Final destination Plane to crawl down M32 to become city office
❝ It’s great stuff and exactly the kind of silly, positive, playful and optimistic fun Bristol needs right now.
Johnny Palmer
ABOEING 727 is due to start its journey from Cotswold Airport to Bristol this weekend - via the M5, M4 and M32.
The aircraft has been bought by Pytch, a messaging company, who plan to use it as an office and event space for the company in Brislington.
It is due to crawl along the motorways on Saturday, leaving the Cotswolds at 9am, and is expected to arrive in Bristol in the evening.
Johnny Palmer, owner of Pytch, said: “Rather than fly, It will be creeping along the M5, M4 and M32 at around 20mph.
“There will likely be traffic disruptions with the police escort helping it take two lanes of the motorway.
“The way it has been strapped to the trailer is essential as a rolling fuselage on the road could be lethal. Once in Bristol it will be the centrepiece of the hub of our tech empire.”
Previously, Mr Palmer said: “I’ve done some crazy stuff in my business career but I have to say that this is most exciting development I have been involved in.
“When people hear about it they are both confused and excited at the same time.
“It’s great stuff and exactly the kind of silly, positive, playful and optimistic fun Bristol needs right now.”
The 40-metre long Boeing 727 had originally been due to make the journey on Sunday, January 31.
But bad weather in the Cotswolds meant that the plane would have become stuck in the mud at the airport in Kemble had it been moved.
The big move was therefore delayed by almost a month, until this Saturday.
Mr Palmer secured planning permission for his ‘Pytch Air’ project from Bristol City Council in October 2020 - but he has been plotting the scheme since 2018.
The Boeing 727 was built in 1968 and used by Japan Airlines.
It then went into private ownership in the mid-1970s. It cost £50 million when it was new, but Johnny bought the plane for less than £100,000.
The fuselage of the £20m aircraft will be used by Pytch as an ecofriendly way of expanding its office spaces.