Filton To Close.
Joined: May 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 27,394
Likes: 856
From: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
The last flight I had at Filton was a flypast in the RAF's last VC10K2 on its way to the scrapyard at St Athan. The purpose being to honour the memory of Brian Trubshaw who had passed away a few days earlier.
My first flight at Lulsgate was in 1962 - my first ever flight! A family friend flew us in a brand new Piper Caribbean for an hour around Somerset...I was hooked!
Road access to Lulsgate is diabolical and the runway is still too short for large, intercontinental airliners - I recall when it was extended 'for the Viscount' in 1963. The A38 was rerouted, but even so, the RW is only just over 2000m in length with a displaced threshold on RW27, some 20% shorter than Filton, which is also 400 ft lower, has excellent road connections and the potential for direct rail connection.
Nope, Lulsgate was the wrong decision; Bristol should have moved from to Lulsgate to Filton when the limitations of Lousy Bottom became all too obvious. But it used to be fun for a little lad in short trousers to watch the comings and goings from the viewing area on what we called the 'new' terminal - the exciting new Aer Lingus Fokker Friendship being particularly memorable, shortly after the airport opened.
My first flight at Lulsgate was in 1962 - my first ever flight! A family friend flew us in a brand new Piper Caribbean for an hour around Somerset...I was hooked!
Road access to Lulsgate is diabolical and the runway is still too short for large, intercontinental airliners - I recall when it was extended 'for the Viscount' in 1963. The A38 was rerouted, but even so, the RW is only just over 2000m in length with a displaced threshold on RW27, some 20% shorter than Filton, which is also 400 ft lower, has excellent road connections and the potential for direct rail connection.
Nope, Lulsgate was the wrong decision; Bristol should have moved from to Lulsgate to Filton when the limitations of Lousy Bottom became all too obvious. But it used to be fun for a little lad in short trousers to watch the comings and goings from the viewing area on what we called the 'new' terminal - the exciting new Aer Lingus Fokker Friendship being particularly memorable, shortly after the airport opened.
Last edited by BEagle; 19th January 2013 at 08:01.
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,088
Likes: 7
From: England
Can anyone tell me about this building on the A38? Was it the HQ of the Bristol Aeroplane Company?
https://goo.gl/maps/vncvp
https://goo.gl/maps/vncvp
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 457
Likes: 2
From: Down a Tin mine......
That's Pegasus house, which was not the original HQ of the Bristol aeroplane company as that's the grade one listed building on the other side of Pegasus house, behind the set of gates. Pegasus house was built in the 1920's / 1930's and became the HQ / drawing office of the Bristol Aeroplane company. The building is itself grade 2 listed I believe as it has many Art Deco / Art Nuvelle features including a fantastic stain glass window which runs the full height of the building by the main stair case. The directors offices and boardroom also feature wood paneling and a mix of 1950's / 1960's office architecture with appropriate decoration and bright colour schemes !. The building was latterly used as storage for numerous company documents and office furniture.
Hope this helps
Best regards
W.G
Hope this helps
Best regards
W.G
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,088
Likes: 7
From: England
Joined: Sep 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
Posts: 574
Likes: 178
From: Northampton, England
Road access to Lulsgate is diabolical and the runway is still too short for large, intercontinental airliners - I recall when it was extended 'for the Viscount' in 1963. The A38 was rerouted, but even so, the RW is only just over 2000m in length with a displaced threshold on RW27, some 20% shorter than Filton, which is also 400 ft lower, has excellent road connections and the potential for direct rail connection.
