Land Rover Experience North Yorkshire’s new Heritage Driving Experience

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Land Rover Experience North Yorkshire’s new Heritage Driving Experience

We all know that the Land Rover brand has an enviable heritage. From the expediency of the basic design of the Series One, a vehicle that was initially little more than a temporary fix, the Rover Company and its subsequent incarnations have created not only some of the world’s finest 4x4 vehicles but instilled the sense of adventure in generations of owners. From the earliest days, the company offered the opportunity to experience the ‘breadth of capabilities’ of the vehicles and train owners and explorers to drive off road.

The North Yorkshire Experience Centre franchise has recently changed hands and new owners Nick and Jonathan Rumboll are very aware of the broad appeal. They are active in the countryside community and even though they enjoy driving vehicles from the luxury end of the scale, they are very connected to the nostalgia of the brand. Not only that, the majority of Land Rover Experience instructors are true brand enthusiasts and have their own tales of what inspired them to join the team. It’s not just a job, it’s a way of life, almost a vocation, many own Defenders and this enthusiasm is reflected in their instruction.

Subsequently the decision to establish a heritage fleet at Land Rover Experience North Yorkshire and offer a Heritage Driving Experience was made very early on in the business future planning; to take guests on a hands-on exploration of Land Rover history from Series One to New Defender. The Heritage Driving Experience offers the guest the opportunity to drive a 1953 Series One 86in, a 1997 Wolf 90, a 2015 Defender 110 XS Station Wagon and to come right up to date, a New Defender. This is a proper history tour of Land Rover development from basic leaf spring utility, squaddie proof functionality, country set rugged comfort to modern gentleman farmer or adventurer of the future.

The poster boy of the new experience is ‘Ernie’ the Series 1. Powered by a standard 1997cc ioe petrol engine, it is a perfect introduction to leaf sprung Land Rovers. Basic, characterful, simple

to judge every corner and a proper nostalgia trip. All our instructors at Land Rover Experience North Yorkshire have been impressed with just how competent it is.

Our instructors all have vast experience in newer vehicles on the tracks round the Broughton Hall site and are skilful drivers so they soon learned to trust and respect the plucky little vehicle. It has recently had a recommission with new springs and it coped remarkably well on the ‘mini rock crawl’, trickling over the bumps on tick-over, the small skinny 600-16 tyres making the non-assisted steering remarkably light. The basic red and yellow 4x4 controls are very different to the buttons on the modern cars but ‘first low’ with the freewheeling hubs locked provided ample retardation on the regular steep rocky drop offs. A bit of experimentation with double declutching soon had most drivers feeling confident that gear crunches should be the exception rather than the rule. The narrow track width makes the 35degree side slope feel rather uncomfortable but it never felt like it was beyond its capabilities. The only time you realise the limitations of the vehicle is driving over the ‘moguls’, a series of deep undulations to test axle articulation and traction control systems. Cross-axled with wheels waving in the air, there is nothing else for it than to use a bit of old school momentum – second low with steady throttle control saw the obstacle conquered.

‘The Wolf’ or the centre’s TUL XD is a fantastic example of the iconic heavy-duty military coil spring variant. Officially the Truck Utility Light Extra Duty, Wolf was the code name for the development of this high specification model. To the casual observer, it looks like a pretty standard 90 but under the skin it’s super heavy duty. Mike Hemingway our Land Rover trained expert mechanic tells us it has a heavy-duty chassis, a reinforced rear axle, a roll cage, 24v electrics, a fibreglass roof for the FFR (fitted for radio) system and fitted with heavy duty wheels fitted with Goodyear G90 tyres. The vehicle became an iconic symbol of British forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and was in service from 1998 to 2013. Powered by the 300Tdi engine, it is the last of the pre-electronically controlled vehicles and nicely combines the sparseness of the Series One with the relative comfort of coil springs. Therefore, it’s no surprise that on places like moguls that these coil springs come into their own. It’s all very much a visceral hands-on experience though, it’s still knobs and levers on the transmission controls on the R380 gearbox with permanent 4x4 with a centre diff lock. Like the Series One, it requires significant driver input - when it comes to the rough stuff and ascending steep rocky climbs, it needs to be ‘driven’ – reading the ground, judging when to power on and off. The feeling of robustness and dependability is simply quite staggering.

Last of the old classics is The X3 LRE, the last ‘old’ Puma Defender to arrive at the centre in the final year of production. It’s an XS 110 Station Wagon and represents the zenith of evolution of the utility Land Rover. Half leather heated seats, electric windows, a heater that actually works, traction control, electrically controlled engine management system, alloy wheels and a radio you can actually hear! Even so, you can’t escape the fact that the basic engineering was developed in the 1970s. It’s the last bastion of the make do and mend British automotive industry – the whole vehicle ethos was to do just enough development to be viable. That doesn’t make it bad, it gives it charm and soul and flies in the face of constant reinvention for its own sake. It’s almost the Peter Pan of the 4x4 world – it never gets old but is a classic in its own time. In terms of off-road ability, the competence of the Wolf is supplemented with simple electronic driving aids. It’s still all about a partnership between vehicle and machine but you are surrounded by a modicum of comfort. On the steep descents, the extra-low first gear fantastic control, the traction control makes cross axle situations less of a problem and the anti-stall makes the vehicle feel unstoppable on steep ascents.

Lastly to “The New Kid on the block” the New Defender! The company had to move on and build a vehicle that reflected the changing times – and yet it still has so much of the old vehicle DNA in it. The vehicle has an air of rugged quality about it – not so much luxury but comfortable functionality. The dashboard is clearly modern but the structure really does reflect the original pre-Puma style. The interior can be washed out, a commercial version is available and it’s not the ‘mall crawler’ that the detractors say it is. Off road it is simply awesome and effortless – it goes places that an old school vehicle in standard form would never go.

The Heritage Driving Experience is now live and can be booked – for more information call the office at Land Rover Experience North Yorkshire on N 01756 611060, check out the website D www.yorkshire.landroverexperience.co.uk, email E info@lre3.co.uk or check out the Land Rover Experience North Yorkshire F Facebook and I Instagram pages.

Stunning Conference Space available to book now!

Day Delegate Rates from £30 per person

THE BATTLE OF LOS ANGELES WWII UFO Photo gets a 21st Century Analysis

By Jason Gleaves, Ufologist.

Red Alert... Battle Stations, widespread panic soon spread across Los Angeles, like a scene from the latest Hollywood blockbuster disaster movie...but this was not modern day, it was during 1942...

When an enormous Illuminated Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) appeared moving slowly over the California skyline in Culver City and Santa Monica authorities soon realized this huge unknown object was not part of their own fleet and so began the famous Battle over L.A.

America had only just joined the WWII campaign three months prior and assumed they were under attack from either the Japanese Air Force or the German Luftwaffe, little did they know the object could have possibly come from a more far distant place, maybe out of this world...

The U.S. Army started its constant non-stop bombardment firing thousands of artillery rounds at the unknown object, all to no avail, the first shots rang out starting late evening on the 24th of February and continued well into the early hours of the 25th.

Considering the duration which elapsed and thousands of people who witnessed the unforgettable event there aren’t many clear quality photographs available to analyze, the one true detailed image available had been taken at the time by a newspaper photographer (working for the Los Angeles Examiner).

Speaking at a public press conference shortly after the event secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox called the unbelievable incident a “false alarm”, trying to playing down the event. Newspapers of the time published a number of reports and speculations of a mass cover-up, almost similar to the later famous 1947 UFO incident at Roswell, New Mexico again later changing the original reported facts and details. A few years later when documenting the dramatic incident, the United States Coast Artillery Association identified the unknown object as a meteorological balloon sent up at 1:00am that initially “started all the shooting” and concluded that “once the firing started, imagination

created all kinds of targets in the sky and everybody joined in”.

Much later during 1983, the U.S. Office of Air Force History attributed the incident to a case of obvious anxiety and “war nerves” triggered by a reported of a lost rogue weather balloon and exacerbated by stray flares and bright shell bursts from adjoining ground batteries.

A total all out ‘Blackout’ was ordered and thousands of air-raid wardens were summoned to their ready battle positions.

At 3:16 am the 37th Coast Artillery Brigade began firing .50 calibre machine guns and 12.8-pound anti-aircraft shells at the reported unidentified object; over 1,400 shells would eventually be fired at the object in total.

Air Force pilots of the 4th Interceptor Command Squadron were alerted and put on standby but their aircraft remained grounded. The artillery fire continued sporadically until 4:14 am. when the “all clear” was finally sounded and the total blackout order lifted at 7.21 am. Several buildings and vehicles were severely damaged by falling shell fragments and five civilians died as an indirect result of the anti-aircraft fire: three killed in car accidents in the ensuing chaos and two of heart attacks attributed to the stress of the action.

The incident was frontpage news along the U.S. Pacific coast and earned some mass media coverage throughout the nation.

Upon analysing the best quality image available in more detail using up-todate digital enhancement software, it brings to life and enhances the never seen before detail of the object revealing its in-depth features surrounding the structure, which importantly raise more questions as to its original origin.

The photograph of the initial incident was taken over the Los Angeles area at night over an estimated area of five miles. Standard aircraft search lights where located at strategic locations around the city because of the high threat of air raids. A searchlight (or spotlight) is an apparatus that combines an extremely luminous source (traditionally a carbon arc lamp) with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direction usually constructed so that it can be swivelled for ease of use to locate a desired designated target. During WWII standard military searchlight models were manufactured by General Electric and by the Sperry Company. These were mostly of 60 inch (152.4 cm) diameter with rhodium plated parabolic mirror, reflecting a carbon arc discharge. Peak output was a huge 800,000,000 candela, extremely intense, It was generally powered by a 15 kW generator and had an effective visible beam of 28 to 35 miles (45 to 56 km) in clear low humidity (quite a long range) so quite capable of highlighting the unknown object located above the Californian sky for the artillery batteries on the ground to locate and fire at.

Central in the original image which was analysed is a large illuminated object which appears stationary but we have confirmation from witnesses that it was moving at a steady constant speed and transit also show in the original image are multiple smaller flashes of light (exploding artillery shells) surrounding it’s entirety together with the numerous searchlight beams crisscrossing across the sky possibly looking for more unknown aerial objects.

The unknown object eventually moved at a steady speed over nearby Long Beach area and vanished out of view over the Palos Verdes hills as the guns finally fell silent.

CASE VERDICT UNIDENTIFIED: still to this day the object is unidentified I have inverted and filtered the original available source image to analysis and enhance the detail using up-to-date enhancement techniques.

Jason Gleaves, author of ‘UFO PHOTO’ and ‘The Ufology Umbrella’ published by Flying Disk Press- available on Amazon in paperback and kindle format.

NearlyFAMOUS

BY WAYNE PAULO, CEO STORM MUSIC COMPOSER, NUJ PHOTOGRAPHER AND AUTHOR

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME SINCE I WROTE NEARLY FAMOUS?

Well, I did my first Country Western Album. I went through all my original songs, it took me a year to record the eleven songs to put on the album “Wayne my own kinda Country”, using a computer and a software program called Band In The Box to help me make my music sound great. I was already a Publisher and I did a deal with Routenote, a company to get my album on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Things were looking okay.

The day after I released my new album on iTunes... I HAD A STROKE!

It has taken me three years to write about my experiences. First I had to recover from the problems I had with my cognition, memory and my bad grammar, (it’s still bad). So I’ve finally got around to it, now I know what the problems were!

I wanted to write about my hospital problems so you might want to go the page 10 to miss this next paragraph and go where I think it gets better!

Going back to were I was before the Stroke, I had been having problems with my health, so the doctor told me to go to the TIA department at the hospital to be assessed (I wasn’t happy doctors and hospitals frighten me).

I went into the room where the nurse said she was going to check my arteries. I got out of there with no problems and we went into the doctors office to see what is wrong. The doctor said “I have bad news for you” and straightaway I started to pass out. I think I saw an examination bed and I just made it over to it before I completely blacked out. I woke up surrounded by doctors, (according to my wife, half the Hospital doctors had turned up), I then spent the whole day in the emergency room and worried what would happen to me!

A doctor looked at me and said they would keep me in overnight, then they took me down to the Stroke ward.

The nurse said the doctor will make his mind in the morning, be this time I thought there was nothing wrong with me I could talk, I had dinner there, my wife and daughter finally got the see me there, I think there were more stress from them than me, I thought I was in Hospital with doctors I would be alright!

The next day the doctor from the Stroke ward told me they were keeping me in for further checks and sent me to have my blood tested, I think they put a colour dye in your blood and ex-ray you to see where it goes, I still don’t know! The doctor checked on me every day for a week, eventually he told me I needed an operation but the surgeons were off because they had colds, so he sent me home for two weeks!

Obviously in two weeks I went back to the hospital and met the surgeon at his office in the TIA department. We talked about the operation and he told me I would loose feelings in my ear and my cheek he then said it would be about two weeks before he could do it. Then he sent me into another room to check my arteries again. The nurse put something on my neck and guess what, I passed out straight away and I ended back in the Stroke Epilogue ward! The surgeon visited me straight away in the ward What has happened to me since I wrote Nearly Famous? and said “Tomorrow I’m gonna to operate on you and perform a carotid endarterectomy”, that’s another word I Well, I did my first Country Western Album. I went through all my original songs, it took me a year to record the eleven songs to can’t pronounce! Basically one of my arteries had blocked put on the album “Wayne my own kinda Country”, using a computer up completely and the second one was 96% blocked, I and a software program called Band In The Box to help me make my music sound great. I was already a Publisher and I did a deal with only had 4% oxygen going to my brain, so they wanted to Routenote, a company to get my album on iTunes, Amazon and operate on the second one immediately! Spotify. Things were looking okay. The day after I released my new album on iTunes ……

The next day they wheeled me! (I was on a bed), into I HAD A STROKE! the operating waiting room. The nurse asked me if I It has taken me three years to write about my experiences. First I wanted him to tell me when they were going to do it, I had to recover from the problems I had with my cognition, memory said “No! Just put me to sleep without telling me”, that’s and my bad grammar, (it’s still bad). So I’ve finally got around to it, the last time I could talk properly! now I know what the problems were! I wanted to write about my hospital problems so you might want to go the page 10 to miss this next paragraph and go where I think it gets better! www.lancmag.com

be able to talk, obviously I could not but she convinced me I would. hospital to have a operation on my Carotid Arteries, they put a tube The next day she came again to see me, somehow she managed to (called a stent) in my artery so that my blood would get to my brain! talk, obviously I could not but she convinced me I would. me straight away in the ward and said “Tomorrow I’m gonna to operate on you and perform a carotid endarterectomy”, make me make a noise, I think several times, it was still a noise and my pills ready to go. My wife came down to pick me up and we had one Don’t laugh unfortunately some of blood did get through, During that’s another word I can’t pronounce! Basically one of my she said it would take time. The next day she came again to see last meeting with Speech Therapist.that operation I had a Stroke, that left me with Speech Apraxia, if arteries had blocked up completely and the second one was 96% blocked, I only had 4% oxygen going to my brain, so they me, somehow she managed to make me make a noise, I think several She gave us 24 sheets of A4 paper with single words on and sentences you don’t know what that is it effects your motor speech, increased times, it was still a noise and she said it would take time. Then I was wheeled back into the Stroke ward (I was still in a bed), and then let us leave the ward. So that was it, after 5 days I was out of difficulty with longer words, sentences and words with complex

Then I was wheeled back into the The next day they wheeled me! (I was on a bed), into the buy this time I knew I could think, react and move, a bit wobbly on the hospital. sound structures, see there nothing to it but I am still struggling with Stroke ward (I was still in a bed), by operating waiting room. The nurse asked me if I wanted him my feet but at least I could walk to the toilet. The doctor checked on The day after I released my new that! this time I knew I could think, react and move, a bit wobbly on my feet but at least I could walk to the toilet. The doctor checked on me everyday to tell me when they were going to do it, I said “No! Just put me to sleep without telling me”, thats the last time I could talk me everyday and I had my blood tested again, the one where they put a colour dye in your blood and ex-ray you to see where it goes, album on iTunes, I went into to the hospital to have a operation on my Carotid Arteries, they put a tube (called a stent) in my artery so that As soon as we got home, we looked at the and I had my blood tested again, the one where they put a colour dye I woke up back in the waiting room after the operation but they have never told me the results, again! my blood would get to my brain! Speech and Language Therapy list. We started I woke up back in the waiting room after the operation but I was a bit fuzzy for a long time. The surgeon came to check on me, he checked I could move my arms but I couldn’t speak, they then took me to another recovery ward and left me in a corner for about an hour before two nurses came in to do my bed. They asked what my name was! I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t write and the nurses didn’t know why I was in there! At that time I thought I had died I was in a alternative reality! They went away for another hour, well it felt like that, eventually the surgeon found me (yes he found me) he wanted to check on me again. He talked to the nurses about me and 30 minutes later I was moved to another recovery ward, at that time I was thinking there gonna run out of wards! in your blood and ex-ray you to see where it goes, they have never told me the results, again! My wife and my daughter came in everyday to see me but it was a problem to ask for anything as I still couldn’t speak or write, motions were the only thing I could do! They changed the room I was in three times as more people who had strokes came in with more problems than me. In the second room, I was put in a bed next to a patient who was screaming all night, remember I still couldn’t talk and I was not able to tell the nurse anything without trying to motion with my hands so it was very frustrating! The last room they moved me to was one on my own. Eventually I had an idea and managed to motion to my girls that I needed a dictionary, I thought I could point at the words so they knew what I was a bit fuzzy for a long time. The surgeon came to check on me, he checked I could move my arms but I could’t speak, they then took me to another recovery ward and left me in a corner for about an hour before two nurses came in to do my bed. They asked what my name was! I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t write and the nurses didn’t know why I was in there! At that time I thought I had died I was in a alternative reality! They went away for another hour, well it felt like that, eventually the surgeon found me (yes he found me) he wanted to check on me again. He talked to the nurses about me and 30 minutes later I was moved to another recovery ward, at that time They settled me in and by now I knew I couldn’t talk to the nurse or ask questions. Now I was more worried about my family and if they knew were I was, the nurse opened the curtains and around the corner walked my wife Estelle and my daughter Danielle, they had been waiting for a long time to see me and they didn’t know I The surgeon came to check on me the next day to see if I could My wife and my daughter came in everyday to see me but it was a problem to ask for anything as I still couldn’t speak or write, motions were the only thing I could do! They changed the room I was in three times as more people who had strokes came in with more problems than me. In the second room, I was put in a bed next to a patient who was screaming all night, remember I still couldn’t talk and I was not able to tell the nurse anything without trying to motion with my hands so it was very frustrating! The last room they moved me to was one on my own. Eventually I had an idea and managed to motion to my girls that I needed a dictionary, I thought I could point at the words so they knew what I trying to say to them. The next day the doctor came in and said that was all they could Don’t laugh unfortunately some of blood did get through, During that operation I had a Stroke, that left me with Speech Apraxia, if you don’t know what that is it effects your motor speech, increased difficulty with longer words, sentences and words with complex sound structures, see there nothing to it but I am still struggling with that! by working on my vowel sounds. Estelle had to speak the words to me and the instructions were written like this; “Ask Wayne to copy the following sounds… Ask Wayne to watch how you move your mouth as you say the sound, ar, ay, ee... Practise saying ‘m’ (like a hum). Remind Wayne to put his lips together first. See if Wayne can copy a ‘m’ followed by a vowel from the list above e.g. mar”. At this point I want to thank Estelle for putting in so much time for helping me, without her I wouldn’t be speaking today, she made it fun as well, looking at her pronouncing words made us both laugh, we were in hysterics when I started trying to speak. We then moved on to the single words, Estelle would speak the words and I would mimic her. Then she said move your tongue to help pronounce and make it sounds better. We were doing okay until 3 They settled me in and by now I knew I couldn’t talk to the nurse or ask questions. Now I was more worried about my family and if they knew were I was, the nurse opened the curtains and around the corner walked my wife Estelle and my daughter Danielle, they had been waiting for a long time to see me and they didn’t know I couldn’t talk, I had to motion that I couldn’t speak! The surgeon came to check on me EPILOGUE move my arms (I think moving my arm was so he could check for a heart attack) but I still couldn’t speak. Through waving motions I got him to ask the nurses to take off the urine drainage bag because I do for me in the hospital and that they needed the bed, so the nurse then changed my bandages and gave me my pills ready to go. My wife came down to pick me up and we had one last meeting with Speech Therapist. She gave us 24 sheets of A4 paper with I trying to say to them. As soon as we got home, we looked at the Speech and Language Therapy list. We started by working on my vowel sounds. Estelle had to speak the words to me and the instructions were written like this; “Ask Wayne to copy the following sounds… Ask Wayne to watch how you move your mouth as you say the sound, ar, ay, ee... Practise saying ‘m’ (like a hum). Remind Wayne to put his lips together first. See if Wayne I started to say “Hippopotamus” we were on the floor laughing. It was hard for me, it was like a child learning speak, some of the words I’m still having trouble with words like, genealogy, hereditary and differentiate, if you have read my book I didn’t have much schooling at all! There is a TV advert that really annoys me, grown up people the next day to see if I could move my arms (I think moving my arm single words on and sentences and can copy a ‘m’ followed by a vowel from the list above e.g. mar”. talking like kiddies about the sweets they are eating, I used to talk was so he could check for a heart attack) but I still couldn’t speak. Through waving motions I got him to ask the nurses to take off the urine drainage bag because I was having trouble peeing, as that was really hurting me. During that morning a Speech Therapist came in to see me and assess if I would be able to then let us leave the ward. So that was it, after 5 days I was out of the hospital. The next day the doctor came in and said that was all they could do for me in the hospital and that they needed the bed, so the nurse then changed my bandages and gave me At this point I want to thank Estelle for putting in so much time for helping me, without her I wouldn’t be speaking today, she made it fun as well, looking at her pronouncing words made us both laugh, we were in hysterics when I started trying to speak. like that sometimes I still do!

“I started to say ‘Hippopotamus’ we were on the floor laughing!”

Since then I have done a YouTube video stating what my problems Since then I have done a YouTube video stating what my problems are https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en7iYj5dIdQ&t=17s are https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en7iYj5dIdQ&t=17s

I used to write my own original songs (I still do but it is harder I used to write my own original songs (I still do but it is harder now) and I play a rhythm guitar badly! So I put my songs out to see if now) and I play a rhythm guitar badly! So I put my songs out to see if I could still play and sing. Remembering the chords and how to play I could still play and sing. Remembering the chords and how to play them took me some time but eventually it started to work, I worked them took me some time but eventually it started to work, I worked on three songs every day until I thought I got them right.

Six months after I had the Stroke I released my first single on Six months after I had the Stroke I released my first single on iTunes “Hear The Wind Blow”, to my amazement I could sing better iTunes “Hear The Wind Blow”, to my amazement I could sing better that I could talk! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdEK_wg8OqY that I could talk! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdEK_wg8OqY

We then moved on to the single I had to wait two months before words, Estelle would speak the I got to go to see a speech therapist words and I would mimic her. Then as an outpatient. It was once a week she said move your tongue to help but by then I was already improving. pronounce and make it sounds better. I’ve never been good at schooling We were doing okay until I started but through my experience I have to say “Hippopotamus” we were on learnt all about communication and the floor laughing. It was hard for cognition. me, it was like a child learning speak, EPILOGUE some of the words I’m still having My memory played a lot in me trouble with words like, genealogy, getting it back together, I had trouble hereditary and differentiate, if you remembering the passwords on my have read my book I didn’t have computer but I got there in the end. much schooling at all! Since then I have done a YouTube

There is a TV advert that really video stating what my problems are annoys me, grown up people talking https://www.youtube.com/ like kiddies about the sweets they watch?v=en7iYj5dIdQ&t=17s are eating, I used to talk like that sometimes I still do! I used to write my own original songs (I still do but it is harder now)

We went on to sentences next. and I play a rhythm guitar badly! So I thought the words were bad I put my songs out to see if I could but the sentences, some of them still play and sing. Remembering were like conundrums, they made the chords and how to play them Hippopotamus sound easy! took me some time but eventually it started to work, I worked on three

Here are a couple of examples of songs every day until I thought I got the sentences: A chubby Chihuahua them right. was chewing cheese by the chimney. Justin studied journalism, geometry Six months after I had the Stroke and geography at Juris University. I released my first single on iTunes The hideous hornet halted at the “Hear The Wind Blow”, to my hollow in the huckleberry bushes... And we are back with. The humorous hippopotamus hid his hydrophobia!

Yes we on the floor again.

The speech therapist from the hospital said to go online to REACT2. com, a software program that helps people after they’ve had strokes. There were puzzles and spelling mistakes that I had to get right before I could move forward to the next level. In between that, my wife Estelle practised everyday working on my cognition, that really helped me.

7

amazement I could sing better that I could talk! https://www.youtube.

com/watch?v=kdEK_wg8OqY

EPILOGUEEPILOGUE

Since then I have released another new album “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” and that is on iTunes as well.

Estelle and I had to go out on walks to try and get me fit but I was paranoid to go out since my hospital debacle, so getting me out of the house was a problem we needed to fix!

I had stopped doing my photography but there was a World Fireworks competition on in Blackpool and Dani and Estelle wanted to go down to see them. Something inside me said take a camera with me, and that started me back on photography. The girls also went line dancing at a place Since then I have released another new album “Yesterday, Today were I used to go to a photography club earlier in my career, the club and Tomorrow” and that is on iTunes as well. was in the same building so the girls took me there first, there was someone I knew so I stayed there for Estelle and I had to go out on walks to try and get me fit but I was evening and the girls picked me up paranoid to go out since my hospital debacle, so getting me out of afterwords, (ha ha) I wasn’t on the the house was a problem we needed to fix! floor! I had stopped doing my photography but there was a World Fireworks competition on in Blackpool and Dani and Estelle wanted to go down to see them. Something inside me said take a camera with me, and that started me back on photography. The girls also went line dancing at a place were I used to go to a photography club earlier in my career, the club was in the same building so the girls took me there first, there was someone I knew so I stayed there for evening

Estelle found a camera club in a they asked me, I said they will have helped me with my local magazine close to were we lived, we drove round to take a look, speech Apraxia, I did my first lecture on “Is Photography yes I could still drive I hadn’t lost my memory on how to drive but I have to make sure I see everything twice to Art”, according to everyone it wasn’t too bad and they make sure I have it right, as it turned out the photographic club was across booked me to do another the next year “Wayne World At the next committee meeting they were looking at advertising from were my daughter lived! and putting something on Youtube, that was right down my street. I I went down to the club to see what was it like, I told them I’d had already had several videos on it, so I produced the YouTube video for a stroke but I wanted to get out so thought I would check out the club, they welcomed me and said to come the club using their photographs, obviously using some of mine as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uAHjCH3UiI&t=37sAt the end of that season we had the awards night, to round for a few Tuesdays nights, so I my surprise I was given an award “The Best Newcomer” did and eventually I joined the club. Every now and again they have lectures on photography, on one day the lecturer couldn’t make it, I found a photo that would make a good logo and with the help from my the library, the manager said yes, and I had a week to get the prints together I think going out and talking to people has helped me with my cognition and helps me over come some of my paranoia and doldrums. for my contributors to the club for helping the new guys with their photography and for my lecture, we also already told them I use to lecture on daughter Danielle we produced the and make the advertising posters. the cruise ships so when they needed new logo for our club ‘North Fylde Then guess what? The ‘North Fylde someone to step in they asked me, I said they will have helped me with my speech Apraxia, I did my first lecture on “Is Photography Art”, according to everyone it wasn’t Photographic Society’. They like so much that we’ve had it put on the club members clothes. At the next committee meeting Photographic Society’ club made me their “Exhibition Officer”! My book is called Nearly Famous, it is about whether I was famous Our local Library had just opened after a refit and our club were looking at places to show the their exhibition prints, so I went down and I asked if They had an AGM, they were asking for committee members so I too bad and they booked me to do another the next year “Wayne World Of Sports”. At the end of that season we had the awards night, to my surprise they were looking at advertising and putting something on Youtube, that was right down my street. I already had several videos on it, so I produced the YouTube video for the club using their photographs, or not, being known by a rather lot of people I think I am nearly there, my photographs are in several exhibitions and have made a lot more friends since joining the club. they asked me, I said they will have helped me with my speech Apraxia, I did my first lecture on “Is Photography Art”, according to everyone it wasn’t too bad and they booked me to do another the next year “Wayne World we could we put our photographs in the library, the manager said yes, and I had a week to get the prints together and make the advertising posters. Then guess what? The ‘North Fylde Photographic Society’ joined. In the off season they were looking for a new logo for the club, so I went home and I looked through some of pictures to see if I had something that would work. I found a photo that would make a good I was given an award “The Best Newcomer” for my contributors to the club for helping the new guys with their photography and for my lecture, we also got into the local paper. They had an AGM, they were asking for committee members so I joined. In the off season they were looking for a new logo for the club, so I went home and I looked through some of pictures to see if I had something that would work. I obviously using some of mine as well. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=2uAHjCH3UiI&t=37s I think going out and talking to people has helped me with my cognition and helps me over come some of my paranoia and doldrums. Our local Library had just opened after a refit and our club were looking at places to show the their exhibition prints, so I went down and I asked if we could we put our photographs in Back in the Circus! No I’ve not joined the circus again, the camera club wanted to go to the circus to photograph the acts to practise their photography, one of my cousins runs the Tower Circus at Blackpool so I asked her if we could come down for their rehearsals, she said yes, so it looks like I’ll be ending my book as I started, in the circus! My story is still going on and I am still singing, check into Wayne Paulo’s iTunes every Of Sports”. At the end of that season we had the awards night, to my surprise I was given an award “The Best Newcomer” for my contributors to the club for helping the new guys with their photography and for my lecture, we also got into the local paper. They had an AGM, they were asking for committee members so I joined. In the off season they were looking for a new logo for the club, so I went home and I looked through some of pictures to see if I had something that would work. I found a photo that would make a good logo and with the help from my daughter Danielle we produced the new logo for our club ‘North Fylde Photographic Society’. They like so much that we’ve had it put on the club members clothes. club made me their “Exhibition Officer”! My book is called Nearly Famous, it is about whether I was famous or not, being known by a rather lot of people I think I am nearly there, my photographs are in several exhibitions and have made a lot more friends since joining the club. Back in the Circus! No I’ve not joined the circus again, the camera club wanted to go to the circus to photograph the acts to practise logo and with the help from my daughter Danielle we produced the new logo for our club ‘North Fylde Photographic Society’. They like so much that we’ve had it put on the club members clothes. now and then… their photography, one of my cousins runs the Tower Circus at Blackpool so I asked her if we could come down for their rehearsals, she said yes, so it looks like I’ll be ending my book as I started, in the circus! My story is still going on and I am still singing, check into Wayne Paulo’s iTunes every now and then …

NFPS Presentation Evening 2020 - 2021 Season

By Wayne Paulo

Due to the Covid situation North Fylde Photographic Society season has been run using “Zoom”, with weekly meetings taking place every Tuesday, regular turnout of 25+ members joining in each week they seen lectures, talks on photography and competitions. They have just had the NFPS Presentation evening with awards given to the members who had won the various photographic categories throughout the year.

Avariety of competitions are held through the season, with General Colour, Nature, Monochrome, Focus on Fylde, 4 Seasons, the Knockout and Animal Mineral and Vegetable.

There is a Certificate and Trophy, however with Covid we were unable to get all the Trophies to all of the winner’s, but they did all receive a certificate to commemorate their 1st, 2nd or 3rd place.

The Chair (Paul King) presented the evening showing their winners pictures on line zoom and Jeanie King ran two Quiz’s for which the winners received a prize, “I think they will in the post” Wayne.

THE WINNING CLUB MEMBERS ARE:

General Colour, Angela Carr - Monochrome Trophy, Wayne Paulo - Nature Trophy, Jeanie King - Set Subject Trophy, Barbara Clayton - Best Overall Worker and Knockout Trophy, Angela Carr - Focus on Fylde Trophy, Rachel Wilson - Best Newcomer and winner of the 4 Seasons Trophy, Janet Whitlow - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral Trophy, Nicki Greenwood - Best Beginner Trophy, Clare Trewick.

Their club goes into a summer break in May until September, “we are still doing zoom meeting on the Tuesday evenings, so we can stay in touch and talk about our photography and welcome new photographers to a free zoom meeting” Wayne.

They will be doing outings for the club and they will be posted on their Facebook page, when and where to go and meet.

Above: Wayne Paulo - ©Estelle Paulo

Above: ©Angela Carr - Beauty and Grace Above: ©Janet Whitlow - The Mare and Foal

There will be an online exhibition every month showing our club members pictures on our website and Facebook: D www.northfylde-ps.co.uk | F www.facebook.com/groups/520006824732212/ New members, of any level, are always welcome. For further details please see D www.northfylde-ps.co.uk or contact secretary Neil Pascoe on N 01253 734243

Kendal

By Mark Bateman

Kendal, once known as Kirkby Kendal is a market town lying nineteen miles north of Lancaster. It was originally part of Westmorland and is now a region of Cumbria. The town takes its name from the river Kent which flows through it on its journey, from its spring above Kentmere, to its mouth at Morecambe Bay.

These days the town is popular with tourists and offers an enviable selection of hotels, pubs, shops, and restaurants; but Kendal has a long and interesting history still visible in historic ruins such as Kendal Castle. The traditional grey limestone buildings have given the town one of its many nicknames, ‘auld grey town.’ But that’s not the only nickname the town has been bestowed with, it is also know as ‘mint town’ in homage to its role as the home of the now world famous Kendal mint cake. Even the town’s football club Kendal F.C. reflects this heritage with their nickname, ‘The mint cakes.’ Kendal’s history can be traced back right into before Roman times when it is believed an iron- age fort stood on the site of what was to become Watercrook Fort. Built in AD90, originally of timber, the Roman fort stood two miles south of the town centre. During the reign of Emperor Hadrian in AD130 the buildings were re-done in stone. The fort was then abandoned for twenty years until Marcus Aurelius re-built it and it was occupied until AD270. What remains of the fort has been buried under a field, but many excavated items from the site can be seen in Kendal Museum.

In the period known as medieval times (5th – 15th century) after the departure of the Romans, Kendal and the surrounding areas were mainly agricultural with the emphasis on sheep breeding as the land was generally too poor for large scale agriculture. It is believed that in the 10th – 11th century Scandinavian settlers introduced the now- iconic Herdwick Sheep to the area. Herdwick’s generally have dark, almost black wool that is coarse but very hard- wearing, much like the sheep themselves, who are extremely tough and able to withstand the often harsh winter weather in the area.

Kendal’s status as a chartered market town was built on the success of the wool trade which began as a ‘cottage industry’ (small scale, home-based) and expanded into mills and factories with the coming of the Industrial Revolution (beginning in the 18th century). The importance of wool to the growth of Kendal is reflected in the town’s coat of arms which shows a gold background representing a cowhide, with a teasel (a prickly plant like a sharp hairbrush) and bale hooks found in each section of the shield to represent the wool trade. The motto on the shield is ‘Pannus miki panis’ meaning ‘cloth is my bread’.

The wool industry remained important to Kendal until the 19th Century and six mills were developed in the area to process the wool. The first of these was Dockwray Mill built in the 1700s for dying woollens and later carpets. Then came Stramongate Mill a fulling mill built in 1755, the fulling process basically involved pounding the wool to remove oils,

dirt, and impurities and to make it thicker. Next to arrive was Kirkbarrow mill built in 1798 and believed to be the first water- powered spinning mill in the district. Castle Mill opened in 1805 and from 1850 was steam powered, here they produced rugs, tweeds, and blankets. In 1879 Agnum Mill followed, and lastly Low Mill opened in the 1840’s producing ‘horse clothes’ and ‘collar checks.’

When talking about historical Kendal we cannot forget Kendal castle whose ruins can still be visited today. The castle is located towards the east of the town and was built in the 12th Century by the Lancaster family who were the barons of Kendal. A fort in some description had existed off, and on, at the site for many years but the Lancasters re-built the original earth and timber structure in stone. Study of the ruins shows it was an impressive site with at least two towers, a gatehouse, a large hall, and kitchens, as well as private apartments and ladies quarters.

The castle passed through many owners including the crown when Richard II gifted the castle to the well- known Parr family. The Parr’s are most famous for the fact their daughter Catherine was Henry VIII’s sixth, and final, wife. However, it is not believed that Catherine herself ever visited the castle preferring courtly life in London.

Sadly by 1571 the castle was abandoned, and derelict, with much of the stone being carried away for local building projects. Despite this much of the site remains and it is still well- worth a visit.

To return to the development of Kendal, at the same time as the wool trade was growing transport into and around Kendal was being improved. Early traders coming in for the market complained of an eight mile approach of rocks and bogs. Access was easiest on foot, or by horse, but bringing in carriages was difficult. As a result of this in 1703, by orders of the Barony of Kendal, surveyors of the highway were ordered to improve the roads to allow easy transport of coaches, carts, and carriages.

The road was further developed in 1753 when wealthy trades people in Kendal saw the advantages of improving the road to benefit trade. In 1753 the Keighley to Kendal turnpike was built from Yorkshire to Kendal. The road charged a toll to pay for its upkeep and development.

Lancaster canal also extended as far as Kendal, but this section was later lost with the construction of the M6, and in 1846 Kendal railway station opened on the line from Oxenholme to Windermere increasing the growth of the town and strengthening trading links.

Towards the end of the 19th Century the town moved away from the wool industry and several new industries sprung up. Perhaps the one Kendal has become most well- known for is Kendal mint cake. For those who haven’t tried it this is a very sweet, solid, tablet type of bar made of sugar, glucose, and peppermint. There are several producers of mint cake in Kendal and much debate over who came first and who had the original recipe.

One possible origin story goes that in 1869 Joseph Wiper, of the Thompson family of confectioners, made a batch of glacier- mint sweets and left them over night to solidify. Something went awry, and when he returned rather than clear mints, he had a hard, cloudy ‘mint cake’ instead.

The Thompson’s were quick to note the benefits of their accidental new product. Being made almost entirely of sugar mint cake is fantastic as an energy- giving food for walkers, mountaineers, and sports people. In fact, mint cake has been to some quite extreme places, in 1953 Sir Edmund Hilary took it with him when he and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first confirmed people to reach the summit of Everest.

Other companies manufacturing the ever- popular mint cake are Quiggins, Wilson’s and Romney’s.

In 2016 Romney’s collaborated with fashion site Lyst to produce ‘Kendall Mint Cakes’ to celebrate Kendall Jenner’s (a member of the ubiquitous Kardashian clan) 21st birthday. Romney’s has also featured on BBC’s, ‘Inside the factory’ programme, ‘Ricky and Ralf’s Great Northern Road Trip’, and on the Lake’s edition of the ever popular board game Monopoly.

Mint cake is not the only industry that thrived in Kendal, another was the tobacco and snuff industry. Snuff (dried and ground tobacco inhaled through the nose) dates back from 1792 when Kendal man Thomas Harrison witnessed production in Glasgow and brought back fifty tons of machinery to begin his own business. The firm, now known as Samuel Gawith company, still produces snuff and tobacco products.

As we can see from the Kendal coat of arms the treatment of leather was also an important industry in Kendal. In the 19th after the decline of the snuff industry, the manufacture of shoes became big business in Kendal. Around this time Kendal probably already had between twenty and thirty skilled boot and shoemakers. All it took was ambitious entrepreneur Robert Miller Somervell to harness these skills and create K- Shoes in 1842. Kendal shoes, at their various locations, quickly became the largest single employer in Kendal and at one point employed twenty percent of the working population in Kendal. By 1913 they were producing over 230,000 pairs of shoes a year. Despite their early success shoe- making declined across the whole of Cumbria and Lancashire by the 1990s as manufacturers found cheaper labour and materials abroad.

Kendal still has a strong industrial base including companies such as Cropper’s the paper manufacturers, the pump, and turbines manufacturers Gilbert, Gilkes and Gordon, Mardix switch gear and Kendal nutricare who produce baby’s milk. However, these days tourism is the main industry of the town and it boasts an enviable array of national brand and local shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, and hotels. Cultural activities are well- catered for as well with places such as The Brewery Arts Centre offering live music and comedy as well as cinema, theatre, and arts events.

One events not to miss is Kendal’s hugely successful mountain festival. Held entirely online in 2020 due to the pandemic the festival hopes to blend its traditional live speakers and events in 2021 with online activities as well. Patrons of the event are notable local climbers and world- renowned adventurers Sir Chris Bonington and Leo Houlding. Whether you’re interested in mountaineering, trial running, kayaking, walking, mountain biking, or simply enjoy the peace and beauty of the Lakes, then there will be something for you to enjoy at the festival.

If exploring the history of Kendal is more your thing then be sure to visit Kendal museum. First opened in 1796 by William Todhunter it exhibited fossils, plants, minerals, animals, and antiques. There are several collections at the museum including the Kendal and Westmorland Gallery which takes a journey through Kendal’s history from Neolithic times, through the Roman age and up to the present day. There are many artefacts on display including ancient tools and axes, Roman coins, jewellery, and shoes from the Watercrook Fort. There is even a Viking boat discovered in Kentmere Tarn!

After that why not visit the Lake District Natural history section which shows Lake District Flora and Fauna some of which is over one hundred years old. Whatever you’re looking for, whether its exploring the town’s history, shopping, eating, and drinking, or cultural activities, you’re bound to find something to interest you in this minty fresh town that is anything but ‘auld and grey’.

WELCOME TO ‘THE CREATIVE QUARTER,

KENDAL’!

At Cable and Blake, Fabrics of the Lakes we believe one of the best things about working in a creative business is developing collaborations with other creatives. When you have a physical presence in the form of a shop it is relatively easy for local folk to find and a make a connection with you, but when you operate out of your spare bedroom, garage or shippon (look it up, they are a real thing in Cumbria!) it is more difficult to make the connections to grow your business, and your creative arsenal.

Cable and Blake have been lucky, well it’s not entirely luck, to have made contact with many fantastic local creatives. Our shop is full of Herdwick products made by numerous producers, many of whom are only a few miles away from our home in Kendal. We sell clothes, furniture (bespoke and recycled), rugs, cushions, lampshades, bags, hip flasks, novelty critters, and many more things, all made locally from our lovely, heard-wearing Herdwick fabric.

It isn’t only products though. Creative businesses need creative services, graphic designers, photographers, website builders, printers and in our case upholsterers.

The great thing is everybody benefits. We are able to support local makers, pay good rates and sell incredible, unique products to our customers. We benefit, the makers benefit and our local economy benefits.

We have been astonished by the breadth and quality of our local creators, so much so that we have decided to try and make Kendal something of a destination for those that love quality, creativity, and design. Welcome to ‘The Creative Quarter, Kendal’! The Creative Quarter, Kendal aims to a be a loose collaboration of creative businesses coming together to promote their businesses, the town, and each other. The Creative Quarter, Kendal is on Instagram, Facebook and in Kendal! Please look us up and support our amazing creators.

We live in one of the most beautiful parts of Britain, and we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the amazing creatives we get to work with, but I cannot believe we are so unique in our Kendal home, there must be similar small businesses operating out of spare bedrooms across the country, it’s just a matter of finding them, making contact and letting your collective genius do it’s thing!.

WHAT DOES ‘THE CREATIVE QUARTER,

INITIATIVE AIM TO ACHIEVE?

There are many small, local, creative businesses based at the quiet end of Kendal’s town centre. ‘The Creative Quarter’ Initiative aims to try and take the ‘quiet’ bit out of the equation!

The aim is to make the south end of Kendal a shopping and tourist destination. To attract both local and tourist shoppers to the many brilliant businesses at our end of town, whether they be retail, service, entertainment or food and drink based. Additionally, we are more than happy to include the many other creative businesses based in Kendal, no matter where they are located.

The aim is to keep ownership of the initiative to the businesses interested in promoting the area as a destination. We are not sure where it will take us, but with social media, PR, the Internet, and other avenues to follow it seems like something we should try, both for our own businesses and Kendal’s economy as a whole.

WE HAVE HAD A FEW IDEAS;

Create and place window stickers in as many businesses to create a ‘buzz’

Create a website/directory of businesses within ‘The Creative Quarter’

Gain support from the Tourist Board and Kendal BID Try to get press from local publications

Create, use, and promote social media for marketing the area– Facebook, Instagram etc.

Please, if you have other ideas or suggestions, share them and let’s make them happen! This initiative will only succeed if we as a group of business owners make it happen ourselves. PLEASE CONTACT US VIA FACEBOOK @TheCreativeQuarterKendal