My First Ever Commercial Flight More Agreeable Nostalgia August 1950, no school as it was summer holiday time. Stage 1 Grandma
(Mum's-Mum) and I were lodging at my cousin Jean's
place in Toward the Launch-Pad The Blackpool Tramway follows the coast and has its own road space with sea-views. Hence the trams rarely compete with other traffic, and our ride was very comfortable. Then out of the blue we were buzzed by a small plane, a rare sight indeed. It was heading toward the sea then turned left to fly alongside our tram, or so it seemed. The interlude really excited Gran, and suddenly she was full of questions like, "Can we do that ?" etc etc. So we must have taken advice from the guard and topped up our fares as far as the tramway terminus close to the Aerodrome (Squires-Gate). Stage 3 Check In The small office was very quiet and unmanned as we waited and waited. By the time we were noticed Gran was getting quite agitated and she laid into the unfortunate clerk. The scene was something like a cartoon with the old-lady slapping her brolly on the desk etc. We were lucky not have been chucked out and I was relieved as we were issued tickets to ride. Stage 4 The walk around inspection of Auster G-AIJR Oh heck, I thought, "Only 2 seats including the pilot's". And that's the way it was, Gran cheek to cheek with the pilot and me with no harness sliding around in the back on a pile of maroon mail-bags. Eventually we were back to where this saga started. We had flown over the back-streets of Blackpool and were crossing the Tramway near to Gynn Square. Not much more to say about the actual flight - - just a very happy memory. Auster at Squires Gate in 1950 Please open the Link :- https://www.airliners.net/photo/Loxhams-Flying-Services/Auster-J-4/1908988? fbclid=IwAR1w-ocPrAJJc0TEHI4CwbtBhiPkeP_szv39yPm-BNWzpLIi1qYL9U-zidM |
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