The Way We Were
London Airport, 1958
London Airport was a destination of joy in itself in the late Fifties– not surprising when there was a selection of cars like this to drool over, not to mention achingly cool aircraft taking off
In 1958, London Airport – which wasn’t christened Heathrow until 1966 – was seen as a place where glamour and excitement mingled with wonderful new technology; a gleaming epicentre of joy well worth a visit in itself.
People even went there when they didn’t have to, being welcomed with a Fortes Grill and Griddle and even a children’s paddling pool.
Trainspotting already provided more excitement than most skinny youths could cope with, so just imagine how they must have felt about taking down aeroplane identities.
The airport had been around since 1930 but was only opened for civil flights in 1946, when it mainly comprised old army marquees and duckboards to keep mud off passengers’ feet. By 1958, though, more than two million people were flying from the bustling London Airport every year.
But the greatest excitement that year was the first scheduled London to New York jet-engined flight on 4 October in a De Havilland Comet 4 – a name which somehow sounds so wonderfully British, like the Vickers Viscount. Including a stop in Newfoundland, the flight took ten hours and 22 minutes, compared to around 14 in a propeller plane.
We can only wonder whether any of the owners of the rather less technologically biased collection of vehicles seen in our picture were involved in this development.
Forming the backdrop is the magnificent 127ft-high control tower built in 1955. On our left is a Bedford CA van, or maybe minibus in this case – a hugely popular vehicle in those pre-Ford Transit days and sharing a 1508cc engine with the Vauxhall Victor. Next to it lurks the rather faded charms of a Hastingsregistered Austin Sheerline, a model built from 1947-54. Note the AA and RAC badges on the radiator grille, a sign of mechanical breakdown paranoia?
Seen between those two vehicles are glimpses of, we think, a white Flying Standard and Series I, II or III Hillman Minx convertible. There’s a further drophead Minx which, appearing to lack trafficators, will be an overhead-valve MkVIII. Behind the lamp post next to the building is a green Austin Hereford. Next to the Minx is a Standard 8 lacking an external boot opening, with a fourdoor Austin A30 or A35 next to it.
We’re intrigued as to the identity of the light blue vehicle with a curved rear screen just visible in front and to the right of the A30/35. A Goggomobil maybe? To the right of the man in the peaked cap (pilot or car park attendant?) is a deeply joyous Austin Devon.
Nearest to the camera on our right is a Ford Consul MkI, a car which really was a big step forward in body styling and driveability when introduced in 1951, with its unitary construction and MacPherson struts.
The photograph seems to convey 1950s optimism in almost a colour picture postcard way – even the No Entry sign looks sleek and modern for 1958. Every instantly recognisable vehicle here is British, of course.
We wonder who owned the motorcycle and sidecar? Definitely contrasting transport for the dashing pilot of a De Havilland Comet!