Gatwick Questions

[Skipness One Echo]

Is it possible to walk from the South Terminal round the Eastern Perimeter Road to the Charlwood Road and the Flight Tavern pub on the public roads? ( or even BAA roads that won't be a bother as they're non airside etc etc )

Thanks

[HeathrowAirport]

Skipness,

Past the BA Hangers? I tried to walk from south terminal that direction and got pulled up by police as far as the roundabout after the eastern perim road.

Regards,

[Skipness One Echo]

Yes that's my concern as there seems to be a little stretch of road there they don't like you on. Can anyone advise or can you catch a bus to the long term car parks on the fly?

What I am trying to do is maybe shoot some landers on 26L then wander round to shoot some of the departures later. I guess the Charlwood road is the best bet but how does one get from the Eastern Perimiter Road on foot to there. Is it possible?

[G SXTY]

Forget the eastern perimeter road west of the roundabout with the A23. There are big signs stating it’s for authorised personnel (i.e. staff) only, and expect to be pulled up by the police fairly quickly if you’re wandering around with a camera. Shame, as there are some great views from the road, but I guess you’ll just have to get a LGW pass. ;) In any case, there is no access to Charlwood Rd from there.

You could get to Charlwood Rd by walking along the perimeter road to the A23 roundabout (public access) then along the A23 verge to the next roundabout, but it would be quite a walk, especially with the current weather. Best of luck.

[primreamer]

After you've got some pics from the eastern perimeter road, go back up through the South Terminal to the public bus stop on the southbound carriageway of the A23. Catch a bus (you'll have to research routes and numbers) and take it a couple of stops to the Lowfield Heath roundabout. Jump off there, cross the road, go towards the Virgin Atlantic tech centre and eventually you will come to mini roundabout. Turn left and you are then on the Charlwood Road that runs parallel to the runway. 15-20 mins walk should see you to the Flight Tavern, then suitably refreshed, a further 15 mins to the end of 26L. Theres no pavements so it'll be a bit muddy this time of year. The police and BAA security do patrol along there but its a public road so you shouldn't get hassled.

[InSeat19c]

@primreamer

I remember back in the day (mid-1980s) when you could park on the Charlwood Road opposite the pub and the entrace to the Amberley Fields caravan site and watch the planes from there as there were no trees or anything.

I remember the watching the trees and general undergrowth getting higher and higher. My Dad said it was a scam to force us into the terminal building and pay to go up onto the specators' gallery.

I guess it was a security thing, but it was such a shame when you could only hear the planes rumble past and not actually see them.

Do they still have the spectators' gallery at Gatwick ?

[primreamer]

The spectators terrace at LGW doesn't exist anymore. The platform itself is still there but as the surrounding terminal building was re-developed and extended the view became more and more restricted and was closed down by the BAA.
Out of interest, does anyone know where the Comet nose section that resdided on the terrace ended up?
There isn't a view from The Flight Tavern beer garden anymore either. The trees and undergrowth have grown to the extent that everything is obscured. In the summer, if you're outside having a pint, you can now at least hold a conversation. In the late eighties when I first visited, any talking was punctuated by 1-11's, 727's, 707's and 737-200's taking off.

[InSeat19c]

Thanks for the information, shame the the spectators' gallery has gone.

I agree that the trees and undergrowth on the Charlwood Road must make it quieter for those nearby, but still a shame if you're passing and want to stop and watch for a while.

[Out Of Trim]

The Comet Nose - now on display at Ex RAF Sharjah - Museum UAE.

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc39/apollo-fox/sharjahcometSept2006018.jpg