Is anyone else like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting for the National Archives to open booking tomorrow?
Made me look madder than I am all sorted now On a serious note I have never ventured to the Archives Used the kind members on here for assistance I think the main problem is patience I just want to go in order whatever and view/photo it quickly but I do understand that it isnt as easy as that that is why I hang around graveyards a lot it is much simpler for me
Yeah, it takes a bit of planning. When I first started going, I did a bulk order, in advance, so I had a trolley full of documents sat ready for me when I got there. I'm also a bit tight, so going myself and taking a 1000 photographs is cheaper than using the fine services available here, but if I only need one or two, then it makes sense to put an order in.
Yeah, I’ve done that a couple of times...expecting a Normandy war diary and find something from Italy (WO170 rather than WO171 - doh!). Or expecting an artillery regiment war diary and added an extra digit in by mistake and find myself opening a Field Bakery or Mobile Bath unit diary. So far, though, I have managed to just giggle about it as I’m not too far away - I’m not sure I would be so relaxed if I had travelled many hours to get there. Regards Tom
Early closing (14.30 every day) screws me. A cheap off-peak rail ticket gets me to Kew about 12.30. The normal Tue/Thu late opening was perfect. Train ticket to get me there when doors open is 4 times the off-peak price!!!
Unfortunately for me, it is not cost effective, even if ordering a bulk Order of 40. Living at the far end of Essex, it is better for me to do a full day on a Tuesday/Thursday (10 hours) but with only a 4 1/2 hour window I am not travelling in the rush hour each way!
I used to love the Thursday hours. Am driving down this time from Cambs, purely out of desperation for new info. Would rather over pay for 4 hours on this occasion, and have up to 12 new files to pour over. Luckily, as stated, I know the 12 that I'm getting, either being clearly listed for the new ones or being ones I've had to abandon previously.