Heathrow baggage carousels among items put up for auction

Memorabilia from London airport’s infamous ‘circle of hell’ departure area on sale

A baggage carousel from Heathrow Terminal One that will go up for auction on April 21st.
A baggage carousel from Heathrow Terminal One that will go up for auction on April 21st.

Aviation buffs here who fancy recreating the so-called “circle of hell” at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal One will get an opportunity to purchase items from the infamous departure area on April 21st.

These include Aer Lingus signs, baggage carousels, signage directing punters to tube stops and boarding gates, an array of worn-looking seats with an uninviting colour palette and unusual looking wall art shaped to fit the curved corrugated metal interior of the airport.

Millions of weary Irish travellers were accommodated in the former Terminal One departure area, which played host to Aer Lingus flights up until July 2014 after which the lengthy walk through the so-called vacuum tube ceased with flights in and out of Ireland now routed to the more salubrious environs of Terminal Three.

The auction will allow passengers recreate the terrible airport experience if they’re willing to shell out for security posts, border control stands and large black circular doors that prevented passengers from returning to the best restaurant facilities that it had to offer.

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Irish travellers, especially those of the long-haul variety, are unlikely to remember the terminal with fondness but they can recall their time spent there with large vintage clocks, tubular metal light fixtures and sizeable information boards that would light up any home.

While punters hoping to pick up signs for Wetherspoon Express will be disappointed, large Terminal One branding, a British Airways boarding gate and directions to the toilets can all be bought at the auction, which will take place at the Thistle London Heathrow Hotel.

Indeed, if you want to prepare yourself for Brexit, you can get yourself a complete set of UK border signs and hoarding.

Viewing for the lots will take place on April 20th and the morning of the sale, which will be webcast live.

Peter Hamilton

Peter Hamilton

Peter Hamilton is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in business