E=mc² Or Off We Go To The Science Museum!

so again it was up with the Lark,

Victoria Station was not that busy.

but we had missed the morning rush hour, tube to South Kensington, past the Natural History Museum,

and here we are at the Science Museum,

from a parallel twin stationary steam mill engine,

to the men that went to the moon, everything is here,

we first went to the 'hands on' hall,

lots of things to turn or push, in this case generate electricity,

or twist to demonstrate magnetism as used in electrical motors, at least I think that was what this one was about,

next on to household appliances, it almost looks like the sewing machines from yesterday have come to haunt us!

vacuum cleaners, I know Diana found Steve and Kai's one fun to use,

I never thought it would happen, but it has, there in front of me as an exhibit was a television I remember my grandfather had in the mid 1950's, the one on the left of the red one, above it a magnifying lens to make the 7" screen look like 9" one, what memories, all the local kids came it to look at it, in those days the curtains had to be pulled as there was little or no contrast, so the room had to be dark to see anything, now ultra slim 3D LCD televisions are here that you can look at no matter how bright the room is,

now this could be the electric motor display,

Diana demonstrating infra red sensors, catch the ball if you can!

then on to locks and security,

Diana trying out the different mechanisms,

you may hear someone of my age instead of saying they are going to the bathroom or toilet will sat 'I am going to sped a penny', well this is where the saying comes from, to use a public toilet years ago you would put a penny into the slot slide the bolt and enter the water closet, (WC), and this is one of the many different types of mechanisms that allowed you to do it,

Diana had to do a 'Mission Impossible' and reach the safe with out the alarm going off, Tom Cruise will not miss any sleep tonight!

then on to gas fires, there was another childhood memory,

this chap here,

then back to early steam railways, Puffing Billy,

and The Rocket,

then the Bramah's lock, the 200 guinea prize went unclaimed for 67 years,

Diana looks at Miss England, that's my girl!

now that's what I call an engine, a Napier W 12,

on to other things, a dress made of paper, (avoid rain or risk being over exposed!),

or this dress all parts interchangeable needing no stitches or catches to hold it together, it all interlocks, clever,

robot looks for people, then avoids them, allegedly,

we then went to the force field 4D experience, not as good as the one at the London Eye but pretty good 3D special effects, but the 4th D was just a up down sort of thing,

another steam love of mine traction engines, we might see a lot more of these later in the week,

another gallery that Diana liked, lots of models to play with,

for some reason she was captivated buy this cut away model of a nuclear submarine,

then to the human section,

lots of interactive things to do,

with large stage areas to interact with,

but the sad fact was that as busy as it looked less than half the exhibits actually worked, most were broken,

then to the flight wing, yes it is upside down I did not publish it the wrong way up, it is a Pitts aerobatic plane,

a huge airship engine,

another Napier W 12 engine,

one of the many V 8 cylinder engines of the first world war,

many times I have heard of the Schneider Trophy but never seen it, now I have, this is it above,

the world famous Harrier jump jet, a technological breakthrough of its time,

a Vickers Vimy from the First World War,

then another 3D experience, this one very realistic indeed, Diana kept reaching out to touch the fish. I guess there must be a couple of technologies at least out there as some of the 3D effects are much better than others,

by now it was time to go, but we were both a bit hungry, so into the noodle shop for Diana,

did I mention it was pouring down with rain again?

and we were wet, wet, wet!