Visiting UK from Aus

[David Paterson 4Participant @davidpaterson4]

G'day,

i am visiting the UK over April for my first holiday there.

starting in London, the rough plan is 12 days anticlockwise via Suffolk ( wife's family- she emigrated at 6 and has never been back), Edinbourough, a distillery (fond of Oban but not exclusively) a couple of days in the southwest (bath & Stonehenge) and finishing at Hampshire.

would like to see/ experience some British model engineering while there.

any suggestions?

regards,

Dave.

[David Paterson 4Participant @davidpaterson4]

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

There used to be some cracking model engines/engineering in the National Museum in Edinburgh

As a kid you could push a button on the cabinet and see it working

I don't know how much is still there now, it used to be an entire room in the museum

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Harrogate show May 10th to 12th

About the best show in the UK

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi Dave,
If you are near any of these they are worth a visit.

Anson engine museum

Bolton steam museum

National Railway Museum

Les.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Do not miss "The Long Shop Museum" Leiston Suffolk. The home of Richard Garretts who made all sorts of Steam and other powered vehicles for over 200 years. Even made one of the early CNC milling machines and had production lines before Henry Ford !. Its a treasure trove of all things mechanical. If you have a musical bent, also try Aldeburgh

search on the web for longshopmuseum.co.uk

Bob

[60019Participant @60019]

"…and finishing at Hampshire."

You'll be welcome at the Basingstoke and District MES Miniature Steam Rally, 13th and 14th April.

Traction Engines, Steam Lorries, Miniature Railway, Exhibition etc.

Mike

Edited By 60019 on 27/03/2013 14:29:53

[Stewart HartParticipant @stewarthart90345]

Posted by Ady1 on 27/03/2013 11:58:39:

There used to be some cracking model engines/engineering in the National Museum in Edinburgh

As a kid you could push a button on the cabinet and see it working

I don't know how much is still there now, it used to be an entire room in the museum

I remember those as a kid also,

Visited of few years back and they were gone, I think they move them to Lieth

Stew

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Also in Hampshire:**LINK**

Triple expansion steam engine currently electrically driven but they are the recipients of a large lottery grant to restore the Babcock boilers. Regrettably my information is that not all the asbestos was removed by contractors several years ago, thereby, causing delays presently.

There is also ADMES

Not quite in Hampshire, but one of my favourite railway sites

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Hi there,

I'd suggest that you visit the Ironbridge Gorge Museum, see http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/ .

I consider it has a claim to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

When I visited a few years ago (1987), we 'booked-in' at the visitor centre early on a Friday afternoon and spent the rest of that day, all day Saturday and Sunday morning at the various parts of the site. I expect they've added a lot of material since then.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

The Coalbrookdale Museum of iron is very good and worth walking over to Darby's blast furnace – a place I found strangely emotional, the place where the dragon's egg of modern industrialisation was hatched, for better and for worse.

If you visit Ironbridge also look out for Blists Hill, it's more of an industrial revolution recreation like the Black Country Living Museum.

You must also make a pilgrimage to see the Iron Bridge itself.

My wife and daughter visited recently – without me – and videoed a lady singing a Suffragette protest song for me to watch (OK my daughter is doing a project on women's suffrage).

Neil

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Hi Dave not strickly ME but if you a leaving Scotland on the west side consider visitng "Old Ratty" in Ravenglass **LINK**

A fab ride through some very picturesce country and a great pub in Boot -end of the line. There is also Muncaster Castle close by – well worth a visit.

No connectino with either attaction but often put it on out "tikki tour" for visitors.

See your PM

John.

[merlinParticipant @merlin98989]

I went to the (Edinburgh) Scottish Museum a couple of weeks ago but don't remember seeing any of the old style models that could be cranked. There is a lot to see including a wonderful striking clock designed and made by a Norwegian and the fascinating Chronphage Corpus clock. Close to those two is a John Harrison long-case clock. My wife was particularly interested in the first two.

York, of course, and perhaps the Feet Air Arm Museum and Bovington Tank Museum, both in Dorset. The Muckleburgh Collection of military vehicles is at Holt, about 30 miles north of Suffolk. The Bolton Museum isn't in steam every day but if you contact them they would be pleased to talk to you, I would think. Tramway Museum at Crich in Derbyshire.

As others have said, Ironbridge must come first for any flying one-off visitor, but plan your day(s) there!

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

My view – as an outsider – is that there's so much to do in the UK that it's amazing. Whatever you do will be incredible, IMHO.

My wife and I'll be there in May, York (national railway museum) the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and, finishing up at the Harrogate show. Add to that, a week walking the footpaths in the North Yorkshire Moors, and life can't get any better!

Another JohnS.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

It might be worth you googling to see what loacl events are on in the areas you visit.

For example on 31 March/1 April Clay Mills Pumping station will have big beam engines in steam, as well as smaller engnes and other demonstrations – I visited and a large shaper was running under steam power. Local model engineers usually have some of their work on display.

I mention this as if you visit a similar event you will actually meet some UK model engineers and see real 'grass roots' models rather than glass case ones.Be warned – most model engineers can talk the hind legs off a donkey*.

Neil

*A donkey is an animal a bit like a kangaroo but with four legs and a fondness for carrots and thistles

[Another JohnSParticipant @anotherjohns]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 28/03/2013 09:35:55:

I mention this as if you visit a similar event you will actually meet some UK model engineers and see real 'grass roots' models rather than glass case ones.Be warned – most model engineers can talk the hind legs off a donkey*.

Agreed – a year ago, we went walking around Minehead, and it fit in with the Taunton ME Exhibition. The organizer – Gerry Willis, plus 3 others, took my wife and I out to dinner on the Saturday evening. We had a great time, and wished we had been able to see the exhibition on Sunday (but had to go back to work via Heathrow Airport)

One of the model engineers displaying clocks @ the show was actually the impetus for my blog about CNC – probably would not have put my thoughts down if model engineers could not talk!

(blog is http://cnc-for-model-engineers.blogspot.com)

My wife is worried about what activities I'll return home with after our trip in May.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

The catch with model clubs it they are likely to only advertise a weekend activity, however quite often they have a weekday when retired people also get together, and also sometimes an evening meeting on one day. You might have to email the clubs in the areas you are going to enquire about their other activities.

If planning to dart around multiple activities don't underestimate the travel time. In the UK anywhere off the main motorway (excluding M25 which is a car park) is a crawl and half the towns are nearly gridlocked in the morning, at lunchtime, and after 3pm.

[David Paterson 4Participant @davidpaterson4]

Thanks, everyone for all of that information.

the museums look good for a day, and it looks like I will have a day off before my wife arrives to get to Bassingstoke. Looks OK by train from London. ( this is always a challenge – Canberra doesn't exactly have a train system, and the busses take longer than the pushie, so public transport is always an unknown)

wife gave up camping in December after getting caught in a snag on one of our rivers, don't blame her really, but is always good for a tramp in the hills.

top it all off, I have a 10 yr old visiting apprentice this afternoon – life is good.

dave.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Dave,

Plenty of trains from Waterloo to Basingstoke. Be sure to look out for the Basingstoke Canal and a glimpse of the Brooklands track on your journey. If you have time in Basingstoke then a visit to the Milestones Museum would be well worth while. Several workshops from the Edwardian period have been set up to give a flavour of the products of Wallis and Steevens, Tasker and Thorneycrofts. I'm not too sure about the household appliance section though – we seem to spend a lot of our time saying 'we used to have one of those' and then 'we've got one of those'! Makes me feel old!

Have great trip,

Rod

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Sorry, but you have to make a detour.

Basingstoke to here about 45 minutes. Awesome!!!!!

And then, after having done some 'poor' map-reading (or so your wife will think) end up here by mistake.  Equally awesome!!!!

Edited By Niloch on 29/03/2013 11:05:58

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

I do not know which days you might be planning to travel by train but be forewarned that many weekends are used for rail infrastructure works, this can mean parts of a journey involve replacement bus services and revised timetables.

Check it it all out in advance.

 

Edited By V8Eng on 29/03/2013 17:41:29

[Richard MarksParticipant @richardmarks80868]

Kew Bridge steam museum is a must whilst in london. Check online for opening and steaming times also the science museum if you have time.

[David Paterson 4Participant @davidpaterson4]

Good morning all, and sorry that it has taken so long for me to get back onto the net and thank this community for sir friendly advice and input.

i had a great month and several stops with engineering flavour.

i did spend a somewhat damp day in Basinfstoke at the traction rally. Excellent welcome from all, a short ride (actually my first) and good conversation every time it stopped. The indoor exhibition was also fun, and very social.

the following day I spent many hours in the technology museum in London and looked at both the team galleries and the clocks. The big mill engine was running and the two engineers very friendly.

other highlights were the Falkirk wheel, a full size engine near the Dalwhinnie distillery ( it was running and I only guessed it was coming from the people standing waiting on a bridge over the track. Most amusing was the conversation about the fires it caused running in summer – that is unbelievable to an Austrailian.) and finally a walk up the towpath beside the lock stair in Bath.

overall, a very good selection and top people everywhere.

thanks again

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