West London Air Terminal

[quarella]

While hunting around for the Victoria Coach Station thread in buses and coaches I came across this.
https://rbkclocalstudies.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/forgotten-buildings-the-west-london-air-terminal/
Part quote

Forgotten buildings: the West London Air Terminal
By Dave Walker

This forgotten building still exists, at least in its physical manifestation as a 1960s tower block overlooking the Cromwell Road. In all other respects it is forgotten and when I wander around the extensive interior of Sainsbury’s Gloucester Road I never think of what was there before, or of the original purpose of this strangely sited structure. Because this building served a purpose which could now be regarded as obscure and archaic. It was British European Airways’ West London Air Terminal.

Location here. https://goo.gl/maps/AfC3w

When I had gone past that Sainsbury's on National Express and Megabus I had wondered what had been there before but GSV doesn't go back far enough.

 

[sarahj]

It has featured in a few films, Funeral in Berlin and Jugganaut (terror on the Brittanic).

 

[Busaholic]

Been there once, about 1971. Saw my sister-in-law, then a 6th form schoolgirl, off on a school trip to Portugal. Great location opposite Gloucester Road Station, the passengers for BEA European flights got put onto specially-built Routemaster coaches with luggage trailers. No fuss, but then no terrorism, of course.

 

[theageofthetra]

No terrorism in 1971?, the IRA couldn't have been more active!

 

[Busaholic]

No terrorism in 1971?, the IRA couldn't have been more active!

But not in London, and plane hijackings hadn't started either. Actually, working it out it must have been summer 1970 as this was when my sister-in-law left school, and she went prior to going to uni that autumn.

 

[EM2]

Sat outside it in my Dad's broken-down Vauxhall Victor for three hours once, as we waited for the AA.
Was fascinated by those Routemasters.

 

[edwin_m]

I presume the luggage was just loaded onto the trailers and went through whatever security screening was in force when it got to Heathrow. This is what happened when it was possible to check-in at Paddington on HEX, so that the baggage only had to be kept secure against theft not against tampering.

 

[Busaholic]

I presume the luggage was just loaded onto the trailers and went through whatever security screening was in force when it got to Heathrow. This is what happened when it was possible to check-in at Paddington on HEX, so that the baggage only had to be kept secure against theft not against tampering.

Security screening at Heathrow consisted of all the luggage for a particular flight being lined up behind the passengers for that flight and then several bags (typically, four) being chosen and the passengers whose bag had been chosen asked to identify themselves. O n one occasion, both my bags were chosen, but I was never required to open any. Little old ladies, on the other hand...

In those days (early 1970s) currency smuggling was the main concern upon leaving the U.K. Exchange Control not only existed but was rigorously enforced, indirectly by my own father amongst others.

 

[AM9]

It has featured in a few films, Funeral in Berlin and Jugganaut (terror on the Brittanic).

I seem to remember a BBC interlude film in the style of London to Brighton in four minute that featured a taxi ride from the WLAT to Heathrow in four minutes of some similar unlikely time.

 

[contrex]

prior to going to uni that autumn.

Didn't they call it it "university" in those days?

 

[Hornet]

But not in London, and plane hijackings hadn't started either. Actually, working it out it must have been summer 1970 as this was when my sister-in-law left school, and she went prior to going to uni that autumn.

No plane hijackings in the 70's? Really?

http://middleeast.about.com/od/terrorism/a/dawson-field-hijackings.htm

Also the IRA were bombing London in 1971.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/31/newsid_2464000/2464143.stm

Poor research there!

 

[Busaholic]

Didn't they call it it "university" in those days?

They did, but I wasn't sure anyone would remember the full word.

Not forgetting the term university had not been degraded at that time by making such as South Bogland Technical College into universities.But I digress.