Birmingham: Airport Nostalgia

[Ray Finkle]

Hi GT (I'm assuming kebabselector is you) and welcome. Thanks also for posting your superb pictures, some very happy memories were bought back 🙂

Are there any pics of the hotel and what is the hotel site now-is it still a hotel?

This picture was taken pre-refurb but it's after the Holiday Inn took over.

 

[kebabselector]

Hi GT (I'm assuming kebabselector is you) and welcome. Thanks also for posting your superb pictures, some very happy memories were bought back 🙂

Yep, it's me. My alternative forum name as GT might be inappropriate here!

 

[Aviador]

Great photos, I especially love this one..

PIA 777 Snow Take off at BHX by kebabselector, hosted on Forums4airports.com

 

[kebabselector]

Thanks, that 300mm lens comes in handy!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Agreed, it's a great capture :good:

 

[Hassaan]

If we're talking about nostalgia, then I'd say the Aviation Experience before the Pier works (which blocked the views).

 

[Ray Finkle]

There's some great pictures on the link below from the construction of the Elmdon terminal through to the modern day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/birminghamairport/

 

[Ray Finkle]

Not the greatest quality but these are fantastic clips from Elmdon in 1965.

BEA Viscount. Includes take off from the old runway 24

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SDOXrncKvI[/video]

Another clip from 1965 with take off from runway 24 but with the view on the other side towards where the M42 is now.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t0MAESI5Rs#at=22[/video]

 

[Seasider]

Takes me back to my first visit to Elmdon (airports were known in those days by the locality in which they were sited) in 1966 with the viewing area at the western side of the apron.

 

[Hassaan]

Who was at Elmdon when Wardair used to operate? Seeing pictures, it seemed more common back them to see 747's at BHX.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Elmdon was a bit before my time but I remember watching Wardair 747's and DC-10's from the grass bank (where long stay 1 now is). There was also Highland Express 747's for a short time

 

[Seasider]

When Wardair operated the B747 from LBA to Toronto they went via BHX.

 

[Hassaan]

Yeah, back when 747s were unfazed by the length of BHX's runway. Or maybe because 747-100's were a lot lighter than the 2/3/400's that are around now.

I once flew out of BHX on a PIA 747, via CPH. I was only 3 though...

The spotty windows in the terminal were annoying - yet many people crowded around there.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I'm not sure this qualifies as nostalgia but I've been going through some old pictures and found updates of the construction of the new pier. There's quite a few so I'll post them in stages.

The old pier.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Prep works for the new building with the old air bridges removed.



More prep works with the old tower, that couldn't actually be used by ATC, in the background.



Two cores up already.



A view of the whole site with the works portacabins on the left.



I'll post a few more later.

 

[thunderchild]

You forget how drab and dated the old pier looked in comparison to the shiny new International Pier. Are there still plans to knock down the old Eurohub and replace that with a pier more suitable for the Ryanair/flybe ops?

 

[Ray Finkle]

You forget how drab and dated the old pier looked in comparison to the shiny new International Pier.

From what I can remember it was even worse inside than outside and so small and cramped.

Are there still plans to knock down the old Eurohub and replace that with a pier more suitable for the Ryanair/flybe ops?

Last I heard that was still the case, although when is anybody's guess.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Part II

Steelwork going up.....




......and the next day.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I think this was about a week later it shows the roof panels going on...



....and just how quickly the steelwork went up.





Another view showing just how bad the original pier was.



Part III tomorrow :s_yes

 

[Ray Finkle]

The steelwork is now just under 2/3 built.



A comparison can now be made between the new structure to the old pier which can be seen behind it.