BRIAN REID PHOTOGRAPHER
Vintage Aircraft Club Fly In - Old Warden
I popped down to Old Warden yesterday and found myself in the middle of the Vintage Aircraft Club Fly In. This is a free event for the public, not including entrance to the collection and the Swiss Garden, and that had attracted a large crowd. A brief visit to the garden confirmed to me that, either there were plenty of members of the SVAS along or that plenty of people took the opportunity to enjoy...
Close to home
I have not being going too far for a week or so, while waiting for some new spectacles, after a recent shift in my optical abilities. Fortunately I don’t need to go far to enjoy some outdoor time. The headline shot was taken along with most of the shots below while walking up to the optician in town. I can now see where all the greenery has gone. The green flyers in the window relate to this week’s...
Action at the Shuttleworth
It is always a busy time at Old Warden around an airshow and last weekend was no exception. It was the flying proms on Saturday. I was not at the show but popped along on Friday to see the preparations and again on Sunday to see some of the visitors who would be heading home. These are a selection of photos across the weekend. There are a couple of photos that I hoped never to take, as the famous...
Cracking Up
Yes, the cracks are starting to show. It has been dry since mid-June with only 3% of typical rainfall in July and, to put it kindly, not a lot, so far in August. At the NT Wimpole Estate, about a half hour from home, the drought, officially declared, is obvious. The short hike to the folly often requires waterproof boots around the little lake which is clearly shrinking. By the water life carries...
Moggerhanger 5 August 2026
Welcome to the monthly music session in Moggerhanger Village Hall. It was good to see Pam & Paul for the first time in a long time. It continues to be a challenge to let everyone have a full set, essentially two songs, as we continue to have full houses of both muscians and listeners. It is never easy to manage the performers oportunities but we really want everyone to “have a go”. There is always...
Always something to enjoy at Old Warden
I am sure I have made this point before, but it is worth repeating. The Shuttleworth Collection and Swiss Garden at Old Warden are 20 minutes from home, have a good cafe and there is never a disappointing visit. The garden through the year appears to change daily and the aircraft collection requires constant work. Both rely on excellent staff and a dedicated and talented group of volunteers. This...
Aeroplanes and Other Things
There is an aeroplane further down and it is a pretty unique Auster, which failed to sell to the services who chose to go the helicopter route for the roll that it suited. It flew over me in the Swiss Garden and sounded unusual. A nice machine. Most of todays post shows some of the butterflies around including the lovely brown argus (above), gatekeepers, small heath and plenty of different whites....
Not Just Spitfires
More from the Shuttleworth Summer Air Display. Yes that is a MIG-17 from the Polish Airforce lighting up the evening sky. They don’t have jets very often at Shuttleworth air shows so this was a little special. The rest of today’s post is a selection of my favourites in the collection, and some visitors, and hopefully they convey just how good this place is for enjoying watching aeroplanes, close...
The Supermarine Spitfire is 90 years old this year
The Shuttleworth Summer Air Display was inspired by the 90th anniversary the first flight of the iconic Supermarine Spitfire. The team had arranged as many aircraft from the many different marks of this famous WW2 aircraft as they could in a range of colour schemes including those of versions that flew with the USAF and the Russian Air Force. Quite a treat. I am focusing this post on the Spitfires...
Bedfringe 2026
It was wonderful to be asked to return to Bedfringe for our fifth time. The event is an excellent showcase for, largely, local talent and, unlike many small festivals, this one has survived. The format has adjusted in recent years to accommodate as many performers as possible with slightly curtailed set lengths and tight integration of the three onsite venues, the main auditorium, the garden stage...