Bought an official Southend Airport guide from ebay dated 1976 (year I was born). Just got it through and started flicking through. Im amazed by how downhill the place has gone since then! To think of all the facilities that were there ( even a petrol station apparently!) and now all there is, is a cafe! Very sad. PS anyone know what happend to the Ford Thames with steps mounted on the back?????
By: Arabella-Cox - 31st January 2008 at 14:54
aaaaahhhhhhh southend
was my first airport i ever went to as a kid in the early-mid 60’s
i was an eastend / essex lad and my dad took me there to watch the planes and i woz hooked!
channel viscounts screaming around with holiday makers off to france and majorca and jersey…
one fri evening i remember about 6 or 7 channel viscounts loading up and whizzing off to the holiday places…very busy in the summer.
carvairs, dc 4’s heralds 748s’ hermes, and bristol freighters i think too
my first jet i saw there and we were able to walk over it for 2 shillings on a sunday afternoon open day was a channel airways bac 1-11 brand new!
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0223120&photo_nr=69&prev_id=0265700&next_id=0223119&size=L
mr alan brown took this pic and you see me ME under the nose of the a/c (little lad wiv brown hair lol!)
we did that visit too on one of their new tridents as well but it might have been at stansted for that one in 1968
i do remember channel putting on 99 seats on a 1-11 400 and 139 (or was it 149?) on a trident 1e which was 7 abreast yikes !!!
i know on bks/northeast we put in 117 pax on a trident 1e
By: cloud_9 - 29th January 2008 at 18:50
I might be reading too much into it, but I find it a bit strange as to why they are looking to sell the airport to find someone that can help to develop it, why not just look for a partner organisation that can help?
If RAL do sell the airport site completley, wont they loose out on any future revenue that the airport generates if it is as successful as has been suggested?
By: Gooney Bird - 15th July 2006 at 15:38
Anyone know if Channel Coachways still exist? I remember in late 80’s when I used to go to Cecil Jones, they supplied to contract bus every morning and evening.
Yes according to their website they are now based in London.
However it states that they have been in existance for 60 years which is incorrect as they were started by some drivers that worked for Channel Airways and they took on the Channel fleet of coaches soon after their demise in 1972!
By: jaybeebee - 15th July 2006 at 15:24
Anyone know if Channel Coachways still exist? I remember in late 80’s when I used to go to Cecil Jones, they supplied to contract bus every morning and evening.
By: Old Fart - 14th July 2006 at 23:13
Yes please I will PM you.
Sorry for the delay been decorating the worst part of any house… Hall, stairs and landing.
Talking of landings anyone left the landing light on as a kid in the hope a plane would be there next moring!
By: Jamie-Southend - 14th July 2006 at 21:38
I remember the Petrol Station, the manual pumps were always being left unlocked at night, so there was often a queue after hours !!
By: jaybeebee - 14th July 2006 at 17:58
ive got another one from antother year if youre interested?
By: Old Fart - 12th July 2006 at 18:38
You got it did you, I was after that for my web site I am build dont fancy selling I suppose?
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July 12, 2006 at 6:22 pm