Changes at Old Warden

[DHfan]

We're staying in Penzance for the sixth time in ten years I think, and had been there a couple of times previously, so we know the area fairly well.
The cafe we knew was in the old terminal, quite close to the way out to the hardstanding. I suspect that must have been on one of our much earlier visits, 20 years or so ago. At a glance, the new terminal does seem a bit over the top for a small grass field, but as I said, it didn't look welcoming so we've never been in.

Ice cream no good for me, I don't like the stuff but my other half might have one. Newlyn to us is Lewis's fish 'n' chips or the Harbour Cafe, a fishermans' and locals' place. That's usually on our way to a pint or two in the Ship Inn in Mousehole.

[POBJOY]

Teapot

Originally Posted by FantomZorbin

PobJoy I'll second your comment on Geevor Tine Mine cafe

My 'unofficial' callsign when asking for the Lands End weather was 'Teapot', not wishing to place on the recording the not unusual poor weather situation that prevailed at times.
Radar Ron (ex Air India nav on Connies) would reply (I am not seeing the windsock Teapot ) which indicated a precision approach up the valley, followed by tea & buns at the Chocks Away cafe !!! (the cafe had been constructed in the said F eng workshop by one Brian Neely back in the wonderful days of Scillonia (Rapides) Airways and was actually opened by Elizabeth Taylor ) only Brian could have arranged that. Original Rapide 'ex BEA' came back a few years back for an anniversary event, a Dragon came back before that.

[treadigraph]

Cor, talk about thread drift!

Re Elizabeth Taylor and St Just, there was something recently about my brother bunking off school and being there when she opened the terminal - I think he found some film of the event on YouTube or something and wasn't quite in the shot but his fellow scholastic escapologist was.

Edit: ah, she was at Lands End to greet a polio sufferer who walked there from John O'Groats to raise money for a charity. 1969.

[POBJOY]

Chocks Away Cafe (St Just)

Originally Posted by treadigraph

Cor, talk about thread drift!

Re Elizabeth Taylor and St Just, there was something recently about my brother bunking off school and being there when she opened the terminal - I think he found some film of the event on YouTube or something and wasn't quite in the shot but his fellow scholastic escapologist was.

Brian (who had been on BEA Comets ) ran St Just rather like a rest home for BEA Pilots who were not overemployed at the time. In fact the operation was run by corporation types on leave or between rosters. Years later the odd chap (but now on Boeings) would call in to look over the place where he had once played with Rapides. The cafe 'pond' was the old inspection pit which in Brians day sometimes contained sea water with a lobster in situ. The approach aids were muti coloured telegraph poles on the approach which survived up to a few years ago. The main business was pleasure trips and flying shellfish to France. After Brians 'holiday' in the middle east all the equipment and Aircraft went to auction, and eventually Viv Bellamy arrived and started a flying club alongside the pleasure flying. Westward airways began charter ops to Scillies with Islander and C337 and later the the Steamship co took over with its first Islander (eventually 5) and then the Otters. A common theme during all this (and now) is the ability of the place to 'clamp' in minutes which can last for a couple of days at a time. (hence need for an excellent cafe)
No doubt opening the St Just cafe was Liz Taylors career high spot !!

[Dave Gittins]

The weather at St Just was certainly iffy when we were there in early June. The Twotters and Islanders were stuck for the day due to or vis. No flights until the next day. The aeroplanes were certainly close to the terminal.

I repeat the words of warning, if you visit the caff make sure your car reg is in the APNR machine to avoid a hefty penalty charge.

[Good Vibs]

Just curious for future planning....Where do you park now?
I looked at the sat photo of Shuttleworth and see no larger paved area to park.
The largest paved parking area I can see is the one I've always used before which is just off Hill Lane outside the old entrance and cafe.
Thanks

[VictorGolf]

I was there last week and we parked in the grass paddock to the left of the hangars as you come in from the new road.

[kration]

Swiss Garden

And does the Swiss Garden still give you access?

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by VictorGolf

I was there last week and we parked in the grass paddock to the left of the hangars as you come in from the new road.

Estate map showing how to reach the car park from the new entrance.

Originally Posted by kration

And does the Swiss Garden still give you access?

Yes.

[Shackman]

Shame - it was always a nice spot to stop and have a tea and sandwich/cakes in the cafe - only 5 mins or so off the A1 but a nice environment and the chance of seeing something interesting. Now it looks like a long detour, and once inside a grass parking are on the 'wrong' side of the buildings which should be interesting after the recent rains. I wonder if they'll charge for towing vehicles out of the quagmire? Sorry, but bye bye Shuttleworth. I know my contribution to the running costs wasn't much, but how many other 'small contributions' will they lose. Never mind, there's always the kids playground.

[Allan Lupton]

Originally Posted by Less Hair

The key today for museums seems to get families visiting and a younger generation all together. Many have new visitor interest breaking off after the old regular customer generation. I agree that many "upgraded" museums loose their former charm and glory and feel like plastic including museum shops with terrible kitsch and cheap fast food at high prices on offer while exhibitions sometimes get remodelled and woke updated up to same sex restrooms.

The altered priorities of the Brooklands Museum have been evident in the TV series we in the UK have just endured. The professional museum keeper there, and elsewhere, is the subject of a serious discussion in another place. I gather from that discussion that the Birmingham Museum of Science and Technology has been re-purposed as the Birmingham Thinktank, whatever that may mean.
It is some time since we could visit the Science Museum's aerodrome site at Wroughton at all to see the objects they have (which include those once on show at South Ken.) and even longer since the curator drove a Museum car on the Brighton Run. As for their aeroplanes I think we will never see any of 'em in the air.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Allan Lupton

It is some time since we could visit the Science Museum's aerodrome site at Wroughton at all to see the objects they have (which include those once on show at South Ken.) and even longer since the curator drove a Museum car on the Brighton Run. As for their aeroplanes I think we will never see any of 'em in the air.

You mean their Connie, Comet and Trident are unlikely ever to fly again ?

[Allan Lupton]

Originally Posted by DaveReidUK

You mean their Connie, Comet and Trident are unlikely ever to fly again ?

Well yes of course, but there are (or were) a number of early aeroplanes which would be much easier to bring into flying order.

[DHfan]

I doubt there was ever any intention of any of the aircraft flying again.

[DaveReidUK]

I'd settle for the Wroughton collection simply being made accessible to the public.

[VM325]

Looks as though the management has done a U-turn on the way the site is accessed.

Admissions

·Our admission entrance will be moving into the visitor centre, with all visitors now entering and exiting the attraction via the shop.

·Admission pricing is being updated with adults paying £15.50 and a concessionary rate of £14.00, children under 16 remain free and members continue to have access to all admission areas.

·Areas within the new admission structure include the Collection Hangars, Swiss Garden, Woodland Walk and Engineering Hangar.

·A newly adapted dog walking route within the admission zone has been created, walking the outskirts of the garden and around the woodland before returning to the shop, just a reminder dogs are not permitted within the Runway Café. Please enter through the dog friendly discovery hub with your furry friends.

RunwayCafé

·The Runway Café will open to the general public on a daily basis, serving a range of locally sourced freshly prepared meals.

·Breakfast served until 11:30am and lunch between 12:00pm and 15:00pm.

·A new parking area will open outside the Runway Café with additional blue badge parking introduced

General Public Areas

·The playground will be open to the general public.
·The shop will also be open to the general public
·The grass paddocks will open to the public to enjoy the airfield.
·Public toilet facilities are located within the Runway Café.

Entering the site

·Both Hill Lane and Alder Drive Entrances will be open to enter and exit the site. Alder Drive will remain the sole entrance on event days, these dates will be clearly communicated, the first of which will be Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th April for the Easter Bunny Fly In.

·Summer opening times remain unchanged – 10:00am till 17:00pm.

[DHfan]

Originally Posted by aw ditor

DHfan the big cheese is one and the same ex Duxford big cheese if you see what I mean. OW has lost its unique atmosphere'. Inevitably some changes due to Covid 19 but not as drastic as this.

It seems possible that the big cheese has either been fired, taken outside and shot or has left to cause carnage somewhere else.
I hope he's added "incompetent pillock full of useless ideas" to his CV.

An email from Shuttleworth today states that the Runway Cafe will open to the general public with a new parking area outside.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by DaveReidUK

I'd settle for the Wroughton collection simply being made accessible to the public.

When Ross Sharpe was in charge (about 1992) he had great plans for Wroughton, then unfortunately he 'went'.
Don't know why or how but he was an excellent guy.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by DaveReidUK

You mean their Connie, Comet and Trident are unlikely ever to fly again ?

Not without destroying huge swathes of solar panels.

[Pypard]

Somewhat belatedly, but I hadn't noticed the text, "In 2018, we embarked on an ambitious project to create a new, publicly accessible home for over 300,000 items from the collection at the National Collections Centre. The first of these objects began arriving at their new home in June 2021. This purpose-built facility will transform public access to the collection when it opens regularly for public tours, school and research visits from 2024."

So hopefully those who seek outrage will be able to seek it elsewhere.