Bletchey Park
After going into work for a couple of hours to ensure the external contractor was set up ok, I trundled to Euston to meet Xanthe for our jaunt to Bletchley Park. I have wanted to go there for years, ever since I first heard about it. I have been reading Station X at the moment so was more than ready to see the place and soak up the atmosphere.
It was a gloriously warm sunny day so Xanthe and I began in the best way possible by having a pack up by the lake. We then wandered around the big house, admiring the library and regretting the fact that a wedding was taking place so we couldn't explore further. It does strike me as a slightly odd place to have a wedding though also quite cool.
We got collared in the 1940s post office by an old man who talked to us about a Vulcan and then his hero who was in B Block and had bailed out of a burning plane. We were slightly concerned we would have to spend our whole visit in that room talking to him, interesting as it was. I love old people, particularly this generation which achieved so many remarkable things in the worst of times. One of the families we crossed paths with later appeared to have an elderly grandmother in tow who, from the snippet of conversation we overheard, worked at BP.
We looked round one of the hutsand saw the Pigeons at War exhibition which talked about this surprising contribution. Like many places there was too much to see in one visit, particularly as the whole place was rather text heavy, so I shall want another trip at some point. It was amazing to see the machines and references to the people I have been reading so much about.
I saw their innovative text system where you text a word to a number and then you are meant to access information about it when you get home that I had heard so much about in the museum world. Unfortunately, the explanation of what was meant to happen was not clear so I assumed I would get a text there and then with more info so I didn't have to read the panel. I was disappointed when I discovered you only received the text when you got home but am even more disappointed now that I am still yet to receive the reply text. Think I should get time off in lieu for the time I spent looking at this device and trying it out as we are beginning to try out mobile technology in the Science Museum.