Today, I was on the monthly Shed Trip. The April trip was to the GWR Museum in Swindon. Unlike last month, the coach driver took us to the motorway via junction 9. It was a much quicker exit from Gosport.
The trip to Swindon took about an hour and a half. I was a bit surprised (I really shouldn’t have been) when most people got off the coach and went straight to the cafe. I didn’t need to eat. I’d got Elayne to drop me off at Fort Brockhurst. She was on her way to babysit our granddaughter. I went to the Premier Inn for breakfast, which was very nice.
After a cup of tea, we went back down to the entrance for a briefing on how the museum works. That was very useful. We then started to explore.
The museum, to me, served two purposes; it showed the scale of the operations that were necessary to run such an organisation is massive. At the entrance to the museum, they had a map. The building we were in was just a very small part of the operation, and yet the building really was quite big. At the time, it contained a number of major operations, including final assembly, where all the components of an engine (which were all manufactured on site) were brought together.
The story was fascinating, and the displays were excellent. Being able to get under a train and have a look up was fascinating. The train driver simulator was fun, as was the signalman role (which I thought was very well implemented), but I think my interest is in what happens below the signal box (all the interlocking, etc).
The one part of the museum that I found surprisingly moving was the displays that described the winding down and eventual enclosure of the yard, and the impact that had on the employees.
I didn’t read everything in the displays, but I did linger on some, and it took me not quite three hours to get around. We then had the call that we were heading back, via a Wetherspoons.
I took the time in Andover to have a quick look at their CEX. There was a camera that I was interested in, but after trying it, I decided against it.
I also had a quick look in Waterstones, but I really do have enough books at the moment.
I did have a good day, though.
Bills Posts 