The Evening Chronicle carried its fair share of gloomy headlines in the early 1980s - an era marked in the North East by economic decline, business closures and an ever-lengthening dole queue.
But this weekend 40 years ago, the region had a definite buzz in the air. At St James' Park, football superstar Kevin Keegan made his triumphant debut for Newcastle United, scoring the only goal of the game in front of a delirious 36,000 sell-out crowd. Meanwhile, just up the road at Newcastle Airport, huge crowds watched supersonic aircraft Concorde spectacularly swoop in for a two-day visit - its first ever to the region.
'Let The Good Times Roll,' was the Chronicle's page one headline on a blazing hot Saturday, August 28, as we covered both upbeat stories. As many as 50,000 people, we reported, were expected to flock to the airport to "witness the unique sight of the sleek 'living legend' standing on the tarmac".
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It would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for 300 passengers flying between Heathrow and Newcastle and out over the North Sea at twice the speed of sound. The ultra-stylish aircraft first took to the skies in 1969 and the name ‘Concorde’ reflected the agreement between the UK and France who jointly developed the plane in a £1 billion project.
The aircraft entered service with British Airways in January 1976. Only 20 were built, and passengers could fly in the lap of luxury from both London and Paris across the Atlantic to New York and Washington - and other far-flung destinations - in less than half the time a regular airliner would take.
Our special feature explained how the aviation marvel cruised at a height between 50,000 feet and 60,000 feet, effectively 20,000 feet above the regular heavily congested air traffic lanes. Just 40 seconds after take-off, Concorde would be flying at 300mph, before accelerating through the speed of sound, finally reaching a speed of 1,350mph - "faster than a bullet shot from a high-powered rifle".
Once on board, passengers could enjoy "vintage wines, fine aperitifs, liqueurs, and a selection of the finest champagnes, served in glasses on a silver platter", while those using the aircraft's loos at 50,000 feet could freshen up with a choice of eau de colognes.
At Newcastle Airport 40 years ago, public viewing areas were filled to capacity and staff struggled to get holiday passengers to their flights on time. There were gasps as Concorde took off, made a low swoop over the city, then headed out to sea where it would fly at twice the speed of sound. The spectacle was a huge success and during the 1980s, the aircraft's visits to Newcastle became an annual fixture, with the Chronicle running popular competitions giving readers the chance to experience short flights
The iconic plane was finally retired in November 2003 as passenger demand fell after an air disaster in 2000 claimed over 100 lives, and the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 made travellers nervous. A symbol of the age, those who flew on Concorde, or who witnessed the magnificent plane’s visits to Newcastle will never forget it.
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