Warbird Information Exchange

Greetings all...

In in London the week of Feb 23....Friday afternoon that week looks light so I was going to head out to Hendon or Duxford by train (no car) before I leave back home to the US on Saturday afternoon...

Any good travel tips beyond what is found on the "tube" website from downtown London would be welcome (Im staying near Shell Centre).

Last time I was at Duxford six years ago a friend from work took me there (it was 100F, doubtful to be that warm this time of year) by car up by North Weald which was a great drive. No car this trip this time so train/taxi tips most welcome...

KK

_________________
Rauhbatz
Commemorative Air Force
CAF Ohio Wing/Airbase Georgia Member
PT-19/26, T-34 CAF Pilot


Favorite quote from Wind, Sand & Stars - A. St. Exupuery "friends are like trees...when they are gone we miss their shade"

Two very different beasts, both in travel time and time on-site.

RAF Hendon is much closer to London - relatively short tube ride. It is comparatively "smaller" than Duxford and a good days worth of visiting. IIRC correctly, it is less than a 15 minute walk from the station to the museum.

There are express trains from London to Cambridge & return - not sure if the museum runs their shuttle bus any longer. If so, an easy way to travel. Duxford is larger and more spread out, so it takes longer to see everything.

If I understand your post, you have been to Duxford before. If you have not been to Hendon, go.

Safe Travels,
John

If you decide to go to Hendon make sure you get there before 12, as they close the Graham White Factory Hangar at 12, which contains most of the WWI aircraft.

To get there the easiest way is to get on the Northern line (black line on the tube map) and get off at Colindale. Its about 10-15minute walk. See link for more info.

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/planavisit/index.cfm

To get to Duxford you need to get a train from Liverpool Street to Cambridge, you can then get a bus from the station to Duxford.
More info below.

http://duxford.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.619

Hope this helps in making your mind up.

Good advice so far.

You need at least a day with an early start for Duxford. Hendon, as Mr B has said closes the Grahme White (Great War) building at midday. However the Battle of Britain Hall is, IIRC, only open in the afternoon. A great collection, poorly managed.

A couple of alternatives if time is short is the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth or the Science Museum South Kensington. The IWM should be a bus ride for you (it about 1/2 miles south of the Thames) while South Ken isn't hard to get to and is more central than Hendon.

The Science Museum's Aeronautics gallery contains one of the best collections of original, record-breaking aircraft outside the Smithsonian:

Alcock & Brown's Vimy - first aircraft across the Atlantic, non stop.
Supermarine S6B - Winner of the Schneider Trophy.
The only original Fokker Eindekker left.
E28/39 - Britain's first jet aircraft, the oldest surviving jet in the world.
Amy Johnson's DH 60 Jason - First woman solo pilot to Australia.

And so on. There's also a selection in the 'Making of the Modern World' and some interesting aircraft stuff in the temporary exhibition 'Dan Dare & The Making Of Modern Britain'.

The IWM has a genuine Battle of Britain Spitfire, V2, Mustang, Fw190, He 162, Lancaster and Halifax noses and numerous other items.

http://london.iwm.org.uk/
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
Route planning, hours etc here...

HTH!

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

JDK wrote:
The Science Museum's Aeronautics gallery contains one of the best collections of original, record-breaking aircraft outside the Smithsonian.

Absolutely correct. If you don't have time for anywhere else, GO TO THE SCIENCE MUSEUM. Some amazing stuff there. They have a gallery level and the floor level. If you take pictures, you'll get some terrific views of the a/c from both levels. If you take pictures, make sure you have a good flash as it's kinda dark in some places.

For Hendon...get off at Colindale, take a left out of the station and follow the signs to the museum. If you take pictures there, take a tripod. The BoB area is very dark, so you'll need to take a timed exposure. They keep the lighting subdued because the paint on the a/c is original from WWII and lights will fade it. I hope the Sunderland is open if you go. It never has been for the three times we've been there. Get there early, 'cause you WILL spend the entire day before you realize it.

As far as Duxford is concerned, it's about 1.25 hrs. on the train from King's Cross. The bus to Duxford leaves from the stop about 100 feet from the front of the train station. It's about a 40 minute ride to Duxford.
So now you have about 2 hours invested in transportation. You said you only had Friday afternoon so I'd say Duxford is beyond your capabilities, timewise.

Personally, given your time constraints, I make the visit to the Science Museum.

Mudge the hopefully helpful

_________________
Land of the free because of the brave

take the tube to colindale (past hendon central) go up the stairs turn left walk a 1/2 mile or less. Duxford needs at least a day I always stay at the queens head inn

http://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserRevie ... gland.html

its a great little old road house with hand hewn timbers and good food. Its not real close (a couple of miles) but worth it.
ALSO
the imperial war museum in london is good also...just get on the tube to the elephant & castle tube stop and walk a short distance.

Just to get you in the mood:

RAF Museum, Hendon
Science Museum

The IWM has a genuine Battle of Britain Spitfire, V2, Mustang, Fw190, He 162, Lancaster and Halifax noses and numerous others.

HTH![/quote]

The also have a sopwith camel that shoti down Zeppelin

What ever you do change your plans and go to all the museums. They are all awsome. Take a video camera. I didnt have a lot of time to look but at home I go over ot all again and again.

Greetings all...thanks for the great advice. Ive been to Duxford/IWM downtown several years back when the weather was 100F (after the snow today I'm wagering our UK responders are wishing for global warming!) but had a great time nonetheless.

As I have to run a seminar in the morning doubtful I can make it all the way to Duxford...looks like either Hendon or the Science Museum. Interesting comments about the science museum...Ive always had a great interest in the S6B after building the Hawk model many years back...would like to see the real thing.

Thanks again for all the advice....pls let me know if I need to bring a snow shovel in my carry on luggage!

_________________
Rauhbatz
Commemorative Air Force
CAF Ohio Wing/Airbase Georgia Member
PT-19/26, T-34 CAF Pilot


Favorite quote from Wind, Sand & Stars - A. St. Exupuery "friends are like trees...when they are gone we miss their shade"