ROYAL PLANE DELAYED

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27896, 18 February 1956, Page 9

ROYAL PLANE DELAYED

Fault In Engine At Tripoli

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) TRIPOLI, February 17. Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh were nearing home today after being held un for more than an hour at Idris airport, Tripoli, when an engine fault developed in the airliner carrying them back to London from their Nigerian tour. The Argonaut Atlanta, made a perfect landing after the six-and-a-half-hour flight from Kano, Northern Nigeria, where the Royal couple had spent the last few hours of their triumphant 19-day tour. After the aircraft had refuelled and was ready to take off for the last lap. the pilot found that a starter motor on the starboard outer engine was not working. The Queen and the Duke remained inside the Atlanta while the motor was c h an S e d. The airport was heavily guarded by Libyan police as the ground staff made the change in fast time. Then the four engines roared into life again and the airliner headed north-west on the 1500-mile journey to wintry Britain. When the aircraft reaches London Airport about 11 a.m. today—an hour later than scheduled—it will have covered 3000 miles from Kano, where the Queen received her brilliantly-robed subjects yesterday in a temperature of 98 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to the 6000-mile round trip by air to Nigeria, the Queen has travelled 2000 miles inside the vast colony—most of it by air. . Sir Anthony Eden, the Prime Minister, with other members of the Government, will be at the airport to wel-

come the Royal couple home. The Prime Minister was on his way to the United States when the Queen left A group of Nigerian students has made preparations to get to the airport “come rain, sleet or snow.” “They want to cheer the Queen in gratitude for her tour,” an official at Nigeria House said. “Manv of them nave had glowing accounts of the Royal visit by air mail from their relatives.”

After a brief rest at Windsor Castle, the Queen will be ready for London’s official welcome home—the traditional luncheon given by the Lord Mayor of London in honour of a returning monarch.

This luncheon and reception will be in the ancient Guildhall, in the City—the financial heart of the capital—next Wednesday. The last time the Queen was so honoured was in 1954 when she returned from her tour of Australia and New Zealand.