Trip to Coventry 8th and 9th April 24
10 members of the Shed travelled down to Coventry for a whistle stop cultural tour of the area. We left at o630 on the Monday Morning arriving at Banbury at about 0800 for a good old Wetherspoons breakfast. Then on to Coventry, where we visited the national Transport Museum. What a place! It was like a TARDIS, it went on forever. Many diverse galleries and absolutely riveting. Several of the lads were in 7th heaven because of the extensive detailed Jaguar development exhibits. To top it off we all went on the Thrust 1 & 2 simulator of the land speed record run (in 3D) fascinating!
We then moved on to visit the Cathedrals (old and new!) a moving and enlightening experience.
It was, by this time, late afternoon so we moved on to our accommodation at the Travel lodge in Binley, not far from the city centre. The rooms were very clean and tidy and the showers were excellent. After getting changed we went out for an evening meal at a nearby restaurant (good grub!) back to the hotel and in bed by 10 (cream crackered).
The following morning (Tuesday) we had breakfast at the nearby Toby carvery. Full English plus Yorkshire pudding with fried onions, an interesting combination.
We then embarked again and back into Coventry to visit the Herbert Art gallery & museum. Another TARDIS like building! (Very modern and state of the art, including “gender neutral” toilets?). From there we moved on to the Watch Museum, in the older part of Coventry (lots of timber framed buildings but not as many as before the war). It was situated in a back terrace of one up and one down row of 3 houses. This was reminiscent of when people worked in their own homes. A fascinating look into the past of the horologist’s art and brought to life by our guides (ex-industry workers).
Finally, after lunch at, yet another Wetherspoons, we moved on to the Hook Norton brewery for the 3 o’clock tour followed by a tasting. A very historic brewery (175 years in the same family) and the beer was good too! We were all presented with souvenir half pint glass, to remember the visit and the 175-year anniversary.
It was then back on the bus (slightly merrier) and back home. It was a tiering trip with lots of walking and steps and the weather none too kind to us but definitely worth the effort.
