Imagine
reading a book, then visiting the very places where the story happened; it
would almost be like going on a virtual-reality tour. With Time Trap, you can
do just that, and see the London locations where this exciting adventure is
set.
The Trails are an adventure, too: follow in Jamie's and
Todd's footsteps as they were hurled back to 1862, when the streets of London
were shrouded with smog, and danger lurked at every turn.
By following the Time Trap Trails, you will see a very
different London - one that few may know. You'll visit the scenes of all the
crimes that Jamie and Todd were involved in when they had to join the Holton
Gang, and see where the gang's hideout were. You'll get to see magnificent St
Paul's Cathedral - and many, many more locations featured in the book. Plus,
there's an added guide to other attractions along the way.
Also, by going on the Trails, it will give you a good
sense of the layout of London; it did me, when I worked on them.
Simply copy, paste and print.
Richard Smith
WELCOME TO THE TWO TIME TRAP TRAILS
If you have not read the book, going on the Trail is
pretty pointless, as I’ll be describing parts of the story connected to the
locations.
You have the option to go on both trails. The first
lasts around an hour and a half to complete, and the second, the Grand Trail –
which is considerably longer - will take approximately five to five and half
hours. You might want to do the Grand Trail over two days. Don’t overdo it;
always take a break if you feel tired.
Now, let’s get started. At the end of the story, Simon
asks Jamie and Todd to show them all the places they visited on their time
trek. This Trail is what I think they would have shown him. I haven’t put the
locations they went to in chronological order, otherwise you’d be crisscrossing
London all day long.
+ Before you embark on either Trail, get permission to
go from your parents.
+ Wear comfortable footwear, there’s quite a bit of
walking to do.
+ Make sure you have plenty of water, even if it isn’t a very hot day. Keeping yourself hydrated will help you to concentrate.
+ You might want to take a small London A-Z, or have
Google Maps at hand, just in case.
+ Carry a clipboard to hold the pages of the Trail,
and a pen or pencil to fill in the answers in the Trail.
+ Go with at least one friend, it could become lonely
on your own. But make sure that whoever goes with you, has read Time Trap.
+ And the most important thing of all, which I can’t
stress enough, mind the roads! You will have to keep your wits about
you, as London traffic comes from all directions.
1) Bedford Square
Jamie and Todd arrived in London from Canterbury at
London Bridge Railway Station, and took the underground to Tottenham Court Road
Station, which is on the Central Line. As a suggestion, start at the east-side
exit of the station, by the Dominion Theatre, and head north along Tottenham
Court Road, taking the third right, Bailey Street.
Entering Bedford Square, bear right, following the
gardens round until you come to the main entrance to the gardens. Standing in
front of the entrance, look diagonally to the right at number 45. That is the
house where Hector once lived, and where Jamie’s uncle Simon, lived too.
At the end of the story, with the square bathed in
moonlight, Jamie and Todd stood just inside the railings, having just eluded
the policemen who were chasing them, but two caped policemen kept guard outside
the house.
Eyeing a row of houses on the far side of the square,
Jamie told Todd, ‘Hit one of those windows over there.’
Look at the houses to the right of you. Because of
Jamie’s injured hand, Todd, who was useless with the catapult, had to fire a
stone and hit one of the windows and lure the policemen away.
Here’s a tester to start with: Find the actor, Sir
Johnston Forbes-Robertson in the square and get the next directions to the
British Museum.
2) British Museum
Ok, so now on to the British Museum. Looking at the
gardens in the middle of the square and the plaque behind you, head left and
cross at the traffic lights into Montague Place, passing Henry Cavendish’s
house on the left. Walk about 50 yards and you’ll come to the back of the
British Museum on the right. Take a few seconds to look at the sheer size of
the building.
Whose name is above the entrance?……………………………................
Now you need to get to the front of the museum. Carry
on to the end of Montague Place with Russell Square ahead of you and turn right
into Montague Street and walk to the end. Once there, turn right again, into
Great Russell Street, and you’ll soon reach the main entrance.
Jamie and Todd entered the grounds during a terrific
thunderstorm, but it was a very different kind of day when they emerged from
the building in 1862 - a bitterly cold day, with an acrid smog that hung in the
air.
Look above the entrance to the pediment; what is the
central figure holding in its right hand ………………………………..............................
3) St Giles in the Fields
Having got the keyword, cross the zebra crossing to
your right, and take the second left, Coptic Street. Proceed to the end until
you come to New Oxford Street. This is where Jamie and Todd stood, awestruck at
the procession of horse-drawn carriages, and on the corner of Coptic Street the
newspaper boy was selling his papers.
This was also the spot where the policeman grabbed
Jamie and Todd, and Patterson, the bald man with the bushy beard, wanted to
take them back to the museum. But Todd had other ideas, grabbing Jamie’s arm
and sprinting across the road.
Taking much more care than Jamie and Todd, cross
directly ahead at the traffic lights into Shaftsbury Avenue - which was called
Plumb Street back in the days of Time Trap. Stay on the right hand side
as the road bears to the right. As you continue, the tall, white spire of St
Giles in the Fields church will come into view. Keep going until you see the
white stone church. The large green, yellow and red buildings on your right are
on the site of St Giles Rookery, a notorious area where criminals hid from the
police, and where Jamie and Todd tried to escape from the policeman, but were
frightened by a gangland feud taking place.
Taking extra care, follow Jamie and Todd’s footsteps
and cross the road at the traffic lights to the entrance to the church with the
spire in front of you. This is where Jamie and Todd, petrified by their alien
environment, sought refuge. It was also the place they headed for when the
burglary at Soho Square went wrong.
What object is at the top of the spire? ……………………………….......
4) The Holton Gang’s Hideout
Take the street next to the entrance to the church,
Flitcroft Street, and follow it down a narrow alley, then go left at the stage
door to the Phoenix Theatre and on to the end. At the Odeon cinema, turn left
into Shaftsbury Avenue (which used to be Dudley Street here) and cross at the
zebra crossing for the road straight ahead, Mercer Street - which was called
Great White Lion Street in 1862. Take the short walk to one of my favourites
places in London, Seven Dials. The centre column was removed in 1773 and put
back in place in 1989 to the original design. Imagine all the traffic
converging here, it must have been chaos.
The
area was described by Charles Dickens in his collection Sketches by Boz,
which includes the quote:
“The stranger who finds himself in the Dials for the
first time…at the entrance of Seven obscure passages, uncertain to take, will
see enough around him to keep his curiosity awake for no inconsiderable time…”
Once a fashionable area, but in Time Trap’s day,
it was one of the most notorious slums in London.
Outside the pub was where the fight took place, when
Cornelius beat up three men.
What is the name of the pub? ……………………………….....................
Take Earlham Street (Little Earlham Street back then)
opposite the pub and after a short walk, turn left into Tower Court. Look at
the school, built in the 1880s, it’s the location of the of the Holton Gang’s
hideout. They dwelt in the basement of a defunct business. Now follow the route
Jamie and Todd took with Swiper and Patch to Soho Square, where they burgled
the house.
5) Soho Square
Continuing along Tower Court, turn right onto Tower
Street and go to the end, then left to the busy junction of Cambridge Circus.
Cross the junction, heading for the Cambridge Theatre and take the short walk
down Moor Street, which is second left past the theatre, then cross Old Compton
Street into first right, Greek Street. Walk to the end and cut through Soho
Square towards the north side. Cross the road and head for the houses on the
right.
House number 15 was where Swiper jimmied the window.
House number 15 was where Swiper jimmied the window.
Who once lived at number 14? ………………………………...................
6) Covent Garden Opera House
Turn around and go left of the gardens to Greek
Street. After walking about 50 yards, stop at the Pillars of Hercules pub on
the left and take the left, Manette Street, which starts under the pub. You
will pass a church on the left, Barnabas in Soho.
At the end of Manette Street, turn left and cross at
the first traffic lights and enter Denmark Street directly opposite. Go towards
the red and yellow buildings and turn right at the end of the street, where you
will pass the church you saw earlier, St Giles in the Fields, on your right.
Keep on the right hand side of the road and cross at the first set of traffic
lights and the second set, to stay on the right hand side of the road. After a
short walk, take the first right, Endell Street. This is the poor area where
Jamie and Todd were after their night in the lodging house paid for by
Cornelius. Keep walking straight and when you come to the end, Bow Street is
ahead to the left. Enter Bow Street on the right-hand side of the road and
after a short walk, you will come to Covent Garden Opera House. This is where
Jamie and Todd were looking for the soup kitchen in Covent Garden and
they asked the opera-goers the way to it.
they asked the opera-goers the way to it.
How many columns are there? ………………………………...................
7) The Location of Temple Bar
Carry on down Bow Street, passing Russell Street on
the right. It was in this area, as Jamie and Todd walked the smog-filled
streets, that Jamie detected the unknown footsteps. The London Transport Museum
is just around the corner in Covent Garden. It’s well worth a visit to see some
of the vehicles that would have been on the streets in Time Trap’s day.
As you pass Russell Street, it becomes Wellington
Street to the end. See if you can spot Charles Dickens’ office and private
apartments. Just think, when Jamie and Todd were here in 1862, Dickens could
have been in residence.
At the end of Wellington Street, with Waterloo Bridge
facing you, you have to cross at the traffic lights and go left into the
Strand. To make sure you’re on the right road, the white stone church of St
Mary Le Strand should be facing you. Head towards the church and beyond,
passing Somerset House on your right. You are now walking parallel with the
River Thames which is on your right. Pass the second church, St Clement Dane’s,
to continue along the Strand.
The monument in the centre of the road is where Temple
Bar stood, which you will see later on the Trail. Temple Bar is a boundary
marker, separating the City of London and Westminster.
What is the creature at the top of the monument? ……………………….
8) The Case Snatch at the Belle Sauvage
Passing the monument, you have now entered Fleet
Street and the City of London. The first church you see on the left hand side
is St Dunstan in the West, and the big clock sticking out from the wall is the
first public clock to have a minute hand, back in 1671.
Continue on to the main junction, which is Ludgate
Circus. On the right hand corner of Fleet Street is where Billy and his friends
took the city gent’s money pouch and ran to the eating house.
Go straight over the junction on the right hand side,
and stop at the Thames Link Train Station. Directly opposite is where the Belle
Sauvage coaching inn once stood, and where Billy and Joe stole the case.
This is where you can either go on to the Grand Trail,
or finish. To carry on with the Grand Trail, simply continue with number 9B. To
finish, follow directions to number 9A, directly below.
9A) The real Temple Bar
Continue in the same direction towards the junction of
Ludgate Hill, and there you will see the magnificent St Paul’s Cathedral, one
of the best sights in London. When you get to the cathedral, walk down the left
side of it. When you come to St Paul’s café and shop, stop and look to your
left and there is the arched, white, stone structure, Temple Bar.
Imagine the thousands upon thousands of horse-drawn
vehicles which passed under the arch, including Jamie and Todd's, when they
travelled along the Strand in the cab. It was also this stonework that Jamie
and Todd’s arch enemy, Cornelius, smashed into whilst on the runaway coach.
Who designed Temple Bar? ………………………………........................
If you have time, take a look around the outside of
the cathedral; it’s an amazing building.
Well done, you have completed
the Trail!
The nearest tube station is St Paul’s, which is on the
Central Line. To get there, go towards the Cathedral’s gardens with Temple Bar
on your left, and at the end of the gardens, turn left and the station is
there.
I
hope you enjoyed the Trail.
Richard
--------------------------------------------------------------
9B) The Secret Operations Bureau HQ
Follow their getaway route by staying on the same
side, taking the first right, Pageantmaster Court, then opposite left into
Ludgate Broadway. Stop at Cater Lane and take a look down the street. Carter
Lane gives you an idea of how it looked back then.
Carry on straight ahead and enter Blackfriars Lane
with the train bridge on your right. Turn left at the end, onto Queen Victoria
Street. After 50 yards, cross at the first set of traffic lights and stop at
the mouth of Puddle Dock and take in the view of the river. Jamie, Todd and Joe
ran to the river at this point, but it is not accessible from here, so continue
along Queen Victoria Street with the river on your right, passing St Benet
Church on the right and after a two-minute walk, turn right towards the
Millennium Bridge. Descend down the steps on the left side of the bridge, and
at the bottom, turn left and the first bridge you’ll see is Southwark Bridge
This part of the Trail needs your full concentration.
Just take your time. Follow the sign left to Southwark Bridge, leaving the
river for a short while and turn right onto a slip road, passing Gardner‘s Lane
and Queen’s Quay. At the end of the slip road turn right, towards the river
again. Take a look at the information board. It tells you all about this area.
Look across the river, can you spot the white, wooden Shakespeare Globe
Theatre? It’s not the original, but a replica. Continue on the Thames Path towards
Southwark Bridge and walk under it. Look at the impressive tiled pictures on
the walls. Back on the Thames Path, heading east again, the next Bridge is
Cannon Street Bridge, which was not there in Time Trap’s day. Work
started on the bridge a year after, in 1863. Listen out for the sound effects
as you go under the bridge. At the end, turn right, then left and you’ll get a
view of London Bridge. This bridge was opened in 1973, so it wasn’t the one
Jamie and Todd travelled over with Catherine in the cab, to visit Hector, who
was hiding somewhere in the suburbs of south London, about four miles away.
Go under the bridge, keeping to the Thames Path and
after a short walk you will see a circular grass mound. You are now in the yard
of the Secret Operations Bureau HQ. Here is a great place to have your lunch,
but first, look around you, and try and work out where the building stood,
which housed the huge iron arch. And where do you think the stables were? See
the gardens? That’s where the Holton Gang dug up the cobbles to lay the dummy
pipe. Take a look at the river wall, this was the one that Hector, Catherine,
Jamie and Todd all stood on before leaping into the coal barge to make their
escape.
The church beside the gardens provided good cover for the sinister plot.
What is the name of the church? ……………………………….................
10) The Science Institute
Go back on yourself to the river and back to London
Bridge. Take the steps up to street level, and turn right at the top, crossing
Lower Thames Street below. As you proceed, keep your eyes to the right, and
you’ll soon see the Monument. Take a closer look. Do you know what it stands
for?
Continue on the trail and when you come to a set of
traffic lights, bear right then cross the at the lights into Gracechurch
Street. Cross at the first set of traffic lights and keep going. Before the
second traffic lights, look out for Leadenhall Market on your right. It stands
on what was the centre of Roman London. Cross at the traffic lights into
Bishopsgate. Find a safe place to cross to the left hand side of the road and
turn left into Wormword Street, at the third set of traffic lights. After a
short walk, Wormword Street becomes London Wall.
Proceed along London Wall on the left hand side of the
road and after 6 - 10 minute walk, you will see the road goes under a building,
and further ahead the Museum of London. It is well worth a visit at a later
date, but now cross at the traffic lights, into Wood Street, and follow it
round - where it becomes Fore Street. You are about to take a combination of
streets to Golden Lane. Pass under a footbridge, then left into Moor Street.
After a short walk, take the left turn into Silk Street, following it round to
the right as it passes the Barbican Centre. Keep going and Silk Street merges
with Whitecross Street. After about 150 yards, take the first left into Fortune
Street. Can you spot the plaque where the Fortune Playhouse once stood? It was
founded about 1600, and was among the chief venues for drama in London.
Go to the end of the street and Golden Lane runs
across. The Science Institute is no longer here, so you will have to use your
imagination. When Jamie and Todd were turned away from the building by the man
at the front desk, and told to get money so they could see Catherine, they
headed left from where you’re standing. Go to the end of the road, but take a
look at the library on the right, first.
What is the name of the library? ……………………………….................
11) Smithfield Meat Market
Once you get to the end of the road, turn right into
Beech Street, walking under the Barbican Centre - which wasn’t there in 1862.
When you get to the end of the road, cross and enter the road directly
opposite, Long Lane. As you proceed, the huge enclosure, which is Smithfield
Meat Market will come up on the right. When Jamie and Todd were here, this was
under construction. It was here that they met Mr Wiggles and his monkey. Enter
the open main entrance and take a look inside and read about its history.
In what year was the market completed? ………………………………....
12) Metropolitan Underground Railway
Carry on past the Market in the same direction, to the
end where Farringdon Road runs across. Turn right and stop at the first set of
traffic lights. From where you stand, look to the right, and there was the
construction site of the Metropolitan Railway. Jamie and Todd climbed down the
ladder escaping Billy and his gang, and sprinted into the tunnel. They emerged
further up Farringdon Road, only to fall into the hands of Billy and the
others.
13) Newgate Prison (now Old Bailey Law Courts)
Turn around and back-track towards Holborn Viaduct:
the bridge ahead of you. It was the first flyover built in London. Turn left
before it, taking the right fork, Snow Hill. Follow it up and round to the end
of the street. Look ahead on the opposite corner to your left, at the huge,
white, stone building, which is Old Bailey, the Law Courts, the site of Newgate
Prison.
What is the figure above the dome holding in its left
hand? ……………..
14) The real Temple Bar
Take the short walk to the traffic lights and cross
into Old Bailey, passing the Law Courts as you go. Imagine the dark,
fortress-like prison, and the notorious inmates who were sent there, many of
them to be executed. At the end of Old Bailey is Ludgate Hill. If you look to
the right, you will see Thames Link, where you were earlier on the Trail,
opposite the coaching inn of Belle Sauvage. Turn left towards St Paul’s
Cathedral and walk down the left side of it. When you come to St Paul’s café
and shop, stop and look to your left and there is the arched, white, stone
structure, Temple Bar.
Imagine the thousands upon thousands of horse-drawn
vehicles which passed under the arch, including Jamie and Todd's, when they
travelled along the Strand in the cab. It was also this stonework that Jamie
and Todd’s arch enemy, Cornelius, smashed into whilst on the runaway coach.
Who designed Temple Bar? ………………………………........................
If you have time, take a look around the outside of
the cathedral; it’s magnificent.
Well done, you have completed
the GrandTrail!
The nearest tube station is St Paul’s, which is on the
Central Line. To get there, go towards the Cathedral’s gardens with Temple Bar
on your left, and at the end of the gardens, turn left and the station is
there.
Please
feel free to contact me with the thoughts on the Trail, or any questions you
have.
I
hope you enjoyed the Trail.
Richard
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