Bristol Airports

[RonWells]

On a slightly different note, but with some local rail connection, on a number of times I have flown in and out of Bristol after visiting my family in Ireland. In doing so, I have often wondered why the city airport is located in a such an inconvenient place.

Surely its about time the whole operation was shifted out to the Filton aerodrome. It has much bigger runways, has a lot more room to expand, and most importantly is ideally suited in close proximity to motorways and railways running north, south, east and west. It is near several main line stations that could be easily and cheaply serviced by bus, taxi, and shuttles.

Longer term, it would be feasible to provide a direct access to the railways and motorways.

Some of the transatlantic services could be moved there from the congested London airports. And Bristol would be an ideal place for foreigners to start their UK holiday, with countrywide rail and coach tours starting from the centre.

But I guess too many organisations and companies have too much invested in the existing set up. But such a positive change would provide a much needed boost to the local economy and rail network

Ron Wells
New Zealand

[jules]

I can hear the collective roar from the residents of Filton and Bradley Stoke starting now!

I think most sensible people in Bristol would agree with your line of thought, except the ones who live in South Gloucestershire, who seem dead against development of Filton, despite having moved in next to an operational airport in the first place!

As it happens, the entire Filton airport operation will soon be dead in the water, as BAE claim it is too expensive to run so they are shutting it down - see fairly recent (April) Evening Post article.

A great shame if you ask me ... and a tragedy for the staff who work the airport who will all lose their jobs.

[nickt]

Don't they use Filton to transport aircraft parts from airbus and maybe RR to other locations in the Guppys, or am I thinking of somewhere else.
Sounded like they want to develop for houses. Dont they know hardly any houses are being built currently, I live near one large started development ( ex huge print works, ) which has not moved much for several years, and right next to another ex print works which is due for ( you've guessed it houses ) can people not see that if no industry then where are people going to work to afford to buy houses.
Granted BAE must have a huge grass cutting bill

[nickt]

And another thing......
Who knows if one time in the future if airfield was needed for military uses it would not exist like many old airfields have gone by the wayside.
Obviously it wouldnt be fleets of spitfires, the state of the country currently we couldn't afford a flock of racing pidgeons.

[tonyperks]

Another problem of course is the new housing which has been built on the northern out skirts of the airfield, so this will now Never happen.

[jules]

currently we couldn't afford a flock of racing pidgeons.

But if we had racing pigeons, perhaps we could go back to sending them by rail? (See the TM 08's thread!)

[Robin Summerhill]

There also of course used to be an airport at Whitchurch - long since lost under a housing estate,

As is so often the case, these things happen as accidents of history. Filton was considered unsuitable for a number of reasons (too built up, lots of non-passenger traffic) even as long ago as the 1950s and Lulsgate (an ex-miltary airstrip IIRC - can't be bothered to check at this time of night ) got the job instead.

Yes it is inconvenient from the point of view of the motorway network, and yes it has no rail connection. However, some time ago on this forum (can't remember which thread), I put my Surveyors hat back on and concluded that you could actualy run a branch from somewhere near Flax Bourton up to the airport with a ruling gradient of 1 in 50. The S&D managed that with steam so I am sure that present day diesels and electrics would have no problem getting up it!

Personally, I think the best virtually-unused airport in the West in reasonable proximity to Bristol, well connected to the motorway network and a railway running along its northen side, is at Hullavington. Whether or not anybody in the future would try to develop that instead of Lulsgate is anybody's guess. The idea was raised by somebody about 20 years ago but the MOD objected saying that it would interfere with their operations at RAF Lyneham.

In case you haven't heard, Lyneham will be closing next year

[mozzer]

There are parts of the old Whitchurch Airport still left, such as part of the runway which is behind the cinema, so not all totally lost just yet!

Gary
www.eggd.co.uk

[Robin Summerhill]

There are parts of the old Whitchurch Airport still left, such as part of the runway which is behind the cinema, so not all totally lost just yet!

Gary
www.eggd.co.uk

For anybody out there interested - perhaps the start of the Bristol Airport Archive?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_(W ... h)_Airport

[jolly47roger]

The advantage of Filton - and there was a planning application for terminal buildings refused c20 years ago - is that it could replace Rhoose (which is struggling) too and attract custom from Gloucester/Cheltenham and so achieve the critical mass to support more destinations.

And it's only an hour from Paddington (or could be, even without electrification)

As an aside, I was told by a long-term resident of East Horrington that there was a wartime plan to build an airfield up on the Mendips NW of Masbury - but it was abandoned because the prevailing weather was too poor.

[stopblock]

Please dont tar all of us in Filton and South Glos with the same brush some of us wouuld love to see the airfield turned in to a proper airport.It was mainly the Stoke Gifford residents who objected as they were under the flight path comming into Filton. There was also some objections because the take off flight path crossed over the M5 !Once again though common sense has failed to be seen and it looks very much as if we shall never see an airport developed.
I've been told that even when the runway shuts at Filton the wings made at Filton will be transported by road to Broughton for loading on the plane there.

[Robin Summerhill]

It was mainly the Stoke Gifford residents who objected as they were under the flight path comming into Filton. There was also some objections because the take off flight path crossed over the M5 !

I lived in Yate 1975 to 1980, right under the flight path and, when Concorde was coming in or taking off, that was LOUD!!! But we survived.

Somehow the M5 managed to keep going despite Concorde as well.

[tonyperks]

Hullavington is just a little too rural, close to the M4 granted, and the A4/ 420, and the railway, but colerne would be more suitable better runways and hangar systems etc, and is an active Emergency landing base too, and not that far for the fore mentioned routes.

[Robin Summerhill]

Hullavington is just a little too rural, close to the M4 granted, and the A4/ 420, and the railway, but colerne would be more suitable better runways and hangar systems etc, and is an active Emergency landing base too, and not that far for the fore mentioned routes.

The advantage of Hullavington lies in its being away from major centres of population, yet having a railway immediately to the north and the M4 a mile to the south.

Colerne suffers from the same disadvantages as Lulsgate - no good road to the nearest motorway (the M4) and no rail connection (there is not much difference in the road mileage Bath Spa - Colerne and TM - Lulsgate)

[BristleGWR]

...... I put my Surveyors hat back on and concluded that you could actually run a branch from somewhere near Flax Bourton up to the airport with a ruling gradient of 1 in 50. The S&D managed that with steam so I am sure that present day diesels and electrics would have no problem getting up it!

I like the idea, but looking at an OS map I can't see an easy route from Flax Bourton to Lulsgate. What route were you thinking of taking on your survey??