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We're in the All Ireland Junior Cup Final!
by Roger Corbett
Bangor produced an awesome display of power and composure to overcome a strong Clogher Valley side by 9-6 and book their place in this season’s final.
With both sides able to field their full-strength starting fifteens, backed up by an equally proficient seven man bench, this all-Ulster semi-final between two of the top teams within the Qualifying League had caught the attention of many rugby enthusiasts who were anticipating a memorable contest. The playing surface and weather conditions were just about perfect, with what little breeze there was blowing across the pitch and of little advantage to either side.
With hundreds of spectators lining the touchlines, and many more watching from the warmth and comfort of the clubhouse, Bangor’s Jason Morgan got proceedings underway. The home side didn’t want to repeat the early mistakes of last week’s game at CIYMS, and appeared to be focussed from the outset. However, Clogher Valley were obviously mindful of their last visit to Upritchard Park and started with power and purpose. The first couple of set pieces showed why their pack is a force to be reckoned with, pushing Bangor back with worrying ease. Building on this early dominance, Clogher took play into Bangor’s twenty two and mounted several good attacking moves. Bangor’s defence held firm on each occasion, until Clogher decided the only way they were going to come away with some points for these efforts was to take a drop goal, giving them an early lead by 0-3.
Having been under considerable pressure, Bangor started to work their way back into the game and were eventually rewarded with a Mark Widdowson penalty, which levelled the scores at 3-3 after 20 minutes. Further pressure from the home side soon resulted in another Clogher infringement at the breakdown, which resulted in another Widdowson penalty which put Bangor ahead for the first time by 6-3.
Although Clogher still looked dangerous in attack, when Bangor regained possession they quickly turned defence into attack through sensible and accurate positional kicking from Jason Morgan. Having gained good territory, Bangor then fought hard to stay there, even to the point where they managed to charge down two Clogher clearance kicks, although to the visitors’ relief the ball bounced out of play. However, the sustained pressure being exerted through Bangor’s back line eventually led to another penalty, which Widdowson converted to extend the lead to 9-3, which brought the first half to a close.
The first good attacking opportunity of the second half fell to Clogher after just 6 minutes. From a penalty in mid-field, a good kick brought the line-out close to Bangor’s 5 metre line. This is usually the platform from where Clogher are most deadly – their line-out and driving maul is a difficult force to stop. However, Bangor were prepared and not only stopped the drive, but turned the ball over and cleared their lines. Then to drive home the fact, they did it again a few minutes later. Given Clogher’s rightful reputation for their prowess in this area, the defensive response by Bangor’s forwards was truly impressive.
The only worrying time for Bangor came after 14 minutes when captain Jamie Clegg was somewhat harshly yellow-carded for pulling down a maul. From the resulting penalty, Clogher clawed back 3 points, making the score now 9-6.
However, obviously buoyed by their earlier dominance in the forwards, the seven man scrum of Bangor was now pushing the eight man Clogher pack backwards. Psychologically, this was a turning point, as Bangor now assumed control and prevented their opponents from developing any meaningful attacks. This, combined with Morgan’s positional kicking, resulted in Clogher being pinned down for most of the final quarter in their own half. Clogher’s situation became even more difficult when, after 22 minutes, one of their second row forwards was yellow-carded for not rolling away from a tackle.
With both sides finding it hard to break through each other’s defence, Bangor played tactically by simply preventing their opponents to build meaningful attacks through committed and effective defence, and then pushing them back deep into their own territory through long kicks for touch. On at least two occasions, Bangor came close to crossing Clogher’s line through breaks by Curtis Stewart and Davy Charles. They then had an opportunity within the final 5 minutes to extend their lead when Widdowson had another penalty kick from the right of Clogher’s posts. However, a sudden attack of cramp in his run-up resulted in the kick being miss-hit, and the ball drifted wide of the mark. Although disappointed not to have scored, Bangor stuck to their plan, and continued to thwart any chance of a counter attack, finally running down the clock to record a famous victory.
While the final score-line may not suggest it, this was an enthralling game from start to finish, played in good spirit and without any major injuries. For the visitors’ part, they may feel that they didn’t play to their normal high standard. However, they came up against a Bangor side that has proved so far in this competition that it can match and better the best junior sides in Ireland. Bangor’s route to the final has been as difficult as it could be possible – Clonmel (one of the pre-tournament favourites, and Munster champions) in round 1, Enniscorthy (the current cup holders) in the quarter finals, and now Clogher Valley (last year’s beaten finalists, and the current QL1 champions) in the semis. What lies ahead on 31st January 2015 is still unclear, following a 25-25 draw at the other semi-final between CIYMS and Dundalk. What is clear, however, is that Bangor can rightly look forward in confidence to face whoever is to come between them and the title. In the meantime, there are still vital games ahead in the league, resuming with a home fixture against Cooke next weekend.
Bangor side: P Whyte, A Jackson, J Leary, G Irvine, J Henly, R Latimer, J Clegg (c), C Stewart, R Armstrong, J Morgan, M Widdowson, M Aspley, M Weir, D Charles, C Morgan
Subs: O McIlmurry, S Irvine, F Black, D Kelly, D Fusco, M Thompson, A McCusker
Bangor scores: M Widdowson (3P)
For this photo, I was able to use the front lighting to capture the subject's entire body as well as having to have the model pose for the casualness of the photo in order to find the pose that suited this golden hour lighting. Some challenges that occurred were how in editing I needed to find a vignette that allowed the focus to really be on the model and not the surrounding environment but also allow this circular focus to be what the viewer seems first around the dark background to give this more angelic look to the model. Another challenge seemed to be how I needed to find the right angle to capture the model in order to capture this worm's eye view of more looking up to the subject. I chose this image since I believed that having the light ring bring out the subject within the middle third would allow the viewer to have this focal point and focus on the subject. I also chose this photo since it had more of this pure element to the photo allowing the worm's eye view to force the viewer to look up and at the subject to have their attention drawn towards the middle. I achieved this photo by having the model sit at an angle and look down while I took the photo at a lower angle while also having the model wear white to draw attention to stand out more and become a more noticeable subject. By having to decrease the highlights of the photo I was able to bring out a more textured and focal point of the photo during a more golden hour. The photo is taken at the settings of a shutter speed at 1/4000, aperture of 1.8, and the ISO of 64 allowed the image to have a darker background and a lighter foreground to the model and allowed the darker hues to contrast with the lighter hues. By having to focus on a decrease in highlights and increased shadows and exposures allowed the background to become darker and overall draw more attention to the model within the middle of the photo.
We are able to supply a full German Infantry Unit, alongside a collection of vehicles. We also have an extensive equipment list. All Subject to availability and other commitments.
Our group is available all year round and offer a genuine German Soldier & Officer impression from WW2. Our impression is based from 1942-1945 but can offer an early second world war impression, 1939-41 upon request.
In addition, we are able to supply a number of Vehicles which are all in running order, also our own legally held blank firing weapons which are fully insured.
Our aim is to portray the average Wehrmacht (Heer) soldier from the period and all that goes with the solder in the field, from food and rations to letters home etc..
Our member's ages range from 18-65 and all hold Public liability insurance. Uniquely, our group members also include professional actors, who regularly appear in Film, TV and Documentaries.
GENERATION OF HIGH QUALITY:
(Is a human / generation that is able to do as follows below):
1. OVERCOME VARIOUS problema ACHIEVE ANY DESIRE =
= Healing .......................for self and others; distance / near
= Achieve ...... .................for self and others; distance / near
= Reach ......................... love for self and others; distance / near
= Happiness, etc. ............ for self and others; distance / near
2. CHILDREN UNDER THE NEED = BEFORE / AFTER BIRTH =
= Face......... to conform with the wishes
= Nature ......to conform with the wishes
= Genitals .....to conform with the wishes
= Twin / no.. accordance with the wishes
= Ability ........to comply with the wishes
= IQ..............for liking
= Its future, ..etc. to conform with the wishes
3. SOME LETTERS PASSWORD..... free ( OWN CREATION)
4. COPYRIGHT COMBINED SOME POETRY FROM NAME =
= Name and meaning / purpose of poetry depends request ....(Free)
Please Sorry not to be discussed, discussed in the liver and then get GENERATION HIGH QUALITY send USD; 1,500,000 (to point 1 and point 2) to: Rosida no. rek.654801002820505 BRI branch: 6548 units Sumenep Kalianget East Java Indonesia then send it to us: full address, profiles, and desire through PO.BOX, sms / call, email.atau you can come directly to our hut.
Then you will get:
1. some books to guide science GENERATION HIGH QUALITY good to use before marriage / after, before the birth / thereafterwith this book you will learn and be able to:
a. OVERCOME VARIOUS problema ACHIEVE ANY DESIRE =
= .............. Healing for self and others; distance / near
= Achieve .............. for self and others; distance / near
= Reach ............. love for self and others; distance / near
= Happiness, etc. ............ for self and others; distance / near
b. CHILDREN UNDER THE NEED = BEFORE / AFTER BIRTH =
= Face ...................... to conform with the wishes
= Nature................... to conform with the wishes
= Genitals..................to conform with the wishes
= Twin / no................to accordance with the wishes
= Ability .....................to comply with the wishes
= IQ ..........................for liking
= Its future,............... etc. to conform with the wishes
2. MIXED FOODS, BEVERAGES efficacious for consumption during the 24h X a month, so you will learn and be able to:
a. OVERCOME VARIOUS problema ACHIEVE ANY DESIRE =
= .............. Healing for self and others; distance / near
= Achieve .............. for self and others; distance / near
= Reach ............. love for self and others; distance / near
= Happiness, etc. ............ for self and others; distance / near b. CHILDREN UNDER THE NEED = BEFORE / AFTER BIRTH =
= Face ...................... to conform with the wishes
= Nature................... to conform with the wishes
= Genitals..................to conform with the wishes
= Twin / no................to accordance with the wishes
= Ability .....................to comply with the wishes
= IQ ..........................for liking
= Its future,............... etc. to conform with the wishes
3. manual close / far away forever (if we die our generation will continue; (transfer of energy and other such) so you will learn and be able to:
a. OVERCOME VARIOUS problema ACHIEVE ANY DESIRE =
= .............. Healing for self and others; distance / near
= Achieve .............. for self and others; distance / near
= Reach ............. love for self and others; distance / near
= Happiness, etc. ............ for self and others; distance / near b. CHILDREN UNDER THE NEED = BEFORE / AFTER BIRTH =
= Face ...................... to conform with the wishes
= Nature................... to conform with the wishes
= Genitals..................to conform with the wishes
= Twin / no................to accordance with the wishes
= Ability .....................to comply with the wishes
= IQ ..........................for liking
= Its future,............... etc. to conform with the wishes
alifi30271@hotmail.comalif30271@yahoo.co.idalif30271@ymail.comalifi30271@gmail.comalifi30271@yahoo.comal30271@yahoo.comhttp://alifi30271.blogspot.com/http://generationofhighlyqualified.blogspot.com/http://alif30271.blogspot.com/http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/alif30271http://my.opera.com/alif30271http://www.filmannex.com/alifiyasintadewi-nurqodrihttp:generationofhighlyqualified.blogspot.com/www.myspace.com/551149748http://groups.google.com/group/generation-high-qualityhttp://www.mixpod.com/alif30271http://www.flickr.com/photos/alifi30271yahoocomhttp://alifi30271.blogspot.com/http://generationofhighlyqualified.blogspot.com/http://alif30271.blogspot.com/http://profile.typepad.com/alifiyasintadewisahidi.achmad @ yahoo.com rsida@ymail.com
SMS = 081331412197 = 087850539399 = 081939047397
Rosida SAHIDI / alifiyasintadewi nurqodri Klg POBOX.30271 69 471 INDONESIA JL. PORT KERTASADA No.38 RT.02/01 Kalianget SUMENEP 69 471 EAST JAVA INDONESIA
* While it is not yet born, later born, the child - children, adolescence, adulthood, so parents, if in the future it is better than all the elements (Chronicle, seeds, lathe, ancestor, and weight), it will be good precisely on The next period, or the next descent. (That's rotation system, if either it will be good also in the future - which will be passed next time.) But that does not mean there is a problem for which the system can not get / create GENERATION OF HIGHLY qualified ...! Before the marriage, before birth, or after birth, GENERATION OF HIGHLY qualified to be created.
So far away before marriage, there was no system of creation, how generations / children that we want, of this process we will know how to actually solve various problems from within ourselves or others, and how to achieve all desires ranging fromin themselves, then help others After birth we were able to drive to create, how abilitasnya, his IQ, character, future, etc., so that our children become the generation that highly qualified.
After birth GENERATION OF HIGHLY Qualified created through two methods:
1.metode in dlahir / sharia / real (through our assistance)
2.metode inner / supernatural (through our assistance)
* After being born under the control arms with MOTHER LOVE:1.method is dlahir / visible / tangible, MOM, DAD, and FAMILY will be more visible to direct, create for children / generation is to become GENERATION OF HIGHLY qualified. 2. methods are unseen through our aid.
* Nature after birth will be brought to nature - nature in the natural maturation of the length distribution, this is where (in nature after the birth of many banks and management of data storage for your child / children / next generation), negatifpenyimpananannya / planting, it will be negative pendewasaannya . then .......... how to create pendewasaannya?GENERATION OF HIGHLY order to become qualified ?.... contact us to get the method. (All goods will be shipped to your place)
* In the arms of the mother and father, and families: making peace happily embrace the affection (without interference of other negative plan brain thinking) that would make the implementation of ITS THE PEACEFUL, HAPPY, LOVE, affectionate, THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR
* Starting from happiness within yourself, then direct the happiness to the wife, or husband, (co-exist and complement between husband and wife). Subsequent to the generation / our child, in community groups, state, and even the world so it will be in accordance with the purpose of the creator, and the goal THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR will be the creation of perfect beings called human.
By creating GENERATION OF HIGHLY qualified then, each of the individual, every family, every group of society, every citizen, and every race and human beings will be in accordance with the wishes, goals, ideals of every self, every family, every human being on earth as the purpose of religion, state and nation, even as the purpose of the creator, as the purpose of THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR will be the creation of perfect beings called human
GENERASI BERKWALITAS TINGGI :
(adalah manusia/generasi yang mampu untuk berbuat sebagaimana berikut di bawah ini) :
1. ATASI BERBAGAI MACAM PROBLEMA MENCAPAI SEGALA KEINGINAN=
=penyembuhan..............untuk diri dan orang lain ; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cita..............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cinta.............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=kebahagiaan,dll............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
2. ANAK SESUAI KEINGINAN =SEBELUM/SETELAH LAHIR=
=wajahnya......................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=sifatnya........................ agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kelaminnya...................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kembar/tidaknya..........agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=ability............................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=IQ-nya..........................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=masa depannya,dll.......agar sesuai dengan keinginan
3. BEBERAPA HURUF SANDI CIPTAAN SENDIRI ........................(gratis)
4. CIPTA PUISI DARI GABUNGAN BEBERAPA NAMA=
=nama dan makna/tujuan puisi tergantung permintan............................. (gratis)
Mohon ma'af bukan untuk di diskusikan, diskusikan pada hati lalu dapatkan GENERATION HIGH QUALITY
kirim Rp;1.500.000 (untuk point 1 dan point 2)
ke :ROSIDA no. rek.654801002820505 BRI cabang: 6548 unit kalianget sumenep Jawa Timur Indonesia
kemudian kirim kepada kami: alamat lengkap, profil, dan keinginan lewat Po.Box,sms/call, email.atau anda dapat datang langsung ke gubug kami.
Maka anda akan mendapatkan:
1. beberapa kitab ilmu penuntun menjadi GENERATION HIGH QUALITY baik digunakan sebelum nikah/setelahnya, sebelum adanya kelahiran/setelahnya
dengan kitab ini anda akan belajar dan mampu untuk bisa:
a. ATASI BERBAGAI MACAM PROBLEMA MENCAPAI SEGALA KEINGINAN=
=penyembuhan..............untuk diri dan orang lain ; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cita..............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cinta.............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=kebahagiaan,dll............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
b. ANAK SESUAI KEINGINAN =SEBELUM/SETELAH LAHIR=
=wajahnya...................... agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=sifatnya........................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kelaminnya...................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kembar/tidaknya..........agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=ability............................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=IQ-nya..........................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=masa depannya,dll.......agar sesuai dengan keinginan
2. CAMPURAN MAKANAN,MINUMAN BERKHASIAT untuk di konsumsi selama 24jam X satu bulan, sehingga anda akan belajar dan mampu untuk bisa:
a. ATASI BERBAGAI MACAM PROBLEMA MENCAPAI SEGALA KEINGINAN=
=penyembuhan..............untuk diri dan orang lain ; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cita..............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cinta.............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=kebahagiaan,dll............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
b. ANAK SESUAI KEINGINAN =SEBELUM/SETELAH LAHIR=
=wajahnya...................... agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=sifatnya........................ agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kelaminnya...................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kembar/tidaknya..........agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=ability............................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=IQ-nya..........................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=masa depannya,dll.......agar sesuai dengan keinginan
3. panduan jarak dekat/jauh selamanya (jika kami mati generasi kami akan melanjutkannya; (transfer energi dan lain lain semacamnya) sehingga anda akan belajar dan mampu untuk bisa:
a. ATASI BERBAGAI MACAM PROBLEMA MENCAPAI SEGALA KEINGINAN=
=penyembuhan..............untuk diri dan orang lain ; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cita..............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=mencapai cinta.............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
=kebahagiaan,dll............untuk diri dan orang lain; jarak jauh/dekat
b. ANAK SESUAI KEINGINAN =SEBELUM/SETELAH LAHIR=
=wajahnya......................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=sifatnya........................ agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kelaminnya...................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=kembar/tidaknya..........agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=ability............................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=IQ-nya..........................agar sesuai dengan keinginan
=masa depannya,dll.......agar sesuai dengan keinginan
alifi30271@hotmail.com
alif30271@yahoo.co.id
alif30271@ymail.com
alifi30271@gmail.com
alifi30271@yahoo.com
al30271@yahoo.com
generationofhighlyqualified.blogspot.com/
www.mybloglog.com/buzz/alif30271
www.filmannex.com/alifiyasintadewi-nurqodri
http:generationofhighlyqualified.blogspot.com/
groups.google.com/group/generation-high-quality
www.flickr.com/photos/alifi30271yahoocom
generationofhighlyqualified.blogspot.com/
profile.typepad.com/alifiyasintadewi
sahidi.achmad@yahoo.com
rsida@ymail.com
SMS =081331412197 =087850539399 =081939047397
ROSIDA SAHIDI/alifiyasintadewi nurqodri
POBOX.30271 KLG 69471 INDONESIA
JL. PELABUHAN KERTASADA NO.38 RT.02/01 KALIANGET SUMENEP JAWA TIMUR 69471 INDONESIA
*Semasih belum lahir, kemudian lahir, masa anak - anak, masa remaja, dewasa, jadi orang tua, jika dalam pada masa itu adalah baik dari semua unsur (babad, bibit, bubut, bebet,dan bobot), maka akan baik pulalah pada masa berikutnya, atau keturunan berikutnya.(itulah sistem rotasi , jika baik maka akan baik pula pada masa - masa yang akan dilalui berikutnya).
Tetapi bukan berarti bagi yang sistemnya ada masalah tidak bisa mendapatkan/menciptakan GENERATION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED...!
Sebelum menikah, sebelum lahir,ataupun setelah lahir,GENERATION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED dapat diciptakan.
Maka jauh jauh sebelum menikah, dari sana sudah ada sistem penciptaan, bagaimana generasi/anak yang kita inginkan, dari proses ini kita akan tahu bagaimana sebenarnya mengatasi berbagai macam problema dari dalam diri kita sendiri atau orang lain,dan bagaimana cara mencapai segala keinginan mulai dari dalam diri, kemudian membantu orang lain
Setelah lahir pun kita dapat mengarahkan menciptakan; bagaimana abilitasnya, IQ-nya, sifatnya,masa depannya,dll, sehingga anak kita menjadi generasi yang highly qualified.
Setelah lahir GENERATION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED diciptakan melalui dua metode:
1.metode secara dlahir/syariat/nyata (melalui bantuan kami)
2.metode batin/ghaib (melalui bantuan kami)
*Setelah lahir yang tengah berada dalam kekuasaan dekapan KASIH IBU dengan:
1. metode secara dlahir/nampak/ nyata,IBU,AYAH, dan KELUARGA akan lebih nampak untuk mengarahkan,menciptakan agar anak/generasi adalah menjadi GENERATION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED.
2. metode secara ghaib melalui bantuan kami.
*Alam setelah kelahiran pun akan di bawa kepada alam - alam yang panjang pendistribusiannya pada alam pendewasaan, disinilah (pada alam setelah kelahiran ini banyak dan penuh bank penyimpanan data bagi si kecil/anak/generasi penerus), negatifpenyimpananannya/penanamannya,maka akan negatif pendewasaannya.
lalu.......... bagaimana menciptakan pendewasaannya? agar menjadi GENERATION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED?.... hubungi kami untuk mendapatkan metodenya. (semua barang akan dipaketkan ke tempat anda)
*Dalam dekapan sang ibu dan ayah ,serta keluarga: menjadikan dekapan damai bahagia kasih mesra (tanpa dicampuri pemikiran otak rencana negatif lain) yang akan menjadikan implementasi dari SANG PEMBERI DAMAI, BAHAGIA, KASIH,MESRA, SANG MAHA PENCIPTA
*Dimulai dari kebahagiaan dalam diri, kemudian mengarahkan kebahagiaan pada istri,atau suami,(saling mengisi dan melengkapi antara suami istri).selanjutnya pada generasi/anak kita, pada kelompok masyarakat,negara,bahkan dunia sehingga akan sesuai dengan tujuan pencipta, serta tujuan SANG MAHA PENCIPTA akan diciptakannya makhluk sempurna yang bernama manusia.
Dengan mencipta GENERATION OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED maka,setiap diri pribadi,setiap keluarga,setiap kelompok masyarakat,setiap warga negara,dan setiap umat dan makhluk manusia akan sesuai dengan keinginan,tujuan,cita-cita dari setiap diri,setiap keluarga,setiap umat manusia didunia sebagaimana tujuan agama,negara dan bangsa,bahkan sebagaimana tujuanpencipta, sebagaimana tujuan SANG MAHA PENCIPTA akan diciptakannya makhluk sempurna yang bernama manusia.
[View Large] Today I was able to make a follow up trip back to the Rocky Hill area, including Yokohl Valley road and the surrounding area. I took a number of shots at various locations, chasing the light in the cloud filled sky. The best of the images will become part of a series on this area, which I intend to complete during the next month, if time permits.
Any feedback and/or comments on these individual images would be helpful to me, in both selecting which images to use, and in deciding on any post processing adjustments that I might need to consider. All comments would be greatly appreciated. Have a great week.
I took the pictures of this Osprey during a Rugby Tournament when it suddenly turned up. The only reason I was able to take those pictures was that I heard some kind of helicopter noise and when checking the sky behind me I seen the Osprey. It was quite a way away but having the 150-500mm Sigma on my Canon 1D Mark IV I just took the chance. Pictures are a bit on the soft side but still editable to bring them out clear.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Some short information about the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft.
In 1980, the failure of Operation Eagle Claw (during the Iran hostage crisis) underscored that there were military roles for which neither conventional helicopters nor fixed-wing transport aircraft were well-suited. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) initiated a program to develop an innovative transport aircraft with long-range, high-speed, and vertical-takeoff capabilities, and the Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental (JVX) program officially commenced in 1981. A partnership between Bell Helicopter and Boeing Helicopters was awarded a development contract in 1983 for the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft. The Bell Boeing team jointly produces the aircraft. The V-22 first flew in 1989 and began flight testing and design alterations; the complexity and difficulties of being the first tiltrotor for military service led to many years of development.
The United States Marine Corps (USMC) began crew training for the MV-22B Osprey in 2000 and fielded it in 2007; it supplemented and then replaced their Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knights. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) fielded its version of the tiltrotor, the CV-22B, in 2009. Since entering service with the Marine Corps and Air Force, the Osprey has been deployed in transportation and medevac operations over Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Kuwait. The U.S. Navy planned to use the CMV-22B for carrier onboard delivery duties beginning in 2021
More details about the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey can be found here:
Day 2 of The Indy KA500 and After a Fantastic First Day of Racing and Celebrations now is where the Real Hard Work Begins as The Entire Field of 46 KA'S were in the Garages with Drivers Teams and Engineers at The Ready as they were about to tackle 8 Hours of the Indy Circuit.
With an 8 Hour Race anything can Happen and with such a Large Field of Cars a lot of Overtakes and Careful Navigation will be Required to Ensure Victory.
With The Start of The Race About to get underway Its Time to See Who will be able to Hold out the Longest and Take the Title of IndyKa500 Endurance Champion for 2021.
Hour 1 (11:04AM)
As The Field of 46 KA'S Completed the Formation Lap and Slowly made their way Towards the Start Finish Straight The Lights went Green and at Exactly 11:04AM the Race Had Begun.
Racing Down Towards Paddock Hill Bend it was The KA of Team (IP Racing's Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington) Who took the Lead Followed Closely by Team (Octane Junkies Adam Smith Martyn Smith and Bazza Ward) in Second Place and Team (Alex Read Motorsport's Chris Reade Sam Luke's Carlito Miracco and Luke Read) in Third Place as they Thundered Up the Hill Towards The Tops of Druids and Back Down Again through Bottom Bend where Team (Ferguson Motorsport's Damon Astin Billy Ferguson Joe Ferguson and Daniel Ferguson) took the Lead from (Octane Junkies) before Flying Around The Track to Complete Lap 1 of 500.
As The Cars came Round Paddock for The Second Time The KA of (Ferguson Motorsport) Now Leads by a Heathy Margin While Further Back (IP Racing) and (Octane Junkies) Have A Fantastic Scrap over Second Place with The Two of Them Swapping The Lead Over and Over again. Car Number 55 of (Al Most Racers Alistair Hardie Alistair McDonald Lee Conway and Will Denny) was Seen Getting Air of The Inside Curb on the Exit of Paddock Hill Bend making for a Spectacular Sight.
Hour 2 (11:54AM)
Hour 2 and All 46 KA'S are Still Alive and Well with Each Driver Pushing Hard to Maintain their Advantage as the Tyres Begin to Warm Up and Start to Grip the Track More.
KA Number 56 Team (Hard And Enthusiastic Martyn Dilworth Mark Figes and Mike Hickey) are Locked in a Tight Battle at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 27 Team (Semprini Racing's Jeremy Evans James Hart Phil Hart and William Puttergill) as they Fight it Out Between the Two Cars for a Position.
Further Down the Field KA Number 23 Team (Kastrol's Michael Keegan Tim Keegan and David Murfitt) is Having its Own Battle with KA Number 4 of Team (Alex Read Motorsport) as The Two Teams Have a Go at One Another Thought the Course of The Lap trying Hard to Hold onto that Position they Worked so Hard for.
Another Battle at Paddock is the KA Number 3 of Team (Wingdat Racing's Andy Chapman Jonathan Barret and Wayne Jackson) Having to Fend off The KA Number 16 of Team (M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling) as they Also were Looking to be in an Intense Battle Thought the Lap with Many Other Teams and Drivers Now Settling into a Rhythm. at The Endo f The Second Hour The KA't Mobile Number 49 of Team (LDR Performance Tuning's David Bywater Adrian Clarke Andy Grear Hardy and Sammy Bryan) is Seen Making its way Through Paddock Hill Bend and Through the Gravel Trap but Manages to Get Out Unaided and Safely.
At 12:12PM a Huge and Very Loud Crash is Heard at The Bottom of Paddock Hill Bend and Seen Rowling Through The Gravel Trap and Ending up on its Wheels is the KA Number 3 of Team (Windgat Racing) Bringing out the First Safety Car of The Endurance Race. Lucky The Driver was Fine and After a Few Minutes Due to The Recovery Taking Place they Are Back out in the Race But with a Lot of Catching Up to do.
Hour 3 (13:08PM)
With the Safety Car Now in the Race gets Back Underway and Already each Driver was Pushing Even Harder trying to either Create a Gap or Make Up for Lost Time Due to The Safety Car Intervention.
At The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Fierce Battle is Taking Place Between the Two Teams of KA Number 13 and KA Number 155 Team (Deranged Motorsport's Jason Pelosi Josh Larkin and Alex Kelby) and Team (JRS's Nick Walker Alex Day and William Foster) as they Duel Thought the Whole of Paddock Hill Bend Starting at The Top and Still Keeping the Fight Going Right Up towards Druids in The End Deranged Motorsport Wins Out and Takes The Position Away from JRS.
At 13:24PM The Fighting Between each Team Continues at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend which is Proving to be the Best Overtaking Area as Each Car has Only 73 Break Horse Power so Carrying as Much Speed as Possible from the Main Straight Towards Paddock is Essential for a Successful Overtake.
Team (Piston Heads Peter Dignan Oliver Lewis Benjamin Lowden and Sam Sheehan) Battles it out with Team (LDR Performance Tuning's Laurence Davey Mike Paul James Parker and Glen Copeland) as The Two Cars Do Battle for All to See with Team LDR Taking The Position Away.
At 13:39PM A Set of 4 KA's are Seen Fighting Their Way up Towards Druids with All Four Teams not Giving up the Fight as they Swap Positions Relentlessly with not One Driver Willing to Give Up his Position.
The 98 55 53 and 13 All Really Having a Good Go at One Another Thought their Fight. As The Sun Starts its Slow Dissent Down Over The Hills and Valleys that Surround The Circuit Bottom Bend was Providing Some More Opportunities for Drivers to do Battle with One Another. A Four way Fight Between KA's Number 56 51 44 and 64 was Occurring with Number 56 Holding Strong at The Front of This Fight and Leading them on Towards Clearways.
Finally at 13:48PM An Epic Battle Between KA's Number 64 and 44 was Witnessed Through Bottom Bend with The Likes of The Number 64 Bouncing a Wheel Into The Air as The Car Took the Tight Racing Line making for an Amazing Picture and a Superb bit of Car Control To Keep that KA Pointing The Right Way.
Hour 4 (14:02PM)
The Fourth Hour and Pit Stops and Driver Changes were Imminent with Many Teams Choosing to Go into The Pits to Change Both Drivers and Top Up the Fuel as Well as Change Tyres if Necessary. Every Team was Running to a Different Strategy Depending Upon the Amount of Drivers they Had with Teams of Four Drivers Taking 2 Hours in the Car Each While Teams of Three or Less would Have to Take on Longer Stints of 3 To Maybe Even 4 Hours in the Car Hoping that Having to do Fewer Driver Changes would Mean they could make Up The Difference on Track.
Back on The Track at 14:02PM More Battles were Commencing Through Pilgrims Drop With KA's Number 81 Team (GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell) Going Head to Head with KA Number 46 Team (JDC Motorsport's Stu Neal Andy Gaugler and Simon Walker Hensell) with The KA of GM Performance Narrowly Taking The Place From JDC Motorsport on the Run towards Clearways.
At 14:20PM a Fantastic Battle Between KA Number's 18 100 127 3 55 and 115 was Seen as they Powered their Way onto Clearways with 155 Leading Followed by 55 and 3 127 100 and 18 All Slowly Gaining Ground to the Two Leading KA's at The Front of This Train.
Shortly After This Train of Cars Came Through Another Train of 5 KA's was not Far Behind this Time Being Lead by Number 13 Deranged Motorsport with 131 (Team Viking's Mark Holme Harry Nunn and Nick Nunn) Then came Number 4 Alex Read Motorsport with 98 Piston Heads and 41 (Rowe Rage Motorsport's Alex Butler Greg Caswell Jason Handcock and Sam Rowe) As they All Fought Hard to Catch One Another Thought their Fight.
KA's Number 98 4 and 64 were Also Seen at 14:48PM Having a Really Good Three Way Fight with 64 and 98 Side by Side down Pilgrims Drop with The Number 4 Car Closing Fast.
At 14:54PM A Final Battle was Seen on the Run Up Towards Clearways with The KA's of Number 60 (Powerflex's David Power Paul Cowland and Dom David) Battling Hard with KA's Number 7 (G and B Finch's Joe Bragg Lee Finch Steve Finch Benjamin Smith and Arthur Thurtle) and Number 127 (Fat Boys Racing's Charlie Jackson and Matt Pinny) with The Number 7 KA Leading The Trio On Towards Clearways as The Sun Began to Set.
Hour 5 (15:25PM)
The Fith Hour and a Swarm of KA's were Seen Storming Down the Main Straight towards Paddock Hill Bend with the Number 131 Car of (Team Viking) in the Lead by Some Distance Followed by Number 64 125 18 81 and 155 as they All Made their Way Towards Paddock for another Chance at an Overtake.
Another Battle Followed Closely Behind with KA Numbers 11 18 49 and 111 All Fighting as Well in order to Maintain or Improve their Positions as The Race Went on.
At 15:28PM The Safety Car was Out again While Another KA Somewhere on Track was Being Recovered and The Leading car Number 36 IP Racing's (Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington's Lead Evaporates as the Field is Once again Bunched up.
Behind Them are KA's Number 44 (Mini Challenges Max Coates Dominic Wheatley Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Looking to Make a More Once the Safety Car Period Ends The 14 of (Frugal Racing) and 51 of (Barwell Autosport's Taylor Norton Kamran Tunio Ryan Brinsted and Kester Cook) Also Looking to Take the Lead of This Endurance Race.
At 15:36PM The Car that Had Caused The Safety Car was Seen Being Recovered into the Outer Garage Area where cars are Held Before the Start of Each Race. KA Number 46 (JDC Motorsport) Had Made Contact Somewhere on the Circuit and Looked to Have a Broken Front Left Steering Arm with the Wheel Being Completely Bend Backwards into The Car with the Car Heading Back to the Garage for Repairs Before Rendering The Race Quite a Few Laps Down.
15:38PM and The Two KA's of Positive Motorsport's Andrew Rogerson Samuel Rendon and Ryan Frith Battle it Out with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Through Westfield Towards Dingle dell with The Number 13 Beautifully Sweeping Around the Outside to Take The Position Away.
Another Battle was Seen at 15:38PM with (Alex Read Motorsport) Number 4 Battling Number 64 (Auto Teach Motorsport's Reece Kellow Andrew Howell Luca Ataccini Anzanello and Megan) through Westfields Side by Side on Towards Dingle dell.
Finally at 15:57PM Another KA Had Fallen Victim to an Issue with the Number 23 Car of (PSR's Carl Beresford Russel Danzey Tom Gilbert and Jack Wood) Being Taken on the Back of the Recovery Truck to The Garages for Repairs Before Going back Out into The Race as Night Began to Fall Upon The Indy Circuit.
Hour 6 (16:15PM)
As The Light Slowly began to Fade Away from the Indy Circuit Many Drivers were Now starting to use their Headlights as The Lighting Conditions got Darker and Darker as Time went by.
At 16:15PM A Massive Group of Cars came Flying Down Through Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 55 Al Most Racers on the Inside Line 127 Fat Boys Racing on the Middle Line and 39 Kameleon Racing's Chris Bright Richard Cox Steve Goldsmith and Leigh Youles Michael on the Outside Line as they Fought their way Through the Bend and Up Towards Druids.
At 16:21PM Piston Heads Racing KA Number 98 was Seen Leading another Group of Cars Through Paddock Hill Bend with Numbers 41 52 33 and 2 All Fighting for Places as they Came Towards Paddock Hill Bend.
16:24PM and The Paddock Hill Bend Gravel Trap Claims Another Victim This Time the Number 131 KA of Team Viking Had Ended up Taking a Trip Through it Before a Half Spin Left Him Facing the Marshalls Post Opposite before Returning to the Track after Losing a Few Places. Recovery Teams set to work Once Again with The Safety Car Being Called into Action for The Third Time.
16:40PM and at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Three way Fight Becomes a Two Way Fight as The Number 127 KA of Fat Boys Racing Goes for a Spin after Trying to Get a Run on the Number 19 KA of LDR Performance Tuning with The Number 14 Car of Frugal Racing Just Narrowly Missing The Spinning Car.
16:42PM and a Final Intense Battle Between the Number 44 KA and The Number 1 KA of Burton Power Racing's Andy Burton Kyle Sagar Tom Valentine and Sammy Venables as They Fight Hard to try and Take that Position away from Mini Challenge to Round off The 6th Hour.
Hour 7 (16:50PM)
The Seventh Hour and at The Bottom of Surtees a Massive Crash is Heard as The KA's of Number 42 The K Teams (Paul Simmons Edward Simmons Glen Woodbridge Damo) is Seen Running off Track with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Onto The Grass and Number 81 GM Performance Being Spun Out Trying to Avoid The Carnage in Front. All Drivers Okay and They Get back on Track and Continue on As Day Turns into Night.
17:02PM and a Top of Druids The Ka's of Number 72 Misty Racings (Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham) are Fighting Hard to Keep their Position from the Number 49 Car of LDR Performance Tuning as well as Number 7 of G and B Finch Trying to Find a Way Through on the Outside of Druids. The 98 of Piston Heads is also Closing in by This Stage with Headlights A Blaze.
17:05PM and Coming Towards Druids is a Sea of KA's All With Headlights A Blaze as they Fight for Positions Cars Number 60 3 19 and 39 All in Different Positions and Yet Still Fighting to try and Gain an Advantage that Could Swine this Endurance Race in Any of the Teams Favours. Further Back 127 and 140 Are Doing Battle on the Run Up Towards Druids.
17:09PM Once Again Another Battle at Druids This Time its The Trio of Number 127 36 and 60 That are All Trying to Better One Another in their Attempt to Gain a Place with Number 36 IP Racing Leading The Way.
17:14PM One Final Battle is Seen Coming Up towards Druids with The Number's 18 44 55 and 2 Fighting it Out Number 2 Kastrol's Has The Lead of This Group of Cars with Blazing Bright Headlights to Aid the Drivers Around The Circuit.
17:27PM and Now Darkness was Everywhere Making Visibility Very Difficult and Yet this did not Stop the Likes of Cars Number 128 JTR's Eliot Mason Nick Tandy David Mason and James Rhodes from Battling with Car Number 16 M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling. In a Daring Move in the Pitch Black Darkness The Two Cars Go Side by Side Trying to Gain One over The Other Before JTR's Takes The Inside Line and The Position.
17:30PM Another Daring Battle is Captured Between The Number 180 Car of (Shine Auto motive's Colin French Mathew Eldridge and Wayne Clelland) and Number 44 (Mini Challenge's Max Coates Dominic Whitely Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Defending The Outside Line as Best as they Can but Ultimately Shine Automotive Makes their way Through.
17:51PM A KA is Seen Flying Down Through The Bottom of Druids and into a Cloud of Dust Caused by Another KA Going off The KA is Just Barely Visible Showing The Dangers of what can Happen at Night When Visibility Becomes Low or Obstructed. Other KA's Soon Followed Through the Dust Cloud as Well with Many Backing off Slightly In case a Car was Stuck out on The Track but Thankfully All was Good as Hour 7 Ended.
Hour 8 (17:56PM) (THE FINAL HOUR)
The FINAL Hour of The 8 Hour Indy KA 500 and With Every Driver Now Getting into a Rhythm it was Up to Each Teams Last Driver to Strap in and Go for it to the Checkered Flag. However not All had gone to Plan for every Driver as The Number 29 KA of LDR Performance Tuning Found Out Slipping into the Gravel and Costing Them a Ridge Back to the Pits for Repairs with Less than 1 Hour to go.
18:00PM and The Number 2 KA of Kastrol's was Captured Racing Through Paddock Hill Bend During The Night Pushing Incredibly Hard to Ensure a Good Top 25 Finnish in the Points with Headlights Illuminating their way Around Paddock Hill Bend as The Car Flew Through The Bend.
18:30PM The Safety Car was Out for The Last Time During The Race and was Captured Leading a whole Train of KA's Through Pilgrims Drop and Onto Clearways with Each Driver Poised and Ready to Get Going Once the Safety Car Had Come In.
19:07PM An Amazing Sight to Behold with Just 15 Minutes Left on the Clock a Huge Rush of KA's Flooded their way Down The Main Straight and Past The Start Finnish Straight with Headlights on Full Beam to Aid in Visibility. The Number 8 KA Leads The way in This Group of Cars with The Number 18 CHR Hoonikan Car of Stratton MacKay Dave Mayer and Paul Robson Closing in Behind.
19:09PM And The Green Flag is Dropped for The Final Time as The Safety Car Comes into the Pitlane All 44 Remaining KA's Race Towards Druids with the Field so Bunched up this is Anyone's Race to both Win or Lose at This Stage.
The Number 42 KA of The K Teams Paul Simmons Edward Simmons and Glen Woodbridge Damo takes off Leading from Number 20 A Reeve's Motorsport Aron Reeve Stuart Lane and Andy Godfrey while The Number 127 of Fat Boys Racing Chases Them Down into a Nail Biting Finnish at The Centre of The Field.
19:13PM A Group of Six KA's are Captured Having an Intense Battle with Only 5 Minutes Left to Run The Likes of KA Number 127 36 and 128 All Putting Up One Hell of a Good Fight in The Closing Stages of The Endurance Race with Some Drives Having Driven for 4 Hours Straight.
19:21PM and after 8 Hours of Continuous Racing and 5 KA's Out of The Race The Checkered Flag was Ready and Waiting as The Number 81 KA of GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell Takes the Victory at The 2021 8 Hour Indy Car 500!!!! Followed Closely by The Number 72 Car Misty Racing's Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham in Second Place with KA Number 14 Frugal Racing's Jim McDougal Callum McDougal Mike Marais and Leon Bidgeway Taking Third Place.
A Huge Congratulations to The Overall Top Three Winners and to All of the other Teams and Competitors for Showing some Incredible Racing To End of The 2021 Motorsport Season. From
Historic Formula 1 to Classic Touring Cars To The Indy KA 500 This Season Has been One of The Best to Date.
See You All Again Next Year Where We Will do it All Over Again.
As the new glass fuses arrived I was able to replace the blown slow blow with for now a 1.8 Amp fast blow fuse. I was also unhappy that a 5 Amp fuse was fitted to the power in. As the bus has a 3Amp fuse and the earth is a 1.8 I really feel this was offering no protection to the unit. So I took a chance and fitted a second 1.8 Amp fast blow fuse.
As you can see the first power up was a success, no hot smell and no smoke. BUT and there is always going to be a but we have one dead 7 segment display and one half dead one reading 7777 instead of 0000....
I was able to catch the Jacqui Naylor Quartet at NYC’s own Iridium Jazz club for the first evening show.
Jacqui performed some songs off her newest album, “Dead Divas Society” as well as Jazz Standards including “A Good Day,” “Skylark,”Black Coffee,” and “Moon River.” One of my favorite performances of the evening was a jazzified cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up.” I highly recommend that everyone head over to Amazon and check out some of her excellent CDs!
To learn more about Paralyzed Veterans of America's Mission:ABLE Awards, please visit www.pva.org/awards. Photo by Kristin Wienold. #MissionABLE Awards
Endometrial ablation is a medical procedure that is used to remove (ablate) or destroy the endometrial lining of a woman's uterus. The procedure is most commonly done on an outpatient basis. @ docturs.com/dd/pg/groups/11258/endometrial-ablation/
Hi there,
Able Kay just shared an Instagram video with you. Visit the following link to see it:
distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/62026cb630bd11e3831d220...
Monochrome collage created in a workshop hosted by the Expo Art Center and administered by Able ARTS Work.
I left it at the Expo Art Center for a show, but won’t consider it really finished until I trim the edges flush and get it to lie flat!
Watercolor paper, acrylic paints, tissue paper, clipping from the Los Angeles Times.
Was able to get out of the office this afternoon and ended up at Franklin Park. There are a lot of homeless there now and I wondered if they moved there from McPherson Square after Occupy took over.
At any rate, I people watched for a bit, stared at tree trimmers hanging from branches and then headed back to work.
This is the base for the Commodore John Barry statue on the west side of the park. The description I found on the Smithsonian's Art inventory site describes the figure on the base:
"On the front of the base is a standing allegorical female figure in high relief. She represents Victory and holds up a laurel branch in her proper right hand..."
So there you have it.
I have not been able to ride for years but when I was a kid I did. The first time I ever rode a horse was at my school friends Linda's place north of Regina. It promptly walked into a slough and wouldn't budge..when it finally did it reared up and dumped me in the water. It didn't deter me. When I was old enough I took the bus every weekend and holiday to a small town near the Manitoba border to work on a farm. Most all of my wages went towards buying and keeping an old Appaloosa mare. I still love horses. This is one west of town that I like to visit with :o))
Day 2 of The Indy KA500 and After a Fantastic First Day of Racing and Celebrations now is where the Real Hard Work Begins as The Entire Field of 46 KA'S were in the Garages with Drivers Teams and Engineers at The Ready as they were about to tackle 8 Hours of the Indy Circuit.
With an 8 Hour Race anything can Happen and with such a Large Field of Cars a lot of Overtakes and Careful Navigation will be Required to Ensure Victory.
With The Start of The Race About to get underway Its Time to See Who will be able to Hold out the Longest and Take the Title of IndyKa500 Endurance Champion for 2021.
Hour 1 (11:04AM)
As The Field of 46 KA'S Completed the Formation Lap and Slowly made their way Towards the Start Finish Straight The Lights went Green and at Exactly 11:04AM the Race Had Begun.
Racing Down Towards Paddock Hill Bend it was The KA of Team (IP Racing's Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington) Who took the Lead Followed Closely by Team (Octane Junkies Adam Smith Martyn Smith and Bazza Ward) in Second Place and Team (Alex Read Motorsport's Chris Reade Sam Luke's Carlito Miracco and Luke Read) in Third Place as they Thundered Up the Hill Towards The Tops of Druids and Back Down Again through Bottom Bend where Team (Ferguson Motorsport's Damon Astin Billy Ferguson Joe Ferguson and Daniel Ferguson) took the Lead from (Octane Junkies) before Flying Around The Track to Complete Lap 1 of 500.
As The Cars came Round Paddock for The Second Time The KA of (Ferguson Motorsport) Now Leads by a Heathy Margin While Further Back (IP Racing) and (Octane Junkies) Have A Fantastic Scrap over Second Place with The Two of Them Swapping The Lead Over and Over again. Car Number 55 of (Al Most Racers Alistair Hardie Alistair McDonald Lee Conway and Will Denny) was Seen Getting Air of The Inside Curb on the Exit of Paddock Hill Bend making for a Spectacular Sight.
Hour 2 (11:54AM)
Hour 2 and All 46 KA'S are Still Alive and Well with Each Driver Pushing Hard to Maintain their Advantage as the Tyres Begin to Warm Up and Start to Grip the Track More.
KA Number 56 Team (Hard And Enthusiastic Martyn Dilworth Mark Figes and Mike Hickey) are Locked in a Tight Battle at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 27 Team (Semprini Racing's Jeremy Evans James Hart Phil Hart and William Puttergill) as they Fight it Out Between the Two Cars for a Position.
Further Down the Field KA Number 23 Team (Kastrol's Michael Keegan Tim Keegan and David Murfitt) is Having its Own Battle with KA Number 4 of Team (Alex Read Motorsport) as The Two Teams Have a Go at One Another Thought the Course of The Lap trying Hard to Hold onto that Position they Worked so Hard for.
Another Battle at Paddock is the KA Number 3 of Team (Wingdat Racing's Andy Chapman Jonathan Barret and Wayne Jackson) Having to Fend off The KA Number 16 of Team (M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling) as they Also were Looking to be in an Intense Battle Thought the Lap with Many Other Teams and Drivers Now Settling into a Rhythm. at The Endo f The Second Hour The KA't Mobile Number 49 of Team (LDR Performance Tuning's David Bywater Adrian Clarke Andy Grear Hardy and Sammy Bryan) is Seen Making its way Through Paddock Hill Bend and Through the Gravel Trap but Manages to Get Out Unaided and Safely.
At 12:12PM a Huge and Very Loud Crash is Heard at The Bottom of Paddock Hill Bend and Seen Rowling Through The Gravel Trap and Ending up on its Wheels is the KA Number 3 of Team (Windgat Racing) Bringing out the First Safety Car of The Endurance Race. Lucky The Driver was Fine and After a Few Minutes Due to The Recovery Taking Place they Are Back out in the Race But with a Lot of Catching Up to do.
Hour 3 (13:08PM)
With the Safety Car Now in the Race gets Back Underway and Already each Driver was Pushing Even Harder trying to either Create a Gap or Make Up for Lost Time Due to The Safety Car Intervention.
At The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Fierce Battle is Taking Place Between the Two Teams of KA Number 13 and KA Number 155 Team (Deranged Motorsport's Jason Pelosi Josh Larkin and Alex Kelby) and Team (JRS's Nick Walker Alex Day and William Foster) as they Duel Thought the Whole of Paddock Hill Bend Starting at The Top and Still Keeping the Fight Going Right Up towards Druids in The End Deranged Motorsport Wins Out and Takes The Position Away from JRS.
At 13:24PM The Fighting Between each Team Continues at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend which is Proving to be the Best Overtaking Area as Each Car has Only 73 Break Horse Power so Carrying as Much Speed as Possible from the Main Straight Towards Paddock is Essential for a Successful Overtake.
Team (Piston Heads Peter Dignan Oliver Lewis Benjamin Lowden and Sam Sheehan) Battles it out with Team (LDR Performance Tuning's Laurence Davey Mike Paul James Parker and Glen Copeland) as The Two Cars Do Battle for All to See with Team LDR Taking The Position Away.
At 13:39PM A Set of 4 KA's are Seen Fighting Their Way up Towards Druids with All Four Teams not Giving up the Fight as they Swap Positions Relentlessly with not One Driver Willing to Give Up his Position.
The 98 55 53 and 13 All Really Having a Good Go at One Another Thought their Fight. As The Sun Starts its Slow Dissent Down Over The Hills and Valleys that Surround The Circuit Bottom Bend was Providing Some More Opportunities for Drivers to do Battle with One Another. A Four way Fight Between KA's Number 56 51 44 and 64 was Occurring with Number 56 Holding Strong at The Front of This Fight and Leading them on Towards Clearways.
Finally at 13:48PM An Epic Battle Between KA's Number 64 and 44 was Witnessed Through Bottom Bend with The Likes of The Number 64 Bouncing a Wheel Into The Air as The Car Took the Tight Racing Line making for an Amazing Picture and a Superb bit of Car Control To Keep that KA Pointing The Right Way.
Hour 4 (14:02PM)
The Fourth Hour and Pit Stops and Driver Changes were Imminent with Many Teams Choosing to Go into The Pits to Change Both Drivers and Top Up the Fuel as Well as Change Tyres if Necessary. Every Team was Running to a Different Strategy Depending Upon the Amount of Drivers they Had with Teams of Four Drivers Taking 2 Hours in the Car Each While Teams of Three or Less would Have to Take on Longer Stints of 3 To Maybe Even 4 Hours in the Car Hoping that Having to do Fewer Driver Changes would Mean they could make Up The Difference on Track.
Back on The Track at 14:02PM More Battles were Commencing Through Pilgrims Drop With KA's Number 81 Team (GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell) Going Head to Head with KA Number 46 Team (JDC Motorsport's Stu Neal Andy Gaugler and Simon Walker Hensell) with The KA of GM Performance Narrowly Taking The Place From JDC Motorsport on the Run towards Clearways.
At 14:20PM a Fantastic Battle Between KA Number's 18 100 127 3 55 and 115 was Seen as they Powered their Way onto Clearways with 155 Leading Followed by 55 and 3 127 100 and 18 All Slowly Gaining Ground to the Two Leading KA's at The Front of This Train.
Shortly After This Train of Cars Came Through Another Train of 5 KA's was not Far Behind this Time Being Lead by Number 13 Deranged Motorsport with 131 (Team Viking's Mark Holme Harry Nunn and Nick Nunn) Then came Number 4 Alex Read Motorsport with 98 Piston Heads and 41 (Rowe Rage Motorsport's Alex Butler Greg Caswell Jason Handcock and Sam Rowe) As they All Fought Hard to Catch One Another Thought their Fight.
KA's Number 98 4 and 64 were Also Seen at 14:48PM Having a Really Good Three Way Fight with 64 and 98 Side by Side down Pilgrims Drop with The Number 4 Car Closing Fast.
At 14:54PM A Final Battle was Seen on the Run Up Towards Clearways with The KA's of Number 60 (Powerflex's David Power Paul Cowland and Dom David) Battling Hard with KA's Number 7 (G and B Finch's Joe Bragg Lee Finch Steve Finch Benjamin Smith and Arthur Thurtle) and Number 127 (Fat Boys Racing's Charlie Jackson and Matt Pinny) with The Number 7 KA Leading The Trio On Towards Clearways as The Sun Began to Set.
Hour 5 (15:25PM)
The Fith Hour and a Swarm of KA's were Seen Storming Down the Main Straight towards Paddock Hill Bend with the Number 131 Car of (Team Viking) in the Lead by Some Distance Followed by Number 64 125 18 81 and 155 as they All Made their Way Towards Paddock for another Chance at an Overtake.
Another Battle Followed Closely Behind with KA Numbers 11 18 49 and 111 All Fighting as Well in order to Maintain or Improve their Positions as The Race Went on.
At 15:28PM The Safety Car was Out again While Another KA Somewhere on Track was Being Recovered and The Leading car Number 36 IP Racing's (Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington's Lead Evaporates as the Field is Once again Bunched up.
Behind Them are KA's Number 44 (Mini Challenges Max Coates Dominic Wheatley Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Looking to Make a More Once the Safety Car Period Ends The 14 of (Frugal Racing) and 51 of (Barwell Autosport's Taylor Norton Kamran Tunio Ryan Brinsted and Kester Cook) Also Looking to Take the Lead of This Endurance Race.
At 15:36PM The Car that Had Caused The Safety Car was Seen Being Recovered into the Outer Garage Area where cars are Held Before the Start of Each Race. KA Number 46 (JDC Motorsport) Had Made Contact Somewhere on the Circuit and Looked to Have a Broken Front Left Steering Arm with the Wheel Being Completely Bend Backwards into The Car with the Car Heading Back to the Garage for Repairs Before Rendering The Race Quite a Few Laps Down.
15:38PM and The Two KA's of Positive Motorsport's Andrew Rogerson Samuel Rendon and Ryan Frith Battle it Out with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Through Westfield Towards Dingle dell with The Number 13 Beautifully Sweeping Around the Outside to Take The Position Away.
Another Battle was Seen at 15:38PM with (Alex Read Motorsport) Number 4 Battling Number 64 (Auto Teach Motorsport's Reece Kellow Andrew Howell Luca Ataccini Anzanello and Megan) through Westfields Side by Side on Towards Dingle dell.
Finally at 15:57PM Another KA Had Fallen Victim to an Issue with the Number 23 Car of (PSR's Carl Beresford Russel Danzey Tom Gilbert and Jack Wood) Being Taken on the Back of the Recovery Truck to The Garages for Repairs Before Going back Out into The Race as Night Began to Fall Upon The Indy Circuit.
Hour 6 (16:15PM)
As The Light Slowly began to Fade Away from the Indy Circuit Many Drivers were Now starting to use their Headlights as The Lighting Conditions got Darker and Darker as Time went by.
At 16:15PM A Massive Group of Cars came Flying Down Through Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 55 Al Most Racers on the Inside Line 127 Fat Boys Racing on the Middle Line and 39 Kameleon Racing's Chris Bright Richard Cox Steve Goldsmith and Leigh Youles Michael on the Outside Line as they Fought their way Through the Bend and Up Towards Druids.
At 16:21PM Piston Heads Racing KA Number 98 was Seen Leading another Group of Cars Through Paddock Hill Bend with Numbers 41 52 33 and 2 All Fighting for Places as they Came Towards Paddock Hill Bend.
16:24PM and The Paddock Hill Bend Gravel Trap Claims Another Victim This Time the Number 131 KA of Team Viking Had Ended up Taking a Trip Through it Before a Half Spin Left Him Facing the Marshalls Post Opposite before Returning to the Track after Losing a Few Places. Recovery Teams set to work Once Again with The Safety Car Being Called into Action for The Third Time.
16:40PM and at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Three way Fight Becomes a Two Way Fight as The Number 127 KA of Fat Boys Racing Goes for a Spin after Trying to Get a Run on the Number 19 KA of LDR Performance Tuning with The Number 14 Car of Frugal Racing Just Narrowly Missing The Spinning Car.
16:42PM and a Final Intense Battle Between the Number 44 KA and The Number 1 KA of Burton Power Racing's Andy Burton Kyle Sagar Tom Valentine and Sammy Venables as They Fight Hard to try and Take that Position away from Mini Challenge to Round off The 6th Hour.
Hour 7 (16:50PM)
The Seventh Hour and at The Bottom of Surtees a Massive Crash is Heard as The KA's of Number 42 The K Teams (Paul Simmons Edward Simmons Glen Woodbridge Damo) is Seen Running off Track with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Onto The Grass and Number 81 GM Performance Being Spun Out Trying to Avoid The Carnage in Front. All Drivers Okay and They Get back on Track and Continue on As Day Turns into Night.
17:02PM and a Top of Druids The Ka's of Number 72 Misty Racings (Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham) are Fighting Hard to Keep their Position from the Number 49 Car of LDR Performance Tuning as well as Number 7 of G and B Finch Trying to Find a Way Through on the Outside of Druids. The 98 of Piston Heads is also Closing in by This Stage with Headlights A Blaze.
17:05PM and Coming Towards Druids is a Sea of KA's All With Headlights A Blaze as they Fight for Positions Cars Number 60 3 19 and 39 All in Different Positions and Yet Still Fighting to try and Gain an Advantage that Could Swine this Endurance Race in Any of the Teams Favours. Further Back 127 and 140 Are Doing Battle on the Run Up Towards Druids.
17:09PM Once Again Another Battle at Druids This Time its The Trio of Number 127 36 and 60 That are All Trying to Better One Another in their Attempt to Gain a Place with Number 36 IP Racing Leading The Way.
17:14PM One Final Battle is Seen Coming Up towards Druids with The Number's 18 44 55 and 2 Fighting it Out Number 2 Kastrol's Has The Lead of This Group of Cars with Blazing Bright Headlights to Aid the Drivers Around The Circuit.
17:27PM and Now Darkness was Everywhere Making Visibility Very Difficult and Yet this did not Stop the Likes of Cars Number 128 JTR's Eliot Mason Nick Tandy David Mason and James Rhodes from Battling with Car Number 16 M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling. In a Daring Move in the Pitch Black Darkness The Two Cars Go Side by Side Trying to Gain One over The Other Before JTR's Takes The Inside Line and The Position.
17:30PM Another Daring Battle is Captured Between The Number 180 Car of (Shine Auto motive's Colin French Mathew Eldridge and Wayne Clelland) and Number 44 (Mini Challenge's Max Coates Dominic Whitely Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Defending The Outside Line as Best as they Can but Ultimately Shine Automotive Makes their way Through.
17:51PM A KA is Seen Flying Down Through The Bottom of Druids and into a Cloud of Dust Caused by Another KA Going off The KA is Just Barely Visible Showing The Dangers of what can Happen at Night When Visibility Becomes Low or Obstructed. Other KA's Soon Followed Through the Dust Cloud as Well with Many Backing off Slightly In case a Car was Stuck out on The Track but Thankfully All was Good as Hour 7 Ended.
Hour 8 (17:56PM) (THE FINAL HOUR)
The FINAL Hour of The 8 Hour Indy KA 500 and With Every Driver Now Getting into a Rhythm it was Up to Each Teams Last Driver to Strap in and Go for it to the Checkered Flag. However not All had gone to Plan for every Driver as The Number 29 KA of LDR Performance Tuning Found Out Slipping into the Gravel and Costing Them a Ridge Back to the Pits for Repairs with Less than 1 Hour to go.
18:00PM and The Number 2 KA of Kastrol's was Captured Racing Through Paddock Hill Bend During The Night Pushing Incredibly Hard to Ensure a Good Top 25 Finnish in the Points with Headlights Illuminating their way Around Paddock Hill Bend as The Car Flew Through The Bend.
18:30PM The Safety Car was Out for The Last Time During The Race and was Captured Leading a whole Train of KA's Through Pilgrims Drop and Onto Clearways with Each Driver Poised and Ready to Get Going Once the Safety Car Had Come In.
19:07PM An Amazing Sight to Behold with Just 15 Minutes Left on the Clock a Huge Rush of KA's Flooded their way Down The Main Straight and Past The Start Finnish Straight with Headlights on Full Beam to Aid in Visibility. The Number 8 KA Leads The way in This Group of Cars with The Number 18 CHR Hoonikan Car of Stratton MacKay Dave Mayer and Paul Robson Closing in Behind.
19:09PM And The Green Flag is Dropped for The Final Time as The Safety Car Comes into the Pitlane All 44 Remaining KA's Race Towards Druids with the Field so Bunched up this is Anyone's Race to both Win or Lose at This Stage.
The Number 42 KA of The K Teams Paul Simmons Edward Simmons and Glen Woodbridge Damo takes off Leading from Number 20 A Reeve's Motorsport Aron Reeve Stuart Lane and Andy Godfrey while The Number 127 of Fat Boys Racing Chases Them Down into a Nail Biting Finnish at The Centre of The Field.
19:13PM A Group of Six KA's are Captured Having an Intense Battle with Only 5 Minutes Left to Run The Likes of KA Number 127 36 and 128 All Putting Up One Hell of a Good Fight in The Closing Stages of The Endurance Race with Some Drives Having Driven for 4 Hours Straight.
19:21PM and after 8 Hours of Continuous Racing and 5 KA's Out of The Race The Checkered Flag was Ready and Waiting as The Number 81 KA of GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell Takes the Victory at The 2021 8 Hour Indy Car 500!!!! Followed Closely by The Number 72 Car Misty Racing's Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham in Second Place with KA Number 14 Frugal Racing's Jim McDougal Callum McDougal Mike Marais and Leon Bidgeway Taking Third Place.
A Huge Congratulations to The Overall Top Three Winners and to All of the other Teams and Competitors for Showing some Incredible Racing To End of The 2021 Motorsport Season. From
Historic Formula 1 to Classic Touring Cars To The Indy KA 500 This Season Has been One of The Best to Date.
See You All Again Next Year Where We Will do it All Over Again.
Talk about not being able to make a decision about which photo to post …
Why did the Heron cross the road?
We were sitting down on the side of the Maribyrnong River ford watching the Great Egret fishing. On the other side of the ford this White-faced Heron had been standing watching the proceedings. Seeing that the Egret was doing very nicely thankyou, it decided to walk across to the other side to get some of the action. At that very instant a mountain bike rider came flashing down the path and across the ford. The Heron started to make a dash for it but quickly realised it better get out of the way fast so got into flying mode. This all happened in a second or two.
(P)
I was able to sneak out this morning between breakfast and the beginning of our convention - here's a shot of the flora around the hotel (Disney Swan and Dolphin) - these were from the garden at the Swan.
Sorry I won't have time to comment on all my contact's great new photos - too much work today. I'll catch up soon : ) cheers, paul
Before Starting this Write up for the Days Events I want to say a Huge Thank You to all of the Marshals at Brands Hatch for the work that you do as without you We would not be able to Witness the Amazing Racing that takes Place Here Every Year.
During the Events of Saturday A Marshal Was Tragically Killed in an Accident on the Circuit. My Thoughts and Prayers are with The Family of the Marshal as well as Everyone Involved in the Incident.
Lets Keep Working Hard to Make Racing Exciting but also to work on the Safety Aspect of Both Spectators and Marshals at Each Event.
It was Time for the BARC To make a Very Special Return to Brands Hatch for the Annual BARC Club Car Championship Races. The Grids were looking to be Full up with lots of Action across both the Saturday and Sunday with Qualifying and Racing.
Lets See who's up First and Who can Take their Vehicles around the very Fast and Highly Paced Indy Circuit.
Brit Car Endurance Championship/Endurance And Praga Categories (Qualifying)
First Up was the Brit Car Endurance Championship Featuring a whole range of different cars from the Ferrari 488 to the Praga R1T. Thease two Classes of cars ran together during Qualifying so lets see who managed to take Pole Position for the Race on Sunday.
In First Place was (Tim Gray Motorsport and the Pairing of Richard Wells and Alex Kapadia) In their Praga R1T with a Lap Time of 44.675 and a Top Speed of 97.33mph. An Amazing Effort by Richard and Alex to claim Pole Position and start on the Front Row for Tomorrow's Race.
In Second Place was (CW Performance and the Pairing of Christopher Wesemael and Richard Morris) in their Praga R1 with a Lap Time of 45.128 and a Top Speed of 96.36mph. Another Incredible Drive from The Pairing of Christopher and Richard Claiming Second Position and Being Very Close to First in that Qualifying Battle. Fantastic Work.
In Third Place was (Team Praga Three Lions and The Pairing of Ash Dibden and Angus Fender) in their Praga R1 with a Lap Time of 45.365 and A Top Speed of 95.85mph. Very Close to Second Place Indeed with First, Second and Third place being a very hard Fought Battle for Positions. Fantastic work Ash and Angus.
A Very Exciting start to the Weekend with a Thrilling Qualifying Session and no doubt a Race to look forward to on the Sunday. Who will prevail and take the Checkered Flag? Only Time will tell.
CTCRC Edmundson Electrical Classic/Historic Thunder Saloons (Qualifying)
Next Up was the Edmundson Electrical Classics and The Historic Thunder Saloons as they Headed out for their Qualifying Session and with a Vast Grid of Historic Cars Such as Vauxhalls Fords and BMW'S this looks to be Another Spectacular Qualifying Session for the History Books.
Lets take a look and see who managed to get Pole Position and How Quickly they Managed to do it in.
In First Place was (Jason West) in his BMW E46 M3 3200 with a Lap Time of 50.576 and A Top Speed of 85.98mph. Very Fast Driving from Jason and a Fantastic Effort to achieve Pole Position for the Start of The Race.
In Second Place was (Mike Saunders) in his Ford MK1 Escort Mexico 4700 with a Lap Time of 51.100 and A Top Speed of 85.09mph. Another Fast and Well Controlled Lap from Mike to put himself into Second Place after a very Quick and Brave Drive.
In Third Place was (Andrew Wilson) in his Holden Monaro 7000 with a Lap Time of 51.282 and A Top Speed of 84.79mph. Fantastic Driving from Andrew to Achieve Third Place.
A Very Wonderful Qualifying Session for the CTCRC Edmundson Electrical Classic/Historic Thunder Saloons with Three Very Quick and Eager Drivers all wanting to be First but at the End of the Day their can only be One Winner. Who will it be? Only time will tell.
CTCRC JEC Saloon & GT Championship & Burton Power BOSS (Qualifying)
Next Up The Saloon and GT Championships and with More Escorts and Jaguars Heading onto the Circuit it was time to see what This set of Drivers could do and who would be able to claim Pole Position.
In First Place was (Malcom Harding) in his Ford Escort MK2 Zakspeed 2500 with a Lap Time of 53.705 and A Top Speed of 80.97mph. A Beautifully Prepared Machine Combined with a Fantastically Brave Drivers makes for a Perfect Paring. Amazing Work Malcom for Getting Pole Position.
In Second Place was (Steven Goldsmith) in his Ford Anglia 105e 2600 with a Lap Time of 54.237 and A Top Speed of 80.17mph. Another Amazing Driver pushing His Machinery Hard and Coming Very Close to Malcom's Time. Amazing Work Steven.
In Third Place was (Colin Philpott) in his Jaguar XJS 4000 with a Lap Time of 55.165 and A Top Speed of 79.27mph. Still Keeping very Close to Steven in Second Place and Rightfully Defending that Third Spot on the Grid. Amazing Drive from Colin.
Another Set of Amazing Drivers all showing the Love and Passion they have For Motorsport and Racing. But who will be Brave enough to push to the limits and Defend their Position for the Race. We will Have to Wait and Find Out.
CTCRC JEC Saloon & GT Championship & Burton Power BOSS (Race 1)
Its Time for The First Race of the Day and its for the JEC Saloons and GT Championship. After a Thrilling Qualifying Session Earlier its time to see who can Take Victory in the First Race.
In First Place and Taking the First Win of the Weekend was (MALCOLM HARDING) in his Ford Escort MK2 Zakspeed 2500 with a Lap Time of 54.028 and a Top Speed of 80.48mph. Amazing Drive There Malcolm and Congratulations on Your First Victory.
In Second Place was (STEVEN GOLDSMITH) in his Ford Anglia 105e 2600 with a Lap Time of 54.645 and A Top Speed of 79.57mph. Incredible Drive there Steve with a lot of Determination and a Very Brave Nerve to take Second Place.
In Third Place was (COLIN PHILPOT) in his Jaguar XJS 4000 with a Lap Time of 55.295 and a Top Speed of 78.64mph. Well Done Colin A Well Deserved Third Place and an Amazing Drive for Third Place.
What A Race from the Saloon and GT Championship and with Another Race to Come on Sunday More High Speed Action can be expected then.
CTCRC Laser Tools Pre 93 & Simply Serviced Pre 03 Touring Cars (Qualifying)
Next Up onto the Circuit was the Pre 03 and Pre 93 Touring Cars for their Qualifying Session and with some Fantastic Cars on the Gird it will be Interesting to see who Can take Pole Position and become the Victor of this Qualifying Session.
In First Place was (Gary Prebble) in his Honda Civic EG 2000 with a Lap Time of 52.971 and A Top Speed of 82.09mph. Fast and Committed rom Gary and a Beautifully Prepared Honda too. Well Done.
In Second Place was (AJ Owen) in his Honda Civic Type R 2000 with a Lap Time of 53.153 and A Top Speed of 81.81mph. Another Fantastic Drive from AJ Showing the Power of the Honda Engine and what it can do in the right hands.
In Third Place was (Don Hughes) in his Peugeot 306 XSI 2000 with a Lap Time of 54.013 and A Top Speed of 80.51mph. Another Super Lap from a Super Driver to Put himself into Third Place Behind the Two Hondas Awesome Work there Don.
A Brilliant Qualifying Session for the Pre 93 and Pre 03 Touring Cars. Well Done to the Top Three Drivers and Good Luck to all other Drivers Competing.
CTCRC Poultec Classic Race Engines Pre 66 Touring Cars (Qualifying)
Pre 66 Touring Cars are Next Up and usually a Fan Favourite at Brands Hatch Amongst Spectators and Race Enthusiasts and Who Can blame them. From the Mini Cooper S to The Ford Anglia and Lotus Cortina they are truly something Special to witness Racing around the Track.
Lets See who came where and how this will Impact the Race Ahead.
In First Place was (Alan Greenhalgh) in his Ford Falcon 4727 with a Lap Time of 58.396 and a Top Speed of 74.46mph. Fantastic Driving Alan and a well Deserved Pole Position.
In Second Place was (Robyn Slater) in his Ford Anglia 1550 with a Lap Time of 59.353 and A Top Speed of 73.26mph. Very Well Done to Robyn and an Amazing Drive to Achieve Second Place.
In Third Place was (Barry Sime) in his Morris Mini Cooper S with A Lap Time of 59.627 and A Top Speed of 72.93mph. Showing the Power of The Mini there Barry that's for sure What an Awesome Drive for Third Place.
What A Qualifying Session for the Pre 66 Touring Cars Showing some Awesome Machinery and Cars that Have Been Designed for One Thing Speed. Well Done to Alan Robyn and Barry Here's Hoping to see a Fantastic Battle Between all Three of you Come Race Day.
CTCRC Shell Oils Pre 83 Touring Cars (Qualifying)
Finally was the Turn of the Shell Oils Pre 83 Touring Cars to take to the Circuit. With More Fords and Jags ready to take on the Track and see who can take that Final Pole Position of The Day.
Lets see how things Turned out on the Track
In First Place was (Mike Luck) in his BMW E21 320 with a Lap Time of 56.575 and a Top Speed of 76.86mph. A Very Fast Time and enough to take Pole Position Amazing work there Mike.
In Second Place was (Mark Osbourne) in his Triumph Dolomite Sprint 1998 with a Lap Time of 56.839 and A Top Speed of 76.5mph. Amazing Drive from Mark to put his Triumph right up there in Second Place and not too far Behind Mike in the BMW.
In Third Place was (Stephen Primett) in his Ford Escort MK1 2037 with a Lap Time of 56.867mph and a Top Speed of 76.46mph. Another Incredible Drive for Third Place and The Final Spot in the Top Three for Qualifying. Very Well Done Stephen.
A Thrilling Qualifying Session for the Pre 83 Touring Cars to round of a Very Busy and Long First Day of Qualifying. Lets see what Each Driver can do come Race Day and who will be able to Dominate and Take Home The Trophy for Their Classes.
Best Luck To Everybody and See You All Tomorrow.
I was able to catch the Jacqui Naylor Quartet at NYC’s own Iridium Jazz club for the first evening show.
Jacqui performed some songs off her newest album, “Dead Divas Society” as well as Jazz Standards including “A Good Day,” “Skylark,”Black Coffee,” and “Moon River.” One of my favorite performances of the evening was a jazzified cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up.” I highly recommend that everyone head over to Amazon and check out some of her excellent CDs!
Hi there,
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Robert Stokoe (21 September 1930 – 1 February 2004) was an English footballer and manager who was able, almost uniquely, to transcend the traditional north-east animosity between the region's footballing rivals, Newcastle United and Sunderland. As a player, he won an FA Cup winner's medal with Newcastle in 1955. As a manager, he guided Blackpool to victory in the 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup final. Two years later, he led Sunderland to success in the 1973 FA Cup final, and followed it up with promotion from the Second Division in 1975–76.
Playing career
Born in Mickley, near Prudhoe, Northumberland, the son of a miner, Stokoe began his footballing career at Newcastle United, signing for them as an apprentice in 1947 and playing the first of 261 games, usually as centre-half, on Christmas Day 1950 against Middlesbrough, a game in which he also scored. The highlight of his 13 years at Newcastle was the 3–1 1955 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. After leaving Newcastle and joining Bury in February 1961, Stokoe spent a short time as a player, leading the team in an undefeated run to promotion, before making the move into management with the same club as player-manager the following season.
Management career
Stokoe took the post of player-manager at Bury in December 1961 which, at 31 years of age, made him the second-youngest manager in the Football League. He led them to the semi-finals of the League Cup in 1962–63. He retired from playing in 1964, staying on as manager for another year after which he moved south to take charge at Charlton Athletic from 1965 to 1967. He was manager of Rochdale from 1967 to 1968, followed by three separate spells at Carlisle United (1968–1970, 1980–1985 and 1985–1986).
Blackpool
Between spells at Carlisle, Stokoe managed Blackpool from 1970 to 1972. He was initially approached by the club in the summer of 1969, after the departure of Stan Mortensen. At the time, he declined, preferring to stay with Carlisle; just over eighteen months later, however, he became the ninth official manager in Blackpool's history.
With Blackpool relegated to the Second Division before he took over, Stokoe began to clear out the "deadwood" and rebuilt the side more to his liking. Stokoe agreed to sell Tony Green to his old club, Newcastle, bringing striker Keith Dyson in the opposite direction.
Before the departure of Green, Blackpool enjoyed a successful venture into Europe, winning the Anglo-Italian Cup in June 1971. In the league, meanwhile, the Seasiders finished in sixth place. This still was not good enough for the fans, however, who became disenchanted with life outside the top flight again, and the club's style of play under Stokoe was not to their liking.
Another successful run in the Anglo-Italian Cup the following season, when Blackpool finished as runners-up to Roma, kept the critics at bay, but the feeling around Bloomfield Road was that the 1972–73 campaign would be critical.
Stokoe's third season at Blackpool started well enough when, with the team reasonably placed for a promotion push and having stated that he intended to remain at the club for five years,[1] he left the club. He had been lured back to his native north-east by Sunderland.
Sunderland
Stokoe took over as manager of Sunderland on 29 November 1972 when they were fourth from bottom of the Second Division table after a run of just four wins in 18 games. Although his first game in charge was lost 1–0 at home to Burnley, the following week seemingly liberated players won 3–2 away at Portsmouth, starting a run of 32 games, with only five defeats. Just six months later, on 5 May 1973, having already beaten Manchester City and Arsenal on their way to the FA Cup final, Stokoe took the Second Division club to Wembley and defeated the cup holders Leeds United to secure Sunderland's first FA Cup title since 1937. Managed by Don Revie, whom Stokoe had opposed when playing for Newcastle United in their 1955 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, Leeds United were a team packed with international players and strong favourites to retain the trophy. However, Sunderland scored in the first half through Ian Porterfield and with the help of a memorable second-half match-saving double save from goalkeeper Jim Montgomery, managed to win 1–0. The victory was the first time a Second Division team had won the Cup in 42 years. Stokoe is remembered for his impromptu jubilant run down the pitch at the end of the game, complete in Mackintosh and his trilby hat, to celebrate the victory with Montgomery. A statue of Stokoe with his arms held aloft in celebratory mid-run now stands outside Sunderland's Stadium of Light. None of the Sunderland players had been capped at the highest level when they lifted the cup, though some were capped later. Sunderland finished 6th in the Second Division that season and narrowly missed promotion in the following two seasons.
In 1975–76, he guided the club to the Second Division title. He tendered his resignation the following season after they struggled in the First Division with a start of nine straight games without a victory.
Later years
In May 1978, Stokoe returned to Blackpool with the club in dire straits. Under the management of Allan Brown they had been relegated to the Third Division for the first time in their history and were looking for someone who could rebuild the club. He guided them to a mid-table finishing position, and then resigned again before the start of the 1979–80 season.
There followed another spell with Rochdale (1979–1980) which ended with the club having to seek re-election to the League and spells with Carlisle United (1980–1985 and 1985–1986). He led Carlisle to promotion to the Second Division in 1982, and in the 1983–84 season they became promotion contenders before a poor run saw them finish 7th. He resigned in 1985, only to be reappointed and resign again seven months later.
Towards the end of the 1986–87 season, he was appointed caretaker manager of Sunderland as they struggled in the Second Division. They narrowly lost on the away goals rule, in the end-of-season relegation-promotion playoffs and were relegated to the Third Division for the first time in their history. His contract was not renewed and he retired from football. During his whole career as a manager he was never sacked by any of his clubs.
Death
After being unwell for some time with Alzheimer's disease, Stokoe was admitted to hospital in Hartlepool suffering from pneumonia and died on 1 February 2004 aged 73. The respect offered by both rival fan groups of Newcastle United and Sunderland was marked by their attendance at his funeral at the crematorium at Newcastle upon Tyne. The Reverend Neil Cockling, the Methodist Minister for Prudhoe, who conducted the service, told mourners: "He will be remembered by all as a real gentleman. Such was Bob's standing that we can see Sunderland and Newcastle here together today to celebrate his life."
Honours
As a player
Newcastle United
FA Cup winner: 1955
As manager
Blackpool
Anglo-Italian Cup winners: 1971
Sunderland
FA Cup winners: 1973
Second Division championship: 1975–76
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England, and the eighth and current home to Sunderland A.F.C. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light is the ninth largest football stadium in England. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. home matches. The stadium was named by chairman Bob Murray to reflect the coal mining heritage of the North East and the former Monkwearmouth Colliery site on which it stands. A Davy lamp monument stands at the entrance to reflect the coal mining industry that brought prosperity to the town.
As well as hosting Sunderland games, the stadium has hosted three matches for the England national football team, as well as an England under-20, an England under-21 and two England women's team matches. With an original capacity of 42,000, it was expanded in 2000 to seat 49,000. Its simple design is apparently to allow for redevelopments up to a capacity of 64,000. The attendance record at the Stadium of Light is 48,353 set on 13 April 2002, when Sunderland played Liverpool with the visitors running out 1–0 winners. Along with hosting football matches, the stadium has played host to performers such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Oasis, Take That, Kings of Leon, P!nk, Coldplay, Spice Girls and Elton John. The ground also holds conference and banqueting suites, the 'Black Cats Bar', and a club shop selling Sunderland merchandise.
Planning and construction
Following the release of the Taylor Report in January 1990, Sunderland was obliged to make plans to turn their Roker Park home into an all-seater stadium. Roker Park was a ground that mainly consisted of standing terraces, and if converted into all-seater it would have held far fewer spectators than before. Enclosed by residential streets on all sides, expansion was practically impossible. So, by 1991, Sunderland chairman Bob Murray had started to scour the local area for possible sites to build a new all-seater stadium.
The front-runner that emerged was a proposed stadium located on an area of land adjacent to the Nissan car plant. The 49,000 all-seater ground was labelled "the Wembley of the North" by Sunderland fans and would boast a capacity that not even Manchester United's Old Trafford exceeded until 1996. The plans did not come to fruition. Shortly after the plans were announced in 1992, Nissan launched an official objection, ultimately forcing Sunderland to abandon the idea. By 1995, the site of the Wearmouth Colliery, which had closed in December 1993, was identified as the club's preferred location for a new stadium. The area, on the north bank of the River Wear in the Sheepfolds district of Sunderland, was only a few hundred yards from Roker Park, and close to the centre of the city.
In 1993, Sunderland's planned new stadium was on the shortlist for Euro 96 venues, as England had been named as hosts of the competition in May 1992. However, it soon become clear that a new stadium in Sunderland would not be ready in time for the tournament.
On 13 November 1995, the Sunderland chairman Bob Murray announced that the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation had approved plans for Sunderland to build a 34,000-seater stadium on the Monkwearmouth site. Ballast Wiltshier plc, a contracting company that had built the Amsterdam Arena, was contracted to build the stadium at an initial cost of £15 million.[8] In June 1996, as the planned capacity rose to more than 40,000, construction work began. The capacity was revised again in early 1997, and the stadium was completed on time, with a capacity of 42,000. The stadium's design allows possible expansion of a further tier; completed expansion of the whole upper tier would produce a capacity of 63,000, although it is believed by some that the stadium can expand to a maximum capacity of 84,000, this would seem unlikely ever to be exercised.
The stadium was opened on 30 July 1997 by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, with bands such as Status Quo, Upside Down and Kavana playing. To celebrate the opening of the stadium, Sunderland played a friendly against the Dutch side Ajax, which was drawn 0–0.
The move did not happen without criticism. Famous actor and Sunderland supporter, often named in the media "Sunderland's most famous supporter", Peter O'Toole, said he wasn't as much a fan as he used to be since the team left Roker Park. Playwright Tom Kelly and actor Paul Dunn created a one-man play called "I Left My Heart at Roker Park" about a fan struggling with the move and what Roker Park meant for him - the play originally ran in 1997, and had a few revivals since.
The North Stand was extended in 2000 to bring the capacity to 49,000, costing the club a further £7 million, making the final cost of the stadium £23 million. On 18 July 2006, a statue of 1973 FA Cup Final winning manager Bob Stokoe was unveiled outside the stadium. At the end of season Football League awards, the Stadium of Light was named the Best Away Ground, with other contenders including Crewe Alexandra's Alexandra Stadium and Plymouth Argyle's Home Park. Sunderland celebrated the tenth anniversary of the stadium with a pre-season friendly against Juventus on 6 August 2007; the game was drawn 1–1.
Name
During construction, the stadium had not adopted an official name, and had been known colloquially as the "Wearside Stadium" and "New Roker Park".
The name was eventually revealed as the Stadium of Light at a naming ceremony on 30 July 1997, hours before the opening game against Ajax (0-0). Speaking at the naming event, Bob Murray explained the inspiration for the name came from the Coal mining heritage of the region and the stadium's Monkwearmouth Colliery site:
"For many years, miners at Wearmouth Colliery carried with them a Davy lamp as part of their working lives. Reflecting this tradition, the name allows the image of this light to shine forever."
To emphasise the fact, a statue of a miner's Davy lamp was located in front of the stadium's ticket office, adjacent to the stadium. The stadium name had been associated with the area since 1970 when it appeared in a Monty Python's Flying Circus episode Literary Football, which was hosted by a native of South Shields, Eric Idle.
The name initially drew mixed reactions from Sunderland fans many unhappy that the name was already associated with the home ground of S.L. Benfica. A film crew for the Premier Passions documentary series recorded the moment that Bob Murray faced Sunderland fans immediately after the naming with many expressing their disappointment. The similarity to the name of Benfica's home, Estádio da Luz, often anglicised to The Stadium of Light, has led to some visiting fans and reporters to erroneously assume that Sunderland's home was named after the Portuguese stadium. Murray responded directly to this in a 2017 interview with the Evening Chronicle, in which he said
"The Estadio de Luz in Portugal isn’t the Stadium of Light, it is named after the area – Luz. It’s like, say, Elland Road or Old Trafford. We are the only club whose stadium has that name, and it was because of the history of the region that I named it".
In the same interview, Murray revealed that shortly after the stadium opened he was approached by a representative of the Labour government asking if he would consider renaming the stadium after Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in September 1997. Murray refused the request as he believed the stadium should be named in honour of those in the region who had worked in darkness.
The 'Of Light' suffix became a recognisable part of the Sunderland A.F.C. brand, and was used in a number of other areas related to the club; the Academy of Light is the club's training facility and youth academy, the Foundation of Light is a registered charity affiliated with the club and the Beacon of Light is a sports and education centre, owned by the Foundation, which is adjacent to the stadium. The club's official magazine was called Legion of Light before it was discontinued in January 2017.
In March 2010, Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn announced the club were considering plans to sell naming rights to the stadium as a new way to boost income. The plans were shelved shortly after. The possibility of selling the naming rights was floated again by chief executive Margaret Byrne in 2013. Discussing the options of selling the stadium name in October 2018, chairman Stewart Donald said:
"I think the fans should have a say on whether they are comfortable with it. My gut feel is that even if we didn't consult with them, the vibe I get is that they aren't particularly attached to the name of the stadium. It's not a sacred thing like some of the other grounds."
Structure and facilities
The stadium is in the shape of a square bowl, and is separated into the West Stand, North Stand, East Stand and the Roker End (South Stand). The stands have all formerly had commercial names as part of sponsorship deals, e.g. the Vaux Stand (West), the Carling Stand (North), Fosters Stand (East) and the Metro FM Stand (South). The South Stand was renamed to the Roker End in December 2018, following a poll organised by the Red & White Army supporters club. The Roker End was the name of the stand behind the goal at the southern end of the ground at Roker Park.
The West Stand includes the Premier Concourse which is the name of the upper tier and a number of executive boxes. The North Stand also includes an upper tier, formerly branded the Strongbow Upper, which contained the exterior seating for the Black Cats Bar, an enhanced match-day experience with padded seating and an exclusive catering facilities and bar. When the away fans were relocated in 2012, the Black Cats Bar seating was relocated to the rear of the North Stand lower tier.
Within the stadium is a concourse, housing the turnstiles, emergency exits, food kiosks, bars and toilet facilities. The concourse allows uninterrupted spectator access throughout the inner stadium bowl, with the exception being a gap between the South Stand and the South West corner. The concourse is linked to the seating bowl via a series of access ramps. The South East corner of the stadium is designated as the Family Zone, and has family-oriented branding within the concourse, as well as entertainment such as PlayStation 4 consoles.
Away fans were seated in the west half of the South Stand when the ground opened in 1997, but in November 2011, the club announced that the away supporters' section would be moved from the South Stand to the North Stand Upper from the beginning of the 2012–13 season. However, the club announced its intention to move away fans back to the lower bowl in time for the 2023–24 season following a number of incidents.
The pitch is several metres below the level of the ground outside the stadium. The pitch uses a lighting system from Stadium Grow Lighting to ensure the grass can grow at any time of year. The device controls various aspects of the pitch, including exposure to light, temperature, water, and air, to make the grass able to grow in any conditions.
To the North East of the stadium stands the Black Cat House, a separate building which is the location of the Box office and club administrative offices. There is a large car park behind the West Stand and two car parks behind the East Stand, but match-day parking is permit only. Fragments of the iconic Archibald Leitch latticework, taken from the Main Stand at Roker Park, is used to separate parts of the Western Car Park. Wooden boards mimicking the Leitch lattice work were also added to the Roker End in 2019 as part of an initiative by the Red & White Army supporters group to bring a sense of identity to renamed stand.
The perimeter walls of the stadium incorporate a "Wall of Fame" feature, where names can be engraved into the bricks of the walls. The interior of the stadium holds a banqueting suite, which can seat from 460 to 600 people. The stadium also contains several conferencing suites, that can be hired for events. Quinn's Bar, housed in the West Stand, was named after former player and chairman Niall Quinn and includes memorabilia from the club's history. Originally it was available for non-match-day visitors, but has since become exclusive for match-day hospitality and event packages.
In 2004,The Centre for Light was opened by the SAFC Foundation within the Stadium. The £1.6m learning facility, built over multiple floors, included five learning areas supporting up to 120 visiting children per day. In 2015, Sunderland became the first football club in the world to open a sensory room within the Stadium - thereby allowing people on the Autism spectrum to watch matches in a sound-proofed environment. It was named the Nathan Shippey Sensory Room after Nathan's parents petitioned the club to set the room up. The sensory room provided a huge success, with the model being adopted at other clubs around the world. Sunderland opened their second sensory room in 2018.
In March 2018 it was announced that after the relegation to EFL League One, the Premier Concourse would be closed during the 2018–19 season, although it was temporarily reopened to accommodate a large crowd for the Boxing Day game against Bradford City and again on the final home league game against Portsmouth. After promotion back to EFL Championship, the Premier Concourse is permanently reopened.
Seats
The stadium was originally kitted predominately with red seats, the exception being a Sunderland emblem and the words "SUNDERLAND A.F.C" in white lettering on the East Stand, and the slogan "HA'WAY THE LADS" ("Ha'way" is a Mackem dialect equivalent of the Geordie word "Howay", meaning "Come on") in white lettering on the North Stand. A thin band of white seats also circled the top of the East and South stand.
Over time, sections of red seats become bleached by the Sun, turning them pink - which became a source of mockery from opposing fans. Sunderland fans petitioned the club to replace the seats, even noting on the inclusion of the faded pink seats in the digital replica of the Stadium of Light in the FIFA video game. In 2016, the club announced that a programme of seat changes would take place as part of a face-lift for the stadium's 20th anniversary. Sections of the East Stand were replaced, but further work stalled.
When Stewart Donald purchased the club in the summer of 2018, frustration over the pink seats (and the general state of the Stadium) came up frequently in his early engagements with fans. In June, Donald announced that he had purchased 31,500 seats and requested Sunderland fans to volunteer to help change them. The seat change took place in phases, with hundreds of volunteering fans joined occasionally by club officials and players. Phase I was the South East corner and was completed on 19 July 2018, Phase II was the North East corner and North Stand on was completed on 15 September 2018, and Phase III the South West corner completed in October 2018. The fourth and final phase, replacing 10,000 seats in the South and West stands, began on 29 October 2018. The corners were replaced with white seats, while the sides and ends were left red. The emblem and lettering remained. The club were nominated as a finalist in 'Best Club Marketing Initiative' category at the 2018 Business Football Awards for the seat change activity.
Fan Zone
A 6,000 capacity Fan Zone, modeled on similar schemes at Manchester City and those at NFL games in the United States, was approved by Sunderland City Council in July 2015. It followed a successful trial prior to a game against West Ham United in January 2013.
It was opened on the first home game of the 2015–16 season. The zone was located in the car park outside the East Stand and South East corner, and included live music, children's activities (including a Five-a-side football pitch), food and drink kiosks and on-stage interviews with club legends. The Fan Zone opened three hours before kick-off and for a few hours after the game, and was accessible to ticket-holding spectators, including away fans. Due to the temporary structures in use, the Fan Zone was closed for safety reasons during periods of high winds. An enhanced version of the Fan Zone was opened for the England senior international game vs Australia in 2016.
The Fan Zone re-opened for the 2016–17 season opener against Middlesbrough, but as the season progressed, poor performance on the field and financial troubles off the field led to the Fan Zone being cancelled.
In a Q&A with supporters association 'Red & White Army', new club owner Stewart Donald committed to bring back the Fan Zone. It returned for the opening game of the 2018–19 season against Charlton Athletic, although smaller than the 2015 version, it was open to anyone - not just ticket-holding spectators. The Fan Zone no longer re-opens after a game.
Stadium Village
A 30 hectare site area around the Stadium, including the Sheepfolds Industrial estate, was designated as the 'Stadium Village' development zone by Sunderland City Council in 2007 - and a draft Supplementary planning document was released in 2009. The plan, adopted in 2010, described a framework for redeveloping the Stadium Village area into a mixture of commercial, residential and entertainment facilities with a focus on health and well-being. The plan was consistent with wider redevelopment plans across Sunderland, then under the umbrella of Sunderland Arc agency. In preparation for the redevelopment plans, the council began buying up plots in the area in 2008.
Initial redevelopment work focused on the Northern end of the site, adjacent to the stadium's North Stand and the Black Cat House ticket office. The buildings in this area have Stadium Park as their address. The Sunderland Aquatic Centre, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool and fitness centre, opened in April 2008. In December 2014 construction work began on a new 141-room Hilton Garden Inn which opened on 28 April 2016. The Beacon of Light, a sports, education and community centre, opened in the summer of 2018 alongside the Aquatic Centre.
In 2009, during a review of the Stadium Village plans, city councilors expressed ambitions to build an Indoor skiing facility on the site and an expression of interest was issued to potential developers.
In the spring of 2011, the Sunderland Arc redevelopment agency was shut down, after its funding was pulled due to austerity cuts. This put the long-term future of the Stadium Village plan in doubt. However the council partnered with IDPartnership Group to push ahead with the plan, and in September 2017, a 'masterplan' for Phase II of the Stadium Village area was approved by Sunderland council and released for public consultation. The Phase II area covers an area to the South and East of the stadium and proposals included facilities such as a Velodrome, an Ice rink, a Conference centre and a Climbing wall.
A key part of the new masterplan is Stadium Way, a proposed tree-lined boulevard linking the St Peter's Metro station with a proposed Plaza at the South East corner of the stadium. The plaza would incorporate an enhanced Fan Zone, and is modelled on a similar space being developed as part of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
International matches
As well as holding Sunderland games, the stadium has also hosted England matches. The stadium was one of several venues used as temporary home grounds for the England team while the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium took place. It hosted its first England game in 1999, when they played Belgium in a friendly match, which England won 2–1. It played host to its first competitive England match on 2 April 2003, when they played Turkey in a Euro 2004 qualifying match, which England won 2–0. The Stadium of Light also held an England under 20 match against Italy on 27 November 2002, Italy beat England 5–3. On 10 June 2003 it hosted an England's under-21s 2004 U21 European Championship qualifier match against Slovakia's under-21s. The hosts beat the visitors 2–0 through Peter Doležaj's fortieth minute own goal and Phil Jagielka's eighty third-minute goal with 11,223 in attendance.
On 4 March 2016 it was announced that the Stadium of Light would host England for a friendly against Australia on 27 May 2016 as part of their preparations for Euro 2016. The sold-out match finished in a 2–1 victory for England, with goals from Marcus Rashford (on his international debut), Wayne Rooney and an own goal from Eric Dier.
On 30 September 2021, it was announced that the Stadium would host its first women's football international; an England 2023 World Cup qualifier against Austria on 27 November 2021.
Other Football
The Stadium of Light has hosted the final of the Durham Challenge Cup three times; in 2008, 2019. and 2023. It was due to host the 2020 final, but this was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Stadium of Light has also played host to finals for youth football, including the U14 Premier League Cup Final in 2014.
Rugby union
In August 2023, the stadium was confirmed as one of eight host venues for the women's 2025 Rugby World Cup. In December 2023, it was confirmed that the stadium would host the tournaments opening game.
Sunderland University
The Stadium of Light currently hosts the annual graduation ceremony for the students of the University of Sunderland. The stadium won the RSVP magazine's Most creative use of a sporting venue award in 2007 for its usage as the university's graduation site.
Records
The highest football attendance at the Stadium of Light is 48,353 set on 13 April 2002 for a Premier League game between Sunderland and Liverpool. The Stadium attendance record for non-football is 60,000 on 3 June 2022 for an Ed Sheeran concert.
The lowest league attendance at the stadium was 22,167 against Wigan Athletic on 2 December 2003. The lowest recorded attendance for a first-team competitive game at the Stadium of Light was 3,498 vs Oldham Athletic in the EFL Trophy Second Round on 1 December 2021. A dead rubber game vs. Bradford City in the same tournament on 9 November 2021 did not have an officially recorded attendance.
The highest seasonal average at the stadium since it was opened was 46,790 in the 2000–01 season while Sunderland were playing in the Premier League. The lowest average attendance at the Stadium of Light was 27,119 in the 2003–04 season in Division One. The highest total seasonal attendance was recorded during the 1998–99 season when the aggregate was 890,660 in a season where Sunderland were First Division champions, and League Cup semi-finalists. The lowest seasonal aggregate at the Stadium of Light was 572,241 in the 2019–20 season, as Sunderland played only 19 of a planned 23 games due to the season's curtailment because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following season saw all games played behind closed doors due to the pandemic.
In the 2018-19 season, Sunderland averaged a home league crowd of 32,156, setting a new record for the third tier, while the Boxing Day game against Bradford City attracted 46,039, both a League One record, and the highest attended league game outside of the Premier League that season.
Results
Sunderland's largest margin of victory at the stadium was a 7–0 win over Oxford United in Division 1 during the 1998–99 promotion season.
Sunderland's biggest defeat at the Stadium of Light was 5–0 in a preseason friendly (marking the 20th anniversary of the stadium) against Celtic on 29 July 2017. Sunderland's biggest league defeat at the Stadium of Light is 4–0 which has happened on five occasions: vs. Arsenal (11 May 2003), vs. Manchester United (26 December 2007), vs. Aston Villa (14 March 2015), vs. Southampton (11 February 2017) and vs. Middlesbrough (7 October 2023).
The highest scoring matches at the Stadium of Light with nine goals are a 6–3 Sunderland victory over Exeter City in Round 2 of the EFL Cup on 25 August 2015, and a 5–4 Sunderland defeat to Coventry City in League One on 13 April 2019.
Transport
The Stadium of Light Tyne Wear Metro station
Sunderland railway station, which is connected to London King's Cross by infrequent services run by the Open Access operator Grand Central or by main line services run by London North Eastern Railway connecting via Newcastle or Darlington, is located nearby to the stadium. The St Peter's and Stadium of Light Metro stations were built as part of the Sunderland extension, both are quite near the stadium, though ironically St. Peter's is a closer station to the ground than the Stadium of Light station. The Metro was extended into Sunderland in 2002. A park and ride system is available on match days to allow spectators to park away from the stadium,[116] and a new footbridge proposal has been put forward to link the stadium to the south bank of the river as part of the stadium park regeneration project.
Ruthin Gaol (Welsh: Carchar Rhuthun) is a Pentonville style prison in Ruthin, Denbighshire. Ruthin Gaol ceased to be a prison in 1916 when the prisoners and guards were transferred to Shrewsbury. The County Council bought the buildings in 1926 and used part of them for offices, the county archives, and the town library. During the Second World War the prison buildings were used as a munitions factory, before being handed back to the County Council, when it was the headquarters of the Denbighshire Library Service. In 2004 the Gaol was extensively renovated and reopened as a museum.
The first House of Correction, or Bridewell, was built at the bottom of Clwyd Street, next to the river, in 1654, to replace the Old Court House, where able-bodied idlers and the unemployed were sent to work. Following John Howard's investigations into prison conditions the Denbighshire justices resolved to build a new model prison in Ruthin on the site of the old Bridewell. Work began in January 1775. In 1802 the prison had four cells for prisoners and nine rooms for debtors. By 1837 it could hold 37 inmates.[citation needed] The Prisons Act of 1865 set new standards for the design of prisons — as the Ruthin County Gaol did not meet the standards plans were drawn up for a new four-storey wing, and the new prison accommodating up to 100 prisoners, in the style of London's Pentonville Prison was built at a cost of £12,000. On 1 April 1878 the Ruthin County Gaol became HM Prison Ruthin, covering the counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Merionethshire.
As far as is known, only one person was ever executed in the prison, William Hughes of Denbigh, aged 42, who was hanged on 17 February 1903 for the murder of his wife, his plea of insanity having failed. Another colourful prison personality was John Jones, known as Coch Bach y Bala – who was a kleptomaniac and poacher who had spent more than half his 60 years in all the prisons of north Wales and many in England; he twice escaped from Ruthin Gaol, first on 30 November 1879 when he walked out of prison with three others while the staff were having supper — a £5 reward was offered for his capture, which happened the following 3 January. On 30 September 1913 he tunnelled out of his cell and using a rope made out of his bedding he climbed over the roof of the chapel and kitchen and got over the wall; after seven days living rough on the Nantclwyd Estate several miles away, Jones was shot in the leg by one of his pursuers, 19-year-old Reginald Jones-Bateman. Jones died of shock and blood loss, while Jones-Bateman was charged with manslaughter, though the charges were subsequently dropped.
Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders filmed the series' 5th episode in Ruthin in which the team investigated a Victorian Era murder. Some of the places the episode was filmed in were the Old Gaol and the town library.
Ruthin is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales, in the south of the Vale of Clwyd. It is Denbighshire's county town. The town, castle and St Peter's Square lie on a hill, skirted by villages such as Pwllglas and Rhewl. The name comes from the Welsh rhudd (red) and din (fort), after the colour of sandstone bedrock, from which the castle was built in 1277–1284 The Old Mill, Ruthin, is nearby. Maen Huail, a registered ancient monument attributed to the brother of Gildas and King Arthur, stands in St Peter's Square.
The population at the 2001 census was 5,218, of whom 47 per cent were male and 53 per cent female. The average age was 43.0 years and 98.2 per cent were white. According to the 2011 census, the population had risen to 5,461. 68 per cent of which were born in Wales and 25 per cent in England. Welsh speakers account for 42 per cent of the town's population. The community includes the village of Llanfwrog.
There is evidence of Celtic and later Roman settlements in the area. However, little is known of the history of the town before the construction of Ruthin Castle was started in 1277 by Dafydd, the brother of prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. However, he forfeited the castle when he rebelled against King Edward I with his brother; Edward's queen, Eleanor, was in residence in 1281. The original name was Castell Coch yng Ngwern-fôr (Red Castle in the Sea Swamps). The Marcher Lord, Reginald de Grey, Justiciar of Chester, was given the Cantref (an administrative district) of Deffrencloyt (Dyffryn Clwyd, the Welsh for Vale of Clwyd), and his family ran the area for the next 226 years. The third Baron de Grey's land dispute with Owain Glyndŵr triggered Glyndŵr's rebellion against King Henry IV, which began on 16 September 1400, when Glyndŵr burned Ruthin to the ground, reputedly leaving only the castle and a few other buildings standing.
The Lord de Grey established a Collegiate Church in 1310. Now the Collegiate and Parish Church of St Peter, it dominates the Ruthin skyline. It has a double nave and boasts two medieval carved roofs. These days it is known for its musical tradition. It has a large choir of children and adults and a four-manual Wadsworth-Willis organ. Behind the church can be seen the old college buildings, school and Christ's Hospital.
A Ruthin native, Sir Thomas Exmewe was Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1517–1518.
The half-timbered Old Court House (built in 1401), on the square, features the remains of a gibbet last used to execute a Franciscan priest, Charles Meehan, also known as Mahoney. He was shipwrecked on the Welsh coast at a time when Catholicism was equated with treason – Meehan was hanged, drawn, and quartered in 1679. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1987 as one of the Eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales.
During the English Civil War, the castle survived an eleven-week siege, after which it was demolished by order of Parliament. It was rebuilt in the 19th century as a country house, which has now been turned into the Ruthin Castle Hotel. From 1826 until 1921 the castle was the home of the Cornwallis-West family, members of Victorian and Edwardian high society.
In its 18th-century heyday as a town on drovers' routes from Wales into England, Ruthin was reputed to have "a pub for every week of the year". By 2007, however, there were only eleven pubs in the town. The public records of 23 October 1891 show 31 such establishments serving a population of 3,186; most have been converted into housing or shops. The Ruthin Union Workhouse was built in 1834.
The first copies of the Welsh national anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, were printed in what is now the Siop Nain tea and gift shop on Well Street.
In 1863 the Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway, which linked in Denbigh with the Vale of Clwyd Railway (later part of the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Rail) reached the town. The route ran from Rhyl along the north coast through Denbigh and Ruthin to Corwen, before joining a route from Ruabon through Llangollen, Corwen and Bala to Barmouth. The railway and Ruthin railway station closed in 1963 under the Beeching Axe. The site of the station is now occupied by a large road roundabout (Brieg Roundabout) and the Ruthin Craft Centre, which opened in 1982, but was rebuilt and reopened in 2008.
Ruthin hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1868 and 1973. The Urdd National Eisteddfod visited Ruthin in 1992 and 2006.
The town's principal school is Ysgol Brynhyfryd (Brynhyfryd School), a comprehensive school for 11 to 18 year olds. Its Grade II listed building was built about 1830 as the home of local solicitor, before becoming in 1898 Ruthin County School for Girls. (The town's boys travelled five miles by train to Denbigh High School.) The school went co-educational in 1938, with feeder junior schools up to around six miles away. Building work in the 1950s and the early 1970s increased the number of pupils from 700 to 1000 in a few years, as the minimum school-leaving age rose from 15 to 16). In 2001–2002 the listed building became the Sixth Form Centre. The school's sports facilities, including the swimming pool, are used as the town's Leisure Centre. It also features a theatre and arts complex, Theatr John Ambrose, named after a headmaster of the school in the 1980s and 1990s. This was opened by the actor Rhys Ifans, a former pupil of Ysgol Pentrecelyn and Ysgol Maes Garmon in Mold, but brought up in Ruthin.
In 1574 Gabriel Goodman re-founded Ruthin School which was founded in 1284, making it one of the oldest private schools in the United Kingdom. In 1590, Goodman established Christ's Hospital for 12 poor persons around St Peter's Church on the square, and was Dean of Westminster for 40 years (1561–1601). Ruthin School is now a co-educational boarding and day school, with 227 pupils overall, 145 of them boarders in 2014. In September 2013, the school bought Ye Old Anchor, after its closure as a hotel in November 2012, and converted it into a boarding house for 30 upper sixth-form students.
Ruthin has daytime bus services on Mondays to Saturdays, with the last bus on most routes leaving between 5.30 and 7.30 pm. There is no service on Sundays or public holidays.[11] Routes serving Ruthin are Stagecoach 1 and 2 to Mold (1 via Llanarmon and Llanferres, 2 via Llanarmon, Graianrhyd, and Erryrys), X1 runs three times a day to Chester via Llanferres and Mold – frequency of the buses to Mold varies throughout the day between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Route X51 by Arriva runs basically hourly between Rhyl, St Asaph, Denbigh, Ruthin, and Wrexham (Rhyl bus station is next to the railway station, providing Ruthin's most convenient access to the national rail network, while Wrexham railway station is a short distance from its bus station.) Route 55, by Llew Jones Coaches, operates to Corwen at intervals of 50–135 minutes through the day, with three buses extended to Llangollen, and two of these via Llangollen to Wrexham. Route 76, by M & H Coaches, runs six times a day between Denbigh and Ruthin via Llandyrnog, Llangynhafal, and Llanbedr DC; two of these also serve Llanfair DC, Graigfechan, and Pentrecelyn. Less regular services include a weekly route 71 on Fridays between Corwen, Cerrigydrudion, Ruthin, and Morrisons' supermarket in Denbigh, and route 72 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for Cyffylliog, Clocaenog, Bontuchel, Betws Gwerfil Goch, Melin-y-Wig, Derwen, and Clawddnewydd. Ruthin town has route 73, operating three buses a day around Ruthin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The Ruthin railway line and station closed in the 1960s. They had connected Ruthin to Denbigh and Rhyl to the north and Corwen to the south.
In 1858, it was intended to extend the Vale of Clwyd line from Denbigh to Ruthin, running alongside the race-course in the town park (now Parc-y Dre housing) to the Station Hotel. However the West family prevented the line crossing the Castle Park towards Corwen. The route was diverted to the north alongside the road to Wrexham and the Station Hotel renamed the Park Place Hotel. Opposite Station Road lies Railway Terrace, a row of Grade II listed buildings, built in 1864 with evidence of trains running in a cutting in front. The first sod was cut in September 1860 by Mrs Florence West, with an inaugural service starting on St David's Day 1862. To mark this, a song was composed with words by T. Ab Gwilym, music by B. Williams and published by Isaac Clarke. The line ran 6.75 miles (10.9 km), with stations at Rhewl and Llanrhaiadr.
The local football club is Ruthin Town. In rugby union, Clwb Rygbi Rhuthun/Ruthin RFC has several teams: 1st XV, 2nd XV, 3rd XV, Youth, Juniors & Women's XV.
On 13 June 1981, Ruthin hosted the Annual General Meeting of the International Football Association Board, the body which determines the laws of football.
Facilities at Ruthin Leisure Centre on Mold Road include a swimming pool, sports hall and fitness suite. Llanfwrog Community Centre on Mwrog Street provides tennis courts, a golf driving range and bowling greens.
The first House of Correction, or Bridewell, was built at the bottom of Clwyd Street, next to the river, in 1654, to replace the Old Court House, where able-bodied idlers and the unemployed were sent to work. Following John Howard's investigations into prison conditions the Denbighshire justices resolved to build a new model prison in Ruthin on the site of the old Bridewell. Work began in January 1775. In 1802 the prison had four cells for prisoners and nine rooms for debtors. By 1837 it could hold 37 inmates. The Prisons Act of 1865 set new standards for the design of prisons – as the Ruthin County Gaol did not meet the standards, plans were drawn up for a new four-storey wing. The new prison for up to 100 prisoners was built in the style of London's Pentonville Prison at a cost of £12,000. On 1 April 1878 the Ruthin County Gaol became HM Prison Ruthin, covering the counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Merionethshire. As far as is known, only one person was ever executed in the prison: William Hughes of Denbigh, aged 42, who was hanged on 17 February 1903 for the murder of his wife, his plea of insanity having failed. Another prison personality was John Jones, known as Coch Bach y Bala – who was a kleptomaniac and poacher who had spent more than half his 60 years in all the prisons of north Wales and many in England; he twice escaped from Ruthin Gaol, first on 30 November 1879 when he walked out of prison with three others while the staff were having supper – a £5 reward was offered for his capture, which happened on the following 3 January. On 30 September 1913 he tunnelled out of his cell and using a rope made out of his bedding he climbed over the roof of the chapel and kitchen and got over the wall; after seven days living rough on the Nantclwyd Estate several miles away, Jones was shot in the leg by one of his pursuers, 19-year-old Reginald Jones-Bateman. Jones died of shock and blood loss, while Jones-Bateman was charged with manslaughter, though the charges were subsequently dropped.
Ruthin Gaol ceased to be a prison in 1916, when the prisoners and guards were transferred to Shrewsbury. The County Council bought the buildings in 1926 and used them for offices, the county archives and the town library. During the Second World War they were used as a munitions factory. They were then returned to the County Council and became the headquarters of the Denbighshire Library Service. In 2004 the Gaol was renovated and reopened as a museum.[15]
Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders filmed the series' fifth episode in Ruthin, where the team investigated a Victorian Era murder. Locations included the Old Gaol and the town library.
The Craft Centre had ten studios occupied by crafters who could be watched while they worked at glass blowing, ceramic manufacture, painting, furniture restoration, etc. The original Craft Centre was demolished early in 2007, and a new Craft Centre opened in July 2008 in a £4.3 million scheme, which contains six craft workshops, larger galleries and an expanded craft retail gallery, two residency studios, an education space and a tourist information centre, and a restaurant.
Nantclwyd y Dre (previously known as Tŷ Nantclwyd), in Castle Street, was built about 1435 by a local merchant Gronw ap Madoc. The building was sold to the county council in 1982, restored from 2004, and opened to the public in 2007. It contains seven rooms which have been restored to represent various periods in the building's history. Visitors can also observe a colony of Lesser horseshoe bats in the attic rooms.
Behind the house are two gardens, the 13th-century inner garden and the outer Lord's Garden, itself believed to have been part of a 13th-century developed castle garden. Restored in the 18th century, Lord's Garden is now itself Grade II listed. In December 2013, the council successfully applied for a grant of £177,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will see Lord's Garden restored and opened to the public by 2015.
This is Ruthin's main park area, which includes a children's play area, a lake, walks and picnic area. A skate park was built in 2007 and a zip wire and trim trail added later. The River Clwyd runs through the park.
Gŵyl Rhuthun Festival was founded in 1994 and has been held annually since 1996. The festival is a week filled with events and performances held in various locations around the town, beginning with Ruthin Carnival. The pinnacle of the festival is the Top of Town event held on Ruthin’s historic town square on the last Saturday of the week.
According to the historian Peter Smith, "Until the 18th century most towns in Wales had many black-and-white houses (such as Tŷ Nantclwyd y Dre). Ruthin is the only example we have left. It should be carefully conserved, as the last memory we have of these towns." Seven Eyes is a Grade II* listed building of some importance, situated in St Peter's Square.
St Peter's Church is the parish church of Ruthin. It is in the diocese of St Asaph. Parts are as old as 1282.
The Myddleton Arms is also known as the Seven Eyes. It is said to have been built in the 14th century. The Dutch style design, long, steeped roof is attributed to Sir Richard Clough, an Elizabethan merchant. It has four tiers of dormer windows, each at a different elevation, known locally as the seven eyes of Ruthin. The property was acquired in 1595 by Sir Hugh Myddleton, who provided London with it first fresh water supply. The view of The Myddleton on the square is in fact of the rear of the building. The front looks out over the Clwydian Hills.
Formerly a confectionery and bakery shop rented by Thomas Trehearne, the property was owned by the Castle estate. The property also served as a chemist's shop and later as Dick's boot store. On 1 May 1898, Harris Jones took a lease of the property for 21 years as a draper, hosier, glover and dressmaker; he also sold oilcloths, linoleum and other floor coverings. The shop and house were put up for sale in the 1913 by the castle estate along with the Castle Hotel and the Myddleton Arms, which were purchased by William Owen. His lease expired in 1919 with Jones transferring to what is now Gayla House, where he converted the ground floor from residential to retail premises in 1923. The premises are now owned by the HSBC Bank.
Formerly the Beehive, this served for 75 years as general drapery and millinery shop. The exact date of the building is not known, but remains of timber framing with wattle and daub indicate that the building is very old. An advertisement claimed the building had been built before 1397. The main section of the building was demolished to make way for the bank. Ruthin Court Rolls refer to a man named Telemann in Ruthin and to a house "in the high St." The rolls record that in 1397, Howell de Rowell passed it on to John Le Sergant. Little is known of the family – possibly a retainer of Edward 1st or Reginald de Grey, probably of Norman French descent. On 24 February, Sergant transferred the tenancy to his daughter Sibilia. The property passed to the Exmewe family by the marriage of Sibilia to Richard Exmewe, their son Thomas being Lord Mayor of London in 1517. Little is known of Exmewe family.
Thomas moved to London, deciding to sell his Ruthin Estate of Exmewe House to a fellow mercer, Edward Goodman. Exmewe House or Nant Clwyd-y-Dre may have been the birthplace of Gabriel Goodman, as the family had connections with both properties.
Details of the next 200 years are unclear. It became the King's Arms in the occupation of John Price. It then became the Queen's Arms (during the reign of Queen Anne, 1702–1714). The property was purchased for £300 on 5 November 1718 by Robert Myddleton of Chirk. The property served as a chemist's through the 19th century until 1913. It was then sold as part of the Castle Estate sales in 1913/1919, for £1275 to Mr Lecomber, who in turn sold it to Barclays Bank, which modernised it to what can be seen today.
Now trading as the Celtic Hair Studio at 2 Well Street. Originally a public house, it was reputedly built in 1401, making it the oldest pub in Ruthin. Lewis Jones, in his 1884 "Handbook For Ruthin and the Vicinity", stated that the old property, formerly the Ruth Inn, had been adapted as a post office some 25 years before. It ceased trading in 1773. In 1850, the building was converted into a drapery, then becoming the town post office again until 1904.
The site of the present post office may have been a medieval Carmelite priory of White Friars, said to have been founded and built by Reginald de Grey and partly destroyed by the Reformation. De Grey also provided a large piece of land close to the castle known as Whitefriars. During the 1860s and 1870s the site housed the Queen's Head public house and a horse-feed chandler; both buildings were destroyed by a 1904 fire; the new post office was built in 1906.
Located at 33, 35 and 37 Clwyd Street opposite the gaol and now a florist, it was originally the Red Lion public house. In 1824 the hangman, Sam Burrows, was staying at the Red Lion on the night before the execution of John Connor, a highway robber. He gave a detailed demonstration of how he actually hanged a man, unfortunately the stool was accidentally kicked away and Burrows almost hanged himself. The public house ceased trading in 1905.
Now flats, the Royal Oak is one of the finest buildings in Ruthin, having three cruck frames, it is a Grade II* listed building.
At No. 65 Clwyd Street, this Grade II* listed building retains much of the medieval timber frame internally, the oak for which was felled in 1455 and 1456. Its original purpose is unknown, although it has a medieval arched doorway facing towards the 13th-century mill, and a 15th-century solar (private living quarters) with an open roof with cusped windbraces. It is said to have been converted for domestic use in 1586 and occupied by the Moyle family. A two-storey porch with glazed windows (previously described as a balcony) and internal timber panelling was added, possibly in 1655 when further alterations were made. The building was extensively altered in the 19th century, being converted partly into a shop. Porth y Dŵr originally formed a single building with No. 67 Clwyd Street (listed Grade II), and adjoined the medieval west gate to the town, which was demolished in 1786.
All buildings on Castle Street are listed by Cadw. These are the earliest settlements outside the walls of the castle. Some have burgage plots at the back, established by de Grey in 1283. The plots and linear arrangement have barely changed since their foundation.
While there were residential properties at the castle end of the street, commercial properties appeared at the end close to St Peters Square. The one exception was the pub Yr Iwerddon at No. 15. The house retains a name referring to its connection with Irish drovers attending markets and fairs.
Other establishments of interest include No. 1, now Boots, formerly the Raven Inn, which in 1560 may have been the birthplace of Bishop Richard Parry, pupil and master (1584) of Ruthin School. He was involved with Dean Gabriel Goodman and others in translating the Bible and prayer book into Welsh. The main contributor was Bishop William Morgan, but Parry's revision in 1620 became the accepted authorised version.
The Ruthin Royal Bowling Green used the Raven as their headquarters until the Cornwallis-Wests came to live in Ruthin Castle. The club met at the Raven for its annual and quarterly meetings. When competitions took place, the staff of the Raven would take "cwrw da" (good beer) to the players. With the arrival of the Wests, the bowling green laid out inside the curtilage of the castle forced the club to find an alternative green. The option accepted was the rear of No. 8 Castle Street "Gorphwysfa", then called the Constitutional Club, later renamed the Conservative Club.
No. 2. The Wine Vaults with a six-column Tuscan colonnade were 'known as the Black Horse in the 1820s. This is verified by the Welsh Office survey.
No. 7. Sir John Trevor House served as Totty's the Lawyers in the 1700s, later as an antique shop and tea shop, and finally as a private residence offering bed and breakfast accommodation. Sir John Trevor was Speaker of the House of Commons from 1690 to 1695, when he was dismissed for embezzlement. He was the only Speaker forced to resign, until the forced departure of Michael Martin on 19 May 2009.
"Gorphwysfa" was part of the Castle estate until sold off its owners in 1919. The Rifle Volunteer Corps founded in 1859 stored its armoury at the house until a drill hall was built in Borthyn in 1885. The property became the Conservative Club in November 1885.
No. 9, known as "Corwen", held the offices of Phillips the Attorney. It is now a private residence.
No. 11, Ardwyn, is a private residence on three storeys, formerly the offices of the attorneys Smarts.
No. 12, Plas-yn-Dre, cannot be dated accurately. It was rebuilt in 1823, as recorded by a stone above the front door. It housed the North and South Wales Bank. L. G. Thomas, prime mover in the founding the Presbyterian Church in Wynnstay Road in 1886, was bank manager and lived here.
Nos 16 and 18 are wooden-framed buildings with a 19th-century frontage. They formed part of the Castle estate sales of 1913 and 1919. They probably represent the first use of stucco in Ruthin.
The Old County Hall, now Ruthin Library, is a Grade II Listed Building in Record Street, originally named Stryd y Chwain (Welsh for Flea Street) due to its very low standard of living. The inferior housing was demolished to make way for the county court and much grander houses between 1785 and 1788. The present name reflects the storing of records from the assizes and shire hall. In 1860 it became the county court, with a portico added at that time. It served as an assize court and housed its records until the 1970s. The library opened in the early 1990s.
The police station is a Grade II listed building of 1890. Before it was built, the original one was housed in Ruthin Gaol. The new one gave convenient access to the courts. It contains four cells, which are no longer used, and a much reduced number of police officers.
Castle Mews, a Grade II listed building is now a shopping precinct. It dates back to the 15th century, with examples of wattle and daub just inside the building on the right hand side. Remodeled in the early 19th century, it became the Cross Keys coaching inn serving the Ruthin to Chester route, with a change of horses in Mold. It later became a temperance commercial hotel and was home to one of the three Ruthin Friendly Societies: groups of male workers of similar background who contributed small amounts on a weekly basis for insurance against injury and old age. At a later date it was the offices of Ruthin Rural District Council.
Nos 10 and 12, a late 18th-century family town house, is Grade II listed. It retained its late Georgian character until converted into today's boutique hotel and art gallery. The cellars are said to have been built of stone from Ruthin Castle. The building has had many uses: as a boarding house for Ruthin School until 1893, a doctors home, a family home, whose most famous resident was Cynthia Lennon, wife of John Lennon while their son Julian attended Ruthin School, a restaurant from the 1930s and a hotel. Today's hotel architecture and art have won several awards.
The Wynnstay Hotel And Wayfarer Wool Shop, two separate buildings, were once connected by an archway, through which coaches and horses entered to the rear of the properties, where there were stables. The present Wayfarers shop is shown in the title deeds as an outbuilding consisting of "an old saddle room, l with a room over and Gentleman's Convenience".
The Wynnstay Hotel, now a private house, is first recorded in 1549 and known for many years as the Cross Foxes, which formed the heraldic arms of the Wynnstay family, which originated from Wrexham. Its members boasted they could travel from Chester to the Llŷn Peninsula without once leaving their own land. It was an important coaching inn for Ruthin to Denbigh travellers and served the Ruthin, Mold and Chester Royal Mail service. The pub in its heyday had a bowling green and tennis courts, and a central porch demolished in 1969.
Plas Coch (also known as the Conservative Club) is a Grade II listed building of medieval origin and a former 17th-century town house. It was rebuilt in 1613 using red sandstone from the castle and became home to the castle Constable. The building has two storeys with attics and four large windows on each floor. In 1963 it became a banqueting hall owned by Rees Jones, who used to trade at the village hall in Llanfair. It became the Conservative Club in 1977, and having been slightly altered, now offers all-round function facilities.
The Spread Eagle recalls the coat-of-arms of the Goodwin family. Formerly an inn, records show it traded only from 1792 to 1915, after which it became a temperance hotel, then a retail shop.
Rose Cottage is a privately owned residence and a Grade II* listed building on the corner of Rhos Street and Haulfryn. It is listed as an "exceptional survival of a medieval cruck-framed hall-house of relatively low status, retaining its plan-form, character and detail".
Situated in the Corwen Road just past Ruthin Castle, Scott House was built 1933 to house the nursing staff of Duff House Sanatorium, which acquired Ruthin Castle and 475 acres (192 ha) of land for their private clinic in April 1923. The Grade II listed building set in landscaped grounds was later divided into flats.
Ruthin Town Hall is located in Market Street. It was designed by J. W. Poundley and D. Walker in the High Victorian Gothic style and completed in 1865.
Notable people
Ida de Grey (1368 in Ruthin Castle – 1426), a Cambro-Norman noblewoman
Sir Thomas Exmewe (ca.1454–1529), Lord Mayor of London 1517–18
Gabriel Goodman (1528–1601), Dean of Westminster, re-founded Ruthin School
Godfrey Goodman (1582/3 – 1656), Anglican Bishop of Gloucester.
Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon (1732–1802), politician and barrister, went to Ruthin School.
Joseph Ablett (1773–1848), philanthropist, purchased Llanbedr Hall in Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd
Dorothea Eliza Smith (1804–1864), a botanical artist noted for painting South American fruit.
Daisy, Princess of Pless (1873 in Ruthin Castle – 1943), society beauty, wife of Prince Hans Heinrich XV von Hochberg
Wynn Edwards (1842–1900), American farmer and politician
Stanley J. Weyman (1855–1928), English novelist, lived in Ruthin for 33 years and died there.
Sir Henry Haydn Jones MP (1863–1950), politician, slate quarry owner, and owner of the Talyllyn Railway
Władysław Raczkiewicz (1885–1947), the first president of the Polish government in exile, died at Ruthin Castle.
Hafina Clwyd (1936–2011), journalist, town councillor, then mayor of Ruthin (2008–2009)
Cynthia Lennon (1939–2015), first wife of John Lennon, settled in Ruthin. Her son, musician Julian Lennon (born 1963) attended Ruthin School.
Robin Llwyd ab Owain (born 1959), author, poet, and Wikipedian, lives in Ruthin.
Rhys Meirion (born 1966), English National Opera classical tenor; taught near Ruthin
Actors Rhys Ifans (born 1967) and his brother Llŷr Ifans (born 1968) come from Ruthin.
Seren Gibson (born 1988), glamour model, attended Ysgol Brynhyfryd.
Sport
Eric Jones, 2019
John Challen (1863–1937), amateur sportsman, played first-class cricket and football
Charles Foweraker (1877–1950), football manager of Bolton Wanderers F.C. from 1919 to 1944
Eric Jones (born 1935), climber, skydiver and BASE jumper.
Doug Dailey MBE (born 1944), racing cyclist
Tom Pryce (1949–1977), Formula One racing driver
Eifion Lewis-Roberts (born 1981), rugby union player for Ruthin RFC, lives in Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd.
Rob Higgitt (born 1981), Scarlets rugby union centre, a former resident.
Neil Taylor (born 1989), footballer with 338 club caps and 43 for Wales, attended Ysgol Brynhyfryd.
Ruthin is situated on the River Clwyd, at the point where it enters the low-lying pastures of the Vale of Clwyd. The Clwydian Range lies to the east and the Clocaenog Forest and Denbigh Moors to the west.
By road, Ruthin is 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Denbigh, 12 miles (19 km) north of Corwen, 10 miles (16 km) west of Mold and 14 miles (23 km) east of Cerrigydrudion.
The nearest major urban centres are Wrexham at 17 miles (27 km), Rhyl at 18 miles (29 km), Chester at 23 miles (37 km) and Liverpool at 34 miles (55 km) to the north-east. Ruthin is skirted by villages such as Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, Pwllglas and Rhewl.
Denbighshire is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the Irish Sea to the north, Flintshire to the east, Wrexham to the southeast, Powys to the south, and Gwynedd and Conwy to the west. Rhyl is the largest town, and Ruthin is the administrative centre. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name.
Denbighshire has an area of 326 square miles (840 km2) and a population of 95,800, making it sparsely populated. The most populous area is the coast, where Rhyl (25,149) and Prestatyn (19,085) form a single built-up area with a population of 46,267. The next-largest towns are Denbigh (8,986), Ruthin (5,461), and Rhuddlan (3,709). St Asaph (3,355) is a city. All of these settlements are in the northern half of the county; the south is even less densely populated, and the only towns are Corwen (2,325) and Llangollen (3,658).
The geography of Denbighshire is defined by the broad valley of the River Clwyd, which is surrounded by rolling hills on all sides except the north, where it reaches the coast. The Vale of Clwyd, the lower valley, is given over to crops, while cattle and sheep graze the uplands. The Clwydian Range in the east is part of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewydd-Llanelwy) Palaeolithic site has Neanderthal remains of some 225,000 years ago. The county is also home to several medieval castles, including Castell Dinas Brân, Denbigh, and Rhuddlan, as well as St Asaph Cathedral. Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod takes place in the town each July.
The main area was formed on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, from various parts of the county of Clwyd. It includes the district of Rhuddlan (formed in 1974 entirely from Flintshire), the communities of Trefnant and Cefn Meiriadog from the district of Colwyn (entirely Denbighshire) and most of the Glyndŵr district. The last includes the former Edeyrnion Rural District, part of the administrative county of Merionethshire before 1974, covering the parishes of Betws Gwerfil Goch, Corwen, Gwyddelwern, Llangar, Llandrillo yn Edeirnion and Llansanffraid.
Other principal areas including part of historical Denbighshire are Conwy, which picked up the remainder of 1974–1996 Colwyn, the Denbighshire parts of 1974–1996 Aberconwy, and Wrexham, which corresponds to the pre-1974 borough of Wrexham along with most of Wrexham Rural District and several parishes of Glyndŵr. Post-1996 Powys includes the historically Denbighshire parishes of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Llansilin and Llangedwyn, which formed part of Glyndŵr district.
Researchers have found signs that Denbighshire was inhabited at least 225,000 years ago. Bontnewydd Palaeolithic site is one of the most significant in Britain. Hominid remains of probable Neanderthals have been found, along with stone tools from the later Middle Pleistocene.
In 2021 February, archaeologists from Aeon Archaeology announced a discovery of over 300 Stone Age tools and artifacts in Rhuddlan. They revealed scrapers, microliths, flakes of chert (a hard, fine-grained, sedimentary rock composed of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz), flints and other rudimentary tools. An expert, Richard Cooke, believes the lithic remains belonged to ancient peoples, who while passing through the area, made camp by the river more than 9,000 years ago.
The eastern edge of Denbighshire follows the ridge of the Clwydian Range, with a steep escarpment to the west and a high point at Moel Famau (1,820 ft (555 m)), which with the upper Dee Valley forms an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley – one of just five in the Wales. The Denbigh Moors (Mynydd Hiraethog) are in the west of the county and the Berwyn Range adjacent to the southern edge. The River Clwyd has a broad fertile Vale running from south–north in the centre of the county. There is a narrow coastal plain in the north which much residential and holiday-trade development. The highest point in the historic county was Cadair Berwyn at 832 m or 2,730 ft), but the boundary changes since 1974 make Cadair Berwyn North Top the highest point. Denbighshire borders the present-day principal areas of Gwynedd, Conwy County Borough, Flintshire, Wrexham County Borough, and Powys.
Rhyl and Prestatyn form a single built-up area in the north of the county, with a population of 46,267. They are immediately adjacent to the Kinmel Bay and Abergele built-up area in neighbouring Conwy, and at the eastern end of series of coastal resorts which that also includes Colwyn Bay and Llandudno further west.
According to the 2021 United Kingdom census, Denbighshire's population was approximately 95,800. According to previous censuses, the population of Denbighshire was 93,734 in 2011 and 93,065 in 2001. The largest towns on the coast are Rhyl (2001 population c. 25,000) and Prestatyn (2001 population c. 18,000). According to the 2011 Census returns, 24.6 per cent stated they could speak Welsh.
Since the 20th-century demise of the coal and steel industries in the Wrexham area, there is no heavy industry in the county. Although most towns have small industrial parks or estates for light industry, the economy is based on agriculture and tourism. Much of the working population is employed in the service sector. The uplands support sheep and beef cattle rearing, while in the Vale of Clwyd dairy farming and wheat and barley crops predominate. Many towns have livestock markets and farming supports farm machinery merchants, vets, feed merchants, contractors and other ancillaries. With their incomes on the decline, farmers have found opportunities in tourism, rural crafts, specialist food shops, farmers' markets and value-added food products.
The upland areas with their sheep farms and small, stone-walled fields are attractive to visitors. Redundant farm buildings are often converted into self-catering accommodation, while many farmhouses supply bed and breakfast. The travel trade began with the arrival of the coast railway in the mid-19th century, opening up the area to Merseyside. This led to a boom in seaside guest houses. More recently, caravan sites and holiday villages have thrived and ownership of holiday homes increased. Initiatives to boost the economy of North Wales continue, including redevelopment of the Rhyl seafront and funfair.
The North Wales Coast Line running from Crewe to Holyhead is served by Transport for Wales and Avanti West Coast services. Trains leaving Crewe to pass through Chester, cross the River Dee into Wales, and continue through Flint, Shotton, Holywell Junction (closed in 1966), Prestatyn, Rhyl, and stations to Bangor and Holyhead, which has a ferry service to Ireland.
There are no motorways in Denbighshire. The A55 dual carriageway runs from Chester through St Asaph to the North Wales coast at Abergele, then parallel to the railway through Conwy and Bangor to Holyhead. The A548 run from Chester to Abergele through Deeside and along the coast, before leaving the coast and terminating at Llanrwst. The main road from London, the A5, passes north-westwards through Llangollen, Corwen and Betws-y-Coed to join the A55 and terminate at Bangor. The A543 crosses the Denbigh Moors from south-east to north-west, and the A525 links Ruthin with St Asaph.
There are local bus services between the main towns. Several services by Arriva Buses Wales run along the main coast road between Chester and Holyhead, linking the coastal resorts. Another route links Rhyl to Denbigh.
Denbighshire is represented in the House of Commons by three MPs. The Welsh Labour Party lost to the Welsh Conservatives in the 2019 general election for the first time.
The following MPs were elected from Denbighshire in 2019:
Simon Baynes (Welsh Conservatives) in Clwyd South, first elected in 2019.
David Jones (Welsh Conservatives) in Clwyd West, first elected in 2005.
James Davies (Welsh Conservatives) in Vale of Clwyd, first elected in 2019.
Denbighshire is also represented in the Senedd by three members elected in 2021:
Ken Skates (Welsh Labour) in Clwyd South, first elected in 2011
Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) in Clwyd West, first elected in 2007
Gareth Davies (Welsh Conservatives) in Vale of Clwyd, first elected in 2021.
In 2019, research by UnHerd in association with the pollster FocalData showed that most people across the county support the British monarchy.
I was finally able to make it back to this spot during a snowfall. There's not too many stand out spots along my normal routes to work, but I really like this one; the old truck left out in the field, the stone wall and just the overall layout of the trees. Days like this really make me wish I could get out more often to some different areas. I have so many ideas flooding my mind throughout the day! All in good time I suppose... Enjoy your night everyone!
Last week we were able to enjoy the last Un Lago de Conciertos session of the season.
On this special occasion, Brady Thomas took the stage to perform some of his jazz and R&B instrumental compositions, accompanied by his colleagues He will do it accompanied by Monique reid, James Steinman-Gordon on piano, and Diego Cerva on percussion.
Santiago Bertel's quartet formed with double bassist Manos Stratis, saxophonist Michael Ventura and percussionist Juan Pablo Arias, delighted us with a selection of origina songs, which mixed different styles such as jazz and traditional Latin American rhythms.
Lastly, artist and producer Martyna Kubiczl, a student of the Master's in Music Production, Technology and Innovation, showcased her amazing talent through a selection of electronic music that defied the boundaries between musical genres.