The Way We Were
Heathrow Airport, Summer 1966
‘So, Scarborough’s just not good enough for them any more!’ You can imagine the disparaging – but really rather jealous – jibes from relatives and neighbours in 1966 as the Postlethwaites from number 62 once again sacrificed ten days in a rainlashed, dank and smelly caravan to jet off to the foreign sun.
Between 1960 and 1967, the number of Britons holidaying abroad each year rose from 2.5 million to fi ve million. Firms such as the exotically-named Travel Club of Upminster and Gaytours had opened up places such as The Algarve and Majorca to the masses. London Airport was expanding rapidly in 1966 and even changed its name to Heathrow, after a small local hamlet.
This was a time when air travel was still a novelty and the aircraft had proper names, such as Vickers Viscount, operated by the likes of Pan Am and Dan Air.
The building on the left of our photograph was – bizarrely – one of London’s biggest tourist attractions. The Queen’s Building, opened by HM herself in 1955, housed offices and a conference centre. But most importantly there was a rooftop viewing area. This was the era when a grill room was somewhere you ate rather than be interrogated over the contents of your suitcase. The Europa building would become Heathrow Terminal 2.
But this scene also provided joy for vehicle as well as plane spotters, and just look at the selection here. Let’s go for edited highlights of the many vehicles in short-term parking.
Powering past the row of vehicles nearest the camera is a two-tone Hillman Husky, Rootes’s estate car version of the Commer Cab van, and with the light on the roof obviously an airport vehicle.
On the far right of that row is a Daimler Majestic, possibly a Major, which despite its limo looks would propel the occupants to 120mph.
Moving left, following the Morris Traveller we have no fewer than three big Rootesmobiles – a fourcylinder Hawk and two straight-six, quad-headlamped Super Snipes.
Then, after the Ford Thames van there’s a stylish two-tone Vauxhall Cresta, with an identical model parked next to it.
Second row from the left sees a glimpse of a Triumph 2000, a Hillman Minx Series V or VI, a fi nelooking Rover 2000, Ford Zephyr 4, Mini, Ford Corsair and Wolseley 16/60 BMC Farina.
Note what’s behind the taxi in row three – a Lotus Cortina, complete with twin-cam 105bhp engine.
Row fi ve begins with a Jaguar Mk2 and includes another two big Humbers, a Morris 1100 and a Wolseley 6/110. But look what’s ahead. No less a beast than a Lincoln Continental, from Ford’s luxury US brand. You could just imagine the chauffeur beckoning: ‘Over here, Mr Sinatra!’
Next to the shelter are a Jaguar MkX and Ford Zephyr 4. Among the FX3 and later FX4 Austin taxis is a highly rare Beadmore, with coachbuilt bodywork and a Ford petrol or possibly Perkins diesel engine.
Among the vehicles parked with the Queen’s Building in the background are another Humber Super Snipe and a Volkswagen Variant 1500 estate, plus one of two Commer FC vans – also probably airport vehicles – in the photo.
Finally, the two buses are AEC Regal RF ‘ half-decks’, which had a raised rear passenger compartment so that luggage could be stored underneath.
The buildings here were demolished for the new Heathrow Terminal Two in 2009. There is still a viewing area at Heathrow but you have to be cleared by security fi rst!