The MrT Podcast Studio

Leeds and Ribblehead - UK Rail Journeys Series 2 - Episode 09 In 'Leeds and Ribblehead' I spend time in Leeds and take a trip to Ribblehead to watch the Railway Touring Company's Cumbrian Mountain Express cross the viaduct. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast: Friday evening in Leeds: It is a beautiful spring evening and I set off from my hotel to find two historic railway buildings. I stop to look at City Square. Relatively quiet this evening unlike when I was a student in Leeds. Then it was full of traffic. As I walk down Wellington Street I find the Great Northern Railway Station Hotel building. This dates from 1869. Today it is a shadow of its former self, converted into flats with a fish and chip shop on the ground floor. Tower Square: The bars in this modern square are busy with lots of people taking the opportunity to sit outside. I've come to see the Central Station Wagon Hoist which remains although the rest of the station is long gone. Sadly I'm a couple of days too early as it is opening as a museum the next week. Monk Bridge Viaduct: The stub end of this 1846 viaduct has been converted into a lovely urban park. It will be magnificent once everything matures. Ribblehead: Saturday trains on the Settle Carlisle lines are only every few hours. I arrive early and spend some time looking at the visitor centre and having a light lunch in the cafe. The scenery is lovely and enhanced by the Cumbrian Mountain Express crossing the viaduct. A really worthwhile visit! Listen to the podcast to hear all about my evening in Leeds and my trip out to Ribblehead. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Podchaser, Spotify, YouTube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Joseph McDade licenses Backplate for use in this podcast.

Season 2024 - Talk 10 - The Olympics - Champions, Curiosities and Controversies In 'The Olympics - Champions, Curiosities and Controversies' Jo Watson takes us through a humorous  history of the summer games. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Jo's background: Her career was with BBC Sport as a producer and an editor. She's worked on  seven summer Olympics and has written a book about the history of the games. It is really more about the people and the events rather than statistics. Ancient times: The obvious starting point is Olympia around 180 miles from Athens. The first recorded games are in 776 BC as part of a festival dedicated to Zeus.  The inaugural champion is a local cook who wins the only event, a sprint of around 200 yards. Gradually the games expand and other cities take part. The first champions receive an olive or a laurel crown, and perhaps an amphora of high quality olive oil. Victorian re-birth: The idea of reviving the Olympic Games has its origins in Much Wenlock.  William Penny Brooks,  a local doctor and social activist, and his Olympian society organise a number of events in 1850. He then organises the more orthodox National Olympian games at Crystal Palace. W G Grace takes time off from a cricket match to compete and win the hurdles. Next steps: Onto the scene comes Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a French aristocrat, who takes the games forward. In 1894 he brings together representatives to form the International Olympic Committee. Two years later, the first modern games are held in Athens. Sadly, Brooks has died, so doesn't see his dream come to fruition. Listen to Jo tell us the story of some of the stars, gamesmanship and unbelievable events from the games. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Podchaser, Spotify, YouTube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

On to Leeds - UK Rail Journeys Series 2 - Episode 08 In 'On to Leeds' I continue my journey to Leeds. Today only part of my journey is on the true route of the Thames Clyde Express as a nine-mile section of the traditional route no longer exists. Once a hive of industry with mile after mile of collieries, coke ovens, marshalling yards and sidings, coal mining subsidence causes speed restrictions in the 1960s. In 1968 trains move to other routes and in 1985 part of the line closes. Today one section, from Oakenshaw South Junction near Wakefield to Redfearn's Glassworks, a part of the Ardagh Group, at Monk Bretton remains. A weekly sand train goes to the glassworks and sometimes Northern Rail use the section for training. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast: Small local stations: Since the 1980s a number of stations have reopened on this route. We pass through Bolton on Dearne, Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe and Moorthorpe on our way to Fitzwilliam. Here the Friends of Fitzwilliam station provide local art work including a mural about the area. Next comes Sandal and Agbrigg railway station serving the southern Wakefield suburbs. Originally dating from 1866 it is on the route of the Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line. The station closes in November 1957, remains closed for the next 30 years, and reopens on 30 November 1987. Normanton: Although I don't pass through Normanton I have to tell you about the station. Over the years the once semi-rural station hosts Queen Victoria, US President Ulysses S. Grant, the Emperor of Brazil and Prime Ministers Gladstone and Disraeli. Why? They all stop for lunch at the Midland Railway's Normanton station because, in the days before dining cars, express trains stop here for lunch. The menu offers a  six-course meal for 2/6 (half a crown = 12.5 pence); a world away from the Travellers Fare of my youth. Journey's End: The journey continues across the 99 arch viaduct into Wakefield Westgate station. We then travel on to Leeds and the end of today's journey. Listen to the podcast to hear about my journey and the magnificent lunches in Normanton. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Podchaser, Spotify, YouTube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Funny Corporate for use in this podcast.

Season 2024 - Talk 08 - A History of India before the British In 'A History of India before the British' Alan Freeland tells us  that  in the next few of years India's likely to become the world's third largest economy.  To benefit from this we'll need to understand India a lot more than we do today as we are very ignorant of our history in India. Size: The talk focuses on India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Alan uses the word India when referring to the three countries that are referred to as South Asia. Roughly speaking, if you take Russia out of Europe, then Europe and South Asia are about the same physical size, but the population is three times that of Europe. It's the size of India's population that has always been its greatest strength and asset. Buddhism: Although Buddhism starts in India, it is no longer dominant, apart from in Sri Lanka. It is one of India's cultural exports to those countries who today have a significant Buddhist population. Culture and Philosophy: The section on the origins of the Indian culture looks at the Indus Valley civilisation and the Vedic period. This is a time critical in forming the Indian culture and philosophy. The philosophy lives on today. For a millennium and a half, from about 250 BCE to 1280, India confidently exports its diverse civilisation. It creates a vast body of ideas where its influence is predominant. The rest of Asia willingly receives this mass transfer of Indian soft power, art, religions, technology, astronomy, music, dance, literature, mathematics and mythology. Written history: The first manuscripts, recording personal history, date from the arrival of the Muslims.  Prior to this historians mostly have to rely on inscriptions, on temples, for example. Indian history can be characterised by a multitude of independent kingdoms and empires with occasionally interruptions by short-lived large empires. The exact opposite of China. Listen to Alan tell us the full story of religions, castes, empires, the coming of the Europeans and intrigue. About this podcast: Unfortunately many of the images used in the original presentation are subject to copyright and therefore cannot be published alongside this podcast. This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

Sheffield Railway Station and on to Swinton - UK Rail Journeys Series 2 - Episode 07 In 'Sheffield Railway Station and on to Swinton' I visit Sheffield Station and then start my journey with Northern Rail to Leeds. Today only part of my journey is on the true route of the Thames Clyde Express. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast: Sheffield Station: The 'railway mania' sees the Manchester Sheffield and Lincoln Railway, the London and Northwestern Railway and the Midland Railway building lines across the steep hills and valleys into the city.. Sheffield (Midland) station opens in 1870 as Pond Street. There are extensions in 1905 and a major redevelopment completes in 2006. I want to see the Sheffield Tap which runs a brewery on the station. It is in the former First Class Edwardian refreshment and dining rooms. Restoration means that the rooms are now in their original condition. In the 1970s British Rail converts the refreshment room into a waiting room and pushes the damaged front bar to the rear of the room. They remove the ornate fireplace and other features. Vandals soon get to work! In 1976 it is and left to decay. In 2008, the restoration began. Private investment and grants lead to repairs and replication where required. The barrel plaster ceiling is a replica of the old one. Handmade, the work  of a local contractor. The operators of the Sheffield Tap say that they're only the caretakers of the publicly owned Grade II listed building. Meadowhall: I take the train for the short journey to Meadowhall station which serves the Meadowhall Shopping Centre. The Centre is built on land that used to be part of the Sheffield steel industry. Onwards: I then take the train for Leeds passing through the rather depressing Rotherham Central station. By the end of the episode I have reached Swinton station. Off piste: It is not possible to follow the route of the Thames Clyde because of mining subsidence in the area which has resulted in the removal of parts of the track. Listen to the podcast to hear about Sheffield Station and the journey to Swinton. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Podchaser, Spotify, YouTube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Lovin' It for use in this podcast and The Tavern is licensed from Joseph McDade.

Season 2024 - Talk 07 - 1832 Reform Bill - - did it avoid a revolution? In the '1832 Reform Bill - did it avoid a revolution' Robert Sykes tells us  that whilst the parliamentary system in Britain is genuinely old, real democracy is arguably under a hundred years old. The 1832 Reform Bill: The first significant reform of the parliamentary system results in the Bill of 1832. Robert spends some time on the system before the Bill. He explains  why it needs change. We hear of  the growth of the reform movement and the people who want to change the way Parliament is set up. Before 1832: This talk is mostly about England. Before 1832 each county has two Members of Parliament irrespective of the size of the population. That's rather like the US Senate. This means that Yorkshire with 20,000 voters has the same number of members as Rutland with less than a thousand voters. Although this isn't an ideal situation it gives representation to different parts of the country. There are also 203 boroughs. These are are determined by different approaches, many historical, across the country. Whilst, in the Middle Ages a number of boroughs have quite a large number of voters, by the 1830s many have changed. Potwalloper Boroughs: In these every male head of household with a hearth large enough to boil a pot has the vote. An example is Preston in Lancashire. There is corruption to get the votes. The Times tells of two candidates. One extols the virtue of the system saying 'How wonderful it is that all people can have the vote in this way, that you can act independently'. The other says 'Never mind him, I'll give you something to put in your pot.' An open bribe for his vote. There is no secret ballot and voting is visible to everyone. Rotten Boroughs: There are many so-called rotten boroughs. These date from the middle ages and have changed significantly. Dunwich in Suffolk becomes parliamentary constituency in 1296 when it has a thriving port rivalling London. It then falls into the sea as erosion takes place. In 1831 there are only 44 houses there. It still elects two Members of Parliament. One is the Downing family who chose an MP from their relations and the other is in the gift of the Duke of Newcastle. He sells the  right to be an MP for a thousand pounds. A system in need of change: There is much political wrangling. Those who appear to favour change may be holding it back whilst others who are against change risk revolution and a run on the banks. Listen to Robert tell us the full story which is full of intrigue and possible double dealing. About this podcast: Unfortunately the images used in the original presentation are subject to copyright and therefore cannot be published alongside this podcast. This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

On to Sheffield -  UK Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 06 In 'On to Sheffield' my journey continues with the East Midlands Railway from Trowell to Sheffield along the original route of Thames Clyde Express. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast: Ilkeston: In 2013 Ilkeston was the largest town in Britain with an operational passenger railway line running through it, but no station. The government's New Stations Fund, managed by Network Rail provides funds for such developments. The building work is repeatedly delayed; there are a number of issues at the site. There is the potential for flooding, ground instability from historic mining activity, and its home to some endangered species. Work finally commences in April 2016. It includes several bespoke designs for the site conditions and is completed in ten months. The new station opens in  April 2017. Bennerley Viaduct: This is one of only two remaining wrought iron railway viaducts in the UK. This magnificent viaduct is the result of the rivalry between the railways in the nineteenth century. At the time the Midland Railway has a great deal of control over the movement of coal by rail. Although the Midland is based in Derby, local businesses and city councillors feel that it's monopoly is holding back the development of Derby. They lobby Parliament to allow for another railway company and let the Great Northern Railway build a line through the heart of the city. To reach Derby the Great Northern builds a line from Nottingham to Derby and the on to Eggington Junction. They also build branch lines running into the Erewash Coalfield. The biggest obstacle is crossing the Erewash Valley, an area honeycombed with mine workings. This leads to the design of the Bennerley Viaduct. It is built in 18 months during 1877 and 1878. Onwards: We pass through the depressing 1970s station in Alfreton and then on to Chesterfield. There is a statue to George Stephenson outside Chesterfield station. He settles in this town with the famous crooked Church spire towards the end of his life. His grave is in the church, next to that of his wife. Sheffield: I leave the train in Sheffield where I am staying the night. Sheffield station used to be called Sheffield Midland, when there were multiple stations in the city, is the northernmost point of the Midland Mainline. My train is going on to Manchester and then Liverpool Lime Street. The stone built Sheffield station looks well restored. It receives 3 stars in the Simon Jenkins book Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations. I'm going to walk from the station to my hotel, the comfortable and friendly Premier Inn at St. Mary's Gate, and then go and find something to eat, probably at El Paso which has a mix of Mexican and Italian food. Listen to the podcast to hear about the journey from Trowell to Sheffield. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Forward for use in this podcast.

Season 2024 - Talk 05 - 17th Century Dissenters In '17th Century Dissenters and the World Turned Upside Down' Judith Edge tells us about dissent in the 17th Century and compares the situation with today. Religion: It is clear what a dissenter is. In the 17th century, it is to do with religion. Baptists, Quakers and others offering new religious solutions. Others ask sceptical questions about the institution and beliefs of society, such as the Seekers, the Ranters, the Diggers and more. Some of the groups, such as the Baptists and Quakers, survive today. Most of the others have disappeared. Parallels with today: In the 17th Century, particularly during the Civil War, there was a great questioning and revaluing of everything in England. Old institutions, old beliefs, old values all coming into question. At this time religious dissent rules, with different views on religion being the driving force. Today other factors are in play with the climate activists, anti-vaxxers and others. This is nothing new, some of our parents may have despaired at our 'make love not war' views 60 years ago. Where do we fit in today: We all have beliefs and comfort zones. Do we like the status quo or we want change and revolution? Do we keep the old traditions, or seek something new? Are our ideas conventional or radical? Do we seek a quiet life or one on the edge? It might be worth reflecting on yourself and where you honestly see yourself Listen to Judith tell us the full story. About this podcast: Unfortunately the images used in the original presentation are subject to copyright and therefore cannot be published alongside this podcast. This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

Leicester to Trowell -  UK Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 05 In 'Leicester to Trowell' my journey continues with the East Midlands Railway from Leicester, via Nottingham, to Trowell. This gets me back onto the original route of Thames Clyde Express. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast: Loughborough: My train passes through Loughborough with the BRUSH Falcon works next door. BRUSH is famed as a major supplier of diesel locomotives. In 1957 Hawker Siddeley buys the BRUSH group of companies. This includes BRUSH Traction. During the 1960s they build 310 Class 47 locomotives, out of the total of 512 in the class, at the Falcon works. East Midlands Parkway: A relatively new station that has many green credentials. However, there is no bus service to East Midlands Airport which is only 4 miles away. The station is next to the recently closed Ratcliffe on Soar coal fired power station; the last operating coal fired power station in Britain. Trent: Trent station closed on 1 January 1968, a victim of Dr. Beeching. Situated near Long Eaton at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham, it didn't serve any community, being simply an interchange. For many years trains would stop here for people to dine and change train.  Those who didn't want a full meal could get a lunch basket, these could be handed back at a station later in the journey. Today the track layout is simpler than in the station's heyday. There are still junctions allowing trains to go to Derby, London, Nottingham and Sheffield but no station. Beeston: Our final stop on the journey to Nottingham is Beeston station just over 3 miles from Nottingham.  Over half a million passengers use the station in 2023 / 2024. Nottingham railway station: I leave the train in Nottingham so that I can catch a train to Sheffield. This brings me on to the Erewash Valley Line, the original route of the Thames Clyde Express. Nottingham station is a magnificent terracotta building; the quality of the brickwork is stunning. The architecture at Nottingham receives 4 stars in the Simon Jenkins book Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations. Listen to the podcast to hear about the journey from Leicester to Trowell and the story of Nottingham's magnificent railway station. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Summer Island for use in this podcast.

Season 2024 - Talk 04 - Mike Hawthorn - The Farnham Flyer In 'Mike Hawthorn' Simon Barber tells us about one of his heroes, Britain's first Formula 1 World Champion. Early years: Mike Hawthorn is born in Mexborough to Leslie and Winifred Hawthorn in 1929. His father moves to Farnham and buys the Tourist Trophy Garage. Mike goes to prep school in Farnham and then to Ardingly College . The Tourist Trophy Garage is franchised to supply and service several high performance brands, including Jaguar and Ferrari. His father races motorcycles and supports his son's racing career until his death in a road accident in 1954. Racing: Mike Hawthorn first races on 2 September 1950 in his 1934 Riley Ulster Imp, and wins the 1,100 cc sports car class at the Brighton Speed Trials. In 1952 he switches to single-seaters and wins his first race in a Formula Two Cooper-Bristol T20 at Goodwood. Further successes follow which bring him to the attention of Enzo Ferrari, who offers him a works drive. Formula 1 and Le Mans: He makes his Formula One debut at the 1952 Grote Prijs van Belgie at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and finishes in fourth place. That year he has his first podium, with a third place at the RAC British Grand Prix . In January 1955 he joins the Jaguar racing team, replacing Stirling Moss, who had left for Mercedes. He wins the 1955 les 24 Heures du Mans following an inspired drive. He sets a lap record of 4 minutes and 6.6 seconds during a three-hour duel with Fangio in the early stages. Sadly the race is marred by the worst disaster in motor racing history. A crash kills 83 spectators and Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh. The official inquiry into the accident rules that it is a racing incident. The death of so many spectators is blamed on inadequate safety standards. Hawthorn rejoins Ferrari in 1957, and soon becomes friends with Peter Collins, a fellow Englishman and Ferrari team driver. Hawthorn wins the 1958 Formula One Championship despite achieving only one win. The win is the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims. Retirement: After winning the title he retires from Formula One. He begins a series of books for children featuring not only the wholly fictional Carlotti but also himself and other drivers of the day. A few months later he dies in a road accident. Listen to Simon tell us the full story. About this podcast: Unfortunately the images used in the original presentation are subject to copyright and therefore cannot be published alongside this podcast. This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

We reach Leicester -  UK Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 04 In 'We reach Leicester' my journey continues northwards, and reaches the Thames Clyde's first stop in Leicester. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast: Radlett Aerodrome: We pass the remains of the old Handley Page aircraft works at Radlett. In 1937 the pilot of a Harrow bomber misjudges his approach to the airfield. His undercarriage rips off part of the roof of the kitchen car of a London to Manchester express. The kitchen car continues to Leicester where it is replaced with another. The delay? Only one hour. Bedford and brickmaking: We pass the remains of huge gashes in the landscape. These are the result of extracting clay for brick making. At the peak of brick making in 1936, the Stewartby Brickworks, the world's largest, makes 500 million a year. Today a thousand homes and a business park are being built as part of the redevelopment of the site. Kettering: We cross the river Ouse seven times in the Bedford area, and pass a stretch of the A6 called the Paula Radcliffe Way. The train is passing through beautiful countryside as we travel north. At the stop at Kettering I marvel at the ironwork in the canopies over the platforms. In the 1970s British Rail submits plans to cut the supports off part way up and put on a plastic roof. The local Civic Society protests and saves the day! Leicester railway station: I leave the train at our stop in Leicester. This is the first stop on the traditional route of the Thames Clyde Express. The modernisers have ruined much of Leicester station. However, the baroque façade remains and it is stunning. The domed clock tower is vaguely Indian in style. The clock is the only hand wound station clock on the railway network. There is a porte cochere behind the façade. Today you can get a taxi there and go through the entrance to buy a ticket. The architecture at Leicester has 3 stars in the Simon Jenkins book Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations. Listen to the podcast to hear about the journey to Leicester and the story of this magnificent railway station. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Summer Party for use in this podcast.

Northward Bound -  UK Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 03 In 'Northward Bound' I start my journey, leaving St. Pancras on an East Midlands Railway Class 222 Meridian train. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast: The Thames Clyde Express: I am following, as far as is possible today, the route of the Thames Clyde Express. The London, Midland & Scottish railway introduces the express on 26th September 1927. The Thames Clyde took the longer, and slower, Midland Railway route from London St. Pancras to Glasgow St. Enoch. A route running via Sheffield, Leeds, the Settle to Carlisle line and the Glasgow South Western route north of Carlisle. Leaving St. Pancras: As we leave St. Pancras we pass, on our left, St. Pancras Old Church, with its clocktower, and, on our right, the fully refurbished gasometers, or more correctly gasholders, that are part of the Kings Cross revival. Kentish Town: We soon pass through Kentish Town station and the site of the old engine sheds. These sheds, opening in 1875, provided the locomotives for the Thames Clyde Express on its London to Leeds leg. With 3 brick-built roundhouses and workshops the locomotive allocation in March 1959 was 100 locomotives, all of them steam. The last locomotives are maintained there in 1963 when the site closes. The civil engineers Murphy use some of the surviving buildings today. Onwards: We pass through West Hampstead, Cricklewood, Hendon on my journey from the suburban sprawl of outer London towards the north. Listen to the podcast to hear about the journey through north London and into the countryside. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Political Dawn for use in this podcast.

Season 2024 - Talk 03 - How Science is helping people our past In 'How Science is helping people our past' Pam Taylor tells us that we don't often have talks about archaeology. She also says it's not all about grubbing around in the dirt. After the grubbing around in the dirt: Pam's interest began in the 1970s with an evening class at Farnborough Tech. She then moves on  to the Royal Aircraft Establishment Archaeological Society, active in digging at local sites. She admits that there is a lot of grubbing around in the dirt, but says that she doesn't do it. Her interest is in looking at the results of grubbing around in the dirt. Archaeology has developed over the last few centuries, going from antiquarian interest to involving many scientific techniques today. Carbon 14 dating and X Rays: In the 1970s the use of science was limited to Carbon 14 dating; at the time very expensive for a local society. This gives a date for organic material such as plants, trees, people and animals. X ray techniques were sometimes used, for example, on Egyptian mummies. Prior to this, dating used stratification. The depth of an object and the  sequence leading to it. This means finding undisturbed layers in the soil and is not always accurate. As time passes other techniques, such as MRI and CT scanning come into use along with DNA analysis. Tracing peoples' movements: These scientific techniques all lead to a greater understanding of how the distribution and mixing of different genetic traits took place across the world. Listen to Pam tell us the full story. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

Around St. Pancras -  UK Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 02 In 'Around St. Pancras' I walk up Midland Road on the west side of the station and visit St. Pancras Old Church. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Midland Road: Midland Road runs up the western side of St. Pancras station splitting the station from the old goods yard. Today the British Library stands on part of the site at the junction of the Euston and Midland roads. The move to the current building, Grade 1 listed since 2015, started in 1997. Currently the library has facilities here and at Boston Spa in Yorkshire. The next building I come across is the Francis Crick Institute, a biomedical research centre. It is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, Imperial College, King's College, the Medical Research Council, University College and the Wellcome Trust. Opposite is the modern extension to the hotel and the new platforms for the semi-banished East Midlands Railway. Remains of the goods depot: As I walk up the road I pass a row of shops in arches. These are the last visible remains of the buildings from the old goods depot. St. Pancras Church: St. Pancras Old Church is an ancient seat of Christian worship. Although the building underwent a major restoration in the middle of the 19th Century, it still incorporates material, believed to be, from Roman times. The building of St. Pancras station resulted in many exhumations from the Churchyard. It is estimated that 10,000 of the 100,000 graves were dug up. Camley Street Natural Park: I pass under the tracks and reach the Camley Street Natural Park which has the Regent's Canal on one side and the railway tracks on the other. I recommend this tranquil park to anyone visiting the area. Listen to the podcast to hear more about the area. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and News Night for use in this podcast.

St. Pancras -  UK Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 01 In 'St. Pancras' I arrive at the station to start my journey along the route of the Midland Railway's Scotch Expresses and the LMS Thames Clyde Express. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: The Midland Railway: The Midland Railway was a proud organisation. From their base in Derby their powerbase is between Birmingham and York; however their services stretch as far as Carlisle and Bournemouth. Their ambition is to reach London. For many years they have to share tracks with other companies. At one stage they are paying the Great Northern £20,000 a year to use Kings Cross. The involvement of George Hudson, known as the Railway King, means that they can't get approval for a London terminus. However, once the disgraced Hudson is out of the way, they win Parliamentary approval for a terminus. St. Pancras: The Midland purchase land from the estate of Lord Somers on the north side of the New Road. Like Kings Cross, Euston and the much later Marylebone, the station is between the New Road and the Regent's Canal. The chosen area houses many people, has a gasworks, is on the course of the buried River Fleet and has the ancient church of St. Pancras, with a burial ground. A site with a great number of difficulties! William Barlow, the Midland's engineer, is told to build something dramatic. His roof is a single span, 243 feet across which, until 1888, is the largest in the world. The station is built of the finest materials, all transported from the Midland's heartland. The building work leads to many evictions, with little notice, from slum homes and the exhumation of 8,000 bodies from the churchyard. On the 1st October 1868 the first trains arrive. The Midland Grand Hotel: George Gilbert Scott wins the competition to design the grand hotel to stand in front of the train shed. The budget is £316,000. When the hotel opens it is the most expensive railway hotel in London. For a charge of 14 shillings you get dinner, bed and breakfast; however there is only one bathroom on each floor! Proposed demolition: In the 1960s and 1970s see plans to demolish the station and hotel buildings. This leads to uproar and a Grade 1 listing. The introduction of Eurostar services  leads to a £800 million renovation. Listen to the podcast to hear more about 'St. Pancras'. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Corporate Winners for use in this podcast.

Boston -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 41 In 'Boston' I spend the final day of my holiday taking a look at the famous city of Boston. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Back to Boston South: I leave my hotel to walk through the city and find myself back at Boston South station. Whilst I'm at the station I see the construction team erecting a tower crane. This is something that I've never see before and it is fascinating to watch. Why do so many places pander to cheap tourism? I now reach the water. This is the area of town that celebrates the Boston Tea Party. It is such a pity that the 'museum' here is so tacky. I do find a plaque on a wall that commemorates the event. At least the fishermen seem to be happy as they prepare for their expedition. As I walk further I see a fake Mississippi stern wheel paddle steamer and then reach the Aquarium. What an amazingly ugly late 1960's building. It is completely devoid of any merit! DUCK tours: It is a summer Sunday and I'd expected to see lots of harbour tours. Not one until I find a company offering trips in their amphibious DUCKs. As I continue my walk through the city I keep coming across the DUCK tours. North Station: I didn't know that this station existed. Apparently it is the start of a train called the Downeaster. I'll have to come back and travel on it another time. My journey through Boston takes me past increasingly ugly buildings before I reach the historic heart of Boston. It is such a pity that the buildings from the 1960s and 1970s are so ugly. Listen to the podcast to hear about my day in 'Boston'. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway for use in this podcast.

Season 2024 - Talk 02.3 - Mother Teresa In 'Mother Teresa' Graham Meade tells us the history of Saint Teresa of Calcutta. The Burning House Debate: This is the third in a series of short talks given to the members of the Farnham u3a World History group. There are a number of famous people from history staying in the 'burning house'. Each speaker pleads for their subject to be saved. Early years: I was born Agnes Gonj Bojadjou on 26th of August 1910 the youngest of three children. By blood I'm Albanian, by citizenship an Indian, by faith a Catholic nun. My name translates to Mary Teresa. My mother raises us after my father dies when I am 8. It is a devoutly Catholic family and my mother is always very kind to those less fortunate than us. One of its priests at our church introduces me to the missionary work being undertaken in the wider world, particularly in India. By the age of 12 I want to dedicate my life to God. I leave our family home at 18 to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto. They are an Irish community of nuns who send missionaries to India. First steps in Kolkata: My first missionary post is at St Mary's High School in Calcutta. I teach young children history and geography. We have no supplies or equipment, so I teach by writing in the mud with wooden sticks and making use of what little other resources I can find. During this early period as a missionary, I have no income and little access to food. Listen to Graham tell us how from these early beginnings the ministry grows. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

New Haven to Boston South -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 40 In 'New  Haven to Boston South' I travel on the final rail section of my tour of the United States, this time using the high speed Acela service. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: New Haven: New Haven Union Station is the main passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the third station in the city of New Haven. Opening in 1920, it is in the beaux-arts  style. The 1961 bankruptcy of the New Haven Railroad led to a transfer to the Penn Central Transportation Company on January 1, 1969. The next year Penn Central undergoes bankruptcy, and the station building closes in 1973 to cut costs. Reopening after extensive renovation in early 1985, it is now the most important transport hub in New Haven. Today it is the busiest railway station in Connecticut. I do like to be beside the seaside! It is a beautiful afternoon as our route travels along the coast. I can see many people on the beaches enjoying the seaside. There are many boats in the marinas as well as on the water. Providence station: Providence station serves Amtrak and MBTA Commuter Rail. It is the 11th busiest Amtrak station in the country, and the second-busiest on the MBTA Commuter Rail system outside Boston. The station dates from 1986 and is in the brutalist style, with a large square clocktower. It has been positively received by critics, receiving a citation in the 1983 Progressive Architecture Awards. Onwards: We then travel through the curiously named Route 128 station. Even more strangely, the conductor announces it as Route and not Rout. We then stop at Boston's Back Bay station before our arrival into Boston South station. Listen to the podcast to hear about my journey north from 'New Haven to Boston South'. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway for use in this podcast.

Season 2024 - Talk 02.2 - Mr Punch In 'Mr Punch' Diana Butler tells us the history of Mr Punch who is far from being just a seaside puppet show. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The Burning House Debate: This is the second in a series of short talks given to the members of the Farnham u3a World History group. There are a number of famous people from history staying in the 'burning house'. Each speaker pleads for their subject to be saved. Early days in history: Mr. Punch has his origins in Italy. We can trace the harlequin or pantaloon back to the burlesque mime characters of ancient Rome. Herculaneum has a statue with features of Mr. Punch. The showman's sounds come from the whistles the Romans used. Early days in Britain: Religious dramas, political satire and opera are a feature of Middle Ages England. Over the years the clergy find that the puppets, with their humorous dialogues and popular songs, are not suitable for illustrating Bible stories . In 1677 Edward Ravenscroft, at the Theatre Royal, has Punch on stage in a Restoration comedy. Samuel Pepys: In 1660, Samuel Pepys observes a marionette show featuring an early version of Mr. Punch in Covent Garden. Pepys describes the event in his diary as an Italian puppet play. Listen to Diana tell us the story of this puppet whose history goes back many centuries. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2025

New York to New Haven -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 39 In 'New York to New Haven' I travel from New York's Moynihan Train Hall on the high speed Acela service. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Acela: Acela is Amtrak's flagship passenger service on the Northeast Corridor running between Washington, D.C. and Boston. They are the fastest in the Americas, reaching 150 miles per hour. Sadly the trains only reach 150 mph for 49.9 miles of the 457-mile route. Acela is busy with over 2.9 million passengers in 2023. It is only beaten by the slower and less expensive Northeast Regional service with over 9 million passengers. It accounts for around 25% of Amtrak's total revenue. The fastest speed is on tracks between Mansfield, Massachusetts, and Richmond, Rhode Island, and South Brunswick and Trenton, New Jersey. Acela uses active tilting technology, allowing the train to travel at higher speeds on the sharply curved North East Corridor. Most of the high-speed operation is on the 226-mile route from in New York to Union Station in Washington with a fastest scheduled time of 2 hours and 45 minutes and an average speed of 82 miles per hour including stops. Penn Station - Moynihan Train Hall: I leave from Penn Station for the last time in this series of journeys on the 2.10 pm Acela service to Boston South Station. It is the main intercity station in New York and claimed to be the busiest transport facility in the Western Hemisphere, with, in 2019, more than 600,000 passengers each weekday. There are 21 tracks fed by seven tunnels. Amtrak owns the station and commuter rail services are operated by the Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit. Stamford station: Stamford station, officially known as the Stewart B. McKinney Transportation Center, serves passengers traveling on Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, and CTrail's Shore Line East. It also hosts Greyhound, Peter Pan, and CTtransit buses. United Airlines codeshares with Amtrak to provide a service from Stamford station to the station at Newark Liberty International Airport - United's Northeast hub. New Haven: Union Station, also known as New Haven Railroad Station, also has, like Stamford, an IATA code. Today's station is the third one in New Haven. Listen to the podcast to hear about the rest of my journey north from 'New York to New Haven'. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and In Lightening for use in this podcast.