Suzuki's RE5 was one example of the very few Wankel engine motorcycles that were produced. Some of the others were by DKW and Norton Motorcycle Company (e.g. the Norton Interpol 2, Norton Classic, Norton Commander). It was manufactured by the Suzuki Motor Company from 1974 and withdrawn during 1977.[1] Rotary engines produce high power figures from relatively small displacements. All four major Japanese manufacturers had prototypes or plans. Yamaha showed their Rotary at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1972 (the twin rotor RZ-201).[2] Kawasaki tested a prototype as,[3] allegedly, did Honda. Norton[4] and DKW[2] also marketed rotaries along with a small run by Van Veen (this company used a derivative of NSU/Audi engines developed for Citroën).[5]

 

There were only two production models of the RE5, the 1975 M model available in "Firemist Orange" or "Firemist Blue" and the 1976 "A" model available in black (blue was shown as an option on the "A" model brochure although they may never have actually been produced). Many "A" models were unsold M models. Suzuki supplied kits to dealers allowing them to swap a number of items, including gauges and lights, on unsold 1975 models converting the bikes to 1976 "A" models.[6] Main changes for 1976 included a color change for the tank and side covers, GT750-style instruments, blinkers, tail lights and headlight housing. The "B" secondary points for overrun were removed on the "A" model, the chain oiler was removed and a sealed drive chain fitted.[7]

 

History[edit]

 

The RE5 was touted as the future of motorcycling. Indeed, RE5 section chief Shigeyasu Kamiya of Suzuki Motor Corporation stated that they had considered a rotary-powered motorcycle as early as the mid-1960s.[8] Basic research and development continued to the end of the decade and culminated in the signing of a technical licence with NSU (part of Audi) in November 1970.[8] Suzuki was the 20th firm to do so.[8] The company was at the cutting edge of rotary development, and engineered in-house dozens of machines for the rotary production process. Of these, ten were particularly special and included the machine to cut the trochoid block.[8] This one machine alone took a year to reach experimental status. The company also holds twenty patents in plating, as considerable research went into the composite electro-chemical materials (CEM) which were used to plate the rotor housing. Testing of the running prototypes took two years.[8] The bikes were launched in 1974.[9] Suzuki enlisted astronaut Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon, to introduce the bike and give it his endorsement.[9] No expense was spared, and about a dozen motorcycle publications were treated to a week-long test ride and instructional session on the motorcycle. Journalists were flown around the US west coast in Cessna Citation jets to take their turn riding five pre-production bikes.[10] This corporate attitude extended to the warranty. It was superior to other motorcycles of the day and a full engine replacement stipulated for any engine problem within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles (19,000 km).[11]

     

Closeup of the exhaust system cooling fins

Despite having only a single rotor, the RE5's engine was mechanically complex. Also, the rotary engine produced a lot of heat, which required a number of subsystems such as water and oil cooling and modifications to engine components such as the exhaust pipes. The numerous subsystems made the motorcycle heavy overall.[12] Ignition was CDI, but used two sets of ignition points through vacuum and rpm sensors to light the one NGK gold palladium spark plug.[13] There were three separate oil tanks (sump, gearbox and total loss tank)[14] and two oil pumps (one for normal engine lubrication and cooling and one to supply oil specifically for tip seal lubrication).[15] The throttle controlled not only the primary carburetor butterfly but a second valve in the inlet manifold of the secondary throat (the "port" valve) as well as the oil pump which provided lubrication for the tip seals by mixing oil with fuel. Five cables in total were moved by the throttle twist grip.[16] The carburetor was similar to that from a rotary power unit in a car and was complicated, by motorcycle standards of the day.

 

The RE5 could also be optioned with a full touring kit.[17] This included a large full fairing and windscreen, two saddlebags, a large rack and top box. The fairing included two lockable "gloveboxes", and all three bags were also key-locked. Suzuki later made available bolt-on exhaust extensions which prevented damage to the underside of the saddle bags by the hot exhaust gases. An optional touring saddle may have been also available.

     

The "tin can" instrument cluster

Suzuki commissioned Italian industrial designer Giorgetto Giugiaro for the RE5 styling.[18][19] The "tin can" instrument cluster encompassed the usual lights and a low-fuel warning light, total loss oil tank light and digital gear indicator.[20] This tubular "can" motif was also used in the tail light, and spherical indicator lights finished off the "rotary" theme. The 1976 "A" model returned to more conventional styling. Suzuki expected its sales teams to promote the model alongside the 1977 model GS750,[21] but production had already ceased. The UK-based Rotary Owner's Club records the earliest serial number as 10049 and the highest 16291. From this total production, numbers of something more than 6,000 bikes for both models are indicated.[6]

 

Test rider impressions[edit]

 

Although the RE5's frame and suspension were conventional, several motorcycle test riders remarked on its good steering and handling, some claiming it as the best-handling Japanese bike, and close to European standards.[22] The RE5 had good ground clearance.[23] The complex B-point system (explained below) gave smooth running on overrun[24] and some engine braking. Suzuki stopped fitting the B points to the 1976 "A" model,[25] and allegedly had dealers disconnect the system on remaining "M" models. The bikes sometimes exhibited a dead spot or hesitation during acceleration as the carburetor transitioned from primary to secondary throat.[26] This was due to poor synchronization between the positions of the primary, port and the secondary carburetor throat valves. Some evidence links this to jetting,[26] giving an excessively lean primary mixture. The bike is less powerful than the contemporary Suzuki GT750,[27] but its greatest attribute is tremendous torque.[28] The bike is smooth compared to standard reciprocating engines, but road tests revealed a grinding vibration around 4,000 rpm,[29] possibly a feature of the engine harmonics. Average fuel consumption is around 37 mpg-imp (7.6 L/100 km; 31 mpg-US),[30]), but road tests sometimes experienced results as low as 28.6 mpg-imp (9.9 L/100 km; 23.8 mpg-US) and as high as 43.3 mpg-imp (6.52 L/100 km; 36.1 mpg-US).[31] In the end, and once over its novelty, test riders found that other than its handling, it wasn't superior to more conventional bikes.

 

Two different approaches[edit]

 

Suzuki produced the RE5 between 1974 to 1976. A little earlier, BSA's research engineer, David Garside, was developing a twin-rotor Wankel motorcycle. BSA's collapse put a halt on development, but Garside's machine eventually reached production as the "Norton Classic". It is useful to compare the two approaches of Suzuki and BSA:

 

Wankel engines[32] run very hot, and parts of the engine's trochoid chamber (the ignition and exhaust side) are always hot, whereas the intake and compression parts are cooler. Suzuki opted for a complicated oil-cooling and water cooling system, but Garside reasoned that provided the power did not exceed 80bhp, air-cooling would suffice. Garside cooled the rotors with ram-air that was then cooled in a plenum and afterwards, once mixed with fuel, fed into the engine. This air was quite oily, and thus lubricated the rotor tips. The exhaust pipes get very hot, so Suzuki opted for a finned exhaust manifold, twin-skinned exhausted pipes with cooling grilles, heatproof pipe wrappings and silencers with heat shields. Garside simply tucked the pipes out of harm's way under the engine, where heat would dissipate in the breeze. Suzuki opted for complicated multi-stage carburation, whilst Garside choose simple carburetors. Suzuki had three lube systems, whilst Garside had a single total-loss oil injection system. Suzuki chose a single rotor that was fairly smooth (but with rough patches at 4,000 rpm); Garside opted for a turbine-smooth twin-rotor motor. Suzuki mounted the rotor high in the frame; Garside put his rotors as low as possible.

 

The result was that (although it was said to handle well) the Suzuki was heavy, overcomplicated, expensive to make, and (at 60bhp) a little short on power. Garside's design was simpler, smoother, lighter and (at 80bhp) significantly more powerful. As William Bushnell Stout said, "Simplicate and add more lightness!".

 

Specifications[edit]

 

Specifications:[33]

Wheels: Front 3.25 × 19in, Rear 4.00 × 18in.

Brakes: Front twin 290 mm (11.39 in) discs, single piston floating calipers. Rear 180 mm (7.09 in) drum.

Displacement: 497 cc (30.3 cu in).

Compression: 9.4:1.

Claimed HP: 62 hp (46 kW) @ 6,500RPM

Claimed Torque: 54.9 lbf·ft (74.4 N·m) @ 3,500RPM

Carburation: two stage, two barrel 18–32 mm Mikuni.

Ignition: CDI (incorporating a points system).

Fuel: 17 litres (4.5 US gal, 3.74 imp gal) capacity, 85-95 octane.

Starting system: Electric, kickstart (the latter intended to be offered only as an option).

Performance: Top Speed (tested): 168 km/h (104 mph).

Standing ¼ mile: 14.02s @ 94.24 mph (151.66 km/h).

Wheel Base: 1509 mm (59.1 in).

Weight (curb with half tank of fuel): 255.4 kg (563 lb).

Weight dry: 230 kg (507 lb).

 

Technical features[edit]

 

The engine has a single rotor with a capacity of 497 cc. The rotor spins on an eccentric shaft in a peritrochoid (Mazda uses an epitrochoid) chamber,[34] giving three rotations of the crankshaft for every 360° of rotor travel. Compression ratio is 9.4:1. The eccentric shaft runs on plain bearings,[34] which were better than rollers for heat dissipation. Combustion sealing utilised Apex, corner and side seals. At the three rotor apexes, tip sealing was accomplished with a three-piece seal tensioned by a blade spring. Apex seals were made of a special material known as Ferro Tic, which was a combination of sintered ferrous alloy and titanium carbide.[35] The surface of the trochoid chamber which the apex seals rubbed along was coated with a CEM (composite electrochemical material) consisting of nickel silicon carbide. Side sealing used one blade-like seal and spring for each rotor face on each side (six side seals in total). Corner seals and springs finished the isolation of combustion. Blow-by gases are recirculated into the combustion process.[36] The rotor spins backward in relation to the motorcycle. Primary power transfer to the clutch and transmission is by duplex chain.[37]

 

Clutch and gearbox[edit]

 

Wet multiplate clutch and five-speed constant mesh transmission. The gearbox is virtually the same as that fitted to Suzuki's GT750 water-cooled triple. RE5 final drive is by 630 chain via a 14-tooth drive sprocket and 43-tooth unit at the rear wheel.[37]

 

Carburation[edit]

 

Two stage Mikuni. Five separate carburetor circuits.[38] Suzuki chose to use peripheral ports for the RE5, as they give better high-speed running but are known to have low-speed issues.[39] This is dealt with by using a two-stage carburetor. An 18 mm throat splits into two small peripheral induction tracts.[39] The primary butterfly is directly controlled by one of the 5 throttle cables, and this primary circuit gives decent low-speed running. A diaphragm controls the secondary carburetor port, and this is activated when a set vacuum is reached in the carburetor circuit. This much larger 32 mm port enters the rotor chamber between and slightly below the two small primary ports. Indirectly involved with carburetion is the unique "Port Valve". This small butterfly valve pivots in the rotor housing inside the secondary port and is directly controlled by another of the throttle cables. Without the port valve, the long induction tract of the secondary port would fill with traces of exhaust gasses whenever the secondary valve was closed. This occurs as the tip of the rotor passes the induction port at the end of the exhaust cycle before beginning the induction cycle.[40] If this was allowed to happen, when the secondary throat finally opened the engine would first swallow an induction charge contaminated with exhaust gasses causing a momentary misfire and felt as a dead spot or hesitation in acceleration. The port valve is therefore effectively timed to remain closed whenever the secondary carburetor throat is closed, isolating the induction tract from exhaust gasses. Carburetor tuning involves adjusting cables controlling the primary butterfly and the port valve, among other things, and is best illustrated by Suzuki Service Bulletin Nine.[41] The carburetor also incorporated a fuel pump which was mechanically actuated at 35 degrees of primary butterfly movemement (later changed to 28 degrees)[41] to enrich the fuel mixture during acceleration.

 

Ignition[edit]

 

CDI triggered by two sets of points.[40] A basic problem with the rotary engine design is a lack of engine braking, partially due to the mass of the rotor. Leaning of the mixture on overrun also contributes to erratic and "lumpy" running. One way to solve the problem is to shut off ignition entirely on overrun, but this leads to excessive contamination of the combustion chamber by unwanted deposits, which can cause the Apex seals to stick. Suzuki opted for a compromise by using two sets of ignition points. One set of points ran on a dual lobe cam for normal operation, firing the rotor every face. The other set ran on a single cam on the same shaft for triggering the spark plug on overrun.[40] The second set (the B points) were triggered by an rpm sensor (the speed relay) and a vacuum switch, which meant that they worked on engine deceleration (high vacuum) and above 1,700 rpm.[40] This system fired the rotor every second face.[40] This kept the combustion chambers relatively clean. It also served to smooth the lumpy feel of the bike as RPM reduced on overrun and addressed some issues with backfiring (more correctly, "afterfiring").[40] Engine braking is also significantly improved. The B point system was discontinued on the "A". It is believed that the factory also employed mechanics to visit dealerships and disconnect the B points on any "M" (1975) models still in the showrooms. Suzuki toyed with the idea of two plugs like the Mazda's, but as with so much of their engineering on this bike, overthought the application, believing that they would require two plugs of different heat ranges.[8] The idea was dropped, and the bike shipped with a single 18 mm conical seat gold palladium spark plug housed in a copper insert in the rotor housing (NGK A9EFV).[39]

 

Cooling[edit]

 

The rotary engine places severe thermal stresses on its cases, as two sides of rotor are constantly exposed to high ignition and exhaust temperatures, while the third side inducts cool fuel/air mixture. To cope with this, and probably capitalizing on their previous experience with water cooling, Suzuki opted for a liquid-cooled engine using two separate systems. Oil is used to lubricate and cool the internals of the rotor and water-cooled the external jacketing. Oil is fed from an engine sump by a trochoid pump at around 100 psi (690 kPa).[15] The oil is then circulated through an oil cooler mounted across the frame and below the radiator. A pressure regulator also acts as a bypass in case of a blockage in the cooler.[15] A centrifugal pump sends coolant around the external rotor jacketing but via an intricate path in an attempt to even out the massive thermal stresses. Liquid enters at the point of highest temperatures (ignition), passing from the right side to the left, and then makes a 180° turn, returning to the right side and passing near the exhaust port. Most of the coolant is then routed to the very large radiator that sits across the frame in front of the bike. Some of the coolant that was not directed to the radiator is now sent around the inlet port and the left side housing. Its passage is once again reversed before flowing to the radiator.[42] The water cooling is thermostatically controlled, and a shrouded fan on the right side of the radiator takes care of excessive temperatures, switching on at 106 °C (223 °F) and cutting when the temperature falls below 100 °C (212 °F).[15]

 

Lubrication[edit]

 

Internally the rotor is cooled and lubricated by engine sump oil and the aforementioned trochoid pump. Engine oil is filtered by an easily accessible car-type oil filter on the lower right side of the cases. The filter includes an internal bypass valve in case of blockage.[15] Further lubrication specifically for the tip, corner and side seals is provided by oil from a tank located under the seat. An engine-driven metering pump sends oil from this external tank into the carburetor at a ratio of around 100:1.[43] Metering of the oil quantity is mechanically controlled by cables from the throttle grip. The metering pump also provided lubrication for the final drive chain. A second line is routed from the metering pump and around the bike, ending just above the drive chain behind the sprocket cover. This feature was also disconnected on the "A" models by a simple blanking plug at the metering pump. The gearbox is separated from the engine sump and has its own oil supply. Suzuki marketed its own brand of rotary oil but also approved at least two other oils for use in its rotary engine. Shell Super 10-20-50[39] and Castrol GTX[19] were both endorsed lubricants.

 

Exhaust[edit]

 

Rotary exhaust temperatures reach 927 °C (1,700 °F),[44] and as such, on a motorcycle, required a specialized exhaust system. Suzuki dealt with the problem by first exhausting into a large, heavily finned manifold which split the single exhaust into two streams. They then built two twin-shelled exhaust pipes which included air cooling ducts. Each muffler contains a stainless steel inner pipe[44] which is a little shorter than the length of the external shell. The internal pipe ends in a removable stinger drilled with numerous holes and wrapped in a fibreglass-like material. The stinger (or spark arrestor as Suzuki calls it) exits the exhaust system at the end of the external shell. At the front of each pipe was a small forward-facing grille which allowed cool ambient air to be forced into the pipe by the bike's forward motion and to travel the length of the exhaust between the internal and external pipes.[25] It then flowed through the holes drilled in the stinger, mixing with the hot exhaust gasses before exiting the system. Even so, Suzuki found it prudent to fit heat shields on the outside of the pipe to further protect riders and pillions. The bike's sound is unique among its two- and four-stroke contemporaries but also quite loud.[45] Early in production (December 1974, Frame #11901), Suzuki reduced the size of the spark arrestor tubes,[46] which both reduced noise and horsepower, but the RE5 exhaust note remains distinctive.

 

taken from Wikapedia

 

To all my friends. I have been physically and mentally incapacitated by what has happened to me over the past few months. I fell and broke my hip. Recovery from that is going as good as can be expected. Wobbly but I can walk unassisted. It is what another incompetent surgeon did to me, that was against my will, that is more harm than good and will require two more surgeries to fix what he was supposed to do and undo what he did. He was supposed to repair a hernia that he completely missed and is even worse than before. A strangulated hernia can be fatal in a few hours if not taken care of by a doctor. The surgeon cut me down the middle of my stomach that was very invasive and now it looks like I have a ball there with a protruding bulge and now I have a complete urinary blockage that I never had a problem with before.

If you have a medical emergency do not stop at this hospital. It is a private for profit hospital. Go on down the road to a government hospital. The final bill was horrendously high. I didn’t have the money to pay the full bill. So what did they do? They incarcerated and held me against my will for 39 days. They would not accept a promissory note for what I was unable to pay. Finally after the 39 days they did agree to accept a promissory note and I had to relinquish my USA passport for their keeping until the bill is paid in full. I was released to go home Nov. 14th. And they charged me the daily rate for the hospital room for the 39 days they held me against my will. The room was small with no windows, regardless that it was they that were holding me against my will with out the ability to communicate with anyone. No TV, no radio and no computer to go on line. My only salvation was books my wife would bring me to read and lose myself in through the days. To lose my freedom as they imposed on me is the worse event in my long life ever. A doctor that is not connected to the hospital has examined me and he says I have very good reasons and should sue for malpractice the surgeon that blotched the job and the hospital. A problem is I will need to be very careful to document and make very precise. This litigation will probably take a long time. I paid the hospital by charging my credit card to the max and used my debit card to pay as much as I had in my bank account to the hospital so I could be released. Currently I am in financial ruin not knowing how I will survive the next months. This house where we live is a rental and already we are being threatened with eviction if we don’t catch up our back rent. My plea here is very humiliating but I don’t really have a choice. Please can anyone help me through this devastating period in my life with some financial assistance?

 

What I very much want is to be able to resume my work and enjoyment fixing, cleaning up, and posting old heritage pictures. I want to leave a legacy of important pictures for current and future generations to look back on and discover where they came from and who they are and the pride they deserve to have in them themselves as a people. The Philippines is so very unique that they have so many differing cultures throughout the islands and in some cases from one valley to the next. And Manila the lost Pearl of the Orient and what a beautiful city it was before it was destroyed by WWII.

 

State Road 71 has massive blockages due to trees and power lines. This is a major transportation route North /South. Sometimes both lanes were shut down for clearing or repair. This section of the trip added an extra hour. I did not mind. The multiple stoppages gave me a chance to haul out the full frame and start snapping.

This is just a snippet of the destruction in this part of the state.

Taken with my cell phone.

More to come.

First of all, huge thanks to my friend Mike for helping me with this shot.. wouldn't have been possible without his help 'coz all we had was a flashlight to get this.

 

Sorry I had been AWOL for a while now.. am trying to sort out some health issues and trying to find answers.

 

I've had these chest pains for a while now and despite getting medication from my doctor, it wasn't helping much. At most times, the pain was bearable, but it was bothering me a lot. Plus, my mind wasn't at ease due to the pain. And, during the last few days, the pain started right where the heart is. So, I consulted a cardiologist friend who suggested that I take a stress test, during which I felt a bit dis-comfort in my chest! My vital signs were all normal, but the doc didn't want to take any chances and scheduled a heart catheterization the very next day. The procedure went well, and all the results showed that my heart is functioning just right. No blockages or anything like that, which was a huge relief. Thanks doc.

 

However, I still have the chest pain, but at least its not my heart..!! Now to find some more answers..!!

ofbooks.blogspot.com

 

Hey guys, yeah, I read a lot just before summer and even more during it, so I'm seriously posting a lot of book reviews lately. Hope you still like them.

 

Douglas Coupland

Polaroids from the Dead

[ Dutch translation, unfortunately ]

First published in 1996

This edition: rainbow pockets, 1997

247 pages

 

"Polaroids from the Dead" is a collection (in three sections) of essays and short fictional stories, in which Douglas Coupland examines the 90's zeitgeist and the Northern American culture at the time. The 40+ black and white archival images included throughout the book add to the feeling of watching a documentary.

 

I always felt Coupland to be a very outspoken writer. Several of his fiction works have offered critique and viewpoints of a varied amount of cultural subjects today: from modern technology to dysfunctional families to 9/11 to religion. I was curious to read his views in a different way, through (wat mostly is) non-fiction, in "Polaroids of the Dead".

 

I will address each section seperately, below.

 

The first section introduces us to a number of characters, all from different backgrounds, with different jobs and histories, who have one thing in common: they are attending the Grateful Dead concert. Their unique stories together create a wonderful atmospheric experience of how it feels to be part of a concert, or even a festival. I felt Coupland, using mostly words, captured the essence of what music, and sharing music, can mean to people.

 

The second part covers pieces about the places or historical events that have in some way made an impact on Coupland, and he wants to share that with his readers. A favourite piece of mine has to be "Lion's Gate Bridge". Coupland writes about this Vancouver bridge in a personal and heartfelt way, and it is odd to think how an essay about a bridge can achieve this autobiographical effect. But it does.

A piece I found to be particularly well written is the first part of "Postcards from the Bahama's", where a day is consciously experienced as if this is all the time you have, this day defining your whole life.

 

The third and final part of the book is a lengthier essay on LA's Brentwood, which is mostly known for being the place where Marilyn Monroe was found dead. Brentwood's legacy. Some sections of Coupland's observations have interested me, and even though Coupland is clearly very critical in his writing, the subject that is Brentwood leaves me kind of cold.

 

So, to go back to the book as a whole...

 

It doesn't seem fair to give one rating to a book which possesses a wide range of essays each with a different level of interestingness - depending on your personal taste. But generally, I wasn't disappointed with this non-fiction side of Coupland.

 

Some essays were not quite for me, but all together this bundle was thought-provoking (always a pleasure for an opinionated person such as myself). I ended up discussing some of the material with Wil while we were on the road. Reading this has also helped me to better understand where Coupland comes from in his views on our ever evolving (or de-volving?) society. I'm certainly curious to read some of his other bundles, such as "City of Glass" - which is about Vancouver and includes "Lion's Gate Bridge".

 

[I should add in a side-note that I read a meager Dutch translation, which was accidental as I thought I had bought the English version from a second hand store. Knowing Coupland has a way with words, I felt while reading that I wasn't optimally able to enjoy this book, missing out on a lot what Coupland was probably trying to get across. I do want to read this one again, but in English.]

 

3.5/5

(4 seems a bit too high of a rating for this, while 3 is too low)

 

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Book review & accompanying photo copyright Karin Elizabeth. Do NOT copy and repost or reproduce the text or photo anywhere without my permission.

Copyright © Karin Elizabeth. All rights reserved. This photo is public only so you ("the public") may view it; it is not to be used as free stock. Use without written consent by the author (that would be me) is illegal and punishable by law; I will take action. This goes for blogging, as well. So, contact me beforehand if you are interested in using this image or any of my others (non-)commercially.

 

Book cover © respective designers/photographers. More in set description.

 

Please, no group images, (admin invites), awards of any kind, sparkly images etc in my comments. I will delete comments when they contain either.

 

Also, being an asshole is not ~cool~ and will only result in blockage.

view my photos on Flickriver ~ Please check out my blog

 

Want some more? :) I know, I know, there is something about the black and white shots here from La Jolla. They just work so well, in my opinion any way. The contrast is what I like the best I guess. This shot was a bit different then the others, because I was able to capture some under water details with the rocks there. Quite unusual for the constant surf going on. However, I will say, at this point of the day, the tide was getting lower, it was never really high to began with. I was actually quite surprised how much of a tide difference there was from when I got there then from when I left. It was nice to have that extra time!

 

So, as you probably guessed it, this was from a few days ago, and yes, I did shoot today! An uneventful week in Ramona! And I keep thinking to myself, whats the problem with going to the beach one day a week and getting most of your shots for the week out of the way! LOL, I know, not usually my style, but I would rather shoot La Jolla then other places. And thats the truth!

 

And, on a La Jolla note, I am building right now a Calendar for 2011 and I do believe, at this time, all of the images will be from my shots of La Jolla. :) If any one has any suggestions of a printing company or if any one is interested in a calendar, please let me know! :D Delivery will be before December 1st and they will be worth it! I hope any way! LOL, Over the next couple of months, I will have the details on my blog, for now, if you can suggest any photo that MUST be on it, let me know too. Thank you!

 

Geek talk:

ONce again, the dynamic duo, B+W ND110 AND the B+W ND106 stacked together for a total blockage of 16 stops of light. Tripod, shutter remote and convert to black and white in LR3. Please enjoy!

Seen here heading through Ashley on 2 March 2020 with the 09:16 Bredbury to Runcorn Folly Lane. Unfortunately due to blockage on the WCML the train didn't make it to Folly Lane and returned as the 14:41 Greenbank to Bredbury. In normal circumstances 70020 should work this train all week.

Largest Northern Gannet Colony and Lighthouse

  

Biggest Northern gannet colony in the world

The Bass Rock is home to over 150,000 gannets at the peak of the season. The gannets spend most of the year on the Bass, until the end of October when they set out on their long journey south, with many going as far as the west coast of Africa.

The lower ledges of the Bass are home to shags, guillemots and razorbills, with seals hauling up on the rocks below.

The Bass Rock was formed 320 million years ago and is the remains of one of many active volcanoes in the area. With an incredible past, it has played a key role throughout the history of Scotland - a religious retreat during early Christianity; fortress and prison in the time of the Covenanters and Jacobites; and a strategic stronghold during the times of the Scottish and English wars. Notably it has been owned by the Hamilton-Dalrymple family for the last 300 years.

   

Bass Rock lighthouse

Year Established

1903

Engineer

David A Stevenson

 

Position

Latitude

56° 04.603'N

Longitude

002° 38.463'W

 

Character

Flashing (3) White every 20 Secs

Elevation

46 metres

Nominal Range

10 nautical miles

 

Structure

White tower 20 metres high. There are 48 steps to the top of tower

In July 1897 the Commissioners decided that two lighthouses should be erected on the Haddingtonshire coast - on the Bass Rock and on a suitable place near Dunbar - as the unlighted condition of the area was causing concern.

Consequently, Barns Ness Lighthouse was established in 1901 and a light was first shown from the Bass Rock on the evening of 1 November 1902. The cost of the Bass Rock Lighthouse was £8,087:10:4.

 

The Bass Rock is a massive crag rising out of the sea to a height of 350 feet and it is about a mile in circumference. Through the Rock, from the East to West, runs a natural tunnel, but this is not accessible except at low tide.

 

Halfway up the Rock stands the ruins of a Pre-Reformation Chapel which was dedicated to Saint Baldfred, and was consecrated in the year 1542. Saint Baldfred was said to have his cell on the Bass Rock, dying there about the year 606. The Bass has a long and varied history. It is mentioned in writings dating back to the region of Malcolm Canmore and the first recorded owner was Sir Robert Lauder, who was granted a character for it around 1316. This family (Lauder of Bass) retained ownership of the rock for hundreds of years and must have been connected with the erection of a Pre-Reformation Chapel which must be dedicated to St Balfred in 1542, as well as being responsible for the building of the fortress.

 

Earlier, in 1671, Charles I claimed the Bass as Royal Property and it was sold to the crown for the sum of £4,000 sterling by the then owner, Sir Alexander Ramsay of Abbotshall, Provost of Edinburgh. The bloody pages of the Bass Rock's history now unfold when, under another Lauder (dale) known as the Captain of the Bass, the fortress was turned into a prison for Presbyterian ministers. Between 1672 and 1688 some 40 political/religious prisoners died in the dungeons of the rock. In 1691 during the reign of William and Mary, a party of four Jacobite prisoners escaped from their cells and captured the fortress when all the garrison was engaged in unloading coal. For the next three years they held the Bass for the Old Pretender and defied all attempts by Government forces to retake it. Aided by supply ships from France, this unique quartet even carried out raids on the Fife and Lothian coasts! In 1694 a more effective blockage finally starved them into submission, but they negotiated favourable terms and walked out free men! The fortress continued as a State Prison until demolished seven years later. In 1706, the Bass was sold to Sir Hugh Dalrymple, whose descendants still own it.

 

From then, up until the First World War, the rock was let out to tenants who earned money by fishing, grazing sheep (Bass Mutton was a famous 18th Century Edinburgh delicacy) and by killing young sea birds and collecting eggs. The last tenant of the Bass, a Mr Easton, was a North Berwick fishmonger.

 

But the true owners of the Bass Rock are, of course, the birds, for almost every available inch is occupied by razorbills, guillemots, cormorants, puffins, eider ducks and various gull species. But the bird of the Bass is the Gannet or "Solan Goose" with a breeding colony of 100,000 pairs, making the Bass a mecca for international ornithologists. It is thus only fitting that this superb sea bird's latin name "Sula Bassana" should be derived from the word Bass. Even as long ago as 1792, the gannets of the Bass Rock were famous both for their numbers and as food. Find out more about the birds of the Bass from the Scottish Sea Bird Centre at North Berwick.

 

Until 1988 when it was demanned, the Rock Lighthouse was lit by means of incandescent gas obtained from paraffin oil of a high flash point. There was an oil container in the Light Room to which bassrock3there was connected an air container and the oil was driven from its container by the air at pressure to a vaporiser where it was converted into a bunsen gas for heating a mantle which it rendered incandescent.

 

The new light is Biform ML300 Synchronised electric with Bifilament 20 watt lamp.

 

The Light was automated in 1988 and is now remotely monitored from the Board’s headquarters in Edinburgh.

 

The Birmingham Dairies driver could have not picked a worse place to stop, indeed he may have broken down with his W & E milk float D674 MOL. The location is Birminghams Five Ways and first in line to negotiate the float is West Midlands Travel Daimler Fleetline KON 370P (6370) which is trying to reach Halesowen with a 9E service. The picture is early 1988 judging by the tatty advert for the 1988 Dairy Diary on the front of the float.

Copyright Geoff Dowling & John Whitehouse; All rights reserved

Trauma Team (BMW) and Roads Policing Unit (Volvo) vehicles outside Mossend DGH Emergency Department. Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) Urgent Tier vehicles sit outside the Acute Assessment Unit (AAU) to the left. SH62 XDY, a Mercedes Sprinter of SAS’ Accident & Emergency service, is parked to the right of frame, and sits in Resus bay 1 closest to the Ambulance Only and Resuscitation Area doors.

 

A man stands by the taxi rank, hand in the air trying to flag down a passing taxi. A man walks hand in hand with his young daughter, passing UT ambulances outside AAU. A woman adjusts to mobilising on crutches as she leaves the public entrance to A&E. Behind the Trauma Team car, a staff member picks litter from under the canopy. Finally, to the far right of frame, a Paramedic stands next to his Ambulance, having brought a patient into Resus under emergency response driving conditions.

  

Real life:

Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services in Scotland are provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), a special Health Board of the greater National Health Service (NHS) of Scotland. SAS provides these services throughout all of mainland Scotland and the Islands. Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Accident & Emergency branch, providing Double Crewed Ambulances typically formed of a Paramedic and Technician, but which can be formed of double Tech or Para crews. Single Paramedics in cars, motorbikes or bicycles are Paramedic Response Units (PRU), used to provide immediate pre-hospital care to patients, or treating and discharging at scene. Also part of the A&E branch is the Urgent Tier service, using crews formed of an Ambulance Technician and Care Assistant, Urgent Tier convey patients who have been urgently referred for admission to Hospital and who require clinical monitoring and/or assistance of crews to mobilise. The patients General Practitioner can request admission within a 1-4 hour timeframe. As such Urgent Tier vehicles use their emergency warning systems less than standard A&E crews. Due to the presence of a qualified Technician however UT resources can be used as a first responder to immediately life threatening calls and provide manual defibrillation and airway management skills.

 

SAS also has an Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (ScotSTAR), bringing Medical and Nursing care to patients as they transfer between Hospitals. Scotland is the only part of the UK to provide fully government funded Air Ambulance services, with two fixed wing and two rotary aircraft. They are assisted by the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance who provide additional cover with two helicopters of their own.

 

Special Operations Response Team (SORT) provide an emergency response to complex rescue, CBRN, terrorist attacks and other such incidents.

 

Scheduled Care is provided by the Patient Transport Service, the non-emergency branch of SAS. Using a variety of vehicles from cars, people carriers, minibuses and minibus conversion ambulances, PTS provides transport to and from outpatient clinics, for planned admissions and discharges. Staff crewing PTS vehicles are called Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA). They are experts in moving and handling, whereas A&E crews frequently remove patients from houses using equipment such as carry chairs, ACA’s must be adept at taking their patients back up stairs as well as extrications.

 

As with the majority of healthcare in Scotland, ambulance and emergency medical services are free at the point of use. Funded by National Insurance contributions made by those in work, Scots are extremely proud and defensive of our NHS. We generally believe that everyone should pay towards the common fund to ensure no-one has their life destroyed by medical costs, as illness and injury are not a choice. Having worked in the NHS and with SAS myself, I have resuscitated a man having a heart attack, conveyed him to Hospital, watched as Coronary Care staff removed the blockage from his artery and left the man sitting up in bed in CCU. Knowing that he will be repatriated to his nearest General Hospital for Coronary Rehab and will go home to ongoing care in the community. That man could take time to recover, safe in the knowledge that no crippling bill or endless fights with healthcare insurance would befall him. That is our NHS, that is why we love it and cannot understand the US system.

I don't think that these locks open and shut. There are portage points at either side for canoes. The canal is slowly being restored for navigation but many sections are isolated by blockages - on the plus side it is a remarkable linear nature reserve for many a mile in Shropshire and Powys.

_MG_9419-Edit

 

Unfortunately one of our flickr group "fell" over and broke his leg just below his hip... now that's gotta smart..., so we set our homework as "broken" with some creativity...he he...

 

Well this car is "broken", she go no-more.. and I do have the manual to fix here, I just have conflicting ideas on the problem.. there must be an easy solution.. (probably get a mechanic to fix her..) so I have been pondering the best way to attack her...

 

Part of me wants to remove the engine, and re-build her with a little turbo and a simple fuel injection system.. the other part just wants to find the fuel blockage and send her on her way.. .. ..

 

but in doing this.. my friend, Snapper, lays in his hospital bed, hoping the docs have the right manual.... don't worry mate.. if they have any problems we can sort u out... .. perhaps a nice new little turbo... . ... .. :~}

 

ISO 1600, 16-35mm @16mm, f/9.0, 1/5 secs, three shots, tripod, raw, and one ugly model

Contacts' uploads thingie broken. Dayum. Hope you catch this review though.

 

Swooooooooon... Mr. Darcy! (But a serious review follows.)

 

#18 (2008)

Jane Austen

Pride & Prejudice

First published: 1813

This edition: Penguin Classics, 1996, 312 pages

Cover art: Abbey Gate, Reading by Paul Sandby

Other books by same author that I have read (I will add this from now on in every review): Emma, Sense & Sensibility

 

My first of many times reading “Pride & Prejudice” began on the airplane on the way to South Dakota, where seventeen year-old me was going to spend a year as an exchange student. Subsequently, I’ve read it again about once every two years. For my reading & reviewing series, I felt this book could not be left out, so I happily re-read it once more.

 

Mrs. Bennett is fretting terribly; not yet one of her five daughters has married so far. A social and financial death sentence in the time of Jane Austen’s novels, and disastrous for the five Bennett girls as their male cousin is set to inherit everything in the future event of Mr. Bennett’s passing. With the arrival of Mr. Bingley and his party, however, there is the arrival of hope for the nervous Mrs. Bennett: Mr. Bingley equals money, and he has his eyes on the eldest Bennett daughter, Jane.

Second eldest daughter Elizabeth (Lizzy) observes these social coupling rituals with cynicism and humor. But when Bingley’s friend Mr. Darcy (known to be one of the most handsome and wealthiest bachelors in the area) makes an appearance in everyone’s lives, she finds his pride and lack of social skills to be anything but amusing. Mr. Darcy at the same time is not exactly charmed by Elizabeth Bennett, either.

...or is he?

 

There are so many points to address, but I have to keep it somewhat concise.

 

P&P, I feel, is the ultimate love story (apart from maybe “Jane Eyre”) with a formula often borrowed by the romance novels of our time. By chick lit. An obvious example would be “Bridget Jones’s Diary”. While some are definitely funny, none have been able to outdo P&P.

 

Austen’s characters are strong, developed, and flawed. Not flawed as in “clumsily tripping over her own feet while smiling adorably”, the type of endearing characteristic we as a society seem to like in our leading ladies these days. Austen’s Lizzy and Darcy are slightly more... intelligently introduced, their imperfections more human and challenging. Both Lizzy and Darcy have their own pride and prejudice regarding each other, leading to misunderstandings and broken hearts.

 

Not all of P&P’s characters are as admirably developed though; I’ve always found Jane to be horribly dull and far too naive for someone who I’m sure is supposed to be a smart young woman.

 

Lizzy on the other hand is rather feminist for her time. Of course ultimately, this is a book about romance, and love, but it’s on Lizzy’s terms. She will not give away her own happiness just like that. With a strong backbone reminiscent of Jane Austen’s own persona, Lizzy stands behind her principles in this book and refuses to please society because she "must".

 

P&P thus offers a sort of insiders look into Austen’s time: the differences in class and the rules of society, and conflicts that may arise as a result of these social regulations. There are many obstacles to overcome when in search of happiness, and it is this what makes P&P a novel about love, as well as maturity, responsibility, growth and learning.

 

A healthy dose of each.

 

I would give this book a 10/5 if I could.

 

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Book review & accompanying photo copyright Karin Elizabeth. Do NOT copy and repost or reproduce the text or photo anywhere without my permission.

Copyright © Karin Elizabeth. All rights reserved. This photo is public only so you ("the public") may view it; it is not to be used as free stock. Use without written consent by the author (that would be me) is illegal and punishable by law; I will take action. This goes for blogging, as well. So, contact me beforehand if you are interested in using this image or any of my others (non-)commercially.

 

Book cover © respective designers/photographers. More in set description.

 

Please, no group images, (admin invites), awards of any kind, sparkly images etc in my comments. I will delete comments when they contain either.

 

Also, being an asshole is not ~cool~ and will only result in blockage.

The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force (RAF) based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands.

 

The Red Arrows have a prominent place in British popular culture, with their aerobatic displays a fixture of British summer events. The badge of the Red Arrows shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the motto Éclat, a French word meaning "brilliance" or "excellence".

 

Initially, they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers inherited from the RAF Yellowjacks display team. This aircraft was chosen because it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighters. In their first season, they flew at 65 shows across Europe. In 1966, the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their Diamond Nine formation. In late 1979, they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The Red Arrows have performed over 4,800 displays in 57 countries worldwide.

 

History

Predecessors

In 1925, No. 32 Squadron RAF flew an air display six nights a week entitled "London Defended" at the British Empire Exhibition. Similar to the display they had done the previous year, when the aircraft were painted black, it consisted of a night-time air display over the Wembley Exhibition flying RAF Sopwith Snipes which were painted red for the display and fitted with white lights on the wings, tail, and fuselage. The display involved firing blank ammunition into the stadium crowds and dropping pyrotechnics from the aeroplanes to simulate shrapnel from guns on the ground. Explosions on the ground also produced the effect of bombs being dropped into the stadium by the aeroplanes. One of the pilots in the display was Flying Officer C. W. A. Scott, who later became famous for breaking three England–Australia solo flight records and winning the MacRobertson Air Race with co-pilot Tom Campbell Black in 1934.

 

In 1947, the first jet team of three de Havilland Vampires came from RAF Odiham Fighter Wing. Various teams flew the Vampire, and in 1950, No. 72 Squadron was flying a team of seven. No. 54 Squadron became the first RAF jet formation team to use smoke trails. Vampires were replaced by Gloster Meteors, No. 66 Squadron developing a formation team of six aircraft.

 

Hawker Hunter aircraft were first used for aerobatics teams in 1955, when No. 54 Squadron flew a formation of four.

 

The official RAF team was provided by No. 111 Squadron in 1956, and for the first time, the aircraft had a special colour scheme, which was an all-black finish. After a demonstration in France, they were hailed as "Les Fleches Noires" and from then on known as the Black Arrows. This team became the first team to fly a five-Hunter formation. In 1958, the Black Arrows performed a loop and barrel roll of 22 Hunters, a world record for the greatest number of aircraft looped in formation. The Black Arrows were the premier team until 1961, when the Blue Diamonds (No. 92 Squadron) continued their role, flying 16 blue Hunters.

 

In 1960, the Tigers (No. 74 Squadron) were re-equipped with the supersonic English Electric Lightning and performed wing-overs and rolls with nine aircraft in tight formation. They sometimes gave co-ordinated displays with the Blue Diamonds. Yet another aerobatics team was formed in 1960 by No. 56 Squadron, the Firebirds, with nine red and silver Lightnings.

 

In 1964, the Red Pelicans, flying six BAC Jet Provost T Mk 4s, assumed the role of the RAF's leading display team. In that same year, a team of five yellow Gnat trainers from No 4 Flying Training School displayed at the Farnborough Airshow. This team became known as the Yellowjacks after Flight Lieutenant Lee Jones's call sign, "Yellowjack".

 

In 1964, all the RAF display teams were amalgamated, as it was feared pilots were spending too much time practising formation aerobatics rather than operational training. The new team name took the word "red" from the fact that the Red Pelicans' planes had been painted red (for safety reasons, as it was a far clearer and more visible colour in the sky) and "arrows" after the Black Arrows.

 

Establishment

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the formal name of the Red Arrows, began life at RAF Little Rissington in Gloucestershire, then the Central Flying School. The Red Arrows moved to RAF Kemble, now Cotswold Airport, in 1966 after RAF Fairford became the place of choice for BAC to run test flights for the Concorde supersonic airliner. When RAF Scampton became the CFS headquarters in 1983, the Red Arrows moved there. As an economy measure, Scampton closed in 1995, so the Red Arrows moved just 20 miles to RAF Cranwell; however, as they still used the air space above Scampton, the emergency facilities and runways had to be maintained. Since 21 December 2000, the Red Arrows have been based again at RAF Scampton, near Lincoln. On 13 October 2022, the Red Arrows moved to their new base at RAF Waddington.

 

The first team, led by Squadron Leader Lee Jones, had seven display pilots and flew the Folland Gnat T1 jet trainer. The first display in the UK was on 6 May 1965, at Little Rissington for a press day. At the subsequent National Air Day display, three days later, at Clermont Ferrand in France, one French journalist described the team as "Les Fleches Rouges", confirming the name "The Red Arrows". By the end of their first season, the Red Arrows had displayed 65 times in Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium and were awarded the Britannia Trophy by the Royal Aero Club for their contribution to aviation.

 

In 1968, the then team leader (Sqn Ldr Ray Hanna) expanded the team from seven to nine jets, as he wanted to expand the team's capabilities and the permutations of formation patterns. During this season, the 'Diamond Nine' pattern was formed and it has remained the team's trademark pattern ever since. Ray Hanna served as Red Leader for three consecutive years until 1968 and was recalled to supersede Squadron Leader Timothy Nelson for the 1969 display season, a record four seasons as Leader, which still stands. For his considerable achievements of airmanship with the team, Ray Hanna was awarded a bar to his existing Air Force Cross.

 

After displaying 1,292 times in the Folland Gnat, the Red Arrows took delivery of the BAE Hawk in 1979. Since being introduced into service with the Red Arrows, the Hawk has performed with the Red Arrows in 50 countries.

 

Later years

In July 2004, speculation surfaced in the British media that the Red Arrows would be disbanded, after a defence spending review, due to running costs between £5 million and £6 million. The Arrows were not disbanded and their expense has been justified through their public relations benefit of helping to develop business in the defence industry and promoting recruitment for the RAF. According to the BBC, disbanding the Red Arrows will be highly unlikely, as they are a considerable attraction throughout the world. This was reiterated by Prime Minister David Cameron on 20 February 2013, when he guaranteed the estimated £9m per annum costs while visiting India to discuss a possible sale of Hawk aircraft to be used by India's military aerobatics team, the Surya Kiran.

 

With the planned closure of RAF Scampton, the future home of the Red Arrows became uncertain. On 20 May 2008, months of speculation were ended when it was revealed that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) were moving the Red Arrows to nearby RAF Waddington. However, in December 2011, those plans were put under review. The MoD confirmed in June 2012 that the Red Arrows would remain at RAF Scampton until at least the end of the decade. Scampton's runway was resurfaced as a result.

 

In July 2018 the RAF announced that RAF Scampton, the wartime base of No. 617 Squadron also known as The Dambusters, would close by 2022. In March 2019, the MoD indicated that RAF Waddington, alongside RAF Leeming and RAF Wittering, was being considered as their future home. It was confirmed in May 2020 that Waddington had been selected. The move was completed on 13 October 2022. The Red Arrows will continue to use airspace above RAF Scampton for their training.

 

Misconduct inquiry

In December 2021, Chief of the Air Staff Mike Wigston ordered an RAF inquiry into the Red Arrows, which The Times later reported related to allegations of bullying, misogyny, sexual harassment and drunkenness. Up to 40 personnel on the squadron, many of whom were female, described the culture as "toxic". While the inquiry was ongoing some pilots left, leaving a smaller display team. An inquiry delivered in November 2022 concluded that at least two pilots from the team had enough of a service case against them to warrant their discharge from the service. In November 2022 it was announced that the commanding officer had been suspended for investigations. The whole team were required to attend courses on "unacceptable behaviour" and "active bystander" training after one former female member claimed that newly arrived females on the team were seen as "fresh meat", and would be inundated with unwanted WhatsApp messages.

 

A further formal investigation into the command, leadership, and management of the squadron was conducted in 2023, and redacted versions of both reports were published on 1 November 2023. Chief of the Air Staff Sir Richard Knighton apologised and stated "I was appalled when I read the investigations’ findings" and that few serving at that time were still in the squadron and he had confidence in the current command. Four of the victims who made formal complainants subsequently criticised the inquiry in a Sky News documentary, and stated that the RAF had falsely told a parliamentary committee that the sexism allegations did not meet a criminal threshold.

 

Pilots

Since 1966, the team has had nine display pilots each year, all volunteers. Pilots must have completed one or more operational tours on a fast jet such as the Tornado, Harrier, or Typhoon, have accumulated at least 1,500 flying hours, and have been assessed as above average in their operational role to be eligible. Even then, more than ten pilots apply for each place on the team. Pilots stay with the Red Arrows for a three-year tour of duty. Three pilots are changed every year, such that normally three first-year pilots, three second-year pilots, and three in their final year are on the team. The team leader also spends three years with the team. The 'Boss', as he is known to the rest of the team, is always a pilot who has previously completed a three-year tour with the Red Arrows, often (although not always) including a season as the leader of the Synchro Pair.

 

During the second half of each display, the Red Arrows split into two sections. Reds 1 to 5 are known as 'Enid' (named after Enid Blyton, author of the Famous Five books) and Reds 6 to 9 are known as 'Gypo' (the nickname of one of the team's pilots back in the 1960s). Enid continue to perform close-formation aerobatics, while Gypo perform more dynamic manoeuvres. Red 6 (Syncro Leader) and Red 7 (Synchro 2) make up the Synchro Pair and they perform a series of opposition passes during this second half. At the end of each season, one of that year's new pilots will be chosen to be Red 7 for the following season, with that year's Red 7 taking over as Red 6.

 

The Reds have no reserve pilots, as spare pilots would not perform often enough to fly to the standard required, nor would they be able to learn the intricacies of each position in the formation. If one of the pilots is not able to fly, the team flies an eight-plane formation. However, if the Team Leader, 'Red 1', is unable to fly, then the team does not display at all. Each pilot always flies the same position in the formation during a season. The pilots spend six months from October to April practising for the display season. Pilots wear green flying suits during training, and are only allowed to wear their red flying suits once they are awarded their Public Display Authority at the end of winter training.

 

The new pilots joining the team spend their first season flying at the front of the formation near the team leader. As their experience and proficiency improve, they move to positions further back in the formation in their second and third seasons. Pilots who start on the left of the formation stay on that side for the duration of their three-year tour; the pilots on the right side stay on the right. The exception to this are Reds 6 and 7 (the Synchro Pair), who fly in the 'stem' of the formation - the two positions behind the team leader.

 

During an aerobatics display, Red Arrows pilots experience forces up to five times that of gravity (1g), and when performing the aerobatic manoeuvre 'Vixen Break', forces up to 7g can be reached, close to the 8g structural limit of the aircraft.

 

As well as the nine pilots, 'Red 10', who is the team supervisor, is a fully qualified Hawk pilot who flies the tenth aircraft when the Red Arrows are away from base. This means the team have a reserve aircraft at the display site. Red 10's duties include co-ordination of all practices and displays and acting as the team's ground safety officer. Red 10 often flies TV cameramen and photographers for air-to-air pictures of the Red Arrows and also provides the commentary for all of the team's displays.

 

On 13 May 2009, it was announced that the Red Arrows would include their first female display pilot. Flt Lt Kirsty Moore (née Stewart) joined for the 2010 season. Flt Lt Moore was not the first female to apply to become a Red Arrow, but was the first to be taken forward to the intense final selection process. She joined the RAF in 1998 and was a qualified flying instructor on the Hawk aircraft at RAF Valley. Prior to joining the team, she flew the Tornado GR4 at RAF Marham.

 

The 'Blues'

The engineering team that supports the Red Arrows is known as "The Blues" and consists of 85 members drawn from various technical and support trades in the RAF. Each season nine members of the Blues are selected to be members of the 'Circus'. The position of "Circus 1" (the engineer who accompanies the "Boss", Red 1) is normally occupied by the Junior Engineering Officer. Similarly, the position of Circus leader (Red 6 or 7) is occupied by a technician of sergeant rank; the other slots being filled by technicians holding corporal or senior aircraftman rank. Each member of the Circus works with the same pilot for the duration of the season and is responsible for servicing their aircraft and preparing their flying kit prior to each display. Circus members fly in the back seats of the jets during transit flights.

 

Aircraft

The team use the same two-seat training aircraft used for advanced pilot training, at first the Folland Gnat which was replaced in 1979 by the BAE Systems Hawk T1. The Hawks are modified with an uprated engine and a modification to enable smoke to be generated; diesel is mixed with a coloured dye and ejected into the jet exhaust to produce either red, white or blue smoke.

 

Displays

The first display by the Red Arrows was at RAF Little Rissington on 6 May 1965. The display was to introduce the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team to the media. However, the first public display was on 9 May 1965 in France, at the French National Air Day in Clermont-Ferrand. The first public display in the UK was on 15 May 1965 at the Biggin Hill International Air Fair. The first display with nine aircraft was on 8 July 1966 at RAF Little Rissington.

 

The first display in Germany was at RAF Laarbruch on 6 August 1965. The Red Arrows performed in Germany a further 170 times before formation aerobatics were banned in Germany following the Ramstein airshow disaster in 1988.

 

During displays, the aircraft do not fly directly over the crowd apart from entering the display area by flying over the crowd from behind; any manoeuvres in front of and parallel to the audience can be as low as 300 feet (91 m), the 'synchro pair' can go as low as 100-foot (30 m) straight and level, or 150-foot (46 m) when in inverted flight. To carry out a full looping display the cloud base must be above 5,500 feet (1,700 m) to avoid the team entering the cloud while looping. If the cloud base is less than 5,500-foot (1,700 m) but more than 2,500-foot (760 m) the Team will perform the Rolling Display, substituting wing-overs and rolls for the loops. If the cloud base is less than 2,500-foot (760 m) the Team will fly the Flat Display, which consists of a series of fly-pasts and steep turns.

 

The greatest number of displays flown in any year was in 1995, when the Red Arrows performed 136 times. The smallest number of displays in one year was in 1975, after the 1973 oil crisis limited their appearances. At a charity auction in 2008, a British woman paid £1.5 million to fly with them.

 

By the end of the 2009 season, the Red Arrows had performed a total of 4,269 displays in 53 countries. The 4,000th display was at RAF Leuchars during the Battle of Britain Airshow in September 2006.

 

Following the accidents during the 2011 season, the Red Arrows retained Red 8 and moved the original Red 10 to the Red 5 position to enable them to continue displaying with nine aircraft. In March 2012, the MoD announced that the Red Arrows would fly aerobatic displays with seven aircraft during the 2012 display season as Flt Lt Kirsty Stewart had moved into a ground-based role with the team. It is believed this was due to the emotional stress she had been suffering over the loss of her two Red Arrows colleagues the previous year. As a consequence of this, Red 8 also dropped out of the display team to enable an odd number of aircraft to perform and thus maintain formation symmetry. However, the team carried out official flypasts with nine aircraft by utilising Red 8 as well as ex-Red Arrow display pilot and then Red 10 Mike Ling. The Red Arrows returned to a full aerobatic formation of nine aircraft in 2013.

 

In 2014, The Red Arrows celebrated 50 years of Aerobatic history as a display team returning to RAF Fairford for the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT). For the entirety of the 2014 display season, the aircraft carried special 50th Anniversary markings on their tails instead of just the red, white and blue stripes.

 

After the 2016 display season, the Red Arrows embarked on an Asia-Pacific and Middle East Tour. They performed flypasts or displays in Karachi in Pakistan; Hindon and Hyderabad in India; Dhaka in Bangladesh; Singapore; Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; Danang in Vietnam; Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Zhuhai in China; Muscat in Oman; Manama in Bahrain; Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. The programme was the first time the team had displayed in China, and the first time a British military aircraft had deployed to Vietnam.

 

The summer 2019 display season took the team on a tour of North America, known as Western Hawk 19. After performing at RIAT, the team departed across the Atlantic at the end of July. As well as performing at US and Canadian air shows, they promoted the UK through school visits and meetings with business leaders. This was the Red Arrows' biggest-ever tour, flying to more than 25 cities, 21 displays and 30 flypasts. On 2 June 2022 Trooping the Colour, as part of Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II, closed with the Queen and Royal Family observing a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

 

For the 2022 display season, The Red Arrows are flying a seven aircraft display, due to "2 formation pilots moving to other roles within the RAF". Flypasts are still intended to be performed with nine aircraft, with experienced Red Arrows pilots flying the remaining 2 aircraft. On 2 June 2022 Trooping the Colour, as part of Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II, closed with the Queen and Royal Family observing a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

 

Display charges

In 1977, a charge of £200 was introduced by the MoD for a Red Arrows display. By 2000, the charge had risen to £2,000 (including VAT and insurance). In 2011 the team manager quoted the charge as £9,000.

 

Transits

On a transit flight (getting to or from a display location) the team may fly at the relatively low altitude of 1,000 feet (300 m). This avoids the complication of moving through the cloud base in formation, and also avoids much controlled air space. Jets are more efficient at higher altitude, so longer flights are made at 35,000 to 42,000 feet (11,000 to 13,000 m). On transit flights, the formation can include spare planes. Sometimes a C-130 Hercules or an Atlas C.1 accompanies them, carrying spare parts. They often provide flypasts and brief displays to smaller events if they are already passing over or it is a small detour.

 

Air Base in Greece

As the fuel capacity of the Hawk sets a limit to nonstop flight distance, and the Hawk is incapable of air-to-air refuelling, very long flights between display sites may need landings on the way to refuel. For example, a flight from RAF Scampton to Quebec for an international air display team competition had to be done in seven hops: RAF Scampton, RAF Kinloss (Scotland), Keflavík (Iceland), Kangerlussuaq (west Greenland), Narsarsuaq (south tip of Greenland), Goose Bay (Newfoundland) and Bagotville (Quebec).

 

For the same reason, Red Arrows displays in New Zealand are unlikely because there is no land near enough for a Hawk to land and refuel to reach New Zealand on the most fuel that it can carry.

 

Smoke

The smoke trails left by the team are made by releasing diesel into the exhaust; this vaporises in the hot exhaust flow, then re-condenses into very fine droplets that give the appearance of a white smoke trail. Dyes can be added to produce the red and blue colour. The diesel is stored in the pod on the underside of the plane; it houses three tanks: one 50-imperial-gallon (230 L) tank of pure diesel and two 10-imperial-gallon (45 L) tanks of blue and red dyed diesel. The smoke system uses 10 imperial gallons (45 L) per minute; therefore each plane can trail smoke for a total of seven minutes: – five minutes of white smoke, a minute of blue and a minute of red.

 

In 2021, the MoD asked the civil sector to help develop an environmentally friendly smoke system for the team's aircraft. This is part of its drive to make the RAF net-zero by 2040.

 

Incidents and accidents

Data from: Ejection History – Red Arrows

 

26 March 1969

Gnat XR573 hit trees while joining formation during a practice at RAF Kemble. Flt Lt Jerry Bowler did not activate the ejection seat and was killed.

16 December 1969

Two Gnats crashed, XR995 at Kemble, on fire and XR992 in a field near Chelworth. The pilots both ejected safely although a fire warning from air traffic was intended for XR995.

20 January 1971

Gnats XR986 and XR545, collided during the cross-over manoeuvre over the runway at Kemble, with four fatalities.

13 December 1971

Gnat XR567 crashed on approach to RAF Upper Heyford. Flt Lt Clem Longdon and Flt Lt Richard "Dick" Michael Storr did not eject and were killed.

16 February 1976

Gnat XP531 struck a cable and made emergency landing at RAF Kemble; damaged beyond repair. Both crew ejected safely.

June 1976

Gnat XR987 – Flight instrument technician in the rear seat ejected during check flight to investigate uncommanded control movements. Pilot Flt Lt Dudley Carvell – Cpl Ginger Whelan ejected through the canopy from the back seat when he thought control of aircraft had been lost. "No-one was hurt and we had the aircraft flying again the next week"

24 June 1976

Gnat Red 1 XS111 – The undercarriage collapsed when the aircraft ran into the overrun area after the brakes failed on landing at RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire; Sqn Ldr Richard "Dickie" Duckett was unhurt.

3 March 1978

Gnat Red 4 XR981 – Struck ground whilst practising Vic rollback aerobatics at RAF Kemble. Pilot Flt Lt Stephen Edward Noble and Wg. Cdr. Dennis George Hazell AFC died;[65] XR981 happened during pre-season practice, specifically while the team were practicing roll-backs at low altitude. The aircraft ended up inverted and neither occupant left the aircraft. One seat fired, but I can't remember which, but couldn't go anywhere. Steve Noble survived initially but died later that day. Quote: "3 Mar 1978, in the footnote you are not sure which ejection seat fired. It was the rear seat (Wg Cdr Hazell). The aircraft had hit the ground and then bounced back into the air, one wing then dug in and the aircraft cartwheeled eventually ending up upside down. During this time it was still travelling at some speed and as the rear seat was a little higher and the canopy was broken, it made contact with the ground pulling the top handle of the seat and setting off the ejection sequence, but as you say the seat could not go anywhere and so the seat rails came out through the bottom of the floor. Sadly I witnessed this crash from start to finish, with many others, as it was a families day for the Red Arrows and many people were there to watch the practice".

22 May 1979

Gnat XP539 had a fuel blockage that caused engine problems and aircraft was abandoned at RAF Leeming, Yorkshire. Wg Cdr Ernie Jones ejected OK (XP539 actually belonged to the Red Arrows, but was a reserve ship not fitted with smoke. It was flown by Wg Cdr Ernie Jones, who was the only person on board, and was visiting Training Command HQ. The accident was due to asymmetric fuelling of the aircraft – when one side ran out of fuel the flow proportioner, which equalised usage from both sides, cut the fuel flow off from the other side, causing embarrassment).

17 May 1980

Hawk XX262 hit a yacht mast at an air show in Brighton, Sussex. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Steve Johnson, ejected safely.

21 March 1984

A Hawk hit the ground at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, while practising a loop. The pilot, Flt Lt Chris Hirst, suffered serious injuries when the impact with the ground forced the ejection seat through the canopy and deployed the drogue chute, dragging him out.

31 August 1984

Hawk XX257 crashed into the sea 3 miles off Sidmouth, Devon after the engine suffered a failure of a rotor blade in the low pressure compressor. Pilot, Flt Lt P.D. Lees was rescued by a Sidmouth independent inshore rescue boat.

1986

A Hawk rammed into the back of another on a runway.

3 November 1986

Hawk XX297 flown by Flt Lt Dan Findlay flew into the jet wash of the leading aircraft during a practice display at RAF Scampton and was unable to relight the Hawk's engine. The pilot ejected safely after unsuccessfully attempting an emergency landing back at RAF Scampton.

16 November 1987

Hawks XX241 & XX259 collided during a winter training practice with one aircraft crashing into a house in the village of Welton, Lincolnshire. The aircraft of Flt Lt Spike Newbery struck the aircraft of new Team Leader Sqn Ldr Tim Miller from behind, knocking off the tail. Both pilots ejected successfully. Flt Lt Newbery suffered a broken leg and had to leave the team.

24 June 1988

Hawk XX304 crashed whilst attempting to take off, and the fuel tanks exploded. The pilot Sqn Ldr Pete J. Collins, Red Arrows' deputy leader, ejected safely.

22 January 1988

Hawk XX243 crashed practising a "roll back" at RAF Scampton. The pilot Flt Lt Neil Duncan MacLachlan was killed.

17 October 1998

Flt Lt R. Edwards landed short of the runway after a practice run at the Red Arrows then home base, RAF Cranwell, and ejected safely at low altitude.

9 September 2003

A Hawk overshot the runway while landing at Jersey Airport in advance of an air display. The pilot Flt Lt Jez Griggs ran the jet into a gravel pile and little damage was sustained.

12 January 2007

The wingtip of a Hawk hit the tail of another during a practice flight near RAF Scampton.

23 March 2010

Two Hawks were involved in a mid-air collision. The synchro pair were practising one of their manoeuvres when the two aircraft collided. Red 7 (Flt Lt David Montenegro) landed his plane safely, but Red 6 (Flt Lt Mike Ling) ejected and suffered a dislocated shoulder. The incident took place during pre-season training in Crete. Due to his injuries, Flt Lt Ling was unable to participate in the forthcoming display season and was replaced by 2008's Red 6, Flt Lt Paul O'Grady.

20 August 2011

Stone base with three gently twisting steel trails rising upwards, each topped with a red glass aircraft

Memorial to Flt Lt John Egging at East Cliff, Bournemouth

A Hawk aircraft crashed into a field near Throop Mill, one mile from Bournemouth Airport following a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival. Flt Lt Jon Egging, pilot of Red 4 (XX179), died in the accident. The investigation into the incident determined that Flt Lt Egging was incapacitated due to the effects of g-force induced loss of consciousness until very shortly before impact. A memorial to Egging was originally unveiled in 2012 at East Cliff, Bournemouth, before being moved to a new location nearby in 2017 following a landslip. His widow Emma Egging was made an OBE in the 2021 Birthday Honours.

8 November 2011

Pilot Flt Lt Sean Cunningham was ejected from his aircraft while it was on the ground at RAF Scampton and subsequently died from his injuries. He was shot 220 feet (67 m) into the air and received fatal injuries when his parachute failed to open. The UK Health and Safety Executive announced in 2016 that it would be prosecuting the ejection seat manufacturer Martin-Baker for breach of Health and Safety law. The company has since pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

20 March 2018

A Hawk crashed at RAF Valley. Two people, the pilot and an engineer, were on board at the time. The pilot of Red 3, Flt Lt David Stark, was hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries whilst the engineer, Cpl Jonathan Bayliss, was killed. According to the coroner the crash could have been avoided. Flt Lt Stark was unable to resume his place in the 2018 display team and was replaced by Sqn Ldr Mike Ling, outgoing Red 10.

28 August 2022

A bird strike smashed the cockpit canopy of Red 6 during the closing display at Rhyl Air Show. As a result the display was cut short and the Red Arrows returned to Hawarden airfield where they were based for the weekend. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Gregor Ogston was unharmed. Images shared on The Red Arrows social media accounts showed his helmet had taken the impact force of the bird strike.

 

Video game

In 1985, Database Software released a flight simulator called Red Arrows, made in cooperation with the flight team. In the simulator, stunts have to be performed while flying in formation. It was available for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro and Atari.[93]

I am back for a shot time and will catch up when I can. Thank you all very much for all of your comments ~

  

Under Construction - Chaos and Order

by Peter Atkins is A new work created for SCAPE 8 New Intimacies.

 

Under Construction – Chaos and Order was designed during Atkins’ site visit to Christchurch, where he was struck by the number of directional signs in the city. The work is a double-sided installation, comprised of panels based on lane-management road signs, many of which are unique to the Christchurch rebuild. These have had their directional arrows removed, leaving a striking geometric pattern in the familiar reflective surface. The layout of the panels differs on each side of the work. One side is arranged randomly, engaging with the Chaos – obstacles, shards, dead ends, blockages – and alluding to feelings of uncertainty, confusion and frustration experienced by residents trying to navigate the city centre. The opposite side presents Order, in which the panels are arranged systematically, signalling a return to routine, as well as optimism about the future. The work has been fabricated by local road-signage company Fulton Hogan using the same materials as the signs that populate the city.

For More info: www.scapepublicart.org.nz/scape-8-peter-atkins

  

On a walk around the city in Spring to catch up on progress. October 10, 2015 Christchurch New Zealand.

37 191 at Arrochar & Tarbet on 7B05 , 25/1/84

 

This was the first nortbound freight after the line reopend following four days of blockage by snowdrifts.

 

The fuel oil was for Oban where supplies were getting very low, another working took Alcan Hoppers from Blyth to the Fort William smelter which was on the verge of turning off the furnaces for the first time since it opened in the 1930s.

.Rough time for me this Christmas season...a deep vein thrombosis in my left calf, followed by a pulmonary embolism with multiple clots (despite starting Xarelto for the DVT) Spent a few days in the hospital getting my blood thinned.

 

I'm o.k., but it came with zero warning.They're trying to figure out why.

 

A little while back the police were directing traffic around an accident-related blockage and, while I was standing in the queue, I noticed an old classic British bike parked up nearby.

Not just any old bike, but a rare Vincent twin, no less.

When the traffic began moving, I pulled over to take a closer look.

It was, to say the least, a hell of a surprise to see that the bike had clearly been part of the incident.

Fortunately the damage appeared pretty light but I'd still dread to imagine the repair bill for a bike like this

view my photos on Flickriver ~ Please check out my blog

 

This is one of my favorite moment at one of my favorite places. When the tide is high and the water is splashing on the rocks! I live for that! This shot was taken about 3 weeks after my surgery, and I was still walking around with the Canon 40D. And, even though I might be showing off more images from the 40D, I am happy to announce that the camera has been sold and all we have in the house is one camera, the Canon 7D. Until Fed-x arrives at our door! :D

 

So any way, I just wanted to bring out another shot, yes, an archive, but I am not shooting every day these days! And that is quiet all right with me! I actually am a bit sad, I missed two of the most amazing sunsets in a row, from here any way. Not sure what it looked like at the beach, but up here in the mountains, it was SO beautiful and amazing! Perhaps I will be able to go out shooting on Sunday. My daughter wants me to take her and her friend to the beach. As if I need an excuse!

 

Geek talk: This image was ALL ND! I believe I used the B+W ND106 for this one. And if I used a second filter, it would have been the TIffen ND8, for a total blockage of 9 stops of light. I sure do hope you enjoy!

If you dump your bike like this, you need to know that it could be dangerous for anyone who is old, disabled, and/or mobility impaired. Park it properly!

I took the boys to the beach today hoping to get a good reflection photo in the wet sand. It was foggy so there isn't the detail that I was hoping for so as a back up I had some photos of the the big lug's tongue in the rear view mirror.

I decided on this image for the reflection challenge because the actual reflection reminds me of my first 52 weeks dog Maggie. She never finished the year out as she died suddenly of a bile duct blockage at age 6. Maggie was Josh's best friend and they spent many days running on this beach together. I never thought then that Josh would end up living with us, but it was meant to be. Josh was almost 3 when Maggie died 8 years ago next month.

 

This is a bittersweet photo for the challenge, especially seeing how white Josh's eyebrows are and he seems to be looking for Maggie.

 

This is a link to my album of Maggie and a much younger Josh if you are interested.

www.flickr.com/photos/hodgey/sets/72157603298143233/with/...

 

Darkday discovers an unusual underground blockage. It's made of old rotting timber with rock behind it. Darkday wants to dig it out and see where we are. Good luck with that digger girl ...

Taken on a sunny 14th June 1986, 31423 is approaching March with 1M39 16.14 Cambridge - Birmingham New Street. Rather strangely the train is negotiating the junction into the loop at March Down Yard - possibly because of a defective rail or blockage of the main line.

Next day 31423 worked the Sunday Cambridge - Skegness & return, but by September that year it had moved from March back to the LMR. Thanks to Dan Cross for the loco ID.

Photo copyright : Chris Burton

As a result of a blockage on the line near Culgaith (a hay bale that had rolled onto the line and hit by a previous northbound service), the 10:49 Northern Rail service from Leeds to Carlisle on Wednesday 21st August 2013 was terminated at Garsdale. Under the watchful eye of the Garsdale signalman, who had clipped the points, the driver of the two class 158 units slowly negotiates the crossover to gain access to the up platform. This unit then formed the 13:03 to Leeds and the hapless passengers were advised to detrain at Skipton and travel to Carlisle via the 'Little North Western' route and to change at Lancaster onto a Virgin Trains service. With the abolition of Garsdale box in about five years time I wonder what contingencies will remain in place for such eventualities and who will be available on location to supervise such a move. I rather think that under the regional control centres, movements like this may be a thing of the past and operational flexibilty will be reduced.

 

© Copyright Gordon Edgar - No unauthorised use

We arrived here on Tuesday, and just before midnight headed back to town to the hospital, as I was suffering an intestinal blockage. Came back Wed. evening. Had another catastrophy on Thursday night ,(won't go into the gory details). Then on Friday night as we were sleeping, a water pipe broke. I got up to use the bathroom, and stepped into a lake. We spent the next 2 hours spreading towels everywhere. Had to shut the water OFF OFCOURSE, but couldn't head for home till daylight ....

National Lampoon .....

 

But Thursday and Friday were Great Days!! LOL

The return of 59003 was well touted and similarly it's movement to Eastleigh was well announced but there can't have been many worse days this year for it to make it's move from Immingham to Eastleigh.

 

I was booked on earlies at Barnetby East so the prospect of the RHTT's out and back and 47815 off to retrieve 59003 meant there was something out of the ordinary to look forward to.

 

Monday is the first of two regular line blockage days at Barnetby / Wrawby when the track walkers tip up. This morning they were walking the Down Main from Barnetby towards No 56 signal which is well beyond New Barnetby. In order to help them along and also to get them out of the way as quickly as possible I will, where possible, route anything I can down the goods to avoid hindering their progress.

When the circuit phone piped up and Ulceby announced

"6F17 and 0Z59"

Brock immediately said

"the first is 8 early John and the second is 20 early"

which meant there was only one answer....

"we'll have'em down the goods then"

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot !

I also felt for all those wretched soles on the station huddling under the bridge and on the platform, all hoping I suspect to see the train on the main.

 

These two shocking pictures weren't going to go up but I thought I better had post them up as it is certainly a newsworthy event and thus I suppose I ought to record it on here.

 

It seemed a busy old day at Barnetby, the roster clerk asled me to stop on for a further four hours during the course of the shift and when I left at 17.50 after 12 hours I had a quick count up and I'd signalled over a hundred trains, it keeps you fit does the B.East. :)

 

47815 hauling DIT 59003

Barnetby East signal box

11.17 on Monday 13th October 2014

0Z59 11.00 Immingham Mineral Quay GBRf - Eastleigh Works.

The Postcard

 

A postcard bearing no publisher's name, although it does state that the artwork was by Bob Wilkin.

 

The card was posted in Scarborough, Yorkshire on Tuesday the 19th. August 1952 to:

 

Mr. & Mrs. Gooch,

53, Birk Avenue,

Kendray,

Barnsley,

Yorkshire.

 

The message on the divided back of the card was as follows:

 

"Dear Harry & E,

We are having a grand

time here and nice

weather, although it's a

bit cold at times.

Anyway we can do this

alright.

Love,

Edith & Sid".

 

Patrick Swayze

 

So what else happened on the day that Edith and Sid posted the card?

 

Not a lot, but the previous day, the 18th. August 1952, marked the birth in Houston, Texas of Patrick Swayze.

 

Patrick Swayze was an American actor, dancer, singer, and songwriter. Gaining fame with appearances in films during the 1980's, he became popular for playing tough and romantic male leads, giving him a wide fan base. He was named by People magazine as its Sexiest Man Alive in 1991.

 

During his career, Swayze received three Golden Globe Award nominations, for 'Dirty Dancing' (1987), 'Ghost' (1990), and 'To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar' (1995).

 

He wrote and recorded the popular song 'She's Like the Wind', and was posthumously awarded the Rolex Dance Award in 2012. Swayze died of cancer in 2009 at the age of 57.

 

-- Patrick Swayze - The Early Years

 

Patrick Wayne Swayze was born the second child of Patsy Swayze, a choreographer, dance instructor, and dancer, and Jesse Wayne Swayze, an engineering draftsman.

 

Patrick had an older sister, Vickie, two younger brothers, actor Don (born 1958) and Sean (born 1962), and one younger sister, Bambi.

 

Swayze's paternal ancestor was Englishman John Swasey (1619–1706) from Bridport in Dorset. During the Great Migration, Swasey travelled aboard The Recovery, ultimately arriving in Massachusetts. He married Katherine Kinge from Essex and eventually had seven children. Their grandson Samuel, a judge, was among the first to use the Swayze spelling.

 

Until age 20, Swayze lived in the Oak Forest neighbourhood of Houston, where he attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, Oak Forest Elementary School, Black Middle School, and Waltrip High School, and San Jacinto College Central.

 

During this time, Patrick pursued multiple artistic and athletic skills, such as ice skating, classical ballet, and acting in school plays. He also played football during high school, hoping to receive a football scholarship for college until a knee injury ended his career.

 

He also practised martial arts such as Wushu, Taekwondo and Aikido, which he used to channel his "self-deprecating rage."

 

In 1972, Patrick moved to New York City to complete his formal dance training at the Harkness Ballet and Joffrey Ballet schools.

 

-- Patrick Swayze's Early Acting Career

 

Patrick Swayze's first professional appearance was as a dancer for the Disney Theatrical Group in a show called 'Disney on Parade'. He then starred in the role of Danny Zuko in one of the replacement casts for the long-running Broadway production of 'Grease'.

 

In 1979, Patrick made his film debut as Ace in 'Skatetown, U.S.A.' He also appeared in the poignant 'M*A*S*H' episode 'Blood Brothers' in 1981 as Private Sturgis, whose wounds are minor, but which led to the discovery that he is terminally ill with cancer.

 

That same year he appeared in the TV movie 'Return of the Rebels' with Barbara Eden, and then had a brief stint in 1983 on a short-lived TV series 'The Renegades', playing a gang leader named Bandit.

 

Swayze became better known to the film industry after appearing in 'The Outsiders' in 1983 as the older brother of C. Thomas Howell and Rob Lowe. The same year, Swayze played a U.S.M.C. trainer in the Vietnam rescue film 'Uncommon Valour' with Gene Hackman.

 

The following year, Swayze, Howell, and Howell's friend and fellow Outsiders actor Darren Dalton reunited in 'Red Dawn', along with Jennifer Grey. In 1986, Lowe and Swayze reunited in 'Youngblood'.

 

Swayze's first major dramatic success was in the 1985 television miniseries 'North and South', set during the American Civil War.

 

-- 'Dirty Dancing'

 

However, Swayze is best remembered for what was actually a low-budget movie, planned for only a one-week release, after which it was to go to video. Instead, Dirty Dancing propelled him to fame in 1987 playing resort dance instructor Johnny Castle, alongside his Red Dawn co-star Jennifer Grey.

 

The story enabled Swayze to dance and romance Grey as well as showcasing his professional dance training. In addition to acting and dancing, Swayze co-composed and sang one of the songs on the soundtrack for Dirty Dancing, 'She's Like the Wind'. The song became a top-10 hit that has since been covered by other artists. Swayze had originally co-written the song with Stacy Widelitz for the film 'Grandview, U.S.A.' in 1984.

 

Dirty Dancing's coming of age story first became a surprise hit, and then achieved enormous international success. It was the first film to sell one million copies on video, and as of 2009, it had earned over $214 million worldwide.

 

The film also generated several alternative, or derivative versions, ranging from a television series to stage productions to a computer game. Swayze received a Golden Globe Award nomination for the role. The film was re-released briefly in 1997 for its tenth anniversary.

 

-- Patrick Swayze After Dirty Dancing

 

After Dirty Dancing, Swayze found himself in great demand, and appeared in several films, including 'Road House' in 1989 with Sam Elliott, Ben Gazzara and Kelly Lynch.

 

Patrick's next big role came when he starred in 'Ghost' (1990) with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. In 1991, he starred alongside Youngblood castmate Keanu Reeves in another major action hit, 'Point Break', and he was also chosen that year by People magazine as that year's 'Sexiest Man Alive'.

 

For his contributions to the film industry, Swayze was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997.

 

Swayze was seriously injured in May 1997 while filming HBO's 'Letters from a Killer' near Ione, California, when he fell from a horse and hit a tree. Both of his legs were broken, and he suffered four detached tendons in his shoulder. Filming was suspended for two months.

 

The film aired in 1998, and Swayze slowly recovered from his injuries, but he had trouble resuming his career until 2000, when he co-starred in 'Forever Lulu', with Melanie Griffith.

 

In 2001, Patrick appeared in 'Donnie Darko', where he played a famous motivational speaker revealed to be a closeted paedophile. In 2002, he co-starred with Billy Bob Thornton and Charlize Theron in 'Waking Up in Reno', which focuses on two redneck couples taking a road trip from Little Rock to Reno to see a monster truck rally.

 

In 2004, he played Allan Quatermain in 'King Solomon's Mines', and had a cameo appearance in the Dirty Dancing prequel 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights' as an unnamed dance instructor.

 

In 2003, Swayze co-produced and also starred in the film 'One Last Dance', along with his real-life wife Lisa Niemi and a talented cast. The story revolves around an actual dance production, 'Without a Word', which had been choreographed by Alonzo King. Swayze and Niemi also produced the film, starred in it, and composed some of the music.

 

Swayze made his debut in London's West End in the musical 'Guys and Dolls' as Nathan Detroit on the 27th. July 2006, and remained in the role until the 25th. November 2006. His previous appearances on the Broadway stage had included productions of 'Goodtime Charley' in 1975 and 'Chicago'.

 

Swayze also provided the voice for Cash the country music band dog in 'The Fox and the Hound 2' (2006), and in 2007 he starred in the film 'Christmas in Wonderland'. Swayze played an aging rock star in 'Powder Blue' (2008), co-starring with his younger brother Don in their first film together.

 

In his final role, Swayze starred as FBI Agent Charles Barker in the A&E FBI drama 'The Beast', which was filmed in Chicago.

 

Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer shortly after filming the pilot episode of The Beast, but continued working on the show while receiving treatment. The Beast premiered on the 15th. January 2009 and ran for one season. Reviewer Alan Sepinwall wrote:

 

'When you watch Swayze in The Beast,

you realize that this is the best performance

of his career - that the opportunity to play

a part like this, and to play it as well as he is,

may be fuelling his ability to keep fighting

against the cancer.

And you realize, in an odd silver lining, that

the cancer may, in turn, be fuelling the

performance'.

 

-- Patrick Swayze's Personal Life

 

Swayze was married to Lisa Niemi for 34 years from the 12th. June 1975 until his death, and they had no children, although Lisa had suffered one miscarriage. They met in 1970 when Swayze was 18 years old. Niemi, 14 years old at the time, was taking dance lessons from Swayze's mother. In a 2008 interview, Swayze stated that Niemi was the inspiration for his hit song 'She's Like the Wind'.

 

In 1989, Swayze said:

 

"I've always felt there was something different

in there (my personality), but I was scared to

look. For I fear I wouldn't find anything.

That's the reason I got into Buddhism, took EST

training, was into therapy, into Scientology, into

Transcendental Meditation.

I was trying to support that side of myself.

But, you know, in Texas there isn't much support

for that part of you."

 

Patrick also said that he was interested in, and loved looking into, different religious beliefs, how it matters to other people, and how these various religious teachings are important to him in his world.

 

Swayze entered rehab treatment for alcoholism in the 1990s. After an initial recovery, he temporarily withdrew from show business, retreating to his ranches in California and Las Vegas, New Mexico, to breed Arabian horses. His best-known horse was Tammen, a chestnut Arabian stallion.

 

-- Patrick Swayze's Crash in a Light Aircraft

 

Swayze, who was an FAA licensed pilot with an instrument rating, made the news on the 1st. June 2000, while flying with his dogs in his twin-engine Cessna from Van Nuys, California, to Las Vegas, New Mexico. His plane developed a pressurization problem, causing Swayze to make a precautionary landing on a dirt road in a housing complex in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

 

The plane's right wing struck a light pole, but Swayze was unharmed. According to the police report, witnesses said that Swayze appeared to be extremely intoxicated and asked for help to remove evidence from the crash site (an open bottle of wine and a 30-pack of beer). He made himself unavailable to police for several hours.

 

However it was later determined that the alcohol in question was not in the cabin, but stored in external storage compartments inaccessible in flight, and the probable cause of the accident was Swayze's physical impairment due to the cumulative effects of carbon monoxide from engine exhaust by-products, carbon monoxide from heavy tobacco use, and the loss of an undetermined amount of cabin pressurization, resulting in hypoxia.

 

-- Patrick Swayze's Illness and Death

 

In late December 2007, just after filming the pilot episode for The Beast, Swayze began to suffer a burning feeling in his stomach caused by a blockage of his bile ducts. Three weeks later, in mid-January 2008, he was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. He traveled to the Stanford University Medical Center for chemotherapy and treatment with the experimental drug Vatalanib which doctors hoped would cut off the blood supply to the tumour.

 

On the 5th. March 2008, a Reuters article reported that:

 

'Swayze has a very limited amount

of disease, and he appears to be

responding well to treatment thus far.'

 

Swayze's doctor confirmed that the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but insisted that he was not as close to death as reports suggested. Despite repeated tabloid claims that his death was imminent, Swayze continued actively to pursue his career.

 

In early May 2008, it was widely reported in a number of tabloids that Swayze had undergone surgery to remove part of his stomach after the cancer had spread. Reports also stated that he had rewritten his will, transferring his property to his wife.

 

In a statement made on the 28th. May, Swayze said that he continued to respond well to treatment at Stanford University Medical Center. In late May 2008, he was seen at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game, his first public appearance since his diagnosis.

 

In late July 2008, six months after reportedly being given just weeks to live by medical experts, a seemingly healthy Swayze was asked by a reporter in Los Angeles about his health. He replied:

 

"I'm cooking. I'm a miracle,

dude. I don't know why."

 

The previous month, he reportedly said:

 

"My treatments are working

and I am winning the battle."

 

Swayze appeared on the ABC, NBC, and CBS simulcast of 'Stand Up to Cancer' in September 2008, to appeal to the general public for donations for the initiative. Swayze said to a standing ovation:

 

"I dream that the word 'cure'

will no longer be followed by

the words 'it's impossible'.

Together, we can make a

world where cancer no longer

means living with fear, without

hope, or worse."

 

After the show ended, Swayze remained onstage and talked to other cancer patients. Executive producer Laura Ziskin (herself battling advanced breast cancer, which would claim her own life) said:

 

"He said a beautiful thing: 'I'm just

an individual living with cancer'.

That's how he wants to be thought

of. He's in a fight, but he's a fighter."

 

On the 2nd. December 2008, Swayze denied claims made by tabloids that the cancer had spread to his liver.

 

In an interview with Barbara Walters which aired in January 2009, Swayze admitted that he had a "tiny little mass" in his liver, but told Walters that he wanted the media to report that he was "kicking it".

 

When Walters asked him if he was using any holistic or alternative methods of treatment besides chemotherapy, Swayze said he was using some Chinese herbs. He then voiced his opposition to the unsupported claims made by proponents of alternative therapies.

 

On the 9th. January 2009, Swayze was hospitalised with pneumonia. The pneumonia was said to be a complication of chemotherapy for Swayze's cancer.

 

On the 16th. January, he was released from hospital to rest at home with his wife. On the 19th. April 2009, doctors informed Swayze that the cancer had again metastasized to his liver.

 

Swayze had been a heavy smoker for forty years, and he once admitted to smoking 60 cigarettes a day. He stated that his chain smoking probably "had something to do with" the development of his disease.

 

Patrick died, with family at his side, on the 14th. September 2009, at the age of 57. Swayze's death occurred 20 months after his cancer diagnosis. Swayze's publicist confirmed to CNN that he had died of pancreatic cancer. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered over his New Mexico ranch.

 

A memorial stone for Patrick Swayze was dedicated in November 2009 at Mountain Lake Hotel where Dirty Dancing was filmed.

 

-- Final Thoughts From Patrick Swayze

 

"When those you love die, the best you

can do is honor their spirit for as long as

you live. You make a commitment that

you're going to take whatever lesson that

person or animal was trying to teach you,

and you make it true in your own life...

It's a positive way to keep their spirit alive

in the world, by keeping it alive in yourself."

 

"Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation

will cause your worst fears to come true."

 

"I found that dance was key to keeping

depression out of my life. When you dance,

things just go away, things don't seem so

bad. There's no better way to take care of

health than through something as joyous

and beautiful as dance."

 

"I keep my heart and my soul

and my spirit open to miracles."

 

"What winning is to me is not giving up,

no matter what's thrown at me, I can take it.

And I can keep going."

 

"If I leave this Earth, I want to leave this

Earth just knowing I've tried to give

something back and tried to do something

worthwhile with myself."

 

"All you have to do is follow three simple

rules. One, never underestimate your

opponent. Expect the unexpected. Two,

take it outside. Never start anything inside

the bar unless it's absolutely necessary.

And three, be nice."

 

"When you dance, things just go

away, things don't seem so bad."

 

"Feel what the wave is doing,

then accept its energy."

 

"The way to screw up somebody's

life is to give them what they want."

 

"Dance is the pure language of the soul -

it's been with us from the very beginning."

 

"I want you to be nice...until

it's time to not be nice."

 

"If you live through the initial stage of

fame and get past it, and remember that's

not who you are. If you live past that, then

you have a hope of maybe learning how

to spell the word artist."

 

"Good-looking people turn

me off. Myself included."

 

"My work... is my legacy."

 

"The steps aren’t enough.

Feel the music."

 

"I'm trying to shut up and let my angels

speak to me and tell me what I'm

supposed to do."

 

"There's no better way to take care

of health than through something as

joyous and beautiful as dance."

 

"Life sure has a sick sense

of humor, doesn’t it?"

 

Patrick Swayze on Cancer: 'I Want

to Last Until They Find a Cure'."

 

"I keep dreaming of a future, a future

with a long and healthy life, not lived

in the shadow of cancer but in the light."

 

"One thing I'm not going to do is chase

staying alive. You spend so much time

chasing staying alive, you won't live."

 

"How do you nurture a positive attitude

when all the statistics say you're a dead

man? You go to work."

 

"Chemo is Hell on Wheels."

 

"I'm not afraid of death. I'm going home."

(Patrick Swayze's last words, as quoted

by his family, prior to his death from

pancreatic cancer, 2009.)

From Wikipedia:

The Aachtopf is Germany's biggest karst spring, south of the western end of the Swabian Jura near the town of Aach. It produces an average of 8,500 litres per second. Most of the water stems from the River Danube where it disappears underground at the Danube Sinkhole, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north near Immendingen and about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north near Fridingen. The cave system has been explored since the 1960s, but as of 2020 only a small part has been discovered due to a large blockage after a few hundred metres.

  

Note from myself: I live in "Immendingen" so the water here on this photo comes from this mentioned "Danube Sinkhole" near my village and and at this point the Danube "disappears" completely during the summer when there is not much water, leaving behind a dry riverbed. It is only through further tributaries downstream that water is added again and the Danube flows there again until it finally ends into the Black Sea some 2800 kilometres further on.

Quite a lot of hisses and threats as we squeezed past - As Di said - they were being good parents.

 

My Miss Willow, no matter where she is or how unsure she is about being in a strange place, will not let a game of fetch pass her by!! Took this one day shortly after getting here to my sister's. I made sure that I brought some of the furkids' favorite toys so they would feel okay being in a strange place. As you can see, Willow is up for the game!

 

Success with the stents today! She had two implanted in one of her arteries and another artery was redone in some manner. The cardiologist gave us the before and after pictures and what an amazing sight! You can see the blockage that caused the initial heart attack and the blockage in the other one. I am so impressed at what can be done to heal people. I am so grateful to the doctor and the team that he has working with him...from his cardiology residents to the pulmonary docs and their fledlings, to renal, to infectious disease to respiratory therapy and of course the care given by the nurses and techs. If anyone should need excellent care especially anything to do with the heart and are here in Texas or wherever you may be, remember this outstanding facility and the doctors that are here. They are all dedicated and only want what is best for their patients. God bless them all.

 

All rights reserved

Darkness on the Florida National Scenic Trail, Withlacoochee State Forest, Citrus County Fl

no significant blockages

no surgery,

medical management likely.

i'll count that as a win.

p.s. see your internist

American postcard by Fotofolio, New York, N.Y.,no. ES 3, 1979. Photo: Edward Steichen / International Museum of Photography / George Eastman House. Paul Robeson in The Emperor Jones (Dudley Murphy, 1933).

 

Paul Robeson (1898-1976) was a handsome, eloquent, and highly charismatic actor and singer, who became one of the foremost interpreters of Eugene O'Neill's plays and one of the most treasured names in song during the first half of the twentieth century. With his powerful bass singing voice, Robeson made an evergreen of the song 'Old Man River'. He starred in The Emperor Jones (1933), the first film to feature an African American in a starring role. At the height of his popularity in the 1930s, Robeson became a major box office attraction in British films. In the USA, he courted disdain and public controversy for most of his career as a staunch Cold War-era advocate for human rights, as well as his very vocal support for Joseph Stalin and the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. While the backlash of his civil rights activities and left-wing ideology left him embittered and practically ruined his career, he remains today a durable symbol of racial pride and consciousness.

 

Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson was born in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1898. His siblings were William, Benjamin, Reeve, and Marian Robeson. Their father, William Drew Robeson, was a humble Presbyterian minister and former slave. In 1900, a disagreement between William and white financial supporters of the Witherspoon church arose with apparent racial undertones. William, who had the support of his entirely black congregation, resigned in 1901. The loss of his position forced him to work menial jobs. The young, impressionable Paul grew up singing spirituals in his father's church. He was only six when he and his four siblings, William, Benjamin, Reeve, Marian, lost their mother, Maria Louisa Bustill, a schoolteacher. She was nearly blind and died in a stove fire accident at home. His father then raised the family singlehandedly. Paul was a natural athlete and the tall, strapping high school fullback had no trouble earning a scholarship to prestigious Rutgers University in 1915. At the age of 17, he became only the third member of his race to be admitted at the time. He excelled in football, baseball, basketball, and track, and field, and was the class valedictorian. In his speech, he was already preaching idealism. Paul subsequently played professional football to earn money while attending Columbia University's law school, and also took part in amateur dramatics. During this time he met and married Eslanda Cardozo Goode in 1921. She eventually became his personal assistant. Following graduation, he obtained work at a New York law firm, but quit when a stenographer refused to copy a memo, telling him, "I never take diction from a n*****." His wife persuaded him to play Simon in Ridgely Torrence's 'Simon the Cyrenian' at the Harlem YMCA in 1921. This was followed by his Broadway debut the following year as Jim in Mary Hoyt Wiborg's play 'Taboo', a drama set in Africa, which also went to London. As a result, he was asked to join the Provincetown Players, a Greenwich Village theatre group that included in its membership playwright Eugene O'Neill. Gary Brumburgh at IMDb: "O'Neill personally asked Paul to star in his plays 'All God's Chillun Got Wings' and 'The Emperor Jones' in 1924. The reaction from both critics and audiences alike was electrifying...an actor was born." In 1925, he sang the first concert recital consisting solely of black spirituals, at the Greenwich Village Theatre in New York. That year, he also made his film debut starring in Body and Soul (Oscar Micheaux, 1925). Gary Brumburgh: "a rather murky melodrama that nevertheless was ahead of its time in its depictions of black characters. Although Robeson played a scurrilous, corrupt clergyman who takes advantage of his own people, his dynamic personality managed to shine through." Radio and recordings helped spread his name across foreign waters. His resonant bass was a major highlight in the London production of Jerome Kern's and Oscar Hammerstein II's 'Show Boat'. The role of Joe, the deckhand, was written for him, but because of schedule conflicts and Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.'s delay in putting on the show, he had been unable to star in the first stage production but played the role in London five months later. His rendition of "Ol' Man River" became the benchmark for all future performers of the song. In 1928, he made the second-ever recording of 'Ol' Man River'. (Bing Crosby did the first). Show Boat continued for 350 performances. At the time no U.S. company would hire Robeson and so, he remained in London to play the role of William Shakespeare's 'Othello' in 1930. Paul caused a slight stir by co-starring opposite a white actress, Peggy Ashcroft, who played Desdemona. After his wife Essie discovered Robeson had been having an affair with Ashcroft, she decided to seek a divorce and they split up. Around this time Robeson starred in the film Borderline (Kenneth MacPherson, 1930), a silent film that dealt strongly with racial themes. Stephen Bourne at BFI Screen-on-Line: "Black characters in American cinema of the period rarely moved beyond Al Jolson in blackface, or the dim-witted buffoons played by comedy actors like Stepin Fetchit. For the ambitious Robeson, there were hardly any opportunities to play challenging roles." In 1931, he returned to the stage in the O'Neill play 'The Hairy Ape'. The following year he appeared in a Broadway revival of 'Show Boat' again as Joe, to critical and popular acclaim. In the same production, Helen Morgan repeated her original 1927 performance as the half-caste role of Julie, but the white actress Tess Gardella played the role of Queenie in her customary blackface opposite Robeson. In 1932, Ashcroft and Robeson's relationship ended. Robeson and Essie reconciled, although their relationship was scarred permanently.

 

Throughout the 1930s, Paul Robeson spent most of his time singing and performing in England. He also was given the opportunity to recapture two of his greatest stage successes on film: The Emperor Jones (Dudley Murphy, 1933) and Show Boat (James Whale, 1936), with Irene Dunne, Helen Morgan, and Hattie McDaniel. His performance of 'Old Man River' in this film version of Show Boat became legendary, both for its quality and for Robeson’s purposeful changing of the lyrics "I'm tired of livin' and 'feared of dyin’" to the more activist "I must keep fightin' until I'm dying". In Britain, he played Bosambo in Sanders of the River (Zoltan Korda, 1935), which he felt would render a realistic view of colonial African culture. It made Robeson an international film star. Stephen Bourne: "When Robeson became a major star in British films in the mid-1930s, he negotiated for roles that projected a positive image of a black man, roles that broke away from one-dimensional and offensive racial stereotypes. But he often found himself in conflict with an industry that glorified the British Empire and colonialism. This was certainly the case with his first commercial film, Sanders of the River (d. Zoltan Korda, 1935), one of a cycle of imperial adventures produced by Alexander Korda for London Films."Robeson also appeared in such British films as Song of Freedom (J. Elder Wills, 1936), King Solomon's Mines (Robert Stevenson, Geoffrey Barkas, 1937), Jericho (Thornton Freeland, 1937), and The Proud Valley (Pen Tennyson, 1940), set in a Welsh coal-mining town. After returning to America, Robeson played a sharecropper in a segment of the Hollywood movie Tales of Manhattan (Julien Duvivier, 1942) but, after the film was released, he was criticised for perpetuating a racist stereotype. Robeson agreed with his critics and volunteered to join protestors outside cinemas where the film was being shown. He said he wouldn't make any more films until there were better roles for blacks. During the 1930s he gravitated strongly towards economics and politics with a burgeoning interest in social activism. In 1934 he made the first of several trips to the Soviet Union and outwardly extolled the Soviet way of life and his belief that it lacked racial bias, despite the Holodomor and the later Rootless Cosmopolitan Campaign. He was a popular figure in Wales where he became personally involved in their civil rights affairs, notably the Welsh miners. Developing a marked leftist ideology, he continued to criticize the blatant discrimination he found so prevalent in America. In 1939, he premiered Earl Robinson’s multi-ethnic cantata 'Ballad for Americans' on CBS radio, which he would eventually perform in twenty-five languages. In addition to his creative work, Robeson used his personal prominence to push for social and political reform. He supported the Spanish partisans against Franco’s fascist Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War, raised funds for refugees from Hitler’s Germany well before such activities were fashionable, and organized a coalition that challenged President Truman to support an anti-lynching law in 1945. The 1940s was a mixture of performance triumphs and poignant, political upheavals. While his title run in the musical drama 'John Henry' (1940), was short-lived, he earned widespread acclaim for his Broadway 'Othello' in 1943 opposite José Ferrer as Iago and Uta Hagen as Desdemona. This production is still the longest-running non-musical production of a Shakespeare play ever to be staged in the United States, due almost entirely to Robeson's enormous popularity. He appeared in a World War II-era U.S. Government War Department propaganda film, Easy to Get, aimed at combating the spread of venereal diseases among black soldiers. In the film, Robeson appears at the end in his capacity as a celebrity football star and singer to advise viewers to stay "clean". By this time, however, Robeson was being reviled by much of white America for his outspoken civil rights speeches against segregation and lynchings, particularly in the South. A founder of the Progressive Party, an independent political party, his outdoor concerts sometimes ignited violence and he was now a full-blown target for "Red Menace" agitators. In 1946, he denied under oath being a member of the Communist Party but steadfastly refused to refute the accusations under subsequent probes. His continued support for the Soviet Union became even more controversial after Stalin publicly turned against Israel in November 1948. As a result, his passport was withdrawn and he became engaged in legal battles for nearly a decade in order to retrieve it. Adding fuel to the fire was his only son's (Paul Jr.) marriage to a white woman in 1949 and his being awarded the Stalin Peace Prize in 1952. He was unable to receive it until 1958 when his passport was returned to him.

 

Paul Robeson was essentially blacklisted, and tainted press statements continued to hound him. He began performing less and less in America. Despite his growing scorn towards America, he never gave up his American citizenship although the anguish of it all led to a couple of suicide attempts, nervous breakdowns, and a dependency on drugs. Europe was a different story. The people continued to hold him in high regard as an artist above reproach. He had a command of about 20 languages and wound up giving his last acting performance in Tony Richardson's production of 'Othello' at Stratford-on-Avon in 1959. Although he did give a few interviews on television, he never played any dramatic or musical roles in that medium. In 1960, in what was his final concert performance in Great Britain, Robeson sang to raise money for the Movement for Colonial Freedom at the Royal Festival Hall. In October 1960, Robeson embarked on a two-month concert tour of Australia and New Zealand with Essie. While in Sydney, he became the first major artist to perform at the construction site of the future Sydney Opera House. Back in London, Robeson expressed a desire to return to the United States and participate in the civil rights movement, while his wife argued that he would be unsafe there and "unable to make any money" due to government harassment. His health suddenly took a turn for the worse and he finally returned to the United States in 1963. His poet/wife Eslanda Robeson died of cancer two years later. Double pneumonia and a kidney blockage in 1965 nearly killed Robeson too. Robeson moved in with his son's family in New York City. He remained in poor health for pretty much the rest of his life. His last years were spent in Harlem at his sister's house in near-total isolation, denying all interviews and public correspondence. At a Carnegie Hall tribute to mark his 75th birthday in 1973, he was unable to attend, but a taped message from him was played that said: "Though I have not been able to be active for several years, I want you to know that I am the same Paul, dedicated as ever to the worldwide cause of humanity for freedom, peace, and brotherhood." In 1976, Paul Robeson died at age 77 of complications from a stroke. He was interred in the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. Among his many honours: he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995; he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998; was honored with a postage stamp during the 'Black Heritage' series, and both a Cultural Center at Penn State University and a high school in Brooklyn bear his name. In 1995 his autobiography 'Here I Stand' was published in England in 1958. His son, Paul Robeson Jr., also chronicled a book about his father, 'Undiscovered Paul Robeson: An Artist's Journey' in 2001. When appearing before HUAC, the Committee asked him why he didn't relocate to Russia. He replied: "Because my father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I am going to stay right here and have a part of it just like you."

 

Sources: Gary Brumburgh (IMDb), Stephen Bourne (BFI Screen-on-Line), Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. (AllMusic), Find A Grave, Wikipedia, and IMDb.

 

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

New pictures taken on the Mossend DGH diorama, showing First Glasgow’s SF58ATY heading for and returning from the hospital turning circle. I’ve also taken the opportunity to snap some pictures of new additions to my 1:76 scale/OO Gauge Scottish Ambulance Service fleet. Shown in some of the pictures are a code 3 SAS Patient Transport Service (PTS) vehicle. I have also painted a cheap “pedestrian” figure into the old light blue uniform worn by PTS Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA’s).

 

Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services in Scotland are provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), a special Health Board of the greater National Health Service (NHS) Scotland. SAS provides these services throughout all of mainland Scotland and the Islands. Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Accident & Emergency branch, providing Double Crewed Ambulances typically formed of a Paramedic and Technician, but which can be formed of double Tech or Para crews. Single Paramedics in cars, motorbikes or bicycles are Paramedic Response Units, used to provide immediate pre-hospital care to patients, or treating and discharging at scene. Also part of the A&E branch is the Urgent Tier service, using crews formed of an Ambulance Technician and Care Assistant, Urgent Tier convey patients who have been urgently referred to Hospital. The patients General Practitioner can request admission within a 1-4 hour timeframe. As such Urgent Tier vehicles use their emergency warning systems less than standard A&E crews. Due to the presence of a qualified Technician however UT resources can be used as a first responder to immediately life threatening calls.

 

SAS also has an Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (ScotSTAR), bringing Medical and Nursing care to patients as they transfer between Hospitals. Scotland is the only part of the UK to provide fully government funded Air Ambulance services, with two fixed wing and two rotary aircraft. They are assisted by the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance who provide additional cover with two helicopters of their own.

 

Special Operations Response Team (SORT) provide an emergency response to complex rescue, CBRN, terrorist attacks and other such incidents.

 

Scheduled Care is provided by the Patient Transport Service, the non-emergency branch of SAS. Using a variety of vehicles from cars, people carriers, minibuses and minibus conversion ambulances, PTS provides transport to and from outpatient clinics, for planned admissions and discharges. Staff crewing PTS vehicles are called Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA). They are experts in moving and handling, whereas A&E crews frequently remove patients from houses using equipment such as carry chairs, ACA’s must be adept at taking their patients back up stairs as well as extrications.

 

As with the majority of healthcare in Scotland, ambulance and emergency medical services are free at the point of use. Funded by National Insurance contributions made by those in work, Scots are extremely proud and defensive of our NHS. We generally believe that everyone should pay towards the common fund to ensure no-one has their life destroyed by medical costs, as illness and injury are not a choice. Having worked in the NHS and with SAS myself, I have resuscitated a man having a heart attack, conveyed him to Hospital, watched as Coronary Care staff removed the blockage from his artery and left the man sitting up in bed in CCU. Knowing that he will be repatriated to his nearest General Hospital for Coronary Rehab and will go home to ongoing care in the community. That man could take time to recover, safe in the knowledge that no crippling bill or endless fights with healthcare insurance would befall him. That is our NHS, that is why we love it and cannot understand the US system.

South West Water (SWW) has been ordered to pay nearly £9,000 in fines and costs for discharging poorly treated effluent from a sewage treatment works in Devon.

 

The Environment Agency discovered the effluent from the works at Tedburn St Mary, near Exeter, three times within 12 months in the Lilly Brook.

 

SWW admitted committing three offences under environmental permitting regulations.

 

It was fined £7,000, and ordered to pay £1,719 costs.

 

After discovering the effluent in the tributary of the River Culvery, the agency discovered the treatment works had exceeded set biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) limits.

 

BOD is the amount of oxygen required by bacteria to decompose the organic matter in a sample of polluted water.

 

It is used as a measure of the degree of water pollution.

 

It meant the site was non-compliant as, under the terms of the permit, it was only allowed to break BOD limits twice, the agency said.

 

SWW blamed the failure on a blockage at the inlet of the sewage works.

 

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-16289182

Inside the shelter there are several large piles of rubble. We had to carefully navigate our way over these. Not an easy task when you have to pass the bags & equipment through to the other side.

We had to then navigate back over these on the way out again!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-56547383

 

A giant container ship remains stuck across Egypt's Suez Canal after attempts to dislodge it on Saturday's high tide failed.

 

Canal officials said some progress had been made, however, and more tugboats were joining the effort on Sunday.

 

Alternative arrangements are being put in place in case the operation fails.

 

Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has ordered preparations to lighten the load of the stranded ship.

 

That would involve transferring some containers to another vessel or to the canal bank. Experts earlier told the BBC that such an operation would involve bringing in specialist equipment, including a crane that would need to stretch more than 60m (200ft) high, and could take weeks.

 

The Suez Canal is one of the world's busiest trade routes, and the Ever Given - part of the Evergreen fleet - has been wedged in it since Tuesday.

 

More than 300 ships are stuck on either side of the blockage and some vessels have had to reroute around Africa.

view my photos on Flickriver ~ Please check out my blog

  

So, usually when I post an image of star trails from the night/morning before, I use for my 365. After all, I can guarantee that they exceed 30 seconds! However, even before I took the star images last night, early this morning, I knew that I was going to have the honor of my Thursday morning beach run. Even though I was lucky enough to get out for a sunset, I still wanted to make my Thursday La Jolla date! :) And I am so glad I did. Actually, the day was yet again another bust. No color any where, all grey! And the weather report said mostly sunny after 10. So, after my little nap, I went to snap away. And in the process of snapping, I tried a few new things.

 

First of all, I brought with me a large towel and got down low, and tried to snap away from a new point of view. Did not like the outcome, possibly due to the lack of color and lack of large waves. 1.5 feet max! The second thing I tried? This! I went EXTREME this time! 5 minute exposure. I went extreme with the ND filters. For the first time ever, I stacked the B+W ND110 with the B+W ND106, to create a total blockage of 16 stops of light! And at the end of the day, I knew that I was going to go for a black and white convert on this one. And at the end of the day, I am happy with what I came home with. I could have saved some time and went for this shot first thing, but then again, I enjoyed my day at the beach. Oh how I love La Jolla cove!

The traditionally-laid former carriage and parcel stock sidings to the west of Carlisle Citadel station see only occasional use now, for example in the event of line blockages and for stabling rolling stock in order to free up platforms for further incoming services. During the afternoon of 14th May 2012, Direct Rail Services locomotives dominated the scene on this side of the station as 37423 'Spirit of the Lakes' makes a grand entrance in a rare burst of sunshine in charge of the 6C42 Sellafield to Kingmoor acid tanks as 57002 and 57011 wait for the road on to the Maryport and Carlisle line forming the OM60 Seaton on Tees to Sellafield light engine move following a crew change at Carlisle station.

 

© Copyright Gordon Edgar - No unauthorised use

Get your Ergonomic Series Chair for Great Posture at

www.spinalis-chairs.ca/spinalis-chairs/ergonomic/

 

SpinaliS is a unique chair for healthy back

A unique movable seat on a spring ensures the mobility of the pelvis, strengthening abdominal and back muscles, keeping the spine in its correct position while preventing irreversible changes to the spine and so eliminating back pain. SpinaliS is the healthiest way to sit all-day long.

 

Features:

- The cheapest office chair with confirmed health benefits

- For all-day healthy sitting without back pain

- For men and women under 6'2''

- Lifelong Warranty on the Spring

- Free trial

- Promo: Free Shipping

 

Specification:

- Standard gas pump range: seat 20.5''- 24.8''

- High gas pump range: seat 21.6''- 25.6''

- Low gas pump range: seat 19.3''- 22.8''

- User Height: 4'7'' - 6'2''

- Body Type: Slim, Average, Robust

- Adjusting options: seat height

- Seat dimensions: width: 17.7'', depth:16.5''

- Max load: 250 lb

- Chair weight: 37,5 lb

 

Loosens stiff neck

The moving seat “forces” you to straighten your back, have a correct head position and pull your shoulders back, reducing stress on the trapezoid muscles and loosening the stiff cervical spine. The constant movement of the seat eliminates any possible blockage, thus relaxing a stiff neck.

 

Straightens round backs

The movement of the seat straightens the back in the thoracic kyphosis area, restoring the physiological shape of the spine into its natural position (the natural curve of the spine in the shape of the letter “S”). Eliminating a round back also lessens pressure to organs in the chest, especially the lungs and stomach, which leads to improved breathing and digestion.

 

Activates weak muscles of the back and abdomen

The movable seat allows for body movement in all directions, so you are not forced to sit still – SpinaliS chairs encourage the involvement of all torso muscles, which leads to the strengthening of the back and abdominal muscles.

 

Reinforces deep stabilizing muscles

The stabilization of deep spinal muscles is all about strengthening muscles that stabilize the spine during all movements that we make. Deep stabilization plays an important role in protecting our spine against various loads and stress. Taking care of your spine requires constant exercising of deep stabilizing muscles, which in the sitting position is possible only on a Swiss ball or on a healthy SpinaliS chair.

 

Removes pain in the lower back

The movable seat of SpinaliS chairs swings forward while you lean over your desk, thereby allowing the spine to bend forward resuming lumbar lordosis at all times. Lumbar lordosis is important for optimal placement of the lumbar vertebrae as they are wedge-shaped (higher in the front, lower in the back). With the correct hip position there is a substantial reduction of pressure on the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which allows for effective pain relief. In addition, the movable seat also reduces stress in the lower beck, unlike in the case of chairs with fixed seats, which can make sitting quite painful.

 

SpinaliS Canada

ph: 1 778 989 0637

www.spinalis.ca

Unique Chairs for Healthy Back and Great Posture - FREE SHIPPING in Canada

 

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This camera is a gift from my friend Dr.Mithat Çamlıbel

Manufactured by Kodak AG, Stuttgart, Germany

Model: c.1954, Type 021 first version, an early model that the “c” written as lower case, (produced between 1954-57)

35mm Folder Rangefinder film camera

Engraving on the top plate: Retina IIIc

Lens: Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon C 50mm f/2, 6 elements in 4 groups total; interchangeable front element: 3 elements in 2 groups, w/ red delta symbol indicating coating, Mount: special bayonet type snap lock , filter thread: 24mm

serial no.3967648, beside the cold shoe and on the right of the front element lens mount

Caution: Notice the two sets of serial numbers. These must match for you to have a properly working 50 mm lens.

Lens release: for removal use Kodak Retina 50mm lens component case which is a special grip-top container, first press the transparent center of the top to bring the grip-insert to its full-open position, then place the insert over the lens rim, press the black outer ring toward the lens as far as it will go to tighten the hold of the grip-insert, then turn counterclockwise then remove the lens and place it in the container, wo/ removing the grip-top

Aperture: f/2-f/22, setting: lever and scale on the lens-shutter barrel

Focusing: Matching rangefinder images in the finder, by focusing ring behind the lens-shutter barrel, distance and DOF scales and separate scales for tele- and wide-angle lenses on the lens, w/ handle for easy using

Focus range: 2.5-50 feet +inf

Shutter: Synchro-Compur leaf shutter, speeds: 1-1/500 +B

setting: ring and scale on the lens-shutter barrel

Cocking lever: also winds the film, short stroke, on the bottom plate, w/ double exposure prevention, w/ a special Film release button for to deal any blockage of the winding lever, on the top plate beside the counter window

Shutter release: on the top late, w/ cable release socket

Frame counter: decreasing type, manual setting, press the button beside the counter window, and simultaneously pull rightward the button on the backside of the top plate

Viewfinder: Optical projected view frame type coupled with rangefinder light yellow glass, Coupled rangefinder is diamond shape

**There was an auxiliary finder for wide and tele-lenses

Exposure meter: Uncoupled Selenium cell light meter, w/ a pop-up lid on it, for allowing the measurement of incident light, exposure meter reading in Light Values (LV)

Film speed range: 5-3200 ASA, setting: the dial windows on the exposure setting dial

Metering range: 2-18 LV

Exposure setting: set the film speed by turning the ASA /DIN dial on top of the exposure setting dial, open the light cover, match the black and red needles in the window just beside the exposure setting dial, by turning the dial, then read the light value on the dial, then set the LV dial on the speed ring as a same LV number on the dial. If exposure meter window is closed use green dial marks, otherwise use red dial marks

Light Values (LV) system: lever of LVS lock is the aperture setting lever also, engaged to speed ring notches, so locks the shutter and aperture into combination which moves together, at the pre-selected light value, and when you move to a larger f/stop, the shutter speed automatically shifts to a higher speed too. The LV scale and lock are on the bottom side of the shutter.

Re-wind knob: on the left of the top-plate

Re-wind release: by a knob on the bottom plate

Flash PC socket: on the bottom side of lens-shutter barrel, flash sync up to the maximum speed, green setting lever for X and M on the right lower side of the the lens-shutter barrel

Cold-shoe

Memory dial : on the rewind knob

Self-timer: by green setting lever on the right lower side of the the lens-shutter barrel, set to V

Front cover opening: by a knob on the front cover, closing: first the focus must be on the inf., then push the big silver buttons on the back side of the lens-shutter barrel

Back cover: hinged, opening: turn the small arrow on the tripod socket plate, then press the small button visible under it

Engraving on back cover: Kodak Retina Camera

Tripod socket: 1/4''

Locating hole for accessories on the bottom plate

Strap lugs

Body: die cast aluminum alloy, Weight: 694g

serial no. EK 250052

Front component of the lens is interchangeable with 35mm f/4 Retina Curtar Xenon C and 80mm f/4 Retina Longar Xenon C lenses.

The most sophisticated of the folding Retinas and many consider it is the best of all folding 35mm cameras. It has the reputation of an overly complicated internal construction.

Kodak Retina IIIC (upper case C) with multi-frame adapter was next to IIIc, and produced between 1958-61.

more info: Kodak Classics by Mischa Koning, Cameraquest by Stephen Gandy, Photoetnography by Karen Nakamura, Camerapedia

 

Piper Alpha was a North Sea oil production platform operated by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd.

 

The platform began production in 1976, first as an oil-only platform and later converted to add gas production. An explosion, and the resulting oil and gas fires, destroyed it on 6 July 1988, killing 167, including two crewmen of a rescue vessel; 61 survived.

 

The total insured loss was about £1.7 billion (US$3.4 billion). At the time of the disaster, the platform accounted for approximately ten percent of North Sea oil and gas production, and the accident was the worst offshore oil disaster in terms of lives lost and industry impact.

 

The Kirk of St Nicholas in Union Street, Aberdeen has dedicated a chapel in memory of those who perished and there is a memorial sculpture in the Rose Garden of Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen. Thirty bodies were never recovered.

 

During the late 1970s, major works were carried out to enable the platform to meet UK Government gas export requirements and after this work had been completed, Piper Alpha was operating in what was known as phase 2 mode (operating with the Gas Conservation Module (GCM)) since the end of 1980 up until July 1988; phase 2 mode was its normal operating state. In the late 1980s, major construction, maintenance and upgrade works had been planned by Occidental and by July 1988, the rig was already well into major work activities, with six major projects identified including the change-out of the GCM unit which meant that the rig had been put back into its initial phase 1 mode (i.e. operating without a GCM unit).

 

Despite the complex and demanding work schedule, Occidental made the decision to continue operating the platform in phase 1 mode throughout this period and not to shut it down, as had been originally planned. The planning and controls that were put in place were thought to be adequate. Therefore, Piper continued to export oil at just under 120,000 barrels per day and to export Tartan gas at some 33 MMSCFD (million standard cubic feet per day) during this demanding period.

 

Because the platform was completely destroyed, and many of those involved died, analysis of events can only suggest a possible chain of events based on known facts. Some witnesses to the events question the official timeline.

 

12:00 noon Two condensate pumps, designated A and B, displaced the platform's condensate for transport to the coast. On the morning of 6 July, Pump A's pressure safety valve (PSV #504) was removed for routine maintenance. The pump's two-yearly overhaul was planned but had not started. The open condensate pipe was temporarily sealed with a disk cover (flat metal disc also called a blind flange or blank flange). Because the work could not be completed by 6:00 p.m., the disc cover remained in place. It was hand-tightened only. The on-duty engineer filled in a permit which stated that Pump A was not ready and must not be switched on under any circumstances.

6:00 p.m. The day shift ended, and the night shift started with 62 men running Piper Alpha. As he found the on-duty custodian busy, the engineer neglected to inform him of the condition of Pump A. Instead he placed the permit in the control centre and left. This permit disappeared and was not found. Coincidentally there was another permit issued for the general overhaul of Pump A that had not yet begun.

 

7:00 p.m. Like many other offshore platforms, Piper Alpha had an automatic fire-fighting system, driven by both diesel and electric pumps (the latter were disabled by the initial explosions). The diesel pumps were designed to suck in large amounts of sea water for fire fighting; the pumps had an automatic control to start them in case of fire (although they could not be remotely started from the control room in an emergency). However, the fire-fighting system was under manual control on the evening of 6 July: the Piper Alpha procedure adopted by the Offshore Installation Manager(OIM) required manual control of the pumps whenever divers were in the water (as they were for approximately 12 hours a day during summer) although in reality, the risk was not seen as significant for divers unless a diver was closer than 10–15 feet (3–5 m) from any of the four 120 feet (40 m) level caged intakes.

 

A recommendation from an earlier audit had suggested that a procedure be developed to keep the pumps in automatic mode if divers were not working in the vicinity of the intakes as was the practice on the Claymore platform, but this was never developed or implemented.

9:45 p.m. Because of problems with the methanol system earlier in the day, methane clathrate (a flammable ice) had started to accumulate in the gas compression system pipework, causing a blockage. Due to this blockage, condensate (natural gas liquids NGL) Pump B stopped and could not be restarted. As the entire power supply of the offshore construction work depended on this pump, the manager had only a few minutes to bring the pump back online, otherwise the power supply would fail completely. A search was made through the documents to determine whether Condensate Pump A could be started.

 

9:52 p.m. The permit for the overhaul was found, but not the other permit stating that the pump must not be started under any circumstances due to the missing safety valve. The valve was in a different location from the pump and therefore the permits were stored in different boxes, as they were sorted by location. None of those present were aware that a vital part of the machine had been removed. The manager assumed from the existing documents that it would be safe to start Pump A. The missing valve was not noticed by anyone, particularly as the metal disc replacing the safety valve was several metres above ground level and obscured by machinery.

 

9:55 p.m. First Explosion Condensate Pump A was switched on. Gas flowed into the pump, and because of the missing safety valve, produced an overpressure which the loosely fitted metal disc did not withstand.

Gas audibly leaked out at high pressure, drawing the attention of several men and triggering six gas alarms including the high level gas alarm. Before anyone could act, the gas ignited and exploded, blowing through the firewall made up of 2.5 by 1.5 m (8 by 5 ft) panels bolted together, which were not designed to withstand explosions. The custodian pressed the emergency stop button, closing huge valves in the sea lines and ceasing all oil and gas extraction.

Theoretically, the platform would then have been isolated from the flow of oil and gas and the fire contained. However, because the platform was originally built for oil, the firewalls were designed to resist fire rather than withstand explosions. The first explosion broke the firewall and dislodged panels around Module (B). One of the flying panels ruptured a small condensate pipe, creating another fire.

 

10:04 p.m. The control room of Piper Alpha was abandoned. "Mayday" was signalled via radio by radio operator David Kinrade. Piper Alpha'sdesign made no allowances for the destruction of the control room, and the platform's organisation disintegrated. No attempt was made to use loudspeakers or to order an evacuation.

Emergency procedures instructed personnel to make their way to lifeboat stations, but the fire prevented them from doing so. Instead many of the men moved to the fireproofed accommodation block beneath the helicopter deck to await further instructions. Wind, fire and smoke prevented helicopter landings and no further instructions were given, with smoke beginning to seep into the personnel block.

As the crisis mounted, two men donned protective gear and attempted to reach the diesel pumping machinery below decks and activate the firefighting system. They were never seen again.

The fire would have burnt out were it not being fed with oil from both Tartan and the Claymore platforms, the resulting back pressure forcing fresh fuel out of ruptured pipework on Piper, directly into the heart of the fire. The Claymore platform continued pumping oil until the second explosion because the manager had no permission from the Occidental control centre to shut down. Also, the connecting gas pipeline to Tartan continued to pump, as its manager had been directed by his superior. The reason for this procedure was the huge cost of such a shut down. It would have taken several days to restart production after a stop, with substantial financial consequences.

Gas pipelines of both 16 in (41 cm) and 18 in (46 cm) diameter ran to Piper Alpha. Two years earlier Occidental management ordered a study, the results of which warned of the dangers of these gas lines. Because of their length and diameter, it would have taken several hours to reduce their pressure, which meant fighting a fire fuelled by them would have been all but impossible. Although the management admitted how devastating a gas explosion would be, Claymore and Tartan were not switched off with the first emergency call.

 

10:05 p.m. The Search and Rescue station at RAF Lossiemouth receives the first call notifying them of the possibility of an emergency, and a No. 202 Sqn Sea King helicopter, "Rescue 138", takes off at the request of the Coastguardstation at Aberdeen. The station at RAF Boulmer is also notified, and a Hawker Siddeley Nimrod from RAF Kinloss is sent to the area to act as "On-Scene Commander" and "Rescue Zero-One".

 

10:20 p.m. Tartan Gas Line Rupture Tartan's gas line (pressurised to 120 Atmospheres) melted and ruptured, releasing 15-30 tonnes of high pressure gas every second, which immediately ignited. From that moment on, the platform's destruction was assured.

10:30 p.m. The Tharos, a large semi-submersible fire fighting, rescue and accommodation vessel, drew alongside Piper Alpha. The Tharos used its water cannon where it could, but it was restricted, because the cannon was so powerful it would injure or kill anyone hit by the water.

 

10:50 p.m. MCP-01 Gas Line Rupture The second gas line ruptured (the riser for the MCP-01 platform), ejecting millions of cubic feet of gas into the conflagration and increased its intensity. Huge flames shot over 300 ft (90 m) in the air. The Tharos was driven off by the fearsome heat, which began to melt the surrounding machinery and steelwork. It was only after this explosion that the Claymore platform stopped pumping oil. Personnel still left alive were either desperately sheltering in the scorched, smoke-filled accommodation block or leaping from the various deck levels, including the helideck, 175 ft (50 m) into the North Sea. The explosion also killed two crewmen on a fast rescue boat launched from the standby vessel Sandhaven and the six Piper Alpha crewmen they had rescued from the water.

 

11:18 p.m. Claymore Gas Line Rupture The gas pipeline connecting Piper Alpha to the Claymore Platform ruptured, adding even more fuel to the already massive firestorm that engulfed Piper Alpha.

 

11:35 p.m. Helicopter "Rescue 138" from Lossiemouth arrives at the scene.

11:37 p.m. Tharos contacts Nimrod "Rescue Zero-One" to appraise him of the situation. A standby vessel has picked up 25 casualties, including three with serious burns, and one with an injury. Tharos requests the evacuation of its non-essential personnel to make room for incoming casualties. "Rescue 138" is requested to evacuate 12 non-essential personnel from Tharos to transfer to Ocean Victory, before returning with paramedics.

 

11:50 p.m. With critical support structures burned away, and with nothing to support the heavier structures on top, the platform began to collapse. One of the cranes collapsed, followed by the drilling derrick. The generation and utilities Module (D), which included the fireproofed accommodation block, slipped into the sea, taking the crewmen huddled inside with it. The largest part of the platform followed it. "Rescue 138" lands on Tharos and picks up the 12 non-essential personnel, before leaving for Ocean Victory.

 

11:55 p.m. "Rescue 138" arrives at Ocean Victory and lands the 12 passengers before returning to Tharos with 4 of Ocean Victory's paramedics.

  

00:07 a.m., 7 July "Rescue 138" lands paramedics on Ocean Victory.

00:17 a.m. "Rescue 138" winches up serious burns casualties picked up by the Standby Safety Vessel, MV Silver Pit.

00:25 a.m. First seriously-injured survivor of Piper Alpha is winched aboard "Rescue 138".

00:45 a.m. The entire platform had gone. Module (A) was all that remained of Piper Alpha.

00:48 a.m. "Rescue 138" lands on Tharos with three casualties picked up from MV Silver Pit.

00:58 a.m. Civilian Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of Bristow Helicopters arrives at Tharos from Aberdeen with Medical Emergency Team.

01:47 a.m. Coastguard helicopter land on Tharos with more casualties.

02:25 a.m. First helicopter leaves Tharos with casualties for Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

03:27 a.m. "Rescue 138" lands on Tharos with the bodies of two fatalities. "Rescue 138" then leaves to refuel on the drilling rig Santa Fe 140.

05:15 a.m. "Rescue 137" arrives at Tharos and after landing, then leaves taking casualties to Aberdeen.

06:21 a.m. Uninjured survivors of Piper Alphaleave Tharos by civilian S-61 helicopter for Aberdeen.

07:25 a.m. "Rescue 138" picks up remaining survivors from Tharos for transfer to Aberdeen.

At the time of the disaster 226 people were on the platform; 165 died and 61 survived. Two men from the Standby Vessel Sandhaven were also killed.

During some of our visit there was a blockage along Marnixstraat so trams on routes 5 and 7 were diverted along Bilderdijkstraat along which street 2202 is seen at the Overtoom tram stop

Setting off from Craven Arms, 37375 and 37174 get their steel empties under way, being routed via the Central Wales line, due to a blockage of the line at Cardiff.

I recently shared a number of my 1:76 scale Scottish emergency service models. In response to my pictures, someone kindly linked me to a website where I found these 3D printed figures. Depicting both an Ambulance crew with patient and trolley and Scenes of Crime Officers with a “victim” and PC figure.

 

These figures came unpainted which enabled me to paint the Ambulance crew into the old Irish Green A&E uniform of the Scottish Ambulance Service, with little dots of blue and white on the arms and chest for the star of life and NHS Scotland badges. The SOCO’s are in white PPE suits with light blue boot covers and surgical masks and dark blue nitrile gloves. Our victim wears a bloodied leather jacket, jeans and red Converse - I was proud of getting a tiny white line below the red 😂. Finally the female Strathclyde Police Officer who I’ve painted wearing the more modern stab vest with blue and silver Battenberg markings.

 

I’m really happy with how these have turned out. I might come back to them with a better caucasian flesh coloured paint, but I’m still very pleased.

 

Pictured are three different scenes. At first I decided to shoot the SAS crew at Hospital then a street setting for the murder investigation. After reviewing those pictures I came back to the street scene to get some shots of all of the new figures together. I hope you enjoy seeing them. The Hospital diorama is named Mossend District General Hospital and utilises the Kingsway Models kit build of Holby City Emergency Department from the BBC’s Casualty tv show. The second layout uses a number of kit build buildings to create a basic street scene.

 

Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services in Scotland are provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), a special Health Board of the greater National Health Service (NHS) Scotland. SAS provides these services throughout all of mainland Scotland and the Islands. Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Accident & Emergency branch, providing Double Crewed Ambulances typically formed of a Paramedic and Technician, but which can be formed of double Tech or Para crews. Single Paramedics in cars, motorbikes or bicycles are Paramedic Response Units, used to provide immediate pre-hospital care to patients, or treating and discharging at scene. Also part of the A&E branch is the Urgent Tier service, using crews formed of an Ambulance Technician and Care Assistant, Urgent Tier convey patients who have been urgently referred to Hospital. The patients General Practitioner can request admission within a 1-4 hour timeframe. As such Urgent Tier vehicles use their emergency warning systems less than standard A&E crews. Due to the presence of a qualified Technician however UT resources can be used as a first responder to immediately life threatening calls.

 

SAS also has an Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (ScotSTAR), bringing Medical and Nursing care to patients as they transfer between Hospitals. Scotland is the only part of the UK to provide fully government funded Air Ambulance services, with two fixed wing and two rotary aircraft. They are assisted by the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance who provide additional cover with two helicopters of their own.

 

Special Operations Response Team (SORT) provide an emergency response to complex rescue, CBRN, terrorist attacks and other such incidents.

 

Scheduled Care is provided by the Patient Transport Service, the non-emergency branch of SAS. Using a variety of vehicles from cars, people carriers, minibuses and minibus conversion ambulances, PTS provides transport to and from outpatient clinics, for planned admissions and discharges. Staff crewing PTS vehicles are called Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA). They are experts in moving and handling, whereas A&E crews frequently remove patients from houses using equipment such as carry chairs, ACA’s must be adept at taking their patients back up stairs as well as extrications.

 

As with the majority of healthcare in Scotland, ambulance and emergency medical services are free at the point of use. Funded by National Insurance contributions made by those in work, Scots are extremely proud and defensive of our NHS. We generally believe that everyone should pay towards the common fund to ensure no-one has their life destroyed by medical costs, as illness and injury are not a choice. Having worked in the NHS and with SAS myself, I have resuscitated a man having a heart attack, conveyed him to Hospital, watched as Coronary Care staff removed the blockage from his artery and left the man sitting up in bed in CCU. Knowing that he will be repatriated to his nearest General Hospital for Coronary Rehab and will go home to ongoing care in the community. That man could take time to recover, safe in the knowledge that no crippling bill or endless fights with healthcare insurance would befall him. That is our NHS, that is why we love it and cannot understand the US system.

The 1E64 1745 Reading - Newcastle is seen passing through Rotherham Central , regularly routed this way rather than Meadowhall , handy route knowledge for the driver given the recent Sunday blockage around the Meadowhall area .

The new Platform 3 and 4 are seen which were built for the Tram/Tram Supertram extension to Parkgate .

In the background is New York Stadium home to Rotherham United F.C.

 

21 1 19

I shall keep the exact location secret but York Caving Club have been exploring underground passages here, they even have cables laid to run a pump which can reduce water levels in some sections.

Below is a river-worn cave system extending to over 3km of interlinked passageways. At present there's an unsurmountable blockage to go further.

yorkcavingclub.org.uk/projects/