Birmingham: (BHX) - Spotting & Photography Locations

[Scottie Dog]

Cheers matt.

 

[manoverboard]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is the wrong forum.

I am flying from BHX on 03/06/23 but will be staying over on the 02/06. I’m hoping to take my two children to a viewing area on the Friday afternoon but not sure which one would be the best?

I’ve seen the one actually next to the run way in car park 5 I think it was, but then also 2 others either end of the runway

Any advice welcome.


Thanks for reading

 

[Ray Finkle]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is the wrong forum.

I am flying from BHX on 03/06/23 but will be staying over on the 02/06. I’m hoping to take my two children to a viewing area on the Friday afternoon but not sure which one would be the best?

I’ve seen the one actually next to the run way in car park 5 I think it was, but then also 2 others either end of the runway

Any advice welcome.


Thanks for reading

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I've moved your post into this thread so hopefully you may get a few more responses 🙂

There are a few options but I guess it depends on where you are staying and whether you'll have your own transport?

Car park 5 offers a decent view but if you aren't staying on the airport site then parking will be expensive. Personally I'd park at either Marston Green or Hampton-in-Arden station and get the train one stop. After the air/rail link to the airport it's only a short walk around the corner.

Sheldon Country Park is a decent spot. There is parking on Hazeldene Road with a small gate for access to the park, the end of the runway is just to the left. If on the airport site then it's one stop to Marston Green then a short walk down the hill.

There is another spot off Catherine-De-Barnes Lane but I'm not sure where the best parking would be as I've never been there.

Have a read of page one of this thread and please feel free to post anymore questions 🙂

 

[manoverboard]

Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it

I will have my own transport and we’re not staying on site, so I think the Sheldon Country Park sounds like a good plan 👍

 

[jfy1999]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is the wrong forum.

I am flying from BHX on 03/06/23 but will be staying over on the 02/06. I’m hoping to take my two children to a viewing area on the Friday afternoon but not sure which one would be the best?

I’ve seen the one actually next to the run way in car park 5 I think it was, but then also 2 others either end of the runway

Any advice welcome.


Thanks for reading

Welcome to the forum @manoverboard.

Where will you be flying to, out of interest?

 

[manoverboard]

Welcome to the forum @manoverboard.

Where will you be flying to, out of interest?

Girona - TUI flight TOM7629.

Anyone happen to know how I can find out the registration of the aircraft I’ll be flying on?

 

[Matt995]

Girona - TUI flight TOM7629.

Anyone happen to know how I can find out the registration of the aircraft I’ll be flying on?

Flight will be operated by one of the based Sunwing Airlines B738's, looks like it will either be C-GNCH or C-FWGH

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Girona - TUI flight TOM7629.

Anyone happen to know how I can find out the registration of the aircraft I’ll be flying on?

On the day of your flight, or the day before, you could check on one of the flight following websites such as Flightradar24. With FR24, click on the blue and white icon that marks Birmingham Airport. In the window that opens, click on 'departures' (at the bottom of the window) and scroll down to find your flight. Click in your flight and the window will expand to show more information, including the registration. Alternatively, you can type your flight number into the search window of FR24 and click on the link that comes up.
My apologies, if I've 'over explained' this. FR24 is also available as an app, but may require a small fee. Your children (depending on age), may be fascinated by FR24.

 

[manoverboard]

Thanks for the replies everyone 👍

I’ve looked up the Sunwing aircraft listed above and they do fly but at 0600hrs it looks like whereas my departure is 0625.

Hopefully I’ll get some nice pictures next Friday 👍

 

[Nibbles]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I've moved your post into this thread so hopefully you may get a few more responses 🙂

There are a few options but I guess it depends on where you are staying and whether you'll have your own transport?

Car park 5 offers a decent view but if you aren't staying on the airport site then parking will be expensive. Personally I'd park at either Marston Green or Hampton-in-Arden station and get the train one stop. After the air/rail link to the airport it's only a short walk around the corner.

Sheldon Country Park is a decent spot. There is parking on Hazeldene Road with a small gate for access to the park, the end of the runway is just to the left. If on the airport site then it's one stop to Marston Green then a short walk down the hill.

There is another spot off Catherine-De-Barnes Lane but I'm not sure where the best parking would be as I've never been there.

Have a read of page one of this thread and please feel free to post anymore questions 🙂

I take the dog fairly regularly to Elmdon Country Park - which has a great view. But with a dog with when-he-wants-to recall it means more time on lead, and theres a bit too much litter for my liking. Great view though. It's also a pain to get to from my location (in Solihull town centre).

So last week I tried the other end. There used to be a footpath running across the approach path from Bickenhill church, but involved a wade through quite a bit of overgrowth. Happily, with the new road construction, there's a nice bridge to cross now (over what will be the new link road from the motorway). So you can park in Bickenhill, somewhere near the church, and walk over the bridge, past what is currently the site compound for the works and through the farm access gates which also gives access to the shared use footpath that runs alongside the realigned A45.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

That walk is about 5 minutes max. The path then splits, one side of the mound giving you a great view of the approach but not the airport, and the other with a great view of the airport/runway but limited on the approach.

You could probably walk there in about 15 minutes from the train station (through Trinity Park, past the Arden Hotel and over the new footbridge.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I take the dog fairly regularly to Elmdon Country Park - which has a great view. But with a dog with when-he-wants-to recall it means more time on lead, and theres a bit too much litter for my liking. Great view though. It's also a pain to get to from my location (in Solihull town centre).

So last week I tried the other end. There used to be a footpath running across the approach path from Bickenhill church, but involved a wade through quite a bit of overgrowth. Happily, with the new road construction, there's a nice bridge to cross now (over what will be the new link road from the motorway). So you can park in Bickenhill, somewhere near the church, and walk over the bridge, past what is currently the site compound for the works and through the farm access gates which also gives access to the shared use footpath that runs alongside the realigned A45.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

View attachment 28457

That walk is about 5 minutes max. The path then splits, one side of the mound giving you a great view of the approach but not the airport, and the other with a great view of the airport/runway but limited on the approach.

You could probably walk there in about 15 minutes from the train station (through Trinity Park, past the Arden Hotel and over the new footbridge.

Welcome to the forum, Nibbles and thanks for the info.

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

I take the dog fairly regularly to Elmdon Country Park - which has a great view. But with a dog with when-he-wants-to recall it means more time on lead, and theres a bit too much litter for my liking. Great view though. It's also a pain to get to from my location (in Solihull town centre).

So last week I tried the other end. There used to be a footpath running across the approach path from Bickenhill church, but involved a wade through quite a bit of overgrowth. Happily, with the new road construction, there's a nice bridge to cross now (over what will be the new link road from the motorway). So you can park in Bickenhill, somewhere near the church, and walk over the bridge, past what is currently the site compound for the works and through the farm access gates which also gives access to the shared use footpath that runs alongside the realigned A45.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

View attachment 28457

That walk is about 5 minutes max. The path then splits, one side of the mound giving you a great view of the approach but not the airport, and the other with a great view of the airport/runway but limited on the approach.

You could probably walk there in about 15 minutes from the train station (through Trinity Park, past the Arden Hotel and over the new footbridge.

Ah the Mound Airport Action Kev got done for filming there apparently it's Private Land belongs to the Airport

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Ah the Mound Airport Action Kev got done for filming there apparently it's Private Land belongs to the Airport

There’s only 3 plane spotting positions I can think of Cargo car park,Viewing area of 33 and viewing area of 15.Before all this malarkey with all this construction began there was at least 2 more.Tbf there is the A45

 

[JENNYJET]

I do not know how it is today, but when I was young and free, I did most of my spotting along the fence on the golf course, close enough to the action for my ribs to rattle when the 1-11s and B737-200s and the British Midland or Cyprus B707/720s were on the roll.
As long as the relevant signage is in place, the airport bylaws can prevent or limit access as it deems fit, even if it is self defeating when it prevents hobbyists from spotting enjoyment.

 

[Nibbles]

Ah the Mound Airport Action Kev got done for filming there apparently it's Private Land belongs to the Airport

Hello everyone - long time (not logged in) lurker turned member 😱

The footpaths accessed from Clock Lane, as above, are exactly that - footpaths. Actually, one is a bridleway, the other a cycleway. See blue X below. I'm not sure there is any way that you can be moved on from either of those positions as long as you're not blocking it.



The red X was a former footpath, which I assume has been extinguished now as part of the M42 J6 project - its certainly not clear how to access it. I know the project team, I'll drop them a line. It ran as per the green line below



The green X is the top of the track that could've accessed 'the mound' - but now provides access to a construction site. If I'm not mistaken, the 'mound' was on an access track that was created temporarily to access the Gaelic Football site. That access track has now gone, with a construction site in its place (accessed between the bridge and the caravan site). The satellite picture is a bit out of date. I wasn't brave enough to walk all the way down there, but perhaps it gives access to the footpath. Could try it from the other end, I guess.

On the golf course (noting its been a few years since i last played there), there are 3 holes running directly alongside the boundary fence. The 6th tee is raised up, has a nice view of the fire training aircraft and would, i guess, be a good place to watch. Its a municipal golf course, so presumably public land, though they might try and suggest otherwise.

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

Hello everyone - long time (not logged in) lurker turned member 😱

The footpaths accessed from Clock Lane, as above, are exactly that - footpaths. Actually, one is a bridleway, the other a cycleway. See blue X below. I'm not sure there is any way that you can be moved on from either of those positions as long as you're not blocking it.

View attachment 28463

The red X was a former footpath, which I assume has been extinguished now as part of the M42 J6 project - its certainly not clear how to access it. I know the project team, I'll drop them a line. It ran as per the green line below

View attachment 28464

The green X is the top of the track that could've accessed 'the mound' - but now provides access to a construction site. If I'm not mistaken, the 'mound' was on an access track that was created temporarily to access the Gaelic Football site. That access track has now gone, with a construction site in its place (accessed between the bridge and the caravan site). The satellite picture is a bit out of date. I wasn't brave enough to walk all the way down there, but perhaps it gives access to the footpath. Could try it from the other end, I guess.

On the golf course (noting its been a few years since i last played there), there are 3 holes running directly alongside the boundary fence. The 6th tee is raised up, has a nice view of the fire training aircraft and would, i guess, be a good place to watch. Its a municipal golf course, so presumably public land, though they might try and suggest otherwise.

The Mound Kev used was by the Runway Landing Lights the Mound 2.0 as he calls it he can't get to due to the Construction work

 

[Nibbles]

Yeh, its on what was the temporary access track for the GAA site.

I dug out the plans from the DCO application;



Green are the existing footpaths, which used to get a nice view of the approach (but you couldnt see the airport. It will remain. But more specifically, the blue line is a proposed new right of way. Its a Public Right of Way (i.e. accessible to all of us) from 3/14 north to 3/21 (by the new bridge), and from 3/5 south to the rejoin with Catherine de Barnes Lane. Importantly (perhaps. I cant see reference to the bit in the middle, but logic would suggest its a PRoW (probably shared use foot/cycleway) all along that link.

Interestingly, at point 3/14 you'll be at the top of an embankment and almost directly under the approach path. Similarly at 3/5.

Of course, this is once its built - at the moment, National Highways have the ability to temporarily stop up any of these to facilitate the build.

 

[whateverg]

Hi, I was just wondering if spotters are still using the multistory car park on the Elmdon side? Are parking charges being enforced now?

 

[Matt995]

Hi, I was just wondering if spotters are still using the multistory car park on the Elmdon side? Are parking charges being enforced now?

Yes parking charges are now being enforced, and its now very very expensive, if you plan to park for a few hours, you had better have a big bank balance! 😡 - think you can only pay by card as well.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Yes parking charges are now being enforced, and its now very very expensive, if you plan to park for a few hours, you had better have a big bank balance! 😡 - think you can only pay by card as well.

Thanks for that Matt. It's been a long time since I've been there but won't be heading up anytime soon 🙁

The prices https://www.ncp.co.uk/find-a-car-park/car-parks/birmingham-airport-cargo-term/