Visiting Duxford by train

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

A few of us fancy a trip to Duxford museum. We'll travel by train from the north west of England, but can anyone recommend a nice pub to stay at (or a B&B/hotel within walking distance of such a pub), with good food and ale, in easy taxi distance from both Duxford and a rail station?

Looking for recommendations really for the place to stay, and its proximity to both a rail station and to Duxford (the closer to both the better).

[Allan Lupton]

Obvious, because of its location, is the Red Lion next to Whittlesford Station (perhaps renamed Whittlesford Parkway) some 1.6 miles from the main entrance to Duxford.
I've never stayed there and have only used it as the start venue for a motor rally and that some 25 years ago, but the advertisements speak highly of it.

[joy ride]

I do not know anywhere to stay, but the first time I visited Duxford was by train from London about 15 years ago and they had their own bus running throughout the day from the station to IWM. It is a fantastic place, SO much to see! Might be worth contacting the Museum for their recommendations, on both my visits I found the staff to be very pleasant, enthusiastic and helpful. The highlight for me on my 2nd visit was going into the Super VC 10, one I might have flown on as a boy.

[mustafagander]

Very easy. Just check the appropriate train and Cambridge bus timetables. The bus you want leaves from the station and drops off in the car park adjacent to the front door of IWM Duxford.

I did it several times from Central London, always a good day wandering around aircraft and a chance to drool over the SR71!!!

As for the VC10 there, claimed to be a Super (VC15), I have my doubts - the VC15 had four reversers and the VC10 two. I think the one on exhibit has two.

[Guest 112233]

If coming from London and getting off at Cambridge station - Its the No 7 - Out the Station Door and turn left without crossing the road.

CAT III

[Alan Baker]

What pray is a "VC15"? The Duxford Super VC10 is G-ASGC, an Ex BOAC/British Airways V.1151. Although the Standard VC10 initially had four thrust reversers, buffeting problems resulted in the inner pair being removed. The Super too initially had four reversers and entered service with BOAC in this form, but again, the inner pair were subsequently removed. All in service VC10s finished up with just the outer engine reversers.

[DaveReidUK]

What pray is a "VC15"?ATC designator for the Super VC10, presumably to distinguish it from the Standard VC10.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Thanks guys. Just have to decide if it's do-able via Euston and Cambridge in a (long) day (we'll be doing it in spring), or stay over night for a more relaxed outing.

[mustafagander]

Alan, VC15 is what Vickers called their bigger, better VC10, alias Super VC10. At least that's what it says on my maintenance authority.

I'd gone flying and out of the line station world before the VC15 lost its inner reversers, so live and learn - thanks for the info.

SSD trust me, it's easily doable in a day from central London - I did it many times on crew slips in London.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

SSD trust me, it's easily doable in a day from central London - I did it many times on crew slips in London.

Yes, I have been many times before, mostly flying in and once by car. Flying isn't an option for our larger group and it's an awful car journey. We have a 2-hour journey each way to and from Euston on top of the journey from Euston to Duxford and back, so it's do-able in a (long!) day.

[spekesoftly]

SSD trust me, it's easily doable in a day from central London ..... But SSD says he is travelling from the North West, via Euston and Cambridge. Probably 3 - 4hrs travelling each way door to door, so I suggest a night stop. Some years ago I visited Duxford travelling from Cheshire and back in a day, but I would have liked more time to look round.

(sorry SSD, didn't see your latest before I posted!)

[Capetonian]

I looked at doing this journey from Chester last year, and although it didn't go ahead, we concluded that the best way was to get a train to somewhere on the mainline into Euston (Milton Keynes, Bletchley, or Leighton Buzzard) rather than going into and then out of London), and then a taxi or local bus.

[WHBM]

What pray is a "VC15"?
Is that a slight typo for "VC1S", ie Super VC10 in 4 characters. The 3 character IATA designator for it was VCX.

[Loki]

ICAO type designator was VC15

[DaveReidUK]

ICAO type designator was VC15

See post #7. :ugh:

[Warmtoast]

SSD

As someone who plans a variety of journeys by public transport I suggest you look at the route planning site here, buses, trains the lot.

Plan a Journey - traveline - English (http://www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk/se/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&timeOffset=15)

[Loki]

DaveReidUK

Yes, fair enough.....I suppose the point I was trying to make was that it isn't an "ATC" designator as such, but an ICAO one (Though therefore used by ATC)

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

As someone who plans a variety of journeys by public transport I suggest you look at the route planning site here, buses, trains the lot.

Plan a Journey - traveline - English

Crikey! I tried a journey from Wilmslow to Duxford, and that site first said "walk for 33 minutes to Styal station, and get a Northern Rail train to crewe"!

At that point I ditched it. Styal is 1.5 miles north of Wilmslow on a line with very few services (of which 2 a day stop at Styal I think!). Such a train's next stop would be... Wilmslow! Then all stations to Crewe, and a change there to a Virgin train to Euston. It's arrival at Duxford is almost 14:00 from an 07:00 start. Using Nation Rail website I can be in Whittlesford by 10:40!

The site doesn't seem to know that there is an hourly service from Wilmslow by Virgin each way direct to Euston (with just one stop at Crewe) which takes 1 hour 47 minutes!

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's not a site I'll be using anytime soon!

[RedhillPhil]

As a regular user of both Traveline and NationalRail I have discovered that Traveline is very much geared to-wards buses.

[bigal1941]

Try the Train Line, it is routing you via Wilmslow ,Nuneaton, Cambridge, on Virgin and x Country, total journey time of 4hours, might be quicker via London, Have Fun Alan

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Yes, Virgin to London is the way to go. It has the advantage that the old git's railcard gets you off-peak fares on peak time trains with Virgin, as well as 1/3 off, so you can do an early start cheaply.

[DHfan]

There is a train that runs cross country from Liverpool to Norwich and stops at Ely which is 15 minutes by train from Cambridge. I'm fairly sure you'd need to change again then for Whittlesford Station. As it's cross country then local trains if you can get a reasonably fast run into London it's probably quicker but it could be worth a look.

The Red Lion now has a Holiday Inn Express in the car park. We always used the pub after visiting Duxford until it closed to build the hotel. We called once afterwards and thought the beer prices to be astronomical so never went back. Living in the midlands we get used to being shocked by prices when we head south but this was eye-watering.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Ah yes, East Midland Trains via Stockport, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Peterborough. Know it well! Nice run through the Hope Valley in the Peak, a bit industrial to the ECML, then a sprint down the ECML to Peterborough, then turn left over the fens to Ely and on to Norwich.

Virgin via London is quicker. Probably cheaper, too.

[SteveRF486]

If you decide to do it in one day, your quickest option after arrival at Euston is probably to go from Kings Cross to Royston (45 mins on the fast train, an hour on the slow) and take a taxi from there, rather than continuing on to Cambridge and coming back out. Alternatively, trains go direct from Liverpool St to Whittlesford Parkway (an hour fast, 72 mins slow) but the transfer across London is longer than the Kings Cross option and there is no taxi rank at Whittlesford so you'd need to pre-book a cab if you went that way.

Should you decide on the overnight option, the John Barleycorn, a Cask Marque pub with rooms and reputedly good food in Duxford village, looks attractive but I've no personal experience.

Incidentally, it looks like the number 7 bus from Cambridge no longer serves IWM Duxford which now only has an infrequent bus (the 132) on Sundays.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Thanks guys. It's amazing that a major attraction such as Duxford Museum isn't served by a regular bus service.

[Wander00]

SSD - I have just been searching the Duxford web site and I was amazed to make the same discovery. To quite VM - "I don't believe it!"

[JEM60]

American friends of mine come every year for Flying Legends, and stay in the John Barleycorn. I have eaten there with them on several occasions. Excellent food at reasonable prices.
I presume that the regular bus service was dropped through lack of demand. I never did see many people getting on or off it on a normal day.

[treadigraph]

Shaggy, if you are staying overnight in the Duxford Area, The Queens Arms at Newton used to be well worth a visit for a pint or two and probably still is, though it's a couple of miles from the airfield and the Red Lion.

[DHfan]

The Queens Arms is still excellent, it's where we go now instead of the Red Lion, but I don't think it's likely to be feasible by public transport.

[joy ride]

I have to admit that when I took the Duxford bus there were only a couple of others on it and I thought they would be better off running a mini bus or London Taxi, but I suppose on Summer weekends and Special days it would have been busier.

[crisso]

Having read all of the above train complications in and out of London - frankly, for a journey from Wilmslow to Duxford, I would simply jump in the car - leave at dawn and-or on a Sunday morning, to drive via the M6 and then M6 Toll road, stopping at the 'exclusive' service area (Norton Canes) for a break. Then, continue on to the junction with the M1 but, take the A14 which eventually reaches the top end of the M11 and reach the museum at Junction 10. (Dual carriageway/Motorway all of the way)

I did roughly the reverse journey from Brentwood Essex to Manchester Airport by this route early one September Sunday morning in my Porsche, which admittedly helped keep the timing down to approx 4 hours, including a short coffee stop at the above mentioned services.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Thanks crisso but none of us fancy joining the M6 car park for several hours (a very real possibility). I had enough of that before I retired, leaving home at silly o-clock for early meetings down south. Left all that behind now, thankfully, and no wish to go back.

We do enjoy train journeys, however. :ok:

[Nopax,thanx]

Let me know when you're planning to make your trip, SSD; I'll give you the personal tour of our collection in Hangar 2.

Assuming that you like Spitfires and the like, that is.....:)

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Thanks Nopax, wilco. It won't be until spring at the earliest. Spitfires? Can't stand 'em (not!).

[RedhillPhil]

Having read all of the above train complications in and out of London - frankly, for a journey from Wilmslow to Duxford, I would simply jump in the car - leave at dawn and-or on a Sunday morning, to drive via the M6 and then M6 Toll road, stopping at the 'exclusive' service area (Norton Canes) for a break. Then, continue on to the junction with the M1 but, take the A14 which eventually reaches the top end of the M11 and reach the museum at Junction 10. (Dual carriageway/Motorway all of the way)

I did roughly the reverse journey from Brentwood Essex to Manchester Airport by this route early one September Sunday morning in my Porsche, which admittedly helped keep the timing down to approx 4 hours, including a short coffee stop at the above mentioned services.


Which is fine until you encounter one of the regular pile-ups on the M6 (every day the travel totty on Radio 2 mentions an M6 hold-up - usually around or between J18 - 15) or find that a lorry has gone walkabout on the two lane A14/M11. Then after tramping around oohing and aaahing at Duxford all day it's the drive back, by now in the late afternoon/evening peak (shudder!).

[greybeard]

Many years ago there was a bus from Victoria that made a stop each way at Duxford, gave you 5-6 hours there.

Used it to take a ride in the "Grace" Spitfire, never forgotten, a blast of fun.

:ok::ok:

[brokenlink]

If anyone is thinking of visiting Duxford in the next few days looks like the "Superhanger" next to the M11 will be off limits for a bit, just glad nobody got hurt.



BBC News - Duxford aircraft museum closed until further notice (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25574239)