BRITAIN S TRANSPORT HERITAGE

Transcription

1 TRAVEL & LEARN BRITAIN S TRANSPORT HERITAGE TRAINS AND BOATS AND PLANES Wednesday 11 - Tuesday 31 July nights TOUR HIGHLIGHTS Flying Legends air show at historic RAF Duxford Maritime heritage at Greenwich, Portsmouth, Bristol and Whitby Aircraft collections at Southampton and London Extensive railway museums at York and Swindon Ride by narrow-gauge railway, ferry, canal boat, tramway and hovercraft A Victorian fort, stately homes, castle and the newlyrefurbished Jorvik Viking centre Appreciate the work of famous engineers such as Telford, Stevenson and the Brunels Opportunities to explore some of Britain's most intriguing cities TOUR MANAGER Your tour manager is Andrew Matheson, who harbours a keen interest in transport and its heritage. Aviation would be his strongest passion, as a licensed pilot, and for him any travel includes visits to airports and aircraft museums. His transport interests are broad, though, and during his five years living in the UK Andrew explored many of the country's historic canals, railways, tunnels and bridges, including visits to most of the places we will be exploring on this tour. Andrew is a keen and adventurous traveller who enjoys exploring off the beaten track in different countries. His careers as a diplomat and an international development consultant have seen him travelling widely, and working in remote places on pretty much every continent in the world. Andrew applies his organisational skills to make sure the trip runs to plan and delivers the best for all tour members. He enjoys making tours a special and memorable experience for group members, and looks forward to sharing Britain's transport heritage with you.

2 TOUR OVERVIEW Trains and boats and planes back when the Bacharach/David song was written, trains and boats and planes passing by really did mean a trip to Paris or Rome for someone else, but not for most people. Now we think nothing of hopping on a plane to the other side of the world, travelling at 300 km/hr on a train with barely a ripple in the champagne glass, or cruising the oceans with a level of luxury that was unimaginable for our grandparents. Much of our transportation stems from British ingenuity and entrepreneurship in the 19th and 20th centuries. This tour will showcase this world-changing technology, and explore the stories of the inventors and developers behind the transport revolution and its impact on Britain and on the world from Victorian engineering to supersonic flight, and from canals to high-speed trains. Start the tour with a bang at the famous Flying Legends airshow at RAF Duxford near Cambridge, one of the world's leading displays of vintage aircraft. In London explore Brunel's Thames Tunnel, the oldest tunnel on the world's oldest underground railway, and visit the National Maritime Museum and the famous Cutty Sark tea clipper. Portsmouth has had a naval base for centuries, and today is home to two-thirds of the Royal Navy's fleet. Explore this maritime heritage at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and the story of naval aviation at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovil. Travel to the Isle of Wight on the world's only remaining scheduled hovercraft service, and see the island's royal and military heritage. Bristol was once Britain's western entrance: terminus of the Great Western Railway from London and a major Atlantic port. Visit the SS Great Britain, the first modern ocean liner and 'The ship that changed the world', and the historic Temple Meads station, dating from Railway heritage is also on display at the Great Western Railway Museum at Swindon. A foray into north Wales includes a stay at Llandudno, and visits to Conwy Castle and Portmeirion; a fantasy village that was the setting for the 1960s TV series 'The Prisoner'. Along the way see revolutionary bridges by famous engineers such as Telford, Brunel and Stevenson, and travel on two narrow-gauge railways and a cable-hauled tramway. In Liverpool take the 'ferry cross the Mersey', and discover the heritage of Britain's canal network at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port. See Manchester from a canal boat, before visiting the fascinating Museum of Science and Industry. Travel to York for the National Railway Museum, and experience the newly-refurbished Jorvik Viking Centre. Take a steam train across the North York Moors to Whitby to visit Captain Cook's Museum and the stately home Castle Howard. On this tour there will be time to explore London, Bristol, Liverpool and York on your own, either in addition to or instead of some of the transport-themed attractions of the tour. TOUR PRICE Ex Auckland Share twin per person NZD$13,999 Single supplement (limited availability) NZD$ 2,790 Please contact Calder & Lawson Tours if you are interested in a single occupancy place. GROUP SIZE Minimum 10, maximum 18 VARIATIONS IN TRAVEL We can make arrangements for any travel you would like to do before or after this tour, or book business class seats for the flights. Please contact us. TOUR INCLUSIONS TOUR EXCLUSIONS The services of a Calder & Lawson Tour Manager Airline taxes Economy class airfares Personal expenses Accommodation at stopovers north and south bound 17 nights accommodation in the UK Meals as specified in the itinerary Travel insurance Meals not specified in the itinerary Beverages during included meals, unless specified Local guides Hotel porterage All group transfers Admissions as detailed in the itinerary All tips for local guides and drivers Pre-tour material

3 DAILY ITINERARY Wednesday 11 - Friday 13 July Auckland - London. Depart Auckland on Wednesday for your travel to the northern hemisphere. Arrive in London on Friday; a coach will take you to your hotel, base for the first four nights of the tour. The remainder of the day and evening will be free for you to relax or begin to explore London. (Meals in flight) Saturday 14. London. Travel by coach to the historic RAF base at Duxford to experience the Flying Legends Airshow, one of premier warbird shows in the world. Some 50 aircraft participate in choreographed flying displays, and on the ground you can view aircraft close up and visit the hangars and museums at Britain's best-preserved WW2 airfield. The flying display culminates in a mass fly-past of WW2 aircraft; the famous Balbo formation. (B) Sunday 15. London. Cruise along the River Thames on one of London s Thames Clippers, with views of the best of London s landmarks including the Houses of Parliament with Big Ben, St Paul s Cathedral, the City Hall, Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Your destination is Greenwich, where you will tour the world s last surviving tea clipper, Cutty Sark. Explore the National Maritime Museum, whose extensive collection includes highly-acclaimed maritime art, astronomical and navigational instruments, ship parts, flags, weapons and models. Then board your coach and transfer to the Brunel Museum Thames Tunnel. The world's first tunnel under a navigable river was the work of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, opened in 1843 and is still in use today. Enjoy your visit to the Grand Entrance Hall to the tunnel, then travel through the tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping. There will be a group dinner this evening. (B/D) Monday 16. London. A free day to explore London, shop or relax. Continuing the transport theme, you might want to visit the extraordinary collection at the RAF Museum at Hendon. Another option would be the Imperial War Museum, which was recently refurbished for the WW1 centenary. London has a host of other interesting places to visit. Your tour manager can help you plan the day, and your Oystercards will get you around the central city. A free evening for dinner. (B) Tuesday 17. London - Southampton - Portsmouth. Travel by coach to Southampton, renowned for its maritime history. Enjoy a visit to the Solent Sky Museum, which boasts a great variety of flying machines, including hovercraft, helicopters, experimental rocket fighters and spacecraft. The highlights of the collection are a Spitfire and the record-breaking Supermarine S6. Enjoy an included lunch together in Southampton, then travel on to Portsmouth, your base for the next three nights. (B/L) Wednesday 18. Portsmouth. Visit Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, home of an amazing collection of iconic ships, museum exhibits and memorabilia. Your visit will include a tour of HMS Warrior from 1860, the only surviving member of Queen Victoria s Black Battle Fleet. Powered by steam and sail, the Warrior was the largest, fastest and most powerful ship of her day. You will have the opportunity to walk through a maze of impressive rooms, including the engine room and the mess, and even join in a gun drill. Your day continues with a boat trip around Portsmouth Harbour with unrivalled views of the modern Royal Navy, along with areas of the Solent coastline and historic sights. Enjoy another group dinner together this evening. Anyone who wants a break from the transport theme today might like to consider visiting, at your own expense, Portchester Castle, the Charles Dickens Museum, or the Spinnaker Tower for amazing views of the harbour. Your tour manager will assist you to make choices and arrangements. (B/D) Cutty Sark, Greenwich; Flying Legends, Duxford; Hovercraft, Isle of Wight.

4 Thursday 19. Portsmouth. This morning you will travel to the Isle of Wight by hovercraft. The 30-minute journey is on the world s longestrunning (and only) commercial hovercraft service. On arrival at Ryde, take a local electric train (which uses former London Underground carriages) to Smallbrook Junction. Then enjoy a ride on the idyllic line of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, an authentic heritage railway, to Wooten Station. Your morning continues with a tour of the chalk cliffs and a tour of the Needles Old Battery Museum. The museum is perched high above the famous rocks known as the Needles, in a Victorian fort built in 1862 and used throughout both world wars. Learn about the part it played in Britain s history, and explore the underground tunnel and then the original guns on the parade ground. Your visit to the Isle of Wight continues with a tour of Osborne House, a private family home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Designed by the Prince himself as a summer house and retreat for the Royal Family, it was one of Queen Victoria s favourite palaces. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 in palazzo style, with its two towers and the terraces connected by flights of steps. Its gardens are the best surviving example of Prince Albert s taste as a garden designer, and include many trees planted by him. Later return to Portsmouth by hovercraft, where this evening you will enjoy a group dinner. (B/D) Friday 20. Portsmouth - Bristol. Travel by coach to Bristol, your base for two nights. On the way stop to tour the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Learn about the history of naval aviation, from the first manned kites towed behind vessels, to helium-filled airships, seaplanes, carrier-borne aircraft, through to Sea Harriers and helicopters. Enjoy a group lunch. On arrival in Bristol, visit the City Docks and explore Brunel s SS Great Britain, one of the most important historic ships in the world. Launched in 1848, she was the world s first ocean liner and the first large ship to be built of iron and driven by a propeller. You will have time to tour both the operational and passenger facilities. (B/L) Saturday 21. Bristol. Visit Bristol Temple Meads Station, another impressive creation of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1840 as the western terminus of the Great Western Railway from London Paddington. From here you will travel by train to Swindon to visit the Museum of the Great Western Railway, located in the heart of the former Swindon Railway Works. Discover the world of the railway workers at Swindon, brought to life with famous GWR locomotives, reconstructions and interactive displays. On your return to Bristol by coach you will have the opportunity to explore Brunel s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon Gorge. Enjoy a group dinner together this evening. There is much to see and do in Bristol for those who might like a variation to the transport theme, such as St Mary Redcliffe Church, the Georgian House, Bristol Blue Glass Factory, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, and Bristol Cathedral. There may be entrance fees. Your tour manager can assist with planning. (B/D) Sunday 22. Bristol - Llandudno. Travel by coach to Llandudno, a seaside town in North Wales that has retained much of its 19 th century character and which is closely associated with Lewis Carroll. Enjoy an included lunch together en route at Chester, then a guided tour of the 13 th -century Conwy Castle, an impressive fortress and a world heritage site. Nearby you will marvel at Thomas Telford s suspension bridge built in 1826, with its castellated towers echoing the turrets of the castle and the bridge appearing to be an extended drawbridge. At the eastern end of the bridge you will view the former bridge keeper s lodge and the tollhouse. Nearby you will be able to view Stevenson s 1849 box or tubular railway bridge. On arrival at Llandudno, take a journey on the Great Orme Tramway, taking you to the summit of the great limestone headland that offers stunning views across the Irish Sea. The cable-hauled funicular trams are controlled from the engine house at the halfway station by winchmen and attendants on the trams. Stay at Llandudno for two nights. (B) Monday 23. Llandudno. Transfer to Caernarvon and board a steam train on the recently-restored narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway. Relax in some of the most comfortable narrow-gauge carriages in the world while enjoying the stunning scenery of Snowdonia. After arriving in Portmadog travel by coach the short distance to the very beautiful village of Portmeirion, built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 in an Italianate style. Explore the village, which was the setting for the 1960s cult TV series 'The Prisoner'. Following a group lunch, travel by coach back to Portmadog and enjoy a guided tour of the Ffestiniog Railway s Boston Lodge Works, recognised as the oldest railway workshops in the world and famous for having built steam locomotives in the 19 th, 20 th and even 21 st centuries. A highlight today will be a journey on the fabulous Ffestiniog Railway to Blaneau Ffestiniog. Originally built in the 1830s to carry slate from the mines down to the wharf, this wonderfully restored narrow-gauge railway will delight you with its beautifully restored or newly built replica engines and carriages. From the bleak slate scenery at Blaneau Ffestiniog, travel by coach back to Llandudno. On the way back you will be able to admire another of Thomas Telford s suspension bridges the Menai Suspension Bridge connecting mainland Wales to the island of Anglesey across the fast currents of the Menai Straits. Completed in 1826, it was the highest suspension bridge in the world at the time. Nearby is the Britannia Railway Bridge, designed by Robert Stevenson in 1850 in the same boxed design as the Conwy Bridge. (B/L)

5 Tuesday 24. Llandudno - Liverpool. Travel by coach to Liverpool for a trip on the Mersey Ferry, as synonymous with Liverpool as the yellow taxi in New York. Enjoy the views of the iconic waterfront and take in the scenes and sounds of the busy working port, before touring the recently-restored steam tugboat The Danny. Learn the extraordinary story of a small but powerful canal tug from 1903 until today. She is believed to be the last surviving operational Mersey-built ship in the world. Following an included group lunch, board your coach and travel to Ellesmere Port to tour the National Waterways Museum. Learn about the stories and history of Britain s canals and waterways, and admire the museum s flotillas of historic boats and fascinating displays housed in fine Victorian buildings. Your Liverpool accommodation will be your base for three nights. (B/L) Wednesday 25. Liverpool. A free day for you to rest, shop or tour on your own. Possibilities include the Museum of Liverpool, The Beatles Story, Tate Liverpool, the Walker Art gallery, World Museum, the Anglican cathedral (designed by the grandson of the designer of Christchurch cathedral), and the modern and striking Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Out of town possibilities include the medieval town centre of Chester and Speke Hall. (B) Thursday 26. Liverpool - Manchester - Liverpool. Travel by coach to the cosmopolitan and bustling city of Manchester, and enjoy a trip on a canal boat through the beautifully-restored canals in the centre of the city. Following a group lunch, tour the fascinating Museum of Science and Industry. Located on the site of the oldest surviving railway station in the world, the transport collection of the museum boasts the 1905 Rolls-Royce car used by Henry Royce himself, a replica of the Roe Triplane l (the first all-british aeroplane, launched in 1909), the Avro Avian and the Avro Shackleton anti-submarine patrol aircraft. In the Power Hall you can view one of the enormous Beyer-Garrat steam locomotives that ran on the South African Railways until Later return to your Liverpool accommodation. (B/L) Friday 27. Liverpool - York. Travel by coach to York. Founded by the Romans in 71AD, this walled city was once a major wool trading centre and later became a hub of the British railway network and a confectionary manufacturing centre. You will have the opportunity of exploring the great and always busy York Railway Station. Following an included group lunch, enjoy a guided tour of the National Railway Museum, the largest railway museum in the world. The collections include over 100 locomotives and you will learn more about the railway story from the early 19 th century to the present day. Those wanting to make their own arrangements might visit one of the original walls of the city, the medieval street named Shambles, the breath-taking York Minster, York Castle Museum or York Art Gallery (own expense charges apply to some of these). York is the base for the final two nights of your tour. (B/L) Saturday 28. York. Enjoy a ride on one of the restored steam trains on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to the coastal town of Whitby, where you will tour the Captain Cook Museum. Located in the 17 th century house on Whitby s harbourside where young James Cook lodged as an apprentice, the museum showcases Cook s achievements and discoveries and the work of those who sailed with him. Travel by coach to Castle Howard. This Yorkshire stately home has more than 300 years of history and offers its visitors stunning architecture, opulent interiors and an extensive art collection. The castle s grounds include informal parkland with statues and temple, formal gardens, a walled garden, woodland walks, lakes and fountains. Enjoy a farewell dinner together this evening (B/D) Sunday 29. York - London. Visit the Jorvik Viking Centre, newly re-opened following a disastrous flood. Beneath the streets of York, the centre contains a fully reconstructed Viking village, and will immerse you in the story of these world-changing Scandinavian conquerors. From here you will be transferred to the railway station for your fast train journey to London and transfer to Heathrow to board your flight home. (B/Meals in flight) Monday 30 - Tuesday 31. Homeward bound, arriving in Auckland on Tuesday 31 July. The Danny, restored tugboat, Liverpool; Castle Howard, York.

6 IS THIS TOUR FOR ME? The tour involves some walking and standing in museums, but otherwise isn't physically very demanding. An interest in transport heritage is essential to get the most out of the programme, but the itinerary isn't all about trains and boats and planes. We will be visiting some of Britain's most Interesting areas, and the transport component of the programme can be balanced by visits to places of more general interest. Top right, clockwise: HMS Victory; Conwy Bridge, Llandudno; Welsh Highland Railway HOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE ON THIS TOUR A deposit of $1,000 is required to secure your place on the tour. When minimum numbers are reached, the tour will become a confirmed departure. At that point we will advise when the full tour payment will be due. Click here to complete the online registration form, pay the $1000 deposit and your spot in this tour is secured. Or you can complete a paper registration form. You can down load one from the website or give us a call and we will or post one to you. TERMS & CONDITIONS Can be found on the website on the back of the paper registration form or on the summary page when you complete an online registration. VARIATIONS This itinerary is Version 3 dated 29/09/2017 and is subject to change. Exchange rate fluctuations may result in a change to the tour price.