A new permanent entrance for Shuttleworth College and Visitor Attraction opens on Wednesday 7 July.
At the same time, College Road that currently crosses the runway will be permanently closed.
The road forms a new entrance from the B658 Shefford Road, 0.6 miles west of the existing College Road and is named Alder Drive in honour of Professor Mike Alder, who recently retired from the Board of Trustees after 30 years as a driving force for Shuttleworth College and a guiding hand for the Trust.
Alder Drive will be the new permanent main entrance for the Shuttleworth Collection and Swiss Garden, Air Shows and events, and Shuttleworth College, for all visitor, staff and delivery traffic.
Please use Alder Drive from all routes from 7 July. There is no postcode as such but SG18 9DX should take you to the entrance of the former College Road. What3Words location is Irrigated.Nuggets.Training.
Old Warden entrance will only be in use for access to Shuttleworth House.
Bidding is now open at the inaugural Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS) online ‘Auction of Promises’, part of the charity’s fundraising in support of the Shuttleworth Collection, which is facing tough operating conditions from the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.
The Auction is hosted through the National Fundraising Schemes secure external platform, where bidders have the chance to win an exciting array of lots that include rare and exceptional prizes, many unique to the Shuttleworth Collection for that #onlyatshuttleworth experience!
Arrive by air to a Shuttleworth air display – photograph by Darren Harbar
Lots include an ultimate Shuttleworth Airshow VIP experience with guest arrival and departure in a DH Chipmunk and a seat in the vintage vehicle parade. Or choose an open cockpit tour that include a Miles Magister flight and the chance to look inside some of the most interesting aircraft in vintage aviation. There’s the chance to ‘Meet the Pilots’ with a dinner for four at the RAF Club as guests of select Collection Pilots and Shuttleworth’s Chief Engineer.
Dorothy travelling through Old Warden – photograph by Wayne Allen
For those happier on the ground, the steam experience day for two includes steaming up, belting up and running our drum and elevator, and an extended driving lesson in the 100-year-old engine, Dorothy. The experience includes a tour of the best Clayton & Shuttleworth working heritage collection in the UK, followed by dinner cooked in Dorothy’s smokebox. Or buy the bear who has accrued over a hundred hours in aircraft as diverse as the Collection’s 1909 Blériot, a variety of warbirds, the Blades and the Red Arrows teams, and has ‘test flown’ a Eurofighter Typhoon. Why not take him on his next adventure!
Could you provide a home for our very special bear Royston in our online auction
These incredible prizes have been generously donated in support of this much-needed fundraising. Don’t miss out! Auction closes at midnight on Sunday 20 December, with a presentation gift certificate for each successful winner – perfect for that last-minute Christmas gift!
About the Friends of Shuttleworth – The Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society
The Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS) Charity no. 800095 works to undertake fundraising and create a community of active volunteers to support the Shuttleworth Collection, home to vintage airworthy aircraft, working vehicles, and industrial heritage Clayton & Shuttleworth exhibits.
Based in Bedfordshire, UK, the SVAS raises funds and has donated more than £2,000,000 over the past 20 years to the Shuttleworth Collection, and provides in excess of 43,000 hours of volunteer time annually.
In 2014 the SVAS was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for “Educating the public in the science, practice and history of aviation and motoring by supporting the charitable work of the Shuttleworth Collection”.
Aviation Art online sketching event on Saturday 24 October at 11.00 – log into the members area to sign up, or email svasoldwarden@gmail.com to register
Over the winter it was planned to re-cover the roof the Clayton and Shuttleworth Living Van that is normally seen on air display days providing a venue to serve tea to the hard-working volunteers and staff. When the living van had been restored about 10 years ago the roof was in largely good condition so was left alone, however age has caught up with it and some persistent leaks meant that it went in to the workshop at the beginning of 2020.
The roof had previously been covered with tarred felt, fitted at some point in its life as a shepherd’s hut. This covering was removed to reveal the roof boards underneath which were in good order with the exception of the edge board on each side. These were removed and replaced just before the lockdown was enforced in mid March.
Removing the old tarred felt roof covering
Woodwork in generally good condition with the exception of the edge
Wood replaced on the edge and ready for replacement canvas
Some of the rotten wood removed and ready for replacement
Over the past month the roof has been prepared to receive the new roofing covering. All the boards have been screwed down and holes filled and then sanded smooth and the curved mouldings at each end that sandwich the canvas under the roof boards have been remade due to the ravages of weather and age.
It is planned to fit a canvas covering which is closer to the original roofing style. The volunteers are now at the stage of applying the new canvas to the roof. To check that the proposed method will work, a test section of roof has been built and the canvas applied using the process below.
The mock up of the roof with holes filled and surface sanded flat
The canvas is laid over the surface
Canvas is glued and pinned in position
The canvas is gently pressed in to the glue
A light application of water was made to the far half of the canvas to see whether it had any effect on the bonding of the canvas
Rear half is painted with thinned aluminium primer, the near half painted in dark undercoat (no primer)
After the sell-out success of the World’s first drive-in air display held at the Shuttleworth Collection on Saturday 18th July, tickets are selling fast for the next air display on Sunday 2nd August.
As numbers are strictly limited it is expected that this display will also sell out before the date, so we advise all SVAS members thinking of going to purchase their tickets now.
UPDATE: Tickets to the 2nd August show have now sold out!
The 15th August Magnificent Musical Flying Display will also be in a drive-in format and numbers will be limited. Please book early to avoid disappointment
This year we are commemorating the 111th anniversary of the birth of Richard Shuttleworth who was born on the 16th July 1909, and also the 80th anniversary of his death on 2nd August 1940.
A blue ribbon has been tied around the tree that was planted in the grounds of Old Warden Park to mark his birth in 1909 and is visible from the North Parkland that you can explore as part of your visit to Shuttleworth.
The hangars at Shuttleworth that house Richard’s collection are open once again so you can find out more about Richard and also see some of the vehicles and aircraft that he collected.
It is also possible to see some of the Collection in our latest virtual air display ‘Treasured Moments at Old Warden’ which is available to watch online now. Click here to purchase.
Proceeds from the virtual air display will go to our emergency appeal to help recover from the dreadful covid-19 closure.
