Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (Without the Trains): An Afternoon at Brooklands
At approximately one o’clock on Wednesday, July 24th, we embarked on our very own version of “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” during our visit to Brooklands Museum. Except there were no trains. And we weren’t trying to get to Chicago for Thanksgiving, just back to Guildford for dinner.
At the entrance sign, Lisa organized us into a group plane shot. Not “plain”, “plane” shot. Arms out to the side, people! Darn those homophones! A bemused Brit stood to the side, watching as a group of 20 some adults made plane noises and gestures.
Once our photo shoot was accomplished, we waited a bit while Kevin and Ruie got our tickets. Our entrance gained, we gathered in front of the site map for a brief orientation by one of the staff. Yea, I love color-coded maps! Purple for motoring sports, red for aviation, and yellow for the race track! With one admonition not to climb up the 30-foot high race track walls unless we really wanted to come down hard, the Brooklands staff released us to our whims. And they’re off!
First, a little Brooklands history. The site was home to the first purpose-built banked race track in the world. With the advent of World War II, racing at Brooklands ceased, and airplane production began. Planes were built at Brooklands through the 1980s. On September 4th 1940, the Luftwaffe bombed Brooklands in broad daylight, killing 87 British aviation workers and injuring 419 more. To quote the extensive exhibit in the aviation hanger, this was “the most devastating raid on any aircraft factory” ever. In the exhibit, you will see the twisted propellor of one of the German planes involved in this attack.
But, that’s not all the history you’ll find there. A reproduction of the famous Sopwith Camel used on the Western Front in 1917 hangs inside. A reconstructed Vickers Wellington used to bomb Germany in 1940 hulks in the back. This plane, used to train British Air Force, experienced engine trouble over Loch Ness on New Year’s Eve 1940. The pilot ditched the plane in the Loch, where it lay in the mud until discovered in 1978. It was restored beginning in 1985 and now it dwarfs the surrounding aircraft in the hanger.
Seeing a great number of dads and their sons touring the museum, I reflected that this museum would be a great trip for father-son bonding. Or even grandparent-grandchild bonding, as there seemed to be a great number of these pairs on site as well. I know my own family would geek out here. So, one place on the itinerary for next time!
Perhaps the place where we had the most fun was in the London Bus Museum. Opened only two years ago, this part of Brooklands is staffed with incredibly personable and knowledgeable volunteers, like our friend Frank. Frank personally toured Sarah and Natalie around many of the buses, giving them insight into how the different gear boxes affect the driving of these British icons. Apparently, you must eat your Corn Flakes if you want to drive one of these mammoths without power steering. And if you want to know what it was like to ride in one of these antiques, well, the volunteers would let you on board. I personally would not recommend a ride on the top of the early horse-drawn bus! If you have an unfortunate spitting habit, be prepared to shell out five pounds if you expectorate on a bus.
Downton Abbey fans, you can board the bus used in the upcoming season right here at the Brooklands Museum! The 1925 all-wood beauty was tucked away outside the bus depot, but intrepid Frank led us there. A famous movie star, appearing in Downton Abbey, episodes of Miss Marple, and Nanny McPhee, coached our very own Sarah Glova through the cranking of the bus! Yes, it works, and you can see it on Natalie’s pin in our Pinterest boards.
If you want to find the best spot to sing at Brooklands, see Jill for directions to the bomb shelter. And if you want to know any fact or figure about the Concorde, see Jackie. She knows how fast, how far, how long, how much.
The most notable aspect of our visit to Brooklands was the interaction with the personable volunteers. Many classmates noted this as the highlight of the day. The passion of the men who drove the buses and flew the planes was infectious, and we left with a little more respect for those who keep the wheels of transport turning.
Hot and tired, we boarded the coach, piloted by dear Colin, for the return to Guildford, during which some of our vocally-talented classmates serenaded him with a lovely medley of Olivia Newton-John hits from Grease and a little Julie Andrews sprinkled in.
At approximately one o’clock on Wednesday, July 24th, we embarked on our very own version of “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” during our visit to Brooklands Museum. Except there were no trains. And we weren’t trying to get to Chicago for Thanksgiving, just back to Guildford for dinner.
At the entrance sign, Lisa organized us into a group plane shot. Not “plain”, “plane” shot. Arms out to the side, people! Darn those homophones! A bemused Brit stood to the side, watching as a group of 20 some adults made plane noises and gestures.
Once our photo shoot was accomplished, we waited a bit while Kevin and Ruie got our tickets. Our entrance gained, we gathered in front of the site map for a brief orientation by one of the staff. Yea, I love color-coded maps! Purple for motoring sports, red for aviation, and yellow for the race track! With one admonition not to climb up the 30-foot high race track walls unless we really wanted to come down hard, the Brooklands staff released us to our whims. And they’re off!
First, a little Brooklands history. The site was home to the first purpose-built banked race track in the world. With the advent of World War II, racing at Brooklands ceased, and airplane production began. Planes were built at Brooklands through the 1980s. On September 4th 1940, the Luftwaffe bombed Brooklands in broad daylight, killing 87 British aviation workers and injuring 419 more. To quote the extensive exhibit in the aviation hanger, this was “the most devastating raid on any aircraft factory” ever. In the exhibit, you will see the twisted propellor of one of the German planes involved in this attack.
But, that’s not all the history you’ll find there. A reproduction of the famous Sopwith Camel used on the Western Front in 1917 hangs inside. A reconstructed Vickers Wellington used to bomb Germany in 1940 hulks in the back. This plane, used to train British Air Force, experienced engine trouble over Loch Ness on New Year’s Eve 1940. The pilot ditched the plane in the Loch, where it lay in the mud until discovered in 1978. It was restored beginning in 1985 and now it dwarfs the surrounding aircraft in the hanger.
Seeing a great number of dads and their sons touring the museum, I reflected that this museum would be a great trip for father-son bonding. Or even grandparent-grandchild bonding, as there seemed to be a great number of these pairs on site as well. I know my own family would geek out here. So, one place on the itinerary for next time!
Perhaps the place where we had the most fun was in the London Bus Museum. Opened only two years ago, this part of Brooklands is staffed with incredibly personable and knowledgeable volunteers, like our friend Frank. Frank personally toured Sarah and Natalie around many of the buses, giving them insight into how the different gear boxes affect the driving of these British icons. Apparently, you must eat your Corn Flakes if you want to drive one of these mammoths without power steering. And if you want to know what it was like to ride in one of these antiques, well, the volunteers would let you on board. I personally would not recommend a ride on the top of the early horse-drawn bus! If you have an unfortunate spitting habit, be prepared to shell out five pounds if you expectorate on a bus.
Downton Abbey fans, you can board the bus used in the upcoming season right here at the Brooklands Museum! The 1925 all-wood beauty was tucked away outside the bus depot, but intrepid Frank led us there. A famous movie star, appearing in Downton Abbey, episodes of Miss Marple, and Nanny McPhee, coached our very own Sarah Glova through the cranking of the bus! Yes, it works, and you can see it on Natalie’s pin in our Pinterest boards.
If you want to find the best spot to sing at Brooklands, see Jill for directions to the bomb shelter. And if you want to know any fact or figure about the Concorde, see Jackie. She knows how fast, how far, how long, how much.
The most notable aspect of our visit to Brooklands was the interaction with the personable volunteers. Many classmates noted this as the highlight of the day. The passion of the men who drove the buses and flew the planes was infectious, and we left with a little more respect for those who keep the wheels of transport turning.
Hot and tired, we boarded the coach, piloted by dear Colin, for the return to Guildford, during which some of our vocally-talented classmates serenaded him with a lovely medley of Olivia Newton-John hits from Grease and a little Julie Andrews sprinkled in.