StephenHunter
Established Member
Watching an old video from c.1985 of London Victoria and I saw this. This isn't the same building as the now National Audit Office, is it?
Can you link to the video? The NAO building was the BOAC London terminal and subsequently used by British Airways. Presumably for long haul as the West London terminal (originally BEA) dealt with the European routes.Watching an old video from c.1985 of London Victoria and I saw this. This isn't the same building as the now National Audit Office, is it?
The general ambiance at Victoria in that brings back a few memories!
I can remember using this for my first ever flight, from Gatwick to Ibiza around 1973. As my age was in single figures at the time I don't recall too much but I do remember descending from the high level building to a platform and an extremely antediluvian unit. I seem to recall we had to get in the right portion as the train divided en route.Two different places.
The building now the NAO was built in the 1930s as the old Imperial Airways departure point and head office, later the same for the old BOAC airline, and ultimately British Airways. Coaches went from there to Heathrow (pre-war they had gone to the old Croydon airfield), it had full check-in etc. It's a good 10 minutes walk down the road from Victoria station, it faces the coach station over the road. When British Airways gave it up the coach area became an overflow for the coach station, then eventually it became, after a very substantial refit, the NAO. It's classic 1930s architecture made it a listed building.
In Victoria station was the terminal built probably about 1960 by British United Airways, later British Caledonian, built at an upper level on the Brighton side. They used Gatwick, not Heathrow, and were a principal user of the rail service there from underneath their terminal. This likewise had the baggage check-in, etc, after which you just went down to the train. Gatwick airport opened in 1958 and the train from Victoria was seen as a key selling point. It looked rather a cheap bit of architecture on stilts, but was improved over time.
Various other airlines, such as the Laker Skytrain ticket office, came and went in the vicinity over time.
Could it possibly have been a year or two earlier than 1973? Sounds like the old 2-HAL units that ran at the back of Bognor/Littlehampton trains and dropped a unit at Gatwick. Later 2-HALs with large luggage vans were used. They'd gone by 1971, though.I can remember using this for my first ever flight, from Gatwick to Ibiza around 1973. As my age was in single figures at the time I don't recall too much but I do remember descending from the high level building to a platform and an extremely antediluvian unit. I seem to recall we had to get in the right portion as the train divided en route.
On counting back our holidays year by year I think it was actually 1972, but pretty sure not 1971. I remember being very worried that the plane had 3+2 seating that it might overturn, although I never had this concern on trains. On checking now this suggests a BAC111-500 series, but they were in service with BCal throughout the period in question.Could it possibly have been a year or two earlier than 1973? Sounds like the old 2-HAL units that ran at the back of Bognor/Littlehampton trains and dropped a unit at Gatwick. Later 2-HALs with large luggage vans were used. They'd gone by 1971, though.
I see the 4-VEG units that pre-dated the Gatwick Express push-pulls weren't converted until 1978, when they still split at Gatwick, so I assume standard 4-VEPs did the same thing in the intervening period. I would probably have thought a 4-VEP pretty primitive for having doors at every seating bay, even though I was well used to the dubious pleasures of class 104 and similar around Manchester. I think it was overall blue, which I gather was their original livery.Well it could have been the replacement 4-VEP, for someone unused to Southern-style outer suburban stock. The 2-HAL had indeed been withdrawn in 1971. The ones which had been used to Gatwick were the seven post-war replacement units that looked like a steel 4-SUB, quite different to the rest, with the adapted luggage provision. There was much guidance to get into the rear unit for Gatwick, but as the detachment was at Gatwick itself it really didn't matter, but just prevented unfamiliar air passengers from holding things up, as the rest of the train went on to Horsham etc in a minute or so.
Sounds likely, then. A large batch of blue VEPs was delivered in 68/69 to see off the 4-LAVs on Brighton stoppers.I see the 4-VEG units that pre-dated the Gatwick Express push-pulls weren't converted until 1978, when they still split at Gatwick, so I assume standard 4-VEPs did the same thing in the intervening period. I would probably have thought a 4-VEP pretty primitive for having doors at every seating bay, even though I was well used to the dubious pleasures of class 104 and similar around Manchester. I think it was overall blue, which I gather was their original livery.