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Tuesday, 22 September 2015

One of My Annual MOT Day Outings

It has been my practise over the last few years when having my cars serviced and/or MOT's to take the opportunity of a day out in London while the work is being done. Christmas Shopping, Art Galleries and Museum visits have all been enabled by this practise.

When we moved to the Coast I decided to support my regular Service Agency by taking the Cars back to them in Buckinghamshire when they needed to be Serviced and have their MOT Test.


With Anns Landrover being Pre Registered when we bought it, the MOT came around a month earlier that the Tax & insurance.
Ann's Landi Defender.

I have been promising my son that I would fit a new Oven in his flat so his visit to stay us over last weekend gave the collective opportunity. MOT and Service was booked.


Load the Landi with Tools and Oven and set off early on Monday to deliver him to His office and then go and fit his oven and finally take the old one to the Recycling Yard.



Our Morning Motorway journey took 3.75 hours instead of the 1.75 hours it would usually take. The day became very stressful right from the start.  As I left his office I decided to go to the Village Hedgerley and make a visit to the White Horse pub for a Coffee and a Catch Up. 



That was a lovely visit and a real nerve calmer coffee.



It was spoilt, sadly, only to find that one of our two Doggie Friends owned by neighbour Lucinda Lambton, called Obadiah (Obi) had been put down and the other, Little Vandeen, Rastus, now had Diabetes and was also now Blind.   



I did eventually get to the Flat and the Switching of Ovens was fortunately, the easy part. 
New Oven Installed

 Not wanting to labour the whole visit, the next morning I leave my Hotel and deliver the car to the Garage at 9.15am.

  Now off to the local Station for a Great Western Train to London.
ON the Circle Line Station at Paddington, one of the Old Open to Air lines, I  noticed this interesting building.

I was heading for South Kensington where the Science Museum is located. 

 The Science Museum is on the Left of this now Semi Pedestrianised  Exhibition Road. 

 Also, on the corner with Brompton Road is the Beautiful Facade of the Natural History Museum

On the right side is the Victoria & Albert Museum 

Inside the Science Museum I am greeted with some Mammoth Engines in the Energy Hall dedicated to wthe work of James Watt.

  and an unusual demonstrations of Scientific Phenomenon in an area called Churchill's Scientists.

 Just to say that I did not take notes so this Blog will not be that factual unless I can find some supporting notes elsewhere.


 The Light Ring Accelerator 

The Entrance Gallery 

 One of the Many Superb Models

 More Models in Glass Cases

 Tools and Drawing Instruments owned by the Engineers.

A early Power Generating Steam Turbine 

 One of the Massive Supporting Structures


The Giant Light Wheel shows the Three Upper Floors of the Museum. 

 A view of a depiction of an Engineers Workshop

 One of the Workshop's Machines


One of the early space probes
.
A Beautiful Traction Engine  

This globe is part of a Video Demonstration about how the Weather Patterns form

One of the Early Moon Landers 

This Early Rocket used to launch Satellites.


Fancy taking a Moon Walk in one of these Suits? 

An interesting Concept for a day on the Lunar Beach

Early Railway Vehicles

Engineers Drawing Instruments and some Weights & Measures Equipment

A Beautiful Glass Case Model of an Engineering Workshop

I love these old Tappet Looms. Having visited a Bradford Mill with 400 of them all Banging away at the same time like a Million Children all Banging Drums at the same time. 

Most people working there were either Deaf or on the way. One had to be careful what was said as the workers could Lip Read ! These Modern looms are quiet by comparison.


Robert Stephenson's 'Rocket' looking magnificent on its plinth.


The next stage of Engine Development

High in the roof there are a few aircraft - This old RAF Avro 504 Biplane from WW1. 

Another fantastic cased model of The Firth of Forth, Scotland Railway Bridge

This Motorised Tricycle would have been great in its day. Could be useful today as well.

However, on the way home I passed a chap riding one of these segways without any hand holds. 

Artwork of Women working in a munitions factory.

The Lockheed Electra 10A from 1935

The Aveling and Porter Traction Engine 


Try as I may, I could not find a name for this lovely Model Ship.

An Austin Seven on a shelf in a Display Cabinet

A Larger Section of the Display

Another Tappet Loom made by Toyota in Japan in the 1920's. 
I had just moved along the Cabinets when a massive clattering din began as the loom was started as part of a demonstration.

Henry Seagraves World Speed Record Challenger 1928


A Ladder of Motoring History

The Rover Gas Turbine Engined Prototype

The Rolls Royce Vertical Take Off  Prototype called 'The Flying Bedstead' 

A Red BMW Heinkel Bubble Car - A Messerschmitt Bubble Car and a Vespa Scooter  

The side hung Short SC1 Prototype

http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/icons_of_invention/technology/1939-1968/IC.069/
 An Apollo Space Ship Recovery Capsule

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlhjJHHBnWY

An Array of Supersonic Wing Profiles probably used for Wind Tunnel Testing? 


The Cross Section of a Morris Mini used at the Launch Motor Show  

This Display is right up my street as I am Currently Reading Walter Isaacson's depiction of Steve Jobs life story and the creation of Apple.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs_(book)

 The Original Apple 1 Prototype.

 Complete with Computer Case Constructed of Wood.
I had the privilege of working with one of the original Apple IIe and its Visicalc Spreadsheet back in the 1970's 

The Clock of the Long Now, also called the 10,000-year clock

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock_of_the_Long_Now

Not just a Tricycle but one of Googles odd looking 'Street View' All Around Camera vehicles

https://www.instantstreetview.com/

A Model of Telstar, the first telecommunications satellite 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telstar

The Romeo & Juliet Balcony

 While having my lunch of a delicious Olive, Sun Dried Tomato and Leaves Panini and Cappuccino Coffee in the Media Space Cafe on the Second floor, I just had to take these photos of the Architecture at the side of the Victoria & Albert Museum across the road.
The Ornate High Level Terrace

Next to the Cafe is this aerial view of the two floors below

Resuming my tour, I find that much of this floor is closed to the public as the exhibits are being removed to set up a new display dedicated to the subject of Mathematics.

 Annoying for me, this whole area had been dedicated to Technical Drawing Instruments, I subject that I am very interested in having quite a large collection myself. 'Health and Safety' rules prevented me from getting any closer to the cabinets.
One of my many Boxed Sets
Some of the Old Architectural Drawing made by these instruments.

With difficulty, these beautiful pairs of Dividers are just visible .

In this are devoted to the development of Cable and Wireless Communication is this Giant 

Very Early Television Sets. Our family watched the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 on one similar to the top one.

Down in the Basement the room is dedicated to Domestic Appliances with this grand display of Vacuum Cleaners.

This display is all about the early Personal Computers with the Commodore 64 shown next to the TV set and the White Sinclair ZX80 third from the right on the bottom shelf.

Commodore 64 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX80

 My sons Commodore 64 and boxes of Games software only went for sale at a charity shop recently having spent 20 years stored in the loft

The Sewing Machine, The Sewing Machine is a Girls Best Friend?
I have one identical to the 2nd left bottom row.

Betty Hutton from Annie Get your Gun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=999ph8iRT4o

Every Type of Early Cooking Appliance

Back on the Ground Floor my last few photos as I need a change of air.
On of the early 'Four in Hand' (horses) Royal Male Stage Coaches

Almost lost in the back of this cabinet of domestic accoutrements is a Sedan Chair

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litter_(vehicle)

This capsule is made entirely of LOGO Bricks

Inside is this Detailed Control Panel
Outside at last I decide to spend my last hour before heading back to the Garage by re visiting the Victoria & Albert Museum again.

The Giant Main Entrance

One of the Domed Towers 

Prince Albert himself welcoming us in.

Knowledge to the Right Side

And Inspiration to the Left.
A perfect pair of objectives to take inside with us.

This is why we need to keep revising these wonderful museums. As I enter and turn right I find a massive area I missed the last time I visited. 

The Tower of Babel made from hundreds of Bone China buildings by Barnaby Barford

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/b/barnaby-barford-the-tower-of-babel/

Close up to some of the China Buildings.

My journey through the rooms that I had not seen before was wonderful with these massive Architectural Artifacts.

 Having now researched the background of these articles, when I noticed in the background the statue of Michelangelo's David the title "Weston Cast Courts" of which there are two 46a & 46b. Named after Garfield Weston

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garfield_Weston_Foundation

 http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/c/cast-courts/ 

 All of these objects, it appears, have been made from Plaster copies in the 1800's

One of many Wall Adornments

It was good to see that this giant statue of Michelangelo's David had not been 'defaced' by Victorian Prudery.

This Beautiful Pulpit was the largest of three on display.

It never ceases to amaze me the vision of those who decided to create such a display and the organisation of these two magnificent halls in which to display them.

As I stand looking at these items around me I wonder where all of the buildings are that they were copied from?

A Plaque at the base of this Column indicated that it is a Plaster Copy. The Original is so tall that it has to be displayed in two pieces here.

Where did these Doors come from? The Gates of Paradise at Florence Cathedral

Most of these items were Cast from Tombs 

The Men on the Balcony give you some idea of the size of these objects

More Tombs

I then moved into the China Room where the themes changed completely.

Two Modern Dress Designs featuring Intricate Pleating. 

In a display of 'What is Luxury' Items this Superb Dress Uniform was made in Savile Row by Dege & Skinner.

One of Two Intricate Glass Arrangements 

This Chinese Table is made from Human Hair Sealed in Resin Sheets.

 http://www.iconeye.com/design/news/item/11253-studio-swine-hair-highway

 http://www.dezeen.com/2015/05/02/victoria-albert-museum-london-what-is-luxury-exhibition-questions-value-objects/

Resin being poured over a spread of dyed human Hair 

Some of the Bunches of Hair being gathered at the Market where young Chinese Women go to have their long black hair bunched and cut off in a straight line.

Enough is enough for one more visit to this most excellent of Museums. I needed to head back to the garage to collect that Landi.
This Stairwell to the lower levels, near to the entrance, is just another example of the buildings magnificence.

Right in front of the entrance doorway is this jewelled tower which, believe it or not, I missed on the way in.


I needed some air so rather than use the underground tunnel to the station I decided to stroll the road route to South Kensington Underground Station on this warm afternoon

My last photo is inside one of  London's many Victorian Arcades of Small Shops with the underground station inside at one end.

 I am looking forward to the next MOT on the Green Goddess in October when I will certainly be making another visit to the Museums.

 Frank




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