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Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Estimated : € 100.000 - 150.000
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2018
- Carroll Shelby-approved Cobra replica
- 428ci (7.0-litre) Ford V8 engine
- Manual transmission
- Two owners
- 11.771 miles (approximately 18.900 km) from new
'There's an exception when it comes to Jimmy Price and Lance Stander. Superformance International makes replica Cobras in South Africa and calls the two-seat roadster they build the MkIII. ...I've endorsed and licensed the car for being as close to correct and well-built as possible.' – Carroll Shelby.
Rightly regarded as one of the all-time great classic sports cars, the muscular, fire-breathing Cobra succeeded in capturing the hearts of enthusiasts like few of its contemporaries. Convinced that a market existed for an inexpensive sports car combining European chassis engineering and American V8 power, Le Mans-winning Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby concocted an unlikely alliance between AC Cars and the Ford Motor Company. The former's Ace provided the simple twin-tube chassis frame into which was persuaded one of Ford's lightweight, small-block V8s. In 1965 a new, stronger, coil-suspended chassis was introduced to accommodate Ford's 427 ci (7.0-litre) V8, an engine that in race trim was capable of producing well in excess of 400 bhp. Wider bodywork, extended wheelarch flares, and a bigger radiator intake combined to create the definitive - and much copied - Cobra 427 look.
Only 1.000-or-so Cobras of all types were built between 1962 and 1967, but such was the model's enduring popularity that production was resumed in 1982 under the auspices of Brooklands-based Autokraft. In parallel with Autokraft's 'official' MkIV version, a worldwide cottage industry of replica-builders emerged to satisfy the continuing demand for the legendary Cobra, making it arguably the most popular 'kit car' of all time.
The car offered here is the 74th Cobra MkIII built by the Carroll Shelby-approved Superformance International. In line with Superformance's policy, it was constructed as a fully finished rolling chassis and despatched to their customer (in the USA) for equipping with the engine and transmission of their choice. In this case the combination chosen was Ford's 428 ci (7.0-litre) 'big block' V8 engine and a Ford Toploader four-speed manual gearbox. Engine specification highlights include fully ported and polished cylinder heads, stainless steel valves, custom grind camshaft with hydraulic lifters, Keith Black high-performance pistons, Edelbrock double-roller timing chain, and a Melling high-volume oil pump. Maximum power is reported as in the region of 550 bhp. Other noteworthy features include fully adjustable shock absorbers, Smiths instruments, Superformance Cobra-look wheels, roll bar, Goodyear Eagle tyres, side-exit exhausts, sun visors, and a black leather interior.
Sapphire.
From 1970 to 1973, the Falcon GT was assembled in South Africa and sold there as a Fairmont GT. The XW in 1970 and XY 71-73. They were built in Geelong and sent in CKD form, final assembly in South Africa, included painting and more like a Futura interior fitted (Fairmont Trim in Australia). Hood lining was white instead of black. They still got the Aussie GT console, steering wheel and dash (no woodgrain tho and gauges were in metric) Trim colours included Black, Saddle, Red and Dark Green.
Outside they looked much the same as Aussie GTs, apart from their unique paint colours, GS chrome wheel covers, most had vinyl roofs, the XY had a Super Rhino within the side stripe and the XW had GS stripes with a 351GT badge at the end.
Mechanically, the XW got only the 2V 351 and 2 bbl carb whereas the XY got the same 4V engine, toploader and 9 inch as the Aussie GT.
239 XW Fairmont GTs and 1801 XY Fairmont GTs were made
Went down to a tiny festival in Newton Abbot the other weekend with my friend Tim who I met travelling. It was literally just a field with 2 stages in it; one of the stages being the back of a truck. After a monumental performance from toploader, one of Tim's friends jumped the fence to try get a photo from the stage. He came back 15minutes later and said he'd just been hanging out with toploader..? Of course we didn't believe him so we followed him over and went into a little marque where toploader were eating nachos. Very bizarre but hey. Got to meet some semi celebrities!
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Είμαι στα πρόθυρα νευρικής κρίσης και κατάθλιψης, καθώς σήμερα το πρωί έγινε διάρρηξη στο σπίτι μου και μεταξύ άλλων έκλεψαν όλον τον φωτογραφικό μου εξοπλισμό, εκτός από την παλιά μου την canon 5D (το σώμα).
Παρακάτω γράφω την λίστα με τα κλεμμένα και τα serial numbers, μην τυχόν και πέσει στην αντίληψη κανενός και γίνει τίποτα...
CANON EOS 5D mark II ( 830609000 )
CANON 50mm f/1.4 USM ( 53215703 )
CANON 100mm f/2 USM ( 54700583 )
CANON EF 16-35 f2.8 L II USM ( 978199 )
CANON EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM ( 1204808 )
CANON EF 70-200 f/4 L IS USM (287778 )
CANON EF 100-400 f/5.6-6.3 L IS USM ( 296855)
5 κάρτες μνήμης (16GB, 8GB, 3X4GB)
5 μπαταρίες και φορτιστής
1 τσάντα για φωτογραφικό σέτ Canon DELUXE 10 EG
1 τσάντα Toploader Zoom 55 AW
1 ασύρματο τηλεχειριστήριο CANON RC-1
The above photo equipment has been stolen among other stuff from my house today morning… I’m totally freaked out.
Silver Fox
From 1970 to 1973, the Falcon GT was assembled in South Africa and sold there as a Fairmont GT. The XW in 1970 and XY 71-73. They were built in Geelong and sent in CKD form, final assembly in South Africa, included painting and more like a Futura interior fitted (Fairmont Trim in Australia). Hood lining was white instead of black. They still got the Aussie GT console, steering wheel and dash (no woodgrain tho and gauges were in metric) Trim colours included Black, Saddle, Red and Dark Green.
Outside they looked much the same as Aussie GTs, apart from their unique paint colours, GS chrome wheel covers, most had vinyl roofs, the XY had a Super Rhino within the side stripe and the XW had GS stripes with a 351GT badge at the end.
Mechanically, the XW got only the 2V 351 and 2 bbl carb whereas the XY got the same 4V engine, toploader and 9 inch as the Aussie GT.
239 XW Fairmont GTs and 1801 XY Fairmont GTs were made
Equipo en venta en Canonistas por cambio de marca. Trípode, objetivo y flash que aparecen en la foto NO incluido.
The bag: Fjällräven Kånken Big in brown.
Cameras + matching covers/bags:
- Agfa Isola 1 + Zatchels barrel bag
- Canon EOS 700D wih 18 - 55mm kit lens (I just really love that silly little starter kit lens) + Löwepro holster (2006 edition)
- Canon PowerShot D20 + pencil case from HEMA. Because you know, it's waterproof, rain won't stop me! And what if I encounter a pond with frogs or pretty fish in it!
- Lomography Action Sampler, soccer edition (it was discounted, I don't care that it says soccer BOING on it) + pencil case from HEMA
- Samsung Slim Zoom 115 A Panorama (which has been with me since 1996, I'm the first owner) + leather cover (it's actual cover)
Other stuff:
- Coloud color headset. Originally it had black padding, but that got so much wear and tear that I put on the blue ones from my previous model (which broke before the padding could die).
- Old iPod classic (from back in 2008)
- Pocket edition (Collector's Libary) of Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days, my favourite book :) Without the pretty cover, because that would just get damaged in my bag.
- Instax mini film, just the plain one
- Little tin box from HEMA which says "A good day for my favourite everything" (the print isn't very clear, that's not just the photo) which I use to keep cards and instax photos in from that day.
Copyright 2015 Hilde Heyvaert.
All rights reserved.
No unauthorized use, reproduction or distribution without prior permission.
Pre BATTLE:
The Carpenters – ‘Ave Maria’
DeBarge – ‘A Dream’
Enya – ‘Caribbean Blue’
Walker Brothers – ‘No Regrets’
Erasure – ‘She Won’t Be Home’
Ringo Starr – ‘Photograph’
Perry Como – ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’
Michael McDonald – ‘I Keep Forgetting’
Sting – ‘Spread A Little Happiness’
Gilbert Becaud – ‘A Little Love & Understanding’
Steeleye Span – ‘All Around My Hat’
Godley & Crème – ‘Wedding Bells’
Paul Young – ‘Love Of The Common People’
The Monkees – ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’
Wings – ‘Let ‘Em In’
Elton John – ‘Your Song’
Rolling Stones – ‘She’s A Rainbow’
Fleetwood Mac – ‘Sara’
Toto – ‘Rosanna’
Chaka Khan – ‘What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me’
Johnny Mathis – ‘When A Child Is Born’
Wings – ‘Mull Of Kintyre’
Dom played:
Phil Spector – ‘Silent Night’
Simple Minds – ‘New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)’
Smith & Burrows – ‘When The Thames Froze’
Sarah McLachlan – ‘When She Loved Me’
Blackstreet – ‘Don’t Leave Me’
Jody Wisternoff – ‘The Bridge’
Mike Oldfield – ‘Portsmouth’
Boney M – ‘Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord’
Prince – ‘Mountains’
Dream Academy – ‘Life In A Northern Town’
Fern Kinney – ‘Love Me Tonight’
Bing Crosby – ‘White Christmas’
Chris played:
Emerson Lake & Palmer – ‘Fanfare For The Common Man’
Steeleye Span – ‘Gaudete’
Mike Oldfield – ‘On Horseback’
Albion Christmas Band – ‘The January Man’
Kate Bush – ‘December Will Be Magic Again’
Tracey Thorn – ‘Joy’
Elvis Costello – ‘God Give Me Strength’
Jethro Tull – ‘Ring Out, Solstice Bells’
Blow Monkeys – ‘It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way’
Style Council – ‘Walls Come Tumbling Down’
The Wombles – ‘Wombling Merry Christmas’
Ben played:
Sly5thAve – ‘forget About D.R.E’
Doris Day – Winter Wonderland’
Grateful Dead – ‘Shakedown Street’
Gwen Guthrie – ‘Seventh Heaven’
France Gall – ‘Babacar’
Fine Young Cannibals – Johnny Come Home’
Linda Evans – ‘You Control Me (Kon Edit)’
Rob Lewis – ‘Escaped’
Minnie Riperton – ‘Les Fleurs’
Inner City – ‘Good Life’
Chanson – ‘Don’t Hold Back’
Joey Newman – ‘The One You Love’
Donna Summer – ‘Spring Affair’
Triple Headed BATTLE:
David Essex – ‘Oh What A Circus’
Harvey K-Tel – ‘Boops Apocalypse’
Sugababes – ‘Push The Button’
The 2 Bears – ‘Angel (Touch Me)’
Pointer Sisters – ‘Automatic’
Eurythmics – Love Is A Stranger’
Stephanie Mills – ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before’
Yazoo – ‘Situation’
Luther Vandross – ‘Never Too Much’
Scritti Politti – ‘Asylums In Jerusalem’
Pat Benatar – ‘Love Is A Battlefield’
Marshall Hain – ‘Dancing In The City’
billie eilish – ‘bad guy’
Fun Boy Three – ‘The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum’
Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris – ‘We Found Love’
Jackson 5 – ‘Forever Came Today’
The Ronettes – ‘Frosty The Snowman’
Groove Armada – ‘Paris’
Hall & Oates – ‘I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)’
John Stewart – ‘Gold’
Dusty Springfield – ‘That’s The Kind Of Love I’ve Got For You’
Aretha Franklin – ‘I Never Loved A Man (The Way That I Love You)’
Bonnie Tyler – ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’
INXS – ‘Need You Tonight’
Sister Sledge – ‘You’re A Friend To Me’
Underworld – ‘Two Months Off’
David Soul – ‘Silver Lady (Colourzone ReGroove Mix)’
Sybil – ‘The Love I Lost’
Glen Campbell – ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’
The Supremes – ‘Come Into My Life’
Martika – ‘Love…Thy Will Be Done’
Wax – ‘Bridge To Your Heart’
Jerome ‘Secret Weapon’ Prister – ‘Say You’ll Be’
East 17 – ‘Deep (Down mix)
Toploader – ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’
Glen Campbell – ‘Wichita Lineman’
Equipo en venta en Canonistas por cambio de marca. Trípode, objetivo y flash que aparecen en la foto NO incluido.
We're heading to Perú in 48 hours. We'll be hiking the 4-day Inca trail. This is a snapshot in the mirror, testing the setup to carry the camera throughout the hike. I've tried a lot of variations but I think this is the final solution.
Lowepro Toploader 75 AW, strapped directly to the frame of the backpack behind my shoulders, a strap under one arm and a strap over the other shoulder. It keeps it from hanging on my neck or directly from my shoulders. The backpack distributes the weight better.
As far as lenses, I'll have the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 in front. Rosario will have the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L in her pack so I can get to it easier. Also helps to spread the load a bit.
The Postcard
A postally unused Frith's Series postcard. The card, which is a glossy real photograph, has a divided back.
Ampthill
Ampthill is a town in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population of 8,100.
In 1219 King Henry III granted a charter for a weekly market to be held on a Thursday. In 2019 the market celebrated 800 years.
Henry VIII was a frequent visitor to Ampthill Castle, and it was there that Catherine of Aragon lived from 1531 until divorced in 1533, when she was moved to Kimbolton. The castle was built in the 15th. century by Sir John Cornwall, later Lord Fanhope, from ransoms acquired after the Battle of Agincourt.
Today a park remains just north of the town centre, site of Ampthill's former castle, where Henry VIII would come and hunt. It was in the castle's Great Dining Room that Queen Catherine defiantly received news of the end of her marriage. A cross erected in the 1770's marks the site of this important building which is set within Ampthill Great Park, a Capability Brown landscape.
In the mid-1780's, John Fitzpatrick, the 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory, led a campaign to improve the town centre. He created the current market place, erected the water pump and built a new clock tower (visible on the left of the photograph).
Lord Upper Ossory was also responsible for a cross commemorating Catherine of Aragon, with an inscription by Horace Walpole, and a row of thatched cottages built between 1812 and 1816 to house his estate workers.
On the death of Lord Upper Ossory in 1818, Ampthill Park became the seat of Lord Holland in whose time Holland House in Kensington, London, became famous as a gathering place for intellectuals.
During WWII there was a farming camp near Ampthill where volunteers recovered sugar beet and were accommodated in tents in the grounds of a nearby country mansion.
Recent years have witnessed substantial development in Ampthill and the surrounding area. The former site of the old Ampthill Brewery in the Bedford Street area was substantially redeveloped in 2006/2007, with the demolition of a Shell petrol station, shopping arcade and small Budgens supermarket, to make way for a new Waitrose supermarket, an improved town car park and a development of shops and apartments known as Oxlet House.
Ampthill is one of the most expensive places to buy a house in Bedfordshire. In a survey, it was found that the majority of Ampthill's workers are employed locally, with around 20% working in Ampthill itself, and most of the remainder travelling to nearby centres of employment such as Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes. Around 13% of workers commute from Ampthill to London daily.
The survey also found that the turnover of residents was low, most having been in Ampthill for well over a decade.
Culture and Community of Ampthill
Ampthill hosts its own annual festival weekend in the summer. This event includes two music events: a live rock music event "AmpRocks", which has hosted acts such as Razorlight and Toploader, and the "Ampthill Park Proms", where classical music is performed by bands such as the Ampthill Orchestra, Ampthill Band and Redborne Jazz Band from the local upper school. This event is held in Ampthill Great Park, where a temporary soundstage is erected to entertain local residents.
The event also includes the Ampthill Gala, which begins with a parade of floats around the town, built and manned by local schools and communities. The parade ends at Ampthill Cricket Club, located just outside of Ampthill Great Park, where a variety of stalls set up by local charities and businesses can be found, as well as a number of fairground attractions.
The Ampthill Festival was first held in 1981, and has returned almost every year since.
Ampthill Park was the burial place for the golden hare in the Kit Williams treasure hunt Masquerade near the cross-shaped monument to Catherine of Aragon, at the precise spot touched by the tip of the monument's shadow at noon on the day of either the March or September equinox.
Houghton House
Houghton House was built in 1621 by Mary, Countess of Pembroke and sister of the poet Sir Philip Sidney. In 1675, the house may have provided the inspiration for 'House Beautiful' in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.
It is thought that Bunyan's work is loosely based on his own journey between Bedford and Luton, and the steep slope leading into Ampthill could have been the model for the 'Hill of Difficulty'.
Houghton House passed to the Duke of Bedford in 1738 and became a ruin after the removal of the roof in 1794.
Notable People of Ampthill
- Notable 20th.-century architect Sir Albert Richardson lived in Ampthill from 1919 until his death in 1964 at Avenue House, 20 Church Street.
- Brian Clemens, screenwriter and producer of many famous action/adventure TV series including The Avengers and The Professionals lived at Park Farm until his death in January 2015. One episode of The Avengers, "Noon Doomsday", was filmed there in July 1968.
- Raymond Austin, AKA Raymond DeVere-Austin Baron of Delvin, film and television director, screenwriter, novelist and producer, restored an Elizabethan cottage in Millbrook. He lived there for many years until he moved to America in 1969, where he directed and produced many American TV shows. he was a known philanthropist and benefactor in Bedfordshire.
- Lewis Ludlow, Gloucester Rugby back-row forward, also originally hails from Ampthill.
The White Hart
The White Hart in Ampthill (on the right of the photograph) is still going strong to this day.
Once an 18th century coaching inn, The White Hart is situated in the north of the Georgian market town. This historic Grade II listed building, which may date back as far as the 16th. Century, continues to be a prominent destination in Ampthill.
Features include a wall mural above the bar’s fireplace of the Prince of Wales feathers, created by local artists in 1646, whilst the 1930's dining room was built towards the end of the Arts and Crafts era.
1963 FORD GALAXIE 427 LIGHTWEIGHT FACTORY DRAG RACER. Incredibly rare 1963 Ford Galaxie Factory Lightweight Race Car featured in Corinthian White with Red interior. In 1963 Ford built 212 Lightweight Galaxie factory race cars. Features common to these cars include Fords 427/425 HP R-Code engine, Borg Warner 4-speed aluminum transmission, Dual Holley 4 barrel carburetors, Fiberglass front fenders and trunk lid, Heater, radio and arm rest delete, Special lightweight interior components, Bostrom lightweight bucket seats, Rubber floor mat, No seam sealer or sound deadener throughout body panels, Aluminum front and rear bumpers and brackets, 15 inch Kelsey Hayes wheels. This car was found in Georgia and has been the subject of discussion on many forums. The car was located in Georgia and restored by a respected expert. It has fewer than 500 miles since restoration. In period a similar car turned the quarter in 12.49 seconds at 116.27 MPH! The lightweight looked a lot like the street Galaxie 500, but the appearance deceives. Aside from some sheet metal and the 427 block, they had nothing in common. Even the frame was derived from the base 300 series and built with lightweight outer rails, all part of an effort that took hundreds of pounds out of the car. And while the 427 Galaxie 500 Sports Hardtop was the car used in Fords dominating NASCAR program, the lightweight was strictly for the dragstrip. This Galaxie was restored to authentic as-raced configuration including Police Interceptor low-fade 11x3-inch brakes with drilled backing plates, race-spec aluminum RC Industries bellhousing, heavy-duty suspension, and an aluminum-case toploader T-10 4-speed. The interior has no sound deadening or seam sealer, heater or radio; no roof supports, door pulls, dome light, reverse lights nor mirrors; no trunklid springs or even provision for a spare tire. Even the Galaxies padded sun visors were replaced with pieces of cardboard and instead of carpet, a half-thickness rubber mat. The car has an open exhaust system and makes an incredible sound.
Sunday 6th September 2009
Jyran on Fathers Day
Well the whole family was in and out of the homestead today visiting Dad. As often is the case, the youngest member of the family tends to be the centre of attention. Jyran only learned to walk in the last fortnight or so, and you can imagine a mobile toddler in a high traffic tiled household. He's bound to get dirty.
Well his father (my brother Rod) is responsible for this shenanigan, and my sister Maer insisted it be Flickrized.
--
Image Copyright © 2009-present Joriel Jimenez
Please use with permission and full attribution
Here a X3000 toploader from Sony. This one is still without the ES-letters. That's rare for a 230 Volt version.
Equipo en venta en Canonistas por cambio de marca. Trípode, objetivo y flash que aparecen en la foto NO incluido.
What I use to take photos...(Olympus Tough and other point and shoots are not often used anymore)
Dreaming about a fast lens (f1.4), another body (NEX 6 or Nikon) and a longer lens possibly (210mm)
Currently using a Lowerpro Toploader that did fit all this except the Nikon lens so Sony bag is on order. Also have a Streamline 100 but its tiny and fits only the NEX and 2 lenses at most. If I get a secondary NEX, I may see if my kids would carry it and hopefully use it too.
Would like to have somewhere to put my Nexus 7 which I use to view my photos from the eye fi app via eye fi cards.
Packlist:
Photostuff:
Canon EOS 7D
Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-5.6
Canon 24-70 f/2.8L
Canon 70-200 f/4L
Nikon Coolpix AW100 (used to take this picture)
4 Batteries for Canon 7D
3 Batteries for Nikon Coolpix 100AW
96Gb CF Cards (for 7D)
32Gb SD Card (for Nikon)
Lowepro Toploader 70AW
Lowepro Lenschanger
Cullman Lens case
Cleaning cloth
Lenspen
Chargers were dropped from packing.
Camping:
Kaikkialla Pillow
Ajungilak Sleeping bag
Term-A-Rest mat
2x 1l water bottle
Clothing:
TNF softshell jacket
Patagonia Down Sweater
Jack Wolfskin light vest
B.C. Leather Hat (for sun and rain)
Underwear, socks, incl. long functional warm shirts
Raincoat for riding
Riding Helmet
two jodpur riding pants
Riding shoes
Fjaell Raeven zip-off pant
Equipment:
Leatherman and Victorinox Knives
Notebook + pens
emergency whistle
watch
head-lamp
pills to sterilize water
pain killers, allround antibiotics, etc.
bio degradable wash gel, toothpaste, etc.
Blyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne. It had a population of 37,339 in the 2011 Census.
The port of Blyth dates from the 12th century, but the development of the modern town only began in the first quarter of the 18th century. The main industries which helped the town prosper were coal mining and shipbuilding, with the salt trade, fishing, and the railways also playing an important role. These industries have largely vanished, but the port still thrives, receiving paper and pulp from Scandinavia for the newspaper industries of England and Scotland.
The town was seriously affected when its principal industries went into decline, and it has undergone much regeneration since the early 1990s. The Keel Row Shopping Centre, opened in 1991, brought major high street retailers to Blyth, and helped to revitalise the town centre. The market place has recently been re-developed, with the aim of attracting further investment to the town.
The Quayside has also seen much redevelopment and has been transformed into a peaceful open space, the centrepiece of which is a sculpture commemorating the industry that once thrived there. On the opposite side of the river are the nine wind turbines of the Blyth Harbour Wind Farm, which were constructed along the East Pier in 1992. They were joined in 2000 by Blyth Offshore Wind Farm, which consisted of two turbines situated 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) out to sea. These were the first two offshore wind turbines in the UK. These wind turbines were all decommissioned, with the final two being removed in 2019. A new windfarm further off the coast, composed of five turbines, was commissioned in 2017.
Blyth is also home to the non-League football club Blyth Spartans, famed for their 1978 "giant-killing" feats in the FA Cup.
History
The place-name Blyth is first attested in 1130 as Blida, and takes its name from the river Blyth. The river's name comes from the Old English adjective blīðe meaning 'gentle' or 'merry'. The town of Blyth is referred to as Blithmuth in 1236 and Blithemuth in 1250. Had this name persisted, the town would today be referred to as "Blythmouth", on the analogy of Tynemouth to the south.
Little is known of the early development of the Blyth area. The oldest archaeological find is an antler hammer dating from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age period, which was found at Newsham in 1979. Human skulls, a spearhead and a sword dating from the Bronze Age were found in the river in 1890, as well as a bronze axe which was found at South Beach in 1993, and a dagger found at Newsham. Although there is no conclusive evidence of a Roman presence in the area, an earthwork shown on early mapping of the area, at the location of present-day Freehold Street, is said to have been a Roman camp, but it has also been argued that it may be of Norsemen origin or date from the Civil War. Debate also surrounds a mosaic which was found near Bath Terrace. The strongest evidence so far has been a single coin, dating from the reign of the Emperor Constans (AD337–350), which was found during excavations for a dry dock. Also four Roman coins were found when digging an air raid shelter in a back garden on Chestnut Avenue.
Between the 12th and 18th centuries, there were several small settlements and some industrial activity in the area. The principal industries during this period were coal mining, fishing and the salt trade. Shipbuilding in the area dates from 1748.
The modern town of Blyth began to develop in the first quarter of the 18th century. Up until 1716, the land around the Blyth area—the Newsham Estate—was owned by the Earls of Derwentwater, but when the third Earl, James Radclyffe, was executed for his part in the Jacobite rising of 1715, the land was forfeited to the crown. On 11 July 1723, the Lordship of Newsham was put up for sale by the Commissioners of Forfeited Estates at their office in the Inner Temple, London. The land was bought by Matthew White and his brother-in-law Richard Ridley. From the 12th century, most port activities were on the north side of the river, but under White and Ridley the first new quays and houses were built on the south side, and from here the port began to prosper. By 1730, a coaling quay, a ballast quay, a pilots' watch house and a lighthouse had all been built at Blyth harbour. In 1765 the first breakwater was constructed, and in 1788 the first staith with an elevated loading point was erected.
Deep mines were sunk at Cowpen Colliery and Cowpen Square in 1796 and 1804 respectively, and by 1855, a quarter of a million tons of coal was being shipped from Blyth, rising to three million tons by 1900. The only industry not to survive during this prosperous time was the salt trade, which was heavily taxed during the 18th and early-19th centuries. During the Napoleonic Wars, the tax was increased to provide funds for the military and, even though the tax was abolished in 1825, the industry went into terminal decline. Having had fourteen salt pans at the beginning of the 18th century, exporting over 1,000 tons of salt annually, Blyth's salt industry closed in 1876, with the destruction of the last salt pan.
At Easter in 1887, William Morris, the poet and interior designer, met and addressed a considerable crowd of striking miners in the market square in Blyth.[citation needed] He spoke for about 40 minutes and then led them 6 miles (9.7 km) to Horton. They swelled the numbers there to around 6,000–7,000 where Morris spoke again. They had been forced to take a 12.5% pay cut but according to The Newcastle Chronicle Morris said "But let them remember that they were many and the Masters few. Masters could only attack with a certain instrument and what was that instrument? A part of the working classes themselves" – by which he meant the police.
From the mid-19th century, several important events occurred which allowed the port of Blyth to rapidly expand. First, in 1847, a railway line was constructed, connecting Blyth to collieries at Seghill. In 1853, the Blyth Harbour and Docks Board was formed, then in 1858 the Harbour Act was passed allowing dredging of the harbour to begin. In 1882, the formation of the Blyth Harbour Commission led to the building of new coal loading staiths, as well as the construction of the South Harbour.
As trade in Blyth continued to grow, so did the population. Development of the Cowpen Quay and Waterloo areas began in about 1810 and 1815 respectively, and between the 1850s and 1890s major house building took place in these areas. Blyth railway station, first built in 1847, was relocated in 1867 and rebuilt in 1896, to cope with the increase in goods and passenger traffic. The 1890s saw the filling in of "the Slake" (also known as "the Flanker" or "the Gut"). The Slake was a tidal inlet which stretched south from the river, across the site of today's bus station, along the route of Beaconsfield Street, and on past Crofton Mill Pit. Before it was filled in, it almost entirely separated Blyth from Cowpen—Waterloo Bridge providing the only main link. Once it was removed, the two areas could combine and allow the town to begin to take its present form. The town continued to expand in the 20th century; much large-scale house building took place in the 1920s and 1930s, and from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Industry in Blyth reached its peak in the first half of the 20th century. At this time it boasted one of the largest shipbuilding yards on the North East coast, with five dry docks and four building slipways. During the First and Second World Wars, the Blyth shipyards built many ships for the Royal Navy including the first aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal in 1914. Blyth also served as a submarine base during both wars. By 1930, the port of Blyth was exporting 5.5 million tons of coal, and by the early 1960s, reached its peak with over six million tons. Blyth A and Blyth B power stations, collectively known as Blyth Power Station, were opened in 1958 and 1962. Blyth A was the first power station in Britain to have 120 megawatt sets installed, while Blyth B was the first to be fitted with 275 megawatt sets.
During the 1960s, Blyth entered a period of steep decline. Following the Beeching report, the railway into Blyth was closed in 1965; and in 1966, economic depression resulted in the closure of the shipyards. As the demand for coal fell, due to the increasing use of oil, natural gas and nuclear power as energy sources, the following years saw the closure of many collieries in the area. By the 1980s, the only one left in the town was Bates' Pit, which closed in 1986. In January 2002, Blyth Power Station was closed and demolished in stages, and on 7 December 2003, its four chimneys were felled.
Governance
From around the first quarter of the 18th century, until November 1900, the land to the south of the River Blyth was known as South Blyth. It was in the Parish of Earsdon and was run by the Parish Council until 1863, when the South Blyth Local Board was formed. Under the Local Government Act of 1894, South Blyth Local Board became an Urban District Council, then in 1906 it was amalgamated with Cowpen Urban District Council to form Blyth Urban District Council. On 21 September 1922, Blyth UDC became Blyth Municipal Borough Council, and in 1935 its southern boundary was moved south from Meggie's Burn to Seaton Burn. Blyth MBC lasted until 1974, when it was amalgamated with Seaton Valley and Cramlington Urban District Councils, as well as part of Whitley Bay Urban District Council, to form Blyth Valley Borough Council.
Blyth was the administrative centre for the borough of Blyth Valley, until the borough was abolished in structural changes to local government on 1 April 2009. Blyth Valley—which also included Cramlington and several villages—was 70 square kilometres in size and, according to the Registrar General's Population Estimate for mid-2005, it had a population of 81,600; this gives a population density of 1,166 people per square kilometre. The two-tier local government of Northumberland County Council and Blyth Valley Borough Council has been replaced by a unitary authority for the county of Northumberland. Blyth is situated in the parliament constituency of Blyth Valley, which shares its boundaries with the borough. It is divided up into twenty wards, nine of which—Cowpen, Croft, Isabella, Kitty Brewster, Newsham and New Delaval, Plessey, South Beach, South Newsham, and Wensleydale—make up the town of Blyth.
Blyth is represented in the House of Commons, as part of the Blyth Valley constituency, by Ian Levy, a Conservative.
Blyth is twinned with Solingen, Germany. As part of Blyth Valley it was previously also twinned with Ratingen, Germany and Gelendzhik, Russia.
Geography
Blyth is on the coast of North East England, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres (13 mi) northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne and 26 kilometres (16 mi) north of Sunderland. It is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of Bedlington, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of Cramlington, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south-southeast of Ashington and 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. On the north side of the river are the villages of East Sleekburn, Cambois and North Blyth and to the south of the town are the villages of New Hartley, Seaton Delaval and Seaton Sluice. Some of Blyth's suburbs have origins which can be traced back much further than the town itself; Newsham, Bebside and Cowpen are all believed to have had habitation sites dating from the Romano-British, Saxon and Medieval periods, although most of the housing in these areas dates from the 19th and 20th centuries. Also occupying the suburbs are several large housing estates; the Newsham Farm, South Beach and Solingen estates, and the Avenues were all developed during the 20th century. In January 2005, the land in Blyth was made up of 61.87% green space, 11.95% domestic gardens, 8.23% road, 4.85% domestic buildings, 2.03% non-domestic buildings, and 11.07% other uses.
The geology of the area is made up of a carboniferous bedrock of sandstone, mudstone, and coal, which is covered mainly by boulder clay and till.
In October 2023 the sand at Blyth promenade beach was washed away by Storm Ciarán.
Port of Blyth
The Port of Blyth was first recorded from 1138, when monks at Newminster Abbey exported salt, having created it from pans on the north side of the river and evaporated using the copious supplies of local coal. Coal exports started from the 14th century, with local mines recorded from the 16th century. In 1609 21,571 tons of coal were shipped from Blyth. The first large quay – Bishop's Quay, which still exists today – was developed by 1682. But the port was not dredged at this time, necessitating the use of Northumbrian keel boats to transfer the loads to ships moored offshore. By 1730 specific coaling and ballast quays existed, and by 1765 the ports facilities included a pilot house and lighthouse, to facilitate the newly built first breakwater, North Dyke. The High Lighthouse came into operation soon afterwards, operating until July 1984.
The port expanded greatly in the 19th century, with the purchase of a steam tug in 1819, and the rebuilding of the breakwater in 1822. By this point, three ship building yards had also been established. The construction of the Blyth and Tyne Railway from 1849 allowed coal shipments to quickly expand, reaching 200,000 tons per annum. The Blyth Harbour and Dock Company was created in 1854, but with need for further expansion, it was replaced by a bill of parliament given Royal Assent on 19 June 1882, which constituted the current Blyth Harbour Commission. This allowed additional financing to be raised, for construction of the South Harbour.
By the 20th century, through connection via the London and North Eastern Railway which had leased large amounts of land throughout the port, Blyth had started the growth to become the Europe's largest coal export port, exporting 5.5M tonnes per year by the late 1930s. This was also supplemented by ship building, including the opening of a facility by Hughes, Bolckow and Co of Middlesbrough. Large scale shipbuilding had begun in 1811, and after passing through various hands, in 1880 the first two iron ships were built at Blyth for the Russian Government. This led to the foundation of the Blyth Shipbuilding Company on 2 March 1883, building cargo liners, tramp steamers and colliers. With a cargo ship under construction, in 1914 she was purchased by the Admiralty and converted into the Navy's first seaplane carrier Ark Royal. The company returned to commercial ship building, but collapsed in 1925. It was then revived from 1926, but after merger with other local yards and in light of the Wall Street Crash and resultant global recession, collapsed again in 1930. Reopened under its original name in 1937, it built various ships in preparation for and during WW2, including the former German cargo ship Hannover which was converted into the escort carrier Audacity. Owned by Mollers (Hong Kong) Ltd post-WW2, it then built cargo-liners for Moller's subsidiary the Lancashire Shipping Company. The construction yard closed in 1967, with only repair work and ship dismantling sustaining business until the yards were demolished in the late 1980s to make room for a paper and timber storage area.
After World War 2, whilst most ports began to quickly contract, Blyth was still a major facility through the 1960s, when coal exports reached over 6 M tonnes per year. However, with the closure Blyth's last ship builder in 1966, the port began a significant period of contraction. The employment slack was in part taken up by the construction of the coal-fired Blyth Power Station, located on the northern bank. of the river. The A Station with 480 megawatts (MW) of capacity first generated electricity in 1958, a year after the creation of the Central Electricity Generating Board, and the B Station with a capacity of 1,250 MW four years later. The power stations' four large chimneys were a landmark of the Northumberland skyline for over 40 years; the A Station's two chimneys each stood at 140 metres (460 ft); the B Station's two chimneys were taller, at 170 metres (560 ft) each. They were operated by the successors of the CEGB, including National Power, following the privatisation of the UK's power industry. After their closure in 2001, the stations were demolished over the course of two years, ending with the demolition of the stations' chimneys on 7 December 2003. The establishment of an Alcan aluminium smelting facility in the 1970s 5 mi (8 km) north along the river slowed this decline, as did the import of paper from Finland.
In 1997, The Port established Transped, the ports packing business. It has since diversified into logistics areas including import and export packing, customer depot facilities, distribution and storage, ships agency and European and worldwide forwarding.
Today, the Port of Blyth handles up to 1.5 million tonnes of cargo, mainly containers and RoRo, and some limited volumes of bulk cargos. A2B, a Dutch container company, operate twice-weekly shipping services to the Netherlands in partnership with Transped connecting the port to Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Economy
With the running down of the coal mining and shipbuilding industries, Blyth largely exists today as a dormitory town in the commuter belt serving Newcastle and North Tyneside. However, its port still remains a major industry in the area, handling over 1.5 million tonnes of cargo annually. Its main trades are forest products, such as paper, pulp and timber, unitised cargo (containers and RoRo), and the import of materials used in the production of aluminium. It also handles the import of a variety of stones and metals. A twice weekly container service between the port and Moerdijk, near Rotterdam, provides connections with the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and France as well as South America and the Far East. The port is operated by Port of Blyth, which is the operating division of Blyth Harbour Commission. Port of Blyth is a trust port, which means that it is governed by its own local legislation under the control of an independent board; there are no shareholders and therefore no dividends to support, which allows any surplus to be reinvested in the port.
Entertainment and leisure
Events and venues
Since 2014, Blyth Town Council has organised the Northumberland Live Festival every year in June on a meadow right next to the North Sea beach. It offers numerous attractions such as music performances, fairground rides and children's entertainment. In addition to local bands and bands from the twintown of Solingen, nationally renowned bands such as The Christians, The Lightning Seeds, The Pigeon Detectives, Toploader, Doctor & the Medics, Scouting for Girls and The Undertones have also performed here. Audience numbers have been as high as 18,000.
The Blyth Town Christmas Fayre is also held in the market place and features a similar range of family entertainment. Close to the town centre is an intimate, 299-seat theatre called the Phoenix Theatre. It presents a regular programme of professional performing arts to the local community and has successfully brought amateur and professional practitioners alongside each other to develop work for the community. There were once four cinemas in Blyth, but the last of these, the Wallaw, closed in 2004. The others — The Central, The Essoldo, and The Roxy — all closed in the 1960s and 1970s.
Sport and recreation
The town is home to the non-League football club, Blyth Spartans. Founded in 1899, and play their home games at Croft Park. They are notable for their "giant-killing" feats in the FA Cup, particularly those of the 1977–78 season, when they reached the fifth round. The town's other non-League football club is Blyth Town, who were established in 1995 and play in the Wade Associates Northern Alliance Premier Division. Also based in Blyth are Blyth Cricket Club and Blyth RFC. Blyth Cricket Club was formed in 1883 and presently compete in the Northumberland & Tyneside Cricket League Division 3. Blyth Cricket Club were Northumberland & Tyneside Cricket League Division 4 champions in the 2020 season and Northumberland Premier League champions in 2017.
Blyth Sports Centre offers a wide range of facilities including two swimming pools, a sports hall, squash courts, fitness suite, saunas, outdoor skate park, and more. Blyth Golf Club is situated on the outskirts of the town at New Delaval, and has an 18-hole course with a par of 72. Royal Northumberland Yacht Club has its headquarters in the South Harbour. RNYC offers crewing and sailing opportunities and is a Royal Yachting Association Training Centre for sail cruising and powerboating for its members.
Parks and open spaces
Ridley Park was created on land handed over by Viscount Matthew White Ridley and was opened on 27 July 1904. In June 2005, a £602,000 regeneration project was completed, which saw the installation of a children's water play area and upgrading of existing play facilities at the southern end of the park. The Quayside is a stretch of the riverfront that was once a centre of Blyth's industry, where coal would be loaded from trains onto ships for export, but having undergone major redevelopment, it is now a clean and peaceful area. Notable features of the Quayside include the "Spirit of the Staithes" sculpture and eleven "solar sound posts" which, when approached, replay pre-recorded stories relating to the port told by local people.
Blyth's largest and most natural open space is its beach and sand dunes, which stretch from the mouth of the river to Seaton Sluice. The dunes were declared a Local Nature Reserve by Blyth Valley Borough Council in December 2003, and are also an area of Special Nature Conservation Interest. They are notable for their diverse range of plant life, butterflies, moths, and birds, as well as being one of only two coastal locations in the country inhabited by both species of banded land snail—Cepaea nemoralis and Cepaea hortensis.
Landmarks and places of interest
The "Spirit of the Staithes" sculpture on Blyth's Quayside was unveiled by Princess Anne on 28 May 2003. As part of the overall regeneration of the Quayside, it was commissioned by Blyth Valley Council in conjunction with Northern Arts and created by the artist Simon Packard. Standing 15 metres (50 ft) high and 7 metres (22 ft) wide, it represents the heritage of coal distribution in Europe, an industry in which Blyth was the largest exporter.
The "High Light" lighthouse is one of Blyth's oldest structures. It stands to the rear of Bath Terrace and is 18.74 m (61 ft 6 in) tall. Built in three stages, the first section was constructed in 1788 to a height of 10.66 m (35 ft 0 in); a further 4.26 m (14 ft 0 in) was added in 1888, and the final 3.82 m (12 ft 6 in) was added in 1900. The original oil-fired lamp had a range of 10 nautical miles (19 km); it was upgraded to gas in 1857 and electricity in 1932. Prior to land reclamation in the late 19th century, the lighthouse had been much closer to the quayside. At some stage it became the rear of a pair of leading lights, and known as the 'High Light'; the corresponding 'low light' has long since been demolished. Blyth High Light was deactivated in 1985 and listed Grade II on 15 July 1987.
Before their demolition, the four chimneys of Blyth Power Station dominated the landscape along the coast. Two were 167 m (548 ft) high, the other two were 137 m (449 ft) high, and they were visible for many miles.
On the north side of the River Blyth are the remains of the railway coal staithes which featured in the chase scene at the end of the 1971 film Get Carter, starring Michael Caine.
Notable people
Mark Knopfler, musician and co-founder of Dire Straits
David Knopfler, rhythm guitarist of Dire Straits, brother of Mark
Dan Burn, Newcastle United football player.
Macaulay Gillesphey, Plymouth Argyle football player.
Jean Heywood, actress
- Haglöfs Oxo 75L backpack
- Hydration bag
- Haglöfs sleeping bag
- Lowepro Toploader pro
- Lowepro Lens case with wideangle lens
- Lowepro filter pouch with ND/Grad ND filters
- tent
- Hiking shoes
- Canoe shoes for river crossings
- Sleeping pad
- Energy drinks
- Socks
- Fleece shirt
- Technical T-shirts
- Boxers
- Fjällräven Keb trousers
- Adidas Gore-Tex jacket & pants
- Technical longsleeves
- Velbon GEO tripod with panorama ballhead
- Kevo Map
- Food supplies
- First aid kit
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- Cap & beanie
- Merino wool underwear
- Nikon D7000 camera + Tamron 17-50
- Binoculars
- Weather cover for iPhone
- Telescope barbecue stick
- Bag food
- Energy bars
- Leatherman Wave
- Petzl Tikka XP2 headlight
- Oakley Jawbone sunglasses
- Lenspen Photo Original
Showing the crowd trying to storm the stage. The guitarist was using a Guitar Hero axe for the entire set. Fact.
To see his score, go on the blog for more...
The current contents of my camera bags. My Nikon D5000 and its 18-55mm kit lens (not pictured) lives in the Toploader.
The other bits, my two vivitar flashes (both modified for variable power), some assorted leads, my two tripods (both Slik's) and other bits live in the Swiss Army shoulder bag (a freeby from a conference)