The old and the new

JonHarbour · February 04, 2018, 06:53:12 PM

I've had to travel from Sydney to London due to the passing of my Mum at the ripe old age of 90 and due to the vagaries of the UK funerary system I'm here until late February. A nephew of mine came to visit me for the weekend from his studies in Oxford and today we too headed up to central London for the day before he caught the coach back home.

First stop was Paddington station. I had promised my five year-old daughter Sophie a present from London, so I thought "what better than a Paddington Bear from Paddington Station".

So here's the new - when we went looking for the statue of Paddington on Platform One, what was waiting at the platform but a class 800.

Having acquired a Paddington from the shop, we thought it appropriate to have a photo...

Mission accomplished, we headed over to the Science Museum, where I bored my nephew with my trivia knowledge of the displays. There's some seriously cool stuff at the science Museum!

Now for the old.... Puffing Billy, the world's oldest surviving steam locomotive...

Then... Stephenson's Rocket... Wow!

I was absolutely thrilled to see these two. It's years since I've been to the Science Museum, but what a fantastic place! Brilliant!

port perran · February 04, 2018, 07:02:06 PM

So sorry to hear about your Mum's passing Jon.
I trust that you can keep yourself occupied over here for most of February.

JonHarbour · February 04, 2018, 07:12:23 PM

Really appreciate the kind thoughts - thank you.

My employer has a project for me (back in Australia) that I can provide remote support for, but my assignment doesn't start until the 15th. I have asked our UK office if they have anything in the mean-time, but I'm sure I'll keep myself busy.

Watched my local soccer team from my childhood days (Brentford) lose 3-0 away to Derby on Saturday - a sending off (just about deserved too) changed the outcome of the game but Derby don't look like promotion material to me. They didn't really step on the Brentford team's collective throat after the sending off like they should have and apart from a 10-15 minute spell immediately after the incident where they scored two goals because the Bees didn't reorganise properly, they didn't really look like scoring.

Got a little bit of clearing out to do this week, but after that we'll see what I can find to occupy myself!

Train Waiting · February 04, 2018, 07:19:43 PM

My condolences, Jon. I wish your trip had been for a happier occasion.

I love your photograph of Paddington with Paddington at Paddington.

With best wishes.

John

port perran · February 04, 2018, 07:24:02 PM

Quote from: JonHarbour on February 04, 2018, 07:12:23 PM
Really appreciate the kind thoughts - thank you.

My employer has a project for me (back in Australia) that I can provide remote support for, but my assignment doesn't start until the 15th. I have asked our UK office if they have anything in the mean-time, but I'm sure I'll keep myself busy.

Watched my local soccer team from my childhood days (Brentford) lose 3-0 away to Derby on Saturday - a sending off (just about deserved too) changed the outcome of the game but Derby don't look like promotion material to me. They didn't really step on the Brentford team's collective throat after the sending off like they should have and apart from a 10-15 minute spell immediately after the incident where they scored two goals because the Bees didn't reorganise properly, they didn't really look like scoring.

Got a little bit of clearing out to do this week, but after that we'll see what I can find to occupy myself!

Aha, my partner Lorraine is a Brentford fan having been brought up on the Great West Road. Being a big Bristol City fan (and a season ticket holder which necessitates frequent journeys from Redruth to Temple Meads) I could have done with Bees getting something at Derby. Never mind.

JonHarbour · February 04, 2018, 07:32:06 PM

Quote from: Train Waiting on February 04, 2018, 07:19:43 PM
My condolences, Jon. I wish your trip had been for a happier occasion.

I love your photograph of Paddington with Paddington at Paddington.

With best wishes.

John

A Japanese couple who were stood by the Paddington statue when I took the photo were intrigued as to where I got the bear from. They were rather tickled by my setting the photo up!

We were back in the UK as a family in August for my Mum's 90th and having read a couple of Paddington stories to Sophie, I had told her about the statue. I had no idea where it was, but promised her that we'd go looking for it. Lo and behold, our train from Maidenhead pulls in at platform one, we get out of the train, walk 20 paces and there he is! "I told you so", I said to her smugly....

JonHarbour · February 04, 2018, 07:33:54 PM

Quote from: port perran on February 04, 2018, 07:24:02 PM

Aha, my partner Lorraine is a Brentford fan having been brought up on the Great West Road. Being a big Bristol City fan (and a season ticket holder which necessitates frequent journeys from Redruth to Temple Meads) I could have done with Bees getting something at Derby. Never mind.

Disappointing result, but the sending off changed the game's complexion completely. Up to that moment, I thought the Bees were the better side by far. If the referee had given a yellow instead of a straight red, I think the Bees would probably have beaten them. Derby were awful.

Bealman · February 04, 2018, 09:04:41 PM

Sorry to hear about your mom, Jon. I had to do exactly the same thing back in 1990 - trip to UK, funeral, dismantle house, etc, so I know what it's like.

Seems like you are making the most of it, though! Great pictures!

JonHarbour · February 04, 2018, 09:14:12 PM

Thanks George.

My brother (who has also flown over from his home in Colombia) made the suggestion that I look at a couple of 'bucket list' items whilst over here. the two things that occurred to me were a steam train driving experience and driving a Routemaster London bus! Sadly, there aren't any days available for either whilst I am here in the UK.

Would have been very cool to knock one or both of those off my list!

Not a great photo of Puffing Billy though... I can't get really good shots with my phone and I didn't bring my SLR... Didn't think I'd be doing anything photo-worthy!

Bealman · February 04, 2018, 09:53:44 PM

Shame about the bucket list items. Definitely would have been cool!

Your photos in the science museum are fine. I was in there 5 years ago, and the lighting isn't crash hot if I recall.

I too was blown away by seeing Stephenson's Rocket in the flesh, so to speak! I was also impressed by the Apollo 10 command module.

JonHarbour · February 04, 2018, 10:04:27 PM

I was amazed that somebody from all those years ago had the foresight to preserve Puffing Billy and Rocket. So cool as you say to see them in the flesh. Absolutely speechless to see Stephenson's amazing machine right in front of me.

Coming from an IT background, I was enthralled by some of the computing exhibits there. Babbage's Difference Engine #2 is really cool. Particularly as he never saw his design built to vindicate his work. I also appreciated the amazing work Alan Turing did.

Apollo 10 impressed me, but I can go one better. In 2008 when Matet and I visited my brother in Colombia, we returned to the UK (where I was working for a year at the time) via Washington DC. Tucked away in a corner of the Smithsonian Air and Space museum was the command module from Apollo 11. My wife wasn't aware at first of what I was so enthralled by... but when I told her what it was...

Just as an aside, my wife Matet and I are 'celebrating' our 20th wedding anniversary today. From other sides of the world... All I can do is

to her from a very big distance today. Still, we'll really celebrate when I get back!

Bealman · February 04, 2018, 10:25:07 PM

Congratulations!