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The coolest place to skate in Etobicoke
Newspaper review article:
news.nationalpost.com/2010/12/18/skate-across-toronto-sam...
Fui taggeada -há milênios- pelo Mundo e pela Andy, mas minha disposição só me permitiu fazer a tag agora, sorry. x.x' Ah mas, obrigada por me marcar, pessoal! :3 Embora eu tenha preguiça eu gosto muito de fazer as tags. ^^
Questões:
• Pergunta simples: Como você está?
Já estive melhor... Me sinto reflexiva, desanimada e um pouco melancólica. =/
• Qual o significado atrás do seu nome no Flickr?
Poucos aqui devem saber, mas meu nome não é Lina. "Costa" é de fato meu sobrenome, mas o 'nome' Lina eu adaptei usando a primeira silaba dos meus dois nomes próprios (Lívia Nair), que é mais curto e prático que ficar assinando dois nomes + sobrenome. Depois descobri que esse nome existia mesmo, mas quando criei o nickname de "Lina" eu era criança ainda, e surgiu da frustação de não haver outro apelido para Lívia senão "Lili", que por sinal não gosto desse apelido. :P
Agora quase todo que faço assino como "Lina Costa". ^^
• Sexualidade?
Hétero e fujoshi :3
• Estilo?
Quanto a forma de me vestir, eu diria que sou bem eclética. Têm alguns estilos passados (anos 70 ~ 90 ) com influência no rock principalmente, que gosto muito, mas é difícil achar roupas e acessórios legais inspirados nessas épocas que não sejam fantasias... :P Fora isso tudo, no meu dia a dia prezo meu conforto e praticidade, e nada que fuja muito do básico. Quanto ao estilo de vida eu diria que tenho um jeito peculiar de ser. Ou não.
• De que forma colecionar bonecas influencia sua vida?
MUITO! Talvez, até mais do que eu possa perceber. Principalmente porque minhas fases "brincar de boneca" e "colecionar boneca" aconteceram sem pausa. Eu sempre tive bonecas de várias etnias, com gêneros e sexualidade distintos, e isso me fez entender, respeitar e valorizar as diferenças desde muito cedo. E eu adoro ter essa diversidade! *-* Bonecas são a certeza de divertimento garantido, de um mundo bem particular que tudo funciona da maneira que quero. Graças as elas, surgiu o interesse de tirar fotos, costurar, montar cenários, sempre procurar alguma coisa para acrescentar no hobby, gastar dinheiro, falir e o melhor pude conhecer outras pessoas que compartilham a mesma paixão. :3 Ou seja, não me sinto tããão doida. :P Enfim, minha história com bonecas é uma coisa bem profunda e louca, é uma motivação que toma uma parte relativa do meu tempo e dinheiro, mas que me traz satisfação maior ainda. ♥
• O que sua família pensa sobre você como um colecionador de bonecas?
Meus pais me apoiam e me entendem, e tenho uma tia bem próxima que costuma me ajudar também. As vezes eles só não entendem a necessidade e urgência de ter tal boneca que custa tal valor, ou porque ter tantas bonecas que parecem "iguais"... Nem tudo é perfeito, né! :P Se não fosse o apoio deles, sem dúvidas eu não teria nem um terço das dolls e afins que eu tenho hoje, visto que eu ainda sou estudante e de qualquer forma, indireta ou diretamente, acaba sobrando para eles. :P
• Maior medo?
Alguns medos básicos como pavor de aranha e filme de terror com fantasmas, assombrações e macabrices. Isso me deixa sem dormir por dias! Mas o maior medo sem dúvidas e ficar sem as pessoas que são mais importantes para mim. Isso sim me dá calafrios só de pensar! T^T
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Novos marcados ao lado. E quem fez a tag e queira fazer, sinta-se marcado. ^w^
57316 wins the race against A55 traffic at Mochdre 21 April 2008. Shouldn't he be stopping the onboard computers going into meltdown, rather than watching me?!
The Luton Park mountain bike trail in Kent County is a popular outdoor destination for all of those stay-at-homers who are prohibited from playing golf by order of our governor on a nice sunny day in Michigan.
Portrait of a Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) on an urban wetland in southwest Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
19 May, 2017.
Slide # GWB_20170519_8651.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
E.X.P.L.O.R.E Dec 22, 2007 #92
I Hope your holiday is great and your New Year a prosperous one. May you be blessed with all things bright and beautiful at Christmastime and Always.
Merry Christmas ...
and all the happiness you could wish for.
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São 365 dias no ano, mas como eles passam rápido! Talvez tenhamos a impressão que os dias parecem suspiros... Suspiros estes que não nos permitem oxigenar todo o nosso corpo. Não é essa a sensação que temos?
Será que o tempo é curto mesmo, ou somos nós que não estamos prestando atenção em nosso tempo? Quem não ouviu aquela frase que diz assim: depois dos 15, tudo passa rápido. Será mesmo? Ou simplesmente perdemos a magia, a magia de viver, de sonhar, de querer, de ser algo maior... A sensação que tenho, é que estamos todos apontando para o futuro... Mas que futuro é este? Alguém sabe me dizer? Nem os astrólogos, os profetas e os tarólogos podem dizer... O futuro é VOCÊ quem faz, está em suas mãos escolher o que é melhor para você!
Aproveito este momento em que o ano termina e se inicia mais uma etapa em nossas vidas, para desejar aos meus amigos do FLICKR, um AGORA maravilhoso!!!
Pense no seu momento, ele é único e se inicia a cada dia, dando a oportunidade de você realizar todos os seus desejos. Ame hoje, viva hoje, coma o que goste hoje, celebre hoje, realize hoje!!! Está aí a oportunidade de ser feliz!!! Não faça dos seus dias um suspiro, mas uma ventania de oportunidades e saiba que você é muito especial!!!!
Feliz dia de HOJE, Feliz Natal e Ano Novo!!!
São os votos sinceros de sua amiga de hoje e hoje,
Bianca.
Texto: Bia Nunes.
A classe política aparenta receio em debater e aprovar uma reforma que permita, efetivamente, superar as deficiências e vícios do modelo institucional brasileiro. É uma promessa de mais de dez anos, e cada vez que o tema é retomado a expectativa é de mais um fracasso.
Desta vez, no entanto, o debate e a ação dos parlamentares se tornam imperiosas e há boas perspectivas de se concretizar a reforma. O tema volta com força ao Congresso, por iniciativa dos presidentes da Câmara e do Senado, e com o apoio da grande maioria dos parlamentares. Foi retomado gradualmente após as manifestações populares de protesto, realizadas em junho do ano passado, em todo o país.
A situação anterior resulta da desatenção da classe política em relação a uma necessidade premente e antiga, que poderia melhorar o nível da política brasileira, e da falta de coragem para enfrentá-la. A reforma política, inclusive, favorece o relacionamento entre os brasileiros e seus representantes institucionais, os parlamentares. Enfim, a reforma cuida do aperfeiçoamento e fortalecimento das instituições democráticas do país.
Os políticos consideram que algumas decisões passíveis de acontecer no conjunto da reforma acabarão por prejudicá-los, e por isso as rejeitam, antecipadamente.
Isso decorre do baixo conceito que a classe desfruta na opinião pública, em função de alguns escândalos, e receio de que tal situação possa se agravar. Dessa forma, evitar propostas que imaginam prejudiciais a eles próprios passaria a ser prioridade.
Um exemplo é o do voto facultativo, que as pesquisas de opinião indicam ter preferência popular, e muitos políticos concordam com o sistema, vigente nas maiores democracias do mundo. Afinal, atende ao princípio de que nada pode ser obrigatório num regime de plena liberdade.
Sem a obrigatoriedade menos cidadãos iriam às urnas, suspeitam muitos políticos, e com isso o processo eleitoral seria prejudicado, assim como eles próprios, os candidatos. Esquecem que ocorre também o contrário: quem votar, mesmo sem ser a isso obrigado por uma lei, demonstra efetivo interesse de participar do processo político. Nessa conjuntura, o universo de votantes pode ser menor, mas superior em índice de qualidade e responsabilidade política.
O fim do voto secreto nos Legislativos parece próximo, decisão motivada por fatos ligados à conduta de alguns parlamentares, e em atendimento a uma exigência da sociedade. Há quem admita a ressalva pela manutenção do voto secreto em casos que possam resultar retaliação posterior ao parlamentar que votar contra interesses do Poder. Parlamentar de valor, no entanto, não há de ter medo de pressão alguma.
A reeleição é outro ponto polêmico. Ela pode permitir que um bom governo se repita, para benefício da comunidade, mas também dificulta a renovação de valores e consolida grupos dominantes no Poder. Isso em detrimento da renovação de protagonistas e de ideias, tanto na política como na administração pública.
Além do mais, um candidato à reeleição tem sempre um ponto de partida mais favorável do que seus concorrentes a um cargo público, pois a estrutura administrativa e política do cargo em disputa já estão sob sua liderança há mais tempo.
A cláusula de desempenho, embora pareça extremamente rigorosa, ao criar mais exigências para a criação de novos partidos, visa impedir o surgimento das chamadas legendas de aluguel, ou de natureza oportunista, que defendem princípios vagos e personagens sem a devida qualificação para a vida pública. Na atualidade, o Brasil tem mais de 30 partidos políticos, muitos sem expressão popular. Desta forma, fica aberto o caminho para eventual eleição de candidatos despreparados.
A lista fechada que assegura ao comando partidário a indicação de candidatos dificulta o aparecimento de novos valores, às vezes sendo essa mesmo a intenção dos caciques da legenda, na tentativa de perpetuar os grupos dominantes no poder. A lista aberta é mais democrática e atende às variadas orientações partidárias, devidamente representadas. Esse é mais um tema polêmico a ser decidido pelo Congresso.
O modelo de financiamento de campanhas é dos temas mais relevantes da reforma por envolver finanças e poderio econômico. Se não houver controle legal o poder econômico pode subjugar a atividade política, subvertendo valores, Há o risco, no caso, de que o dinheiro passe a valer mais do que a consciência e o interesse público. A dúvida maior, no caso, é entre o financiamento público e o privado, que pode resultar na prevalência de um modelo misto. Trata-se de um dos aspectos mais polêmicos da reforma política.
A fidelidade partidária e o voto distrital são temas importantes que também estão merecendo definição dos parlamentares envolvidos no debate da reforma política. É preciso que atuemos com coragem e determinação para que as deficiências da legislação sejam resolvidas e a atividade política tenha futuro mais promissor. Inclusive para melhorar a avaliação da classe política pela população.
Agora devemos realmente debater e realizar a reforma política, em favor do aperfeiçoamento das instituições democráticas de nosso país.
Basta de adiamentos e indecisões.
(more details later, as time permits)
********************************
When we first arrived in Rapid City, South Dakota for a family reunion in July 2015, we stayed at the main downtown “Alex Johnson” hotel; and we walked along Sixth Street to dinner that evening with two of our family members. On the way back after dinner, I happened to notice the garish glow of graffiti on a side alley next to the hotel, and I took a couple of quick photos in the twilight, thinking that it might be worth exploring in more detail the next day.
Indeed, I did go back for a quick second look the next morning, but then we had to pack up and check out of the hotel, in order to drive to the rendezvous point near Spearfish (near Deadwood and Sturgis, and in the general vicinity of Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills) where dozens of members of our extended family were planning to meet us. But when the reunion was over a few days later we drove back to Rapid City, and changed our hotel plans in order to stay at the Alex Johnson for one last night before our early flight back to New York City the next morning.
As a result, I had time for a much more thorough walk-through of the alley and its rich display of art on my final afternoon. I asked the front-desk clerk at the hotel if she knew anything about it, and she pointed me to a young man at the valet parking desk near the front entrance; there I learned that Rapid City is one of only three such spots in the country, where artist-inspired graffiti is not only tolerated, but legally allowed. Here is the website that explains more:
www.visitrapidcity.com/things-to-do/arts-culture/art-alle...
The Website provides much more detail, and in much more cogent form, than I could in these notes; so if you’re curious, I urge you to click on the link. But if you would like to see what the art looks like, in all its vivid colors, take a look at the images in this album.
December 30, 2015
"Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do." - Michel de Montaigne
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The snow hasn't kept everyone inside where the heat happens to be, some are still out and praising those who have full feeders (I'm assuming).
I was stalking squirrels and pigeons this morning, but around 1:00 this afternoon the bird showed up. I could see the chickadees from my dining room window so I slipped on a pair of shoes and ventured outside and to my surprise there was a woodpecker and a few nuthatches out as well!
I didn't manage a decent nuthatch shot, but managed three photos I had a hard time choosing from, and so, as often happens when choosing gets hard, it was time for a triptych!
Hope everyone has had a good day.
Click "L" for a larger view.
Tenía dos Portra 400 comprados en su dia frescos pero que finalmente caducaron 07/2019 y los hice este verano y poco después el otro. Esta foto en concreto está hecha con la lente de aproximación Rolleinar I que permite una distancia de enfoque mínimo de 45cm.
Cámara:Rolleiflex Xenar 75mm 3.5 + Rolleinar I
Película: Kodak Portra
ISO: 400
Velocidad del obturador: 1 seg
Apertura: f5.6
Distancia Focal: 75mm
Even though Wales is currently in the midst of one of the most rigorous lockdowns in Western Europe daily exercise is allowed. When the sun shone this morning I was out like a shot to take a walk along the Montgomery Canal between Welshpool and Pool Quay. Perfect conditions.
(more details later, as time permits)
********************************
When we first arrived in Rapid City, South Dakota for a family reunion in July 2015, we stayed at the main downtown “Alex Johnson” hotel; and we walked along Sixth Street to dinner that evening with two of our family members. On the way back after dinner, I happened to notice the garish glow of graffiti on a side alley next to the hotel, and I took a couple of quick photos in the twilight, thinking that it might be worth exploring in more detail the next day.
Indeed, I did go back for a quick second look the next morning, but then we had to pack up and check out of the hotel, in order to drive to the rendezvous point near Spearfish (near Deadwood and Sturgis, and in the general vicinity of Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills) where dozens of members of our extended family were planning to meet us. But when the reunion was over a few days later we drove back to Rapid City, and changed our hotel plans in order to stay at the Alex Johnson for one last night before our early flight back to New York City the next morning.
As a result, I had time for a much more thorough walk-through of the alley and its rich display of art on my final afternoon. I asked the front-desk clerk at the hotel if she knew anything about it, and she pointed me to a young man at the valet parking desk near the front entrance; there I learned that Rapid City is one of only three such spots in the country, where artist-inspired graffiti is not only tolerated, but legally allowed. Here is the website that explains more:
www.visitrapidcity.com/things-to-do/arts-culture/art-alle...
The Website provides much more detail, and in much more cogent form, than I could in these notes; so if you’re curious, I urge you to click on the link. But if you would like to see what the art looks like, in all its vivid colors, take a look at the images in this album.
If you don't like long stories, then this is NOT the image for you. Fair warning proffered.
Destination "The Wave". I'd been trying to get permits to go here for the better part of a year, and when the morning finally arrived, Steve Turner and I decided we wanted to hit the trail right at first light. My "Moons over myHammy" from Denny's took a little longer than normal to process, so we were not the first people on the trail. There were some navigational failures by the couple in front of us, however, so we WERE the first people into the fabled Wave. What a spot. You could shoot 10 memory cards full here and still have some creative juice flowing, and we had it all to ourselves! I got 6 shots before it happened. Six. Shots. Not six cards full. Six frames. I had a massive failure of my tripod ballhead.
It started several days before on the first leg of my week-long shooting journey. When I had arrived in Cali to hate on Jim Patterson, Kendra, Jave, Diego, and Josh Cripps, I noticed that the friction of my ballhead wouldn't really release. I'd had this problem before, and I knew that with enough manipulating, it would eventually free up. Jim was most helpful in suggesting that I should just go home. It was stiff enough that I considered buying a new one in Vegas the next day before I headed out on the rest of my trip, but finally decided that I could make due.
It continued like this for days, in and out of some rugged country. My ballhead and I had reached a sort of grudging mutual respect. I realized that it was annoyed with me, but if I applied enough brute force, it would bend to my will. The night before the Wave Day, however, were the most brutal conditions I've ever shot in. 50+mph winds whipping White Pocket sand up, down, through, and between every single inch of gear and photographer. I left my camera in the bag, save for one shot, but my poor tripod had nowhere to hide and was exposed to the whole thing.
Flash forward back to The Wave, and I can hear sand grinding in my tripod legs, head, pivots.... everywhere. No matter, I think, she'll get a good cleaning as soon as I finish here, as it was back to the airport that evening to head to work. My ballhead had other ideas. The friction lock.... er.... locked. Like wouldn't budge. No way, no how, no sir. You simply could not twist it.
No problem you say, the ballhead was really stiff anyway, right? Wrong. The conspiracy was complete. Simultaneously with the friction lock failing, the ballhead decided to go fully loose. It was just flopping in the breeze. No amount of Viagra was going to get this puppy upright. He was just plain spent.
Steve and I tried everything. I had sticks, plastic, Famous Amos (which Steve ALWAYS brings for me) stuck in there, trying to wedge it upright to no avail. I figured if I could just get it to stay flat, I could adjust my tripod legs enough to be able to shoot, albeit with less than creative angles. Nothing was helping. I had been waiting a year to be here, and I was going to have to hand-hold my shots. I suck WITH a tripod, imagine how bad things are going to be without one. Oh, and I don't have grads, so I NEED to blend images 90 percent of the time.
If you haven't been paying attention, start now, because here is where things get good. Steve, who is kind enough to stop and consider my plight, suggests that we have been going about this all wrong. What we need is something to wrap around the neck enough to immobilize the tripod head. I wouldn't be able to move it, but perhaps it would support the weight of the camera. But what to use? Its a 6 mile round trip to the car, and 3 hours round trip from there back to Page. I just wouldn't have time. That's when it happened.
Steve: "WAIT! I can use a diaper!".
Me: "A what?"
Steve: "Yeah, I think my diaper will work!".
(Produces a diaper).
Now, a lot of questions were going through my mind.
1) Why does Steve have a diaper? I mean, he's not THAT old.
2) Far be it from me to cast stones, as I've had my share of adult potty accidents in my life, but what if he NEEDS this diaper. Do I really want to deprive him of its use just for a few shots? I DO have to ride back with him in the car, after all.
Finally, my desperation cast care to the wind, and we wrapped the crap out of that diaper around the neck of my tripod (pardon the pun). Lo and behold... it worked. Sort of. I just needed to NOT TOUCH anything, and it would stay reasonably stable.
Not wanting to push my luck, we set off to find the shots that we REALLY wanted. I didn't know how many images that diaper would be good for, so I didn't want to put any more strain on it than necessary. So we found this spot and camped on it.... for 6 hours. When the light finally came, it was worth it. SOOO worth it. I have never been so thankful for Steve and whatever intestinal issues he has in my life.
Credit for this comp goes to Alex Mody, who was the first person I had seen who shot this place outside of the standard comp, which I also indulged in and might share some day.
I guess I'm not supposed to put my website address here, so it's in My Profile if anyone cares.
P.S. Steve's diaper was one of the old cloth kinds, and I'm pretty sure he uses it to clean his lenses because its soft. It pains me to reveal this, as it was much more fun when I thought of it as a Depends situation, but the guy DID keep me shooting, so I owe him at least that much.
Snuck out early awhile back to get a couple shots as smoke filled the air from the terrible fires in California which makes for some great shots but wish the fires were not the cause. The California fires put out a lot of smoke and destroyed towns and ranches causing many people to leave their homes and for those our heart goes out. A local news team was out getting ready to do a live report when this shot was taken, thanked them later for adding interest to the photo. My wife is doing very well and a hearty Thank You to all the well-wishers. Am still very busy and will work on getting caught up as time permits.
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) with an itch finds some relief while feeding in the shallow waters of the shoreline of Reed Lake along the TransCanada Highway east of Herbert, Saskatchewan, Canada.
21 May, 2018.
Slide # GWB_20180521_5298.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
The memorial near Llyn Elsi above Betws-Y-Coed
"A memorial at the northern end of the lake commemorates the fact that Lord Ancaster permitted the building of the dam and the use of the lake as a water supply."
I think I could make better use of my time on land.
Anyway though this was done in the photo studio on my campus. Very professional. Probably a total waste of resources.
Had a little mooch around the Headland earlier. All the gloomy weather is cooking up some interesting looking clouds which make for some interesting long exposure photography.
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) pair on the colony on Bonaventure Island off the Gaspe Peninsula on the east coast of Quebec, Canada.
[Press "L" or left click to view on black]
11 June, 2012.
Slide # GWB_20120611_1666.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
Went to the reserve to see the White Crowed Sparrow today but it did not show. Nice to see this reserve which is not open to the public, only permit holders!
REVISED RESERVE CLOSING TIME STARTING 1st May 2016
Please note the following change in the closing time for the Reserve - From 1st May 2016 the Reserve will close at 20:00 hours, 8:00pm, promptly. The opening time remains at 08:00 hours, 08:00am. Keys obtained with your permits will not operate the locks put in place at closing on the footbridge entrance or the first barrier at the end of Thelwall Lane. Reserve opening and closing times are displayed here on our homepage and on the No3 Bed entrance footbridge gate, please reference this notice on your way in so you are always aware of the Reserve closing time. The gate and barriers will be locked promptly at the stated time please ensure you are off the site before the closing time to prevent being locked in.
Volunteer to help the Reserve
If you wish to assist the Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve with voluntary work please contact our warden John Langley via email john.langley@rspb.org.uk or Mobile 07980 827537
Welcome to Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve
An S.S.S.I. Managed by Woolston Eyes Conservation Group
www.woolstoneyes.com/woolston-eyes/who-are-we/
1. Who are the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group?
The WECG
Woolston Eyes Conservation Group, a voluntary organisation formed in 1979, manages the rich and varied wildlife of the deposit grounds with the agreement of the Manchester Ship Canal Company. Its aim is to promote the study and conservation of the wildlife and habitat of the area with particular regard to the ornithology.
The group undertakes management work to preserve or maximise the ornithological value of the Reserve, provides and maintains hides for the use of the public and permit holders, keeps the paths open and discourages disturbance. The group produces an Annual Report which summarises the work carried out and the results obtained including the scientific study of the flora and fauna of the Reserve.
To carry out this work the group raises funds by the sale of Permits, Annual Reports and by applying for grants from various organisations. The Reserve is open from dawn to dusk throughout the year. No.3 bed access requires a permit and key for the vehicle barriers and gated footbridge entrance - see homepage for permit application details.
The group is a registered charity and our charity registration number is 700362.
Officers and Trustees of the W.E.C.G.
ChairmanBrian Ankers
Vice ChairmanDavid Bowman
Treasurer/SecretaryDouglas Buchanan
RecorderBrian Martin
Committee
John Blundell
Kieran Foster
Dave Hackett
John Haddock
Sue Haddock
Alexander Mansfield
Alan Patterson
Dave Riley
David Spencer
Frank Linley, who died in October 2002, was a long-standing member of our committee who made highly significant contributions to the Conservation Group. He played a prominent role in the presentation of Annual Reports and Newsletters, established a database of members and initiated our first website. The new Tower Hide has been dedicated to his memory.
WECG has had the privilege of the support of two nationally respected figures as our patrons. The eminent ornithologist, Chris Mead, who died in January 2003 was for many years Patron of WECG and had visited the site from time to time.
More recently the well known Naturalist and Wildlife Broadcaster Chris Packham has become our patron. Chris is best known as the presenter of the BBC programmes Springwatch and Autumnwatch. He first visited the reserve in 2006 as presenter of the BBC wildlife series Natures Calendar, filming a section for the Spring Wetlands feature.
Chris very kindly gave up his time on a chilly February evening in 2010 to entertain a packed house at Warrington’s Parr Hall with a talk and slideshow of his experiences as a naturalist and photographer in support of the group.
We must also recognise and thank Colin Woolf a leading UK wildlife artist who has generously contributed his wonderful artwork for the covers of our annual reports for a number of years. If you appreciate wildlife and stunning drawings and paintings visit Colin’s website www.wildart.co.uk admire his talent and perhaps invest in an original piece of art yourself?
Access and Permits for Woolston Eyes
A public footpath runs from the end of Weir Lane, along the west side of No.2 bed and the north side of the canal to Thelwall Lane. Access to other parts of the Reserve is strictly limited to permit holders between the hours noted on the entrance gate throughout the year. A permit entitles the holder to visit the Eyes on any number of occasions during the year and to make use of the several hides. Please use the form below when making an application. Maps of the Reserve and the principle site No.3 bed can be viewed or downloaded from the FAQ section on the top menu bar.
Permit Pricing 2016
After managing to keep our permit prices down for the past 8 years, we have reluctantly concluded that, for this coming year, we will need to raise the prices to £15-00 for a single permit and £25-00 for a family permit
The additional funds will enable us to retain the full-time services of our Estate Worker, John Langley. Buying in John’s services from the RSPB has enabled us to tackle many of our outstanding habitat management tasks, to the benefit of both wildlife and visitors. I hope you will feel able to continue supporting us in the future.
Brian Ankers WECG Chairman
The WECG wish to stress to Permit Holders that current winter access hours are 08:00 hours to 16:00 hours with gates to the Reserve and entrance track secured between these times with locks which permit holders do not have keys. The opening and closing times will vary through the year as daylight hours change so please check out the times listed on our homepage and on the entrance gate to No3 bed which will be updated accordingly. We also wish to stress the importance of locking all appropriate gates when entering or leaving the Reserve. The “disappearance” of locks from various sites could lead to insurmountable problems.
Group Visits
Woolston Eyes has become a very popular venue for visits by bird watching groups, and in order to cope efficiently with the demand a ‘Group Visit’ procedure has been established. This should enable us to avoid the situation, which has arisen in the past, where several parties arrive on the same day, causing disturbance to the Reserve and congestion and irritation in the hides.
If you wish to book an outing for your group, or bring a party of your bird watching friends to Woolston please check out the latest group visit schedule listed in the scrolling news section of the hompage then write for a booking form to:
Mrs Rosalind Martin, 45 Albert Road, Grappenhall, Warrington, Cheshire,WA4 2 PF, enclosing an SAE. It is important that at least six weeks notice is given of an intended visit.
A booking fee of £20 is normally charged for groups of up to 10 people. For groups of larger than 10 visitors, there is an additional charge of £2 for each visitor above and beyond the “10”. A warden would be available to lead the visitors if so wished (if not, a key must be obtained beforehand in order to gain access to No 3 bed).
History of the Woolston Eyes Area
Not much is known about the area known as the Eyes before the Middle Ages, but we know people were in the area during the Bronze Age, and that the Anglo-Saxons reached the region around 700 AD. In fact the word ‘Ees’ is Saxon for land near a looping watercourse, so the Germanic settlers must have arrived on the banks of the Mersey about this time. Records begin around 500 years later.
Land ownership in the township of Thelwall was fairly stable between 1300 and 1536. During medieval times a third was owned by the Clayton family and the rest by the priory of Norton. The priors owned the valuable fishing rights for the south side of the River Mersey, which if the catches of 1749 were anything to go by, (19 and 23 pound salmon landed in May of that year) were fairly substantial.
At the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536 all monastic land passed to the crown and all Norton Priory’s former possessions were subsequently sold to the Claytons who thus acquired the whole of Thelwall as a private estate. They sold out to the Brookes, who interestingly had purchased Norton priory itself in the 1530s, and may have been seeking to unite its former possessions. However, they in turn sold Thelwall to the Moores, and it changed hands again to the Pickering family, who probably had control of the land by the 1770s when a bridge over the newly built Bridgewater canal was named after them. Thelwall remained in private hands until the late l9th century, when the township was incorporated into Runcorn District Council.
During the winter months the Mersey flooded across the meadows of Thelwall ( the village itself situated on slightly higher ground ). In the summer it is likely that sheep were grazed on the fertile fields which were probably too wet for arable cultivation in a pre-land drain era. Regular references to the Claytons as being ‘of Shepecrofte’ may point to this.
At the time of the famous salmon hauls of the mid 18th century, certain transformations to the Ees meadows were underway, as the effects of the Industrial Revolution began to be felt. Powder mills with workers cottages were constructed where the north bank of No.2 bed currently stands. Woolston Old Cut was the first navigational improvement undertaken across the north bank of No.3 bed ( just north of where the new weir was recently dug), and had occurred by 1777, as testified to by a map of that date. The short canal, or New Cut, further shortened the journey down the river by cutting out the loop of what is now Nos 3 and 4 beds, and wharves were constructed at the southern end of Weir Lane, for boats and goods to transfer onto the canal. On the South bank of the Mersey stood Statham Chemical works. The powder mills were built in 1755, and lasted exactly a century before, ironically, being destroyed by an explosion.
The major change to the area was the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1896, which radically altered the landscape, beyond simply the imposing presence of the new waterway itself. The long meanders of the Mersey through Statham were cut off and became redundant, as did the old canals to the north and the wharves. The old water meadows largely disappeared under the deposit grounds which were constructed from the 1920’s onwards. The various farmsteads which had managed a living on these lowlands ceased to exist with the arrival of the first dredgings, except for the Wilgreaves’ which continued as a working farm until No.3 bed was constructed upon the site in the late 1950’s .The old farming lifestyle which had existed up to then was swept away.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Tony Usher for his help in getting us started and thanks also to David Bowman, Scott Kennedy and Brian Martin who wrote most of the text.
Habitat
The four beds at Woolston Deposit Grounds SSSI, are managed as a nature reserve by the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group in agreement with the Manchester Ship Canal Company. Parts of the site are still in use to accommodate dredging from the Manchester Ship Canal.
No.1 bed which is to the east of the motorway (the Thelwall Viaduct) consists primarily of rough grassland and willow scrub. Sand extraction has created a number of reedy pools which attract small numbers of Snipe and wild fowl. They are also a regular site for wintering Water Pipits.
No.2 bed is currently being used for pumping dredgings from the canal and is consequently attractive to large numbers of wildfowl. During late summer and early autumn, when water levels are at their lowest, muddy margins can appear which provide loafing areas for wildfowl, gulls and a few waders. Water Rails and the odd Spotted Crake are most easily visible at this time. Most of the water lies on the west side but during pumping the centre and east of the bed, which are predominantly willow scrub and Reed Canary Grass, can also become flooded.
No.3 bed lies to the north of a meander of the river. It has recently been made into an island by the diversion of the river along its north bank. This east side of the bed is shallowly flooded and contains extensive beds of typha and some phragmites. The western half of the bed is covered in dense vegetation, mainly grasses, nettles, thistle and willow scrub. An attempt is being made to introduce flower meadows into this area, to increase the habitat diversity, though it will be a year or two before the benefits are seen.
No.4 bed, to the west of the reserve, also lies between the river and the canal. The dredgings which were pumped onto the bed have now dried out and the silt is being excavated and sold as top dressing. The undisturbed areas of the bed are developing a dense cover of willow scrub, nettle and other rank vegetation.
All the beds are enclosed within steep embankments with rough grassland and scrub. In places taller poplars and willow grow alongside the river whose banks are covered in parts by hawthorn, elder, bramble. These banks are bird-rich at most times of year with late summer warbler flocks and early winter thrush flocks being particularly notable. The river and canal both seem to be benefiting from the slow improvement in water quality. In winter substantial flocks of diving duck, including Tufted Ducks, Pochards, Goldeneyes, Goosanders and the odd Scaup or Smew can reliably be found on the river where it encircles No.3 bed. The rubbish tips at both ends of the reserve have now closed and been capped, with both being attractive to winter feeding finches and pipits.
Bird Species
In all, two hundred and thirty two species have been recorded on the Reserve, including thirteen species of raptor, more than thirty species of wader, all five grebes, the three woodpeckers, and five species of owl. Click here for a full species list
Lying next to the Mersey, the flooded beds inevitably attract large numbers of dabbling ducks moving inland from the estuary. The Mersey Valley Pochard flock also spends time here, making this an excellent place to see winter wildfowl. Typically a thousand or more Teal are present, sometimes several times this figure, with several hundred Mallard and Pochard, a hundred or so Shoveller, Gadwall and Tufted Duck, and from a few dozen to several hundred Pintail. Ruddy Duck were also a regular feature. Other species of wildfowl occur less frequently or in smaller numbers, and scarce or rare species such as Ring-necked Duck, Feruginous and Long-tailed Duck, Green Winged Teal, Common Scoter and Smew have been noted. In late autumn and winter skeins of Pink-footed Geese can often be observed making hard weather movements to the east coast.
The water margins of No.3 bed are an excellent nesting habitat for Black-necked, Great Crested and Little Grebes plus Teal, Shoveller, Mallard, Pochard, Gadwall, Tufted and historically Ruddy Ducks. Pintail and Garganey are also suspected of breeding in some years. A similar range of species can also be found breeding on No.2 bed, dependant on water levels. A substantial Black-headed Gull colony dominates the water margins in No.3 bed and can spill over onto No.2 bed when conditions are right.
The Eyes is particularly important, in a county context, for its breeding populations of common warblers. Counts of singing males have totalled more than 200 singing Sedge Warblers, 150 Whitethroats, 100 Willow Warblers, 30 Blackcaps and a similar number of Reed Warblers, plus a dozen Grasshopper Warblers and small numbers of Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroats and Garden Warblers.In the damper areas upto 100 Reed Bunting are present in summer.
Large aggregations of aerial feeders may be present from May to September, with many hundreds of Swifts joining the swirling flocks of hirundines feeding over the insect rich lagoons. In most years there is a sizeable Swallow roost, regularly up to 3,000 birds but sometimes reaching 10,000. Inevitably, a Hobby is often in attendance and provides some spectacular aerial performances. From October to early winter thousands of Redwing and other thrushes arrive to feed on the berry-rich hawthorns around the banks of the beds.
In winter roosts dwindle as food supplies diminish, although Magpies seldom seen to go hungry and over 200 continue to roost in the scrub. Finches, notably Linnets, Goldfinches and Chaffinches flock to feed on weed seeds on the drier parts of the muddy beds, with odd Siskins and Bramblings regularly located amongst them . A sprinkling of Chiffchaff remains in willow scrub during most winters and Firecrests have occasionally wintered alongside the more numerous Goldcrests.
Wader passage is much smaller than formerly due to changes in the pumping regime into the beds. Spring passage is typically light, although Common Sandpiper are seen regularly in late April and early May, and on one occasion stayed to breed. Little Ringed Plover appear annually and usually attempt to breed. The inland spread of Ringed Plover has resulted in this species also breeding. Autumn passage is much more reliable and although not as prolific as in the past, Snipe, Jack Snipe and Lapwing are reliably present, with the occasional Green Sandpiper, Dunlins, Greenshanks etc. for company.
As far as rare or scarce birds are concerned, Woolston remains a much under-watched site, offering much opportunity for the discovery of that ever-elusive rarity. Nevertheless, almost two decades of observation by a small number of enthusiasts, spread over Woolstons huge acreage, has produced some good birds, including: Storm and Leachs Petrels, Spoonbill, Bittern, Night and Purple Herons, Ring-necked and Ferruginous Ducks, Quail, Honey and Rough-legged Buzzards, Red Kite, Montagues Harrier, Temmincks Stint, White-rumped, Pectoral and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Red-necked and Wilson`s Phalaropes, Avocet, Great and Arctic Skuas, Laughing, Mediterranean and Ring-billed Gulls, Whiskered and White-winged Black Terns, Bee-eater, Nightjar, Golden Oriole, Bluethroat, Great Grey Shrike, Marsh Warbler, Firecrest and Nutcracker.
Ringing
Over 110,000 birds have been ringed at Woolston since ringing first started here in 1980. A small team now operates on all four beds, usually from April to October each year, ringing around 4,000 birds per year. During more recent years, Woolston has taken part in an international ringing programme, aimed at studying those migratory species which winter in Africa. During the summer and early autumn large numbers of common warblers are ringed, with full biometrics taken, as part of that research programme. In the latter part of the year the focus is on tape-luring overflying finches and buntings. At any time there is the constant chance of the odd surprise, with Marsh Warbler, Bluethroat and Firecrest among the scarcer species ringed.
Ringing is a physically demanding and time consuming occupation but one which brings many rewards in terms of our knowledge of national and local bird populations. If you are interested in observing, or taking a more active part in the ringing programme, then please contact Dave Riley or Prof. David Norman through the website email facility via the ‘Contact’ tab.
(more details later, as time permits)
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In August 2015, I had the great pleasure of taking a week-long photography workshop in Rockport, Maine under the tutelage of Peter Turnley. Its main theme was street photography, and we made several visits to working-class neighborhoods in several Maine towns where (unbeknownst to me) there are large populations of working-class immigrants from Somalia, Sierra Leone, and various other countries around the world.
Most of our “field” exercises were carried out in pairs, threesomes, or foursomes; and in many cases, we were lucky enough to follow along behind Peter Turnley and watch his amazing style and techniques.
But in some cases, I ended up alone — including the first afternoon of the workshop, where I drove a few miles up the road from our classroom, to spend the afternoon looking for photo-ops in the small town of Camden, Maine. Meanwhile, my classmates spent their time in such small Maine towns as Rockport, Rockland, and other picturesque spots along the water.
I’m slightly acquainted with the town, from several previous visits to attend the “PopTech!” technology conferences in the month of October. So I was able to spend far less time worrying about getting utterly lost in a strange place, and more time focusing on the people — mostly tourists, as it turned out — along the streets.
Of the hundreds of photos that I took during that first afternoon, I ended up with about a dozen that I felt were worth sharing with my classmates. This is one of them...
Summers are not permitting me to shoot outdoors and thats why i am all bored and trying my hands at various effects and ideas.
Boredom sometimes brings out unexpected results and thats exactly what happened here.
The shot of the lil girl sitting on a rock bench is in original , repositioned her to suit the picture,and the texture i got from the internet.Tried blending the two ,hope u liked the effect here.
As empresas de telefonia celular poderão ser autorizadas a alugar suas redes para a implantação de serviços de ajuda na localização de pessoas desaparecidas. Com o uso do sistema de posicionamento global (GPS, na sigla em inglês), os donos de celulares cadastrados poderão ser rastreados por meio do envio de mensagens ou pelo acesso à internet.
Esse uso das redes de telefonia móvel está previsto no PLC 54/2012, que foi aprovado ontem (28/05) pela Comissão de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação, Comunicação e Informática (CCT), reunida sob a presidência do senador Zeze Perrella (PDT-MG). O projeto irá para a sanção presidencial caso não seja apresentado recurso para ¬votação no plenário do ¬Senado.
O aumento do número de desaparecidos nas cidades brasileiras foi o que motivou o autor, deputado Valdir Colatto (PMDB-SC), a apresentar a proposta. O relator na CCT, senador Walter Pinheiro (PT-BA), considera que a medida proposta é imprescindível para melhorar os sistemas de informação dos órgãos que investigam o desaparecimento de pessoas.
- Sem um sistema integrado que possa distribuir mensagens instantaneamente e a baixo custo a qualquer pessoa no território nacional, em casos que exigem rápida ¬mobilização, o sistema de prevenção e resgate de pessoas desaparecidas não pode funcionar satisfatoriamente — afirma o relator.
O sistema de localização por GPS já é utilizado para a localização de veículos equipados com chips, facilitando o resgate de carros e cargas roubadas. O ¬Departamento Nacional de Trânsito (Denatran) estuda a instalação de chips de identificação em toda a frota de veículos do país.
Walter Pinheiro (PT-BA) afirmou que foi acertada a aprovação do projeto que permite a utilização de redes de telefonia celular para localizar pessoas desaparecidas. O senador disse que é preciso utilizar cada vez mais essas ferramentas tecnológicas. Citou como exemplo a possibilidade de uso do celular para que um médico acompanhe resultados de exames realizados em regiões remotas do país.
Jornal do Senado
(more details later, as time permits)
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In August 2015, I had the great pleasure of taking a week-long photography workshop in Rockport, Maine under the tutelage of Peter Turnley. Its main theme was street photography, and we made several visits to working-class neighborhoods in several Maine towns where (unbeknownst to me) there are large populations of working-class immigrants from Somalia, Sierra Leone, and various other countries around the world.
Most of our “field” exercises were carried out in pairs, threesomes, or foursomes; and in many cases, we were lucky enough to follow along behind Peter Turnley and watch his amazing style and techniques. The photos in this set were taken on such a field-exercise, in a working-class neighborhood of Portland, Maine.
North American Bison or Plains Bison (Bison bison) bull grazing along the road side in Elk Island National Park east of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
22 April, 2018.
Slide # GWB_20180422_8222.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
The 1890 Empress Flour Mill on Queen Street is category C industrial heritage building, which means that its removal is a permitted activity. There are two plaques on the front of the building, one relating to the 118 year old structure and the other to the 1921 grain silos. With a height of 35 metres the category B listed heritage silos are the town's most prominent landmark. They're still in use and will not be demolished.
Not permitted to take photos inside the Duomo, but it was OK to sit on the floor and draw and paint this view...in the dark! Crazy!!!
Thank you, flickr explore and to all for the views, faves, and lovely comments :)
So amazing!!!!
1960 Chevrolet Bel Air
'Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy
Out in the back seat of my '60 Chevy
Workin' on mysteries without any clues
Workin' on our night moves
Tryin' to make some front page drive-in news
Workin' on our night moves
In the summertime (Mmm)
In the sweet summertime'
Bob Segar
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH7cSSKnkL4
In 1959 Chevrolet again came up with a totally new car. From the front or rear the 1959 Chevrolets resembled nothing else on the road. From the headlights, placed as low as the law would permit, to the cat's-eye tail lights, the 1959 Chevrolet was a brand new car with all new sheet metal, a new frame, and even new series names. The most visual new change was the flat, wing shaped tailfins. The car was built on a 119 in (3,000 mm) wheelbase and was 211 in (5,400 mm) long-which was 11 in (280 mm) longer than the 1957 model. This made Chevrolet the longest car in the low-priced range, whereas two years before it had been the shortest. In addition, the car was 3 in (76 mm) wider outside and had 5 in (130 mm) more width inside than it did in 1958, through the reduction of door thickness. The "X" frame from 1958 was continued, but enlarged and strengthened to support the new body.
Little change was made for 1960. The new models were refinements of the 1959 style with a much more restrained front end, the return of the double cone tail lights of 1958 rather than the startling "cat's eyes" of 1959. Under the hood, things remained constant. Fuel injection was no longer available, but with the 348 cubic inch engine, a horsepower rating of 335 at 5800 rpm was now achieved. This involved the use of three double-barrel carburettors, a special cam and an 11.25:1 compression ratio, all sold as a package. Body style offerings followed 1959, with hardtops and sedans available. The convertible was reserved for the Impala series. The Bel Air Sport Sedan continued to use a rear window overhang and a huge wraparound rear window. Bel Airs (and Biscaynes) had two tail lights per side; the Impalas had three tail lights per side—a situation that would persist for most years through 1975. Many of the same options and accessories that were available on the Impala were also available on the Bel Air. The Bel Airs had more interior and exterior brightwork than the Biscayne.
(more details later, as time permits)
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In August 2015, I had the great pleasure of taking a week-long photography workshop in Rockport, Maine under the tutelage of Peter Turnley. Its main theme was street photography, and we made several visits to working-class neighborhoods in several Maine towns where (unbeknownst to me) there are large populations of working-class immigrants from Somalia, Sierra Leone, and various other countries around the world.
In addition to the Sony RX-10 and Sony A-7 cameras that I normally use, I also rented a brand-new Leica “Q” camera for the class. It’s roughly equivalent to driving a Rolls Royce, which I’ve never done; and because the list price is $4,000 for a camera with a single fixed-focal-length 28mm lens, I very much doubted that I would buy one for permanent usage.
Peter Turnley strongly suggested that I should consider buying the camera and getting really comfortable using it. Maybe he’s right; but there are all kinds of reasons (which I won’t bore you with) why it doesn’t make sense for me.
Perhaps the most important reason is that, at my fairly modest level of skill, I don’t think I would actually produce *better* pictures with the Leica. There are a lot more “fundamental” things for me to master first, and I might *never* be good enough to really take advantage of what the Leica is capable of doing.
So, when I got back to NYC at the end of the week, I packed the Leica in a box, and shipped it back to the rental agency from whence it came. It was a good experiment, and I’m glad I did it. But at least for now, I’ll stick with my Sony cameras.
I've uploaded roughly half a dozen "test shots" that I took with the Leica. I was intrigued to see that some of them were "fuzzy," which implies that I didn't focus properly, or perhaps I used such a wide aperture that the DOF was too shallow.
None of them are prize-winning shots by any means ... but for me, the most important conclusion was that I probably could have gotten just as good (or just as bad) a result from my Sony cameras...
Mamífero roedor arborícola de unos 50 cm de largo (cola incluida), pelaje generalmente rojizo o gris, patas traseras muy fuertes y mayores que las delanteras, y cola larga y muy poblada, que a menudo dobla por encima de su cuerpo hasta la cabeza; come sobre todo frutos secos, y vive en bosques y parques; algunas especies poseen una membrana en cada costado que les permite planear al saltar de un árbol a otro.
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Fuente: “El libro Gordo de Petete”
Quieres ver mis fotos mas interesantes???
www.flickriver.com/photos/mortadelo65pp/popular-interesting/
Gracias por la visita :-) Un saludo amig@s *_*
(More details later, as time permits)
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This is the continuation of a photo-project that I began in the summer of 2008 (which you can see in this Flickr set), and continued throughout 2009-2014 (as shown in this Flickr set, this Flickr set, this Flickr set, this Flickr set, this Flickr set)), this Flickr set)), and this Flickr set)): a random collection of "interesting" people in a broad stretch of the Upper West Side of Manhattan -- between 72nd Street and 104th Street, especially along Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. These are the people in my neighborhood, aka "peeps in the 'hood."
As I indicated when I first started this project six years ago, I don't like to intrude on people's privacy, so I normally use a zoom telephoto lens in order to photograph them while they're still 50-100 feet away from me; but that means I have to continue focusing my attention on the people and activities half a block away, rather than on what's right in front of me. Sometimes I find an empty bench on a busy street corner, and just sit quietly for an hour, watching people hustling past on the other side of the street; they're almost always so busy listening to their iPod, or talking on their cellphone, or daydreaming about something, that they never look up and see me aiming my camera in their direction.
I've also learned that, in many cases, the opportunities for an interesting picture are very fleeting -- literally a matter of a couple of seconds, before the person(s) in question move on, turn away, or stop doing whatever was interesting. So I've learned to keep my camera switched on, and not worry so much about zooming in for a perfectly-framed picture ... after all, once the digital image is uploaded to my computer, it's pretty trivial to crop out the parts unrelated to the main subject. Indeed, some of my most interesting photos have been so-called "hip shots," where I don't even bother to raise the camera up to my eye; I just keep the zoom lens set to the maximum wide-angle aperture, point in the general direction of the subject, and take several shots. As long as I can keep the shutter speed fairly high (which sometimes requires a fairly high ISO setting), I can usually get some fairly crisp shots -- even if the subject is walking in one direction, and I'm walking in the other direction, while I'm snapping the photos.
With only a few exceptions, I've generally avoided photographing bums, drunks, crazies, and homeless people. There are plenty of them around, and they would certainly create some dramatic pictures; but they generally don't want to be photographed, and I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of them. There have been a few opportunities to take some "sympathetic" pictures of such people, which might inspire others to reach out and help them. This is one example, and here is another example.
The other thing I've noticed, while carrying on this project for the past six years, is that while there are lots of interesting people to photograph, there are far, far, far more people who are not so interesting. They're probably fine people, and they might even be more interesting than the ones I've photographed ... unfortunately, there was just nothing memorable about them. They're all part of this big, crowded city; but for better or worse, there are an awful lot that you won't see in these Flickr sets of mine...
Whilst studying the Demotic Greek language in Athens in 1985 one of my main objectives, apart from of course sitting a Greek interpreter's exam at the end of the studies, was to visit the steam locomotive dumps at Athens (Agios Ioannis) and Thessaloniki (Salonika) sheds. And so to the Salonika visit; an international overnight train from Athens deposited me in the northern Greece city at a good time for the satisfactory early morning sunlight on this September visit. Armed with an officially stamped and signed visitor's permit, previously applied for in person at the Hellenic State Railways headquarters (OSE) in Athens, I was confident of gaining access without any hindrance. How naïve I was to be thinking of such a straightforward scenario! Despite speaking the language quite fluently by this stage and holding official paperwork, the 'jobs worth' on the security gate at Salonika shed just would not allow any access whatsoever, allegedly because no railway management were in present at such an early time in the morning. He also appeared to view me with great suspicion, which I must admit was quite understandable, forcing myself to see the situation from his point of view. Having travelled so far to fulfil my long-held objective, a 'Plan B' was rapidly formulated, and I very soon sought out a suitable access point for a nimble person such as myself further along the extensive shed yard perimeter fence well away from the official entrance, my youthful exploits of illicit shed visits during B.R. steam days and my then more recently acquired army field training skills quickly slotting into place as if by second nature. And with Adrenalin flowing fast and feeling like a dog with two tails in the land of the forbidden fruits I immediately got to work with my Pentax ME Super camera, working around the various groups of sad looking hulks as the sunlight would allow, but with it becoming increasingly harsher by the minute. Alas, it was not to be quite that straightforward, for the small 'fly in the ointment' proved to be a couple of not too friendly looking mongrel dogs which were not tethered, and rapidly awakening from a deep overnight and, up until then, undisturbed slumber. Clearly they were not in of the disposition to be grateful for this rood and unexpected interruption, far removed from their normally everyday quiet routine at this time in the morning! As they became ever more unnervingly vociferous I fumbled for the remains of the overnight rations in my rucksack and to my great relief the few remaining scraps happily proved their weight in gold in 'buying' the dogs' immediate friendship and quietness. Having dealt with this obstacle, it very soon became apparent to me that many of the locos were arranged in such a way that an evening visit would be far more advantageous. Having secured the photos that were possible with the restrictions of their arrangement around the shed yards during the morning, I confidently made my way to the loco shed buildings alongside the shed gate where I had previously been refused admission, and as luck would have it by that time there had been a shift change and my permit was duly acknowledged, albeit with great reluctance after being questioned over precisely what I had been up to and as to why I had not present myself on the correct side of the main gate! As is the way with Greek people, a chat about my personal life, family disposition and financial standing soon did the trick with the manager warming to me and beginning to understand the motives of my visit. Needless to say, the evening session for the additionally sought compositions did not present any further problems. I was very happy to secure this shot of a classic 'Austerity' North British locomotive and duly celebrated that evening with a Meze supper exclusively to myself, washed down with local chilled beer and the greater part of a bottle of Ouzo, naturally at the insistence of the restaurant owner and of course in the interests of good European relations. Needless to say, this was followed by the mother of all hangovers during the following morning!
North British Austerity 'WD' 2-10-0 No.73656 (works No.25442 built in 1943) and OSE 'Lb' (Λβ) Class No.955 stands in the company of two former USATC 'S160' class 2-8-0s, OSE 'Thg' (Θγ) Class Nos.532 and 584 in the shed yard at Thessalonica depot during the evening of 21st September 1985 . Following the Second World War, the British military authorities designated the 16 'WD' class locos then in store in Egypt as surplus to requirements and they were subsequently shipped to Salonica Port in January 1946. They were soon prepared for work in the local railway division, being equipped for right hand drive, fitted with headlamps, a second roof layer added and the chimney lengthened with a small deflector plate installed behind, clearly visible in this view. By the mid-1960s they were to be found employed as mixed traffic locos holding ten daily diagrams on passenger and goods services, even finding their way onto the top link 'Istanbul Express'. Regular standard gauge steam traction ceased in Greece around 1979 and many steam locos were just set aside and dumped in yards. Six of the 'Lb' class survive, two repatriated to the U.K. and four remaining in Greece, two having been restored to working order in more recent years.
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission
Casas con vida propia, ajena y particular.
Miramos a los ventanales a la vez que ellos te miran a ti.
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"Sculptures permit me to create real volume. One can touch the forms, one can give them smoothness, the sensuality that one wants." Fernando BOTERO
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CARVED ARTPIECES - Smile on Saturday
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©annedhuart