It has been a slow start to modelling this year but the first model kit project is now nearly completion (though was started last year!) Project #097 is a Fieseler Storch and is nearly complete, just needs some varnish. Its an average job like most of my models lately but could have been worse!
St Lawrence's in Evesham is a former church which is next to All Saints and the bell tower of the former Evesham Abbey. The church was built in the 12th century, at least before 1195CE, by the Benedictine monks of the abbey. The church was rebuilt in about 1470. However, by the mid-17th century it not longer had it's own vicar and began to deteriorate. The roof collapsed in 1800 and the church was abandoned. The church was restored in 1836 however due to it's proximity to All Saints and a declining congregation the church was declared redundant in 1978. It has now been preserved.
The church has a four bay nave with clerestory. There is a West tower with a porch and a South chapel. The church is built from stone with a slate roof.
Denham Green is part of the village of Denham in Buckinghamshire. Denham has existed since Saxon times and was listed in the Domesday Book. Denham Green is a more recent part of the village, having grown up around Denham railway station which opened in 1906.
Denham Green was the location of Alexander Korda's Denham Film Studios which operated from 1936 to 1952. Films made at the studio included Brief Encounter. After 1952 the studio was used for recording film scores for many films including Star Wars. The studio was finally demolished in 1981, the site is now used for housing.
At the weekend i returned to Wythall for the first time in a number of years. I wanted to finally visit the transport museum that is there, somewhere i have wanted to visit for a long time. The Transport Museum in Wythall was definitely worth the wait, a superb museum full of buses (some of which i probably went to school on years ago) and milk floats! You can see my photos of the museum here, and some other photos of Wythall here.
One of the final churches of Hereford, St Nicholas is near to the cathedral though a much younger church being built on 1841. It was built on the site of an earlier church built in the 13th century which was demolished in 1840 and also next to the former Monastery of the White Friars. The church is in the Early English style. The original font was reused in the new church.
The church has a West tower and an East chancel and vestry. The church was built from hammer dressed stone.
Two typewriters have joined the collection this week. The first was one we have been waiting for for a while, a WH Smiths branded Red Fox. The second came very quickly and is an East German made Erika 105. That puts the collection at 9, we will look to get one more this year then give eBay a rest!
At the weekend i made a long awaited return to Guildford, staying a couple of nights so i could properly explore the local areas. This year i made an intensive tour of the North Downs Line visiting places such as Redhill, Reigate, Chilworth and Sandhurst. Although most of my photos were of railway stations i did also take some pictures of some things too, especially in Chilworth. You can see my photos here.
Great Kimble is a village between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury. The village has Saxon origins though there have been people living in the area since Roman times (there may be the remains of a Roman villa next to the parish church) and beforehand. The village was known as Chenebelle at the time of the Domesday Book and was owned by Walter Giffard, a Norman lord. Later it was granted to Hugh of Bolbec.
In later centuries Great Kimble became known for being where John Hampden refused to pay his ship money (a tax raised without parliament) to Charles I. Although others also refused to pay, John Hampden was chosen to be sued as a test case. The King won the case though not by a unanimous judgement which has been seen as a moral defeat for the King and a weakening of his authority.
The parish church of St Nicholas dates from the 12th century. The nearest station is in the adjacent village of Little Kimble and was opened in 1872.
The parish church of St Mary Magdalene in Albrighton, Shropshire dates from about 1181CE. The church was built in the Norman style out of red sandstone. The church was restored in the mid-19th century. The West tower remains Norman.
The nave arches with three bays are a 19th century change to the change. The porch, organ chamber and vestry are also 19th century additions.
Finally after many months Project #097, a Fieseler Storch has resumed. Last year was ultimately disappointing on the model kit front. Only four projects were completed in the end which was less than the year before. Hopefully this year will at least match last year.
Johnny Washington is a debonaire American gentleman and newspaper columnist who is framed to be involved with a successful gang of jewel thieves. Johnny Washington becomes involved in the hunt for the gang's leader, the elusive Grey Moose, alongside the enigmatic Horatio Quince...
This is a good fun read. It is a bit of a cheat maybe, being a rewrite of an earlier book but has plenty of drive and energy. And a definite sense of style.
At the weekend i headed up back to Shropshire and the Welsh border. Gobowen is a small town near to the border and the larger town of Oswestry. The name may mean "Owen's mine" in Welsh! You can see my photos here.
The parish church of St Leonard in Over Whitacre, Warwickshire was built in 1766 on the site of an earlier church which existed as far back at least as the 13th century. St Leonard was built in the Italian neo-classical style from local sandstone.
The church is small with a simple layout, it has a West town (built in three stages), a nave and a small chancel.
The police go through the last few days before the accident, re-tracing the steps of the four individuals trying to find any clues...
The problem is it all becomes a bit over complicated, rambling and dull. After the umpteenth lengthly monologue by a fairly one dimensional character you do tend to lose track of what the book is actually about. The premise is great, the execution lets it down quite a bit unfortunately. The final police reasoning and logical investigation at the end does save things a bit, but only a bit.
The mini motive power depot is the final piece of the Birches Green layout. The track has been laid though now powered up yet, we are considering adding a third siding as there is space for it...
Yesterday i visited Kettering, returning to the East Midlands and the first time i had been to Northamptonshire for quite a while. Kettering station is rather lovely, the church isn't that bad either! You can see my photos here.
The parish church of All Saints in Wigan, in what is now Greater Manchester, dates from the late 13th century. The lower parts of the tower are a surviving part from this time. The upper part of the tower, including the belfry, was added in the 16th century.
The church was rebuilt in the mid-1800s, the top stage of the tower including the clock, was added in 1861. The church is built from sandstone and is in the Perpendicular style. It has a six-bay nave, two-bay chancel, North and South aisles and a clerestory.
