As we navigate our way through the festive season, and possibly eat and drink a little more than is wise, it is always worth remembering the most basic transportation device of all: Shank’s pony, or going for a walk.
Maybe you’re a sporty type like these two, full of energy and ready to bound out of the house for a good stride across the countryside…
'Hiking' railway poster, c.1930s (NRM / Pictorial Collection / Science & Society)
You can even keep count of your paces as you march along using a pedometer…
Pedometer, eighteenth century (Science Museum / Science & Society)
But if that’s not sporty enough for you, you could always try wing-walking…
Mr Hearns wing-walking on an Avro 504K biplane, 1932 (Simmons Aerofilms / Science & Society)
This fearless chap is wing-walking on an Avro 504K biplane. You can see one of these aircraft suspended from the ceiling of our Making the Modern World gallery, but I wouldn’t try climbing onto the wing if I were you…
[...] have found a gorgeous Lockheed ‘Electra’ airliner swooping down on you, as well as an Avro 504K biplane, a Rolls-Royce vertical-take-off test rig and a Short SC 1 aircraft. Short SC 1 aircraft [...]