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Vic Patterson

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Posts posted by Vic Patterson

    Final Vulcan bomber flight

    in Motors & Motoring

    Posted

    For anyone wishing to see this spectacular, quite extraordinary old girl in flight (note - this is weekend is NOT the final flight, but almost certainly the last time she will be seen in these parts) she is following a path that includes a low level flypast at Newcastle Airport then a straight route approximately following  the A1 with a flypast at Eshott Airfield. I am probably heading to the latter. The details can be found at http://www.vulcantothesky.org/ - no times have been released yet but it will be pm, I will keep you posted. This aircraft was part of my young life, having been built at the airfield close to my childhood home, and it will be an emotional moment to see her for the last time. What is also extraordinary is that the testbed prototype for the Vulcan design - the Avro 707, essentially a third-scale Vulcan - first flew in 1949; think about that - it's just four years after WW2; the Vulcan itself first flew in '52, itself an incredible achievment.

     

    Go and see her; she's worth it.

    That was quite an era for experimental aircraft, Fairey Delta 1-2 Boulton Paul 110-120, Armstrong Whitworth, Handley Page and lots more, we led the world in aircraft development , swept wing, swing wings, hovercraft , vtol, stol, supersonic, oh well can not live in the past!

    Coal Mining

    in History Hollow

    Posted

    Sym,a forgot to mention that most underground roadways will have deteriorated badly,due to being flooded,and with a lack of maintenace,crushing will have occurred.

    This is where investment would be needed most,re-modelling the access roads,which,at Bates,went inbye 12 miles under the North Sea.

    When pits were working,they always had sets of "Back-bye", or "Back-Caunch"-men,whose job it was to ridd falls of roof-stone,repair the roadways,put new supports in,or,like Bates pit,and Choppington High Pit,turn bent [straight] girders upside down,and re-install them,with bent side up-over!

    .....rather than put new girders in!

    Basic house-keeping,but very necessary,to keep roadways in good shape.

    It's a bit different here in the mountains HPW, the mine put a conveyor through the mountain to bring the coal to the Prep plant and train load-out. A few years ago the mine closed for quite a while when it changed hands, when it re-opened the tunnel was unusable, the floor had heaved up to the roof! it was abandoned and now they haul the coal.

    Church Lane

    in Talk of the Town

    Posted · Edited by Vic Patterson

    Possibly because of the time difference?

    Possibly because of the time difference?

    Could be, I don,t check between 6am and 2ish most days! (Bedlington time")

    Church Lane

    in Talk of the Town

    Posted

    Thanks Maggie, I think I detect your frustration, understandably so. I'm amazed at the amount of traffic I see on the web cam, here we cry "traffic lights†(jokingly) if we have to stop for three vehicles! where else can two oncoming drivers stop in the middle of the road for a chat and traffic just wave and roll around them!

    I like your line of thought Canny lass, should I be fortunate to make another visit home I'd be very disappointed if I didn't get to put a few faces to the names of our long distance friends. I watch the cam quite a lot but have never seen a a wave. :(

    Lets get him!

    in Chat Central

    Posted

    I accept your explanation why they have their customs and traditions regarding their dress code Canny lass, but I think the link to terrorism is what people fear, whether it is justified or not.

    When I came to this country I accepted its customs and traditions and do my best to bide by them as I'm sure you did, but that didn't change my personal beliefs, in my house we are just ordinary Geordies but outside we try to be good Canadian citizens, but today more and more immigrants being in the minority are DEMANDING more than equality which often offends the less fortunate citizens.

    I think education and understanding is required!

    • Like 2

    Lets get him!

    in Chat Central

    Posted

    I don't think its the Burka that is the real issue I think it is the hiding of the face from identification. I'm told it's not a religious requirement so that should make it easier to resolve.

    Many places have banned the total covering the face in normal circumstances, no hoodies over the face, no masks or ski masks. We have a case before the courts right now, a Citizenship court refused to allow a woman take part in the ceremony until she removed her face covering, both sides claimed the other side was not respecting their culture! I can guess who will win that one!

    Facial identification is a big part of todays security, drivers licences, security I.D. Airline travel etc. until the other forms of identification become practical e.g. retina, and fingerprint I think facial I.D. is a must, it can be done discreetly. Q. Do the woman covering their faces still have to go through the body x-ray scan at airports?

    It wasn't long ago the issue was turbans.

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