Hi Roger

We have booked into the Cavendish at Embsay for Friday 16 and Saturday 17 September and will get a taxi into Skipton for either or both evenings, I take it that the Wetherspoons in Skipton is where the action is. Best wishes sent from Geoff Culpitt, Nav Leader on 17(F) 73 - 76. See you in September. Is there anything you want us to do to help, let us know and if we can oblige, we will.

Best wishes

Steve & Diana

I’m up for that. Count me in

Having just moved to Skipton - can't think of a better place to hold it - I'm in

Hi Roger

Great, have been talking with Al Tenant and we will be attending the final beer call and I hope Al and I will not peg before then.

Regard
Brian

Just to confirm will be there on Saturday and have booked. Accom.

Thanks Brian and Al for your support. It will be great to see you again after a number of years! But a big thank you to all those who have expressed an interest in coming along on the weekend of 16th and 17th Sep. So far a total of 31 Phantomeers have indicated their attendance - with no cancellations that I'm aware of.

Am still waiting for Danny (local Resident) to report back on the availability and suitability of a second venue which may have a room available for hire on the Saturday night - just to kick things off! But I envisage we will eventually split into groups and see who can get round most of the pubs Skipton has to offer ha! ha! (hic!)

If anyone is struggling to find accomodation in Skipton, I may have a booking which is going 'begging'. I've double-booked hotel in Leeds and Skipton! An early-morning train leaving Leeds on Sunday for down South (which I need to be on) leaves Leeds before the 1st train out of Skipton gets to Leeds. So I would probably need to stay in Leeds Sat night?

Anyway, that's all there is for now. I'm on WhatsApp if any of you need to msg me or drop me an email.

Looking forward to seeing you all in about 10 weeks time.

Best wishes.

Roger

Hi Roger, can you add me to your list for the Saturday night as well please. Unfortunately can’t make the Friday due to the distance and grand parent duties (wouldn’t get there until about 1am and turning up sober when everyone else is trolleyed is no fun). Thanks.

Name added Buck! Looking forward to seeing you there. R

Hey Roger
I've checked with my agent and my filming schedule is clear that weekend. Put me and Mrs Tin Man down for Friday night, if my kidneys can hold out I'll try for Saturday as well.

Thanks
Chris

Hi Roger
Just to confirm I will be attending on Friday and Saturday night along with George Learmonth
regards
Jim

Looking forward to seeing you again Tin Man! Its a name I have never forgotten from 92Sqn - in those early days of the 80s! If you are still in touch with any other colleagues from those days - give them a nudge to come along!

is anyone in contact with Steve Swindells or Mick Fowen? It would be fantastic to see them both that weekend.

Latest number attending is now 34 people - of which only three have indicated attending one night only.

Have a great Summer! Roger

Brian which night are you and Al going for Friday, Saturday or both? My liver won't stand two consecutive nights on the **** but I would like to go for one night. If we can all agree on one night that would be great. So far Chris and JP have said they will go on Friday.

Innes

Hi Innes, I don’t think Brian or Al monitor this site but I do have Brian’s phone number if you want to speak to him and confirm which nights he and Al are attending? Or it might just be easier if I give him a call and ask him to respond to your msg?

Looking forward to seeing you again Innes after all these years. If you have Karl Boulton’s contact details, please let me have them.

Regards Roger

Hi Rog, I don't have any contact details for Karl I'm afraid. Please do ask Brian and Al which nights they are going. Look forward to seeing you all in Sepetmber and feel free to pass on my contact details below.

Innes
(is.griggs@ntlworld.com 07946297622)

Brian should have contacted you by now Innes. I passed on your details!

Hi Innes,

Long time no see. In case you haven't managed to get a reply from Brian, I have been in contact with Al and they are both going for the Friday and Saturday. I believe Tin Man is Friday and possibly Saturday subject to his liver holding out (probably more to do with trying to keep trim for his luvvie responsibilities). I will be there Saturday but not Friday (grandfather duties unfortunately - or fortunately for the sake of my health). If you are there Saturday will be good to see you, if not - don't fall asleep on the overground heating pipes on the way back to your room.

Ha! Ha! Anyway Buck, I emailed Brian's mob number to Innes this morning and he has acknowledged receipt! R

Hey Buck

I was at a MG meeting the other day and I mentioned our trip to Amsterdam in your yellow midget. I don't think you could name a car after a vertically challenged person nowadays!:thinking_face:

Hi Chris,

Hope you’re well and fame hasn’t boosted your vanity chip too much.

I take it you didn’t mention the fact we forgot which street it was parked in, only remembered it was by a canal and fortunate that it was the one with the skinny bridge so it was relatively easy to locate with a little local help.

Hope to see you at the beer call in September, if your liver holds out for the second day.

Roger

Looks like I will be coming for Friday and Saturday Night. I will just have to pack a spare liver for Saturday.

Innes

Update re Skipton weekend!! Only one person has had to remove his name from the list of attendees as he will be abroad at the time. So it looks as though about 34 Phantomeers are going to be around the town weekend of 16th and 17th Sep. Brilliant!

In the meantime, Danny (local Resident) has been doing some scouting around for a second meeting place on the Saturday night where perhaps we could all meet initially, before starting any pub crawl! Danny has spoken to the Landlady of Ackroyd's Bar who has agreed to turn over half the Bar area to us as a Group, for a deposit of £150.00. But we can spill over into the other half of the bar if necessary as well. The Landlady will use the £150.00 as a Bar Tab either for drinks and or nibbles for all of us until the money is gone! Sounds fair? But it would mean I need to collect £5.00 off everyone on the Friday night in Weatherspoons - which you will get back Saturday night in Ackroyds!

Does this sound reasonable to folks? Let me know your thoughts please. On Friday night at Weatherspoons, we will just have to 'wing it' as we will not be able to book any part of that bar!!

Looking forward to seeing you all in 5 weeks time. Roger

£5 per head is fine by me. Innes

Hi Roger, apologies from me. Just a little far from New Zealand.

I hope that you have a great response to this function.

Kind regards - Kes

Hey! Thanks Kes. Nice to hear from you. Pity you could not make it this time - especially as Brian and Al will be there.

Please let me know when you do re-visit the UK again. It would be great to see you again after all these years.

Best wishes.

Roger

So, for those of us planning on going to the beer call by train, the Train unions have decided to announce the 15th and 17th September as the days they are going on strike. Thanks guys….not. I will keep an eye on what is going on but this will certainly screw up my plans if it goes ahead. Hoping for something to happen so the strike doesn’t happen.

Train Strike!!!

Update! The Phantomeers meet will still go ahead! Too many people have booked hotels etc to call it off this late. I had planned to travel by train also. Travelling on the 16th and returning home on the 18th. Strike days are the 15th and 17th Sep. So trains will still run on Fri and Sun but probably a limited service due to trains not being in the right place!

National Express are still running coaches! And i'm also looking at hiring a small van!


So even if I have to crawl up there - I'm still going!!

The trains being in the wrong place id mainly a problem when travelling early in the morning. By mid-day they have udually sorted the problem out.
I will still be going on Friday and returning on Sunday.

Innes Griggs

The train unions have decided to call off the strikes for the 15th and 17th September. I’m sure we all know why, which is good news to come from bad.

It means we can all make it to the beer call and raise a glass to the boss now she has passed on.

I’ll drink to that Buck! And perhaps a second toast to our new King Charles III.

God bless the Queen.

God save the King.

See you all next weekend. R

Good evening Roger, Steve Hanson emailed me today to remind me about the reunion next week in Skipton. I will only be able to participate in the finale on the Saturday as my wife is currently recovering from Gamma Radiation treatment for a brain tumour. I will be driving up on the Saturday morning and leaving late Saturday night as I have to be back home on the Sunday to look after my wife, so no "Sherberts" for me but it will be worth it to see some amazing friends that I haven't seen for so many years.
stay well,
stay safe every one,
Dick Elvin

Thank you Dick. Best wishes to you and I wish and pray for a speedy recovery for your Wife. See you on Saturday night. R

Bit late to the party but didn't know about it till chatting with Kate the other day. Now booked 2 nights at the Travelodge so will be there Fri/Sat. Looking forward to it. Do we have a meeting place/time for Friday?

Good to hear Al and looking forward to having a beer with you.
We are meeting in Witherspoons on the Friday night, no specific time, but we need to last the night...
I've spoken to a few people that didn't know about the doo, mainly because they don't visit the website. I messaged Colin McShane last night about 43 Sqn reunion later on this month at Leuchars and I asked if he was going to what will probably be the last Phantom reunion in Skipton, and he replied "What Phantom reunion". So I expect there are a few who don't know about it. Anyway it was good of Roger to come up with the idea. See you soon.

Hi all

Just to let everyone on the forum that after Al and I had a chat today we have decided not to come down for the beer call this weekend. We both have family health problems. Al's dad has recently had a heart attack and is recovering from this and my wife's brother has had stroke and because of this they have had stopped his dialysis and has given him weeks to live so we have to take each day as it comes. Hope everyone has a great catch up. Roger I will give you a call when everything calms down up here.
Cheers
Brian and Al

Update! For Soc - a decision was made ( after consulting several other members) not to collect £5.00 off everyone to book space at the Ackroyd Bar. Why put £150 behind the bar as a tab when those who want to, can throw a fiver into a jar on the table and buy a drink as and when? And we also retain the freedom to ‘move on’ if we don’t like the beer at this bar!

It is settled we meet on Friday night at The Devonshire (Weatherspoons) from 6pm onwards. However, I will ‘disappear’ at some point for an hour to check out the Ackroyd Bar and one other pub that has been recommended to me by a Veteran RAF guy who lives locally. I will report back no later than 9.00pm on my finds and perhaps at that stage we can make a decision where we all meet on the Saturday night?

Brian and Al, really sorry to hear you have had to pull out for Family reasons - but Family always comes 1st. Perhaps someone might decide to try and organise another informal meet in several years time (hint hint). I still look forward to seeing you both again sometime in the future.

Finally, don’t be surprised, if on the night, a RAFA ‘Wings Appeal’ collection tin appears on the table. Dig deep Phantomeers!

Final count is still approximately 30 people attending! Enjoy the weekend. R

Hi Roger,

I assume you will put the decision for Saturday's initial meet on this page (for the lightweights amongst us, me included, who can only make Saturday).

Sorry Guys, I wont be able to make it. I have come down with a bug that is making me nauseous. Have a few beers for me and I hope to see you all at the next reunion (if there is one).

Innes Griggs

Are we meeting at Spoon's? If what time?

Hi John,

18.00 hrs at Weatherspoons and bring your drinking head!

Den

I'll be there about 7.30. Train gets in at 7 drop bag, Spoon's 😏

Yes Buck! if we make a decision tonight to meet at a different venue Saturday night, I will put something on here! Roger

Sorry to hear you wont be joining us Innes! Get well soon. Roger

Where are we meeting tonight saturday

18.30 at Weatherspoons SOC - it's called The Devonshire. See you l8r!