Today’s diversion from politics 2 of 3: Brits bonkers for steam engines

I’m sure you’ll know that when you follow a link to a YouTube video that there’s a range of video choices appearing on the right hand of the screen. That list of choices depends upon one’s previous selections.

Anyway, here’s one such choice I opened. It’s a documentary transmissed on BBC1 on Monday 10th July 1989 showing the record-breaking ‘A4’ No. 4468 “Mallard” hauling railtours on the beautiful Settle and Carlisle railway over the weekend of July 16th and 17th 1988.

What amazes is the size of the crowds watching Mallard. To my way of thinking it shows the enduring interest, nay love, that Brits have for steam engines.

Today’s diversion from politics 1of3: British Water Tower Appreciation Society

Amazingly, there’s an appreciation society for so many things in the UK. Heck, I’m a member of one of them, The Milestone Society.

I’ve been tempted to join societies such as The Letter Box Study Group, having found a rare example of an Edward VIII pillar box in Prior Road in Sunningdale see HERE, and a Victoria one in Crawley Ridge. The Pill Box Study Group also interests me, as I have an odd, to my wife anyway, fascination for these war time relics.

Thanks to Ferrers who commented, see below, on my brief article about Blackhill Water Tower in Bagshot heath.

Dr. Barry Barton, author of “Water Towers of Britain” has a build date of 1923.
Dr. Micheal Gould and Dr. David Cleland in their paper “Development of design form of reinforced concrete water towers” give the capacity of this tower as 200,000 gallons.
That is the sum total of information that I have on this tower.

Ferrers, British Water Tower Appreciation Society (Archives)

So, wonderefully, now you know there’s a apprecition society for Water Towers.

A Foosh is limiting my blogging

What is a Foosh? It’s the medical shorthand for a Fall on an Outstreched Hand. In my case the fall resulted in broken bones in my wrist.

Most reactions are, firstly sympathy, and then silly boy. I know you’ll be curious as to how it happened. This where the silly boy becomes true. Standing of on the lower step of a badly positioned step ladder, and reaching for Christmas decorations on the top shelf in our garage the ladder went one way and me the other. Result broken bones in my wrist.

One finger typing is annoying, so have been enjoying walks in and around home. Here’s a group of images from my walks.

Re the detention pond. I met a local parish councillor on one walk, and she told me that the inlet and outlet of the detention pond are blockage free, it’s just that the ground is saturated meaning the water takes time to drain away.

Introducing you to a geographer’s work: Part 2 of 2

I said in part 1 that i love a good infographic. Here’s the second such one I’ve taken from my recently uncovered Twitter and website of Simon Kuestenmacher. Here’s what he said in his tweet about the infographic below.

A fresh take on the popular historic travel time from London in 1914 map. This time from Real Life Lore. Source: https://buff.ly/2JjGRnX

Introducing you to a geographer’s work: Part 1 of 2

I’ve books to return to the library. As it’s raining, I’m idling on the Internet till it stops.

An infographic on the words for “two” in 75 different languages, and how they are related is what I’ve discovered on Simon Kuestenmacher’s twitter feed. I do love a good infographic. Click on image to expand. Simon’s website is https://www.simonkuestenmacher.com/

Colour photos of England in the 1920’s: Part 2 of 2

Here’s part 2 of the Autochrome images taken by Clifton Royal Adams in the late 1920’s. Clifton was American photographer sent by the National Geographic magazine to capture views of England.

Colour photos of England in the 1920’s: Part 1 of 2

Here are a few photos by American photographer Clifton R. Adams, who was sent to England in the 1920’s by the National Geographic magazine to record life on farms, in towns and cities, and residents at work and play.

The photos are Autochromes – a time-consuming and complicated film process requiring long exposure times. The resulting images have aa atmospheric quality.