Monday, November 13, 2017

London Transport Museum

London The Unfinished City
'Old Bill' saw action in The Great War.

The London Transport Museum
is one of those museums that, at first thought, makes you think of musty old buses and trams. Maybe some stuffy uniforms and not much more. And you would be right, but, at the same time, wrong.

Yes, there are plenty of buses, trams and trains, but they are in no way musty. All of the exhibits are displayed in such a way as to show the evolution of transport in London. The majority of the exhibits are available for the public to climb aboard, while the remaining ones are too fragile. 

There is everything from Sedan chairs to an original Omnibus. Trams and Taxis. Steam Locomotives to the latest in Underground carriages. 

The museum also shows the history of how timetables, signage and posters changed throughout the years, and how transport embraced new technology. It is definitely one of the more hands-on museums that is perfect for the entire family.



Brief History

The London Transport Museum had humble origins when, in 1920, The London General Omnibus Company had an idea to preserve two Victorian horse buses and a motorbus for prosperity. 

Originally named The Museum of British Transport, the collection opened during the 1960s and was first housed in, of all places, an old bus garage in Clapham.

The collection moved to Syon Park, in 1973, and changed its name to the London Transport Collection.

The final move of the public display occurred in 1980, when it moved to its current location in Covent Garden and became The London Transport Museum.

Housed within the Grade II listed Flower Market building. The buildings, which were vacated by the flower market, in 1974, were restored and refurbished, over a six year period, allowing the museum to open in 1980.

In 2005 the museum closed to allow major refurbishment and redesign works to be completed.  

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