BHX Questions

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

We will be off to BHX in just under four weeks time ( :D :D :D :D ) and I have a couple of questions.

Is there anywhere good to spot near the Novotel in the grounds of the airport? That is where we will be staying and if the Aviation Experience gets too full, or I want a change of viewpoint, it would be good to spot in a different bit. We don't have a car so it needs to be somewhere we can get to on foot.

Also, is there anywhere to get a nice edible meal in the terminal? Each time I've been to BHX I've fancied some fish and chips but Harry Ramsdens is always deserted, you see plates warming in the cabinet but never any staff. I have tackled the "all day breakfast" in the Village Grill place and have attempted the food in The Dragonfly (never ever eat their fish and chips, it is vile!) and it is absolutely awful. There are places listed on the BHX website but some recommendations from people who have eaten at BHX are more helpful.

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Member for

18 years 9 months

Posts: 16

I was at BHX in july. Before I checked in I parked in the car park near the outside viewing area and got some nice views (but that involved sitting on the roof of the car). The viewing area inside the airport is a bit over the top in my opinion - but I managed to get in for free as I was on a flight.

Just cant wait to see what Tokyo airport is like in two days when I land for a weeks holiday!

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 841

Well....
There is a picnic area which allows good views of the whole airfield and you get very close to aircraft passing by. To get there, head towards the long stay car park (You should see a load of taxi's there) and walk down the path which runs along the taxi-way for Terminal 2.
Also, you can get a good advantage point of seeing aircraft arrive or depart and the end of the long stay car park, right next to the runway 33 threshold.
There are also other vantage points around the airport but personally, these are the best spots (for me!)

As for meals, the have recently opened a Weatherspoon restaurant in T1 and i must say! Very nice indeed! Went there all the time whilst on work exp :D

There are some pics which show what the viewing is like at BHX.
Hope this helps!

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 6,968

Louise.

Walk from the Novotel across the roads toward th Eurohub or T1. In the middle of the road there are a number of bus stops. Take the bus to long stay 1 from the green bus stop. Getting off at the first stop just inside the long stay allows you to walk alongside the Eurohub. Here you will get food close ups of SN 146's with their backsides pointing at you. Carrying on along that path by the small copse gets you to the outdoor viewing area. It's ok, there are some benches and the fence is chain link but a small digital lens will poke through affording excellent shots of aircraft leaving the terminal to depart if 33 is in use or of aircraft going to the terminal if 15 is in use.

You can reboard the bus at any of the designated stops. And it's free. If you get back on the bus going further round the cat park there is a relatively new section of car park which affords great approach and landing shots if 33 is in use and take off's if 15 is in use. Down in the very corner, some of the green plastic strip has been removed allowing excellent shots of aircraft leaving or entering the runway. The last spot i sue is the bus stop by the D12 parking area. This gives an elevated overview of the airport and still gives you good approach and departure shots.

Bear in mind, there are NO outdoor toilet facilities whatsoever.

If I get time I'll try and find shots to illustrate what I mean.

When are you due at BHX? I'd be happy to provide you and your companion a lift to Coventry for the museum, Air Atlantique stuff and the Thomsonfly 737's.

Regards,

kev35

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 3,394

Well I've got nothing more to add except these wo photos.....

1. Outdoor Viewing Area - Air Atlanta Europe B742 preparing for departure, wouldn't you know we had bad weather with a rare visitor! that viewing area is a swamp after a rain shower...... :eek:

2. Long Stay - Not the best one but you can see where the runway is in comparison to the carpark, obviously it won't be that empty in the summer ;) :D

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

Thanks for the helpful replies. I arrive into Birmingham International roughly at 14:15 on 4th September. I have just spent ages trying to make sense of the Virgin Trains system! Normally I travel via York but this reservations computer has routed me via Manchester Piccadilly! I cannot make earlier than 14:15, which is annoying because that is alot of spotting time lost. I use a video camera as well as my small digital compact so I am pretty flexible regarding viewpoints. It would certainly be good to get some aircraft as they go to take off, I have never made videos at BHX so this will be a new airport for me in that respect.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 3,394

Lucky you, the Air India 777 arrives at 1445 on Sundays, you'll just make it in seeing it....:D

Member for

18 years 8 months

Posts: 3

I'll be there too. As Louise said, it is really difficult trying to interpret the Virgin timetable, so she has given up on it and take whichever train comes first and get to the airport whenever.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

Thanks for your kind offer Kev.

I think you need degrees in advanced engineering and nuclear physics to work out what Virgin are doing with their trains on 4th September :confused:

I found one in the timetable from York which leaves at 10:20 until 18th September, which sounds ideal. But try and find that train on the Virgin online timetable! As far as it says on details of engineering and changes, that train is not affected by anything so I don't know where it has disappeared to.

The 10:28 from York is starting in Sheffield that day and so is another non-starter but this one shows up in Virgin timetables as running from York! Changing at Manchester Piccadilly would be different but not what we originally planned. And I think all the trains to International are replaced by buses that day so that is not a big hassle but I do prefer the ride on the train because you get a great view of the aircraft just before you get into International.

I will be pleased to see the AI 777, I've never bagged any AI aircraft so that will be a first.

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 186

'Comet' and all, remember that you can check out my web site for all info on Birmingham International Airport with the latest airline news, articles, interesting movements, photo galleries and more...

http://www.thebhx.co.uk

Enjoy your visit at BHX!

Member for

19 years 10 months

Posts: 841

Is there anywhere good to spot near the Novotel in the grounds of the airport? That is where we will be staying and if the Aviation Experience gets too full, or I want a change of viewpoint, it would be good to spot in a different bit. We don't have a car so it needs to be somewhere we can get to on foot.

If you're getting the train via New Street, you could always catch a Centro train and stop off at Marston Green. The railway brodge there is good for photography, and if you cross the bridge, enter the country park and take the path to the left, you can get some good views of the runway (as you'll be close to the end of runway 15). Otherwise, the spots mentioned by others in and around the terminal itself.

Also, is there anywhere to get a nice edible meal in the terminal? Each time I've been to BHX I've fancied some fish and chips but Harry Ramsdens is always deserted, you see plates warming in the cabinet but never any staff. I have tackled the "all day breakfast" in the Village Grill place and have attempted the food in The Dragonfly (never ever eat their fish and chips, it is vile!) and it is absolutely awful. There are places listed on the BHX website but some recommendations from people who have eaten at BHX are more helpful.
Not sure about the food on landside, but there's a decent bar in the area between T1 and T2 though, just after Burger King.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

'Comet' and all, remember that you can check out my web site for all info on Birmingham International Airport with the latest airline news, articles, interesting movements, photo galleries and more...
http://www.thebhx.co.uk
Enjoy your visit at BHX!

That's your website? I love that site, I've been on before and signed the guestbook last year before I had my first BHX flight.

Most movements at BHX are interesting for me, even the ones you guys see regularly. I've never been lucky enough to catch the Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan aircraft, and I managed my first EK 777 (indeed my first 777 in any colours) at BHX. I want to see the Sun Air because I've never seen a Dornier in BA colours, and I'm wanting to improve on my Flybe Q400 because last year the weather was a little hazy when I was there.

A must is SNBA because that is who I am flying with and I like to start off my holiday video with some film of the airline I go on, even if I can't get the exact aircraft.

With the eating, it now all depends on whether there is a 10:20 train. If there is we get to the airport at lunchtime and so will eat there. If not then we get something on the train.

Thanks for the info about the train stop.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,940

Will the Balkan Holidays 154 be around on Sunday? I am wanting to get some photos of it to improve on the ones I got in MAN last year. It doesn't look like we'll be there earlier than 14:15 (thanks to engineering works and a replacement bus :mad: ) The staff at Scarborough station did not seem to know whether the 10:20 from York was running so we will be there later than we hoped. I hope if there are some great sightings that they won't be in the morning or early afternoon :( And I hope the weather will be good because last time I was at BHX the weather could not have been any worse.