UK Wanderings - PART 2 - Add a bit of Magic of The Large and Small Screen...

[queenie82]

You found the carriages for the new Seven Dwarves Mine Ride

True...true I did.

This WAS a mining town....

Heigh ho......heigh ho....

 

[shushh]

Queenie I'm so sorry it took me so long to get here....but it was a long read! But an enjoyable one! I always love your TRs, so much detail and so many photos. It is enlightening to read about places that I don't know anything about!!!!

 

[queenie82]

Thank you for the kind words.

I REALLY think this area of Ironbridge if you are nearby is well worth a visit. There's just such a range of things to do and see. The kids will have fun. As we drove ever closer to the Tile museum the roads get narrower and narrower and it just amazes me they still have houses literally angled into the side of the road etc. There's no gutters. You just wonder how many times it been hit...

BUT...it's historic. And the buildings were there first

Although there is a MASSIVE build of houses in Telford area itself.

 

[shushh]

I found so many of the buildings so fascinating. I've always lumped the "UK" as one big place to visit. Its on my list but because I know so little about it, I'm never inspired to find out more about it. You've got me started now. My in-laws have been hounding me to travel back to the UK together (MIL from England) so this may be another big group travel in the making...

 

[queenie82]

Glad I've got you started
The things on the list for next time are

- Highclere Castle (although it's booked out for when I'm there) from Downton Abbey
- Warwick Castle
- Sudeley House
- Powis Castle
- Stoke on Trent

And...

THE REAL HAPPY POTTER WORLD!!!
They've just opened the Warner Bros Studios Leavesden for a full immersive experience. Seeing the REAL sets
http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/

 

[skiingfast]

British trains look weak. Little sissy trains trying to look fancy, not like machines of raw pulling power.


The rapid behind the mill looked interesting, I would of like to see more views of it. It would be fun in intertubes, small rafts and perhaps a canoe for the strait shot.


In the RAF museum I would of enjoyed looking at the building too, but also the aircraft. It would of been a 40/60 mix for me.

 

[emum]

Thanks for the trip report, Queenie ! Love the pictures of Llangollen - DH and I were there in 1996 to see the Doctor Who exhibition and ride the train to Carrog - your pictures are just as I remember it.

Can't wait to go back to Wales, as have only reasonably recently discovered that both my paternal grandparents were Welsh (Pontypridd and Llantrisant). I have a lot of "connecting" to do. Hope to get there once DD1 finishes High School at the end of 2014.

Cheers,
Sally

 

[BigDisneyOE]

I'm loving your TR. Brings back happy memories as I used to live near Chester (which is a must do if you are up 'that way') and work in NE Wales. Everything you did were weekend jaunts for us, it's a great area of the UK and a lot of it gets overlooked by the general tourist public as just too difficult. I still think the best pies in Britain are in a little pub in Holyhead.

 

[queenie82]

British trains look weak. Little sissy trains trying to look fancy, not like machines of raw pulling power.


The rapid behind the mill looked interesting, I would of like to see more views of it. It would be fun in intertubes, small rafts and perhaps a canoe for the strait shot.


In the RAF museum I would of enjoyed looking at the building too, but also the aircraft. It would of been a 40/60 mix for me.

The rapids in Llangollen are normally higher and people do raft and tube in the area. Despite how cold the water is the waterways in England and Wales are used year round for water sports.

As for the trains. there is a HUGE range of trains in the UK.
The railways were developed differently and in different stages vs the North American rail network. Being a MUCH older country. Canals were far more widely used to transport materials as I showed. These are far greater engineering feats negating the need to 'brute force' railways.

These I visited were all 'tourist' and heritage ones. The commuter ones are very efficient and the tube is great in London.

Thanks for the trip report, Queenie ! Love the pictures of Llangollen - DH and I were there in 1996 to see the Doctor Who exhibition and ride the train to Carrog - your pictures are just as I remember it.

Can't wait to go back to Wales, as have only reasonably recently discovered that both my paternal grandparents were Welsh (Pontypridd and Llantrisant). I have a lot of "connecting" to do. Hope to get there once DD1 finishes High School at the end of 2014.

Cheers,
Sally

Thank you DBF is somewhat of a Doctor Who fan...but not ALL of the doctors Wonder if he went to that?
Hope you have a lovely trip to Wales in the future. I really enjoyed it inspite of the weather

I'm loving your TR. Brings back happy memories as I used to live near Chester (which is a must do if you are up 'that way') and work in NE Wales. Everything you did were weekend jaunts for us, it's a great area of the UK and a lot of it gets overlooked by the general tourist public as just too difficult. I still think the best pies in Britain are in a little pub in Holyhead.

So glad it brings back happy memories. I would admit it isn't an easy place to get around. You'd have to rent a car and have a GPS. But it is SO worth it.
Thankfully I have my own guide. but it is such a shame I'd never heard of this before. I wish more people would make the effort to get around to see it.

I'll note down Chester and Holyhead

 

[queenie82]

A preview of part 2 to come........



In a few weeks....






Hopefully




These are all the real sets and costumes used in the filming. It's quite a sight....

 

[queenie82]

Oh....and for PIO...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Cool pics of Harry Potter things and tour!

Oh....and for PIO...

AS disturbing as this image is, its not as disturbing as the fact that I've gotten one in return for you......but you're going to have to wait until I get to Macau before you see it. Sadly, the images are a sign of sickness on our part.!


But welcome to inseat entertainment. I think I'd be considering United on my list now.

 

[queenie82]

Finally home and gotten some sleep after being awake for about 40hours or so...

Part 2 will hopefully come along soon but it may take a while even though the quantity of places visited (and photographed such that they feature in a TR) isn't very high.
But....they were interesting places on a few levels...
Straight back to work tomorrow

It will feature
- Warner Bros Studio tour - Making of Harry Potter - at Leavesden studios (photo heavy)
- Highclere Castle (the home of Downton Abbey) - well.....what you can take photos of
- Warwick Castle (photo heavy hopefully)
- Additional Ironbridge attractions

Then a smattering of mentions...


For now I'll leave you with - what a difference 3 months make in Ironbridge...

The River is subject to flooding and was pretty low back in Feb.
For the record DBF has seen the water levels well above the building and flooding the roads and carpark as well so this STILL isn't high...but interesting nonetheless.

This is a "same angle" photo. Look at the base of the RHS of the bridge It was the only place we were sure what a previous photo angle was...

FEBRUARY

MAY

The places we could stand and the tracks you can see a flooded below...
You can also see the level difference on the indicator

FEBRUARY

The tracks and indicator

MAY

 

[usnuzuloose]

The water level did rise quite a bit. Glad your home safe. Cant wait to see more pics and more about what you visited.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I thought I responded last night; but obviously not.


Did the building get flooded or was that as high as the water level got?

Looking forward to more pics...and soon!

 

[queenie82]

That was the peak...
See I brought SUNSHINE!!!! With me so we only had downpours the first couple days.

More photos for the interim....


HONK!!!

QUACK!!!

And you can still feel a bit shaken after being clonked by a light on the side of a tunnel even while wearing a hard hat...

 

[PrincessInOz]

That was the peak...
See I brought SUNSHINE!!!! With me so we only had downpours the first couple days.

More photos for the interim....


HONK!!!

QUACK!!!

And you can still feel a bit shaken after being clonked by a light on the side of a tunnel even while wearing a hard hat...

You're brave! I wouldn't be posting a picture of myself after a goose and a duck!

 

[queenie82]

 

[PrincessInOz]

Birds of a feather.....

 

[queenie82]

I am known for kicking ducks....