I was born in Ireland of Irish parents although I now live in Britain and have a British passport. I went over to Dublin some years back with my son who was serving in the British Army as an infantryman (although he was in civvies) for my mother’s funeral. We were pulled over by the metropolitan police who manned a desk at the pier entrance to the Irish flights at terminal one and asked questions about the purpose of our trip. We were allowed to proceed immediately my son showed his army ID. I have to say I felt somewhat resentful but tempered that with the knowledge that my fellow countrymen at the time were running around murdering people and blowing up parts of the United Kingdom so the caution of the security services was understandable.I also felt somewhat bemused when the Police of a particular force were ordered to wear green ribbons in solidarity with the Muslim community after 7/7 but no force instructed its members to wear Shamrocks after Canary Wharf, Omagh etc etc.

Very interesting – it put me in mind of another Meteor crash in 1953 at Upper Basildon in Berkshire where the pilot had been performing aerobatics for his mother and failed to pull out of a dive. Some time ago a friend had asked me to find out the details for the parish magazine. I can’t rememebr the serial but I think it was from Tarrant Rushton.

Strangely, my request for membership at Scotavnet was denied. No reason given. I’ve never bothered trying again.

How very odd – I would have asked for the reason :confused:

Not the Queen, she visited in Jan/Feb 1956 – my grandfather worked in Kano / Jos at the time, and met the Royal couple at some stage – so this is probably the opening of the new terminal building. I have some old 8mm colour cine film taken by my grandfather of Jos(?) airfield in the early/mid 50s, showing amongst other things a DC3 arrival in a cloud of dust (my Aunt was on board) – not sure how I get this converted to digital format, but may be of some interest if it can be done.

Hi Alan,
Very interesting – I would certainly be interested in seeing the cine film if you can get it into digital format. My sister strangely enough has just had a load of old B&W 8mm film my dad took in Kano put onto Dvd but she says the quality is poor but she says there is some footage of Kano airport.
Rgds
Keith (OG)

Its Kano in Northern Nigeria, May 1957. I am not sure if its a visit by the Queen or the opening of the terminal. My Dad worked there after he left Aer Lingus. I remember standing on the terrace on the right hand side watching an Aeroflot IL 18 taking off at the end of 1960.

Khartoum

Right Continent wrong country

I think Heathrow might hold that title, 09L/27R is 3901m.

Boscombe Down’s longest is 3101m

Fairford isn’t all that long in comparision to Heathrow, at 3046m which is similar to Manchester and still 600m shorter than Heathrow’s 09R/27L at 3660m.

Maston is 2752m, Prestwick 2987m, Aldergrove 2780m, Cambletown 3049m.

Figures might be out a bit.

Correct – Heathrow has the longest runway in the British Isles (not just the UK) at 12,800ft.
The point about Fairford is that the runway is 10,000 feet long but has a 1,000 foot over-run at each end making it 12,000 ft overall but still 800 ft shorter than Heathrow. This was the same at Greenham Common when the runway was in use ie 10,000ft of usable runway with an additional 1000 ft at each end in case of an over run.