Tag: Visit

Inky takes to the water

Westminster Bridge from HMS Belfast

Venue : HMS Belfast, London

Date : 20th February 2018

Early morning for me yesterday, as i took up the chance to visit another branch of the Imperial War Museum.

As a Member of the Volunteer Team at IWM North, I’d been to Duxford, and Headquarters in London…but yesterday gave me the opportunity to visit a branch of the museum i hadnt been to, HMS Belfast, Anchored on a branch of the River Thames.

Walking around the sections of the boat, we got to see everything from Navigation to how sailors slept on board and a view of the engine room…the heart of the ship that made it move through the water, we were also given a little bit of the boats history and its role in world war two, escorting civilian ships against attack during the Arctic Convoy Missions

We were given a full tour of the cruiser by one of the Yeoman of the Ship, before being given a lunch in the galley and opportunity to explore for ourselves.

HMS Belfast Nameplate

HMS Belfasts Guns, with Memorials and Bell

Deactivated Seamine, Now used by HMS Belfast for Donations

View of Tower Bridge (From the Bridge)

Tags HMS Belfast, Imperial War Museum, London, Thames, Tower Bridge, Visit, Volunteering, Warship, World War II

Airforce IWM North Museums World War I World War II

Visiting Duxford

Monday 5th June 2017

IWM Duxford – Home to a lot of aircraft!

Venue : Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridge

An early morning start at IWM North on Monday, as we met up with fellow volunteers and staff from the other branches at IWM Duxford for Volunteers week.

We travelled south through the Midlands on our journey, stopping off on some familiar services on the M6 and M1… the route usually adopted when I visit my relatives there. It was a bit rainy on the way there, but I was looking forward to visiting Duxford. Due to that branch holding most of the museums Aircraft Collection

We arrived at Duxford’s Entrance around about noon, and then after a short repast, we all entered the main hall, where the chairman of the imperial war museum welcomed us all and the ceremonies for the volunteer awards commenced.

I received my award for “Developing in a Role” from the chairman – and heard my Vollie Manager deliver a wonderful (more than a ) few words on why i’d won it!

How I started as a guide, then doing object handling and family history….

I did whisper at one point….”Ta boss! you can stop now….!!!” (sic)

Matt by Fighter Aircraft

After the awards ceremony, we took a look around the hangar and the various activities on display, this included seeing how concorde dipped its nose, to sending messages by morse code – to walking on board a Lancaster bomber. I enjoyed walking round the RAF Fleet, and got a really good view of the planes from the top deck of the gallery.

Tags Aircraft, Cambridge, Celebration, Duxford, Imperial War Museum, London, North, Visit, Volunteer

Acrostic Airforce Airport IWM North Leisure Museums Photography War Winter World War II

Flight

Post author By inkdropk
Post date 5 Jun 2017
5 Comments on Flight
Sticky post

IWM Duxford , Cambridge, 5/6/2017

For a brief moment today,

looking around the hangar in Cambridge

I got to see the marvels of flight first hand

Great planes – from early pioneers to new planes and even spaceflight

Hoped to see something special – and I wasn’t disappointed

Tomorrow – i’ll take a look at what I captured

Tags acrostic, Aircraft, Cambridge, Duxford, Flight, Hangar, Imperial War Museum, Museum, North, Poetry, Visit

Historical Lunch Memories Museum Museums Nature Photography Places Pleasures Travel World War II

Fish and Chips at the Great Orme

Post author By inkdropk
Post date 23 May 2016
6 Comments on Fish and Chips at the Great Orme

#DiscoverWP

Shared Journeys

Date : 19th May 2016

Location : The summit complex, Great Orme country park, Llandudno, North Wales

“If you can find them…and no-one else can help….maybe you can hire – THE A-TEAM”

A fateful but most enjoyable trip to a tall point of North wales

Enjoy the view – i walked up a very tall hill to get to it 🙂

A bit like the fellow who walked up a hill and came down a mountain 🙂

The funny thing is Me, Bill, Nigel and Joe weren’t even supposed to be here – we headed off from our meeting point at Imperial War Museum North and somehow we missed our junction for the M6 and Buxton (our intended destination). So we Headed for the M56 North Wales road instead, with all the delights that the country parks of wales could offer.

(I’m smiling about it now…..)

Walking up the Great Orme, led us to the Summit Complex, with Educational facilities, Museum, Hotel and restaurant. Our reward for reaching the summit ? A really nice Lunch plate of Fish and Chips in the restaurant.

There was a plaque dedicated to the forces who served at Great Orme when the Cafe was a Royal Air Force Radar Station, defending the nation against Nazi air attack in World war II – All four of us volunteer at Imperial War Museum North in Manchester – so i guess it was fate that we’d eventually end up somewhere with a connection to the armed forces…

Inside the Visitor centre – there was a display of the Great Orme Landscape, its terrain – and the sea birds that reside there.

Guillemots say Hello!

Being indoors in the restaurant – Our Lunches were safe from these regular visitors 🙂

A Bench with a view

Tags Great Orme, Hilltop, Llandudno, Royal Air Force, Seabirds, Station, View, Visit

Museum Museums Photography Places Travel

A Trip to Liverpool

Shared Journeys

26th November 2015

On Thursday, I went on a Group visit with the Volunteers from Imperial War Museum North to view the remembrance exhibit on World war one currently on display at the Museum of Liverpool.

On the way to the Museum, we passed the Walker Art Gallery and St Georges Hall, which is currently home to part of the ceramic poppy installation of the Tower of London that was created for the World War I Centenary.

(Apologies for the picture quality – I did take this ‘on the move’!)

The Exhibit we went to see was entitled Poppies : Women and War. It told the tales of Women caught up in conflict. Two significant names that shared their tales with Imperial War Museum North were that of the Intelligence Officer, Flora Sandes and the World War I Red Cross Nurse, Edith Cavell.

I enjoyed an Alfresco Lunch (that had travelled with me down the M62) and took in the grandeur of Liverpool’s three graces Alongside the Albert dock. You could say I had my first Christmas Dinner – with another Trio of Goodies – Turkey & Trimmings on the Sandwiches. As I was eating – I spotted the ‘Snowdrop’ making its way up the Mersey on one of its regular journeys towards the Manchester Ship Canal and Salford Quays

The next museum we visited was the Merseyside Maritime Museum, which told the tales of Liverpool’s Naval and Maritime Past.

A Training ship was moored by the Maritime Museum. It’s a Tall ship and is used to give youngsters opportunity to sail on the open sea. Brought back memories of the Ocean Youth Club vessel, Greater Manchester Challenge, which I was once part of the crew back in 1996.

There were scale models of working ships in the Maritime Museum, and it also had the tales of those who worked and sailed on the boats – in particular the Cunard Liners.

Tags IWM North, Liverpool, Museum, Photography, Poppies, Remembrance, Visit, Women, World War I, World War II

Animals Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo

I went to the zoo today,
and saw a sleepy tigger with stripey paws
and a lion with great big claws
but that wasn’t everything i saw
today.…

Went to the zoo today,
saw a Golden bear swinging from a tree,
and monkeys and gibbons eating their tea,
and penguins underwater – looking at me!
today.

Went to the zoo today,
saw a spotty leopard hiding in a bush,
and its pal, the black panther amongst the brush,
and each of their cubs dashing in a rush
today.

Went to the zoo today,
saw lots monkeys and chimps at play
climbing up ropes and swinging off trees
Gorillas sat atop nests, swatting off fleas
and Marmosets hanging from branches by knees
today.

Went to the zoo today,
saw buzzards and other birds of prey
‘gainst the grand scottish hills
saw the birds and their bills
enjoying their swoops and their catches and spills
as i enjoyed a hotdog from a restaurant grill
today.

Tags Animals, Buzzards, Eagle, Edinburgh, Gorilla, Leopard, Lion, Monkeys, Panther, Penguins, Scotland, Tiger, Visit, Zoo