Southport Airshow

mike_6480

mike_6480

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I'm going to Southport Airshow on Saturday. It's the first time I've been so does anyone have any tips?

We are going on the train so that don't have the hassle with traffic.

Thinking of taking my sigma 150-600mm lens (camera is canon 5d mark iii) and potentially my monopod. Think we're taking chairs and aiming for a spot on the beach but not sure where is best or if it matters.

Any tips will be much appreciated. Thanks
 
Definitely take a folding chair, and something to cover your camera if it rains. I'd consider a tripod, as you could keep the camera on it, up off the sand, and handhold when shooting.
 
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I've never really been for photography but have been many times. You have a couple of options, down on the beach near the action or up on the sea wall a little further away. But they're in the sky so both give excellent views :lol: The beach can be soggy and soft so a folding chair can be okay if you place it well, in the past they have had displays of manoeuvres on the beach in front of the railings. If they're doing that a seat at the front would be advantageous, you can feel the explosions on the beach too which is pretty cool :) The sea wall is a safer bet on the floor but you're further away from the action, it also gets quite busy up there so it's horses for courses :)

They're also doing some flying on Friday night I believe this year, not sure which planes though :)
 
Get there early. Car parking the last couple of years has been a total nightmare, but then it's been run by the Council who are only interested in income, not service provision.
Better still, as you will be coming from Chester catch a Merseyrail train and walk across; should save a lot of hassle. Or if you don't want to do the whole journey by train drive to Ainsdale/Birkdale and do the last leg from those stations. Free car parking!
Thought I might nip down to the Friday night session depending on the weather.
Alternatively I might go to Woodvale Aerodrome to watch the military stuff playing about a bit.
 
Enjoy yourself - if the weathers nice, it's a good airshow. You can sit on the beach or wall as has been said previously.

Personally, from previous years of experience, I wouldn't worry about trying to get right to the front line on the beach, just find somewhere nice you want to sit and enjoy it. Taking chairs is a very good idea and something to put your camera / lens on for the times when you don't want to be holding it.
 
I went a couple of years ago for the two Lancasters, ended up stood just to the left of the pier on the beach. Weather didn't help that year, clouded over quite badly towards the end of the afternoon, but that's the luck of the draw. I also went on the train, someone I spoke to later had gone by car and it had taken them three hours from here (Crewe area) to being parked at Southport, and I believe two of those hours were in the queue in Southport - certainly as I was walking along the prom looking for a viewpoint it was packed with hardly-moving traffic. On the way back, I left around 5pm and the trains were very busy indeed, so it's probably best if you can leave it until later.

General note for Southport - pretty much no chance of seeing anything worthwhile without paying the entrance fee. You might think (like I originally did) that it's an air show, you'll be able to see them from anywhere but just maybe not get quite such a good view. However there was enough of the seafront fenced off that you'd have needed to go several miles in either direction to get a view, which might have been an option with clearer weather. I'm not necessarily advocating skipping buying a ticket for things, but sometimes being inside the event (such as a firework display) actually makes the photos worse and an external view can bring images that are different to everyone else's. Of course the layout might be different after the various recent incidents, I recall the Red Arrows arrived (or left, or perhaps both) over the town for example.
 
mickledore said:
Get there early. Car parking the last couple of years has been a total nightmare, but then it's been run by the Council who are only interested in income, not service provision.
Better still, as you will be coming from Chester catch a Merseyrail train and walk across; should save a lot of hassle. Or if you don't want to do the whole journey by train drive to Ainsdale/Birkdale and do the last leg from those stations. Free car parking!
Thought I might nip down to the Friday night session depending on the weather.
Alternatively I might go to Woodvale Aerodrome to watch the military stuff playing about a bit.
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Yes we are going by train. Only £10 for a Merseyrail family ticket, and saves hassle of parking etc!
 
droopsnoot said:
I went a couple of years ago for the two Lancasters, ended up stood just to the left of the pier on the beach. Weather didn't help that year, clouded over quite badly towards the end of the afternoon, but that's the luck of the draw. I also went on the train, someone I spoke to later had gone by car and it had taken them three hours from here (Crewe area) to being parked at Southport, and I believe two of those hours were in the queue in Southport - certainly as I was walking along the prom looking for a viewpoint it was packed with hardly-moving traffic. On the way back, I left around 5pm and the trains were very busy indeed, so it's probably best if you can leave it until later.

General note for Southport - pretty much no chance of seeing anything worthwhile without paying the entrance fee. You might think (like I originally did) that it's an air show, you'll be able to see them from anywhere but just maybe not get quite such a good view. However there was enough of the seafront fenced off that you'd have needed to go several miles in either direction to get a view, which might have been an option with clearer weather. I'm not necessarily advocating skipping buying a ticket for things, but sometimes being inside the event (such as a firework display) actually makes the photos worse and an external view can bring images that are different to everyone else's. Of course the layout might be different after the various recent incidents, I recall the Red Arrows arrived (or left, or perhaps both) over the town for example.
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Thanks for the advice.

We have already bought our tickets. I think we are going to stay for something to eat afterwards, so hopefully that will mean we miss some of the crowded trains.
 
the mrs wanted to go to Southport this weekend :( can't stand the place just told her the airshow is on, so don't have to go now :)
 
Kingo46 said:
the mrs wanted to go to Southport this weekend :( can't stand the place just told her the airshow is on, so don't have to go now :)
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I live in Southport and can't stand the place. Think how lucky you are.
 
And they've started arriving. Roof tiles on house are getting a good rattling from the military stuff coming in to land.
 
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