2008 Isle of Man TT Trip

[Skinny_Birdman]

Hi Touristas,

I'm planning on doing the pilgrimage to the Isle of Man this year. Flying over 21 March, staying with family in the UK and hiring a CBR600F from here. We're heading over mid week, which I think means we'll miss Mad Sunday, which is a mixed blessing.

After the TT my missus and I will be touring around Ireland and Scotland for the rest of June, and taking in the British MotoGP at Donington on about the 22nd.

If any other KB'ers are heading over (or live over there), and want to do some or some at any point, let us know eh!

Cheers
A

[Skinny_Birdman]

PS Apologies if someone else has started a similar thread for this year's TT, I did a cursory search and couldn't find one.

A

[gsp0702]

Enjoy, it's a laugh, lots of great places to watch so move around and try different places on different days (difficult to move when racings on) places I have watched from and enjoyed include Signpost corner, the Creg, Kirk Michael, favourite is Ballig Bridge very fast, only a thin wire fence between you and the bikes, and the first bike goes past will get th ehairs on the back of your neck standing up.

Mad Sunday no where near as bad as it used to be since they made the mountain section one way (originally just Mad Sunday but last year the entire fortnight)

Enjoy yourself and go along to the pits on the day the Riders are all there for autographs and have apint of Bushy's .

[steveb64]

Hi Touristas,

I'm planning on doing the pilgrimage to the Isle of Man this year. Flying over 21 March, staying with family in the UK and hiring a CBR600F from here. We're heading over mid week, which I think means we'll miss Mad Sunday, which is a mixed blessing.

After the TT my missus and I will be touring around Ireland and Scotland for the rest of June, and taking in the British MotoGP at Donington on about the 22nd.

If any other KB'ers are heading over (or live over there), and want to do some or some at any point, let us know eh!

Cheers
A

Have you booked your accommodation? Or are you planning to live in a tent while there? If you're looking for accom. - you may be a bit late... Most people book for next year while AT the TT!
Shame you're only gonna be there for the last 1/2 week - I was there for practice week AND race week back in '96 - what a buzz!
Can't comment on Ireland roads - but Scotland was a blast! Very similar roads to NZ - but more fun bits, like severe dips and sudden crests! 3 areas to check out - the Lakes district, Hadrians wall, and the road down past Balmoral castle!

Have fun you lucky bastit!

[Skinny_Birdman]

Have you booked your accommodation? Or are you planning to live in a tent while there? If you're looking for accom. - you may be a bit late... Most people book for next year while AT the TT!

Yup, accomodation (under canvas ) and ferry booked about October last year.

Can't comment on Ireland roads - but Scotland was a blast! Very similar roads to NZ - but more fun bits, like severe dips and sudden crests! 3 areas to check out - the Lakes district, Hadrians wall, and the road down past Balmoral castle!

Cheers, will have to check those out.

[Mort]

what a great trip....I've done Scotland and reland and the TT in 98..... Awesome all of it.

you lucky lucky bastard. enjoy it.

[Skinny_Birdman]

Well, I picked up my bike on Saturday, and had the unpleaant experience of riding on London's North Circular immediately prior to a major football match at Wembley. Yesterday we popped over to Duxford to see the Imperial War Museum - the most amazing collection of historic civil and military aircraft. Here is a tiny sample:

1. Airworthy Boeing B17, one of the aircraft used in the filming of Memphis Belle.
2. Lockheed U2 Spyplane, a significant piece of Cold War history.
3. Fairchild A10 Warthog.
4. Lockheed SR71A Blackbird - Had to have a picture of that.
5. Supermarine Vickers Spitfire VB - One of 8 airworthy examples at the museum.

Other highlights included the giant Short Sunderland flying boat and the even gianter B52, which was so huge I couldn't get a decent picture of it. I am stoked to have had a chance to see it.

Two days and we're off to the TT. I can't wait.

Cheers
A

[Zuki Bandit]

You like thing you. Good on ya!

[Blackbird]

Duxford is just the best eh? My dad ran the wind tunnel testing programme for TSR-2. One at Duxford and one at Hendon - the only ones in existence.

[Shaun]

Enjoy your time there. You may come accross John HEPBURN whilst there

[Swoop]

Duxford is just the best eh? My dad ran the wind tunnel testing programme for TSR-2. One at Duxford and one at Hendon - the only ones in existence.

Interesting BBD!! Did your Dad talk about that job or have any photo's?
TSR2 was simply unbelieveable and ahead of it's time. Stupid morons who executed that project...
The second aircraft is at Cosford, not Hendon though. Luckily some brave people disobeyed orders and hid them to avoid the destruction order.

[Blackbird]

Interesting BBD!! Did your Dad talk about that job or have any photo's?
TSR2 was simply unbelieveable and ahead of it's time. Stupid morons who executed that project...
The second aircraft is at Cosford, not Hendon though. Luckily some brave people disobeyed orders and hid them to avoid the destruction order.

He did talk a bit about it. It was certainly ahead of its time but he said at the time of the irrevocable scrapping (jigs and other engineering support systems etc), it still had 2 serious problems. One with the terrain-following radar and another with landing gear hydraulics. I have a photo of the one at Duxford taken in the 80's when I was last there. That particular TSR 2 came from Cranfield which was my old university. They had an interesting collection at Cranfield, including a Messerschmitt Komet WW2 rocket fighter. Thanks for the update about Cosford. I was pretty sure it was at Hendon in the 80's.

By the way, there's a book by Roland Beaumont about his test pilot days and it contains lots of TSR2 photos and all his pilot notes on it. Sadly, I no longer have it.

Cheers

Geoff

[Swoop]

Thanks for the update about Cosford. I was pretty sure it was at Hendon in the 80's.

By the way, there's a book by Roland Beaumont about his test pilot days and it contains lots of TSR2 photos and all his pilot notes on it. Sadly, I no longer have it.

I have RB's book in my library at home! An excellent read and his comments really were positive on the plane. When you think about the development time of modern aircraft (10 years for both V-22 and F-22) the 18 months or so spent getting the bugs out of TSR was nothing in comparison.
I was at Duxford in '88 and took piccies of TSR2 there. Looking a bit tired and needing work.

Linky.

The project was not simply cancelled, it was murdered by the politicians. Scrapping of the jigs, etc...
Youtube has some great footage which I had not seen before.
There was a strong rumour that India had bought all existing plans and was preparing to do a production run. With new engines and avionics she would still be one of the best even against more modern competition.

[Skinny_Birdman]

Interesting stuff guys! Swoop, you will be somewhat happier to know that the TSR-2 is now inside, and looks to be at least partially restored. Alas, I don't appear to have taken a piccy of it... I'm not very good on the photo-tourism thing. Loved the pictures of the TSR doing short take offs. Amazing.
The english sunshine is pouring down outside, so it promises to be a wet trip to Heysham for the ferry tomorrow.

Cheers
A

[Skinny_Birdman]

I return!! The TT was the most amazing experience ever. I rode over with T & J, my sister and brother-in-law, who have a Blackbird not unlike my own, and my hire bike was an '06 CBR600F4i.
We slabbed it up the motorway from Bedfordshire to Heysham, and the ferry to the TT. Motorway riding is boring, so british traffic and weather made things interesting with rain and traffic jams. Lots of lane splitting with panniers on in driving rain is not my idea of a good time, but it kept the adrenaline flowing.
My first taste of the TT circuit was also in the wet, but fortunately the weather improved as the days wore on. As well as few hot trips over the mountain we got to check out the historic sights of the the island, and got to see kiwi legend Bruce Anstey take second to team mate aussie Cameron Donald in the Superbike TT, and after dropping out of the Superstock TT due to illness, score a victory and the lap record in the Supersport TT. Mad Sunday morning was spent at the Ramsey Sprint, and unfortunately the Mountain was closed due to bad weather in the afternoon, so no madness for us... but we got four good runs on earlier days. The weather on the way back today was rotten, good old british weather. Cue piccys:

1. Peel Castle, originally built by the Vikings in the 11th century.
2. Ballaugh Bridge. Race bikes (and occasionally passers by...) get serious air time here.
3. The view north from the Point of Ayre, the most northern point on the island.
4. View from Maughold Point, the easternmost point on the island.
5. The Relentless TAS Suzuki pits, and one of Buce Anstey's bikes. Go Kiwi!!
6. Bruce Anstey being led by Cameron Donald in the Superbike TT, the order in which they finished.