraft were parked, usually Vikings and the DC4. Therefore if you are driving towards the Channel hangar as you start to approach it you had to make sure you did a sharp right or else you would hit the aircraft!

The original Channel hangar was the one near the terminal building that eventually became the freight shed. They only had half the hangar which was totally cordoned off. I am not sure what was in the other half.

Great shots – what part of the airfield is the ground picture taken?

The 06 shot has a barn like building on the left, which i don`t remember at all, i remember the cottages there that were pulled down, but all this maybe before my time, as all i remember Channel Airways wise are Viscounts, 1-11s etc when i was 5 or there abouts, living the otherside of the railway line from Laddie Marmols!

‘Sarfend’ Vikings

Superb photo’s G.B. – very, very interesting & evocative.

I spy a 105E Anglia.

Yes indeed – I bet the driver got a bit of a shock!

I spy a 105E Anglia.

Another one – those were the days when traffic lights didn’t exist on that stetch of road!

Very nice, thank you.