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It's in Feb. We were thinking of having an overnight stay somewhere with a meal out. All easy stuff. But where to go?
He likes planes, machines, technical and industrial things.. so some kind of museum or working factory or something would be good.
Within say 2-3 hours from Shropshire.
Ironbridge?
Been to Ironbridge loads, and Black Country etc.
I see there are lots of car factory tours...
Cosford RAF museum? http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/
Definitely this:
Unfortunately closed until April 🙁 but go along later in the year - it's brill.
[EDIT: Jaguar/Landrover factory in Halewood do tours. Went through work and it was good, but not sure if Joe Public get the same tour. If you were up that way, book a tour of the old dock under Liverpool town centre through the Maritime museum. It's free, but needs to be pre-booked. Fascinating, but 1 hour max.]
Been to Cosford loads too.
Will check out MSI.
[url= https://bigginhillheritagehangar.co.uk/ ]Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar[/url]
Slightly more than 3 hours from Shropshire - but you can go up in a Spitfire.
I see them in the sky daily during the week..
how about Magma in Sheffield?
Probably too far away, but this place is brilliant !
None of your health and saftey rubbish of most modern museums, its one of the best places I've been
http://www.threlkeldquarryandminingmuseum.co.uk/
Might be a bit further than your requirements but I thoroughly enjoyed my 'Sit in a Spit' experience:
[url= https://bigginhillheritagehangar.co.uk/product/heritage-hangar-sit-spitfire-tour ]Sit in a Spit[/url]
As it's a 'working hanger' you get to see, smell and touch the work that goes into a 'restoration' - none of this 'stay behind the tape' stuff, this was up close and personel.
They also do Spitfire flights for about £3k but even if this is outside of your budget, you may well see the 2 seater Spitfire startup, take off and land whilst you are doing the 'hanger tour'.
edit - beat me too it freeagent! 😉
Or alternatively if he's interested in 'Cold War Weapons of Mass Destruction' / Falklands War, the Vulcan Hanger at Robin Hood Airport is worth a visit
He could come and tidy up my workshop/garage. Ticks most of the boxes (except I cant find the boxes).
Maybe get in touch with IWM Duxford and see if they can arrange someone to show him the ins and outs of their restoration hanger? It's generally open to the public but it may be possible to actually get shown some of the work as it's going on. There are also a bunch of companies that base their warbirds there so it may be possible to get one of them to give a closer look while they service one of their planes or something.
Plus the rest of the museum is pretty good, too. 🙂
The RAF Museum at Cosford opens its restoration hanger to the public periodically, but I think that happens in November generally. It's pretty interesting though so maybe keep that in mind for later in the year?
MOSI is looking a bit tatty and a good portion of it was closed last time I went. Things may have moved on now, but I'd check.
Vulcan tour at Donny. Not sure where you might have a night out / meal. Tickhill and Bawtry very near there are nice [i]small [/i]towns or you could head back towards Sheffield for dinner / accom and have a trip to Kelham Island museum or a trip through the Peak if the weather's nice.
Or Concorde at Manchester.
may be a bit more than 3 hours - but how about the National Railway Museum on York.
Great museum, and a nice city to visit too.
Tread dibnha old house?
Worth a visit. Did it with my days a few years ago.
Brooklands Museum. Great museum and if you want to push the boat can fly the Concorde simulator with an ex Concorde captain.
The history of the place is amazing especially if you are into planes, cars and industrial design.
The hotel next door is superb as well with loads of places to eat in the local area
One of the toughest days of my life was going round Duxford with my airplane mad father-in-law. He had a story about every bloody plane, it was interminable. However, he loved it and thinks it is one of the best days of his life. The other thing we did for him was get him a flight in a Tiger Moth, he was still flying a week later!
I was going to suggest the National Railway Museum as well. It really is fantastic, and the city is beautiful.
It might be a bit beyond your '3-hours away' parameter, but if you could stretch to it, it would definitely be worthwhile.
another vote for IWM Duxford. It's a big ol' place so take sensible shoes 🙂
It's maybe too far away but the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield is brilliant. You get a hard hat and a light and go down into an old mine complete with pretty modern mining equipment. I stumbled upon it by accident and even folk who weren't into technical/industrial stuff found it fascinating.
https://www.ncm.org.uk/visitors/underground-tours
Guided tour of Concorde at Manchester airport? Different levels of tour available, from the half hour cabin tour to the enthusiast's "technical tour" 🙂
It's maybe too far away but the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield is brilliant.
Was there just before Christmas.
Brilliant tour, combined it with a visit to the Sculpture Park for an excellent weekend.
Stayed at the Best Western near Newmillerdam, very friendly place.
Freeagent and digby.
I had settled with myself that it would never be possible for me to fly in a spitfire. and you make me aware of that. Of course, I'm not going to be able to do it without my dad having a go too...
This website has/will cost me a bloody fortune for people like you telling me about awesome things I never knew existed...
He used to work in a pit near Wakefield, and my Mum's from York so we've been to the railway museum a few times too 🙂
If you are coming to Doncaster for the Vulcan and want a nice meal and/or hotel, the Mount Pleasant Hotel is where to head for, about three miles by road from the Vulcan, but really just half a mile the other side of the runway on the Great North Road.
[url= http://http://www.mountpleasant.co.uk/ ]http://www.mountpleasant.co.uk/[/url]
I was going to say the NRM too.
Has anyone suggested the British Motor Museum in Oxfordshire? Not been but it's got a website 😛
The one in brum near the NEC was good before it caught fire, National Motorcycle Museum I think
Couple of years ago we went on tour along the canals in central Manchester, out to Salford Quays. Lots of industrial history stuff, I thought it was really interesting. There's doubtless something similar in Brum.
There's a few things in Bristol. M-Shed (what was the industrial museum) do a behind the scenes tour. While you are in the area there's loads around the docks such as SS GB and Underfall yard and on sunny days they fire up the steam cranes and trains. Also you can now do tours of the hidden vaults under clifton suspension bridge.
This website has/will cost me a bloody fortune for people like you telling me about awesome things I never knew existed
All part of the service! 🙂
Bit out of left field but the coffin works in brum might be worth a look, especially if he's game for a laugh.
Might take my old man and get him fitted, it's only at the back of my office 😆
Happened across this on a ride, had to be dragged away from it!
N Cheshire / S Manchester area
If the liverpool things are of interest then add in the Williamson tunnels for a bit/lot of WTF.
SS Great Britain at Bristol. Nice other things to do and a decent range of food.
I just clicked on the Engine Museum link.
Very good, but I think the website must be one of the oldest exhibits. I expected it to tell me that it was best viewed with a Netscape browser in 640 x 480 screen.
Within 3 hours of Shropshire, you can get to the [url= http://www.fleetairarm.com ]Fleet Air Arm Museum [/url] at Yeovilton in Somerset and then a few miles up the road at Sparkford is the Haynes Motor Museum, both are worth visiting.
Another vote for 'sit in a spit' at heritage hanger biggin hill. Fantastic experience.
Factory tour of Morgan? Its on my to do list
[url= https://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/factorytours/ ]Morgan[/url]
SS Great Britain in Bristol?
Add another vote for the SS Great Britain from me. Plus the docks area has scrubbed up well, I believe. Though this needs a local's input.
Maybe another time, the James Watt beam engines at Crofton, impressive beasts...
http://www.croftonbeamengines.org/