London Off the Beaten Path Tips by sourbugger

The aim of the truly surreal game 'Mornington Cresent' is to arrive at the tube stop of the same name. The parlour game was invented on ISIHAC (I'm sorry I havn't a clue) a BBC Radio 4 show. It has been running for over 30 years and amongst the silly games the panel are given to play by Humpy - this is by far the most popular with listeners - apart from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales that is.

The station itself has re-opened after a long period of re-furbishment. They have completed a very impressive project. The woodwork and restored blue tiling is joy to behold !

For more on the game that was inspired by the station - follow the links on the BBC comedy site given below.

You will also find a plaque to the late Willie Rushden, one of the original members of ISIHAC. It was also this group of laconic wits (or is that twits) who reopened the station after it was shut for much of the 1990's for refurbishment.

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Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/clue/

When in Camden have a look down by the canal. The Eastern side of the lock area is quite a plesant place to be. Opposite the towpath walk stands a building that was formally the studios of the world's first dedicated Breakfast television company - TV-AM.

The programme itself was launched with great fanfare and big name presenters. It wasn't too long before it was reduced to some sports presenter in a multi-coloured cardigan reading out the bingo numbers from the newspapers. The station was saved, for a while, by the intervention of a cheeky character called Roland Rat and his sidekick Kevin (please don't ask)

The building itself is by Terry Farrell whose practise have completed a number of impressive projects around the globe.

This building from 1981 features a nice little architectural joke of giant eggcups on the roof - they now look somewhat past their sell-by date.

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This is probably the first tip written about an Estate agent on Virtualtourist. So what makes it worth a visit ?

Well quite simply this Agency purchased the back lot of a garage some 20 odd years ago, and then parked a Routemaster bus in it and opened for business.

The beautiful red bus still forms the main office, although it does come with the rather unusual extras of internet connection, running water and air-conditioning.

With the withdrawal of the last bus routes served by the famous open-backed London buses this will become one of the few places you will be able to sit inside one outside of a museum or on one of the two 'hertitage routes' (9 & 15) that will run in central London (see seperate tip)

Address:
Camden Bus Estate Agents
27a Parkway
Camden Town

About one minute from Camden town tube, going west.
London NW1 7PN

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Opposite Mornington Cresent tube station stands the former Carreras Cigarette Factory (now called Greater London House). It is an art deco masterpiece,and the recent
restoration is magnificent. The outside has brightly coloured columns modelled on the tomb of Tutankamun, which of course beautifully dates the age of the building. I especially like the little detail of the black cat's faces that appear above some of the central columns.

Unfortunately you cannot get to see the inside of the place as it is now no more than office space.

As an added bonus you can also walk the length of 'Mornington Cresent' which arcs around the back of the building in an almost perfect semi-circle.

Address : Hampstead Road, Camden Town, NW1 7AD

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Although in Essex it's not far outside London.This relic of the cold war is fascinating and only a fiver. You need to get off at Epping and bus/taxi about 7 miles.

Could the de-commissioning of this place have anything to do with the underground line to Ongar being closed?

FROM THEIR WEBSITE:
The Kelvedon Hatch Secret
Nuclear Bunker is a veritable maze of rooms and corridors based on three huge floors, and protected from a possible nuclear attack by 10ft thick reinforced concrete walls, not to mention blast doors made from tank metal.

It is from here that devolved central government and military commanders would have run the region in the event of nuclear attack.

Built in great secrecy at the start of the cold war and under strict military
security, the locals and contractors alike were blissfully unaware of the terrible reality of what this building really represented.

However due to the fact that the government recently decommissioned this site, the new owners invite you, to see for yourself what was planned for nuclear attack.

Come and witness the three lives of the bunker starting with its role as an RAF ROTOR Station, then a brief period as a civil defence centre through to its most recent life as a Regional Government HQ. Designed for up to 600 military and civilian personnel, possibly even the Prime Minister, their
collective task being to organise the survival of the population in the awful aftermath of a nuclear war.

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Website: www.japar.demon.co.uk

The Clink Museum is not very well known but gives a fascinating insight into the Southwark area that in the past included Bear Gardens and of course provided the conditions for disgusting pleasures like the Theatre (like Shakespere's Globe) to operate.

The Clink is the original home of what may be the first British prison. The nickname of 'Clink' for any jail obviously originates here.

You will find the Clink on Clink Street very near Vinopolis and the Globe Theatre on the South Bank of the Thames.

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Phone: 020 7403 6515
Website: www.hiddenlondon.com

Little Ben is a scaled down replica of Big Ben. If you are passing through Victoria Station then look out for it on the station forecourt in front of the Victoria Palace theatre.

It's not worth a detour by itself, but it is a much more 'human-sized' monument to be photographed against.

You can also try and catch out friends back home, asking them if they recognise it!

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This has to be one of the oddest tips I've written so far.

Catford is often the butt of jokes, especially of Spike Milligan, if you have ever read his war diaries.

I've lived in some god awful places in my life - and this is one of them.

Although the shopping centre has / is being tarted up the seven meter high cat remains over the entrance.

There is little reason, if any to visit Catfors, but it takes allsorts I suppose.

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The largest Hindu temple outside Asia, and the only traditionally built one is in, wait for it, Neasden !

The place is massive, with the domes on the outside representing the Himalayan mountains. The whole effect is very impressive. If you come at prayer times it is even better to see the place in action. They are very welcoming and pleased to see people taking an interest.

There is also an exhibition for a couple of quid that introduces Hinduism. It's a little dry to be honest.

More impressively, the morning worship (or 'puja') takes place at 11.45 each day. Sitting cross-legged in the impressive shrine room a short tape plays in English explaining the ceremony to visitors, before the three large doors open to reveal the Hindu deities. After 10 minutes or so of prayers and the optional recieving of the blessing from the lighted candles, everyone is directed on a route around the the shrine in a clockwise direction.

The only surprise is that it's not located next to the Ganges - the North Circlular may flow at about the same speed, but it's not really the same.

The temple has now beocome very popular with school trips who visit as part of their Religious Education programme. There might be a couple of hundred pupils there every day.
Nearest Tube : Stonebridge Park, then head over the A40 and up Conduit street for about a kilometer.

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Phone: 020 8965 2651
Website: www.chennaionline.com

The Horniman Museum in South London (best access from Forest Hill Station) and gardens are a leading ethnological museum.

The great advantage of the place is that it is very child-friendly. The collections are not too large and the crowds minimal.

As it is on a hill and surrounded with pleasant gardens, it affords good views of central london.

My favourite bit (and most kids favourite bit) is the aquarium which has been built to cascade down the side of the main staircase - very novel.

If you've got kids this will keep them quiet for a few hours even if you may get somewhat tired of the repeated "What's that daddy / mummy" ? questions.

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Website: www.horniman.ac.uk