▁sl ab ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁run way ▁that ▁year . ▁December ▁ 1 9 5 3 : ▁Pass enger ▁traffic ▁reached ▁ 1 ▁million , ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 6 2 , 0 0 0 ▁fl ights ▁completed ▁over ▁the ▁year . ▁December ▁ 1 9 5 3 : ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁much ▁public ▁protest , ▁the ▁north ward ▁extension ▁plan ▁was ▁cancel led . ▁ 1 9 5 5 : ▁ ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁II ▁opened ▁the ▁first ▁permanent ▁passenger ▁terminal , ▁the ▁Europa ▁Building ▁( l ater ▁known ▁as ▁Terminal ▁ 2 ) ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Queens ▁Building . ▁These ▁terminal ▁buildings ▁stood ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁star ▁pattern ▁of ▁run ways ▁and ▁were ▁reached ▁by ▁a ▁tw in ▁access ▁tunnel ▁from ▁the ▁Bath ▁Road ▁( A 4 ) ▁passing ▁under ▁Run way ▁ 2 8 R / 1 0 L ▁. ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 5 : ▁A ▁new ▁ ▁control ▁tower ▁designed ▁by ▁Frederick ▁Gib ber d ▁opened ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁original ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁tower . ▁Late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s : ▁BE A ▁Hel ic op ters ▁ran ▁an ▁experimental ▁hel ic opter ▁service ▁to ▁He ath row ▁Central ▁from ▁London ' s ▁South ▁Bank ▁and ▁other ▁destin ations . ▁The ▁roof ▁gard ens ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁Queen ' s ▁Building ▁and ▁Europa ▁Terminal ▁were ▁very ▁popular ▁with ▁the ▁public , ▁and ▁above ▁the ▁tunnel ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁ground ▁en closure