Stompie Garden (T-34/85 tank)

If you want to see the legendary Soviet designed WW2 T-34-85 tank in an urban setting, you will like it.
To be pedantic, this T-34 was actually built postwar in Czechoslovakia.
However. It has pretty much the same features as your typical WW2 version.
It gets a random paint job every now and then. I'm told by Stompie, (the owner) he prefers people to contact him and get permission to repaint it.

Beautiful T34 Russian Tank. Not sure who's responsible with the maintenance of the mini-garden where's sitting, but to me it looks like an abandoned place. 5 stars 'cause I love the tank.

If you're in London and want an excuse to come to south of the river, this is it. Just fun to climb and mess around in.

Lovely tank with a bit of art decor on it. The art decor seems to change from time to time with different artist showcasing their talent with their drawings on the tank.

Havnt seen the tank in years, good to see it again. Well kept area and constant flow of those after a selfie.

I had an excellent experience there even at the ripe old age of 54!! I was with my partner who climbed up on the tank for a photo opportunity. Just before we left meet a lovely lady with her 3-4yr old daughter. Showed the mum the easiest way to climb into tank if you very not very tall (front left hand side of tank) and left her and her delighted and excited daughter to explore the tank. Highly recommend to all

It is quite fascinating to find an abandoned tank when you walk Old Kent Road. THE MANDELA Way T-34 Tank has been nicknamed Stompie by locals after Stompie Moeketsi Sepei – the teenager murdered by Winnie Mandela’s ‘bodyguards’ in 1989. There was never a battle in Old Kent Road, at least with tanks. The Soviet tank is thought to have originally been used by the Czechs during the Prague Spring in 1968. It was brought to London to film the movie, Richard III. It was purchased by local businessman, Russell Gray who owned the land and wanted to develop the land. The city council never allowed to built in the empty lot so he placed the tank in the property apparently pointing at the council office. Funny enough, he got the council permit to keep it as the council thought it was a septic tank! It is maintain by the local community and they are doing a great job!

Always alot of fun climbing on and being with this tank