Brittania crash 1957

“Two memorials in Staines were dedicated on 18th June 2004.

The first is in the form of a stained glass window in St. Mary’s Church, Church Street. The second is a slightly more accessible area of reflection with seating on the Moormede estate, close to where the accident occurred. The location of the memorial is in the park/play area found near the end of Waters Drive in the Moormede Estate.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_European_Airways_Flight_548#Memorials

A good argument for CRM…an accident that should never have happened

Just out of curiosity.. does anyone know if there was a memorial plaque placed at the site of the BEA Flt548 Trident disaster in Staines in June of 1972 that claimed the lives of all 118 onboard.. Has anyone here ever visited the site and are there any pictures around??

“Two memorials in Staines were dedicated on 18th June 2004.

The first is in the form of a stained glass window in St. Mary’s Church, Church Street. The second is a slightly more accessible area of reflection with seating on the Moormede estate, close to where the accident occurred. The location of the memorial is in the park/play area found near the end of Waters Drive in the Moormede Estate.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_European_Airways_Flight_548#Memorials

Just out of curiosity.. does anyone know if there was a memorial plaque placed at the site of the BEA Flt548 Trident disaster in Staines in June of 1972 that claimed the lives of all 118 onboard.. Has anyone here ever visited the site and are there any pictures around??

Flew from Southampton to Jersey on a DC-3 (a long time ago) and every passenger got a card with the names of the crew, aircraft type, flight information and weather forecast although maybe thinking more about it, one card was handed round to each passenger, which is why I haven’t got one!

Thanks for posting your flight log, your so right, wouldn’t it be great if airlines brought this sort of thing back to encourage and excite children about aviation. I had one of these logs for BEA when I flew from Belfast to London with my parents in the good old Trident (and occassionaly the TriStar). On the Tristar flight the crew would give the kids a cutaway poster of the aircraft, imagine Ryanair or Easyjet doing this!

Thanks again

Si

Edit: Just noticed you have a Stratocruiser entry in your log…..fantastic!

Seems a good point to upload a copy of my Junior Jet Club Log Book (sadly water damaged). Its a pity the airlines still don’t do something like to encourage youngsters to take an interest in aviation. BOAC gave out certificates when you had done 25,000/50,000/75,000 and 100,000 miles

Si- Thanks for taking the trouble to post the pictures -very interesting. I only ever flew on one Britannia – on BOAC from Kano, Nigeria to Heathrow (Via Barcelona) on 28/8/58 and again oddly enough on the same aircraft (G-ANBH) going out from Heathrow to Kano on 6/8/62.

A memorial service is being held for the crash victims who died on 6th November, 1957.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7076602.stm

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19571106-0

Guys,
Interesting that this subject has come up on the forum. I got a taxi to Bristol Airport to catch a flight on Monday and the taxi driver told me the story of this aircraft as he was a boy had seen the aftermath of the crash, he also talked about witnessing the first Bristol Brabazon flight and how they had to knock down some houses at the end of the runway to extend the runway for it to take off. I never realised that there was a memorial yesterday, I would have went, however I was “all at sea” (and Newcastle Airport). After seeing this post I went to Downend (it is 2 miles from my house) and took some photos for you. Quite touching to see a bunch of roses placed by the sister of one of the crew. I might not be old enough to remember but I do respect the bravery of the guys who perished that day and it is a lesson to us all who hold aviation dear to our hearts that in order that we fly safe, some people have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Si

The woods in which the aircraft went down

Nobody has even picked up the spelling mistake in the title yet!:D

In all fairness, you don’t have to be older or remember the aircraft to know how to spell ‘Britannia’!

Paul

I don’t think you’ll get any replies Michael ..you and i are probably the only two on this forum that were around in those days

No, I am sure there is at least one older member! At lease 127 members have been reminded of a piece of history. Nobody has even picked up the spelling mistake in the title yet!:D

I don’t think you’ll get any replies Michael ..you and i are probably the only two on this forum that were around in those days