FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0010.PDF
IO FLIGHT LONDON ROTOR-STATION DESIGN Proposed Layout for a Charing Cross Station Site IN May, 1951, Mr. Norman Dodds, M.P., submitted to the House of Commons a pro posal for a "helidrome" situated over the Southern Region railway station at Charing Cross, London. To meet the requirements of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the original arrangement has been modified, and was sub mitted to the Minister on December 18th last. Two runways, each 300ft by 150ft, are in cluded as sides of a 300ft square, so complying with requirements of the Inter-Departmental Helicopter Committee. Helicopters can thus land and take-off at the same time without inter ference. The main alighting platform is made of reinforced white concrete slab and armoured glass, and is supported at a height of about 98ft by reinforced concrete columns spanning the railway and surrounding roads. At the north end of the structure is a nine-storey building, housing suitable passenger handling and office accom modation. Beneath the runways is a lower plat form containing hangars and workshops to which helicopters can be brought by lifts for servicing. This is at variance with the ideas of B.E.A. ; they visualize no maintenance, overhaul or even refuelling, facilities at a city-centre "bus-station." Mr. Dodds has put forward this ambitious scheme be cause, as he says, he is concerned at the lack of real progress being made in this field, and feels that his suggestion provides a useful basis for discussion. A great advantage of the elevated landing platform is the significant reduction in the noise heard at ground level; the landing platform is intended to be acoustically insulated and should form a reflector which would be particularly effective during the critical period afte/ take-off, when the noise level is highest. The actual design work has been carried out by Asian and Freeman, chartered architects and town-planners. In their opinion, the proposed South Bank rotor station would restrict the development of the surrounding area, and would also— unless mounted on an elevated platform—introduce severe noise problems; they also regard the suggested use of the roof of Waterloo station with disfavour, since this site is inland in a densely-populated area. The Charing Cross site has excellent unobstructed approaches [from the river. Futuristic, and yet strictly functional, the proposed helicopter station is unlike any other of man's structures. Presumably wind-tunnel model testing would be used to determine airflow in the landing area and aerodynamic stress within the structure. Regarding the original proposal of May, 1951, the Ministry of Civil Aviation commented that there might be objections from the Railway Executive on the ground of safety, and from neighbouring premises in the "overshadowed" area. Again, since this was to be a permanent structure, difficulties might arise when the proposed abolition of Charing Cross Station was carried out. On the other hand, there was no doubt that a suitable international helicopter station could be built on this site within 18 months for an outlay of between £4,000,000 and £6,000,000. Elevated "helidromes" have been mooted for over twenty years past. But this project, unlike those that have gone before, may actually be built. The conception appears to embody many desirable features, and the site looks as good as any other. We believe that the time is now ripe for such a structure to be built; enough has been learnt of helicopter operations to enable detailed plans to be made and it will have to be done before long. POSSIBLE EXTENSION — 400ft-Oia This plan diagram shows the alighting and take-off area only. An opposite pair of quadrants is chosen, according to wind direction, to permit landing and taking off to proceed independently. The plat form is floored with armoured glass panels to provide illumination in the workshops below. If the growth of traffic justifies such a measure, it is intended to extend the platform area some 140 yd further to the right, between the main office-blocks and above Charing Cross Station itself.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
