Just an update for anyone planning a trip to the National Archives to view the 1911 census:

The first time I went, in May, you had to book hour-long sessions at reception to use one of 60 dedicated computers. This seemed a nuisance but guaranteed at least an hour's access - once at a computer you can see as many original images and transcripts as you have time for at no charge (apart from getting there in the first place!)

When I visited again, last week, I discovered the system had changed - now you can go straight to any computer at all in the reading room and stay on it as long as you like. That was great for me as I was able to get there shortly after opening (having stayed overnight in London this time). However, if I'd arrived around lunchtime, as I would normally have done, I would have found no free computers at all, and no prospect of one becoming free - if others did as I did, for example, and hogged their computers until closing time.

So, great for anyone who can get there early - I calculated that the number of credits I used up would have cost about £150! - but it's a less fair and less democratic system, obviously biased towards those with easy access to London and impossible to those in the north.