replaces the previous shot...Okanagan Lake BC Canada

robot replaced my fridge. fun in photoshop

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 30-Aug-22 (DeNoise AI).

 

JAL's 50th Anniversary Pink 'Dream Express' logojet, 'Friends'. Right Side.

 

The Boeing 747-400D was built for the Japanese Domestic market and had no winglets. They didn't do anything for fuel efficiency on short sectors and omitting them saved weight. Only 19 were built for Japan Air Lines and All Nippon Airways, they had a maximum passenger capacity of 660.

 

This aircraft was delivered to JAL Japan Air Lines as JA8904 in Nov-92. When JAS Japan Air System was merged into JAL in Apr-04, they created two divisions, Domestic and International. This aircraft was part of Japan Airlines - Domestic until the Domestic Division was merged into International in Oct-06.

 

It was retired in Jun-10 after almost 18 years in service and sold to AerSale Inc (USA) as N894DB and permanently retired at Roswell, NM, USA. The registration was cancelled in May-15. Updated 30-Aug-22.

HIRSCH Performance Paul

 

この純正ラバーバンド( flic.kr/p/vXfxxh )をオーストリアのHIRSCHってメーカーのレザーバンドに交換。

これ、裏が格子状に溝が入った天然ゴムでなんと300m防水。表はちゃんとしたレザーバンドなんだけど、汗や水に強い優れもの。

日本法人の人と話す機会があったんだけど、「裏が汚れたら古い歯ブラシ使って洗っちゃってくださいw」て言うほどw

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 02-Apr-16.

 

First flown with the Airbus test registration D-AVZO, this aircraft was delivered to Leisure International Airways (operating as Air UK Leisure) as G-UKLO in May-97. It was re-registered G-UNID in Jan-98.

 

In Nov-98 Air UK Leisure was merged into Air 2000 and the aircraft was re-registered G-OOAF the following month. Air 2000 was renamed First Choice Airways in Jan-04.

 

It was returned to the lessor in Apr-07 and immediately leased to MyTravel Airways as G-OMYJ. In Mar-08 MyTravel Airways was merged into Thomas Cook Airlines UK. The aircraft remained in service until it was returned to the lessor in Jan-15 and stored at Southend, UK.

 

In Apr-15 it was re-registered EI-FGZ and remained stored at Southend until it was ferried to St. Athan, Wales, UK in Sep-15. In Nov-15 it was sold to the African Holding Company of America and was re-registered in Guernsey, CI, UK as 2-RLAF.

 

In Feb-16 the aircraft was leased to CAA Compaignie Africaine d'Aviacion (Democratic Republic of Congo) as 9Q-DSB. It was re-registered 9S-ASB 2 weeks later. It was withdrawn from service in Jun-19 and ferried to Chateauroux, France for lease return and storage.

 

It was returned to Vallair Solutions SARL and was due for use as 'feedstock' for 'P2F conversions. It was broken up at Chateauroux in Feb-20.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 24-Nov-19.

 

This aircraft was delivered to Aeroflot as RA-85750 in 1992, it was transferred to Air Volga around Oct-95. It was sold to Omskavia around Apr-96. The aircraft was leased to Iran Airtours as EP-MAR by Mar-97, returning to Omskavia as RA-85750 in Apr-01. It was leased to Iran Airtours again, this time as EP-MBO in Mar-00 and returned to Omskavia as RA-85750 around Apr-01. In Jan-02 the aircraft was leased to Mahan Air as EP-MHV and returned to Omskavia as RA-85750 around Mar-05. It was last noted in service in Sep-05. No further information.

Here is a paper toy commission I finished up tonight for the good guys over at Replaced by Robots animation studio in Toronto. This little guy is there logo. His head can spin around on his body.

Wells Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England, dedicated to St Andrew the Apostle. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose cathedra it holds as mother church of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Built as a Roman Catholic cathedral from around 1175 to replace an earlier church on the site since 705, it became an Anglican cathedral when King Henry VIII split from Rome. It is moderately sized for an English cathedral. Its broad west front and large central tower are dominant features. It has been called "unquestionably one of the most beautiful" and "most poetic" of English cathedrals.

 

Its Gothic architecture is mostly inspired from Early English style of the late 12th to early 13th centuries, lacking the Romanesque work that survives in many other cathedrals. Building began about 1175 at the east end with the choir. Historian John Harvey sees it as Europe's first truly Gothic structure, breaking the last constraints of Romanesque. The stonework of its pointed arcades and fluted piers bears pronounced mouldings and carved capitals in a foliate, "stiff-leaf" style. Its Early English front with 300 sculpted figures is seen as a "supreme triumph of the combined plastic arts in England". The east end retains much ancient stained glass. Unlike many cathedrals of monastic foundation, Wells has many surviving secular buildings linked to its chapter of secular canons, including the Bishop's Palace and the 15th-century residential Vicars' Close It is a Grade I listed building.

 

The earliest remains of a building on the site are of a late-Roman mausoleum, identified during excavations in 1980. An abbey church was built in Wells in 705 by Aldhelm, first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Sherborne during the reign of King Ine of Wessex. It was dedicated to St Andrew and stood at the site of the cathedral's cloisters, where some excavated remains can be seen. The font in the cathedral's south transept is from this church and is the oldest part of the present building. In 766 Cynewulf, King of Wessex, signed a charter endowing the church with eleven hides of land. In 909 the seat of the diocese was moved from Sherborne to Wells.

 

The first bishop of Wells was Athelm (909), who crowned King Æthelstan. Athelm and his nephew Dunstan both became Archbishops of Canterbury. During this period a choir of boys was established to sing the liturgy. Wells Cathedral School, which was established to educate these choirboys, dates its foundation to this point. There is, however, some controversy over this. Following the Norman Conquest, John de Villula moved the seat of the bishop from Wells to Bath in 1090. The church at Wells, no longer a cathedral, had a college of secular clergy.

 

The cathedral is thought to have been conceived and commenced in about 1175 by Reginald Fitz Jocelin, who died in 1191. Although it is clear from its size that from the outset, the church was planned to be the cathedral of the diocese, the seat of the bishop moved between Wells and the abbeys of Glastonbury and Bath, before settling at Wells. In 1197 Reginald's successor, Savaric FitzGeldewin, with the approval of Pope Celestine III, officially moved his seat to Glastonbury Abbey. The title of Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury was used until the Glastonbury claim was abandoned in 1219.

 

Savaric's successor, Jocelin of Wells, again moved the bishop's seat to Bath Abbey, with the title Bishop of Bath. Jocelin was a brother of Hugh (II) of Lincoln and was present at the signing of the Magna Carta. Jocelin continued the building campaign begun by Reginald and was responsible for the Bishop's Palace, the choristers' school, a grammar school, a hospital for travellers and a chapel. He also had a manor house built at Wookey, near Wells. Jocelin saw the church dedicated in 1239 but, despite much lobbying of the Pope by Jocelin's representatives in Rome, did not live to see cathedral status granted. The delay may have been a result of inaction by Pandulf Verraccio, a Roman ecclesiastical politician, papal legate to England and Bishop of Norwich, who was asked by the Pope to investigate the situation but did not respond. Jocelin died at Wells on 19 November 1242 and was buried in the choir of the cathedral; the memorial brass on his tomb is one of the earliest brasses in England. Following his death the monks of Bath unsuccessfully attempted to regain authority over Wells.

 

In 1245 the ongoing dispute over the title of the bishop was resolved by a ruling of Pope Innocent IV, who established the title as the "Bishop of Bath and Wells", which it has remained until this day, with Wells as the principal seat of the bishop. Since the 11th century the church has had a chapter of secular clergy, like the cathedrals of Chichester, Hereford, Lincoln and York. The chapter was endowed with 22 prebends (lands from which finance was drawn) and a provost to manage them. On acquiring cathedral status, in common with other such cathedrals, it had four chief clergy, the dean, precentor, chancellor and sacristan, who were responsible for the spiritual and material care of the cathedral.

 

The building programme, begun by Reginald Fitz Jocelin, Bishop in the 12th century, continued under Jocelin of Wells, who was a canon from 1200, then bishop from 1206. Adam Locke was master mason from about 1192 until 1230. It was designed in the new style with pointed arches, later known as Gothic, which was introduced at about the same time at Canterbury Cathedral. Work was halted between 1209 and 1213 when King John was excommunicated and Jocelin was in exile, but the main parts of the church were complete by the time of the dedication by Jocelin in 1239.

 

By the time the cathedral, including the chapter house, was finished in 1306, it was already too small for the developing liturgy, and unable to accommodate increasingly grand processions of clergy. John Droxford initiated another phase of building under master mason Thomas of Whitney, during which the central tower was heightened and an eight-sided Lady chapel was added at the east end by 1326. Ralph of Shrewsbury followed, continuing the eastward extension of the choir and retrochoir beyond. He oversaw the building of Vicars' Close and the Vicars' Hall, to give the men who were employed to sing in the choir a secure place to live and dine, away from the town and its temptations. He had an uneasy relationship with the citizens of Wells, partly because of his imposition of taxes, and he surrounded his palace with crenellated walls, a moat and a drawbridge.

 

John Harewell raised money for the completion of the west front by William Wynford, who was appointed as master mason in 1365. One of the foremost master masons of his time, Wynford worked for the king at Windsor, Winchester Cathedral and New College, Oxford. At Wells, he designed the western towers of which north-west was not built until the following century. In the 14th century, the central piers of the crossing were found to be sinking under the weight of the crossing tower which had been damaged by an earthquake in the previous century. Strainer arches, sometimes described as scissor arches, were inserted by master mason William Joy to brace and stabilise the piers as a unit.

 

By the reign of Henry VII the cathedral was complete, appearing much as it does today (though the fittings have changed). From 1508 to 1546, the eminent Italian humanist scholar Polydore Vergil was active as the chapter's representative in London. He donated a set of hangings for the choir of the cathedral. While Wells survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries better than the cathedrals of monastic foundation, the abolition of chantries in 1547 resulted in a reduction in its income. Medieval brasses were sold, and a pulpit was placed in the nave for the first time. Between 1551 and 1568, in two periods as dean, William Turner established a herb garden, which was recreated between 2003 and 2010.

 

Elizabeth I gave the chapter and the Vicars Choral a new charter in 1591, creating a new governing body, consisting of a dean and eight residentiary canons with control over the church estates and authority over its affairs, but no longer entitled to elect the dean (that entitlement thenceforward belonged ultimately to the Crown). The stability brought by the new charter ended with the onset of the Civil War and the execution of Charles I. Local fighting damaged the cathedral's stonework, furniture and windows. The dean, Walter Raleigh, a nephew of the explorer Walter Raleigh, was placed under house arrest after the fall of Bridgwater to the Parliamentarians in 1645, first in the rectory at Chedzoy and then in the deanery at Wells. His jailor, the shoe maker and city constable, David Barrett, caught him writing a letter to his wife. When he refused to surrender it, Barrett ran him through with a sword and he died six weeks later, on 10 October 1646. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the choir before the dean's stall. During the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell no dean was appointed and the cathedral fell into disrepair. The bishop went into retirement and some of the clerics were reduced to performing menial tasks.

 

In 1661, after Charles II was restored to the throne, Robert Creighton, the king's chaplain in exile, was appointed dean and was bishop for two years before his death in 1672. His brass lectern, given in thanksgiving, can be seen in the cathedral. He donated the nave's great west window at a cost of £140. Following Creighton's appointment as bishop, the post of dean went to Ralph Bathurst, who had been chaplain to the king, president of Trinity College, Oxford and fellow of the Royal Society. During Bathurst's long tenure the cathedral was restored, but in the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, Puritan soldiers damaged the west front, tore lead from the roof to make bullets, broke the windows, smashed the organ and furnishings, and for a time stabled their horses in the nave.

 

Restoration began again under Thomas Ken who was appointed by the Crown in 1685 and served until 1691. He was one of seven bishops imprisoned for refusing to sign King James II's "Declaration of Indulgence", which would have enabled Catholics to resume positions of political power, but popular support led to their acquittal. Ken refused to take the oath of allegiance to William III and Mary II because James II had not abdicated and with others, known as the Nonjurors, was put out of office. His successor, Richard Kidder, was killed in the Great Storm of 1703 when two chimney stacks on the palace fell on him and his wife, while they were asleep in bed.

 

By the middle of the 19th century, a major restoration programme was needed. Under Dean Goodenough, the monuments were moved to the cloisters and the remaining medieval paint and whitewash removed in an operation known as "the great scrape". Anthony Salvin took charge of the extensive restoration of the choir. Wooden galleries installed in the 16th century were removed and the stalls were given stone canopies and placed further back within the line of the arcade. The medieval stone pulpitum screen was extended in the centre to support a new organ.

 

In 1933 the Friends of Wells Cathedral were formed to support the cathedral's chapter in the maintenance of the fabric, life and work of the cathedral. The late 20th century saw an extensive restoration programme, particularly of the west front. The stained glass is currently under restoration, with a programme underway to conserve the large 14th-century Jesse Tree window at the eastern terminal of the choir.

 

In January 2014, as part of the Bath film festival, the cathedral hosted a special screening of Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ. This provoked some controversy, but the church defended its decision to allow the screening.

 

In 2021, a contemporary sculpture by Anthony Gormley was unveiled on a temporary plinth outside the cathedral.

 

Since the 13th century, Wells Cathedral has been the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells. Its governing body, the chapter, is made up of five clerical canons (the dean, the precentor, the canon chancellor, the canon treasurer, and the archdeacon of Wells) and four lay members: the administrator (chief executive), Keeper of the Fabric, Overseer of the Estate and the chairman of the cathedral shop and catering boards. The current bishop of Bath and Wells is Peter Hancock, who was installed in a service in the cathedral on 7 June 2014. John Davies has been Dean of Wells since 2016.

 

Employed staff include the organist and master of choristers, head Verger archivist, librarian and the staff of the shop, café and restaurant. The chapter is advised by specialists such as architects, archaeologists and financial analysts.

 

More than a thousand services are held every year. There are daily services of Matins, Holy Communion and Choral Evensong, as well as major celebrations of Christian festivals such as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and saints' days. The cathedral is also used for the baptisms, weddings and funerals of those with close connections to it. In July 2009 the cathedral undertook the funeral of Harry Patch, the last British Army veteran of World War I, who died at the age of 111.

 

Three Sunday services are led by the resident choir in school terms and choral services are sung on weekdays. The cathedral hosts visiting choirs and does outreach work with local schools as part of its Chorister Outreach Project. It is also a venue for musical events such as an annual concert by the Somerset Chamber Choir.

 

Each year about 150,000 people attend services and another 300,000 visit as tourists. Entry is free, but visitors are encouraged to make a donation towards the annual running costs of around £1.5 million in 2015.

 

Construction of the cathedral began in about 1175, to the design of an unknown master-mason. Wells is the first cathedral in England to be built, from its foundation, in Gothic style. According to art historian John Harvey, it is the first truly Gothic cathedral in the world, its architects having entirely dispensed with all features that bound the contemporary east end of Canterbury Cathedral and the earlier buildings of France, such as the east end of the Abbey of Saint Denis, to the Romanesque. Unlike these churches, Wells has clustered piers rather than columns and has a gallery of identical pointed arches rather than the typically Romanesque form of paired openings. The style, with its simple lancet arches without tracery and convoluted mouldings, is known as Early English Gothic.

 

From about 1192 to 1230, Adam Lock, the earliest master-mason at Wells for whom a name is known, continued the transept and nave in the same manner as his predecessor. Lock was also the builder of the north porch, to his own design.

 

The Early English west front was commenced around 1230 by Thomas Norreys, with building and sculpture continuing for thirty years. Its south-west tower was begun 100 years later and constructed between 1365 and 1395, and the north-west tower between 1425 and 1435, both in the Perpendicular Gothic style to the design of William Wynford, who also filled many of the cathedral's early English lancet windows with delicate tracery.

 

The undercroft and chapter house were built by unknown architects between 1275 and 1310, the undercroft in the Early English and the chapter house in the Geometric style of Decorated Gothic architecture. In about 1310 work commenced on the Lady Chapel, to the design of Thomas Witney, who also built the central tower from 1315 to 1322 in the Decorated Gothic style. The tower was later braced internally with arches by William Joy. Concurrent with this work, in 1329–45 Joy made alterations and extensions to the choir, joining it to the Lady Chapel with the retrochoir, the latter in the Flowing Decorated style.

 

Later changes include the Perpendicular vault of the tower and construction of Sugar's Chapel, 1475–1490 by William Smyth. Also, Gothic Revival renovations were made to the choir and pulpitum by Benjamin Ferrey and Anthony Salvin, 1842–1857.

 

Wells has a total length of 415 feet (126 m). Like Canterbury, Lincoln and Salisbury cathedrals, it has the distinctly English arrangement of two transepts, with the body of the church divided into distinct parts: nave, choir, and retro-choir, beyond which extends the Lady Chapel. The façade is wide, with its towers extending beyond the transepts on either side. There is a large projecting porch on the north side of the nave forming an entry into the cathedral. To the north-east is the large octagonal chapter house, entered from the north choir aisle by a passage and staircase. To the south of the nave is a large cloister, unusual in that the northern range, that adjacent the cathedral, was never built.

 

In section, the cathedral has the usual arrangement of a large church: a central nave with an aisle on each side, separated by two arcades. The elevation is in three stages, arcade, triforium gallery and clerestory. The nave is 67 feet (20 m) in height, very low compared to the Gothic cathedrals of France. It has a markedly horizontal emphasis, caused by the triforium having a unique form, a series of identical narrow openings, lacking the usual definition of the bays. The triforium is separated from the arcade by a single horizontal string course that runs unbroken the length of the nave. There are no vertical lines linking the three stages, as the shafts supporting the vault rise above the triforium.

 

The exterior of Wells Cathedral presents a relatively tidy and harmonious appearance since the greater part of the building was executed in a single style, Early English Gothic. This is uncommon among English cathedrals where the exterior usually exhibits a plethora of styles. At Wells, later changes in the Perpendicular style were universally applied, such as filling the Early English lancet windows with simple tracery, the construction of a parapet that encircles the roof, and the addition of pinnacles framing each gable, similar to those around the chapter house and on the west front. At the eastern end there is a proliferation of tracery with repeated motifs in the Reticulated style, a stage between Geometric and Flowing Decorated tracery.

 

The west front is 100 feet (30 m) high and 147 feet (45 m) wide, and built of Inferior Oolite of the Middle Jurassic period, which came from the Doulting Stone Quarry, about 8 miles (13 km) to the east. According to the architectural historian Alec Clifton-Taylor, it is "one of the great sights of England".

 

West fronts in general take three distinct forms: those that follow the elevation of the nave and aisles, those that have paired towers at the end of each aisle, framing the nave, and those that screen the form of the building. The west front at Wells has the paired-tower form, unusual in that the towers do not indicate the location of the aisles, but extend well beyond them, screening the dimensions and profile of the building.

 

The west front rises in three distinct stages, each clearly defined by a horizontal course. This horizontal emphasis is counteracted by six strongly projecting buttresses defining the cross-sectional divisions of nave, aisles and towers, and are highly decorated, each having canopied niches containing the largest statues on the façade.

 

At the lowest level of the façade is a plain base, contrasting with and stabilising the ornate arcades that rise above it. The base is penetrated by three doors, which are in stark contrast to the often imposing portals of French Gothic cathedrals. The outer two are of domestic proportion and the central door is ornamented only by a central post, quatrefoil and the fine mouldings of the arch.

 

Above the basement rise two storeys, ornamented with quatrefoils and niches originally holding about four hundred statues, with three hundred surviving until the mid-20th century. Since then, some have been restored or replaced, including the ruined figure of Christ in the gable.

 

The third stages of the flanking towers were both built in the Perpendicular style of the late 14th century, to the design of William Wynford; that on the north-west was not begun until about 1425. The design maintains the general proportions, and continues the strong projection of the buttresses.

 

The finished product has been criticised for its lack of pinnacles, and it is probable that the towers were intended to carry spires which were never built. Despite its lack of spires or pinnacles, the architectural historian Banister Fletcher describes it as "the highest development in English Gothic of this type of façade."

 

The sculptures on the west front at Wells include standing figures, seated figures, half-length angels and narratives in high relief. Many of the figures are life-sized or larger. Together they constitute the finest display of medieval carving in England. The figures and many of the architectural details were painted in bright colours, and the colouring scheme has been deduced from flakes of paint still adhering to some surfaces. The sculptures occupy nine architectural zones stretching horizontally across the entire west front and around the sides and the eastern returns of the towers which extend beyond the aisles. The strongly projecting buttresses have tiers of niches which contain many of the largest figures. Other large figures, including that of Christ, occupy the gable. A single figure stands in one of two later niches high on the northern tower.

 

In 1851 the archaeologist Charles Robert Cockerell published his analysis of the iconography, numbering the nine sculptural divisions from the lowest to the highest. He defined the theme as "a calendar for unlearned men" illustrating the doctrines and history of the Christian faith, its introduction to Britain and its protection by princes and bishops. He likens the arrangement and iconography to the Te Deum.

 

According to Cockerell, the side of the façade that is to the south of the central door is the more sacred and the scheme is divided accordingly. The lowest range of niches each contained a standing figure, of which all but four figures on the west front, two on each side, have been destroyed. More have survived on the northern and eastern sides of the north tower. Cockerell speculates that those to the south of the portal represented prophets and patriarchs of the Old Testament while those to the north represented early missionaries to Britain, of which Augustine of Canterbury, St Birinus, and Benedict Biscop are identifiable by their attributes. In the second zone, above each pair of standing figures, is a quatrefoil containing a half-length angel in relief, some of which have survived. Between the gables of the niches are quatrefoils that contain a series of narratives from the Bible, with the Old Testament stories to the south, above the prophets and patriarchs, and those from the New Testament to the north. A horizontal course runs around the west front dividing the architectural storeys at this point.

 

Above the course, zones four and five, as identified by Cockerell, contain figures which represent the Christian Church in Britain, with the spiritual lords such as bishops, abbots, abbesses and saintly founders of monasteries on the south, while kings, queens and princes occupy the north. Many of the figures survive and many have been identified in the light of their various attributes. There is a hierarchy of size, with the more significant figures larger and enthroned in their niches rather than standing. Immediately beneath the upper course are a series of small niches containing dynamic sculptures of the dead coming forth from their tombs on the Day of Judgement. Although naked, some of the dead are defined as royalty by their crowns and others as bishops by their mitres. Some emerge from their graves with joy and hope, and others with despair.

 

The niches in the lowest zone of the gable contain nine angels, of which Cockerell identifies Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. In the next zone are the taller figures of the twelve apostles, some, such as John, Andrew and Bartholomew, clearly identifiable by the attributes that they carry. The uppermost niches of the gable contained the figure of Christ the Judge at the centre, with the Virgin Mary on his right and John the Baptist on his left. The figures all suffered from iconoclasm. A new statue of Jesus was carved for the central niche, but the two side niches now contain cherubim. Christ and the Virgin Mary are also represented by now headless figures in a Coronation of the Virgin in a niche above the central portal. A damaged figure of the Virgin and Christ Child occupies a quatrefoil in the spandrel of the door.

 

The central tower appears to date from the early 13th century. It was substantially reconstructed in the early 14th century during the remodelling of the east end, necessitating the internal bracing of the piers a decade or so later. In the 14th century the tower was given a timber and lead spire which burnt down in 1439. The exterior was then reworked in the Perpendicular style and given the present parapet and pinnacles. Alec Clifton-Taylor describes it as "outstanding even in Somerset, a county famed for the splendour of its church towers".

 

The north porch is described by art historian Nikolaus Pevsner as "sumptuously decorated", and intended as the main entrance. Externally it is simple and rectangular with plain side walls. The entrance is a steeply arched portal framed by rich mouldings of eight shafts with stiff-leaf capitals each encircled by an annular moulding at middle height. Those on the left are figurative, containing images representing the martyrdom of St Edmund the Martyr. The walls are lined with deep niches framed by narrow shafts with capitals and annulets like those of the portal. The path to the north porch is lined by four sculptures in Purbeck stone, each by Mary Spencer Watson, representing the symbols of the Evangelists.

 

The cloisters were built in the late 13th century and largely rebuilt from 1430 to 1508 and have wide openings divided by mullions and transoms, and tracery in the Perpendicular Gothic style. The vault has lierne ribs that form octagons at the centre of each compartment, the joints of each rib having decorative bosses. The eastern range is of two storeys, of which the upper is the library built in the 15th century.

 

Because Wells Cathedral was secular rather than monastic, cloisters were not a practical necessity. They were omitted from several other secular cathedrals but were built here and at Chichester. Explanations for their construction at these two secular cathedrals range from the processional to the aesthetic. As at Chichester, there is no northern range to the cloisters. In monastic cloisters it was the north range, benefiting most from winter sunlight, that was often used as a scriptorium.

 

In 1969, when a large chunk of stone fell from a statue near the main door, it became apparent that there was an urgent need for restoration of the west front. Detailed studies of the stonework and of conservation practices were undertaken under the cathedral architect, Alban D. R. Caroe and a restoration committee formed. The methods selected were those devised by Eve and Robert Baker. W. A. (Bert) Wheeler, clerk of works to the cathedral 1935–1978, had previously experimented with washing and surface treatment of architectural carvings on the building and his techniques were among those tried on the statues.

 

The conservation was carried out between 1974 and 1986, wherever possible using non-invasive procedures such as washing with water and a solution of lime, filling gaps and damaged surfaces with soft mortar to prevent the ingress of water and stabilising statues that were fracturing through corrosion of metal dowels. The surfaces were finished by painting with a thin coat of mortar and silane to resist further erosion and attack by pollutants. The restoration of the façade revealed much paint adhering to the statues and their niches, indicating that it had once been brightly coloured.

 

The particular character of this Early English interior is dependent on the proportions of the simple lancet arches. It is also dependent on the refinement of the architectural details, in particular the mouldings.

 

The arcade, which takes the same form in the nave, choir and transepts, is distinguished by the richness of both mouldings and carvings. Each pier of the arcade has a surface enrichment of 24 slender shafts in eight groups of three, rising beyond the capitals to form the deeply undulating mouldings of the arches. The capitals themselves are remarkable for the vitality of the stylised foliage, in a style known as "stiff-leaf". The liveliness contrasts with the formality of the moulded shafts and the smooth unbroken areas of ashlar masonry in the spandrels. Each capital is different, and some contain small figures illustrating narratives.

 

The vault of the nave rises steeply in a simple quadripartite form, in harmony with the nave arcade. The eastern end of the choir was extended and the whole upper part elaborated in the second quarter of the 14th century by William Joy. The vault has a multiplicity of ribs in a net-like form, which is very different from that of the nave, and is perhaps a recreation in stone of a local type of compartmented wooden roof of which examples remain from the 15th century, including those at St Cuthbert's Church, Wells. The vaults of the aisles of the choir also have a unique pattern.

 

Until the early 14th century, the interior of the cathedral was in a unified style, but it was to undergo two significant changes, to the tower and to the eastern end. Between 1315 and 1322 the central tower was heightened and topped by a spire, which caused the piers that supported it to show signs of stress. In 1338 the mason William Joy employed an unorthodox solution by inserting low arches topped by inverted arches of similar dimensions, forming scissors-like structures. These arches brace the piers of the crossing on three sides, while the easternmost side is braced by a choir screen. The bracing arches are known as "St Andrew's Cross arches", in a reference to the patron saint of the cathedral. They have been described by Wim Swaan – rightly or wrongly – as "brutally massive" and intrusive in an otherwise restrained interior.

 

Wells Cathedral has a square east end to the choir, as is usual, and like several other cathedrals including Salisbury and Lichfield, has a lower Lady Chapel projecting at the eastern end, begun by Thomas Witney in about 1310, possibly before the chapter house was completed. The Lady Chapel seems to have begun as a free-standing structure in the form of an elongated octagon, but the plan changed and it was linked to the eastern end by extension of the choir and construction of a second transept or retrochoir east of the choir, probably by William Joy.

 

The Lady Chapel has a vault of complex and somewhat irregular pattern, as the chapel is not symmetrical about both axes. The main ribs are intersected by additional non-supporting, lierne ribs, which in this case form a star-shaped pattern at the apex of the vault. It is one of the earliest lierne vaults in England. There are five large windows, of which four are filled with fragments of medieval glass. The tracery of the windows is in the style known as Reticulated Gothic, having a pattern of a single repeated shape, in this case a trefoil, giving a "reticulate" or net-like appearance.

 

The retrochoir extends across the east end of the choir and into the east transepts. At its centre the vault is supported by a remarkable structure of angled piers. Two of these are placed as to complete the octagonal shape of the Lady Chapel, a solution described by Francis Bond as "an intuition of Genius". The piers have attached shafts of marble, and, with the vaults that they support, create a vista of great complexity from every angle. The windows of the retrochoir are in the Reticulated style like those of the Lady Chapel, but are fully Flowing Decorated in that the tracery mouldings form ogival curves.

 

The chapter house was begun in the late 13th century and built in two stages, completed about 1310. It is a two-storeyed structure with the main chamber raised on an undercroft. It is entered from a staircase which divides and turns, one branch leading through the upper storey of Chain Gate to Vicars' Close. The Decorated interior is described by Alec Clifton-Taylor as "architecturally the most beautiful in England". It is octagonal, with its ribbed vault supported on a central column. The column is surrounded by shafts of Purbeck Marble, rising to a single continuous rippling foliate capital of stylised oak leaves and acorns, quite different in character from the Early English stiff-leaf foliage. Above the moulding spring 32 ribs of strong profile, giving an effect generally likened to "a great palm tree". The windows are large with Geometric Decorated tracery that is beginning to show an elongation of form, and ogees in the lesser lights that are characteristic of Flowing Decorated tracery. The tracery lights still contain ancient glass. Beneath the windows are 51 stalls, the canopies of which are enlivened by carvings including many heads carved in a light-hearted manner.

 

Wells Cathedral contains one of the most substantial collections of medieval stained glass in England, despite damage by Parliamentary troops in 1642 and 1643. The oldest surviving glass dates from the late 13th century and is in two windows on the west side of the chapter-house staircase. Two windows in the south choir aisle are from 1310 to 1320.

 

The Lady Chapel has five windows, of which four date from 1325 to 1330 and include images of a local saint, Dunstan. The east window was restored to a semblance of its original appearance by Thomas Willement in 1845. The other windows have complete canopies, but the pictorial sections are fragmented.

 

The east window of the choir is a broad, seven-light window dating from 1340 to 1345. It depicts the Tree of Jesse (the genealogy of Christ) and demonstrates the use of silver staining, a new technique that allowed the artist to paint details on the glass in yellow, as well as black. The combination of yellow and green glass and the application of the bright yellow stain gives the window its popular name, the "Golden Window". It is flanked by two windows each side in the clerestory, with large figures of saints, also dated to 1340–45. In 2010 a major conservation programme was undertaken on the Jesse Tree window.

 

The panels in the chapel of St Katherine are attributed to Arnold of Nijmegen and date from about 1520. They were acquired from the destroyed church of Saint-Jean, Rouen, with the last panel having been purchased in 1953.

 

The large triple lancet to the nave west end was glazed at the expense of Dean Creighton at a cost of £140 in 1664. It was repaired in 1813, and the central light was largely replaced to a design by Archibald Keightley Nicholson between 1925 and 1931. The main north and south transept end windows by James Powell and Sons were erected in the early 20th century.

 

The greater part of the stone carving of Wells Cathedral comprises foliate capitals in the stiff-leaf style. They are found ornamenting the piers of the nave, choir and transepts. Stiff-leaf foliage is highly abstract. Though possibly influenced by carvings of acanthus leaves or vine leaves, it cannot be easily identified with any particular plant. Here the carving of the foliage is varied and vigorous, the springing leaves and deep undercuts casting shadows that contrast with the surface of the piers. In the transepts and towards the crossing in the nave the capitals have many small figurative carvings among the leaves. These include a man with toothache and a series of four scenes depicting the "Wages of Sin" in a narrative of fruit stealers who creep into an orchard and are then beaten by the farmer. Another well-known carving is in the north transept aisle: a foliate corbel, on which climbs a lizard, sometimes identified as a salamander, a symbol of eternal life.

 

Carvings in the Decorated Gothic style may be found in the eastern end of the buildings, where there are many carved bosses. In the chapter house, the carvings of the 51 stalls include numerous small heads of great variety, many of them smiling or laughing. A well-known figure is the corbel of the dragon-slaying monk in the chapter house stair. The large continuous capital that encircles the central pillar of the chapter house is markedly different in style to the stiff-leaf of the Early English period. In contrast to the bold projections and undercutting of the earlier work, it has a rippling form and is clearly identifiable as grapevine.

 

The 15th-century cloisters have many small bosses ornamenting the vault. Two in the west cloister, near the gift shop and café, have been called sheela na gigs, i. e. female figures displaying their genitals and variously judged to depict the sin of lust or stem from ancient fertility cults.

 

Wells Cathedral has one of the finest sets of misericords in Britain. Its clergy has a long tradition of singing or reciting from the Book of Psalms each day, along with the customary daily reading of the Holy Office. In medieval times the clergy assembled in the church eight times daily for the canonical hours. As the greater part of the services was recited while standing, many monastic or collegiate churches fitted stalls whose seats tipped up to provide a ledge for the monk or cleric to lean against. These were "misericords" because their installation was an act of mercy. Misericords typically have a carved figurative bracket beneath the ledge framed by two floral motifs known, in heraldic manner, as "supporters".

 

The misericords date from 1330 to 1340. They may have been carved under the direction of Master Carpenter John Strode, although his name is not recorded before 1341. He was assisted by Bartholomew Quarter, who is documented from 1343. They originally numbered 90, of which 65 have survived. Sixty-one are installed in the choir, three are displayed in the cathedral, and one is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum. New stalls were ordered when the eastern end of the choir was extended in the early 14th century. The canons complained that they had borne the cost of the rebuilding and ordered the prebendary clerics to pay for their own stalls. When the newly refurbished choir opened in 1339 many misericords were left unfinished, including one-fifth of the surviving 65. Many of the clerics had not paid, having been called to contribute a total sum of £200. The misericords survived better than the other sections of the stalls, which during the Protestant Reformation had their canopies chopped off and galleries inserted above them. One misericord, showing a boy pulling a thorn from his foot, dates from the 17th century. In 1848 came a complete rearrangement of the choir furniture, and 61 of the misericords were reused in the restructured stalls.

 

The subject matter of the carvings of the central brackets as misericords varies, but many themes recur in different churches. Typically the themes are less unified or directly related to the Bible and Christian theology than small sculptures seen elsewhere within churches, such as bosses. This applies at Wells, where none of the misericord carvings is directly based on a Bible story. The subjects, chosen either by the woodcarver, or perhaps by the one paying for the stall, have no overriding theme. The sole unifying elements are the roundels on each side of the pictorial subject, which all show elaborately carved foliage, in most cases formal and stylised in the later Decorated manner, but with several examples of naturalistic foliage, including roses and bindweed. Many of the subjects carry traditional interpretations. The image of the "Pelican in her Piety" (believed to feed her young on her own blood) is a recognised symbol for Christ's love for the Church. A cat playing with a mouse may represent the Devil snaring a human soul. Other subjects illustrate popular fables or sayings such as "When the fox preaches, look to your geese". Many depict animals, some of which may symbolise a human vice or virtue, or an aspect of faith.

 

Twenty-seven of the carvings depict animals: rabbits, dogs, a puppy biting a cat, a ewe feeding a lamb, monkeys, lions, bats, and the Early Christian motif of two doves drinking from a ewer. Eighteen have mythological subjects, including mermaids, dragons and wyverns. Five are clearly narrative, such as the Fox and the Geese, and the story of Alexander the Great being raised to Heaven by griffins. There are three heads: a bishop in a mitre, an angel, and a woman wearing a veil over hair arranged in coils over each ear. Eleven carvings show human figures, among which are several of remarkable design, conceived by the artist specifically for their purpose of supporting a shelf. One figure lies beneath the seat, supporting the shelf with a cheek, a hand and a foot. Another sits in a contorted manner supporting the weight on his elbow, while a further figure squats with his knees wide apart and a strained look on his face.

 

Some of the cathedral's fittings and monuments are hundreds of years old. The brass lectern in the Lady Chapel dates from 1661 and has a moulded stand and foliate crest. In the north transept chapel is a 17th-century oak screen with columns, formerly used in cow stalls, with artisan Ionic capitals and cornice, set forward over the chest tomb of John Godelee. There is a bound oak chest from the 14th century, which was used to store the chapter seal and key documents. The bishop's throne dates from 1340, and has a panelled, canted front and stone doorway, and a deep nodding cusped ogee canopy above it, with three-stepped statue niches and pinnacles. The throne was restored by Anthony Salvin around 1850. Opposite the throne is a 19th-century octagonal pulpit on a coved base with panelled sides, and steps up from the north aisle. The round font in the south transept is from the former Saxon cathedral and has an arcade of round-headed arches, on a round plinth. The font cover was made in 1635 and is decorated with the heads of putti. The Chapel of St Martin is a memorial to every Somerset man who fell in World War I.

 

The monuments and tombs include Gisa, bishop; † 1088; William of Bitton, bishop; † 1274; William of March, bishop; † 1302; John Droxford; † 1329; John Godelee; † 1333; John Middleton, died †1350; Ralph of Shrewsbury, died †; John Harewell, bishop; † 1386; William Bykonyll; † c. 1448; John Bernard; † 1459; Thomas Beckington; † died 1464; John Gunthorpe; † 1498; John Still; † 1607; Robert Creighton; † 1672; Richard Kidder, bishop; † 1703; George Hooper, bishop; † 1727 and Arthur Harvey, bishop; † 1894.

 

In the north transept is Wells Cathedral clock, an astronomical clock from about 1325 believed to be by Peter Lightfoot, a monk of Glastonbury. Its mechanism, dated between 1386 and 1392, was replaced in the 19th century and the original moved to the Science Museum in London, where it still operates. It is the second oldest surviving clock in England after the Salisbury Cathedral clock.

 

The clock has its original medieval face. Apart from the time on a 24-hour dial, it shows the motion of the Sun and Moon, the phases of the Moon, and the time since the last new Moon. The astronomical dial presents a geocentric or pre-Copernican view, with the Sun and Moon revolving round a central fixed Earth, like that of the clock at Ottery St Mary. The quarters are chimed by a quarter jack: a small automaton known as Jack Blandifers, who hits two bells with hammers and two with his heels. At the striking of the clock, jousting knights appear above the clock face.

 

On the outer wall of the transept, opposite Vicars' Hall, is a second clock face of the same clock, placed there just over seventy years after the interior clock and driven by the same mechanism. The second clock face has two quarter jacks (which strike on the quarter-hour) in the form of knights in armour.

 

In 2010 the official clock-winder retired and was replaced by an electric mechanism.

 

The first record of an organ at this church dates from 1310. A smaller organ, probably for the Lady Chapel, was installed in 1415. In 1620 an organ built by Thomas Dallam was installed at a cost of £398 1s 5d.

 

The 1620 organ was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643. An organ built in 1662 was enlarged in 1786 and again in 1855. In 1909–1910 an organ was built by Harrison & Harrison of Durham, with the best parts of the old organ retained. It has been serviced by the same company ever since.

 

Since November 1996 the cathedral has also had a portable chamber organ, by the Scottish makers, Lammermuir. It is used regularly to accompany performances of Tudor and baroque music.

 

The first recorded organist of Wells was Walter Bagele (or Vageler) in 1416. The post of organist or assistant organist has been held by more than 60 people since. Peter Stanley Lyons was Master of Choristers at Wells Cathedral, and Director of Music at Wells Cathedral School in 1954–1960. The choral conductor James William Webb-Jones, father of Lyons's wife Bridget (whom he married in the cathedral), was Headmaster of Wells Cathedral School in 1955–1960. Malcolm Archer was the appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers from 1996 to 2004. Matthew Owens was the appointed organist from 2005 to 2019.

 

There has been a choir of boy choristers at Wells since 909. Currently there are 18 boy choristers and a similar number of girl choristers, aged from eight to fourteen. The Vicars Choral was formed in the 12th century and the sung liturgy provided by a traditional cathedral choir of men and boys until the formation of an additional choir of girls in 1994. The boys and girls sing alternately with the Vicars Choral and are educated at Wells Cathedral School.

 

The Vicars Choral currently number twelve men, of whom three are choral scholars. Since 1348 the College of Vicars had its own accommodation in a quadrangle converted in the early 15th century to form Vicar's Close. The Vicars Choral generally perform with the choristers, except on Wednesdays, when they sing alone, allowing them to present a different repertoire, in particular plainsong.

 

In December 2010 Wells Cathedral Choir was rated by Gramophone magazine as "the highest ranking choir with children in the world". It continues to provide music for the liturgy at Sunday and weekday services. The choir has made many recordings and toured frequently, including performances in Beijing and Hong Kong in 2012. Its repertoire ranges from the choral music of the Renaissance to recently commissioned works.

 

The Wells Cathedral Chamber Choir is a mixed adult choir of 25 members, formed in 1986 to sing at the midnight service on Christmas Eve, and invited to sing at several other special services. It now sings for about 30 services a year, when the Cathedral Choir is in recess or on tour, and spends one week a year singing as the "choir in residence" at another cathedral. Although primarily liturgical, the choir's repertoire includes other forms of music, as well as performances at engagements such as weddings and funerals.

 

The cathedral is home to Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society (WCOS), founded in 1896. With around 160 voices, the society gives three concerts a year under the direction of Matthew Owens, Organist and Master of the Choristers at the cathedral. Concerts are normally in early November, December (an annual performance of Handel's Messiah) and late March. It performs with a number of specialist orchestras including: Music for Awhile, Chameleon Arts and La Folia.

 

The bells at Wells Cathedral are the heaviest ring of ten bells in the world, the tenor bell (the 10th and largest), known as Harewell, weighing 56.25 long hundredweight (2,858 kg). They are hung for full-circle ringing in the English style of change ringing. These bells are now hung in the south-west tower, although some were originally hung in the central tower.

 

The library above the eastern cloister was built between 1430 and 1508. Its collection is in three parts: early documents housed in the Muniment Room; the collection predating 1800 housed in the Chained Library; and the post-1800 collection housed in the Reading Room. The chapter's earlier collection was destroyed during the Reformation, so that the present library consists chiefly of early printed books, rather than medieval manuscripts. The earlier books in the Chained Library number 2,800 volumes and give an indication of the variety of interests of the members of the cathedral chapter from the Reformation until 1800. The focus of the collection is predominantly theology, but there are volumes on science, medicine, exploration, and languages. Books of particular interest include Pliny's Natural History printed in 1472, an Atlas of the World by Abraham Ortelius, printed in 1606, and a set of the works by Aristotle that once belonged to Erasmus. The library is open to the public at appointed times in the summer and presents a small exhibition of documents and books.

 

Three early registers of the Dean and Chapter edited by W. H. B. Bird for the Historical Manuscripts Commissioners – Liber Albus I (White Book; R I), Liber Albus II (R III) and Liber Ruber (Red Book; R II, section i) – were published in 1907. They contain with some repetition, a cartulary of possessions of the cathedral, with grants of land back to the 8th century, well before hereditary surnames developed in England, and acts of the Dean and Chapter and surveys of their estates, mostly in Somerset.

 

Adjacent to the cathedral is a large lawned area, Cathedral Green, with three ancient gateways: Brown's Gatehouse, Penniless Porch and Chain Gate. On the green is the 12th-century Old Deanery, largely rebuilt in the late 15th century by Dean Gunthorpe and remodelled by Dean Bathurst in the late 17th century. No longer the dean's residence, it is used as diocesan offices.

 

To the south of the cathedral is the moated Bishop's Palace, begun about 1210 by Jocelin of Wells but dating mostly from the 1230s. In the 15th century Thomas Beckington added a north wing, now the bishop's residence. It was restored and extended by Benjamin Ferrey between 1846 and 1854.

 

To the north of the cathedral and connected to it by the Chain Gate is Vicars' Close, a street planned in the 14th century and claimed to be the oldest purely residential street in Europe, with all but one of its original buildings intact. Buildings in the close include the Vicars Hall and gateway at the south end, and the Vicars Chapel and Library at the north end.

 

The Liberty of St Andrew was the historic liberty and parish that encompassed the cathedral and surrounding lands closely associated with it.

 

The English painter J. M. W. Turner visited Wells in 1795, making sketches of the precinct and a water colour of the west front, now in the Tate gallery. Other artists whose paintings of the cathedral are in national collections are Albert Goodwin, John Syer and Ken Howard.

 

The cathedral served to inspire Ken Follett's 1989 novel The Pillars of the Earth and with a modified central tower, featured as the fictional Kingsbridge Cathedral at the end of the 2010 television adaptation of that novel. The interior of the cathedral was used for a 2007 Doctor Who episode, "The Lazarus Experiment", while the exterior shots were filmed at Southwark Cathedral.

 

An account of the damage to the cathedral during the Monmouth Rebellion is included in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1889 historical novel Micah Clarke.

 

The cathedral provided scenes for the 2019–2020 television series The Spanish Princess.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 18-Sep-21 (DeNoise AI).

 

Although still registered N610TF, it already has the fleet number 141 on the nosewheel doors.

 

First flown with the McDonnell Douglas test registration N19B, it was re-registered N54652 the following week for further test flights. The aircraft was delivered to JAL Japan Air Lines (as a 'domestic' DC-10-40D - see note below) as JA8533 in May-76.

 

It served with JAL for 22 years before being sold to Ten Forty Inc as Apr-98 as N610TF. The aircraft was converted to freighter configuration as a DC-10-40(F) in Oct/Nov-98, with main deck cargo door. On completion it was leased to CAC Challenge Air Cargo. It was re-registered N141WE in Apr-99. By late 2000 Challenge Air Cargo had financial problems and the aircraft was stored at Greenwood, MS, USA in Jan-01.

 

In Aug-01 it was transferred to a new company, Centurion Air Cargo. It was returned to the lessor in Aug-03. It was leased to Aeroflot Russian Airlines as VP-BDG the following month. In Mar-07 the aircraft was transferred to their new cargo division, Aeroflot Cargo. It was returned to the lessor in Apr-08 as N141WE and stored at Miami.

 

In Jul-08 the aircraft was leased to Arrow Air Cargo. At the age 0f 33 it was retired and stored at Orlando-Sanford, FL, USA in Aug-09. It was ferried to Marana, AZ, USA in Aug-12 for further storage and was last noted still stored there in Apr-16, complete and with everything 'taped up'.

 

The aircraft was sold to Omega Aerial Refuelling Services in Nov-23 for spares use, Permanently retired at Marana.

 

Note: Japan Air Lines operated two types of DC-10-40, the DC-10-40D used on Japanese domestic services and the DC-10-40I which was used mainly on international services. They were basically the same aircraft, however the DC-10-40D had the centre main undercarriage leg and the centre fuel tank locked out and could be operated at the lower maximum take-off and landing weights of the DC-10-10.

 

Aircraft landing charges are based on the maximum take-off weight of the aircraft (I know that sounds weird, having the landing charge based on the MTOW but that's how it works world-wide!) and using the aircraft as a DC-10-10 gave JAL a considerable saving on landing fees. Some of JAL's DC-10-40D's were converted to 'I' standard during their time with the company and all of the aircraft which were later converted to freighters became DC-10-40(F)'s.

While having fun riding of road yesterday I hearda dull "twunk" from the rear wheel. A spoke had had enough. It was a quick job today before tea to repalce it.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 01-Apr-20.

 

Named: "James Cook".

 

This aircraft was delivered to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as PH-BTD in Dec-92. It was sold to Privatair (Switzerland) as HB-JJC in Dec-11. It was wet-leased to EC Air (Equatorial Congo Airlines) in Feb-12. The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Brussels in Dec-15. It was sold to EC Air in Jan-18 and re-registered TN-AJX. However, it didn't stay in service for long and was withdrawn from use and stored at Johannesburg in Oct-18. As far as I'm aware, EC Air is no longer operational and the aircraft hasn't flown since. As it's now over 27 years old, I'm assuming it's unlikely to fly again. Updated (Apr-20).

I replaced the previous video with this 720 rez, let's see if it works. Flickr is spotty today

Today 14 wild horses came galloping down our dirt road and made a beeline to our stock tank. OMG, they drank it dry in minutes. So, I got the hose out while talking sweet to them and started filling it back up. They watched intently and then started drinking from the hose gentle spray. Then they made another beeline to the tall grasses near our septic tank field.

I love nature!!!

The Paddle Steamer Phantom replaced the smaller ferries on the Circular Quay to Manly run in 1859. This image - dated around 1860 - shows the level of development around Manly Cove at that time. This image has been included to indicate the development at Manly at the time the Huntress was operational on the Manly run.

 

The Phantom was a steel vessel - substantially larger than the smaller wooden ferries such as the Huntress that operated the service a few years beforehand.

 

HUNTRESS

The Huntress was built by Alexander Newton and William Malcolm at Pelican on the Manning River in 1853. She operated out of the Hunter River and Sydney Harbour with some brief periods on the Hawkesbury River before being purchased by New Zealand interests. This section deals with the Australian operations - 1853 -1860. Details of her operation in New Zealand Operation are to be found in New Zealand Operation

 

Other images related the Huntress are found in the Album HUNTRESS

 

SECTION 1. AUSTRALIAN OPERATION (1853 - 1860)

 

Details :

Name: Huntress

Type: Schooner Rigged, Cutter/Paddle Steamer.

Length: 89.1 ft

Beam: 16.2 ft

Draft: 7.6 ft

Engine: 2 x 40 h.p. Steam/Built and installed by G. Russell & Co (Sydney)

Builder: Alexander Newton and William Malcolm

Launched: September 1853, Pelican Shipyards, Manning River, NSW.

Registered: Sydney '147/1853' - '25/9/1853'

Re-Registered: Sydney 25/1857

Tonnage: Suggest 54.45 tons

Propelling Power: 32.01

Official Number: ON 032617

Construction:

-Carvel Planked

-Square Stern

 

Owners:

Australia

1853 -1856 Messrs. J. & A. Brown, of Newcastle.

1856 -1860 Thomas Stephenson Rountree [often incorrectly referred to as Rowntree], of Balmain.

 

New Zealand

1860 -1864 Government of Hawke’s Bay Province, New Zealand (registered Napier) Thomas Henry Fitzgerald. 12th March 1860.

1864 -1866 Donald McLean

1866 -1867 G. Edward Reid, 6th December 1866 (registered Auckland)

1867 -1871 William Souter 10th January 1867

1871 -1872 J. S. MacFarlane & Co.

 

HISTORY:

 

1853

NEW STEAMER. A contract for the building of a new steamboat was finally concluded yesterday by Messrs Malcolm and Newton. The matter has been under consideration for some time past, yet in consequence of some proposed alteration with regard to the vessel, it was only determined yesterday. The dimensions will be about 85 ft. keel, 16 ft. beam, and fore hold 7 ft. She will be built at Messrs. Malcolm and Newton’s yard on the Manning River. Her intended trade has not been given. The Maitland Mercury 5 March 1853.

(The side-wheel paddle-steamer Huntress was the only steamship built at the Pelican shipyard on the Manning River.)

 

MAIDEN VOYAGE

“The Phantom, ketch, has cleared out for the Manning River, taking up with her Captain Malcolm and a crew to bring down the new steamer [Huntress] lately built at that place by Messrs. Newton and Malcolm, the well-known shipwrights. The steamer is intended for the Hunter River trade, to ply between Newcastle and Morpeth, and is also to be used as a tug boat.

The steamer will come from the Manning under canvas to receive her engines, and proceed immediately to her destination. This will be a novel feature on the Hunter, and we congratulate the inhabitants on their new acquisition. The builders’ well-earned fame is sufficient guarantee of the faithfulness and superiority of build in the new boat.” The Maitland Mercury and Hunter General Advertiser - 6 August 1853

 

UNDER CANVAS - THREE MASTS

THE HUNTRESS STEAMER. This vessel arrived here on Sunday, the 25th, from the Manning River, for the purpose of being fitted with her engines, &c., which have been constructed by Mr. G. Russell, and, as a specimen of colonial shipbuilding, is worthy of some attention. She is intended for a tug-boat on the Hunter River, and will at the same time carry goods and passengers. Her dimensions are as follows:-Length of keel 86 feet 6 inches, depth of hold 7 feet 6 inches; draws when loaded 5 feet 10 inches aft, 5 feet 1 inch forward, and will be propelled by two engines of the united power of 80 horses. Her builders, Messrs. Newton and Malcolm (who also built the Scotia), have adhered to the usual American system adopted in their river boats, which allows of deck houses being placed on vessels if required, but at present she is flush fore and aft. She is owned by Messrs. J. and A. Brown, of Newcastle, and came up from the Manning rigged as a three–masted schooner, with a large cargo of grain, and proved an excellent sea-boat. [Captain James Malcolm, the agent, has politely furnished the above particulars.]

The Maitland Mercury - 1 October 1853

 

The same newspaper reported the Huntress arrived, from the Manning {26th September], with 1604 bushels grain, 65 hides, 2 tons bags, 700 felloes, 5000 feet timber, 2 casks beef, casks 2 paunches tallow.

 

CONVERSION TO STEAMER AND TRIALS

The Huntress was converted to a steam tug over a period of around three months; it appears that her central mast was removed leaving one fore and one rear mast [this needs checking]. She made a trial trip down to the Heads on 30th December 1853; she went from Pinchgut to the South Reef in 25 minutes, and from the reef to Millers Point in 31 minutes. On the 6th January 1854 she completed her trials, attaining 11 knots an hour outside the Heads.

 

1854

NEWCASTLE

On January the 24th 1854 the Huntress arrived at Newcastle to take up her new duties as the Newcastle steam-tug. On the 25th January she towed out a schooner on the and then proceeded to Morpeth in around four hours, returning to Newcastle on the 1st February to tow out the Mary Nicholson.

 

HUNTRESS RE-LOCATED TO SYDNEY

After 9 months operation on the Hunter River as a ferry from Morpeth to Newcastle and operating as a steam-tug as needed, Huntress was advertised for sale - firstly by Private Treaty and subsequently by auction. With no sale, she was moved to Sydney in November 1854 where she commenced operation as a charter boat. Almost immediately she commenced operation as a ferry taking passengers to observe the Balmain Regatta The Sydney Morning Herald - 30 November 1854. She was again offered for sale the following January

 

1855

WINDSOR SOJOURN

On the 1st February 1855 Huntress was sent to Windsor as so eloquently described:

"On Friday afternoon last [2nd Feb 1855], shortly before two o'clock, several gun-shots were suddenly heard fired in quick succession from the neighbourhood of Thompson's square, and numbers of men, women, and children might be seen hurrying towards the river. What could be the cause of this consternation, thought we? Nothing more nor less than the anxiously looked for arriving of the Huntress steamer, " walking the waters" of our noble Hawkesbury " like a thing of life!" The Huntress left Sydney the day previous and was twenty-four hours on the water, though actually under steam only thirteen hours and a half, having rested at night. We are informed that the passage might have been, and can be made easily in twelve hours, but this, being the maiden trip, was performed cautiously and under suppressed power. Although fears were entertained that the vessel might have met with some obstruction on the way up, we believe she met with none, having found water deep enough the whole distance. As she hauled alongside the temporary wharf erected by the charterers, it was amusing to observe the eager interest and excitement she occasioned amongst the inhabitants, particularly the young, many of whom, we believe, never beheld such a sight before. Fortunately there were not very many passengers on board, and the captain and managers exhibited much good nature, otherwise the crowds of people, including children, who rushed upon the decks and examined the accommodation and machinery, might have been felt to be very inconvenient. We hail the arrival at our wharf of the little Huntress with much satisfaction, and hope she may prove the harbinger of a more extended system of steam communication upon the Hawkesbury, to be carried out at no distant day, and which will to some extent aid in developing the resources of our important district. At present, the steamer will be used for pleasure and excursion trips only, the first of which will take place on Monday. The Sydney Morning Herald - 6 February 1855.

 

RETURN TO SYDNEY CHARTER FERRY

After a short stay at Windsor she returned to Sydney where she was regularly chartered for ferrying passengers to various events. For a time she was leased to Henry Gilbert Smith, who used her as one of the first ferries on the Sunday Manly run.

 

1856

PADDLE WHEELS IMPROVED

MR. RANKEN’S NEW PADDLE – WHEEL FLOAT’S .

Some interest has lately been caused by an invention which is intended to do away with much of the loss of power, and therefore of speed in the common paddle-wheels and floats now in use in most steamers.

A trial has been made with Mr. Ranken’s improvement in the Huntress, running between Circular Quay and Cremorne, and the result is stated as having been very favourable. Upon this Mr. Ranken applied to the Australian Steam Navigation Company for leave to fit one of their sea-going vessels after the same fashion, for a trial of a hundred miles or so; but by some misunderstanding the two parties have come to issue, and science is disappointed. Whichever may be right, it is a pity that more cannot be known of the capabilities of discovery; anything that can increase speed, husband power or lessen the coal bill in steamboats, is a world wide benefit.

The invention, it seems, is simple, but the most simple efforts, have almost always been the manner in which genius works.

The following is a description, :- Upon the common paddle-wheel float, which strikes the water mostly at an angle of 45 degrees, is fitted an iron binding, and to use a homely simile, very like the turned up edges of a dust pan; this is meant to compress the water more solidly within a space, so that the propelling power may have more grip whereby to send the vessel ahead; but on account of a greater force being required to drive the paddle-wheels fitted like this, every alternate float is unshipped. As we believe, in the case of the Huntress in smooth water, Mr. Ranken’s plan answered as well as could be wished; still it is quite another matter with a ship in a sea-way, it being a question whether or not any such iron binding will ever stand the surging of the wheels in a heavy roll, either ahead or on the beam, which nothing can decide except a fair trial in the open sea. The Sydney Morning Herald - 5 July 1856.

 

1857

SYDNEY HARBOUR

In addition to charters and towing contracts, Huntress was regularly utilised on Sydney Harbour to transport passengers to the gardens at Cremorne every Sunday.

 

RETURN TO WINDSOR

During the winter of 1857, Huntress was sent to Windsor where she transported goods that were then sold by auction in Sydney. "SALES BY AUCTION. REGULAR PRODUCE SALE.

MR. W. PRITCHARD will sell by auction, on the Ground Floor of his New Mart, 70, Sussex-street, late Brierley, Dean, and Co.'s Stores, on WEDNESDAY, at 11 o'clock,

300 bushels of wheat, ex Huntress, from Windsor 300 ditto maize, ditto, ditto .

325 ditto fresh coarse bran, ditto, ditto

Also, several other parcels of maize, wheat, bran, hay, hides, sheepskins, tallow, &c., &c.

At half-past 11.

Chaff cutters, corn shellers, corn measures, &c., &c. 385"

Empire - 7 July 1857

On one of these voyages she encountered a sunken ketch on the Hawkesbury River. "The Huntress (s.), from the Hawkesbury, reports having seen, while coming down the river, a ketch sunk, with masts and sails standing. They found it to be the ketch Traveller, with the usual cargo; the mate of the Huntress made several attempts to tow her, but found she was too heavy, and as compelled to leave her there. It is not known whether the crew were saved or went down with the vessel." The Maitland Mercury - 9 July 1857

 

1858 - 1860

CONVERTED

 

ADVERTISED FOR SALE

Over this period the only activity reported was a regular series of advertisements in 1858 offering Huntress for sale. "Also, the powerful steamer HUNTRESS, 84 tons, and 50 H.P., capable of carrying 60 tons cargo, and 250 passengers on river service. The above vessels now lie for inspection in Waterview Bay. Apply to ROWNTREE [ROUNTREE] and CO., Mort's Dry Dock; or T. S. MORT and CO., Pitt-street. The Sydney Morning Herald - 16 October 1858.

 

CONVERTED TO DREDGE

Few details are available for the years 1858/59 but it appears that Huntress was converted into a dredge but details are unclear. She was reportedly re-measured as 86 gross tons 54 net but this requires confirmation.

 

PURCHASED BY NEW ZEALAND INTERESTS

In 1860 it was confirmed that the Huntress had been purchased by Mr. G. Griffith, as agent for the Provincial Government of Hawkes Bay. "The steamer Huntress, recently the property of Captain Rountree, but since purchased from him by Mr. G. Griffith, the agent in Sydney for the Provincial Government of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, made a trial trip yesterday prior to her departure. She proceeded down the harbour and a few miles to sea. She averaged fully ten knots under steam, and under canvas was remarkably steady and easy. She is to be used as a steam-dredge for the harbour of Napier, Hawkes Bay, for which she has competent machinery, in addition to an effective set of new get, ordered from England." The Sydney Morning Herald - 27 March 1860.

She departed for Hawkes Bay on March on March 27th 1860.

 

Image Source: Image Collection of the State Library of NSW.

 

GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW - Flick Group --> Alphabetical Boat Index --> Boat builders Index --> Tags List

  

298/365,

 

Garden Village, Burnaby, British Columbia

 

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 21-Aug-21 (DeNoiseAI).

 

Taken on it's return from Air BVI after it had been repossessed.

 

A somewhat unlucky aircraft for some of the airlines operating it, this was an ‘early build’ aircraft (line no:15) originally delivered to Skyways Coach Air in Jun-62 as G-ARMW. It was returned to Hawker Siddeley Aviation in Sep-62 and leased to BKS Air Transport until Oct-64 when it returned to Hawker Siddeley.

 

It was leased to LIAT Leeward Islands Air Transport as VP-LII in Jan-65. It didn’t stay with LIAT long and was returned to Hawker Siddeley as G-ARMW in May-65 and stored for over 2 years.

 

It was leased to BKS Air Transport again, just for two months from Oct/Dec-67 when it was stored until it was sold to Skyways Coach Air in Apr-68. Skyways Coach Air were renamed Skyways International Ltd in Mar-71 and in Apr-72, due to financial problems, they were bought out by Dan-Air.

 

In Oct-85 the aircraft was leased to Air BVI (British Virgin Islands) as VP-LVO. It was repossessed in Apr-90 and returned to Dan-Air as G-ARMW. In Sep-90 it was leased to Aberdeen Airways but repossessed again 3 months later.

 

It was sold to Clewer Aviation in Mar-91 and stored at Southend, UK, for a year until it was re-registered G-ERMV in Mar-92 and leased to Independent Airlines the following month.

 

In Sep-92 it was sold to Necon Air in Nepal as 9N-ACH. It was withdrawn from use approximately 1998 and stored at Kathmandu and finally broken up there around 2007.

 

Note: I also have a photo if this aircraft as G-ARMW with Skyways International just after they had been taken over by Dan-Air in Jun-72 at www.flickr.com/photos/kenfielding/5944627068

Peerless Confectionery went out of business in May of 2007 and a short time later its buildings were leveled and replaced by condos. There were just two revenue runs of which I am aware by Chicago Terminal during its short time servicing Peerless which took place in January and February of 2007. They are documented below in my CTM album.

 

The CTM SW8 is running light up the last mile that was left of the former Milwaukee Road Chicago & Evanston North Line to retrieve cars left behind by CP at Peerless Confectionery at Diversey Parkway the week before.

 

Chicago Terminal is no more as of 2019 and the last train to operate north of Clybourn was to retrieve gondolas parked on the former Peerless spur in 2009.

 

Seventh in a series of screen grabs I will post from video I took on the first day of Chicago Terminal operations as it made its way from the UP North Avenue Yard where it was a tenant on its way to switch Finkl Steel and Peerless Confectionery. I was a guest of Ed Ellis for the first two days of operations to document it. I also wound up acting as a pilot for the crew as CP left behind no instructions.

 

Images are from converted from DVD format and cleaned up as much as possible in Photoshop. It was a dreary, overcast day with rain on and off again, and the SW8 engine in which we were riding was rocking back and forth which made taking videos a challenge.

 

If you want to see a video of mine that shows CP working this line go to-

 

studio.youtube.com/video/pQXSrwYdoQk/edit

 

Due to conversations in the cab that the crew probably didn't want being made public I am not going to share the full video of this trip plus I do not feel like taking the time to edit out the audio. Enjoy the still images instead from those first two days in this album.

 

www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/albums/72157704913274794

 

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 31-Jan-21.

 

Air Alliance, Air Canada partner (operated by Air Georgian)

 

Fleet No: "953".

 

First flown with the Beechcraft/Raytheon test registration N21063, this aircraft was delivered to Air Georgian (Canada) as C-GHGA in Dec-97 and operated on behalf of Canadian Regional with 'Ontario Regional' titles. It was returned to Air Georgian in early May-00 and operated on behalf of Air Alliance operating on behalf of Air Canada. Operations continued with Air Canada Regional, Air Canada Jazz and Air Canada Express. It was returned to Air Georgian in late 2018 and was stored at Muskoka, On, Canada in Jan-19 in basic Air Canada 'Toothpaste' livery. No further information. Air Georgian ceased operations in May-20 and it's assets were sold to a new company, Pivot Airlines, which co-incidentally happens to have the same Management personnel as Air Georgian. Updated Jan-21.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 16-Oct-21 (DeNoise AI).

 

This aircraft was delivered to British Airways, in full Caledonian Airways livery, as G-BPEA at the end of Mar-89. It was leased to Caledonian Airways in early Apr-89 (the later BA version of Caledonian, not the original Caledonian Airways which became B.Cal).

 

During it's time with Caledonian, the aircraft was wet-leased to many other airlines. to North American Airlines (Jan/Mar-90), El Al Israel Airlines (Mar/May-90), Nationair Canada (Dec-90/Mar-91), British Airways (Nov-91/Mar-92), Nationair Canada again (Dec-92/Mar-93), LAPA Argentina (Dec-93/Mar-94 and Dec-94/Mar-95).

 

It was returned to British Airways in Nov-95 and continued in service in full BA livery. The aircraft was sold to a lessor in May-97 and leased back to British Airways until it was returned to the lessor in Oct-00 and stored at Marana, AZ, USA.

 

It was moved to Tucson, AZ, USA in Mar-01 and was re-registered N903PG the following month. The aircraft remained stored until it was leased to Cebu Pacific Air (Philippines) as RP-C2714 in Feb-02.

 

In Feb-06 it was returned to the lessor and leased to Air Slovakia as OM-ASA in Mar-06. The aircraft was wet-leased to RAK Airways (Ras al Khaimah, UAE) between Jun/Jul-08. It returned to the lessor as N580SH in Oct-09 and was stored at Miama, FL, USA.

 

It remained stored until it was leased to SBA Santa Barbara Airlines (Venezuela) as YV-450T in Jan-11. It was withdrawn from service and stored at Mexico City, Mexico in Apr-17 and returned to the lessor as N635SH at the end of May-18.

 

The aircraft was permanently retired and broken up at Mexico City in 2019. Updated 13-Nov-21.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 11-Nov-17.

 

Built as a freighter, this aircraft was delivered to a lessor and leased to Atlas Air Cargo as N493MC in Oct-98. It was sold to Atlas Air in Nov-16. Current, updated 11-Jul-23.

The C15 was introduced in 1984 to replace the Acadiane. After 21 years of production in 2005 the Berlingo was its successor.

 

I've owned this car till about April 2009. It would't pass the the yearly technical check (MOT, Tüv, CT, APK), due to all kind of small mechanical problems. Although the engine was still perfect, it didn't make sense to put more money it this project. In the end I received only € 135,00 for it.

This striking colour is indeed original. I knew two other yellow C15's in Amsterdam at the time.

I think I took these pics for having plans to put the car for sale.

 

1769cc diesel engine,

905 kg.

Original Dutch license number: Jan. 5, 1993.

It has been exported after I'd sold her.

 

Amsterdam-N., Schoenerstraat, Dec. 14, 2008.

 

© 2008 Sander Toonen Amsterdam | All Rights Reserved

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 14-Jan-24.

 

Operated for QANTAS Airways by Southern Australia Airlines.

 

First flown with the British Aerospace test registration G-5-107, this aircraft was originally ordered by Presidential Airways (USA) but not taken up.

 

It was delivered to the Jet Acceptance Corporation, leased to Westair Commuter Airlines (USA) in Aug-88 and operated on behalf of United Express. It was returned to the Jet Acceptance Corp as N462EA in Nov-92.

 

The aircraft was leased to Empire Airlines in Dec-92 and sub-leased to Northwest Territorial Airways in May-94, returning to Empire Airlines and the Jet Acceptance Corp in Jun-94.

 

It was leased to Air Wisconsin as N294UE in Mar-95 and operated on behalf of United Express. It was returned to British Aerospace Asset Management at the end of Aug-96.

 

In Dec-96 it was leased to National Jet Systems (Australia) as VH-YAE and sub-leased to Southern Australia Airlines operating on behalf of QANTAS Airways. It was returned to National Jet Systems in Jul-03.

 

The aircraft was transferred to National Jet Express in Nov-09. It was withdrawn from service and permanently retired at Adelaide, South Australia in May-15. It was broken up there in Aug-15. Updated 14-Jan-24

The one on the right replaced a SoftCare² Primo. The left one is an addition. The brushless rollover has been relocalized further away, in an empty space !

For their early low-floor double-deck needs, to replace step entrance MCW Metrobus's and Volvo Olympian's, London United went for the Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL's. The first ones to arrive began at number VA61. VA81 from that initial batch, new in 02/2000, is seen here entering Hammersmith Bus Station, on 09/08/2001, when operating on Service 220, out of Shepherds Bush garage. These replaced MCW Metrobus's on this route. In 09/2011, it was converted to single-door layout, from dual-door, and fitted with high back seating. It became part of the contract services division operating out of Fulwell, Twickenham and then Hounslow Heath, in the process. Later allocated to the United Transit fleet, it was renumbered VA40381 however in 08/2016, it was de-roofed by a hotel canopy! Withdrawn from service, it went for scrap, in 04/2017.

 

The camera being a Pentax MZ-M with the film being a Boots Colourslide.

 

I would request, as with all my photos, that they are not copied or downloaded in any way, shape or form. © Peter Steel 2001.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 23-Feb-22 (DeNoise AI).

 

Named: "Harald Grafell" (but not applied with this livery).

 

This aircraft was delivered to Braathens S.A.F.E as LN-BRQ in Oct-91. It was sold to a lessor in Oct-00 and leased back to Braathens.

 

Braathens was merged into SAS Norway ASA in Dec-04 as SAS / Braathens. It was re-named Scandinavian Airlines Norge in Jun-07.

 

The aircraft was removed from service in Dec-12 and stored at Shannon, Ireland in Jan-13. It was ferried to St. Athan, Wales, UK and permanently retired in Dec-13. Updated 23-Feb-22.

Replacing an earlier photo from Apr-15 with a better version Apr-17.

 

First flown with the Airbus test registration F-WWAJ in Nov-13. Interior fitout and painting at Airbus Hamburg-Finkenwerder was completed in Jun-14 and the aircraft was stored at Finkenwerder until it was delivered to Qatar Airways as A7-APB in Nov-14. Current (May-17).

Replaced with full size and recropped image on 23 May 2012.

This photo of the ferry Lake Wallis was taken by Graeme Andrews. The image has been re-scanned to better show detail. She lies abandoned in a paddock after she was withdrawn from service in 1978. The paddock was part of the land around the home of Bill and Noni Coombe who purchased Stan Croad's ferry business and replaced the Lake Wallis with the Amaroo

 

Other images of the Lake Wallis can be found in the Album Lake Wallis

 

The ferry Lake Wallis operated out of Forster for a long period and was well-known to both holidaymakers and schoolchildren as she plied the waters of Wallis Lake.

 

UPDATED OCTOBER 2018

 

Lake Wallis built by Harry Avery

Recent information supplied by Peter Emmerson, son of Albert CARL Emmerson, indicates that his father had the Lake Wallis built specifically for use on Wallis Lake by John Wright & Co. Ltd's chief shipwright, Harry Avery. Commenced circa 1940 and launched circa 1941/2 she was built prior to the time when Wright's shipyard was contracted to building a large number of vessels for the US Army and the Australian Army. While the timbers used in construction are unknown, the planking was of White Beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) sourced from the Comboyne Plateau.

 

From the images provided by Peter Emmerson it is clear that the hull was completed with timber frame to allow later finishing as a ferry; she was taken by cradle further upstream to an area adjacent to the Tuncurry coal-loader.

 

Albert CARL Emmerson fits out the Lake Wallis

It appears likely that Carl Emmerson bought the hull only and fitted her with steering gear and a 2 cyl. J2 Kelvin Diesel with petrol assist start. Petrol and spark plugs was used ignite the chamber and thus assist the flywheel to turn; this was an essential component of the starting procedure in cold weather. Carl fitted out the launch with anything that was available. In 1943, equipment and components were unavailable with invasion by Japanese forces appearing almost inevitable. Carl's innovative approach included using the steering wheel of an old Dodge truck. The new launch, named the Lake Wallis replaced his previous launch the ex-cream boat Dorrie May.

 

Carl Emmerson obtained a Special Lease to build a wharf on Wallis Lake and operated the Lake Wallis as the official mail boat, passenger ferry, delivery launch and later for excursionists. Carl operated his launch service at 9 am Monday, Wednesday and Friday (3h return trip). From Forster the launch travelled to Green Point (Lach Fraser’s dairy); then South to Charlotte Bay Creek then NW to Whoota; then to Coomba Park (Beddington’s) then to Sointu's wharf (John Sointu and Ida Niemi) on the SW side of Wallis Island and finally back to Forster. On the other days he operated his bus service to Elizabeth Beach, Booti Booti, Charlottte Bay and back to Forster. Carl also delivered boxes of butter from the Cape Hawke Co-operative Butter factory in Tuncurry to stores in Forster, three days a week.

 

Carl Emmerson starts tourist trips around Wallis lake

After the War, when people were again able to travel, Carl commenced a tourist operation taking visitors around the extensive Wallis Lake. His wife, Mollie, acted as deckhand and morning tea maker - pleasing everyone with her home-made shortbread biscuits.

 

In 1967 Carl sold his entire operation (including the Lake Wallis, the Special Lease, the established tourist route and wharf facilities to Stan Croad.

 

Stan Croad

The Master of the Lake Wallis from 1967 was Stan Croad, both a ferryman and film operator at the Regent Theatre in Forster. Stanley Osbourne Croad was born in Kempsey in 1912 and moved to Forster around 1937 when the Regent Theatre opened and he commenced work as film operator.

 

Prior to purchase of the Lake Wallis he operated a launch - name unknown. In 1944, newspaper reports show that Stan had secured a contract to transport schoolchildren from areas around Wallis Lake to Forster. In 1946 he sought a Special Lease from the Lands Board Office to operate his launch service, “carrying school children to and from school per motor launch, and conducting scenic tours of Wallis Lakes” - as indicated by this notice in the Northern Champion.

“It is notified in the Government Gazette of 19th and 26th September and 3rd and 10th October, 1947, that application has been made by Stanley Osbourne Croad, for Special Lease No. 47/37, Land District of Taree, for Jetty, containing about 2 perches below high water mark of Wallis Lake at Forster, between portions 297 and 343 and south of and adjoining the area applied for as Special Lease 46/62 (The Northern Champion (Taree, NSW: 1913 - 1954 Sat 11 Oct 1947).

 

Croad operated from Emmerson's Lease 38/21 post 1967 but the precise details of his earlier operation is unknown: According to Carl's son, Peter, the relationship between Carl Emmerson and Stan Croad was not a happy one. It was Stan Croad who replaced the Kelvin J2 diesel with the more powerful Lister diesel motor.

 

In 1975 the Wallis Lake was registered to carry 39 persons and provide life-saving devices for 18 persons. She was described only as 29 ft 3 inches long and only licenced to travel on CAPE HAWKE HARBOUR – Smooth Water only. Graeme Andrews recorded her dimensions as 9 ft 10 inches breadth and 5.3 tonnes.

 

AFLOAT MAGAZINE ARTICLE

The best description of Stan’s operation was published in the magazine AFLOAT. It was written by Graeme and Winsome Andrews in 1976. Excerpts are included below:

 

“Stan Croad of Forster is a throw-back. In 1976 he is probably the last of the travelling storemen who once could be seen on most of Australia’s waterways. These water-borne carriers could be found on any river. They brought stores and religion. They collected produce outbound and replaced it with passengers inbound.

 

Stan still does something like that. Along with his tourist passengers he carries beer, bread, mail and vegetables and at various wharves around the lake he is met by the locals. Meanwhile his passengers watch the process with interest, probably unaware of just what they are watching.

 

Stan’s small well-deck ferry Lake Wallis is one of the last of the small working craft of the Forster area, her lineage goes back to the time when Forster was a thriving coastal shipping port. The days of the small ferry are numbered as Forster’s population is increasing and new waterfront businesses are growing, along with bigger, faster and more obvious cruise boats. Stan reckons he will not be able to compete but he and his little boat might last long enough, particularly as her shallow draft allows her to reach places out of bounds to bigger craft.

 

In 1976 only one other boat competed with Stan for the tourist trade. The ex-river milk boat Sun with her liquor license and great size carried a different load to Stan and their paths rarely crossed. [In 2016 Sun is based in Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River and services Dangar Island and the settlements such as Little Wobby.]

 

Stan collects his goods and passengers from almost the heart of Forster. The trip is advertised as starting at 0900hrs but Lake Wallis and her amiable Master are no longer young and not in any hurry. The ferry seems to have been built about 1944. She carries up to 38 passengers with a crew of one. A Lister diesel can give her about eight knots but six or seven will do her unless the wind and the lake look like whipping up. When we travelled with Stan he was contemplating buying a newer and bigger boat but was bothered that this would mean he would have to increase his prices.

 

At about 0920 the Lister rumbles into life and Lake Wallis moves away from her berth with perhaps 20 adults with a dozen or so kids. Passengers and crew are seated low in the hull. She is like an old private launch with the engine covered by a large flat-topped box, slap in the middle of the boat.

 

Nearing the Forster - Tuncurry Bridge the launch swings sharply to port and skirts a steep sand island where kids are sliding down the sand dune to end up with a great splash. The launch crosses the next channel past low-lying Cockatoo Island towards the ‘Cut’ which is the entrance to the Wallamba River. A considerable tidal outflow can be felt there and the Lister picks up a few revs to cope. Stan has done this many times but he still keeps his ship’s head lined up on the various official and local knowledge navigation markers and piles.

 

Along the top of Wallis Island the ferry plods. In the area between Regatta Island and Wallis Island the local people once held picnic regattas. Paddle steamers, early motor launches and sail craft of all types – private and commercial- competed in picnic races while the families ashore tucked into the goodies and egged on the contestants.

 

At Coomba, a hamlet on the western shores of Wallis Lake, a small jetty pokes out from the shore. Here a cluster of people await their purchases. A run-down public toilet attracts some sighs of relief from some of the intrepid passengers. Coomba was to be a glamour development but something went wrong and the 20 or so homes house retirees in considerable peace. Stores and money change hands and Lake Wallis backs carefully out into the channel and heads onwards.

 

On the south-western end of Wallis Island is a grand and remarkable two-storey house. It is obviously old and apparently houses a Finnish family who have crops, cattle and the obligatory sauna. Their ‘wharf’ consists of the remains of the steam paddle lighter, or ‘drogher’ Queen. About 40 m long by 10 or 12 m wide, this craft is a wooden boat enthusiast’s dream. Much of the exposed timber remains showing grown timbers and adzed wood working. Stores and monies change hands and off we go again.

 

Out in the middle of the lake the Lister’s muted growl suddenly fades into silence. Skipper Croad puts down his microphone, takes off his Captain’s hat and replaces it with a chef’s hat. A white apron mysteriously appears, while from a large white locker, good china cups and saucers appear. Within a few minutes Stan is passing around, via the ladies, cups of very hot tea or coffee, biscuits for those that want them and scones for those who prefer. The children get cold soft drinks and or cordial.

 

As the boat drifts Stan tells us more about the lake, his boat and of the locals. Fifteen minutes after ‘Tea-Oh!’ the diesel awakes, tea remnants disappear into the locker, the tablecloth leaves the top of the engine box and we press on somewhat refreshed and impressed.

 

The homeward, northward run takes us into shallows. Clumps of weeds slide past close to the hull and Stan keeps his eyes on his marks. He tells us about ‘The Step’. Between the mainland at Wallis Point and Wallis Island is a sand bank known as ‘The Step’. Here the incoming tide rolls over the edge of the Stockyards Channel and forms a sand ‘lip’. Here it is that deeper-draft vessels baulk but the little launch slides up and over, the Lister going flat out. All aboard feel the bow then the rest of the boat lift and then drop as we bump into deeper water. Lake Wallis has nearly completed her run.

 

She swings to starboard off the rarely-used airfield on Wallis Island and heads down Breckenridge Channel. Past Godwin Island Stan swings to starboard and eases in towards his pile berth. Lake Wallis’s stem settles into the low-tide shore-line mud as Stan secures his berthing lines before waving us ashore over a plank that is strong enough but makes one wonder anyway. Stan makes his personal farewell to every person leaving and then, as we straggle away, turns to and cleans up his place of work.

 

Stan Croad and his comfortable little launch provided one of the best-value tourist dollars the Grey Wanderers have ever had. More than 30 years later we sometimes talk of him, wondering what became of him. Perhaps one of Afloat’s amazing knowledgeable readers can complete the tale?

 

A more recent publication by the Coomba Progress Association describes Stan as follows:

“For many years people in Coomba had relied for mail delivery on the services of men like Stan Croad, who had operated excellent ferry services, and delivered so cheerfully and willingly not only their basic needs, but would even shop and bring back a grocery order without charging for this extra service.

 

Stan Croad sold his operation in 1978 to William and Noni Coombe who only ran the Lake Wallis for a couple of times when they replaced her with the younger and larger vessel - Amaroo. Matt Coombe, William Coombe's son noted "This paved the way for bigger and better vessels, all given the prestigious name of ‘Amaroo’" Manning-Great Lakes Focus BLOG 1st June 2010

 

Stan died in 1994.

 

Image Source: Graeme Andrews Collection

 

All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.

 

GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW - Flick Group --> Alphabetical Boat Index --> Boat builders Index --> Tags List

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 11-Nov-21 (DeNoise AI).

 

Named: "Sunkissed Girl".

 

First flown with the Airbus test registration D-AVZD, this aircraft was delivered to GECAS, leased to Virgin Atlantic Airways and sub-leased to Virgin Sun Airlines as G-VKIS in May-00.

 

It was returned to the lessor in Oct-01 and stored at Bristol-Filton, UK (now closed). It was ferried to Dublin in Apr-02 and repainted white. The aircraft remained stored at Dublin until Jan-03 when it was leased to LTE International Airlines (Spain) as EC-ILG.

 

It was operated as Volar in Jun-03 until Mar-05 when it became LTE International again. It was returned to the lessor three months later, in Jun-05 and leased to Turkish Airlines as TC-JMF in Jul-05.

 

The aircraft was returned to GECAS in Jan-12 and was due to be leased to Air Berlin as D-ABCJ, however the lease wasn't taken up. It was transferred to AMCK Aviation as M-ABEE (Isle of Man) in Feb-12 and leased to Nordwind Airlines (Russia) as VQ-BOD in Mar-12. It was ferried to Istanbul-ISL in Dec-21 and returned to the lessor.

 

It was stored at Istanbul-ISL and was leased to a new Turkish Airline, Southwind Airlines as TC-GRC in Jun-23. Ironically, Southwind was formed to operate holiday flights between... you've guessed it, Turkiye and Russia. More recently it has operated flights within Turkiye and currently is operating Haj Pilgrimage flights between Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. Updated 25-Feb-25. (see notes below!).

 

Note 1: The aircraft was involved in an incident at Moscow-Sheremetyevo on 02-May-19 when a truck ran into the port main landing gear. The aircraft was parked remote and there was no-one on board, apparently the truck driver 'fell asleep'! It was repaired & returned to service on 16-Jun-19.

 

Note 2: Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb-22 and sanctions were placed on the country by the west, this meant that aircraft registered outside Russia were uninsured. The aircraft were taken over by the Russian State and were to be re-registered. This one was allocated RA-73327 but Nordwind had returned the aircraft three months earlier!

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 23-Mar-18, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 07-Feb-24.

 

'Polar bears in the snow' c/s !! (it was just the same when I'd seen it a year earlier). Operated by Florida West International on behalf of LAN Chile Cargo.

 

This aircraft was delivered to a lessor and leased to United Air Lines as N8096U, a standard DC-8-61, in May-69. It was converted to DC-8-71 standard with CFM.56 engines in Sep-83. United bought it from the lessor in Jun-84, sold it to the GPA Group Ltd in Jan-90 and leased it back.

 

It was returned to the lessor in Aug-90 and converted to DC-8-71(F) standard with a main deck cargo door by Nov-90 and was leased to Southern Air Transport in Mar-91. It was re-registered N872SJ two weeks later.

 

Southern Air returned it to the lessor in Jan-92 and it was stored. The aircraft was leased to Southern Air Transport again in May-92 and returned to the lessor in May-98. It was stored at Miami FL, USA until it was leased to Aircraft International Leasing Lts and sub-leased to Florida West International Airways in Jul-98.

 

It was sub-leased to LAN Chile Cargo in Nov-98 and returned to Florida West in Nov-99. In Mar-02 it was sub-leased to MAS Air Cargo and returned to Florida West and the lessor in Mar-03 when it was stored at Goodyear, AZ, USA.

 

The aircraft was leased to TAMPA Colombia as HK-4294X in Jun-03. It returned to the lessor in Apr-05 and was sold to Murray Air Inc as N872SJ later the same month. Murray Air was renamed National Airlines Dec-08 and the aircraft was re-registered N872CA in Mar-11.

 

The aircraft continued in service until it was permanently retired and stored at Oscoda, MI, USA in Oct-12 after in incredible 43 years in service.

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Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 04-Dec-24.

 

An early build Boeing 777 (Line No:30), this aircraft was delivered to Emirates Airline as A6-EMD in Jun-96. It was retired and initially stored at Dubai in Oct-14.

 

It was sold to Universal Asset Management Inc in Nov-14 and permanently retired at Tupelo, MS, USA. It was broken up there in Sep-15.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 31-Jan-18, plus Topaz DeNoise AI 14-Dec-23.

 

Operated on behalf of Aero Peru by Servivensa..

 

Delivered to SABENA Belgian World Airlines as OO-SDC in May-74, this aircraft was sold to a leasing company on Dec-87 and leased back to SABENA. It was returned to the lessor in Apr-88 and leased to TEA Trans European Airways (Belgium).

 

It was wet-leased to SAA South African Airways in Oct-88. While on sub-lease to SAA the aircraft was sold to AVENSA Aircraft Leasing Corporation in Dec-88. The lease to TEA and sub-lease to SAA continued.

 

It was returned to TEA in Apr-89. In May-89 it was sub-leased to TEA subsidiary Trans European Airways UK as G-BTED and returned to TEA (Belgium) in Apr-90 as OO-SDC again. Later that month the aircraft was wet-leased to RAM Royal Air Maroc, returning to TEA (Belgium) in Oct-90.

 

It was returned to AVENSA Leasing in Jul-91 and leased to AVENSA Venezuela as YV-74C. In Jun-96 it was leased to Servivensa and returned to AVENSA in Mar-98. It was leased to Servivensa again in Oct-98. During this lease it also operated services on behalf of Aero Peru and carried both titles (as above).

 

I have another photo of this taken just 4 days later now without the Aero Peru titles & logo. It returned to AVENSA in Sep-00 and was operated until Aug-02 when it was sold to a US Lessor as N968PG. It was retired at Roswell, NM, USA in Sep-02 and was broken up there in Jan-07.

Relatively new 288 appears to have had a front panel replaced - pictured here arriving on a 4 from Romsey. The 4 varies between single decks and double decks.

 

Wyndham Place, Southampton

13th December 2025

Replaced Mercedes Vito formerly used in this role

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 24-Nov-21 (DeNoise AI).

 

The tiny titles under the 'British' say 'Part of Walker Aviation'...

 

British European was renamed FlyBe Airlines in Jul-02. This aircraft was still in the original Jersey European livery with British European titles and 'www.flybe.com' titles on the engines.

 

First flown with the Bombardier test registration C-FDHZ, this aircraft was delivered to a lessor and leased to British European Airways (not the BEA which had become part of British Airways) as G-JEDJ in Jan-02.

 

British European was renamed FlyBe Airlines in Jul-02. The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Jan-12 and stored at Exeter, UK. It was ferried to Toronto (Canada) in Aug-12 and returned to Bombardier Inc as C-GSVY.

 

It was sold to Nordic Aviation Capital A/S and leased to Eznis Airways (Mongolia) as JU-9917 in Feb-13. The aircraft was repossessed when Eznis ceased operations in May-14 and stored at Billund, Denmark.

 

In Nov-14 it was re-registered OY-YAG and repainted all white. It was leased to US Bangla Airlines (Bangladesh) as S2-AGW in Jun-15. US Bangla bought it in Sep-15. The aircraft was withdrawn from use and stored at Dhaka, Bangladesh in May-19. Permanently retired? Updated 21-Dec-23.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 30-Dec-14.

 

This aircraft was delivered to South African Airways as ZX-CDW in Jan-59. It was due to be re-registered ZS-SBW but that wasn't taken up. Sold to BMA British Midland Airways in Jan-72 it became G-AZLT. It was wet-leased to Cyprus Airways in Feb-75 returning to British Midland in Nov-75. The aircraft was badly damaged when it aquaplaned on landing at Leeds/Bradford in heavy rain in Oct-80. It was dismantled and taken to East Midlands by road in Feb-81 where it was repaired. The wings were replaced with those off Viscount G-BAPD (c/n 340) which had been withdrawn from use in Sep-78 and stored at East Midlands. The hybrid aircraft returned to service as G-BMAT in Mar-81. It was sold to British Aerospace in May-86 and leased back to British Midland. It was returned to British Aerospace in Dec-86 and stored at Coventry. It was sold to Baltic Airlines in Mar-88. In Feb-89 it was transferred to Hot Air as G-OHOT and leased to BAF British Air Ferries in Nov-89. British Air Berries was renamed British World Airlines in Apr-93. Sadly, the aircraft was lost when it crashed while en-route Edinburgh / Coventry on 25-Feb-94.

 

Note: The aircraft was en-route from Edinburgh to Coventry in severe icing conditions when the no. 2 engine failed and the prop auto feathered. The no. 3 engine also ran down. The crew, at that moment descending from 15,000 feet, were cleared for an immediate descent to 7,000 and then to 5,000. The crew elected to divert to Birmingham since the engines wouldn't restart. The crew managed to restart the no. 2 engine a little later, but then the no. 4 engine failed. Just a few minutes short of Birmingham radio and intercom were lost. The Viscount struck trees and broke up near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, UK.

Replaced background with a reflective poster board, Light on the right side, needs to be a little more defused, but at the same time, keep the available light level up.

 

Again, please critique. Good or bad, it is appreciated.

Replaced the cartridge with a Denon DL103r moving coil cartridge

This new arrival replaces ex Jackie's coaches Plaxton Premiere.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 19-Apr-24.

 

This aircraft was delivered to LTU International Airways (Germany) as D-AMUY in Apr-88. It was leased on delivery to a subsidiary company, LTU Sud and returned to LTU International Airways in Nov-97.

 

It was sold to a lessor as SE-RCE in May-02 and leased to Transair Sweden the following day. It was operated for GoodJet with goodjet.com titles and it was returned to the lessor in Dec-02 and stored at Munich, Germany.

 

In Jun-03 it was sold to another lessor as N500GX and ferried to Miami, FL, USA for further storage. It was leased to AtlasJet International Airways (Turkiye) as TC-OGD in Aug-03. In Nov-04 it was wet-leased to Air Astana and returned to AtlasJet in Jan-05. It returned to the lessor in Apr-06 and parked at Beirut, Lebanon.

 

The aircraft was leased to euroAtlantic Airways (Portugal) as CS-TLX in Jun-06. It was wet-leased to Tunis Air between Jul/Sep-10 and returned to the lessor in Sep-11.

 

It was sold to FedEx Federal Express as N962FD the same day and converted to full freighter configuration at Mobile-Downtown Airport in Aug-12. Now 36 years old it continues in service. Updated 19-Apr-24.

SD-F01 Ren Kizaki

E48 (SN12AVX) is seen at Kingsend, Ruislip whilst on ML-1.

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 27-May-2017 (DeNoise AI 18-Sep-22).

 

'Continental Micronesia'.

 

Fleet No: "024".

 

This aircraft was delivered to QANTAS Airways as VH-EBE in Aug-72. It was sold to the Boeing Aircraft Holding Company in Jun-85 and leased back to QANTAS. The aircraft was returned to Boeing in Jan-86 as N609PE.

 

It was sold to the CIS Corporation and leased to PEOPLExpress in Mar-86. PEOPLExpress was merged into Continental Airlines in Feb-87 and the aircraft was re-registered N10024 in May-91. It was returned to the lessor in May-93 and stored at Kingman, AZ, USA.

 

In Jul-94 the aircraft was leased to Tower Air and re-registered N614FF in Oct-94. It returned to the lessor in Nov-96 and was stored until it was leased to Continental Airlines again and sub-leased to Continental Micronesia in Feb-97. It was re-registered N14024 in May-97.

 

The aircraft was returned to Continental Airlines in Mar-99 and stored at Mojave, CA, USA. It was sold to Continental Airlines Purchasing Services LP in Nov-01 and permanently retired. It was last noted still stored at Mojave in Nov-07.

 

In early 2008 the aircraft was 'blown up' at Mojave by a controlled dynamite detonation for a Discovery Channel TV show about 'Bomb Proof Planes'. Updated 18-Sep-22.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 05-Aug-20.

 

Taken from the Templeton overpass

 

Fleet No: "651".

 

First flown with the Airbus test registration F-WWBS, this aircraft was delivered to Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE) and, via two other lessors, leased to America West Airlines as N651AW in Sep-98. America West was merged into US Airways in Sep-05. US Airways was merged into American Airlines in Apr-15. Current, updated (Aug-20).

Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 15-Jun-17.

 

'Continental Micronesia'.

 

Fleet No: "019".

 

This aircraft was originally delivered to Lufthansa as D-ABYG in Feb-72. It was sold to GATX Leasing in May-79 and leased to Braniff International as N611BN.

 

It was returned to the lessor in Mar-82 and leased to British Caledonian Airways as G-BJXN the following month. British Caledonian was merged into British Airways in Apr-88.

 

The aircraft was wet-leased to MEA Middle East Airlines in Jul-88 and immediately sub-leased (operated by BA) to Nigeria Airways and returned to MEA and BA in Oct-88. British Airways returned it to the lessor in May-90

 

It was sold to Potomac Capital Investment as N78019 and leased to Continental Airlines the same day. The aircraft was transferred to Continental Micronesia in Nov-95 and returned to Continental Airlines and the lessor in Feb-99. It was stored at Mojave, CA, USA.

 

In Aug-99 the aircraft was leased to Air Atlanta Icelandic as TF-ABA and immediately wet-leased to Tunis Air for a Haj Pilgrimage operation, returning to Air Atlanta in Oct-99. It was wet-leased to Saudia, Saudi Arabian Airlines between Nov-99 / Apr-00.

 

The aircraft was returned to the lessor as N745LA in Aug-02 and stored at Marana, AZ, USA. It was sold to Logistic Air Inc in Jun-03 and remained stored at Marana until it was ferried to Sharjah, UAE in Mar-05. It was moved to Ras-al-Khaimah, UAE in May-05 for further storage.

 

It was re-registered 5U-ACE (Niger, Africa!) in Sep-05 and remained stored at Ras-al-Khaimah. It was noted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, operating a Haj Pilgrimage flight from Nigeria in Jan-06 and again in Dec-06 with periods in storage at Ras in between.

 

The aircraft was due to be leased to Gambia International Airlines in Jun-07, but that didn't happen. It was ferried to Roswell, NM, USA in Jul-07 and was permanently retired. It was last noted still at Roswell in Nov-15. Updated 28-Sep-22.

 

I also have a photo of this aircraft with British Caledonian Airways as G-BJXN at ...

www.flickr.com/photos/kenfielding/13239898023

Since replacing this with an older version, I am not at all sure the last version actually had something spilled upon it. There seems to be an artifact of the painting or printing process...

  

“Through Fairy Halls of My Book House” edited by Olive Beaupre Miller, who copyrighted in 1920, 1928, 1937, and 1950. Published by The Book House for Children of Chicago.

Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 27-Dec-21 (DeNoise AI).

 

This aircraft was delivered to Britannia Airways as G-OBYD in Mar-97. It was wet-leased to Garuda Indonesia Airlines for Haj Pilgrimage operations between Mar/May-98, Feb/Apr-99 and Feb/Apr-00.

 

It was leased to Britannia Airways AB (Sweden) as SE-DZG in May-00 and returned to Britannia Airways in Apr-01. Britannia Airways was renamed Thomsonfly.com in May-05. The aircraft was wet-leased to Garuda Indonesia Airlines for another Haj Pilgrimage between Nov-07/Jan-08.

 

In Nov-08 Thomsonfly.com was renamed Thomson Airways and the aircraft immediately left on wet-lease to Garuda for another Haj Pilgrimage, returning to Thomson in Jan-09. In Oct-09 it was fitted with blended winglets.

 

At the end of Nov-12 the aircraft was due to be leased to TUI Airlines Netherlands (Arkefly) as PH-OYD, but the lease was cancelled and the aircraft remained with Thomson until it was sold to a lessor in May-13.

 

It was leased to Nordwind Airlines as VP-BOQ in Jun-13. It returned to the lessor in May-15 and was stored at Shannon, Ireland. In Dec-15 it was leased to Meridiana (Italy) as EI-FMR. Meridiana was renamed Air Italy in Mar-18 and the aircraft was returned to the lessor in Oct-18.

 

It was stored at Shannon, Ireland in Nov-18 as N842DH (for DHL Express). It was ferried to Singapore-Paya Lebar for freighter conversion in Mar-19 and converted to a full freighter with a main deck cargo door in Oct-19. It was re-registered H.P.-.3.3.1.0.D.A.E (Panama) and operated by DHL Aero Expreso. Current, updated 27-Dec-21.

Replacing the KingAir as multi-engine training aircraft.