Supersonic memories

By Adam Shaw

We asked for your stories about Concorde and they've been flooding in.

Many of you have flown on the aircraft - and most agree it was an experience never to be forgotten. But a surprising number actually worked on its construction, and told us some fascinating stories.

We've put a selection here and will be reporting on the programme on Concorde's history and its final flight over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks very much for all your comments - Concorde has certainly made an impact on many lives.

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Carol Price, Surrey - She had always loved watching the plane overhead, so was thrilled to fly on it to Lapland. She and her husband were welcomed by Father Christmas himself. "I savoured every moment," says Carol. "I had achieved one of my life's ambitions."

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Chris Woodhouse, Stroud - He was in the RAF at Brize Norton where the Concorde captains were trained in 1977. He managed to get a four-hour flight on the otherwise empty aircraft. "Above all I remember the flexibility of the body," he says. "The flight deck was tiny and not a square millimetre was wasted."

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Click here to read poet and Working Lunch viewer Mo Turner's specially composed ode to Concorde.

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Cheryl Prax, London - For a wedding surprise, new husband Bernard booked them a flight to New York in June 1989. They spent three days there then went on to Bermuda for the rest of their honeymoon. "As we were newlyweds, the captain invited us up into the cockpit," she recalls.

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Les Edwards, Cheshire - In 1978, Les visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, home of the second Concorde prototype. It was raining so much that after looking round the plane, they had to shelter under its wing. "The most expensive umbrella ever!" says Les.

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John Avison - He won a seat on the first public flight in a ballot. John was able to put his interest in noise pollution to the test, but finally gave Concorde the thumbs-up. "The hospitality was tremendous," he says. "It was a day to remember."

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Victor Tindall, Bradford - He worked for a sub-contractor on the production of turbine blades for Concorde's engines. In 1984, he was able to see them in action, when his wife surprised him with tickets for a flight on the aircraft. "I was delighted, having had some connection with the plane's manufacture," says Victor.

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Helen Pharaoh, Dorset - She and husband Gordon married in 1967, the year the Concorde prototype was rolled out. So, 25 years later, it made sense to celebrate their anniversary with a cruise to New York and a flight back. In fact, says Helen, the trip on Concorde was quicker than getting home from Heathrow!

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Andy Brown - Richard Brown from Hampshire tells us that his son Andy was a BAe apprentice and one of his jobs was to fit a toilet into a Concorde. "To his dismay, the assembly would not pass through the door," recalls Richard. "It had to be stripped down and remade in situ." Hardly flushed with success, but Andy went on to a successful career in motor racing.

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Anthony Clode, Kent - Anthony was among 100 people who went on the first "transatlantic daytrip" in June 1977. They had four hours' sightseeing in Washington DC before returning home. The whole journey lasted just 13 hours and was followed by a party to celebrate the supersonic adventure.

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Chris Powell, Chipping Sodbury - Chris was involved in testing Concorde to its limits, which created negative gravity. On a typical flight round the Bay of Biscay, the odd item would float about. But in May 1974, the chemical toilet came unglued and emptied its contents everywhere. "Fortunately nobody had availed himself since the last service," recalls Chris.

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David Bernstein, Buckinghamshire - He had a surprise trip for a BBC pilot show called Dreamworld. After his wife Mae had danced on the wing with chef Ainsley Harriott, they set off for New York, spending time in the cockpit. "The programme never went out but we did not care," says David.

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Gladys Chitty, Porthcawl - From 1957 to 1972, Gladys worked on engraving aircraft panels. Some of her work involved engraving the cockpit panels for Concorde - she used to sit in the cockpit before it was fitted into the plane. "Even though I have worked on many aircraft," remembers Gladys, "the great feat of engineering years before her time has always amazed me."

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Terry and Bernadette Keenan, Oldham - They saved for five years so they could celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on Concorde, and it was worth every penny. "We were treated like royalty with what felt like our own personal butler," they say. And they were given a bottle of champagne which they still have.

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Adrian Dolan, Berkshire - Adrian is an air traffic controller at Heathrow and says he has cleared Concorde for take-off many times. "Even now, all the staff in the tower pause for a brief moment when it takes off," he says. He took this picture just before it left for New York.

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John Caton, Surrey - John worked on Concorde throughout the 1970s, in particular on the front and rear fuselage, fin and rudder. He and a friend have managed to get on one of the last flights and will be heading for New York in October.

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David Winterbottom - He won a competition in 1978 when he was an air cadet and flew to Bahrain. The route then was operated in conjunction with Singapore Airlines, and the tailfins were painted in the colours of both airlines. David's souvenirs included the flight plans - and he's since qualified as a pilot himself!

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Robin Townend, Norfolk - Robin worked in New York in the 1990s and flew on both BA and Air France Concordes. They're both special, he says, but the food was better on Air France and the drinks better on BA. Also, BA's luggage collection was more efficient.

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Michael Trippick, Bristol - He and his wife saved up for a wedding anniversary treat, returning from Barbados on Concorde. During the trip, they were invited into the cockpit. "Concorde is a truly amazing feat of engineering and a thing of absolute beauty," says Michael. "I for one will be very sorry to see it go."

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Rosemary Burke, Lancashire - Her dream came true at the end of a 60th birthday trip to New York. At the airport her husband handed her the tickets. "I nearly collapsed with shock to discover we were travelling back on Concorde," she says. "Everything about that day will remain with me for ever."

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