UK 2023

At the end of September 2023, Ellen wanted to attend a craft retreat in the UK. Since we had been thinking about going, it was an opportunity for a short vacation. We spent a few days in the UK before traveling to Amsterdam (in early October).

Ellen's retreat in Swindon (about 70 miles / 113 kilometers west of London) started on a Friday evening, so we arrived in London on Thursday then took the train to Swindon. We had plenty of time on Friday before the retreat, so we decided to check out the Steam Museum in Swindon. The facility was originally the assembly factory for the Great Western Railway, and it has been re-purposed as a very interesting museum about steam engines.

(Click on each photo for a larger version.)

  • A model of the reception desk at the Great Western Railways factory.
  • A view of the foundry floor. The foreground is actual equipment, the background is a historic, B&W photo.
  • Passenger cars were also assembled here.
  • Accidents, where workers lost hands or feet, were fairly common. GWR provided wooden replacements.
  • Accident rates and first aid did improve after WWII.
  • Working on the steam boiler for the engine.
  • The completed engine and coal car.
  • Another view of a different engine and coal car.
  • The engine controls and conductor (view from the coal car).
  • The museum included a passageway to view the underside of the engine to show the complexity.
  • A smaller locomotive. The center drive wheel is 7' high!
  • A view of the engine in a mock-up of a one of the stations.
  • The station mock-up even included tea service.
  • Queen Victoria's car.
  • The snack car.

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On Sunday, while Ellen was busy at the retreat, I met with some friends to go to Stonehenge.
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Ellen's retreat ended on Sunday evening. On Monday, we again met with my friends and toured Windsor Castle.

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As we were leaving the State Apartments, it was time to change the guard in the Quadrangle. I managed to capture it on video!

Tuesday was our last day in London for this trip. We did some sightseeing, then did a little shopping before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the trip to Amsterdam on Wednesday.

  • Some examples of iconic London architecture is the round City Hall.
  • Another iconic bit of architecture is the bullet shaped Gherken building.
  • A view of the Tower Bridge from the top of one of the nearby buildings.
  • Another view of the Tower Bridge from the Thames.
  • One of the towers of the Tower Bridge.
  • Originally, the bridge was raised and lowered by steam power. We were able to visit the engine room, with the boiler,
  • and the steam powered engine.
  • The upper part of the bridge is a walkway with a glass floor. This is a view from the upper part of the bridge looking along the Thames.
  • The Tower of London (taken from the Thames).
  • The Palace of Westminster, home of the UK Parliament.
  • Big Ben.
  • The London Eye. We didn't ride it this trip.

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