DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

A very happy new year to you all. 2008 will go down as one of the years we would probably all rather forget, especially if you are selling your house.

Can I thank all of you who sent me details of their internet providers. I finally managed to sort out my own provider Streamline so for the meantime I will stay with them to keep it simple. I am glad to be able to announce that I have finally got some help with the website and that Debbie Hughes will take over as webmaster in early 2009. Debbie's partner Mark Howard is all ready well known to our motorcycling fans as the Chief Marshal on The Birmingham Testers Run and the Mike Hailwood Run, what is not generally known that Mark, who holds a Private Pilots Licence, also runs a very fine website on the Javelin aircraft (the world's first twin-engined delta-wing jet fighter) which he looks after at the Midland Air Museum.
Gloster Javelin Website

I thank Louis Dalby for sharing the above image of BSA Tester, Reg Griffiths at Armoury Road, with us--see more pics at his Flikr site
Louis Dalby's Picture Site

Those of you who keep up eye on this newsletter blog will know that there was a November newsletter (click on left menu) reminding you of the need to support The BSA Memorial Appeal and including the very fine picture by Charles Cundall of the fire at BSA after the air raid. Thanks to our efforts this picture is on permanent show at BMAG.


The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.
- Thomas Szasz

The last steam engines on BR were Black 5s and scenes like this could be seen at most steam depots in the North of England when steam was finishing 40 years ago this year--proud to say I was here at Leeds to see the last class 5 on shed.

Settle - Carlisle walks

The Ross - Monmouth Railway

Kings Heath History

Canals

Is the THREE TUNS at Sutton haunted?

Closed UK Railway Stations

It has been very sad to witness the demise of our favourite high street store, Woolworth but it is not the first time Woolworth have been in trouble as this interesting article reminds us Sex drugs and Woolworths?

As I often mention to you I get messages from all over the world enquiring about Birmingham companies, often these messages ask me to supply parts! Here is an example;

hi, do you still make cartridges(for hunting )for Mannlicher-Schönauer?? Can you tell me which sizes do you have??? thanks!

U TUBE

The U Tube video seems to have really caught on in 2008 and there are some splendid clips, here are some of my favourites I would like to share with you.

People often ask me is flying dangerous, you tell me?

So you think British trains are overcrowded?

Triumph Motorcycles Factory Film

Mike Hailwood

REG VARNEY(Click on the text below for the links)

2008 saw the death of comedy star Reg Varney at 92, best known for ‘On The Buses’.

Reg Varney - -Wogan

This is Your Life

BIRMINGHAM MUSIC

The Rockin Berries

The Applejacks from Solihull, first Birmingham group in the Top Ten

Applejacks Info

ELO -- Mr Blue Sky

Moody Blues

The Move


THE BIRMINGHAM TESTERS RUN

We have been talking to the Llandudno Transport Festival about us taking part in May 2009 and I am still awaiting a response, if not we will most likely be going to the Llanberis Slate Mine.

THE MIKE HAILWOOD MEMORIAL RUN

Please note the date of the 2009 run-IT IS NOT THE DATE YOU MAY THINK! This is because the usual date would clash with Mothers Day!
Check the web page for details;

MH Memorial Run