- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jul 10, 2019, 11:29 AM
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 20 m
EnglandManchesterCastlefield53°28’31” N 2°15’30” W
Faster train to Manchester

I caught a 9:06 am train to Manchester. I booked well in advance. For an extra 10 pounds, I went first class. It was a treat. The 2 nd class was packed but hardly anyone in first class. I had an interesting conversation with a Scottish businessman heading dow to Manchester. He and his partners ran ski schools in Europe. Ski schools in Europe are independent of the lift operators. He had no idea what Brexit would bring, whether he would require visas for any of his employees. He said the uncertainty was crazy. At one point in his life he had been a Scottish nationalist but really wasn't sure that would work. He didn't hold out much hope for either Boris Johnson or Hunt? I let him get back to work and read the crime novel I had been dragging for the whole trip. I finished it so I can now ditch it. It wasn't that good. It seemed that as soon as I got into England, it stopped raining. Scotland was beautiful but I don't think I could live there as it rains too much and I was lucky to have not had that much rain on my trip. I made it over to my accommodation by 1 and left my stuff while I went and checked out the Imperial War Museum. They had some interesting stuff. I was so engrossed by the displays that I walked beneath a Hawker Hurricane jet suspended from the ceiling without noticing. They had JRR Tolkien's service revolver from WW1. A unique car from Eastern Europe that Jack may recognise. Part of the plane that Rudolph Heist had used to travel to England, part of the Twin Tower from New York. I lasted about two hours but saw pretty well everything. It would have taken longer with Cheryl. Media City where both ITV and BBC are located are very close to the IWM and I noticed walking by that they produce the childre's television show Blue Peter there. Blue Peter is a weely children's show that has been running since 1958. I remember watching it when I lived in England for a year with my parents. We even named our sailboat Blue Peter. It brought back lots of memories. Tonight I am just chilling out again as these travel days exhaust me.Read more
Traveler
This looks like a jet fighter. I thought the Hurricanes were single prop of similar look and vintage to the Spitfire. Also why the US markings?
Traveler
That is depressing. How much did that cost the IWM to acquire, or was it simply a donation?
Traveler Dear "Blue Robert". There is nothing like a good war museum, so glad you had a good fix. Will you ever tire of visiting war museums? Perhaps you need a good garden visit now, that may perk you up? Also remember, only read GREAT books, there are so many out there 😉