West London Air Terminal.

[theageofthetra]

This months BA Highlife magazine has an interesting article on the buses that ran up to the late 70's from Earls Court to LHR. Do any of the buses and their luggage trailers survive and did they have a special interior spec?

 

[Dstock7080]

Of the 65 Routemasters built for the West London Air Terminal a few survive.
KGJ601D with trailer - definitely. I did own NMY654E for a while!
A lot of history here: http://www.countrybus.org/RMA/RMA.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/timthemix/9015290258/

 

[EM2]

I remember being sat in my Dad's Vauxhall Victor that had broken down outside the Terminal, and being fascinated at the sight of buses with trailers!

 

[theageofthetra]

Very interesting link, thanks. Is there anyone on the forum who used the service? Although security would not be as strict as today it did operate during the height of IRA terrorism. I am curious if the 'airside' began once you had checked in at Earls Court and the did the buses drop off 'airside' at LHR? I am surprised the IRA didn't target it as those trailers packed with cases could have been devastating if filled with explosive.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This months BA Highlife magazine has an interesting article on the buses that ran up to the late 70's from Earls Court to LHR. Do any of the buses and their luggage trailers survive and did they have a special interior spec?

There's one at Brooklands isn't there?

 

[Comstock]

Presumably this was the main way of getting to LHR in the days before it had it's own tube system?

I wonder what the journey times were like?

 

[Dstock7080]

Very interesting link, thanks. Is there anyone on the forum who used the service? Although security would not be as strict as today it did operate during the height of IRA terrorism. I am curious if the 'airside' began once you had checked in at Earls Court and the did the buses drop off 'airside' at LHR? I am surprised the IRA didn't target it as those trailers packed with cases could have been devastating if filled with explosive.

Prior to the Routemasters being used, the previous AEC 4RF4s were flight specific and took the passengers to the departure gates.
When the 'RMA's were introduced with trailers, these just ran to the terminal entrances, the trailers were uncoupled and attached the Land Rovers which took them around to the baggage system at the rear.
In later years even this was abandoned, with the trailers staying behind the Routemasters.