Visit to Scotland - Day 5 - Beamish Museum

View of the Museum Entrance

The Beamish Museum is an outdoor museum formed of small villages scenes and industrial sites around which visitors can wander.

The initial view of the museum is the large white fronted building that houses the offices, shop, restaurant and entry halls. The entrance has its own gate guardian in the shape of a coal tub of the type originally used in the area.

Once through the entrance you get a view of the huge area that the museum covers.

Once down the steps you get to the first of the tramway stations where you can board trams in either direction to visit the separate areas in the museum.

A tram full of visitors awaits its departure

You can walk around the site as well using a spider web of footpaths through the site, a good way to see the many exhibits. This is fine for those who can walk well, but as there are several steep areas, those of a less mobile fitness level are better off using the Trams and the buses that also run around the roads.

The driver awaits her passengers.

The Wife walking round the village

The museum has many wonderful buildings from Homes to Businesses as well as churches, schools and other civic buildings.

Most are open for the visitor to step back in time and visit doctors rooms, a dentist, carpenters, engineers, shops etc all complete with the tools, items and possessions that the original occupants would have used.

 As well as the Trams and Buses there are also a couple of railway's offering short rides behind steam engines. There is also a garden railway which has regular operating sessions in the summer.

The farm buildings

Mine area

Most areas have characters that show you what life was like in the days that these buildings were in use. You can take part in a school day, watch artisans create various items and watch a band play in the village hall.

There are also various places to get meals and snacks plus the main shop which carries a lot of books, souvenirs, toys, sweets etc.

The museum certainly can keep a family happy for a whole day and more and with unlimited visits for a year you can revisit at any time and find all those bits you missed first time.

Well worth a visit or two.

Bus picking up outside the school

Visit to Scotland - Day 4 - BTCC Knockhill

Our final full day in Scotland was spent at the wonderful Knockhill racing circuit watching the Boy's of the British Touring Car do battle in their vehicles.

The AMD crew fettle their Audis

The circuit is on the edges of the highlands giving is a wonderful fast circuit with a lot of height variation as well as a lovely view across the Forth with its three bridges.

The racing was great and I wont give you a blow by blow account instead I will give you an idea of our day.

We were VIP's with the AMD team and spent most of our day in the TOCA tent which is built around their bus which houses the offices of the organisers so we got to see the naughty boys going to see the headmaster with books down the back of their trousers and there were quite a few of them.

The wife outside the TOCA tent.

For the first race we decided to go and stand trackside as the early rain had cleared. Despite the sun it was still rather cold but we enjoyed watching the cars and soaking up the wonderfull atmosphere and noise of these racing cars.

Breakfast having been consumed back at the TOCA facility and we were ready for race 2 and our grid walk.

Looking at the cars assembling on the grid and getting right into the action is a major attraction of the VIP experience.

Action as the team go to work on their car before the race

The cars assemble and the team's go to work with the wheels being changed on the front wheel drive cars where the fronts are swapped with the rears.

There is the hiss of compressed air as the cars go up on their jacks and the rattling of the wheel nut guns as wheels come off and are the refitted. The bang of the airlines then sounds as the car's come back down onto their wheels ready for the off.

The siren sounds and the VIP's are herded off the grid so the race can begin.

End of the race and the winners get their prizes.

After watching battle we gathered infront of the podium to watch the winners get their cup's and spray the champagne, much of which I got as second place was Ashley Sutton who knows me and aimed a good spray right at me!

We got back in time for our final cake and coffee and then we decided to spend watching the last race from on top of the hill behind the pits.

Good action

We enjoyed our day and we certainly hope to go

back again in a couple of years perhaps as part of a much longer holiday.

Justice League

This can honestly be called DC's Avengers Assemble but in the end any group will have an origin story and they are going to be rather similar although having a baddie with a horned helmet who teleports in via a beam of light is pushing that a bit far :-)

The team do have some parallels but I will forgive that as this film stands on its own as a great one, despite what some critics have said about it. The characters have their own reasons to be in the League and there is far less of the inter team problems that Avengers had which I like better.

The film has some great action and good set pieces with a team of actors that are very good and they all look right as their superhero personas.

Several other characters who were part of the comic book league are hinted at in the initial part of the film and that makes me feel excited for further movies.

So have DC matched Marvel yet? Not quite but they are easily better than many of the early Marvel offerings and not very far off the Avengers. Lets hope the naysayers do not kill this resurgence before we get more from the DC Universe as they have some of the best Superheroes in the comic world.

Please go see it, you will not be disappointed, oh and stay till the very end as there are two post credit scenes to enjoy and the second is the most important.

Thor Ragnarok

The Marvel Universe is getting bigger by the film and this is easily one of the best so far with lots of good action and a lighter feel to it even though there remains some darkness to the tale.

In the opening scene (featured in the trailer) we are treated to Thor telling us about his recent history whilst suspended in a cage above pools of lava. This sets the tone for the film when you discover who he is talking to.

Humor is front and center in this film and even the Hulk gets in on the act especially in a scene where Thor gets to see a lot more green than he would like!

The film is, for once, not Earth based with our home planet only being featured for a short time in the film where our hero gets to meet a rather special new friend.

The cast really deliver in this film with Hemsworth showing why he is so popular and Hiddleston reveling in the uide of the God of Mischief once more. My favourite however is Carl Urban who plays his part as a man who gets caught up in the whirlwind that envelopes Valhalla whilst trying to stay alive. He is certainly the most human character in the film.

So is the film worth seeing? Yes it is, I would give it 5 stars easily and put it on the You Have To See This One list without hesitation. Roll on Infinity Wars, I cant wait

Star Trek Discovery

This is a completely new series airing initially on Netflix and has a much larger budget than previous series and also has the advantage of cutting edge computer special effects.
This could have just been a special effects fest with no real plot but it has proved to be a lot more than that.

The cast is really great with no weak points so far and a really interesting plot arc that I will not reveal except to say that it involves a war with the Klingons and a very unusual device to help the Federation win the war.
From the first episode the tale has been told in a very interesting way and you feel a bond with the characters and genuinely want them to succeed in their various roles. with Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham showing that she is very capable of holding the whole thing together as the Vulcan trained officer in the first episode. Her story unfolds rapidly from then on and I will not spoil it.
The new star ship Discovery is rather smart looking and the crew is headed by Jason Isaacs as Captain Gabriel Lorca with very mixed crew of aliens and humans working to win the war.
If you have Netflix you can get a new episode every Monday, not sure if it is available elsewhere but I would have thought that it would be released at some point at least onto DVD.

Blade Runner 2049

Based 30 years after the original film we find a whole new breed of Replicants living on an even more ravaged Earth.
Through this Earthly Hell Ryan Gosling plays the Blade Runner this time but with a difference.
He still does the same job as Deckard did in the first film as he Retires the Nexus 8 Replicants created by the Tyrell Corporation but now with that corporation having gone it is replaced by a completely different and much more sinister company with its own agenda.

Old faces appear with Harrison Ford reprising his original role although most charcters are new and add interest and humanity to the non human.

The music is in line with the original and sometimes does get in the way of the dialog but it adds a unique feel to the film that helps it fit in with the original again.

Fans will be disappointed by the film I think, with some of the scenes really copying the look of the original whilst some draw a different  picture especially the solar farms at the start of the film. The closing scenes were some of my favourites and leave you wanting more.

Well worth seeing especially if you are a fan.

Kingsman - The Golden Circle.

The first Kingsman film established this as a harder hitting version of James Bond although in this version the Agents all work for a Gentlemens Tailor called Kingsman where they are equipped with all sorts of cool weapons and gadgets and where their various missions are controlled.

In this film this headquarters is quickly removed using rockets along with other key buildings leaving the survivors to seek help from their American cousins, Statesmen, who operate as a whisky company.
Their adversary, head of the Golden Circle and played by Julianne Moore, is a psychotic drug lord who has a master plan to get her illegal industry made legal, a plan that needs Kingsman out of the way and which personally involves one of the agents.

What follows is a brilliant roller coaster ride that really doesnt need you to pay attention to the plot or the huge holes in said plot, you simply hold tight and enjoy the ride which is great fun.

Oh and Elton John makes a rather brilliant appearance as one of the drug lords pets and he is a highlight of the film.

Is it worth seeing? Most certainly especially if you liked the first film you will not be disappointed.

Visit to Scotland - Day 3 - Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway

This very Scottish of preserved railways runs for 5 miles between Bo'ness and Manuel Junction.

A view of Bo'ness station from the footbridge

The Railway journey begins at Bo'ness station which has the Scottish Railway Museum next to it, more of that later, plus its own running sheds all of which can be visited.

Bo'ness has an overall roof and trains depart from underneath this structure and pull out on their journey past the closed harbour on the right and follows the line of the A904, Union Street.

To the right, once past the harbour, the Forth can be viewed with the various ships that use it easily spotted through the trees.

The loco runs round its train at Manuel.

Not far out of Bo'ness station the train enters the lineside halt of Kinniel with its basic platform and passing loop.

The line now follows a heavily wooded route through some open farm land and industrial areas although it never looks ugly.

As the line approaches the oil refinery on the right hand side it turns to the left and heads into the countryside.

It then passes under a farm road and into Birkhill Halt which also has a passing loop.

The BP Refinery flares off.

Further along the line we pass over the River Avon and then under the M9. From here, if you look to the right, you can see the terminus at Manuel which is next to the Mainline . The line turns right into Manuel where you can alight to watch the loco run around its train. There is no access to this station so once the train is ready passenegers get back on for the run back to Bo'ness.

The throat of Bo'ness station and the harbour.

Back at Bo'ness we had a look around the yard on our way to the Scottish Railway Museum.

The yard has some interesting pieces of Scottish railway stock most of which, unfortunately, is not in great condition although lots of work is being done on some of it.

As we walked around the yard we visited their O gauge model railway housed in two MK1 BR coaches. It is well worth a visit with its neat detail and sound equipped model locos adding another element to the models.

A classic Scottish multiple unit under restoration.

We walked further round the yard to the back end of the shed complex furthest away from the station and, surprisingly, found two class 68 diesels one of which was brand new. I think they are there for training but didnt get confirmation of that.

The yard is typical of any preserved line with loads of wheelsets, body parts and bogies along with a surprisingly large collection of signal and point work equipment.

A covered wagon in my personal favourite livery.

We then reached the entry to the Scottish Railway Museum where we found a wonderful collection of locomotives, rolling stock and lots and lots of other railway paraphernalia. The displays are interesting and well presented, there is even a wheel tapping display!

All in all the railway is most certainly worth a visit and includes a reasonable shop and a nice cafe. The ride is interesting and picturesque and well worth the fare.

Visit to Scotland - Day 3 - Bo'ness Motor Museum

We had planned on having a ride on the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway but on the way we happened upon the Motor Museum although we almost missed it as the brown sign in the direction we were going was on the ground having fallen off its pole. A quick U turn and we were safely in their car park.

Lots of interest and surprisingly clean 

 It is an unusual place as it shares building space with the local undertaker which takes up most of the frontage.

Lovely old Austin

The Wife met Mr Bond.

The museum is not that big however a lot of stuff has been displayed and it is not dusty and looking like it has been dumped in place and left there for years.

The cars are wonderful and beautifully maintained with some interesting models including one from Harry Potter, one from The Saint and several from James Bond.

Del Boy's Reliant

The cars are accompanied by memorabilia and props from various films which adds extra interest.

There is also a small balcony area with lots of film and TV memorabilia including a full size Tardis.

The museum is certainly worth a look and there is far more than I have described or shown in the pictures.

Visit to Scotland - Day 2 - The Kelpies

After our visit to the Falkirk Wheel we drove a few miles along the canal to the Helix Park. The park is a nice place to visit with its open spaces and the canal running through it but the biggest attraction is the gigantic

The Kelpies

statues, the Kelpies.

Kelpies are aquatic spirits that appear in different forms to lure people into the river where they drown them and eat their victim. One form would be horses that attract people to have a ride on their backs where they sticky fir holds them so the Kelpie can achieve its aim.

One of the statues seen from the canal side

Despite the rather gruesome tale the Kelpie Statues are simply stunning. They tower over the area from their canal side location and when the sun comes out they are certainly a sight worth seeing.

There is a nice cafe and gift shop with wonderful views of the
Kelpies along with a couple of specialist shops right in the shadow of the horse heads.

The canal is a pleasant place to take a walk however the horse heads will hold your attention always.

There is plenty of parking room and away from the Kelpies there is plenty to interest families with play ground and open areas for games and picnics.

I would certainly recommend a visit to the park and, if the weather is kind, perhaps spend some time in the area enjoying the facilities.

Visit to Scotland - Day 2 - Falkirk Wheel

Day 2 of our long weekend saw us waking up in Dunfermline after a bit of a nightmare journey the previous evening when we were caught up in a huge traffic jam getting across the Forth Road Bridge.

After a nice breakfast we set off, under gray skies, on a short journey to visit the Falkirk Wheel and have a boat ride on it.

Our initial view of the wheel

The Wheel is a boat lift built to link the Forth and Clyde canal's and replaced 11 locks that closed in the 1930's and are now covered by other developments. The lift can take up to 8 boats, 4 in each caisson  and takes only about the power of 9 kettles boiling to move half a revolution.

The site is really set up for tourists with a large visitor center featuring a shop packed with the normal Scottish gifts. There is also a cafe selling hot and cold drinks plus hot food at reasonable prices.

A view of one of the ends of the wheel

We booked into a ride on one of the two canal boats that give trips up the lift and through the tunnel at the top. We had about an hour to wait for our trip and so we had a very pleasant coffee in the cafe and watched the wheel rotate as the preceding trips went on their way.

I also had a nice look around the site and took some pictures once a heavy rain shower blew over.

Then it was our turn to board our boat and take a trip on the wheel.

A view across the marina of the wheel.

The boat is rather large and takes a large number of passengers with plenty of windows although the rain did restrict the view somewhat.

The boat entered the lift once it had finished its previous movement and once in place the gate at the end closed trapping the load of water in place. We had to wait a short while as the other tourist boat plus a narrow boat where loaded.

A view of the short tunnel at the top of the lift.

Once on the move the journey takes about 5 minutes and is extraordinarily smooth.

Once at the top there is a short wait as the gate is opened and the boat is allowed on its way.

We first take a trip across the viaduct that joins the lift to the hillside and then into a short tunnel before reaching a small basin where the boat turns around for the return journey.

The basin at the top 

Leading out of this basin is another couple of lock's that takes the boats up to the level of the Union Canal.

The return journey is the same as the way out just on reverse although you do get a good view of the scenery once on the viaduct and in the lift, or at least it is if the weather is good which it wasnt at the time of our trip. We were able to see our next destination as the Kelpies could be seen in the middle distance.

The lift in action 

 I would certainly recommend a visit to the wheel and a ride on it if you have the time as it is not expensive. Have a walk around the site and it is a nice area with a large water park playground for the kids where they can operate different water pumps, canal gates and other mechanisms without getting wet.

Once our visit was done we went back to the car to drive a short distance along the canal to visit Helix Park and the Kelpies.

Visit to Scotland - Day 1

The last time I visited Scotland does not hold happy memories for me, not down to the beautiful part of the British Isles but rather down to the fact that I had to rush back home as my Dad was dying. 

This visit was far more enjoyable and we managed to visit two non-Scottish destinations on our long journey to the North and back home again.

A view of the yard with the main building in the background.

The first of these was a visit to the National Railway Museum's facility at Shildon, somewhere I have been meaning to go ever since the Great Gathering on the surviving A4 Pacific locomotives in 2013 when the museum hosted the Great Goodbye as the American and Canadian loco's went back to their respective museum's.

The museum building is an impressive train shed with lots of space for displaying the National Collection such as the Prototype Deltic, the forerunner of BR's class 55 diesel locomotive.

The Deltic prototype diesel-electric locomotive

There is also the prototype APT, a monstrous gas turbine powered beast that featured tilting coaches and ran at 150mph during its testing.

Along with several beautiful steam locomotives the museum has much interest for the enthusiast.

One slight problem for the photographer is that they are parked in lines as they would be in a traditional locomotive shed, making photography difficult. Also some items are hidden between the rows which is a shame.

Sans Pareil replica (the original is also in the museum)

The displays also include items of rolling stock plus a display of model railway items including a complete layout of OO gauge tinplate.

Outside there is a short line on which rides are available on certain days (see the official website for details).

Following the demo line out of the yard brings you past the coal drops, a large structure that requires a lot of work to make it safe. There is also a goods shed and other buildings further up the line but time was tight and I was not able to visit them.

There is also a large play area for the kids with railway themed play items.

The museum also has a well stocked shop with a large amount of model railway stock plus there is a small cafe area serving food at a decent price.

All in all it is a nice museum that has lots to offer for the family as well as the enthusiast.

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman

This is a film that many people, myself included, have been looking forward to for many years. Wonder Woman has obviously been tackled several times but not to a standard that would satisfy fans. Now, after she initially appeared in Batman v Superman, she has her own movie. 

The film is an origins one showing where Diana came from and how she discovered her super powers. Although the film is set in the time of the Second World War it does begin and end in current times with an old photograph providing the anchor for the story.

So was it any good? Hell yes, we now have a believable heroine who we are looking forward to seeing more of. The action was good with CGI used where needed but not overpowering the film. Gal Gadot is gorgeous and has the physique to pull off the character and she can act which is not always a given nowdays. Chris Pine is very good as the man whos life Diana saves and who draws her into the real world away from her Amazon origins. He is certainly the weaker of the two although he and his friends are the anchors for Diana as she tries to understand the 'modern' world.

Its a film that has finally thrown of DC's reputation for lacklustre films and puts them on par with Marvel at least as far as this film is concerned. Lets hope they keep it up.  

Auto Italia at Brooklands Museum

After seeing an advert for this event and needing something to do on the May Day Bank Holiday Saturday we booked tickets and hit the M25 towards the Museum at the historic Brooklands Motor Racing Circuit.

We saw several Italian supercars on the motorway and then we joined a long queue of them going into the circuit.

I do think that Brooklands Museum didnt realise how popular this event would be and the traffic jams were quite long at times heading into the facility. This does seem to be a problem of sorts when advertising on Facebook, other events we have visited have suffered the same problems.

Once into the museum, which was easy once we got past the entrance for exhibitors, we were parked in the car parks used by the local offices and from there had a short walk to the museum entrance.

The museum used as much of the free space as possible to display cars and we had the treat of lines of cars ranged along the historic banking. Cars were posed under the planes including the Concorde as well as in front of the garages and museum buildings.

There was everything from Fiat 500's through to Ferrari's and Lambourghini's. Motorbikes were also represented and the museum also displayed a few of their own vehicles. The museum buildings were also open for visitors and there were plenty of food stalls open to keep us happy.

There were demonstrations by many cars on the Mercedes World track plus the Silver Arrows put on their usual display on the skid pan something they are very good.

Here are a few pictures from the day.