EGCC Manchester (Ringway) Airport ATC, Manchester sub-ACC, PATCRU

This is the one and only Frank Byatt, believe this was a picture taken for a newspaper article. – John Pilling

Peter Steeden  was a visitor on a guided tour of Ringway control tower in the 1960s when he took the photo above showing three ATC staff. Anyone know their names?

From Phil Holt, he’s  recently come across these four photos. He thought it timely as MACCVETS are going to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the closure of MACC on 22^nd January.

It is a little “off topic” being shots of the VCR, but this VCR cab has now passed into history twice over, first when the old VCR cab was replaced by a much higher, bigger one. Second when the VCR was abandoned in favour of a new stand-alone tower on the West side. That was inevitable on the closure of MACC as Apc Rad survived a few years in the old 4^th floor but is all self-contained now in the new facility.

General description: A set of photos from ex Manchester ATCO Phil Holt. Taken, it is thought around 1992/3 and features the VCR that dates from the early 1960’s. It is “D” watch on duty. As always, feedback is valued to get accuracy.

Here are the descriptions of each photo:

EGCC VCR 1990’S

A general shot looking SW across all desks. An ATC unit is not complete without the plastic strip basket! Original windows and frames that rattled when a BAC 1-11 (and Concorde!) took off on full water methane power!

EGCC VCR “AIR” DESK

Occupied the easterly (left) side of the VCR, as the prevailing wind meant the usual rwy in use was 24 (now 23 right!). Nearest the camera, ATSA John Dale (not to be confused with John Dale ATCO, who, for identification purposes, was named John Dale Quebec!). AIR ATCO is Phil Holt. Note shirts, ties and jackets! Next to John’s computer screen is the “emergency desk” where a spare ATCO would come and plug in. On the desk are 2 clips – one for notams and one for met warnings

AIR DESK 2

On the right is the “(Not so) touch sensitive” lighting panel which often required 3 or 4 presses on the dark circles to light up a section of greens (just what you don’t want in complex LVP conditions!). Note that it stops at the northern edge of pier C (terminal 2 was under construction at the time). When it opened we got a new lighting panel! The air controller had a smaller panel to work the CAT 1 or 2/3 stop bars. Note the emergency grab boards above the anemometer dials complete with china graph propelling pencil. The upside down strip holder is to notify “Woodford Active” and had a slider to display their rwy in use. Above it is the ATM – what a difference from the old “DFTI”!

EGCC VCR “GMC” DESKS

Still well positioned with a good view out across the 3 piers of Terminal 1 (domestic pier A, international pier B, and the “new” pier C constructed in 2 parts, the latter having a “satellite” added at the end and the IDLEX (International departure lounge Extension) added alongside the existing terminal. Not so with Terminal 2, (behind you!). So the decision was made to take this VCR down, put in a plinth and build up a new layout. Nearest the camera, GMC ATSA Pauline Winter. GMC ATCO, we think, is Alan Steele, guesting from either B or E watch.

For a snapshot of Manchester in  1984 (no second runway and the old sub centre still in operation) click on ATC at Manchester International Airport Brochure 1984

and courtesy of Paul Eite via Steve Balfour is a 1985 staff roll

1985-egcc-staff-list

Steve Balfour has added several comments to this post that help identify quite a few people in the photographs. I’ve also added a pdf document about the engineering changes at Manchester over the years. There is a link to the CAA retired staff association in the text, their current web site in 2015 is http://www.caa-rsa.org.uk/

for the engineering changes doc, click on  MCR Memories

Steve has also obtained from Manchester Library the following eight photos of Manchester tower and ATC between the late 30s and early  50s

CC0a early war pre 1939?

CC0aa 1957

CC0b 1950

CC0bb

CC0c

CC0cc 1957

CC0d 1950

CC0e 1938

CC0ee 1957

Steve tells me that the 1950s panoramic shot featuring the Aerovan, (1950s L), is courtesy of Mark Williams, who runs ‘Ringway Publications’. Mark also provided the 1952 aerial shot, which was taken by ‘Airviews’, a company with a long connection to EGCC.

CC0f 1957

CC0ff 1957

The aircraft above is Miles Aerovan G-AISF. Meridian Air Maps operated Aerovan 4 G-AISF on aerial survey work from October 1955 until it crashed on takeoff from Manchester (Ringway) on 29 April 1957. The accident killed the pilot Jean Lennox Bird and two passengers. Jean Lennox Bird was the first woman to be awarded full Royal Air Force pilot’s wings, in 1952. Jean learnt to fly in 1930, aged 18, and served as a delivery pilot during the Second World War. She flew types such as Wellington bombers, Spitfires, Dakotas and Hurricanes. After the War, she qualified as a flying instructor, and earned her RAF pilot’s wings. She later became a civilian commercial pilot.

CC0g

CC0h 1957

and has followed them up with a few more

“Steve says he thinks the history of EGCC is divided into 11 or 12 distinct ‘phases’. These are more photographs showing the ATC facility at Ringway, (which was a building comprising the first passenger terminal, ATC and a hangar), during the late 1930s. The airport opened fully on 25/06/1938.”

CC0i

CC0j

CC0k

CC0l 1939

The hangars were numbered L-R as 1, 2 and 3. They were there during the 1940s, as pictures show them camouflaged, and they survived until the 1958-62 tower was built.

from Barry Davidson

CC0la

CC0lb

CC0lc

and Steve has found another five early Manchester tower/terminal photos

CC0M

1941 RAF RINGWAY.

and a print of wartime Ringway from  both Barry Davidson and Steve Balfour

CC0n 1946

CC0o 1946

CCOp 1946

CCOpp We think this is the prototype Avro 694 Lincoln that was assembled by Avro at Ringway and first flew there in June 1944. If so it serial was PW925. The P in a circle emblem is just visible ahead of the  fuselage cockade.

CC0ppp  maybe an airshow exhibition, an AVRO York and Avro Anson on show.

CC0q 1948

G-AGHL in the early BEA colours, would be named Lanoe Hawker after the WW1 RFC fighter pilot.

CC0qq

CC0r early 1950’s

CC0s 1952

CC0t 1950s

CC1

CC1a from Les Tranter August 1959 ATCA and ATCO positions in the tower. Note the lighting panel under the desk

CC2

Lamson tubes were a pneumatic system that delivered containers around ATC containing flight progress strips and weather information, Notams etc.

CC3

PAR far left, approach radar in shadows, approach procedural controller nearest now identified as Don Binks – Steve Balfour.

CC4

Manchester ATC Approach radar, controller Doug Handley?

CC4a

now three views of the sub-centre dating the 80s (?) from Dave Smith. They are of Manchester TMA East sector when it was using mediator type flat screens and suites. Some names would be welcome. Those already received from Pete Hargreaves, Steve Balfour and John Pilling

4a Sitting L-R Dennis Gabriel, Pete Holland, John Pilling standing.

4b L-R Pete Holland, Jim Rankin and wings ATSA Kevin O’Grady.

4c L-R Pete Holland the CSC, Dennis Gabriel. Andy Whittaker, (leather jacket) and another John Pilling

CC4d from Barry Davidson

CC4e from Dave Smith. Photos originated with CAA PR dated 1988 and supposed to be “recent” photos. L-R Phil Jackson, Steve Bartley and John Harrington.

CC5

CC5a EGCC 1967 from Paul Funnell

CC5a BEA Vanguard and Manchester Tower 1967

CC5b  1971 BUA HP7 GAVEZ

CC6

CC6a

CC6aa bring the tower story up to date

CC6b from Barry Davidson as are the next three

CC6b

CC6c

CC6d

CC7

CC8

The colour shot of the VCR shows the air controller’s position, occupied by ‘C’ Watch ATCO Alan Steele. (Ex EGPB).

The VCR shot is taken inside the new VCR cab that was added in the early 1990s to facilitate the visibility of Terminal 2. This was necessary as the 1962 VCR had a wall on it’s north side, behind which Manch’ approach was located. The new VCR was originally all on one level, as in this picture, but it was re-engineered sometime around The Millennium to accommodate the Air 1 and Air 2 positions required for Runway 2.

Steve Balfour

CC9

The centre colour shot is the MACC ‘West Bank’. L-R ATSA Tony Jones, Co-ordinator, (green pen), Mike Molyneaux, Radar, James Russell, then an unidentified lady. The gentleman at the far right (on what was then the simulator), is believed to be the late Brian Smith – Steve Balfour

CC10

The colour picture with the 17 on it is Bernard Curphey, (ex EGPH, ex CATC/EU ex 39 ATC Cadet Course, -(‘The Animals’), manning ‘Final Director’. Steve Balfour

CC11 Type 2000 PAR

Precision approach radar at Manchester (Talk Down)

CC12

CC13

PATCRU – Preston Air Traffic Control Radar Unit located at Manchester and provided lower level area radar services for the North. Took over from Antrobus at RNAS Stretton. Upper air service provided at various times by Northern radar at Hack Green and Lindholme

CC14

CC15

CC16

CC17

Al Lewis, manager ATC Manchester airport and sub-centre is seen accepting the new temporary Area training facility from Project Manager Keith Donald, Deputy Director of Projects (SCATCC and Manchester)

the ATCOs are Bob Roalfe and Tony McAndrew, who were both active in IPCS/IPMS. Steve Balfour

CC18

CC19

CC20

 CC21 1970

CC22 Runway Caravan from Bryan Brough

CC23 from Phil Holt

Taken close to GATCO’s 40th anniversary, somewhere in South East Manchester.

From left to right:

George Jones (last Centre Superintendent of PATCC), Phil Holt, Max Hundleby, Morris Hotchkin, Tim McKay, Gordon Butler, Pete Perry, Alex Patterson, ????? (did the last transmission from PATCC), ?????, Dave Schofield, Steve Balfour, Jack Day

Seated:  Nigel Green, Fiona Hough

CC24 the first of three photo from Paul Funnell showing members of No 8 course at EGCC 1967

CC25

CC26

CC27 the first of  three charts via Colin McKeeman, a landing chart for 1964.

CC27 and the first of two SID charts from 1976

CC28