[Closed] Southport Air Show.

I went a few years back. if the weather's good, grand, but if you get what we got, a freezing gale howling (with some rain)in off the Irish Sea, not much fun.

I thought it worth buying the tickets to get closer than a good long walk (see bad weather above) from the main viewing area. there's a good chance of seeing more than [i]just[/i] a spitfire...

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a few more here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhooper_drum/sets/72157607150089081/

then my camera died (little thing. next time I go it'll be full-on DSLR).
NB do not buy AA or AAA batteries from any of the stalls at an airshow, they've probably had them since the Lancs were flying on active duty 😉

There are other planes than the Spitfire, really?!

Would love to see the Vulcan too but that's Saturday only and can only make the Sunday. Great pic, looks like they come in nice and low.

I gave up trying to take pics years ago, I just don't have the timing. Tried for years watching the WRC in Wales and just ended up with 100's of blurred shots of my thumb or wrist strap.

hassle free, pay and park on the beach. plenty of static displays. model aircraft displays. helicopters come nice and close and you don't get the effect and noise unless you are on the beach front.

That year we got a full on joint services demo, including an AWACS and a couple of Hawks playing The Enemy. Lots of big bangs out on the beach followed by troops landing from a chinook and some coming in by boat.

Planning on going on Saturday.
Two Lancasters plus the Vulcan will be the main draw for me. 🙂

can you just park out of town and cycle in along th ebeach road?

How will they police you getting on the beach exactly?
what exactly would i get for my money

Ta

Ooh. Forgot it was on this weekend.

Being 10 miles away, I often get to see one or two of the planes from my back garden….

(Like bluearsedfly I went to Salmesbury to see the Lancasters, so my appetite is also whetted.)

We're going. For less then £8 each (in advance), it seems very rude not to pay really. Even if you decide to park elsewhere on the day.

What do you actually get for the £7.32 though? £36.60 is enough to make me want to use the tickets if I pay for them.

Only worry is going down Marine Drive, can be a ballache to get in/out of at the best of times.

Get to flying legends at Duxford next year, saw something daft like 20 Spitfires flying in formation last time.

what he said if it is just £8 to get on beach then what is the point?
The pier access comes with the dear ticket that much i worked out

Whats the £8 for? Nice way to exclude families on low incomes. I'd probably go just for the afternoon Sat.

Whats the £8 for?

I know. It's not like organising these things, staffing or arranging for the aircraft to come in costs anything. In fact I believe that aircraft fuel is cheaper than water at the moment.

The pilot/planes are paid by the organisers to attend?

How on earth do you think airshows work hora? Booking something like the Vulcan for even a few fly pasts costs thousands. They're not just a money making racket designed to "exclude" those less fortunate folk.

Fwiw, A ticket to RIAT would set you back around £45 each

I would imagine that they would at least get expenses. Also there are the stewards to pay for etc. Do the RAF provide extremely expensive hardware FOC? I would imagine Sefton council will also require a cut.

£8 for a full afternoon's entertainment is not bad value for money compared to lots of other stuff.

The pilot/planes are paid by the organisers to attend?

No, all them clouds up there are made of £10 notes, they just fly through a few of them with their cockpit canopy open and start grabbing.

the vulcan , undoubtedly star of the show, flies at a unbeliveable cost owned by a consortium and based at doncaster over and above appearance fees and memrobilia sales they need to raise 400k pa just to get a through a year then the winter service this year is 200k.. no matter how much money is raised its engines are at maximum life and the airframe is knocking on so next year will be its last year no more extensions nana see it in the next twelve months or never see another in the skies again.. then its scrap metal..

http://www.vulcantothesky.org/

I'm getting the train out there tomorrow then walking over to Marine Drive, got my ticket sorted. Aiming to get there about lunchtime, get the Red Arrows and the BBMF between 2pm - 3pm then I might wander into town and come back for the Vulcan at 4.45pm.

We'll be watching some of the aircraft (including the two Lancs) coming and going from Blackpool Airport tomorrow, and going to the show on Sunday. I think £8 is cheap, most airshows will cost you way more than that!

Booked/downloaded tickets last night, going Sunday. Dreading parking.

Really looking forward to it just wish the Vulcan was there Sunday too.

Yeah, I'm going on Sunday too. Really, really looking forward to seeing the Lancs. Can't believe someone is moaning about paying £7 odd for a ticket.

park in ainsdale or freshfield and get the train in, bout 10 to 15 mins
and no hassle.

Duncan-ex formbyite

Just looking at the map and ainsdale looks a good bet, anywhere decent to park near to the station?

Ta.

as above park at freshfeild station or ainsdale free parking at both or local roads then a nice walk to site, new cycle route from crosby to southport to try as well which goes alongside airfield in places.

anywhere that you can its a good area so its not bad at all.

any station from formby up really

if you get off at birkdale then walk along to the coast this is as close as you can get without paying theres a hilly bit to sit on iirc you cant get on the beach there we used to watch from here but last time we paid the £7 and thought it was well worth it to get that bit closer prob go for a ride up tommorrow just to see the vulcan saw it at fairford a few years ago saw it take off and land its awsome then go sunday for the full ahow forecast looks good for sunday you can also go behind speke hall by the airport and watch them take off

If you need to drive to formby you may as well just drive to Southport.

Worth remembering the trains are only every 30 mins on a Sunday also.

a few i took at fairford

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3579/3767080952_c95223c365.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3579/3767080952_c95223c365.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/robd12/3767080952/ ]vulcan[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/robd12/ ]robb d[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2661/3767086872_b3e7bdce30.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2661/3767086872_b3e7bdce30.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/robd12/3767086872/ ]vulcan[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/robd12/ ]robb d[/url], on Flickr[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2498/3767091530_5799b810b2.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2498/3767091530_5799b810b2.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
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Weather has been shit all day. Red Arrows did their flat display cos the cloud base was down at 1000ft. Jet Provost misjudged a loop in the low cloud and ended up overflying the beach very low, his display ended abruptly, I suspect cos he was told off for it...

Typhoon was good and then the two Lancasters - they had to move the timings around due to the weather. Vulcan cancelled and will now fly tomorrow instead.

Forecast for tomorrow is much better. Also tomorrow, the Lancasters are doing a Derwent Res flyby at 4.45pm if any Peaks locals fancy a ride out there.

i had a ride up to see the vulcan and had a cracking speck on the beach just down from the pier surprised it was open its usally blocked off would have been righ underneath it aah well its going to be there tommorrow

For the weather conditions I thought it was a good display - although the Jet Provost looked like it almost went very wrong!
Shame about the Vulcan, good news that they're hoping to try again tomorrow.

I went today, hoping for another epic day like last year when we parked on the beach and all the action was above us.
I took my dad, recently recovering from a stroke, and hit the outskirts of southport just after 11. By 2pm we were still in the car, in the mother of all jams, on marine drive, hoping that disabled parking would be available.
So disappointed with how things panned out today, with the weather, traffic and parking and the Vulcan cancelling.
But we did see the provost make the error, it looked very low, very much above the crowd, and pointing the wrong way.
As always, the typhoon makes my hair stand on end.
I won't risk it again, not for the best part of £40 for six of us. They had as good a view for free, in KFC.

I got all giddy after seeing the Vulcan had been postponed until tomorrow but after reading your post rockhopper I feel genuinely guilty, sorry to hear things didn't work out 🙁

We were going to leave home around 10am for the hour journey but I think we will leave around 9am in light of what you have been through today.

Read on various sites now the Provost had a pretty hairy moment.

Whoops, double post.

Gutted the Vulcan didn't show especially after it took us 4 and half hours to get there. Should take about an hour for me. Knew it was going to be busy, just nothing as bad as that.
Still, despite the traffic with the screaming kids and poor weather thought it was a really good show but then I'm easily pleased when aircraft like those are flying.
Typhoon was awesome.
Never tire of seeing the Red Arrows. Always expecting them to hit one another. 😯
Lynx was fantastic. A helicopter just shouldn't be able manoeuvre like that.
Would have loved to have seen the Merlin a bit closer but we were still trying to shepherd the kids down the front. Looked as though it was going to land on the pier. 🙂
Good day out when we finally got there. Just 'kin exhausted.

Four and a half hours! 😯

Knew it would be bad but that is unreal.

Was there yesterday, enjoyed the show but certainly wouldn't go again unless they sort the traffic out, didn't see a single bod directing traffic and they simply weren't efficient enough at greeting cars parked which caused massive congestion. Arrived at Southport just before 10 and wasn't parked before the show started at 1pm, piss poor. Was right under the provost when the perceived error occurred, there were a few sharp intakes of breath around us (not me though grrr)?

Airshow parking is always a nightmare, doesn't matter where it is.
I remember going to Leuchars one year (by train) and watching 50,000 people try to drive out afterwards. Some were reportedly there for 4hrs...

I got the train to Southport but by Wigan it was standing room only. Didn't help that Northern Rail ran that one as a 2-coach rather than the normal 4. On the way back it was similar although at least that was a 6-coach. They had to close the doors 15 minutes before departure cos people were still trying to squeeze on. In the end the police arrived to maintain order on the platform!

Also tomorrow, the Lancasters are doing a Derwent Res flyby at 4.45pm if any Peaks locals fancy a ride out there.

For anyone heading to Ladybower this afternoon, it's now been brought forward by half an hour, aiming for 4:15pm...

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/news/index.cfm?storyid=CA64D45E-5056-A318-A8E79ADC5F3310DE&rss=true

And with the Vulcan returning from Southport, it could be overhead too, although apparently it doesn't actually fit down the valley though. Pity....

Does anybody know of any photos of the Provost incident? I was right near it and poo came out.

Huge queues today, parking 6 quid,and lots of road ragers out there, thankfully i was on the bike, didnt see any vulcans or many planes just a spitfire, probably have seen more if i had of paid 8 quid to get in, but as planes have the ability to fly over fences, huge numbers in the sand dunes,not paying either.
Nice ride back to Liverpool though, past lots of frustrated car drivers.

I went out to watch the Lancasters at Derwent Reservoir. Nice ride out there on the CX, round the res then pushed up a footpath on the eastern side and rode along a track I know up there which brings you out above the dam. Lots of people around but no problem finding a space. Lovely display, three passes then everyone tried to leave at the same time. Fairholmes was rammed and traffic was just gridlock. Didn't help that there was some sort of ultramarathon event on too and some roadworks down by the main road but no worries on the bike. 🙂

Bike is by far the best way to get to the Southport air show.
Myself & RichS off here went the first year the Vulcan came back and rode past massive lines of cars going nowhere very slowly.

I cycled to Southport today, just got there to see the two Spitfires and the two Lancaster's stayed for the Euro Fighter display then cycled back. On the way back, after passing huge lines of cars, just before Ormskirk the Vulcan treated me to a fly past. Good afternoon in all. Bike ride, sun and a selection of some of the finest planes in the world. IMO.

Crazy what cx bike were you on?

When the news came through that they weren't departing via the Mersey, I decided to hop in the car and scoot up to J22 on the M62 (little house on the prairie). Glad I did, well worth seeing the two Lancs together overt'moors.

You do have to wonder who plans these things though - imagine the coverage from a pair of Lancs bimbling in front of the Liverpool cityscape, and the Arrows, and the Vulcan... Hey ho, maybe next year?

went on the train today had a seat there and back paid to go in and plenty of room at the front red arrows were brilliant as usual. typhoon was awsome as was the lancs and vulcan
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5561/15126324179_07e590a122.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5561/15126324179_07e590a122.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/robd12/15126324179/ ]vulcan 3[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/robd12/ ]robb d[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3841/15126501058_80b7e33548.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3841/15126501058_80b7e33548.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/robd12/15126501058/ ]vul 4[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/robd12/ ]robb d[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/15126376450_b9342def8f.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/15126376450_b9342def8f.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/robd12/15126376450/ ]typhoon[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/robd12/ ]robb d[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5566/15126520268_d3704cbe53.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5566/15126520268_d3704cbe53.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/robd12/15126520268/ ]lanc 2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/robd12/ ]robb d[/url], on Flickr
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[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/robd12/15309939281/ ]red 1[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/robd12/ ]robb d[/url], on Flickr

Derwent this afternoon -
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Wow what a day!

Left home at 0830 for what would normally be an hour drive, only took two hours so was parked up on Marine Drive in plenty of time.

As it was my first display I have to say I was blown away by the Red Arrows, they were simply awesome. Definite dusty eye moment within minutes of them flying over.

Typhoon left me open mouthed, the noise it makes is unreal. Great to see the Lancs, Spitfire and I think (not sure) if the fourth plane was a Hurricane.

Think it was the Blades not long after the Red Arrows, really impressed with those too. And of course the Vulcan, amazing how many people left before it came over can only imagine they didn't realise that it was postponed until today.

Took us about an hour to get off Marine Drive and then got stuck for a while behind an accident a few miles up the road. Was all pretty calm apart from a few numptys that had parked on the beach.

For me it was 100% worth the £7 odd, will definitely be there next year.

Rich_s - Member
You do have to wonder who plans these things though

Local council?

Crazy what cx bike were you on?

Blue Specialized Crux.

It got noticed by every MTBer out on the hills so if you saw it, you'd know!

Were you Rapha'd up?

If so you pulled in right by us on the snake pass to take your outer layer off as we were trying to cross the road

Yep, blue Rapha windshell that I'd had on while waiting for the flypast. Once I'd warmed up again I stopped on Snake to take it off - was more concerned about avoiding the mental traffic than looking at the people though, sorry I missed you!

Went on Saturday. On its own merits the show was great and my boys loved the Red Arrows, but it wasn't worth the 7 hour round trip, 4 of which were at walking pace. I gave up just before the end of the show, but just caught the helicopter doing a backflip - A BACKFLIP! - when leaving the car park.

Heh we were waiting for you to ride past us so we could cross you then slowed and pulled in to the layby right behind us. (I was wearing black Rab jacket and Miss Houns was the redhead) Yeah traffic was passing us way too close as we walked from Hagg farm to there. We passed you twice after that, once on the climb up snake pass, then on the A 624. I mentioned to Miss Houns that I'd not seen you over take us in the queue of traffic in Glossop and wondered if you'd taken a route from the top of snake pass to there?

I mentioned to Miss Houns that I'd not seen you over take us in the queue of traffic in Glossop and wondered if you'd taken a route from the top of snake pass to there?

No, down Snake then sharp left before the town centre and [url= http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=405030&y=393305&z=120&sv=405030,393305&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=634&ax=405030&ay=393305&lm=0 ]this back road[/url] up to the A624.

Nice photos mav12. Anyone know why the Typhoon is wearing D-day invasion stripes?

Dammit! Wish I'd have spotted that, wasted 20 mins sitting there.

I did Saturday. The display was great especially due to the faffing around the organisers had to do to get the planes in at all. Really enjoyed the Huey Iconic noise. Typhoon was awesome the Mustang display especially good bit of a wake up when he strafed the beach and the pyrotechnics went off.
Weather was a bit poo.
I was right under the Provost when he over cooked it. Generally got the impression he'd ended the display because he'd kaked himself. It was mightly close 🙂
Getting into the event was terrible got to banks north of Southport at 10.35 was gone 13.00 when I got to the beach. 4 cabins taking money. Which was obviously not enough to get the people off the road quick enough and no apparent contingency plan.
On the way out north through the nature reserve took over an hour (took me 3.5hrs to get to Silverdale Lancs) to get to the roundabout at the top because the right of was was with the traffic coming from town. Maybe it's always like this an I did expect delays but there was not one Police person managing traffic which would have eased traffic congestion especially on the was out.

Luvvin your shots Mav12 - especially Red 1. That's a corker.

Fab weekend of planes. Went to Southport on Saturday and managed to duck and dive courtesy of Google maps (with traffic) missing all the queues except the one from the last roundabout on Marine Drive onto the beach - same on the way home - try it - it's like having someone in a helicopter directing you around the queues.

I was gutted about the Vulcan but really enjoyed all the other stuff particularly P51, Lynxes, Typhoon, Reds. I haven't been to an airshow for about 25 years and completely by accident dug out some old Finningley photos last night when tidying up - they looked far more relaxed from a crowd perspective in the olden days, but not in the air - I saw a Starfighter go through the sound barrier at < 100 feet once at Fairford but had my back turned for the Jet Provost moment on Saturday 🙁

Sunday was a quick razz out on the bikes for the BBMF, parked at Moscar then Cut throat, Whinstone Lee Tor. Plenty of people up there but we got away quick knowing they were doing 3 passes and got ahead of the crowds for the descent. We were well out of the way and up at Dog+Partridge for beer in about 25 mins.

Quality stuff but I still need to get out and see the Vulcan with the threat of permanent grounding.

Saw that Vulcan fly overhead by Pendle Hill yesterday.