December 2020 - The MrT Podcast Studio

The Coast Starlight (4)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:51 — 11.8MB)

The Coast Starlight (4) – US Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 24

Santa Barbara:

The Coast Starlight (4) starts as we approach Santa Barbara. We are running beside the road and I see a sign that tells me that the next nine exits are for the city.

Quite a few passengers leave the train at Santa Barbara. We leave the station 53 minutes late. The conductor (guard for UK listeners) is confident that we’ll make up the time.

As we leave Santa Barbara we pass through an expensive part of town with houses that access the beach.

Along the coast:

The Coast Starlight continues south along the coastline. The day is nearly over, the sun is setting and dusk approaches. Here a highway runs between the rail track and the sea.

There must be something very special here because we pass an area with cars and campervans parked along the edge of the road. The parking bays are even marked out for the camper vans.

East, away from the coast, to Los Angeles:

It is dark by the time that we reach Oxnard. The station is used by Amtrak’s Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner trains and also by Metrolink commuter trains.

The observation car is now deserted so I return to my reserved seat for the rest of the journey. I could be in a library, the train is so quiet.

Our next stop is at Simi Valley. The train has been travelling up the Simi Valley since we left the coast.

After Simi Valley the next stop is at Van Nuys. A modern station with much of the structure rebuilt in 1995. Just one more station before journey’s end!

Our final stop is at Hollywood Burbank Airport station. In normal times this unstaffed station hosts 40 trains a day. Nearly 74,000 Amtrak. Less than 30 minutes later we arrive in LA Union Station. We’re late, but not nearly as late as we were only a few hours ago.

I have now travelled between Portland and LA on the Coast Starlight, I don’t know which part of the route is best as there is so much to see. I’ve loved the Cascades, the Klamath Falls area, the Cuesta Grade and travelling along the Pacific coastline – how can I choose? This route travels through truly beautiful countryside.

My advice – book a journey on the Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and Seattle – you won’t be disappointed!

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. If so, please join me in two weeks time when I take a daytrip on the Pacific Surfliner from Los Angeles Union Station to San Diego.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

You can also listen to this podcast on Amazon Music, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher.

Music:

AKM Music has licensed the theme, Steam Railway, and excerpts from Corporate for use in this podcast.

Tales of Christmas Past

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:29 — 41.6MB)

Season 2019 / 2020 – Talk 30 – Tales of Christmas Past

In Tales of Christmas Past Lorna Thomas tells us how the Christmas that people celebrate today has come about. This is a talk full of the traditions of Christmas!

What does Christmas mean to you?

Lorna starts by asking what Christmas means to us, is it a tree with presents underneath it or does it mean the Nativity? She also explains why the 25th of December, in mid-winter, became the date of this Christian celebration.

Lorna then discusses the divide between those who talk about Christmas and and those who prefer Xmas. Apparently this is something that causes a great deal of tension.

St Stephen

We hear how St Stephen became part of Christmas and why his life is celebrated on the 26th December.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Many of us know this cumulative song with 12 verses, each celebrating gifts from ‘my true love’. I’m sure that few of us know the deep religious significance of these gifts to members of the Catholic church in England during the years of the Reformation.

The true significance of these words will surprise many.

A Christmas Carol

This book has become part of Christmas for many. 35 years ago the Vicar of St Peters in Wrecclesham, Harry Dickens, used to read parts of the book in church on Christmas Eve.

We hear that, of the many films of the book, that both critics and filmgoers consider the 1951 one starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge to be the best version.

St Nicholas

We learn how St Nicholas is celebrated across the world. Today he seems to have merged in many peoples minds with Father Christmas and become Santa Claus.

Holly, Ivy, Mistletoe, Robins and the other traditions

Christmas today is a complex celebration because of the traditions that have grown up over the centuries. Hear the whole of the Christmas story by listening to this podcast.

To view the slides accompanying this talk:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

About this podcast:

The Farnham U3A site is found here.

This podcast is also available through the Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher ‘apps’.

AKM Music has licensed Media Magazine for use as the introductory music and Storyblocks has licensed Jingle Bells by Velimir Andreev for use as the ‘outro’ music.

The Coast Starlight (3)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:50 — 19.1MB)

The Coast Starlight (3) – US Rail Journeys Series 2 Episode 23

Descending the Cuesta Grade:

The Coast Starlight (3) starts as we pass through some of the tunnels at the summit of the Cuesta Grade. We descend at a rate of 2 feet for every 100 feet forwards. Because of the incline passenger trains are limited to 30 mph and freight trains 25 mph.

There are horseshoe turns where I can see both ends of the train from my seat in the Observation car. The highway runs parallel with us for part of the journey. We pass through beautiful scenery with many valleys on the descent.

Below me I can see the Stenner Creek Trestle, built in 1904 from components fabricated in Pittsburgh. The components were brought west by rail.

Near the bottom we pass a State Penitentiary. Dr Timothy Leary, a leading member of the 1960s psychedelic counterculture, apparently escaped from here.

San Luis Obispo:

We arrive at the station at San Luis Obispo as the late running northbound Coast Starlight is about to leave for the climb up the Cuesta Grade and on towards Seattle.

As we pass some modern housing beside the tracks we see a father, with his young child, waving to us as we pass.

On the edge of the Pacific Coast:

We reach the Pacific coast after travelling through an agricultural area. We emerge through the dunes and see the sea!

The journey along the coastline is one of superlatives. We are so close to the sea. We are only a few feet from the edge. At times it is probably only 30 feet (10 metres) above the beach. So close to the Pacific Ocean.

We travel through the Vandenberg Air Force Base – the train goes across the base where no road would be allowed to go.

We travel for over 100 miles along the stunning coastline. For people in Britain think Dawlish on steroids!

On to Santa Barbara:

At the end of the journey we turn inland towards Santa Barbara. As the episode ends the conductor announces that we’ll arrive in 10 minutes.

View the photographs that accompany this podcast:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Next up:

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this podcast. If so, please join me in two weeks time when we travel from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles Union Station on the Coast Starlight.

Links:

To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link.

You can also listen to this podcast on Amazon Music, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher.

Music:

AKM Music has licensed the theme, Steam Railway, for use in this podcast.

Storyblocks has licensed Surfin Ghoul by Paul Mitchell Beebe and Second Wave by Lance Conrad for use as incidental music in this episode.

u3a Farnham Exhibition of Paintings (4)

Exhibition of Paintings (4)

Welcome to the Exhibition of Paintings (4) brought to you by the Farnham u3a Painting groups.

This is the fourth online Exhibition, by the members of the Farnham u3a Painting Groups, that we’ve been able to bring you.

2020 has affected us all in different ways. Some of the artists have found that painting has helped them get through the year. Other artists have found it difficult to paint because they’ve missed the usual peer group discussions. The featured artists hope that you enjoy their pictures.

The Farnham u3a has three painting groups, all are self led, with members who have a variety of skills, the members benefit from the skills of each other.

The three groups welcome new members, no matter their ability, and normally meet every two weeks. At the current time physical meetings, at the Maltings, are suspended.

You can find full details and contact information for the groups on the Farnham u3a website by clicking here.

Please click on a thumbnail to open the art gallery:

About this post:

You can find the Farnham u3a site here.

There are over 70 different groups, some are academic (literature, languages and history) and others have a practical or creative focus (for example painting, photography and computing). Others groups are sporty, purely recreational or social; there really is something for everyone.

Farnham u3a has members with a rich pool of knowledge and talent who, in keeping with the ethos of the Third Age Trust, are willing to contribute their time.

Posted by The MrT Podcast Studio for the Farnham u3a Painting Groups.

Guildford in 1914

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:56 — 23.7MB)

Season 2019 / 2020 – Talk 14 – Guildford in 1914

In Guildford in 1914 Michael A’Bear takes us back to the events in the town at the start of World War One. He tells us that, until close to the outbreak, most people did not expect war.

How we were entertained

He introduces us to some of the people who were keeping us entertained. Charlie Chaplin who had joined the Keystone Studio and was developing his ‘tramp’ persona. George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion opened in London in April 1914 starring Sir Herbert Tree and Mrs. Patrick Campbell.

W G Grace batted for the last time at Eltham Cricket Club on 25th July, aged 66. Brooklands Race track closed during the war and continued in its role as a flying training centre. It also be came a production, testing and supply centre for military aircraft.

As war became apparent

There was a degree of confusion. The situation resulted in conflicting news reports being published. The population became aware of the situation over a relatively short period.

There was some panic shopping and prices of some foodstuffs rose. The main suppliers in the town tried to calm the demand.

The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

The first battalion was based at Bordon and the third at Stoughton Barracks when war broke out. The second battalion was in Pretoria.

The third (reserve) battalion was also based in Guildford.

Michael tells us about their mobilisation and the reaction of the towsfolk as they marched to the station and set off for war.

Hear the whole story by listening to this podcast.

To view the photographs accompanying this talk:

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

Warning: there are some sound glitches because this was only the second time we’d used of Zoom for our meetings.

Please note: Some of the views expressed and expressions used in this talk may reflect views common during this period of history and do not reflect those of the speaker, Farnham U3A World History Group or The MrT Podcast Studio.

About this podcast:

The Farnham U3A site is found here.

This podcast is also available through the Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify and Stitcher ‘apps’.

AKM Music has licensed Media Magazine for use as the title music.