Freed From Time

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Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood – Vintage toys

24 pics. The V & A Toy Museum is in Bethnal Green just a little north of Bethnal Green Underground station on Cambridge Heath Road. There are numerous events and workshops for children including schools groups. It is worth seeing their website ⇒.

The museum is free to enter and photography is allowed but difficult due the lighting and reflections from the glass cases. Nevertheless it is worth a visit, especially since their stock keeps being replenished from a large archive.

There is a second post with Chinese Rock Gardens, more toys and favourites from television here ⇐. 🙂

The V & A Museum of design in South Kensington is even larger and can be found here ⇐.

Dolls Houses

This just a sample.

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Toy Cooker and Tea Sets

Toy Theatres

Mechanical Puppet

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Johnny the Dunce is an early clockwork toy (circa 1850) with music and a swinging leg.

Vintage Models

Steam Locomotives

The first two of these models have small spirit burners underneath which raise steam and result in locomotion. A good way to set your carpet on fire.

There are more model steam engines/locomotives here ⇐.

Rocking Horse

Teddy Bears

Painting

“We used to make our own amusement in the old days”.

Posted by Graham in Hats | July 5, 2016 | Categories: East London, Free, History, london, museums, Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, Travel, uk | Tags: dolls, dolls houses, museum, puppets, toy steam, toy theatre | 11 Comments

Bacon Street Art and Charlie Burns and More

Not far over the foot bridge from Fleet Street Hill/Pedley Street art⇐ there is Bacon Street and a picture of Charlie Burns who led an extraordinary life. A life which included a private audience with the Pope who gave him a medal for charitable work. Well known on Bacon Street and the surrounding area, his fascinating story can be found here⇒.

On Sclater Street.

On Chance Street

On Redchurh Street

That is the last of street-art for a while. Next, something smaller.

First street-art post⇐

Amazing 3D street-art⇒

Posted by Graham in Hats | July 3, 2016 | Categories: Art, East London, london, Photography, places to photograph in london, uk | Tags: bacon steet, brick lane, chance street, charlie burns, london street art, redchurch street, sclater street, shoreditch, street art | 4 Comments

Street Art Beyond Pedley Street and Allen Gardens

Starting from Brick Lane (east London), famous for a wealth of spicy foods, Pedley Street alley art⇐ leads to Allen Gardens and is not far from Spitalfields City Farm⇒. (closed on Mondays).

Allen Gardens

The Nomadic Community Gardena and Cafe.

Turning back from Allen Gardens and through the underpass there is the Nomadic Community Gardens and Cafe (also closed on Mondays the day I went) .

At the end of the gardens turn left into Fleet St Hill.

Fleet St Hill.

At the end of this short road is a footbridge and what lies beyond is Cheshunt St ( turn left) then turn first right onto Kerbala St which leads to Bacon St and Charlie Burns and More⇐.

Posted by Graham in Hats | July 1, 2016 | Categories: Art, East London, london, Photography, places to photograph in london, uk | Tags: allen gardens, fleet street hill, london street art, nomadic communty gardens, pedley street, shoreditch, street art | 10 Comments

Brick Lane Street Art and Tolerance

18 pics. There is a lot of street art in the area of Brick Lane (east London). The picture above, by Stik on Princelet St, may not seem very remarkable but it shows an essential truth of this part of London. The picture is self explanatory, its significance is that it is well known and has remained intact for more than three years. And, more street-art:-

Street Art Beyond Pedley Street and Allen Gardens⇐

Bacon Street Art and Charlie Burns and More⇐

Also on Princelet St:-

On Hanbury St off Brick Lane.

On Brick Lane.

The Pedley St alleyway that Leads from Brick Lane to Allen Park.

Behind me there is Allen Gardens with more street art and to the right there is more of the Pedley St alleyway with street art and the Nomadic Community Gardens, all in the next post⇐. A little further behind me is the Spitalfields City Farm ⇒ which is closed on Mondays.

Posted by Graham in Hats | June 29, 2016 | Categories: Art, East London, london, Photography, places to photograph in london, uk | Tags: banglatown, brick lane, hanbury street, london street art, pedley street, princelet street, shoreditch, stik, street art | 6 Comments

London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum⇒ is at the eastern corner of Covent Garden. Entry is a little expensive at £17 (in 2016) for a single adult but there are a variety of concessions, group tickets and under 18’s go free. The Acton Depot⇒ is much larger but only accessible as part of a tour or on an open day.

Vintage steam engines can be found at the Science Museum⇐ (free entry) and a classic/vintage vehicles race can be seen once a year at Crystal Palace Motorsport⇐.

Horse drawn coaches developed into horse drawn trams (on rails).

Then trams powered by electricity from overhead power lines.

There were also motorised omnibuses.

Then underground powered by electricity. Although there were three oil fired steam locomotives used during construction of the underground.

This locomotive was used on an overground line but passed through several small tunnels, hence its minimal height.

Sprung upholstery. More comfortable than modern day but heavier.

Some of the underground trains remained like this into the 1960’s and even 1970’s. It is a testament to how well they were built.

The Routemaster bus⇐ also lasted well, the basic design being in use from 1956 to 2005.

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As luck would have it, I ran into one of these just outside the museum.

Posted by Graham in Hats | June 23, 2016 | Categories: Central London, History, museums, Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, Travel, uk | Tags: coaches, london underground, museum, omnibus, routemaster, steam train, tram | 8 Comments

Dulwich Picture Gallery and Park

Saints Amandus and Walburga; Saints Catherine of Alexendria and Eligius by Peter Paul Rubens

The Dulwich Picture Gallery is not very large but does contain works of significance with occasional exhibitions and events. Ticket prices and more information can be found here⇒.

The photographs here have been a little enhanced to compensate for low lighting and the age of the paintings, nevertheless they are realistic and show why, in their time, they were so well thought of.

Girl at Window by Rembrandt van Rijn

Vase with Flowers by Jan van Huysum

Still Life by Jan Van Huysum

The Bucentaur at Molo on Ascension by Canaletto

The Penitent Magdalen by Cignani

The Flower Girl by Bartolome Esteban Murillo

Whilst one can always admire the patient efforts of an artist, ever changing nature provides its own special fascination. Across the road from the gallery is Dulwich Park.

The park has a number of facilities including a pleasant café and hire boats on the small lake at weekends and holidays. More information⇒

Posted by Graham in Hats | June 17, 2016 | Categories: Art, Flora, Flowers, Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, South London, uk | Tags: caneletto, cignanai, gallery, murillo, nature, rembrandt, rubens | 6 Comments

Crystal Palace Park and Dinosaurs

While strolling through the park one day, in the merry merry month of May (at the southern end),
I was taken by surprise, by a pair of roguish eyes,
I was scared but I didn’t run away,

:-).

“Me too”.

El Magnifico.

El Sticko.

“I keep throwing the stick but El Thicko keeps bringing it back. I hope it doesn’t start a trend”.

“Did somebody say stick”.

“My tongue’s thwollen”. More squirrels here⇐.

Coot Chicks more here ⇐.

This is all at the southern end of Crystal Palace Park.

Heironymous.

“Bosch, got it”.

“Come here, me little Jacky, now aw’ve smoked mi backy
Have a bit o’ cracky, till the boat comes in

Dance ti’ th’ daddy, sing ti’ th’ mammy, dance ti’ th’ daddy, my little man

You shall have a fishy on a little dishy
You shall have a fishy when the boat gets in.”

Near the café at the southern (lowest) end of the park.

This is from the northern (highest) end of the park.

The upper terraces were once the site of the Crystal Palace. Crystal (Glass) Palace was originally sited in Hyde Park and housed the Great Exhibition⇒ from 1851 to 1854 then the whole thing was moved to Penge and the Park created. The structure was burned down in 1936 but the park remains and, once a year, is used for a race of classic/vintage cars⇐.

On the upper terraces can be found four of these (two at each end). Currently being refurbished they are actually caged to prevent further attacks upon tourists. 😀

If visiting the park it makes more sense to start at the northern (high) end at or the mid area (right next to Crystal Palace station), walk down hill (for the dinosaurs and ponds) and then escape by using Penge West rail station. And, I hope you enjoy your days out.
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Posted by Graham in Hats | June 4, 2016 | Categories: Free, london, Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, South London, Travel, uk | Tags: dinosaurs, great exhibition, Heron, park, parks, sphinx, squirrels | 11 Comments

Crystal Palace Motorsport Motorcycles 2016

16 pictures. Determination and enthusiasm. What more do you need ?

There are some of the classic cars here⇐ and more of them racing here⇐. In the meantime, wouldn’t taxis be more fun like this ⇓ ?.

BSA Rocket 3

Harley Davidson

Triumph Bonneville

Triumph Speed Triple

Triumph StreetTwin

Triumph Thruxton

Triumph Tiger XR

Gnatty.

Triumph Rocket III

Beasty. At 2,294 cc what else can you call it ?

Posted by Graham in Hats | June 2, 2016 | Categories: Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, South London, uk | Tags: bsa, crystal palace, harley davidson, motorcycles, motorsport, norton, sidecar, triumph | 2 Comments

Crystal Palace Motorsport 2016

Mygale F200 M12

20 pictures. A race for classic cars at Crystal Palace Park every year (this year was 29th and 30th May). Here⇐ are some of the classic cars on show, here⇐ are some of the motorcycles and below⇓ are some of the race contenders in action on Sunday 29th May 2016, including some of the vintage entries.

Crystal Palace is one of the oldest racing tracks in the world and the first place from which live televised motor-racing was ever broadcast. The race website ⇒.

Crystal Palace was once the site of the Great Exhibition (1851) and remained standing until 1936 – history ⇒.

A fast shutter speed means that the cars look strangely motionless but in fact were whizzing along. You can add your own racing car sounds for realism. 🙂

Except for ‘im ⇑, who was strangely enigmatic.

Wolseley Hornet Special

Wolseley Hornet

Austin

Ford Lotus Cortina

Ford Anglia

Lotus Elan+2

Jaguar E Type

MGB GT V8

Caterham 7 Supersprint

Radical PR6

Ensign LNF3

Emeryson

Force PT

Sheane Formula Vee

Emeryson

Posted by Graham in Hats | May 31, 2016 | Categories: Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, South London, uk | Tags: austin, caterham, classic cars, cortina, mg, motor racing, new anglia, race cars, sevenoaks and district motor club | 4 Comments

Crystal Palace Motorsport Classic Cars 2016

Austin

22 pics. Held at Crystal Palace Park every year (this year was 29th and 30th May). Crystal Palace is one of the oldest racing tracks in the world and the first place from which live televised motor-racing was ever broadcast. The race website ⇒.

The Crystal Palace was once the site of the Great Exhibition (1851) and remained standing until 1936 – history ⇒

Below are some of the exhibitors and race contenders. The next post is more of the cars in action⇐, followed by the motorcycles⇐. Crystal Palace also has Dinosaurs ⇐ .