The Royal Standard opens its doors after a six week refurbishment
A pub in Yeovil has re-opened after extensive six week refurbishments which have transformed the layout and ambience of the establishment.
King Edward 1st - Yeovil 150
Not up to my usual standard - tried to hand hold cam in a wind so strong I could hardly stand up! Still worth shareing though - I hope!
The Battle of Yeovil 1642
Preview of the new ebook about the Battle of Yeovil.
The Somerset town of Yeovil is today a busy bustling and prosperous place. Back in 1642 it was smaller, but was still prosperous enough to attract the attentions of both Roundhead and Cavalier armies eager to raise money and men for their sides. It became a focus for a battle fought as part of the English Civil War between Royalist Cavaliers loyal to King Charles I and Parliamentarian Roundheads.
The battle fought here was one of the very first clashes of the English Civil War, taking place just days after King Charles raised the Royal Standard and summoned all loyal Englishmen to his army. Both sides fielded forces that were relatively untrained and very inexperienced, but they were keen to get to grips with the enemy, so the battle was fought with a ferocity not seen in England for a century and a half.
This book brings an exciting new look to the English Civil War. The course of the campaign is given, but the emphasis is on the Battle itself and the men who fought there. There are analyses of weapons, tactics and strategies, and a study of the commanders. The course of the battle is followed with explanation of how it relates to the ground today. The aftermath of the battle, its effects and importance to the progress of the war are then described.
The “Bretwalda Battles” series has been running with increasing success as printed books and as ebooks for five years.
Contents
Chapter 1 - Yeovil
Chapter 2 - the English Civil War
Chapter 3 - Cavalry in the Civil War
Chapter 4 - The Commanders at Yeovil
Chapter 5 - The Battle of Yeovil
Chapter 6 - Aftermath
Chapter 7 - The Battlefield Today
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Leonard James is an author of military books. He comes from a military family that has fought in every major war since at least the Crimean War, and probably before that. His forebears were mostly cavalrymen, though his father served in the RAF. Leonard has made a particular study of battlefields in Britain, walking over dozens of them to get an eye for ground. He has also handled genuine and replica weapons to better understand the use of pre-modern weapons and the men who wielded them.
RNAS Yeovilton freedom of Yeovil March
3rd June 2015 freedom of Yeovil March. March pass by HMS Heron, the fleet air arm and the army air Corp
HST & IET diversionary workings along the Exeter-Honiton-Yeovil route
During late February and early March engineering work took place at Whiteball tunnel thus blockading the Western mainline. So GWR ran their express services both HSTs & IETs on the Southern route via Honiton and Yeovil Junction to Castle Cary. As this is pretty much the last time the remaining 2+8 HSTs are running on the route, I took the unusual choice of filming them along with the newly introduced Class 802 IETs at locations I rarely film on and have a historical significance.
Shots filmed in date order are:
22/2/2019
1C74 09:03 Padd to Plymouth HST service passing Pinhoe Station 22/22019
1A85 11:22 Plymouth-Paddington IET sevice passing Exeter Central 22/2/19
23/2/2019
1C79 11:03 London Paddington to Plymouth HST service passing Whimple
1A87 13:19 Plymouth to London Paddington HST service leaving Honiton
1C84 13:03 London Paddington to Penzance HST service passing Feniton Station
1C74 09:03 London Paddington to Plymouth HST service passing Exmouth Junction (the branch line to Exmouth diverges here)
1A90 13:16 Plymouth-London Paddington HST service passing Exmouth Junction (the site of the long gone former steam depot of the Southern Railway)
5/3/2019
1A81 09:16 Plymouth- London PaddingtonPaddington HST service passing Seaton Junction (the long closed station buildings remarkably remain intact)
1A85 11:22 Plymouth- London Paddington IET service passing Chard Junction (the Up station platform remains intact)
Royal Navy Receives First Commando AW101 Merlin Mk4 Helicopter
The UK Royal Navy (RN) has received into service the first Commando Merlin Mk4 helicopter.
24 May, Defence Minister Guto Bebb has announced the delivery of the first of a fleet of new helicopters designed for Royal Marine aircraft carrier operations.
The helicopter, known as the Commando Merlin Mk4, has been upgraded to a faster and more powerful aircraft than its predecessor. It now sports a maritime grey coat, has a folding main rotor and tail, upgraded flight controls and a tactical computer. The modifications are designed to ensure it can now operate from sea, and it will take off from ships including the UK’s new 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
A total of 25 Commando Merlin aircraft will be delivered to the air wing of the Royal Marines – the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) –- who will use them to deliver troops and supplies from sea to land.
“This new version of the Merlin will provide an essential bridge between sea and land for our Marines operating from ships, including our brand-new aircraft carriers. This fleet will deliver troops and supplies to the centre of the action, be that a conflict zone or the site of a humanitarian disaster, as well as providing search and rescue cover. Flown from the Yeovil factory to now be homed here, this is another way defence is supporting the South West, where we spent over £5bn last year – more than any other region in the UK” – noted Guto Bebb.
The Commando Merlin Mk4 aircraft, an upgrade from the Merlin Mk3 standard, are being delivered through a £388 million contract between the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and Leonardo Helicopters, supporting 175 skilled jobs at Leonardo in Yeovil, and a further 500 across the UK supply chain.
SR U Class 31806 2-6-0 Mogul Arrives & Departs Yeovil Junction Friday 13th April 2018
On Friday 13th April 2018 SR U Class 2-6-0 no31806 made it's first mainline outing for over 50 years. Running from Swanage via Wareham, Weymouth and Yeovil Pen Mill to Yeovil Junction. The train was formed of five Mark 1 coaches with Class 33 D6515 at the rear from Swanage. This video covers the arrival at Yeovil Junction and subsequent departure back to Swanage. The loaded test run was required as 31806 is due to be run with as yet unknown loco from Yeovil Junction to Swanage on Thursday 26th April with Day 8 of The Great Britain XI.
Mayflower and British India Line around London - 9th July 2019
With both Mayflower and British India Line working out of London in the same day it seemed like a good idea to have a day off work and have a day in London instead. Firstly 61306 Mayflower is seen amongst the morning rush hour at Vauxhall shortly after departing from Waterloo with the first Royal Windsor Steam Express of the day. Mayflower is then seen again passing Isleworth. Then like waiting for a bus, British India Line was following close behind and is also seen passing the station with The End of Southern Steam. 47802 was the loco used for the empties and is seen passing through Hounslow heading back to London. With Mayflower in charge again we see the second trip of the day again near Hounslow managing to coincide with a gap in the planes approaching Heathrow. We then move onto Barnes where the 47 accelerates towards London. I then moved to Chiswick and found a nice footbridge, however due to late running Mayflower was sent via Twickenham so no shot. The 47 is seen again at South Acton. The final shot of the day is the Sunset Steam Express passing Mortlake again being very lucky to avoid the landing planes (not quite so lucky with the spectators) 09/07/19
44871 BANKED BY 30777 SIR LAMIEL CLIMB UPWEY BANK WITH THE 'ROYAL WESSEX' - 22nd May 2010
LMS Black Five 4-6-0 44871 is banked by SR Class N15 'King Arthur' 4-6-0 30777 Sir Lamiel climbing Upwey Bank with the 1Z28 1833 Weymouth - Paddington 'Royal Wessex' on 22nd May 2010.
RWT Values and Standards
RWT Values and Standards launched by CEO David Laughton CBE
31806 thunders up Upwey and Evershot Banks unassisted! Loaded Test Run - 13-04-18
For the first time since the 1960s, John Bunch's Southern Railway U class no.31806 took to the main line with a loaded test run from the Swanage Railway to Yeovil Junction and return. This would mean the Maunsell-designed 2-6-0 would tackle both Upwey and Evershot Banks unassisted with a load of 5 Mk1 coaches and a dead class 33 on the rear.
In this video, we start on the 11th April with no.31806 climbing to Harmans Cross with no.34053 'Sir Keith Park' in tow as the U was on a test run ahead of it's loaded test run on the main line. The pair pass Tin Bath crossing as they accelerate away from Herston.
The loaded test run footage starts at the 1in52 gradient of Upwey Bank, where the U climbs out of Weymouth for the first time. The noise was something else and the microphone really doesn't pick up how loud this actually was.
After overtaking the train en-route to Evershot, the 2-6-0 is captured charging up the final few hundred yards of the less steep side of Evershot bank. It was fortunate that another photographer at Evershot told me it was running 30 minutes early, as I attempted to find a foot crossing further down the climb. Having made it back to the bridge, the U could be heard in the distance and so I threw the tripod down and hastily set the camera and microphone up.
@JamesSVN
youtube.com/OnTheFastLine
contrastphotographic.com
Testing the U boat! - No. 31806 main line run (13th April 2018)
Friday 13th April proved to be lucky for some, amongst whom were the Swanage Railway and John Bunch whose ex-Southern Railway class U Mogul no 31806 was the first of the railway's steam locomotives to venture out onto the main lines on a magnificently-successful test run from Swanage to Wareham, Weymouth and Yeovil. This was the first time on the main line in the preservation era for this particular locomotive, built in 1926 as express passenger K class 2-6-4 tank no A806 River Torridge (it's classmate no 31624 ran on the main lines in the late 1990s). As is well-known, the Rivers rolled and were all rebuilt as tender engines without names whilst further engines were built as Moguls. There are two more Maunsell Moguls now at Swanage, the other U and the sole member of the N class. We see no 31806 at Wareham and then storming up to Eversholt tunnel and finally reversing onto its train at Yeovil Jct.
Credit : Alan Frederickson
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NHS Interview Questions and ANSWERS! (PASS your NHS Job Interview!)
NHS Interview Questions and Answers by Richard McMunn of
In this interview training video, Richard will teach you how to pass your NHS interview, including:
- NHS interview questions admin
- NHS admin interview scenario questions
- Why do you want to work for the NHS interview question answer
- NHS interview scoring system
- National Health Service job interview questions and answers
You can also watch the following interview training videos by Richard right here on YouTube:
STAR INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE
TOP 7 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
LINK TO THE NHS LONG-TERM PLAN:
CONNECT WITH RICHARD ON LINKEDIN:
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Manchester Arrivals - 1956
At the end of September 1956 we visit the Manchester area to see a number of LMS Fowler locomotives working on trains arriving in or in the area of the city. At Ashburys we see an Austin Seven or class 7F 0-8-0 goods engine, near Northenden on the CLC lines an original parallel-boilered Patriot passes with a lengthy express all in Crimson & Cream livery and then a Rebuilt Royal Scot follows before we go the London Road to witness a large Fowler 2-6-4 4P (no. 42365) tank on red local stock and a Crab backing in with a four-car set of Blood & Custard ex-LMS stock.
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Great British Bikers - The Launch
The launch video for Great British Bikers, a new website taking a look at all things British and Biking from a down-to-earth perspective. Great British Bikers are committed to promoting the positive side of motorcycling in Great Britain.
Newton Abbott and Torre - 1959
The weekend of 8th/9th October - and the Thursday and Friday preceding it - saw a number of major heritage railway Autumn Galas. On the Friday the West Somerset is the setting for two clips featuring the two visiting locomotives in the shape of GWR Pannier no. 6435 climbing up from Stogumber to Crowcombe with a short passenger train and then Auto-Tank no. 1450 at the extreme end of what remains of the Barnstaple branch near Norton Fitzwarren. The use of the Autotrain enabled rapid reversals here.
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34067 Tangmere slogs up Exeter Bank with 34046 Braunton banking
Exeter Bank, the second steepest mainline gradient in Britain after the Lickey. Located on the last half mile of the London Waterloo to Exeter mainline (literally just off my doorstep!) With just half a mile of 1 in 37 but with a long sharp curve from start at Exeter St Davids leading all the way up to Exeter Central. This very steep gradient can take a huge toll out of anything that climbs it except modern diesel trains.
On the 50th anniversary of the last Atlantic Coast Express working, 34067 Tangmere headed the Exeter to London Victoria working of Steam Dreams's Atlantic Coast Express. This meant Tangmere had to be assisted up the bank by fellow rebuilt class member 34046 Braunton who acted as a banking engine. This was the first time since the mid 1960's that a Bullied had been assisted up the bank by steam! As Tangmere emerges out of St Davids tunnel with its sanders out in full force on the tracks, the combination of the steep gradient, severe curvature of the track resulting in poor adhesion and a load of 12 coaches (weight totaling roughly around 450 tonnes) It very much nearly took the toll on the whole train. But without a single slip the whole train just makes it up the climb.
All around were lines of photographers alike on the road bridge aswell as the very curious general public that came out to see this very rare spectacle.
'Castaways' trailer
'Castaways' written by Atiha Sen Gupta, directed by Yasmin Sidhwa. This is the second year in our trilogy of shows, which explore place, identity and belonging. The show looks at the nature of friendship and the consequences of trauma and tribal loyalties in today's Britain. A dramatic new story about young people’s experience of radicalisation. 'Castaways' raises the stakes higher and higher, creating a gripping narrative to explore the fault lines of extremism.
New Colonial March - Yeovil Town Band
Great Western Railway: London Paddington - Exeter St Davids on June 23rd 2019
This is an extra onboard journey video filmed on my way back from London to Devon having stayed in London for 2 days although having filming in South Wales the day before.
Onboard a 9 car Class 802 IET on the 1103 service from London Paddington to Penzance covering the Journey as far as Exeter St Davids.
The route between London Paddington and the 1st stop at Reading our train travels over the Great Western Main Line built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
At Reading departing Platform 7 our train diverges away onto the Reading to Basingstoke Line through Reading West before diverging onto the Berks and Hants Line eventhough the route doesn’t go into Hampshire itself.
After Newbury the overhead wires end and the trains continue on biomode all the way to Penzance.
Our train passes the junction for stopping services into Westbury where services interchange from those from Swindon, Gloucester, Weymouth as well Salisbury.
After Westbury the services for Weymouth join the route through Bruton as far as Castle Cary which then they diverge towards Yeovil Pen Mill.
Before Taunton our route joins with the original route of the Bristol to Exeter Line from Bristol to Exeter served by CrossCountry Trains and GWR services from Cardiff Central and London Paddington via Bristol Temple Meads
At Cowley Bridge Junction our route joins up with the Tarka Line from Barnstaple before the approach to Exeter St Davids.
Our train instead of stopping on Platform 4 as most long distance services use instead is routed into Platform 3. After leaving the train it will continue on the rest of it's journey along the Riviera Line to Newton Abbot then the South Devon Line to Plymouth and then the Cornish Main Line from there all the way to Penzance.
Filmed on Sunday June 23rd 2019 on iPhone 8 and edited on iMovie