# Concorde Tours At Manchester Airport.



## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

I had a voucher for a tour of Concorde as a birthday present. Finally got round to going this weekend. Well worth it and very interesting. Has anyone else been?

Just a few pics I took.










Welcome aboard.



















The business end.










This is your Captain speaking..


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Oops! Sorry everyone. I forgot to resize the photos.


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## mrteatime (Oct 25, 2006)

thunderbolt said:


> I had a voucher for a tour of Concorde as a birthday present. Finally got round to going this weekend. Well worth it and very interesting. Has anyone else been?
> 
> Just a few pics I took.
> 
> ...


is that ray winstone????


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Could be.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Nice pics, I regret never flying on Concorde, I should have splashed out, I don't think we'll ever see her like again









I sent my mother on a birthday present flight once but it was a sub-mach short trip from Leeds/Bradford, that didn't hold any appeal for me. These "trips" were a regular money spinners and thousands of people would crowd the surrounding fields to have a look, Concorde held a fascination for the public.

When I pass the one at Heathrow I feel overwhelming sadness.


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## scottishcammy (Jul 11, 2003)

There's one about 15 mins away from me at East Fortune. I rememeber all the work in moving up here. The Army had to use a special composite metal road to transport it across firleds and the lie, it was miles long, in sctions. Some crims decided to steal a few miles worth of it and sell it for scrap! It was worth thousands & thousands.

At the time, I was working plain clothes and was given the case. It was really interesting and we eventually got the guys.

If you read down this link, you'll see a section on PC Stuart Logan. He was nearly killed by one of the guys we got for the concorde in another theft, having been 'let off' for the concorde blag.

I know stuart well & he was very lucky that night (I was on duty and seen the state of him). I suppose that's what happens when you either don't sentence folk at all, or give folk sentences of a few days / fine and let them back out again.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I was sat in the traffic jam one morning on the M25 Heathrow flight path when Concorde took off. Bloody hell it was a noisey bird, the whole van shook like crazy!

Love that under carriage shot :thmbsup: , I must say you look younger and happier than I had imagined


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

I'm cheesed it no longer flies. I could have gone to visit my friend in Texas. No way I could stick the normal long haul flight.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

pg tips said:


> I was sat in the traffic jam one moening on the M25 Heathrow flight path when Concorde took off. Bloody hell it was a noisey bird, the whole van shhok like crazy!
> 
> Love that under carriage shot :thmbsup: , I must say you look younger and happier than I had imagined


Thanks, I think.







It's down to working outdoors all my life, and actually seeing Concorde up close.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Mrcrowley said:


> I'm cheesed it no longer flies. I could have gone to visit my friend in Texas. No way I could stick the normal long haul flight.


Richard Branson wanted to buy them for the same price as British Airways paid for them, which was a token Â£1! They said no. If British Airways could no longer operate them then no one could. It's a damn shame. He would have made them profitable I think. Another piece of British excellence consigned to the history books.


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## Fatbloke (Oct 15, 2007)

never been on the tour but Did have a good look around earlier in the year

i took fatbloke jnr around to see some planes so he knew what to expect when we flew to boston.

Real shame they are no longer in commision, I would have loved to have gone on concorde even though I really hate flying.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Fatbloke said:


> never been on the tour but Did have a good look around earlier in the year
> 
> i took fatbloke jnr around to see some planes so he knew what to expect when we flew to boston.
> 
> Real shame they are no longer in commision, I would have loved to have gone on concorde even though I really hate flying.


It's well worth the visit. The classic tour I went on is Â£12 and lasts about 40 mins. You get a video presentation and a good look inside and out.

It costs Â£3 for car and driver and Â£1 each for additional occupants, to enter the viewing park. A great day out for all. The views of the aircraft taking off and landing are excellent.

Link here for the various tour info.


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## Fatbloke (Oct 15, 2007)

We did the viewing area and we went around one of the other planes and loved it.

He is ony 3 so cocncorde will be a bit lost on him at the moment so i might have to go check it out on my own.


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## langtoftlad (Mar 31, 2007)

thunderbolt said:


> Mrcrowley said:
> 
> 
> > I'm cheesed it no longer flies. I could have gone to visit my friend in Texas. No way I could stick the normal long haul flight.
> ...


That's not quite true - BA spent a fortune upgrading the fuel tanks, lining them with kevlar, after the French disaster. They took one out of service to use for spares. Air France couldn't make them fly economically, and because they couldn't accept that the Roast Bif's would be the only ones flying them, political pressure was applied, the French manufacturers were 'encouraged' to end support and the French DAC removed the certificate of airworthiness.

Unfortunately, the CAA followed suit citing lack of parts supply & support.

Plenty of organisations & enthusiasts were willing to offer a lot more than Dick to keep one or more flying - his offer was just another one of his usual publicity hungry stunts...

"Not One Of My Better Ideas!"

It's not a question of British Airways not wanting anyone else to fly it - it simply isn't allowed to fly (though who knows in twenty years time... they've got that Vulcan flying again)


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Great photo's mate







It's a realy pity that they have grounded her, especially after the huge investment by BA to get her in the air again


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

A few pics taken from the specially constructed viewing mounds. There is a shop, toilets and a food bar, open from 08:30 till dusk. A great spot for a day out.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

A few more pics of the lady herself.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

I remember watching Brian Trubshaw fly G-BSST (Aircraft no.2) at an airshow in '69 - either Farnborough or Yeovilton; he touched down between the grandstands, rolled and accelerated, took off again and the exhaust blew the front two rows of dignitaries into the weeds!

I was _soooo _impressed. And the noise! Wow.

As a Bristol boy, who used to work in Filton, opposite RR, we used to see them coming and going; there was still one on the tarmac at RR last time I looked, used for fire fighting practice.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Good old Tony Benn; wouldn't have happened but for him.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

chris l said:


> I remember watching Brian Trubshaw fly G-BSST (Aircraft no.2) at an airshow in '69 - either Farnborough or Yeovilton; he touched down between the grandstands, rolled and accelerated, took off again and the exhaust blew the front two rows of dignitaries into the weeds!
> 
> I was _soooo _impressed. And the noise! Wow.
> 
> ...


I saw an early photo of her taking off from Filton, with the Rolls Royce building in the background and a huge crowd in the foreground, in the park shop. At Â£40 quid I thought it was a bit expensive, but it was signed by the chief pilot, Mike Bannister.


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

thunderbolt said:


>


That picture reminds me I had a jigsaw of Concorde cockpit many years ago.

I went to see the one in New York - you only got to walk in one door, up the aisle and out the other door. Perspex everywhere to stop you touching anything. Might have to go and see the Manchester one now


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Robert said:


> thunderbolt said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


I remember that one. Been after one for years with no joy. Sad about the New York Concorde being out of bounds. The rear cabin is the only part that is inaccessible on board the Manchester one, once on board you are invited to sit in the cabin and the knowledgeable guides then tell you which vip has sat in that particular seat.


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

250193282862

Jigsaw


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Robert said:


> 250193282862
> 
> Jigsaw


Thanks for that. Now on my watching list.


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## MilSub (May 9, 2006)

Some fantastic photo's - they certainly were a truly awesome piece of engineering, a supersonic trip was always on my list of "things I'm gonna do one day .." but sadly I didn't get round to organising it until it was too late and it never happened ..









A very good friend of mine worked as a CSD on the Concorde fleet, a very interesting guy with some very interesting and sometimes very scary stories !!


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## langtoftlad (Mar 31, 2007)

MilSub said:


> ...a very interesting guy with some very interesting and sometimes very scary stories !!


I'm sure - bits were always dropping off it









2002 Article


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## MilSub (May 9, 2006)

He cracks me up when he fondly reminices about incidents such as " .. I remember the time we flying to Washington from Heathrow and on take-off we tossed a complete tyre tread through no.3 engine .." and then casually says " .. we didn't mention it to the passengers .."

I guess it's like most things relating to air travel when you're a passenger - what you don't know, you don't worry about









He was always surprised that it made the news when bits of the tail used to drop off, as it happened so regularly !!


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## Guest (Dec 30, 2007)

I was at CDG airport in Paris a few days ago when I spotted a Concorde on display, seeing it through the chainlink fencing reminded me of the TV pictures of the one that caught fire on takeoff.

I used to regularly see her in the skies over Norbury in SW London when we lived there in the 90's, no matter what I was doing I always had to look up when she was passing overhead.

I got to see one of the protoypes in the flesh on a team bonding day out, I think it was at the fleet air arm museum but don't quote me on that. I was amazed at how small she was.

A truly magical machine


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

Here's a souvenir for Concorde fans

http://www.royalmint.com/packedsets/CON5BU...mp;origin=email


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## MilSub (May 9, 2006)

Robert said:


> Here's a souvenir for Concorde fans
> 
> http://www.royalmint.com/packedsets/CON5BU...mp;origin=email


Robert - you are a star, appreciate the link - !!

Just nailed 3 Christmas presents in a few clicks !! 

Cheers - TC


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

I remember travelling up to Chelmsford station when I was a kid with my mate, we went there to watch 002 fly over, it was Trubshaw at the controls and he was doing a fly-over London to show it off, Chelmsford was the starting point of his "run".....those were the days!

Been on the one at Duxford a while back now....such an amazing aircraft.....a vulcan with passengers! :lol:


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## frogspawn (Jun 20, 2008)

Remember while crossing the pond on a ship our course took us along the flightpath - everyone used to be on the upper decks to hear the bang.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Superb pictures. If you take off the rose tinted glasses in reality they were at the end of their economical life. You wouldn't have got me on one even if you paid me, bad enough having to fly but definately not on something that was prone to bits falling off.

B.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Boxbrownie said:


> I remember travelling up to Chelmsford station when I was a kid with my mate, we went there to watch 002 fly over, it was Trubshaw at the controls and he was doing a fly-over London to show it off, Chelmsford was the starting point of his "run".....those were the days!
> 
> Been on the one at Duxford a while back now....such an amazing aircraft.....a vulcan with passengers! :lol:


We had a look round tis one as well. Here's a few pics of the interior still fitted out with the test instrumentation, and an extra something not fitted to production aircraft. :blink:


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

And finally, something that's not normally fitted to passenger planes.....










An escape hatch.


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## tomshep (Oct 2, 2008)

I'd just bought a house and had very little money when the announcement came that the fleet was to be retired. I bought a ticket with it and 'phoned Mum, to explain that I'd just blown my life savings on a Concorde ticket. She said "Well done, life savings are for having a life." I have never regretted a single penny.


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