Any idea what year?

That seems likely as this picture from the Monument shows the characteristic dormer windows in the foreground of the old picture but with an extra floor and roof added above. Link

EDIT: Can't get link to take. Try:

http://brandnewtricks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/London_panorama_top_monum...

(Any ideas what the neo-classical building with columns in the background is?)

Brilliant, Michael!

Even I can see it now.

All that effort in the building of it and it's gone forever!

Quite a strange feeling, I was there snapping, forty plus years on, negs from the loft, fiddled around with, processed into b&w, posted here, and...

Ta-daa!

Pentaxuser forum community, like the cavalry, to the rescue!

Absolutely love it!

Thanks to all, again, for a most interesting afternoon.

Roger.

Afraid not. At first I thought it might be the Bank of England or the Royal Exchange, but on closer inspection of a map, it must be (or was) closer the where the Gherkin stands today.

Here's the history of that aircraft link

It's last revenue flight for BOAC was November 24 1965, so that's the latest that picture was taken. The aircraft tail on the right of the image is a B707. The B707 was introduced by BOAC on 27 may 1960, so that's the earliest the picture could have been taken.

Great thread - nice to the level of help and knowledge

Thanks everyone for all the interest shown & your knowledge & expertise!

Roger.

Behind the Comet, we can clearly see the jet engine and tailplane from a Boeing 707, which makes it past 1957.

The Land-Rover in front of the Comet (headlights in the radiator grill rather than the wings) dates it to before '68 or '69. The plane in the distance behind is more likely a DC-4 or DC-6 (more likely), a DC-3 would be much shorter at that distance I think.

I organised a Coach trip to that same 'viewing platform' and Heathrow Airport about the same year -- early 1960's with Barking Photographic Society - I think I recognise one of the members leaning over in the background !!

It could also be a Vickers Viscount. The Viscount had a rounded tailplane as the one in the background. It can't be a DC-3. The DC-3 is a taildragger, which is not the case with that plane.

The Ford Cortina in the foreground was not produced until Sept.1962

The fourth car along in the parking lot, beyond the Anglia, is a Hillman Minx Series V (launched in the second half of 1963) or VI (1965). The two are hard to tell apart from a distance, but the VI had a tarted-up cabin and bigger engine (1725cc, rather than 1592). I don't suppose either of those details really helps...