F4u Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Hi Bentwaters, Nice set of images there brought back some memories ( in the good old days of aviation ) ! Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancient mariner Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 .........course, we had it tough! (In a broad Yorkshire accent) This is real reason why I don't go anymore....... Good grief Bentwaters,I thought most of those pics were mine.................................(.fade to black with silly smile on face ) We certainly did have it tough,nothing to eat all day but spare ribs,hamburgers and Budwieser all with the background smell of JP4. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 There's more where they came from. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancient mariner Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 In case Im accused of a thread hijack I better mention that I wont be going to Duxford this ,but not because of the price http://s379.photobucket.com/user/Bowlax/library/Airshow%20vault 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4u Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I see Sywell has cancelled not that I know it has anything to do with the rise in charges. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 If the DoT/Highways Agency/Whatever had listened to the locals at 'consultation' time, the M11 would have taken a slightly different route equidistant between the three villages. DX would not have had a lump taken off the runway, and there would be less queuing on the M11, as the A505 would have absorbed more traffic. Now, 35 years on, it presents a 'traffic/congestion problem' so we have to pay for parking. I don't suppose they want to sell the 'overflow' field off for housing by any chance? IWM stands for I Want More! I believe that there are moves for light industrial use of the overflow field. As an ex-local I well remember the 'consultation' exercise. It was a disgrace because the alternative route went a bit nearer some very wealthy people, it was not even mentioned during the presentation I was at. BOT Duxford seems to be favouring visitors from London who, presumably, have a rather different perspective on cost than many of us. The traffic arrangements seem to support this. Back in the Mildenhall Airshow days I think they had to be reasonable now not so much. I vote with my feet and do one UK Airshow a year and head over the water for a couple of others, see different things and pay not much more. You pays your money and takes your choice. Football matches are a lot cheaper than Airshows for Season Ticket holders, even when you have to pay part cost for some competition matches. Concerts tend to be ridiculous if you want to see Fleetwood Mac (£130 last year) or cheap to see a local band and have a great time. Final nail for me was the Spitfire show a few years back. Charged enough to get in then all you could see were the rear ends of the planes about a hundred feet away unless you coughed up again. Took the nephews to Cosford last year, train stop virtually at the gates and a much better event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dambuster Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 (edited) Way back 'when I were a lad' there were loads of airshows* during the year, so that it was unlikely that any one show became limited by capacity or significant traffic problems. Gradually, as the number of quality venues has decreased, the result has been a concentration of airshow-attending public (I exclude the spotter community as they woukd inevitably go to as many venues as possible during the year) at a smaller and smaller number of shows - RIAT, Duxford, (Waddington), Farnborough (?), Yeovilton - with an exponential increase in traffic and parking problems. Coupled with the added 'safety' requirements I really don't see these events as being 'fun' anymore. Nostalgia alert: in the last 40 years these come to mind: Abingdon, Leuchars, Mildenhall, Alconbury, Waddington, Coningsby, Cosford, Honington, Upper Heyford, Marham, Valley, Culdrose, St Mawgan, Greenham Common, Fairford pre-RIAT, Binbrook, Coventry, Church Fenton, Staverton, Finningley, Brize Norton, Biggin Hill, Woodford (and before that Halfpenny Green, Gaydon, Little Rissington, Shuttleworth) plus spotting trips to Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, - try hanging around some of these places today.... Peter Edited February 9, 2016 by dambuster 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggy4624 Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) Remember North Weald served by the Central Line? What a good idea that was. Now all the RAF BoB at home days are gone - the RAF no longer want to promote the service any more as they figure as it is now a tiny fragment of what it was it can surely get enough recruits. From what I have seen in reports about some European shows, they are better served by the RAF than RIAT was that year. Maybe it's like Wheres Waldo, where you have to spot the aircraft among the bouncy castles and double glazing show tents. Value for money became an issue a long time ago. I have been to about 2 Duxford shows a year for the last 10 years and it has become time to call a halt. The whole thing comes to just over €400 a trip with cars, hotac flights and all. Best to spend the money one good European trip and just remember the good old days before they killed the fun for profit. When enthusiasts will not go there is only a bleak future ahead. Before TAHS closed, I was told that they wouldn't go to RIAT because of the absurd price of setting up for the weekend. Edited February 10, 2016 by oggy4624 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Antics, MFS and Wonderland are regulars at RIAT and they get a fair wedge off me because they usually have such fantastic deals over the weekend. Whilst I'm old enough to remember some of those 'golden days' I'm not going to get wistful for them. They've gone. Also the RAF put these local days as a publicity thing/open day - most airshows are commercial ventures these days have to make money and those who don't close down either temporarily or permanently. My local air day at Kemble, the Cotswold Air Show folded because of poor weather and apathy from punters. It was £25 to get in and that got you a 3.5hr flying display plus all the arrivals. The numbers were never massive though especially when the weather forecast was poor. Similarly the Great British Fly-In was held there for 2 years and was blighted by weather both times - plus paying visitor numbers were sparse. A great shame but a fact of life. Kemble wanted to make these events pay and the inevitable consequence of their failure is the possibility that it will cease to be an airfield in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagey Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Albeback52 - don't know if you have looked into the cost of flying to Stansted and getting the train from Stansted to Cambridge as an alternative to getting th train from Edinburgh? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 IWM Duxford costs £18 per adult WITHOUT an airshow, so exactly how is £29.50 for the May show expensive? Van 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 And Hendon, Cosford and IWM London (Charity) are FREE. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 And Hendon, Cosford and IWM London (Charity) are FREE. Took the nephews to that there London and the IWM. Explained about the donation and we decided (their suggestion they're quite clued up really) to go round and pay at the end. We all thought it was great and coughed up the recommended amount plus a bit. The staff were helpful and the facilities well thought out. Duxford didn't impress them nearly as much especially as the toilets were a long way apart. As I said above Cosford was great and, I think many others thought the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I went to Lambeth after it was revamped. I was so unimpressed I left after about an hour. Talk about PC, and they want us to contribute to another 'charity'? Good job they didn't charge £18 to get in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 And Hendon, Cosford and IWM London (Charity) are FREE. Your point being? IWM HMS Belfast charges £16.00 The thread is about the Duxford may 2016 prices being too high (for some). My point being the Airshow is only £11.50 on top of the museum price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 And my point is the museum should be free, as are the others. That makes it £29.50. Having seen Belfast when it was a new attraction, I shan't be going back there either. I bet they live off the back of their charitable status, and Cambridgeshire Council own the airfield, not IWM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) And my point is the museum should be free, as are the others. That makes it £29.50. Having seen Belfast when it was a new attraction, I shan't be going back there either. I bet they live off the back of their charitable status, and Cambridgeshire Council own the airfield, not IWM.why should it be free? Duxford is not wholly government funded. The money to run it needs to come from somewhere. Edited February 10, 2016 by Van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeback52 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Albeback52 - don't know if you have looked into the cost of flying to Stansted and getting the train from Stansted to Cambridge as an alternative to getting th train from Edinburgh? I had actually considered flying to Luton and taking the bus or train from there to Cambridge. Never occurred to me to use Stansted. Certainly look into it next time we go. This year however she and I decided to stay in York for two nights on the way back so, this time around, train is easier. However, thanks for the suggestion. Will look into this option for next years trip(s). Funny isn't it though that flying can be so much cheaper than the train?. Last time I went to RIAT, I flew to Bristol from Edinburgh and stayed with relatives. Return flights cost £66 each in total. Cheapest return rail fare (after trying several combinations of tickets) was £118 each! Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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