BRANCH LECTURE e

SILVER CITY AIRWAYS

- THE FIRST 70 YEARS

PAUL ROSS CHAIRMAN, SILVER CITY ASSOCIATION

BRITISH AIRWAYS WATERSIDE / 08 MARCH 2018

LECTURE PROGRAMME

Silver City Airways was formed in 1946 by Ferryfield opened on 13th July 1954 as the the Zinc Corporation, a large principal base for Air operations. company based in the UK with its principal mines in . British Services The lecture will also look at Silver City’s (BAS) managed the on their behalf varied fleet, particularly their and an made the first involvement in the use and development of charter flight from to the Bristol 170 Freighter and Super- on 24 October 1946. Freighter, and some of the personalities connected with the company. The speaker This lecture will look at the origins of Silver will conclude with some thoughts about what City before reviewing its wide-ranging prompted Silver City’s demise as an activities over the following sixteen years independent airline - and what followed. until the company was absorbed into the British United Airways group in 1962. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Best remembered for its cross-channel Air Paul Ross is Chairman of the Silver City Ferry services, the company also operated Association which was formed by ex-Silver scheduled passenger flights and charters to City staff in the 1970s and which has over a wide variety of destinations in the UK and 250 ex-Silver City employees and others aboard – as well as providing specialist who were involved with its operations, aviation services through BAS. together with a growing band of Silver City enthusiasts. Silver City also built its own airfield at in the space of six months, the new Now retired, Paul had a long career working in public transport in London. A life-long aviation enthusiast, he is a Trustee of both the Airship Heritage Trust and the de Havilland Educational Trust. Having joined the Silver City Association as an Associate Member in 2002, Paul’s enthusiasm for the company and its history led to him being invited to act as Vice-Chairman. He became

Chairman on 1st January 2012.

VENUE: PROGRAMME: CPD certificates of attendance Waterside Theatre, 17:45 - Registration will be endorsed for CEng, IEng Waterside, 18:15 - Lecture start Harmondsworth UB7 0GA 20:00 - End or EngTech registration

Members & non-members are welcome! GET CONNECTED WITH RAeS LHR Search “RAeS Heathrow Branch”, on Registration: Contact: following channels Registration is required for security Dr Ana M Pedraz reasons, either online at tiny.cc/RAeSLHR Email: [email protected] or contact the Branch Secretary Tel: 07936 392799

tiny.cc/RAeSLHR