According to the radio all airports in the UK are closed now.

That is correct. ALL flights into and out of the UK have now been canceled due to the plume from the Volcano. This is big news - apparently the first time in history that British airspace has been closed in it's entirety. The situation will be review prior to 07:00 tomorrow.

Reports up North of the UK that Sulphur can be smelled in the air.

---

Its a no go on all uk airports untill 7am friday, might not be any good even then.

Some more Eyjafjallajokull pictures here

---

VOLCANIC SUNSETS: A cloud of ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano is drifting across Europe this week and causing sunsets of surpassing beauty. Europeans are encouraged to look west at the end of the day. Bonus: If you don't live in Europe, look west anyway. Venus, Mercury and the crescent Moon are beaming through the twilight for all to see. Check http://spaceweather.com for pictures and sky maps...

---

This is really causing severe disruption now.

No flights over UK until tomorrow at the earliest!

My Dad checked to see when he could next fly to the UK from Spain. If the restrictions are lifted tomorrow as currently anticipated then all flights are full for a week!

---

My daughter is visiting friends in the UK this week, due to come home next week. On the phone yesterday she said she is actually looking forward to calling in to work with a classic excuse for showing up late. It will be interesting to see how long it takes the air travel system to get over this little hiccup.

---

It's still spewing ash by all accounts, so air space is going to be disrupted for some time yet. Lots of people reporting ash fall on cars around the UK now.

Check out the spooky radar image of the volcano!

---

And from a friend who speaks Icelandic: an Icelandic web site has published a "ransom letter" saying something like "leave 20 billion Euros in a paper bag behind the Icelandic embassy, and we'll turn off the volcano."

---

I would think that the trains in the UK and Europe would be packed full. I took the Euro star from london to paris and it only took 2 hours back in 2002. I think they have it down to 1 hour 40 minutes now.

Now i grant you flying is faster but its only 1559 air miles from London to Moscow. here in the states I can drive from new york state to Tampa Florida a distance of 1100 miles in about 21, or 22 hours. what with the high speed rail in Europe I cant understand why folks are so upset that they cant get home.

---

[/quote]

Old James

I would think that the trains in the UK and Europe would be packed full. I took the Euro star from london to paris and it only took 2 hours back in 2002. I think they have it down to 1 hour 40 minutes now.

Now i grant you flying is faster but its only 1559 air miles from London to Moscow. here in the states I can drive from new york state to Tampa Florida a distance of 1100 miles in about 21, or 22 hours. what with the high speed rail in Europe I cant understand why folks are so upset that they cant get home.

The BBC reports that all other means of crossing the channel, Eurostar, ferries etc, are fully booked until Tuesday.

Here's something on CNN about Planes and our recent favorite type of cloud. :D

Explainer: Why ash cloud endangers aircraft


Each year millions of passengers fly over volcanically active regions such as Iceland and the North Pacific.

The one above seems to look like It's giving the Thumbs Up signal. ;)

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Now i grant you flying is faster but its only 1559 air miles from London to Moscow. here in the states I can drive from new york state to Tampa Florida a distance of 1100 miles in about 21, or 22 hours. what with the high speed rail in Europe I cant understand why folks are so upset that they cant get home.

We're on an Island. The only way on or off it at the moment is by Channel Tunnel which is rammed to capacity for days ahead or by ferry boats, which are slow and also full - Additionally, contacting any of these companies to make a booking has become nigh on impossible due to the sudden demand.

It's only going to get worse before it gets better too with the airspace ban extended throughout the rest of today and maybe longer.

---

Now i grant you flying is faster but its only 1559 air miles from London to Moscow. here in the states I can drive from new york state to Tampa Florida a distance of 1100 miles in about 21, or 22 hours. what with the high speed rail in Europe I cant understand why folks are so upset that they cant get home.

We're on an Island. The only way on or off it at the moment is by Channel Tunnel which is rammed to capacity for days ahead or by ferry boats, which are slow and also full - Additionally, contacting any of these companies to make a booking has become nigh on impossible due to the sudden demand.

It's only going to get worse before it gets better too with the airspace ban extended throughout the rest of today and maybe longer.

Now where's the QEII to cross the Atlantic when People need Her the most? :D

It's too bad the SS United States is laid up in Turkey and not in shape to haul ass or passengers back and forth as She holds the transatlantic speed record for Her type of ship I think.

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I'm not sure if things are getting worse, but while flights remained restricted in England and Wales, this last Friday evening they were lifted in Scotland and Northern Ireland. But were then reapplied overnight.

The outlook for this weekend is not good. "As the weekend goes on there is a risk that prevailing winds will keep volcanic ash in the air above parts of the UK, and may even bring it back to those parts from which it has cleared."

---

flaming balloons

BBC breaking news, restriction on flying extended to Sunday 0100BST.

On the plus side, all that ash in the air will help slow down global warming. :)

---

Reality Internet Personality

On the plus side, all that ash in the air will help slow down global warming. :)

Only if there's enough to get the planet close to conditions like happened around 1814, But hopefully not as cold as back then, so as to not kill food crops or animals. Humans think they are all powerful still, They aren't, the forces of this planet and indeed our own sun are still many, many times greater. :D

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

On the plus side, all that ash in the air will help slow down global warming. :)

Only if there's enough to get the planet close to conditions like happened around 1814, But hopefully not as cold as back then, so as to not kill food crops or animals. Humans think they are all powerful still, They aren't, the forces of this planet and indeed our own sun are still many, many times greater. :D

Yes of course the ash has slowed down global warming. Anything which grounds aircraft will slow down global warming.

---

flaming balloons

Here's a story on New Scientist that I stumbled upon, It has to do with everyones favorite island in the Atlantic.

Get ready for decades of Icelandic fireworks

Maybe travel by Oceanliner across the pond might be done again?

---

The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

A helicopter flew over my house yesterday. It stood out like a sore thumb with absolutely no aircraft in sight all day.

---

flaming balloons