Lancashire Aircraft Corporation operated this DH Express between May 1951 and 1957. The 1934-built four-engined biplane carried up to 16 passengers and I flew for 10 minutes this day around the famous Pleasure Beach tower and back again. This was the last extant DH.86 and was lost in an incident at Madrid Barajas on 21 September 1958.

Thorne Aviation was a small charter operator based at Squires Gate between May 1947 and summer 1949. They used this Autocrat on pleasure flights and other activities for most of that period. The Lancashire Aircraft Corporation hangars are in the background, now used by Westair and others.

The aircraft had been acquired from Eastern Airways and still carries their livery with Air Atlantique titles

This is a rare shot of this aircraft carrying Air Atlantique titles. It had previously been operated by Martin-Baker (the ejection seat company) and the aircraft was later broken up at Coventry. Photograph is from a 120 Kodacolor negative, Mamiya 645 and standard lens. Scanned with Canon 9950F.

One of my earliest colour slides which has really deteriorated badly. The photo was taken using an Agfa Iso Rapid compact camera.

Taken on an Agfa ISO rapide compact and scanned from the 24 x 24 mm transparency