DaveB wrote:If you've ever done RIAT.. Yeovilton ranks a very close second as far as vehicle congestion is concerned ;-)
I can't make it to Yeovilton (the Somerset one) as I'm working, but I'm definitely going to RIAT next week.
I know this isn't a RIAT post but I'll forget what I was going to say if I don't say it now :roll:
If you want to go to RIAT but are put off by the traffic queues, consider the express shuttle bus from Swindon bus station. It's only a couple of minutes walk from the train station where there is a huge commuter car park which is empty at weekends. So you can drive or train or bus to Swindon. There is a whole fleet of ancient double deckers (for the closet bus-spotters) and they are usually queuing up waiting to be filled. They run on a special route that is closed to normal traffic so there are no delays and you are dropped off at the main entrance. There are always buses waiting at the entrance when you want to leave. It is £5 return and they run from 0700 to 1930. I've done this for three years and it's as easy as pie! If you buy your entrance ticket from the guys at the bus station I think they throw the bus fare in for nothing. They did last year, anyway.
The RIAT website says their fingers are crossed for the Vulcan to make a 'flying' visit. Same question marks as at Waddington, obviously!
Yeovilton is indeed the Somerset one! The car parks are already being set up, well they've put some signs at the entrances to a number of fields I run past....
Culdrose isn't actually that bad to get out of compared to any other day during the Summer in Cornwall, my parents live at the Lizard 10 miles South of CU and it's taken me three hours to get out of Cornwall at times, vice one and a half to Exeter in Winter!
I would suggest meeting up at Yeovilton but I don't actually know what I'm doing for the show yet (there's a danger I may be put in the VIP enclosure to talk to people!) and it's effectively a working day for me, more so as apparently I have to turn to at 0700. I'm not normally up by then :-(
I think you arer getting Yeovilton & Culdrose mixed up.
Too darned right I am!! What's more.. I've never done a Yeovilton Air Day (though I make up for this by visiting the museum every time I'm in that neck of the woods) Jeeze.. I scare myself sometimes!!
Tks for pointing that out Steve. :brick: :doho:
Not sure what access to Yeovilton will be like on an Air Day to be honest. That main road can be a pig at the best of times
;-)
Interesting snippet for RIAT there Ian. I went once by car and that was enough. Go on the bike now and ride past the traffic ;-)
Well, we had our RIAT tickets in advance, and we were delayed about 30 minutes getting the last couple of miles, apparently as the debit card system had failed or something, so it was delaying the gate-payers
A lazy amble after the show to watch some departures, and a coffee, we were straight out with no delays.
In fact, I would say that traffic to Fairford is a breeze compared to trying to take the car to Leuchars, where you basically sit in a permanent jam from Cupar!
I suppose it's your Donald at the end of the day mind you...
speedbird591 wrote:
Are you sure that was the Gloucestershire Fairford, Jim? Or did Dave give you directions ... ?
Ian
Indeedy! From Fifehead Magdalen, slirting Chippenham, past malmesbury and Kemble, and up to Cirencester for the final leg (IE avoiding Swindon and coming in from the north. Absolutely no traffic to speak of until we turned off the 419 for the last leg. :flying:
I've done the airfield from both main access routes and it's a complete tw@t. The Cirencester bypass.. what a joy. I pulled off there at 10pm and got into the show at 1310.. not bad going for 6 miles :@ Where I live now, I can throw bricks at the A417 so I ride up that way. It's around 28-30miles and still takes me around 50-55mins on the bike. In the car.. well, unless I got up the day before.. it'd be a pointless gesture. I usually go on Saturday which I'm told is marginally worse than Sunday but I doubt there's a gnats testicle between the two :roll:
What's more.. I've never done a Yeovilton Air Day (though I make up for this by visiting the museum every time I'm in that neck of the woods) 
