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Things to do in England when you're Ed[ward]


Procopius

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On 2/16/2019 at 6:52 AM, hairystick said:

Hi Ced.

Perhaps highlight (bold?) the confirmed locations as they are decided on?

Also, some of those places are limited to days on which they open. I believe Hannants in London is only 2 days per week(?) & I was seriously less than impressed when I visited there, but hopefully the main warehouse is on the tour... I doubt PC's credit card will appreciate that visit though!

Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum is only open on weekends, for example.

 

It most certainly will be an epic tour!!

 

Hannants in London is now open Thursday to Sunday inclusive. Opening times on the Thursday and Friday are 11:00 to 19:00 (if I remember correctly). Saturday is 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday is 10:00 to 16:00. It is always worth phoning the shop to check, before making a long journey. It's worth mentioning that on weekdays, parking is VERY limited around the shop. I would advise going in to the shop and asking where you can safely leave your car. Traffic-wardens patrol the area quite regularly (I've been ticketed for parking in the wrong place).  

 

For the purposes of our American cousins, the Hannants warehouse in Lowestoft is by far the bigger enterprise (54.000 stock items at last count). It is easily a 3 or 4 hour visit. I was blown away by just how much stuff they have in stock. By comparison, the London shop is (maybe) a 30 minute visit, if you want to have an in-depth look around. That is not to denigrate the London site - one's a compact retail unit and the other's a large warehouse. They are two very different beasts. 

 

Chris.       

Edited by spruecutter96
Correcting a typo.
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16 hours ago, spruecutter96 said:

For the purposes of our American cousins, the Hannants warehouse in Lowestoft is by far the bigger enterprise (54.000 stock items at last count). It is easily a 3 or 4 hour visit. I was blown away by just how much stuff they have in stock. By comparison, the London shop is (maybe) a 30 minute visit, if you want to have an in-depth look around. That is not to denigrate the London site - one's a compact retail unit and the other's a large warehouse. They are two very different beasts. 

Yes, Ced and I popped into the London one when I was here in 2015. Nothing to write home about on that front, I fear. 

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Apropos not a lot.  My parents dragged took us to a prison holiday camp near Lowestoft several years running for our summer hols when I was very small in the 70's.  I've not been back :whistle:. Not even when I was based only 30 miles away at Coltishall.   Is it on your itinerary then Ced?

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39 minutes ago, Fritag said:

Is it on your itinerary then Ced?

It is Steve, as part of the 'East' grouping including Hannants, Old Buckenham, Norfolk and Suffolk museum, City of Norwich and a drive past RAF Marham. We're also dropping in to Shipdham, just like one of our party's Grandfather did in his B-24 in 1945…

 

Very flat, Norfolk.

 

I'll post the full itinerary here soon once it's agreed :) 

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1 hour ago, CedB said:

It is Steve

 

If you're passing - at Scottow alongside (ex) RAF Coltishall there is a small Commonwealth War Graves cemetery, which is a little gem.

 

Scottow Commonwealth War Graves

 

Also the resting place of a few of my Jag contemporaries; crashes not being quite such a rare event in those days as they are now.

 

 

 

Edited by Fritag
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After much soul (and internet) searching we've finally finalised the final itinerary.

It would be great if other BMers want to join us on our visits and many thanks to those who've offered to 'host' or join us - please feel free to PM me if you want to join in and we haven't yet PM'd. Thanks also to those who've offered hosting that we're unable to fit in - 42 sites in less than two weeks was just too much!

 

CedB, Procopius and Cookenbacher

Saturday 2 Nov Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare

Sunday 3 Nov Boscombe Down Collection Old Sarum and Army Flying Andover

Monday 4th Shuttleworth Collection

Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th a.m. Hannants, Norfolk and Suffolk, City of Norwich Aviation and 'B-24 leg'

Wednesday 6th p.m. and Thursday BBMF, IBCC, Lincs Aviation, Newark Air Museum 

Friday 7th Midland Air Museum. Collect Bill (Navy Bird) from BHX

Saturday 8th Scale Model World

Sunday 9th RAF Museum, Cosford

Monday 10th, Cosford Conservation a.m. Drive to IWM Duxford, visit 'The Eagle' 

Tuesday 11th IWM Duxford 

Wednesday 12th Fleet Air Arm Museum

Thursday 13th Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and possibly Brooklands - LHR for 14:30 checkin.

 

Exciting!

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Ha. I'd love to join you on that little jaunt, but it looks like I may not be able to afflict Blighty until the Thursday before SMW at the earliest. Which is the better part of half the run. Never mind, there's always next time

 

<wanders away singing "There'll Always Be An England" in the style of Neddy Seagoon.>

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Hi Ced/Procopius

 

Let me know when you're due to get to The Midland Air Museum I may join you. If I can't make it, stay away from the cafe, it'll confirm what every American thinks about British food (the tea and coffee are awful as well). If you need anywhere to eat locally, I would recommend this place which is about a mile down the road:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186403-d7075654-Reviews-Mrs_Bee_s_Potting_Shed_Cafe-Coventry_West_Midlands_England.html

It's not easy to find so let me know if you need directions. It's also quite small and can get busy on Friday.

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45 minutes ago, Gorby said:

it'll confirm what every American thinks about British food (the tea and coffee are awful as well)

My experiences with British food have been almost universally positive (I did go to a Burger King in London in 2003 that was a bit dire, but that's on me), and I intend to keep it that way, so I appreciate the warning.

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For reasons not worth going into here, we cancelled our planned long weekend in the Telford area for SMW. However, it now looks like we might make it for the Sunday, and the Cosford conservation centre on Monday looks like a possibility, too. 

 

No promises, mind, but it would be brilliant to be able to meet BMers in person at either place. I may have to make a badge!

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17 hours ago, CedB said:

 

CedB, Procopius and Cookenbacher

Saturday 2 Nov Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare

Sunday 3 Nov Boscombe Down Collection Old Sarum and Army Flying Andover

Monday 4th Shuttleworth Collection

Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th a.m. Hannants, Norfolk and Suffolk, City of Norwich Aviation and 'B-24 leg'

Wednesday 6th p.m. and Thursday BBMF, IBCC, Lincs Aviation, Newark Air Museum 

Friday 7th Midland Air Museum. Collect Bill (Navy Bird) from BHX

Saturday 8th Scale Model World

Sunday 9th RAF Museum, Cosford

Monday 10th, Cosford Conservation a.m. Drive to IWM Duxford, visit 'The Eagle' 

Tuesday 11th IWM Duxford 

Wednesday 12th Fleet Air Arm Museum

Thursday 13th Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and possibly Brooklands - LHR for 14:30 checkin.

 

Exciting!

Excellent, should see you all on the 3rd. Something mysterious seems to have happened to Thursday 7th though.

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Sorry I won't be able to join you chaps. Having had the pleasure of meeting both Ced and PC I can assure any doubters they are thoroughly entertaining company and decent fellows. Have a truly splendid time.

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22 hours ago, Avereda said:

Excellent, should see you all on the 3rd. Something mysterious seems to have happened to Thursday 7th though.

Quite right John, corrected version:
 

CedB, Procopius and Cookenbacher

Saturday 2 Nov Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare

Sunday 3 Nov Boscombe Down Collection Old Sarum and Army Flying Andover

Monday 4th Shuttleworth Collection

Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th a.m. Hannants, Norfolk and Suffolk, City of Norwich Aviation and 'B-24 leg'

Wednesday 6th p.m. and Thursday 7th BBMF, IBCC, Lincs Aviation, Newark Air Museum 

Friday 8th Midland Air Museum. Collect Bill (Navy Bird) from BHX

Saturday 9th Scale Model World

Sunday 10th RAF Museum, Cosford

Monday 11th, Cosford Conservation a.m. Drive to IWM Duxford, visit 'The Eagle' 

Tuesday 12th IWM Duxford 

Wednesday 13th Fleet Air Arm Museum

Thursday 14th Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and possibly Brooklands - LHR for 14:30 checkin.

 

John in case you can’t spot three modellers, plus Crisp, hanging around at the entrance around 10am PM me your mobile or rendezvous suggestions - it’ll be good to meet up. 

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14 hours ago, CedB said:

Quite right John, corrected version:
 

CedB, Procopius and Cookenbacher

Saturday 2 Nov Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare

Sunday 3 Nov Boscombe Down Collection Old Sarum and Army Flying Andover

Monday 4th Shuttleworth Collection

Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th a.m. Hannants, Norfolk and Suffolk, City of Norwich Aviation and 'B-24 leg'

Wednesday 6th p.m. and Thursday 7th BBMF, IBCC, Lincs Aviation, Newark Air Museum 

Friday 8th Midland Air Museum. Collect Bill (Navy Bird) from BHX

Saturday 9th Scale Model World

Sunday 12th RAF Museum, Cosford

Monday 11th, Cosford Conservation a.m. Drive to IWM Duxford, visit 'The Eagle' 

Tuesday 12th IWM Duxford 

Wednesday 13th Fleet Air Arm Museum

Thursday 14th Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and possibly Brooklands - LHR for 14:30 checkin.

 

John in case you can’t spot three modellers, plus Crisp, hanging around at the entrance around 10am PM me your mobile or rendezvous suggestions - it’ll be good to meet up. 

Now, as I understand it, purely linear time doesn't normally flow in this manner, Buffers!

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On 10/23/2019 at 11:47 PM, CedB said:

Quite right John, corrected version:
 

CedB, Procopius and Cookenbacher

Saturday 2 Nov Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare

Sunday 3 Nov Boscombe Down Collection Old Sarum and Army Flying Andover

Monday 4th Shuttleworth Collection

Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th a.m. Hannants, Norfolk and Suffolk, City of Norwich Aviation and 'B-24 leg'

Wednesday 6th p.m. and Thursday 7th BBMF, IBCC, Lincs Aviation, Newark Air Museum 

Friday 8th Midland Air Museum. Collect Bill (Navy Bird) from BHX

Saturday 9th Scale Model World

Sunday 10th RAF Museum, Cosford

Monday 11th, Cosford Conservation a.m. Drive to IWM Duxford, visit 'The Eagle' 

Tuesday 12th IWM Duxford 

Wednesday 13th Fleet Air Arm Museum

Thursday 14th Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and possibly Brooklands - LHR for 14:30 checkin.

 

John in case you can’t spot three modellers, plus Crisp, hanging around at the entrance around 10am PM me your mobile or rendezvous suggestions - it’ll be good to meet up. 

Gentlemen,might one just point out that Sunday the 10th IS Rememberance Sunday and as such,maybe a little busier than normal:

 

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/whats-going-on/events/remembranc/

 

One has been planning a visit to the Museum with our daughter and her partner,the 10th looked very viable which of course would

have presented an opportunity to say hello to you chaps,but as Mrs Wilko has pointed out,we will be attending the local Remembrance

Day parade and services in our home town(Sandbach,South Cheshire),so one will not be able to come to the Museum on that day.

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Yay! Hotel booked. They seem to be very busy that weekend. I wonder why? :confused:

 

So, the IPMS show on Sunday, Cosford on Monday morning, and home on Tuesday. Short, but hopefully sweet. I hope to meet Ced and Ed and the rest on the Monday.

 

 

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8 hours ago, Bonhoff said:

Will there be tour t-shirts? 

 

IanJ

I had a custom t-shirt made to make it easier to identify me at Telford. I don't want to spoil it, though.

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On 10/23/2019 at 11:47 PM, CedB said:

Quite right John, corrected version:
 

CedB, Procopius and Cookenbacher

Saturday 2 Nov Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare

Sunday 3 Nov Boscombe Down Collection Old Sarum and Army Flying Andover

Monday 4th Shuttleworth Collection

Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th a.m. Hannants, Norfolk and Suffolk, City of Norwich Aviation and 'B-24 leg'

Wednesday 6th p.m. and Thursday 7th BBMF, IBCC, Lincs Aviation, Newark Air Museum 

Friday 8th Midland Air Museum. Collect Bill (Navy Bird) from BHX

Saturday 9th Scale Model World

Sunday 10th RAF Museum, Cosford

Monday 11th, Cosford Conservation a.m. Drive to IWM Duxford, visit 'The Eagle' 

Tuesday 12th IWM Duxford 

Wednesday 13th Fleet Air Arm Museum

Thursday 14th Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and possibly Brooklands - LHR for 14:30 checkin.

 

John in case you can’t spot three modellers, plus Crisp, hanging around at the entrance around 10am PM me your mobile or rendezvous suggestions - it’ll be good to meet up. 

Just be careful on that last day. The M25 round from Brooklands area to Heathrow can be very, very snarled up. It would be easy to spend too long at Brooklands to then be able to make Heathrow for 2:30! 

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9 hours ago, Procopius said:

I had a custom t-shirt made to make it easier to identify me at Telford. I don't want to spoil it, though.

I'll say hello if I see you then 🙂

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