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Visiting Duxford by train

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Old 4th Dec 2013, 21:34
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Visiting Duxford by train

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).
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Old 4th Dec 2013, 22:55
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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.
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Old 5th Dec 2013, 07:43
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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.
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Old 5th Dec 2013, 08:21
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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.
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Old 5th Dec 2013, 10:21
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Buses Cambridge to Duxford

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
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Old 5th Dec 2013, 11:00
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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.
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Old 5th Dec 2013, 11:08
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What pray is a "VC15"?
ATC designator for the Super VC10, presumably to distinguish it from the Standard VC10.
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Old 5th Dec 2013, 12:57
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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.
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 08:31
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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.
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 09:11
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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.
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 09:19
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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!)
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 10:06
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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.
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 13:17
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Originally Posted by Alan Baker
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.
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 14:28
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ICAO type designator was VC15
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 16:03
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ICAO type designator was VC15
See post #7.
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Old 6th Dec 2013, 19:23
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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
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Old 7th Dec 2013, 09:04
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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)
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Old 7th Dec 2013, 18:09
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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!
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Old 7th Dec 2013, 22:51
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As a regular user of both Traveline and NationalRail I have discovered that Traveline is very much geared to-wards buses.
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Old 8th Dec 2013, 09:10
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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
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