ARRIVING AT WATERLOO
THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
THE GUNS AT THE ENTRANCE
FRONT OF A LANCASTER
HE 162 SALAMANDER
GERMAN TANK
PART OF HESSs ME 110
JAPANESE ZERO
GERMAN EAGLE AND SWASTIKA
AIR RAID SIMULATOR
SPITFIRE
THE THREE STAGS BUS STOP
THE THREE STAGS PUB
THE GIRLS
CHAPLINs CORNER
LAMBETH NORTH TUBE STATION
LEAVING WATERLOO TO GO HOME
| It was such a nice day as I walked from my home in Earley, Reading to the local train station. I had left it until the rush hour was over so after purchasing my cheap day return to Waterloo, found I was the only person in an empty carriage. However as the train snaked on its journey into London the carriage filled up.
It was an hour to reach Waterloo but there was a short delay due to "an accident to a bridge ahead caused by a van so the train was held up as engineers inspected the damage".
Just after 11am we coasted into the station and I set off to walk to the Imperial War Museum with a number of people who had been on the train. It is well signposted except for one important sign which was covered by hanging baskets of flowers. We all made a decision and walked on to the right. Luckily it was the right way and soon we could see the dome of the museum ahead.
It was free entry but there were boxes begging for donations. I set off to see the aeroplane section since I wanted some photos of the He 162 Salamander and the tail section of Hesss Me 100 in which plane he had flown to Scotland to try to negotiate peace.
I then looked round the WW2 section with all the items of interest. There was a queue for the Blitz Air Raid Simulator and there was ten minutes before the next "raid". I talked to a family and sat opposite to them as bombs fell and the floor rocked. We left by the other door to "see" the gas works blow up and lots of ribbon flames in the houses nearby....
I visited the shop and was going to the cafe but saw the mass of people waiting to be served, after all it is the kids holidays !!
So I remembered seeing a pub on the opposite corner to the museum which sold food.
This is the THREE STAGS which is a clean friendly pub run by Dermot Fahy and his wife and some very friendly bar staff. If you click on the bar above you will see the pub and its whereabouts.
I had a very tasty late lunch with wine and then sat in the sun with another glass of wine.
I then set off for Waterloo to catch the train back home.
Nice day and I must do it again sometime !!
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