CPHFF From Sweden, joined Aug 2011, 121 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 months 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 1374 times:
Hi All,
I'll be spending 2 weeks in the UK in summer 2013, and me and my plane-crazy 7 year old son want to spend a day at an air museum. From your own experience, which museum is the best? Duxford or Brooklands?
I'm more in to Airliners than WWII planes.
Any feedback or suggestions are highly appreciated.
Per
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CrimsonNL From Netherlands, joined Dec 2007, 1632 posts, RR: 42 Reply 1, posted (7 months 2 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 1365 times:
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Brooklands is a very nice museum with lots of Vickers history, and accessible planes. You can easily spend a few hours here and it's worth a visit.
Duxford is a massive museum where you'll need the greater part of the day to see everything. They have an extremely interesting collection with almost every plane that has been significant to British aviation, along with a collection of American military planes. They do have quite a large collection of civil airplanes, including some heavy propliners and a prototype of the Concorde.
If you have the time, and are willing to spend it, I'd recommend Duxford. If you are on a tighter schedule, then Brooklands is a better idea. Brooklands is also quite easily accessible by train from downtown London. (I don't know about Duxford access, as the only time I was there I flew in on a DC3).
Martijn
"Airlines to start charging for emotional baggage"
Bongodog1964 From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2006, 3044 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (7 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1316 times:
If you are using public transport, the only bus service to Duxford is on Sundays, otherwise its a taxi from Cambridge or Royston. Despite this I would thoroughly recommend a visit, the museum is so vast that few people wouldn't be able to occupy their day there.
NZ107 From New Zealand, joined Jul 2005, 5696 posts, RR: 39 Reply 3, posted (7 months 2 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 1309 times:
I went to Duxford last month. We took a bus to the middle of nowhere and was told that there was a separate bus which continued to the museum. After waiting for about 45 minutes for that one to come and figured it was never going to come, we decided to walk the few miles to get there. Luckily, there is a walkway to get there.. Taxi would be the best way if you didn't have a rental car.. It's a flat fee to Duxford from Cambridge - I can't remember if it was GBP20 or 30 one way. The staff at the shop are very helpful so you can get them to call a taxi when you're done. Otherwise there's a sightseeing hop on hop off bus for Cambridge during the summer and that makes its way out to Duxford. GBP16 by memory but we decided to go for the public transport option which failed!
It's such a good museum - it has gems such as the SR-71 Blackbird, Concorde, B52, VC10, Viscount, Trident, U2, Ju-52, Comet, Handley Page Herald.. The list goes on and on. I haven't been to Brooklands but I can definitely recommend Duxford.
AirbusA6 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 1932 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (7 months 2 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 1201 times:
Duxford is definitely recommended, for all these museums it's worth checking the schedule as sometimes there are special events on, sometimes with more access to the insides of the airliners.
Brooklands has other transport related stuff as well (the historic motor racing circuit, and a bus museum)
The RAF museum at Hendon is a military museum, but has a good collection and is on the Tube so a lot easier to get to!
it's the bus to stansted (now renamed national express a4 to ruin my username)
signol From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2007, 2953 posts, RR: 7 Reply 5, posted (7 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1201 times:
I've not been to Brooklands but have to Duxford. It's 1.5 miles / 2km from Whittlesford station, with an off road footpath, about 30 mins walk. Look it up on Google Earth. Well worth a visit
Then I would suggest the Brooklands myself. Easier to get to, more centered around the VC10, And while Duxford might have a better collection(and ive been to both, I felt I got more out of the Brooklands. The volunteers there were extremely proud of what they had, and the centrepiece, Delta-Gulf, was an amazing story. They allowed me to sit in the flight deck of both Concorde, and VC10, something that never would've happened at Duxford.
CPHFF From Sweden, joined Aug 2011, 121 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 1201 times:
Thank you very much for your feedback. I've shown them to my wife (and promised her a shopping spree), so now I get to spend a day at both places. Luckily, we will be traveling by car for the 2 weeks.
Once again, thanks for your input.
Per
Detroit is bankrupt. Don't forget to thank UAW folks!
Just in case WWI-planes would appeal to you, the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden (about 3 miles west of Biggleswade) would be the non plus ultra.
From London it is straight north on A1(M) past Stevenage and Baldock.
-HT
EDIT:
If in the area of Stevenage / Baldock and looking for a distraction of an hour or two, consider to give the Stondon Motor Museum a try. It is located in Lower Stondon, a short distance south of RAF Henlow.
-HT
[Edited 2012-11-12 11:07:29]
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