Barra
BARRA: Civil airport (Aka NORTH BAY and TRÀIGH MHÒR)
Note: This picture (2018) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Operated by: 1950s & 1970s: BEA (British European Airways)
Note: It appears that from 1974 BEA subcontracted the operation of this airport to Loganair.
1980s to 1994: Loganair
1994 to -: Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd
Airline users: Pre 1940: Northern & Scottish Airways, Scottish Airways
Post 1945: Scottish Airways, BEA, British Airways, British Airways Express, Loganair
Location: On the foreshore of Traigh Mhor on the north side of Barra Island
Period of operation: 1936 to present day (I believe it did continue operations during WW2)
Note: These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways:
1965: 07/25 850 sand 11/29 730 sand 15/33 915 sand
1990: 07/25 826x46 sand 11/29 667x46 sand 15/33 846x46 sand
1997: 07/25 1500x60 sand 11/29 667x46 sand 15/33 846x46 sand
2000: 07/25 700x60 sand 11/29 667x46 sand 15/33 846x46 sand
A MIKE CHARLTON GALLERY
Notes: These great pictures from postcards were kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
First picture: This is interesting. Clearly the picture of the de Havilland DH84 Dragon G-ADCR has been superimposed - but did it ever visit BARRA? Throughout its time on the British register (06.03.35 to 01.01.39) it was registered to Blackpool & West Coast Air Services based at SQUIRES GATE, Blackpool. I haven't found a record of them operating this far north, but they easily may have done. Can anybody kindly offer advice?
Second picture: Yet another quandry - when might this picture have been taken? It was, fairly obviously, taken by somebody with an amateur camera. Perhaps clutching at straws, the cabin interior does look rather dark, and this would certainly be the case in WW2 when the passenger windows had to be blanked out. Could this possibly be a very rare picture taken on the sly in WW2?
My first response on seeing this picture was that it was a de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide; but strictly speaking it wasn't. Delving into the records, G-AGIC was registered to Scottish Airways at RENFREW as a DH89A Dominie - a 9 seater. Military versions of the Dragon Rapide were known by this name. And indeed, Scottish Airways operated G-AGIC from 06.04.43 to 31.01.47. Although many think a 'blanket ban' on civil operations existed throughout WW2, there were some exceptions, and the services to the Western Islands in Scotland were the main example.
I think it highly likely that this picture shows G-AGIC when operated by Scottish Airways? When BEAC (British European Airways Corporation) usually known as BEA took over the Scottish regional routes, G-AGIC was registered to them, but only from 01.02.47 to 20.11.47 when it was sold abroad. I suspect it was probably held to one side and not repainted in BEA livery? Any advice will be most welcome.
Third picture: The BEA de Havilland DH114 Heron 1B G-ANXB. The decision by BEA management to replace the Dragon Rapide with Herons in this part of the UK was typically heavily flawed. It was not the best option by any means. This said, the early version such as the Heron 1B had a sturdy fixed undercarriage, and the BEA pilots were soon mastering the type, often flying in quite atrocious conditions for Air Ambulance services. This Heron, G-ANXB, served with BEA from 03.12.54 until 31.10.73.
Fifth picture: Here again another interesting picture. It appears that the top management of BEA and BA, probably relying more on local management expertise, decided that the Short Skyvan type would be well suited to serving the western islands. For some reason they obviously decided against this as G-AZYW, a Short SC7 Skyvan 3, served with BEA from 30.01.73 to 01.04.74, then with BA (British Airways) from 01.04.74 to 09.05.75 before being sold to Norway. I wonder why this type was not deemed suitable, as, on paper at least, it appears ideal.
Sixth picture: Can these scenes be dated? I assume the two Twin Otters were operated by Loganair?
Seventh picture: I appears that around the bay warning signs are posted to inform people using the area that when a windsock appears, the airport is active.
Eighth picture: It seems the new terminal was built in 2009 and the control tower in 2012. It appears that in 2016/17 BARRA was handling over 1,000 commercial aircraft movements a year, carrying over 10,000 passengers.
TWIN OTTERS GALORE
Note: It appears, if you look this up, that the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 and 400 Series in British Airways colours were operated by Loganair. However, those aircraft in BA colours were flown by BA pilots. I know this because a very good friend of mine, a senior BA Captain and once flying their 747s, used to love flying them when based at GLASGOW. Much more fun than the BAe ATP for example. When BA management at Riverside near HEATHROW discovered they had a division in Scotland which was not only profitable but incredibly well run - the decision was immediate - tear it apart!
Obviously senior pilots with a great deal of experience and enthusiasm for flying are exactly what is needed in Scotland, one of the most demanding regions in the world. There are worse of course, but generally these are closed when conditions deteriorate further. But he was given the choice, either fly Boeing 767s from HEATHROW, or - bugger off. What a regime of management!
HOW LONG?
A year or so ago I made this note: "I have tried to find out just how long the Twin Otter has been in service, serving Scottish regional airports, and to date (2017) have failed. It would appear they first arrived in the early 1990s? Can anybody kindly offer advice?"
The answer came in 2018 when Mike Charlton very kindly loaned me a copy of 'Times subject to Tides' by Roy Calderwood, published in 1999. From which I quote; "The Islander and Trislander aircraft were replaced by the rugged Canadian-built Twin Otters in the early nineteen-eighties, most of which were delivered by Loganair pilots directly from the de Havilland Canada factory in Ontario." The Islander and Trilanders did of course continue to serve other Loganair routes in Scotland, and probably still do?
NOTES: I believe this ‘airport’ is unique in the UK in as much as the runways don’t exist as such. The aircraft land and take off on the naturally hard packed sand at low tide with the runways being marked by just a single pole at each end. However, in my terms at least, an airport is fundamentally a location having, (or which has had), scheduled or semi-scheduled services, and in this respect it more than qualifies. In point of fact it now ranks amongst the very oldest still existing airports in the UK and of course, in pretty much it’s original condition, (except for a new terminal building), and how many can claim that I wonder!
THE FIRST LANDING?
It appears that on the 14th June 1933 Captain Jimmy Orrell landed a Midland & Scottish Air Ferries DH Dragon here, (G-ACCZ), whilst on a three day survey flight of potential landing sites in the region. Roy Calderwood, the author of Times subject to Tides (The Story of Barra Airport) and published in 1999, (highly recommended reading), tells us that the Short Scion, (G-ADDP), of West of Scotland Air Services landed here during 1935.
The terminology employed when this airport became regularly used as a destination from June 1936 is rather quaint and I quote; “Commencement of scheduled services to Barra calling - on demand”. Two months later, on the 7th August this airport was given official licensing by the Air Ministry. A single ticket for the winter 1936/1937 service from RENFREW was £4, (£40 in 1984, £80 in 1994 and £94 in 1999). According to a Retail Price Indicator calculator the 1936 fare of £4 would be £166 in 2002. However measured against average UK wages and salaries, £608 is the more realistic figure! Passenger flying was, between the wars in the 1930s, most definitely invariably the domain of the wealthy, and usually the very rich. Senior officials on government business, needless to say with unconstrained travel allowances, made up the rest of the passengers.
This service was operated in 1936 by Northern & Scottish Airways which was formed by George Nicholson at RENFREW in 1934. It appears they used Spartan Cruisers and DH89A Dragon Rapides. Roy Calderwood says, "A daily service to Barra was being promoted in the airline's advertisements in The Oban Times from early July although Barra was not included in the regular schedule, Glasgow - Skye - North Uist - Benbecula - South Uist - Barra - Glasgow, and vice versa until October".
THE AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE
Against this background it now seems quite incredible that an Air Ambulance was inaugurated for the use of anybody, regardless of any wealth or privilege. In practise it wasn’t quite so simple needless to say but in general the principal held.
What must be emphasised is that flying commercial services in around Scotland is ‘hooligan’ flying by most standards due to the terrible wind and weather conditions so often encountered and only the very best pilots are needed. Or, to put it another way, newcomers soon learn to be very good at their job. Their safety record is exemplary and it is astonishing how few mishaps have taken place over the years.
THE BEA YEARS
The exception to having an excellent safety record occurs after BEA (British European Airways Corporation), took over responsibility for flying the regional routes in Scotland from the 1st February 1947. This was an airline stuffed full of ex-service pilots and their accident record is abysmal, as was that of BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation). Was it a huge mistake to employ aircrew, (very brave though they may have been and often were), resigned to the possibility they wouldn’t survive any flight on military operations, to be in charge of commercial flights?
At this remote location, in August 1947, (often very bad for flying in Scotland), the BEA Dragon Rapide G-AGJF was written-off after an accident at BARRA. Another very serious accident again involving a BEA Dragon Rapide, (G-AGPH), which was also written-off, occurred in December 1951. Once again I have Roy Calderwood to thank; "There is only one incident in which injury is known to have been caused to passengers at Tràigh Mhòr. This involved the BEA Dragon Rapide G-AGPH while it was on an air ambulance duty on the morning of the 6 December 1951. During its landing at Barra, the aircraft wheels stuck in soft sand resulting in its turning over to come to rest upside down." Sadly, one elderly lady died at home a day later.
Since then however, (coinciding with less ex-RAF WW2 pilots being involved perhaps, or substantially retrained?), the safety record seems to be first class. In the summer of 1968 BEA started a seven days a week service to BARRA making it the first Scottish island airport to have a Sunday airline service.
KATIE MACPHERSON
The 1969 ‘New Year’ honours list included Katie MacPherson for an MBE to recognise her duties operating this airport almost single-handed since 1950. She retired in 1980 and was succeeded by Janet MacLean, another lady to manage the airport - surely this circumstance is also unique in the UK?
THE HERONS ARRIVE
With the withdrawal of the Dragon Rapides, the need for a sturdy aircraft with a fixed undercarriage led BEA to buy two de Havilland DH114 Heron !B. These were, initially G-ANXA 'Sir John Hunter' and G-ANXB 'Sir James Simpson', both based at RENFREW. These it appears were introduced in February 1955. A third Heron 'Sir Charles Bell', G-AOFY, was added in 1956. The two remaining Herons were withdrawn from service in 1973.
A VERY SINGULAR FLIGHT
To quote once again from 'Times subject to Tides' by Roy Calderwood; "At the end of 1972, Loganair was entrusted with conveying the body of Sir Crompton MacKenzie to Barra for burial. He had requested that he be laid to rest in the cemetery at Cille Bharra alongside such friends at John MacPherson." He had resided on the island for many years previously.
"About one hundred people met the special Shorts Skyvan charter flight on 4 December when it landed on the Tràigh Mhòr in atrocious weather conditions.
NEW TYPES ETC
On the 2nd April 1973 the first Shorts SC7 Skyliner, (G-AXYW), service from GLASGOW to BARRA took place. To cut a long story short, when BEA (later British Airways) wanted to relinquish their lower revenue routes, these Western Isles services were partly taken over by Loganair in October 1974, and the entire service in 1975. They used the Brittan-Norman Islander and Trislander types throughout the outer reaches of Scotland.
And on the 30th June 1993 the first landing by a Shorts 360 (G-BMAR) was made. This type was unpopular on the service and was replaced by the DHC Twin Otter type in 1994 operated by British Airways.
By 2011 the service operated into BARRA was covered in confusion as, according to various web-sites, both LoganAir and FlyBe were both also operating services. A bit of investigation seems to reveal that both these airlines were, and still are (?) selling tickets on the British Airways Twin Otter service. The FlyBe web-site was (is?) very misleading, giving the impression you will fly into BARRA in a Saab 340.
MORE PICTURES OF BARRA
Some years ago I contacted Barra Airport seeking some advice and they very kindly sent me a CD containing some great pictures taken by David Unsworth.
Also on this CD were pictures not attributed to a particular source. I will be very happy to remedy this.
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