Annual London Outing 09

This year the London Outing, ably organised and led by Brian Colley, took place on the 4th August. Twenty members met at Thornhill P & R to board the "Oxford Tube" for London, Victoria. Fortunately we all got on the same coach.

Alas there was a light drizzle when we arrived at Victoria but fortunately this soon ceased and the remainder of the day was dry if a little grey and overcast.

Under Brian's shepherding we set off down Pimlico Road heading for Chelsea. We passed by Viscount Linley's bespoke furniture showroom. Looking through the large windows we could see a range of individual furniture. As nothing was priced we assumed it was above our budget.

At the gates of the Chelsea Hospital we suffered our only set back. Visitors are allowed into the grounds but 20 reprobates, many with rucksacks, gave the guard minor apoplexy! A compromise was reached and we were let in, four at a time, with a suitable gap between each group.

While waiting we gathered some details of the Chelsea Pensioners. There are currently 360 in residence, now including three women, but this will increase to 420 when some extensive renovation work is completed next year. To qualify you have to have completed 22 years of military service or get in sooner if you have won a medal. Pensioners have to surrender their military pension in exchange for keep although they are allowed to retain their state pension for personal needs.

The grounds were immaculate, the grass being mown in lines superior to Wimbledon. The buildings were all well maintained. An unusual feature was the electric mobility scooter parks - a good salesman had cornered a great market.

A stroll along the Embankment brought us to Lambeth Bridge where we crossed the river to Lambeth Palace. Lunch was taken here as a picnic or a meal in the adjacent café. Close by the palace is St. Mary's church - famous on two counts, now the Museum of Garden History while Captain Bligh, of Bounty fame, is buried in the churchyard. His tomb is of Coade stone topped by a symbolic breadfruit.

After a group photo we sauntered on to re-cross the river over Westminster Bridge. As we neared "Big Ben" we joined the hundreds of tourists to hear the clock strike two.

Our route back to the coach took us through St. James's Park where the Grey Squirrels were accepting food from tourists - very rural for a large city. Soon we were at Grosvenor Gardens to board the coach back to Oxford.

A strange sight was a DUKW (an amphibious army vehicle) full of tourists making its way up river very low in the water. Later we saw the same vehicle, this time using its wheels, heading east long the embankment. For the technical minded the designation DUKW is not a military pun, but comes from D a vehicle designed in 1942, U is utility, K is all wheel drive and W indicates two powered rear axles.

An excellent day out; well done Brian.

John Eyre