Breaking down

Attempted to do a touring shoot last Friday in a convertible MGB, but things didn't go too well. In hindsight we should probably never have started considering that the whole area where we were was shrouded in fog, then we nearly ran out of petrol and finally the car decided enough was enough and ground to a halt, leaving us stuck at the side of the A16 awaiting the arrival of the AA. Anyway, about an hour and a half later we were on our way again courtesy of an 89p rotor arm, the only problem was the fog wasn't clearing and it was getting darker, so after attempting to photograph the car in front of the Boston stump, the top of which was almost lost in the fog we decided to abandon the shoot and try again on Monday.

Well it's Monday and the fog has cleared, but now we've got snow, bitter cold and fierce winds, bearing in mind that this shoot is for publication in the summer there's no chance of a shoot today either, so we've had to call it off again.

Budding artist

My 11 year old daughter has always been good at drawing but just lately her 'manga' style drawings have started to become very good for one so young. I have quite a few so I might devote a page to them , for a while at least, so if you like this one look out for a new page of Sophie's art coming soon.

Dog flight

I was at Brooklands yesterday and after the shoot I had a little look around the museum, with a particular personal interest in finding anything to do with a cousin of my grandfather's, the aviation pioneer Harold Barnwell who I knew to have been based at Brooklands as a test pilot for Vickers until he died in a plane crash in 1917. Anyway as luck would have it, in a display cabinet dedicated to F. W. Merriam there was a picture dated 1912 of the first ever dog to fly, the pilot was Merriam and who should be holding the dog, none other than Harold Barnwell. I wonder if it's in the Guinness Book of Records?

The Wellington Monument

I was out on a shoot last week in Aldershot, the first in quite a while due to the adverse weather of recent weeks and found myself at a location overlooked by the most enormous statue of the Duke of Wellington. Apparently it used to adorn the top of the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner before being replaced after the Duke's death with the current bronze statue of the angel of peace descending on the chariot of war.

The bronze Wellington Statue by Matthew Cotes Wyatt was at 40 tons (40.62 tonne) and 28 feet (8.53 m) high, the largest equestrian figure ever made when it was unveiled in 1846. Many people, Queen Victoria included thought it looked disproportionately large on top of the arch, but it was left there until after the Duke's death so as not to offend him by replacing it while he was still alive, especially so as it was directly opposite his home, Apsley House (No.1 London).

Round Hill close by the Royal Garrison Church in Aldershot was selected as the new site for the Statue, Aldershot being the home of the British Army, where it was moved to in August 1885.

Storm damage

Woke up this morning to find that my garage roof had been ripped off during the night and was hanging into my neighbours garden, I know it was quite windy at times but I was quite unprepared for what I saw when I opened the bedroom curtains.

Rang the local roofer who arrived suspiciously quickly and got a quote which was at least double what I was expecting, anyway my wife rang around a few other roofers and indeed we were able to arrange to get the work done for less than half the original quote!  Just goes to show you shouldn't assume that your local tradesman is necessarily going to give you a competitive price.

Another satisfied customer

It's always nice to get feedback, especially when it's complimentary, so thank you Brian for the kind words and mention on your blog: brianfordtrains.blogspot.co.uk regarding the 'Levenbridge' layout that I shot for Model Rail and which is in the latest issue (179).

Fun and games in the snow

Well the Met Office got it wrong again, 2 to 5 cm of snow they said to expect on Sunday, in fact it snowed all day and by the morning when I went out to clear the car, there was clearly more like 10 or 12 cm.

Anyway, my daughter's school announced it was closed with just a few minutes to spare before she would have had to set out to catch the bus (it's 9 miles away!), my son's school however clearly stated on it's website that it would be open, so we duly set off in the 4 x 4 as I wasn't convinced my wife's A-class would make it up the hill to the main road through 15 cm of virgin snow.

When we arrived at the school, I normally drop my son off at the 'kiss & go' car park near the school entrance, but as the conditions were so bad and as it seemed very quiet I decided to take him up the sheet ice and snow covered drive, right up to the school itself. Just as well I did because as I dropped him off by the main entrance, the caretaker came over to tell us that the earlier decision had been reversed and the school was now closed. So we turned around and headed home, informing any stray students as we went that the school had closed. Having finally got home, I then had to take my wife to work!