Train things to do around Winchester, England

Well, if I remember right the really good locomotive museums are up in the central part around York.  By US standards that's not far - and you can take the train.

But frankly, forget that for a day - the only things better than big iron locomotives are big iron battleships, and Portsmouth has the best on earth.  Only 20 miles to the south of Winchester is Portsmouth.  HMS Victory is there and you might as well see it because - well, everybody does . . .  but if time is limited, just skip it and see the most impressive restored warship I have ever seen - HMS Warrior, 1860.  It is just perfectly restored and much more interesting - and while the warship part is cool (at a time when we were playing around with mere toys like the Monitor and the Virginia (Merrimack), this ocean-going iron warship was the most powerful in the world) but what I loved most were the fully restored crews quarters and all the early industrial revolution detail and machines on board, such as washing machines for the crew's uniforms, etc.  Just don't do like I did and in your enthusiasm buy one of those jewel-like models of the Warrior's cannons - gets you lots of attention when your luggage goes through airport security on the way home!

I'm going to London in a month or so.  I am going to do a side trip to York for the Railway Museum and cathedral.  Hornby is located nearby, I believe.  Anyone know of good "O" gauge hobby shops in London towne?

I agree with Lee that Portsmouth is the place to go.  The Victory is great and the new Mary Rose museum is fascinating.  We may go back to the UK this year.  We're thinking of going from London to Cambridge and see the Duxford war museum.  Then up to York to see the railroad museum.  After that we will go to northern Wales and stay at Portmerion, AKA "The Village" for all you "Prisoner" fans.  While there we will ride the Ffestiniog 2' railway and maybe the Welsh Highland as well.

You may want to visit the Watercress Line which is about 10 miles away, I followed the instructions to link URL's to text but it wouldn't do it on my iPad, so here it is in full.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/

I too would recommend the Watercress Line. 

You may also consider the RAF museum at Hendon, just north west of London and has free admission, which is a rarity these days!

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/

Thanks!  How does that compare to Duxford? I know there's a large WW2 RAF museum and I thought that was Duxford, am I wrong?

I visited Duxford about six years ago and I really enjoyed my visit. To make the most of it you really do need to make sure you get there as early as possible as it will take a full day to see it all in a comfortable relaxed manner and not rush it. Duxford of course has a dedicated building for US aircraft if that is of interest to you but then it is quite possible you have seen all of them over there at some time.

I have to say that I am guilty of not having been to the London museum and it is only 40 miles from home and I have been looking to go there this year with my father in law who is 85 and worked for BAE all his life and also hasn't been there, so I need to plan this in ASAP for obvious reasons.

I think you need to look at both websites to see what planes are on display and what really interests you. I can see that the London museum has probably more to interest me over Duxford but that is just personal. If you can visit both then go for it but perhaps if you are based in London then the Hendon/London museum will be better for you,  hope this helps.

There is a shop near Waterloo Station, Ian "something",good books and a few trains. Two nice shops in York, of course the Railway Museum is the big draw in York. Central London is a bit pricy for MRR shops. 

St Pancras, recently restored , should not be missed.  The London Transport Museum in Covent Garden Is good too.

Fred

That would be Ian Allan:

To all who responded, Thanks for the ideas.  We will be checking out the Waterchress line and Portsmouth.  I am told the train trip from Winchester to York is about 5 hours one way.  I was hoping to make York a one day trip but that does not sound feasible.

Thanks again and happy railroading,

Don