Graham Innes has sent me two early photos. The first is the very early flight office that would have contained a Watch office, the second the tower that pre-dated the Ziggurat.

PD0a

PDOb

PD0c dated 1953 an early marking style BEA Rapide G-AFEZ

Now I was one of five  ATCO Cadets from 9 Course at Aberdeen in 1967, first at the Field Training Unit run by the impressive Harry McGrath and then as an aerodrome control U/T.  Neither of the above ATC facilities are familiar but three photos below do ring a bell. I remember a two story tower,  no wrap round VCR, tower and approach control on adjacent desks and the 180 degree-ish view of the airfield out of a wide multi section bay windowed room.  Ken Wood, a cadet on 16 course was there in about 1969 and also remembers the restricted view through an office like window.

Controllers I remember include  Eric Melvin, Doug Matthews  and George Curran. This was at the very beginning  of North Sea Oil exploitation and when we arrived there was just one rig, relatively close to the coast, and serviced by a single amphibious  Westland Whirlwind helicopter operated by Bristows. There was great excitement when a second rig came on station and the first BEA S-61 arrived and was based behind the tower.  Anyone else remember any of this?

Might this be that second tower matching the interior photo below

PD0d

PD0e

One of the Vampires (Vampire FB5  serial WA402) served with 612 R Aux A F (Aberdeen) squadron.  No 612 Squadron were at Dyce with Vampires in the period 1951-1957.

We think the tower behind the Vampires is the rear of the white bay windowed tower. They have the same aerial configuration and covered porch or walkway.  The photo two below reminds me of the 1967 tower and it matches some features of the white tower above.

Aberdeen Field Training Unit  photo from Merrill Elliott. Run by the impressive Harry McGrath (far right) and his assistant “Fergie” who is sat in the door. The students are members of No 10 course.

PD0f

Early Days at Aberdeen civil ATC (in the second Watchroom?)

PD0g Is that an Ekco radar that Bill Bain is operating?

ATC staff were housed at Kirkhill Dyce in old army huts on the edge of the runway. Bill Bain, Bill Walton and Vic Oldcorn were all housed here in early 1950s. All eventually moved to Redbrae.

PD0h HRH Princess Elizabeth arriving at Dyce 1951 with Bill Bain (photos above from Heather Bain, Bill’s daughter.

PD0i

PD0j

The new Tower the “Ziggurat”

“Built in receding tiers upon a rectangular, oval, or square platform, the ziggurat was a pyramidal structure with a flat top”     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat

PD0kThe Ziggurat with Puma G-PUMO

the 1984 Aberdeen ATC Brochure gives a snapshot of their task in the mid 80s

ATC at Aberdeen brochure 1984

A “flight” around the tower

PD1

PD2

PD3

PD4

PD5

PD6

PD7

PD8

The chap in the waistcoat at dusk is John Reynolds, who later moved to EGCC and later EGPX. – Steve Balfour

PD9

PD10

The next four photos were dated from 1981

PD11

PD12

PD13

PD14

PD15

above and below, 264 radar at Perwinnes Hill.

PD16

three pictures of Perwinnies Hill radar site by Alan Dodson

PD16a  Bertil Ohlson possibly at Perwinnies Hill

PD16b

PD16c

PD17

A walk through the Approach Room

PD18

PD19

PD20

PD21

PD22

PD23

PD24

PD25 – A Dyce Christmas Card candidate

PD26

pictures above and below taken by Chris Stock in 1982

PD27

PD28

The Start ……………

In 1937, Britain was the first country in Europe to establish training courses for Air Traffic Controllers – setting up a ‘one room’ training facility in the Post Office building at Goodge Street, in London. Courses consisted of a dozen students learning wireless telegraphy and its application to Air Traffic Control, flight rules, instrument flying, meteorology and navigation. A year later they moved to rooms over ‘The Hoop and Toy’ public house by South Kensington station in London.

Apart from major advances in telecommunications and radar, the 1939 –45 war also generated a need for local control in the airspace around busy military aerodromes. The UK was also responsible for the organisation and management of complex airspace and air route structures such as those set up between Southern England and Northern France after the invasion of Normandy in June 1944.  With this experience, in Europe Britain gained a unique lead in ATC procedures. Many former corporate members of GATCO such as Marconi, Plessey, Decca, Ferranti and Cossor were central in developing the technology that enabled and supported these advances.

By late 1944 some RAF Airfields were surplus to requirements and two, Aldermaston and Hurn, were transferred to BOAC to use as training and engineering bases. The official view seems to have been that there was some synergy in aircrew and ATC training and presumably because it was closer to London, Aldermaston hosted the forerunner of the present College.

SA1

US Army Air Force Gilfillan GCA MPN-1

After the war, the rapid increase in civil aviation highlighted a further need for advanced ATC training and, in 1947, the Aldermaston School was training radar controllers to use the Gilfillan MPN-1 GCA (Ground Controlled Approach) Units using equipment purchased from the USAAF. In 1948, the Aldermaston unit was relocated to Hurn along with other elements of ATC training. As such, the School of Air Traffic Control was formed in 1949 with a teaching staff of six: occupying an assortment of temporary accommodation, including wartime huts!

SA2

Site of School of ATC at Hurn in 1949 

SA3

GCA course with the Airspeed Consul target aircraft in the background.

On the back row, left to right are understood to be

1. Tom Sawyer, 2. Norman Whitelock, 5. Lou Parton, 6. Fred Mountain, 7. Billy Boyes, 8. Dougy Woods, 9. John Waddell, 11. Bill Hewyer, 12 Bill Blott, 13 Wally Wallis, 14.Roy Norfolk

On the front row left to right

1. John Gilbert, 2. Dennis Brown, 3. Brian Pegden, 4. Adrian Wright, 5. Dave Scot-Martin,

Lou Parton, Billy Boyes and Dougy Wood were instructors, Wally Wallis was the Chief Instructor Procedural and Roy Norfolk DFC was the Superintendent.

In 1950 the first new entrant ATCO course ran and also in that year the first of the School’s Foreign and Commonwealth courses. By the end of 1950 the School had trained 234 UK and 16 overseas students. Over the next 10 years the staff rose to number 20 under a Superintendent and in 1959 the School trained 386 UK students and 86 overseas students. These achievements were recognised by the GATCO, who presented the School with the Guild’s highest award, the Hunt Trophy.

 SA4

Typical course photo from the 1950s

Back Row

1 Alan Mile, 2 Billy Boyes 3 Al Dixon 4 Pete Reavley, 5 Doug Shoulder, 6 Lou Smith 9 Dickey Stokes (instructor) 12  Phil Martin, 14 Frank Blackaby, 16 John Gilbert, 17 Brian Pegden.

Front row

3 Lou Parton 4 John Griffiths (instructor), 5 R F Bulstrode (Superintendent), 6 Wally Wallis 10 Les West

SA5

1956 Area Course

The reason for the Mortar Boards and Garden tools remains a mystery

Back row

1 Billy Boyes, 2 Brian Pegden, 3 ? Monk, 4 Tom Newton, 5 Tom Shaw, 6 John Clarke, 8 Dicky Stokes, 9 Tom Harrison,10  John Waddell, 13 Johnny Mes, 14 John Gilbert.

Front row

1 Towers-Perkin, 2. Lucky Craven 4. Wally Wallis, 5. Dougy Wood, 6. Lou Parton.

Tom Newton, Tom Shaw, John Clarke, Johnny Mes and Tom Harrison were all on an airways course due to the closure of Bovingdon.  John Gilbert thinks the year of the photo was 1956.  

The following two group photos have been sent in by Malcolm Hemmings

SA5a

No 33 Area Course 1959

School Superintendent Frank Bulstrode centre front row

centre rear row is Adrian Wright, next right and slightly behind is Eric Parker. Fifth from left on the back row is Freddy Frost

SA5b

75 Radar Course, 1958

School Superintendent Frank Bulstrode centre front row. Freddy Frost is on this one too, at the back 6th from right.

Back row 3rd. from left is Peter Hemming – Christopher Hemming

SA5c  John Faulkner sent in this new group, his late father-in-law, Harry Foster, is No 8 from the right in the back row, immediately behind Frank Bulstrode.  John doesn’t have a date for the photo; Harry subsequently worked entirely overseas, in West and East Africa.

(In the very back row 4 from the left and to the left of the little tree is John Holland and some others are hauntingly familiar. Please let us know who you can spot – atchistory)

The old buildings were somewhat restricted in their (non-radar) simulation facilities. This was a limitation for the Schools own students and a real problem for the many “non state” controllers who didn’t attend the School’s courses but who would be examined on the same airspace and procedures. So that they could familiarise themselves with the practical exam environment a number of remote units were set up, called Field Training Units, which provided simple aerodrome and approach control simulators and instruction. They were located in or near the towers at Aberdeen, Stansted, Birmingham and Hurn. The School was quick to use the FTU facilities for its own students too, continuing long after the new building opened in 1962. Birmingham FTU became a centre for radar simulation training too.

Hurn FTU

Tower simulators were very basic, with aerodrome layout drawings showing the circuit pattern too. These drawings were over-layered with Perspex and drilled through at critical points around the map. Aircraft were represented by map pins, which were inserted in the holes. It sounds basic, but it worked and even the much later light driven aerodrome simulators were only updated versions of this simple concept that originally mirrored the then contemporary military ATC tower control techniques.

 SA6

The School possessed a link trainer (and early instrument flying simulator) presumable to help with teaching navigation, R/T or instrument procedures.

Edward Jones (ex Manchester) said that he is in the bottom right hand corner, with Jock Kerr in the link, and they were demonstrating RTF phraseologies in 1959 as they both had previous experience as Aerodrome Controllers – it was an instructor in the back corner. The remainder of the course (behind the camera) were all ex pilots and navigators.

SA7

Radar simulators were yet to appear and much of the practical training with carried out under supervision using dedicated live traffic controlled from School utilised facilities within Hurn tower. Long after radar simulation became available in the 60s students still did some live training at Hurn. The target aircraft were from the Civil Aviation Flying Unit originally with Airspeed Consuls later with Doves and then contracted-in Twin Commanches. The most extreme and popular version of this external training was when the area radar training facilities at nearby RAF Sopley were utilised for joint military/civil area radar courses to help overcome a shortage of civil area radar simulation capacity in the 60s.

SA8

 The old School had at least some comfortable accommodation, except perhaps in mid winter

Retired ATCOs can still recall those ‘training times’, remembering the Rabbits who had took up residence under the radar training classroom and the hut used for Technical Staff Courses which needed a row of buckets to catch water every time it rained! The relationship with the airport was much closer in those days. It had yet to be transferred to local authority control so all the airport staff facilities were available to the School. This included use of “The Club” a snug well furnished wartime Nissen hut where a light lunch (well a cheese or ham roll, pork pie or sausage roll usually) was available with mustard or pickle and a glass of beer and crisps on the side.

During its first 10 years the School of ATC grew steadily and by 1959 its staff had risen to 20 and students to 472, of which 386 were UK and 86 Overseas.  Clearly, the ‘arrangement’ of wartime huts was totally insufficient for the training task and, as such, the decision was taken to build a new establishment on an adjacent site.

Acknowledgement. John Gilbert, without whom many of the faces above would not have names.

SA 9  a group photo of 91 Radar course in 1960 provided by John Douglas. The instructor top right is Paddy Holt.

RNAS Hatston

photos from Chris Stock

PW1

PW2 in the seat is Ranjit Singh Bedi

PW3

PW4 via Barry Davidson (also PW5 & 6)

PW5

PW6

Besides being a stop for the local Islander and being used by the occasional Andover for the RAF visiting RAF Saxavord (where Shetland Radar was based).

It was used by Chevron and other oil companies to bypass Sumburgh after the new terminal was constructed and the landing fees went up accordingly. And as a diversion field/ fuel stop when the weather changed offshore. It only had an NDB the “UT” but its main advantage was the approach was over the sea and back in those days, you were allowed to let down until you had contact with the sea and fly in using radar.

There were 3 Bristow S61’s based there flying out to the Ninian North Central and South. The oil workers were taken up to Unst from Aberdeen, initially by 3 Brymon DHC7’s and then a fleet of 3 or 4 Loganair DHC6’s and then flown offshore. This activity stopped in the mid 80’s when the  operation moved to Scatsta EGPM where the flights were shared with the BP (and others) workers commuting to work at Sullom Voe, and Unst reverted only to the inter island service and the occasional private flight. At the moment (10/2022) Unst is closed but there have been rumours of the Unst Space centre opening it again.

GBALZ the Bell 212 is probably rig based. There were a few rig based helicopters back then, used for inter rigging of personel and for Medevac and SAR.

The photo is hanging in the Unst museum and this is a photo of that one. I don’t know who the photographer was. Chris Morewood

from Chris Stock

DE HAVILLAND CANADA DASH 7, G-BRYA of BRYMON AIRWAYS at SCATSA

SCATSA closed in 2020

PB0 Early Days, Highland Airways Dragon Rapide G-ADAJ at Sumburgh

also from Barry Davidson is this golden anniversary brochure and airspace map

egpb-1936-1986

PB1

PB2

Wednesday 6.1.93 Line of charter traffic on Sumburgh north western apron awaiting return of oil pollution groups and press after the wreck of the Braer Tuesday am 5.1.93

PB3

PB4

Thursday 7.1.93 6 Dakotas and a DC6 of Air Alantique awaiting a break in the weather for the resumation of oil spill spraying dutues. The DC6 has arrived wtih supplies from Coventry and Aberdeen

PB5

Sumburgh 12.1.93 4 x Seaking HC4s of 846 Squadron fuel stop en route from Norway to Yeovilton, with normal Sumburgh Loganair traffic

PB6

PB7

PB8

PB8a the terminal in 1982 from Chris Stock

PB9

PB10

Far right, Mike Wild Controlling Sumburgh Inbounds and Outbounds watched by Michael Black. On left Peter Denny handling the offshore sector work

PB11

Terry Irvine pepares flight progress strips

PB12

Mircro dish aerial under repair at Compass head site, Engineers Andy Stevens and Alan Ludlum

PB12a  Sumburgh  primary on compass head from Exnaboe by Alan Dodson

PB13

PB14

PB15

PB16

Cossor SSR (?) radar Fitful Head, 1981

PB16a As part of the massive redevelopment of Sumburgh in the late 1970’s/early 80’s Cossor SSR was installed on Fitful Head, to the NW of the airfield. Below is a scan of a double centre page spread advert that Raytheon took out in The Economist at the time.  Tony Norris

cossor fitful head

six more pictures of Fitful Head by Alan Dodson

PB16aa

PB16b  view from fitful head towards Sumburgh airfield

PB16c  Eddy Dapre and Hugh McNally

PB16d CAA vehicle waiting below Fitful, after transferring to Landrover

PB16e

PB17

PB18

Peter Denny monitors a wave of helicopters to the east of Shetland basin, using the cossor ssr sited at Fitful Head

PB19

PB20

PB21

The Runway 27 ILS Localiser frames the ACR 430 radar inside the “golfball” dome

PB22

Mr A Ludlum on phone
Mr A Stevens monitoring equipment

PB23

PB23a

PB24

Spot 7 GATBJ, Sk61 of BIH unloading oilmen

PB24a

PB25

Foreground Tracey Brickles
right Karen Skinner
Far left standing Milke Wild

PB26

Foreground John Black
Middle Tracy Brickles
Far left Mike Wild

PB27

Some more photos via Christ Stock

PB28

PB29

PB30 via Barry Davidson as are PB31 and PB32

PB31

PB32

PB33

photos via Chris Stock

PA1 Kirkwall old tower

PA2 Kirkwall VCR

PA3  view from new VCR

PA4 ATS in the ‘old’ Kirkwall TWR –taken circa 1997 – John Doig

PA5 the new Kirkwall Tower, from Barry Davidson

PA6 an up to date (2016) photo by Colin McKeeman

PA7 via Barry Davidson

dated 1943, the runway caravan – calling all caravan enthusiasts – what is it? (one suggestion its a Sunbeam caravan?)

RAF Skeabrae

RAF Skeabrae (2)

These photos have been provided by Avril Hardie to see if they can be identified. Some locations in her album have been identified and those locations have been in Scotland, Cumbria and maybe Northern Ireland.

its a gut feeling here at atchistory towers that photos 2, 3 and 4 and 20 – 23 are maybe an area unit but where? Logically it might be Redbrae (ScATCC) or Preston Area Centre. An alternative is perhaps the earlier Translatlantic Control Centre at Prestwick Airport. The lady in photo 2 is discretely holding a plaque toward the camera with OBI or QBI (or O/Q81or similar ?) does this ring a bell with anyone.

There are some 30 plus photos eventually to be published , maybe some of our senior readers might identify a face from the past?