Spotting at LGW, southside (rather urgent)

Glad you enjoyed your day. I did drive past the 08R road around lunchtime and it seemed surprisingly quiet. Still, at least you had good weather. 🙂

BAA airports are not designed for hanging around landside.

The idea is you check in and head through security. Once through security at T5 you enter a whole new fantasy world of retail and dining where you could easily forget you are on your way to a flight.

Hope you enjoyed LGW.

1L.

Back in NL again. Enjoyed my stay at LGW a lot better then the other fields, weather was very good indeed!

I decided to take the shuttle bus to the Airparks parking thingy. From there just a small walk back. Unfortunately they would not drive me back. They saw me walking into the front gate and decided I was an insurance risk or something. Their policy would not cover non-customers.

I did tell them I would be willing to pay a busfare making me technically a customer, but alas no ticket machine. Me having full travel insurance would not work either. So I walked back to the industrial area and took the line 100 back to the terminal. Was probably faster then taking the shuttle bus as well as it did not take a direct route when driving to the parking lot.

Fortunately I left plenty of time to get myself back to the terminal. Next time I shall act more like “crouching cactus hidden hippo”, or something like that anyway. Maybe then I can blend in with the other people waiting and pretend I came by car. 😀

Photos will follow in a few days.

BAA airports are not designed for hanging around landside.

The idea is you check in and head through security. Once through security at T5 you enter a whole new fantasy world of retail and dining where you could easily forget you are on your way to a flight.

Hope you enjoyed LGW.

1L.

Not sure I could be bothered walking it myself, far too far.

Personally I’d call a local taxi company (never use the airport taxi company!) to collect me from Concorde House and take me to The Flight Tavern pub. Then I’d have a pint, then I’d walk round to the end of 08R.

1L.

Thanks all for your quick reply! I’ll go to the Flight Tavern as I would expect 08R t be in use considering the wind. Depending on my mood tomorrow I’ll walk or take a cab.

So if you see someone walking in completely swetty and with blisters… say hello!

p.s. Been to Heathrow terminal 5 today. Was not that impressed truth be told. Sure it looked new and clean, but I had expected more fascilities. In particular for a BAA run airport, cause they are well known for cramming in stores everywhere. Just one restaurant/pub I could find (I do not count Dunkin Donuts and the like a restaurant). Escalators going down, but not up (1st to 2nd/3rd flloor). Did not seem to have many check-in desks either. Maybe I missed a building or two?

However, the top of the parking garage is great for photos. The weather was a bid murky so probably the result is iffy, but the views where spectacular nonetheless. Some official did tell me that only pocket cameras where allowed there, not ‘big’ cameras. He considered it a dumb rule as well. Shame there is a fence restricting all but about a meter, but a meter is all that’s needed. The official mentioned this meter would be fenced of as well, so you really should go there before that happens!

But it is walkable…

Not sure I could be bothered walking it myself, far too far.

Personally I’d call a local taxi company (never use the airport taxi company!) to collect me from Concorde House and take me to The Flight Tavern pub. Then I’d have a pint, then I’d walk round to the end of 08R.

1L.

Glad to see you also remember the turbo props when you’re at LGW Tom! I see you got ATR72 BXTN last year on your website.
I remember the aircraft well. I took it on it’s first night stop when it was new. Not sure if that was it’s first day in operation or second, we went to somewhere in Germany with it.
Very nice to have a new aircraft on one hand but on the other not so good as the kit was in different places to the old aircraft which made you think a bit! I have a few pics of it in it’s original BA colours somewhere that I’ll scan in at some stage.:)

I agree atr42. The terminal end isn’t great for 08R operations except mid-morning when the heavy departures go out and there are sometimes some spectacular low departures, but otherwise it’s pretty naff. Josh’s directions are good – that’s the way I used to go.

Without being on an airfield perimeter road where you will likely get asked to leave your only option is to go to the 08 end as Josh has described. If you get lost ask anyone how to get to the Flight Tavern, Charlwood Road. Walk past that on your left and keep walking until you get to the end of the runway. About ten minutes walk from the pub.
Forecast wind is 150 degrees 5 kts. Therefore 08R could well be the runway in use.
Josh will likely be more up to date than me but I’m not sure you will see much from the 26L end if they are on 08R. Most departings will already be well above you by then.
Have a good day.

Hey Peter,

Personally i would stay at 26L end if you are flying out tomorrow evening?

I have never used it, and not sure on bus number, but there is a bus to Charlwood cost something rediculous like £1 each way. Just get off there, and walk towards where you see aircraft:rolleyes:

Like i say, i have never used the bus. But it is walkable, and depending on your speed could take around 45 mins. Just continue walking along past 26L end. Walk out onto the dual carrige way. Opposite a dog home place there is a footpath going into a wooded area, go down here. It may be a little overgrown as i dont think it is used much anymore. Anyway, follow this footpath to the end, and you end up in an industrial estate. Keep walking towards the exit and you will see a travelodge infront of you. You are then at a roundabout/crossroads. If you turn right, you can go down to a crash gate. This is the place to go for reg’s only really. Not photographer friendly as there is two fences and a road between yourself and the active. Anyway, back to that crossroads place. If you keep going straight you end up going down a rather busy country road. Keep walking and about a mile or so later you arrive at a pub. Here there is a big layby which is where spotters park, if you have a car, which in your case is a no?

Continue past here untill you reach Air Parks parking. And from there you will see the field with all the spotters in if it is busy/hot/sunny? If not, just stand in it anyway, or if you dont want to risk annoying the angry farmer with the shotgun:D continue walking for 2 mins longer and you reach the 08R crash gate :p from here you can shoot things lineing up!

Hope this helps you

Josh