"Visiting the UK - what to see (wargames related)?" Topic

So if I'm going to be in the UK… what would you recommend that I check out in terms of wargames related stuff?

If I only have time to see the Imperial war Museum and one other thing, what would it be? Warhammer World?

Thanks,

w.

warhammer world is 150 miles from the imperial war museum.
if in London i'd suggest the imperial war museum and the national army museum which is in Chelsea and free.

the National Army Museum is superb:

national-army-museum.ac.uk

"At the centre of the gallery is a 40 square metre model of the Battle of Waterloo (1815) with over 70,000 model soldiers brought to life with specially commissioned films that explore the conflict, the soldiers who fought it and the controversy surrounding the model's construction."

Very very good.

It depends on how long you are here and transport. I agree with the National Army Museum and if you get the chance Bovington. A few shops etc and depending on where you are possibly even a club night!

Enjoy and remember our beer is meant to be warmish!

Tally Ho!

Visit a battlefield – we've got lots to choose from!!

link

>warhammer world is 150 miles from the imperial war museum.

ah… I'm used to "North American" scale where 150 miles is not far at all. But good info nonetheless.

w.

>>>ah… I'm used to "North American" scale where 150 miles is not far at all.<<<

Yes, where 150 miles each way can be a day trip, or over-nighter, here in California, the same experience can take on a whole new "essence" when driving it in the UK.

Orcs Nest, off Shaftesbury Avenue, worth a visit as I think it is the only wargaming shop in Central London.

As a Brit living here in the US I'll give you a warning.

Estimate your journey times these are the real speeds your likely to get

Motoerway (Interstate) 50mph.
Dual carriage way (Federal Highway) – 40mph
A – Roads (State Highways) – 30 mph
B – Roads (County Highway) – 20 mph.

You are not going to be able to drive as fast as you could in the UK. The UK has 55 million people living in the state the size of Minnesota.

Churchill's War Rooms is a great visit in London.

If you can get Portsmouth there are some fine ships to see HMS Victory (Rev & Napoloeonic Wars) HMS Warrior (ACW). Plus visit Porchester Castle the other side of the Harbour it's basis is Roman, with Medieval additions.

I remember one wild weekend.. hopping an Air Force flight from Ramstein to RAF Mildenhall, catching a train to London, and spending two days ducking into tubes, coming up near a hobby store, and then going right back to the tube station to get to the next one.

"Look.. there's Trafalgar Square!"

"Screw that.. we gotta' get to GAMERS IN EXILE!!"

"Gamers in Exile", that shows your age.

Take the boat tour down the Thames to Greenwich. You will see the HMS Belfast, several tall ships and of course at the end of the line, the Royal Observatory and the Naval Museum that is inside.

Isn't there also an artillery museum at the Docklands now?

Yes, Firepower.

firepower.org.uk

Well worth a visit.

TC

I'd second a day trip to Portsmouth and Gosport if you are interested in naval gaming i.e. HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, Mary Rose, the Submarine Museum, the Royal Marines Museum, Fort Nelson and Explosion (naval gunnery museum)…all very close to each other and well worth a visit.

RAF Museum at Hendon (you can get there by public transport from central London-remember everyone uses public transport in Britain its not just for poor people!) if you are in to planes.

rafmuseum.org.uk

Look through the Travel boards under TMP Plus, lots of good suggestions there, just in case you have not already had enough suggestions to keep you busy for a month ;-)

If you're into boardgames as well as minis, I suggest Playin' Games in Museum Street, just opposite the entrance to British Museum. Very nice shop.

Right next door to RAF museum at hendon is Hannants model shop excellent range of kits and 1/72nd scale figures

The award winning RAF Cosford Museum, Shropshire. Great Cold War exhibition, and an unusual collection of WWII German guided missiles!

historical wargames shops or military bookselles in London?

"historical wargames shops or military bookselles in London?"

aren't any.

Navwar closed their shop a four or five years back – it was a hike out of Liverpool Street Station. You'll get shops doing Warhammer but historical gaming sorry I can't think of any now that Keep Wargaming when back to mail order.

Brits get most of their gaming needs mail order or a conventions.

I can't remember any specific historical book stores when I lived in London.

"now that Keep Wargaming when back to mail order."

Keep Wargaming is in Devizes – a long way from London (about 100 miles)!

"historical wargames shops or military bookselles in London?"

"aren't any."

Err…well there is at least one military bookseller in London. Motor Books at 13/15 Cecil Court, close to Charing Cross and Leicester Square tube stations. See motorbooks.co.uk for more details. I guess this shop fell under the radar due to the shop name, they deal mainly in books on motoring matters. But they do have an extensive collection of military books. Definately worth a look.

As a suggested plan for a day, why not try the following;

- Go to Charing Cross tube station and from there it is a very short walk to Trafalgar Square.

- Take a five minute (or less) walk up from Trafalgar square to Motor Books.

- After browsing in Motor Books head up to Orc's Nest, orcsnest.com/, on Earlham Street, to take a look at their figues, magazines and games.

- Following on from Orc's Nest and dependent on how well you know the tube system, either get the tube from Leicester Square or Covent Garden to Lambeth North (you would need to change lines). Or go back to Charing Cross and get the Bakerloo line direct to Lambeth North (only three stops). From Lambeth North you can follow the signs to the Imperial War Museum iwm.org.uk/.

- If you do this journey on a Thursday, head back to Lambeth North tube station. Close by is the Crown and Cushion pub where the Exiles club meets uk.geocities.com/exiles2005 from around 7pm onwards in the pub basement. Why not drop in for a game and a few pints of beer. A geat way to round off the day.

Ezza

Thomas,

I seem to recall that you were due to visit the Exiles a couple of months ago. Did you manage it, or is it still on your list of things to do?

Ezza

There used to be a games shop near the British Museum. I think it is called "Games People Play". Down stairs was board games and there used to be a small selectionof 15mm migfigs. I suspect the figures will have gone now,

John the Confused,

This sounds like the 'Playin' Games' shop on Museum Street that Thomas mentioned.

Upstairs is traditional games; chess, backgammon, card games etc.

I was last there just over a year ago and they had a very, very small selection of 15mm Minifigs downstairs. There was also downstairs a selection of various wargame rule sets, supplements and boardgames.

Ezza

The date could be important.

You might find your visit coincides with one of the major shows,

Ezza, still on the list. Last trip I managed to attend the TooFatLardies "The Lardest Day" and a Kriegspiel game with Martin and his gang in Hemel Hempstead. That was two full days out of seven dedicated to wargaming so I could not fit the Exiles into the schedule. Next trip will be over the weekend for Salute, arriving friday and leaving monday, so still no luck. The trip after that, however, will probably be at least a week arund my birthday early december and I'll just have to fit the Exiles into that one. It's been on the lost too damned long!

And to add to Ezzas note about books: If you are at Orc's Nest, go back out to Charing Cross Road and turn right towards Tottenham Court. On the left side of the road is first Winart (99a Charing Cross Rd), not a huge selection of militaria but cheap. Next is Foyles, huge selection but not cheap. On the right side is Borders, not a huge selection but a very nice store.

Oh, and just off Charing Cross is Francis Edwards (13 Great Newport Street) never been there but check the homepage francisedwards.co.uk

Also, be aware that Winart has militaria, classics and movie stuff upstairs and an adult department downstairs, just in case you bring someone who might be offended by being in a porn shop, even if you have to go downstairs to even see that it is one.

Foyles on Charing Cross road has an extensive military history section on the second floor; literally thousands of books.

"historical wargames shops or military bookselles in London?"

"Aren't any"

The aforementioned Orc's Nest stocks all of the Copplestone ranges, the Perry, Wargames Factory and Warlord Games plastics (metal box sets like the Celtic chariots too) (Victrix too? -can't remember) and Renegade boxed sets.

Thank you for the info.
I have been in a bookseller at Charing Cross. Good selection and some adult stuff downstairs, so I suppose is Winart.
I didn't know Orc's Nest so I will go to see.

Unfortunatly I'm free only friday night so cannot join the Exiles for a game and a couple of pints. It's a pity.

Also, while in the area of Charing Cross, go up Shaftesbury Avenue, on the left is Forbidden Planet. A nice selection of rolepalying and boardgames and movie stuff.

Great ideas lads, now any suggestions on how to sell all this to my wife…? ;-)

w.

Try the current value of the pound

What are your wife's interests, W? There has to be something close by that you can send her to.

The V&A usually entertains the girls. vam.ac.uk

Hmm.. my at least one of my ex would have been sold on the Adult section of Winart, but I guess it takes all sorts…

Imperial War Museum is a must. It also entertains wifes as long as they have at least some interest in history.

Pretty mainstream but the Tower of London is also well worth a visit.

National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is also very interesting as well as the neraly Royal Observatory.

Museum in the Dockland (just a few DLR Stations from the Maritime Museum) is a fantastic museum and also has a good amount of military displays including WW2 London airraids.

National Army museum is also excellent, Firepower in Woolwich is interesting if you want to see AFVs and stuff from the last 60 years but it wouldn't be on my list if your time is very limited.