europeannovice

Hello again,

What would be the recommended route from London to get to the IWM in Duxford?

Do we take a train to Cambridge and then is there a bus to Duxford? I read the bus at the Cambridge train station only runs on Sundays? I also read that you can use the HOHO bus at the station to get to Duxford? How much is that? Is that worth it or can you get a regular citi bus that runs more than just on Sundays? How frequent are the buses? Or is it best to just take a taxi? How much would that run?

Can you split the day between Cambridge and the IWM or does the IWM deserve a whole day by itself?

Sorry for so many questions. I thank you in advance.

ribeirasacra

This tells you how to get to the Imperial War Museum
http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford/directions

sofarsogood

Timetable for daily bus from Cambridge station to Duxford Woburn Place (for IWM) - runs every 20 mites,

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/getTime...03%2f07%2f2013

irishface

When I went with my dad and stepmom, we spent quite a few hours there, but my dad flew out of Molesworth (near Kimbolton, near Cambridge), and he was interested in all the things especially with the hangar that had American planes and he told stories he had never told before. Seeing the B17 gave me a new appreciation for the army airforce fellows and why 25 missions was a major accomplishment. I remember that, as a kid, I saw pictures of his plane and thought it looked awesome. Seeing one of its kind closeup, I realized how fragile they were!

He showed us lots of British planes as well and told stories about the fellows who flew them.

I hope that your trip will be as meaningful as it was for me.

Heimdall

You could easily spend the whole day at Duxford if really keen on aviation. There are exhibits in hangars all the way up and down the flight line, including planes under restoration. Most days there will be some flying taking place even when there isn't an air show.

I was lucky enough to be on Duxford one day during the filming of <i>Memphis Belle</i>. It was quite surreal to see Mustangs and ME-109s parked together on the flighline.

europeannovice

Thank you. The IWM Duxford sounds like it would be great. In the states they have a somewhat similar museum in Dayton Ohio.

Interestingly the IWM website only mentions the bus that operates on Sundays only from Cambridge and doesn't mention the Citi bus #7 at all. Thanks for the link.

scotlib

europeannovice, I visited Duxford on a trip in '09. I remember taking the C7 bus from the train station to the museum, but I seem to remember it being on the bus schedule, so you knew for sure where the bus was going.

Perhaps contact the bus company to confirm the schedule, whether it does or doesn't get you from the station to the museum these days?

Ditto to Heimdall's recommendation .. Duxford was a great stop if you've any interest in aviation history! I spent most of a day there wandering the buildings, reading displays, running outside if you hear an engine spooling up

And thanks for mentioning Ohio. I've got this site bookmarked (is it what you meant?), if I get out that way, http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/

europeannovice

Scotlib--Yes, you have the correct website for the airforce museum. We actually will be going there this year and I will post a full report when we return.

Heimdall

RAF Duxford has a rich history, built during the early days of military aviation. It was used in WW II both as an RAF fighter station during the Battle of Britain, and later as a USAAF base flying P-47 and P-51 fighters. The hangars along the flightline are those actually used during the war, so you can get a feel for what it was like during that period. As you come near the end of the flightline, you reach the American Air Museum, located in a modern building: http://aam.iwm.org.uk.

anicecupoftea

It is an interesting museum if you are an aircraft buff, but very expensive, especially considering that the other IWM sites are free. I didn't think the entrance fee was justified compared with other attractions.

Heimdall

I would imagine maintaining a huge airfield with runway and multiple buildings is expensive. ;-)

europeannovice

The IWM--London is free but the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum also operated by the same group was not free. There was a charge for the war rooms and we thought that was well worth it. Of course, not on the same size or scale of the IWM-Duxford.

To do it justice though it looks like you would need a whole day and not just a few hours to make it worth the price of admission? There seems to be a lot to do there.

Rather than the bus from Cambridge which appears to take about 45 min, is there another quicker way to get there from London without a car? Is there a taxi rank at Cambridge station? How much would that run from Cambridge to Duxford? Do you have to arrange for a pick up ahead of time then to get back? Is there another station that is closer than the Cambridge station? Thanks again in advance.

europeannovice

Hi again,

I found that there is also an RAF museum at Collindale more easily accessible from London via public transport and also has free admission. Has anyone been to this airforce museum? Is there any comparison with the IWM Duxford? Or is Duxford leagues better? Thanks again.

ribeirasacra

Duxford is far better IMHO.
BTW it is RAF Hendon not Collindale the last time I went. Have things changed that much???

europeannovice

Hi--website said to get off at Collindale station.


It also says, "Our London site is situated on what used to be RAF Hendon."

Is there a taxi rank at Cambridge?

Does anyone know how much the fee should be from Cambridge to Duxford?

I also read you can get off at Royston Station and take a taxi from there. Is there a taxi rank at Royston Station? How much would it be from that location to Duxford?

Thanks for your replies.

scotlib

Taxi rank at Cambridge - a definite yes - from my memory of visiting and confirming at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/CBG/details.html (getting to and from the station > taxi)

Royston Station .. the getting to and from section doesn't have a listing for taxi .. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/RYS/details.html

I put in a web search of .. cambridge UK taxi .. and there were a number of results. This company (I just picked randomly on results list, http://www.a1cabco.co.uk/) has a journey estimator .. rail station to Duxford is 8.77 miles, £20.60 estimate

Nice thing about a taxi is going directly to the museum, not seeing the bus stops (though that can be fun, too).

scotlib

I just remembered .. Cambridge also has an American cemetery that you could visit .. Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ca.php

I was fortunate to be on a tour where the tour director had the bus stop at the Netherlands cemetery. To think of war dead, the only thing that came to mind before that was Normandy. It was a bit of an embarrassing V8 moment that more than one cemetery would be necessary and learn of the many sites where we can visit to honor our fallen soldiers, http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries.php

europeannovice

Thanks so much for the links! I will jot them down.

chartley

The closest railway station to IWM Duxford is Whittlesford Parkway, which has two trains an hour from London Liverpool Street. The station is just over a mile or so from the museum, so you could choose to walk it. You are unlikely to find a taxi at the station, but could book one in advance.

europeannovice

Hello,

Can you walk from Whittlesford Parkway? Although it might be only a mile, it looks from google images to be alongside a highway. Is there pavement for pedestrians to walk along?