Return to Malta (Part 6)

Events of Wednesday 28th November 2012

A Day with History

Ann was spending the day at the Spa so Dean and I decided to visit some of the very old temples.

Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples

We drove to Hagar Qim where there is a new visitor centre, not there when Dean last visited about 12 years previously and certainly not there when I visited in what now seems pre-historic times. The Mnajdra Temples are a few hundred yards walk away, so the visitor centre serves for both temple complexes. Both sites are in the care of Heritage Malta (see their website).

Both Dean and I were impressed with the interpretation of the history of the temples. The various people involved in the studies of the temples are mentioned with their various theories but there's a frank admission that we may never have a complete understanding of the temple builders' intentions.

A model of the Hagar Qim Temples in the visitor centre illustrates the theory regarding the alignment of stones to catch the sun at the solstice.

The 'orientation' included a rather 'arty' high-definition video which wasn't very informative - Hagar Qim is 5,000 years old and Mnajdra 3,500 years old - that was it. We made our way down the path towards the six foot chain link fence topped with razor wire and lights which surrounded the temples. Admission to the compound was past a wooden checkpoint where a member of security staff carefully studied our tickets before entering information into a computer. It all felt rather like Berlin in the Cold War.

However, all that could be seen on the temple site was a large, white dome looking like an alien flying saucer. This was the European Union co-funded answer to the short-term preservation of the stones, which huddled, diminished, underneath. This takes us back to the old question of 'curatorial ethics' and what actions are responsible in looking after important artefacts. In Malta, the argument that the stones must be protected against rain and ultra violet while long-term conservation methods are developed has clearly won, depriving the present generation of the ability to sense the spiritual significance the constructions were meant to convey. The fabric dome is supported by huge steel arches which are visually intrusive once you are underneath the roof - it's impossible to see the stones in the context of the landscape.

The stones appear diminished by the protective shelter.

It's difficult to take any photographs which don't include parts of the roof structure or the various weather measuring instruments which are dotted around the inside of the structure to gather data on the effect of the roof. Visitors are constrained to only certain area by barriers which, whilst sad, is more understandable - much of the construction uses softer types of limestone where visitor-created abrasion literally wears the structure away.

'Porthole Stone' at Hagar Qim (and protective shelter).

Mnajdra lies a few hundred yards away from Hagar Qim, reached by a straight, modern causeway sloping downhill to a second fence, checkpoint and ticket inspection. The stones are hidden beneath their own protective structure, similar to that a Hagar Qim.

The causeway leading to Mnajdra's protective shelter.

Dean and I agreed that, for some reason, Mnajdra does not seem quite as diminished by its protective shelter as does Hagar Qim but we cannot agree with the 'Brief Guide' handed out to visitors by Heritage Malta which states:-

"Part of the charm of Mnajdra Temples lies in the fact that no modern development is visible from the site, so that it still may be appreciated in its original setting".

I don't know whether that terrible dissonance with reality is due to official myopia or casualness in updating the photographs in the brief guide (which show the 'flying saucer') whilst leaving the text unchanged.

Mnajdra, showing corbelled partial roof.

Despite the disappointments at Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, Dean and I agreed to look at one more Temple complex -Tarxien.

Tarxien Temples

In contrast to the open, cliff-top location of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, the Tarxien Temples are situated in an urban area south-east of Valletta. The usual hard-to-follow series of road signs led us through a series of narrow streets to a stone-built ticket office providing the only visible evidence of the site.

General view of Tarxien Temple Site.

To my great relief, Tarxien has yet to receive a Protective Shelter, although a sign displayed as we entered the site confirmed that the European Union is co-financing such a shelter. An extended walkway has already been provided. This is a steel-framed structure with handrails and a wooden pavement which zig-zags around the site varying between a few inches and a few feet above the ground, eventually returning the visitor to the ticket office. The modernity of this walkway makes it visually intrusive but at least it achieves its aim of improving accessibility and the higher sections of the walkway make it easier to appreciate the site layout.

The modern walkway threads through the ancient stone temples.

The complex includes four temples built between 3600 B.C. and 2500 B.C. There is some rather unfortunate 'modern' restoration. The later temples incorporate impressive stone reliefs featuring spiral patterns and animals.

Carved reliefs at Tarxien.

Tarxien is hemmed in by by a modern church and cemetery, a wall separating a public road, a very tall stone wall (under repair at the time of our visit) separating a neglected garden and the ticket office. None the less, I enjoyed my visit.

We set off in the direction of our hotel. On the previous Monday, we'd cancelled a planned visit to Rabat and Mdina in order to visit the Aviation Museum so we decided to visit these locations before completing the journey to Golden Bay.

Domvs Romana, Rabat

We parked in Rabat near to the Roman Villa. It was my first visit to the museum site operated by Heritage Malta as 'Domvs Romana'. The exhibits are housed in a stone building, entered via an elegant Neo-Classical facade.

One of the mosaic floors in the Domvs Romana museum.

The mosaic pavements in the Domvs Romana are regarded as some of the oldest and best in the western Mediterranean. They were discovered in 1881 in the remains of a rich and sumptuously decorated town house of the Roman period. In addition to the mosaics, the museum houses a collection of Roman artefacts, statues and architectural stonework.

At the rear of the museum, there's an open-air site showing the foundations of the rear of the village and three adjacent houses.

The open-air site at the rear of the museum.

There are a few pictures of the museum in the 'Mdina and Rabat' set (link below).

Mdina and Rabat

Mdina was the original capital of Malta and the only fortified city on the island until the 16th century when the Knights of St. John moved the capital to Valletta because of its harbour and fortified their new capital. This led to a period of neglect for Mdina, ended by an earthquake in 1693 which caused serious damage. Rebuilding following the earthquake produced the dignified city which is little changed today.

Mdina's Main Gate.

Like many visitors, I was enchanted by the place. The streets are mainly pedestrianised, with pretty horse drawn carriages (with rubber tyres) quietly providing transport for less athletic visitors. The imposing Palazzo Vilhena now houses a Natural History Museum.

Palazzo Vilhena is now a museum.

St. Pauls Cathedral is topped by an elegant dome recognisable from miles away but not visible when close to the impressive frontage.

The frontage of St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina.

With some reluctance, I tore myself away from this very attractive place and Dean and I completed our journey back to the hotel to meet Ann.

Photographs

Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples.
Tarxien Temples.
Mdina and Rabat.

All the photographs on this trip form a collection titled Malta.

[Revised 3-Dec-2012]

Return to Malta (Part 5)

Events of Tuesday 27th November 2012

Interlude on Gozo

On Tuesday, we made a trip by car to the island of Gozo. On the way to the ferryport, Dean detoured to Anchor Bay, where the set constructed for the 'Popeye' film of 1980 remains as a Theme Park. There's more information on the 'Popeye Village' website (look for the 'stop sound' button on the top left of the screen to silence the irritating singing). The village certainly looked the part, nestling against the cliffs.

Popeye Village, Malta.

We carried on towards the ferryport. Major road improvements are underway and a completely new ferryport is being used whilst still under construction. This is another project being supported by European Union funding.

A modern Ro-Ro ferry was just arriving from Gozo and, within a few minutes, the hinging bow section had been raised, the loading ramp 'unfolded' and foot passengers and vehicles were streaming off.

Foot passengers and vehicles leaving the ferry from Gozo.

We were in a queue of vehicles waiting to board and, looking at the length of the queue and the capacity of the car deck, it was clear we'd have no problem boarding. We parked the car and made our way up to the main deck. Ann settled here and Dean and I prowled the ferry independently looking for photographic opportunities.

Late foot passengers arriving showing the bow section hinged upward for unloading/loading.

Our ferry was the "Melita", built in 2002 by Malta Shipbuilding Company Limited as their 'HULL-180'. The ferry is basically double-ended, with a hinging bow section at each end and two bridges for control. So we were able to depart with the minimum of fuss, as what had been the 'stern' on arrival became the 'bow' for our crossing to Gozo and the helmsman moved to what was now the 'Forward' bridge. I noticed that the vessel wasn't completely symmetrical as an anchor was only provided on one of the two ends.

We left the dock, rounded the breakwater and set off across a very calm Mediterranean under a hot sun. After about ten minutes sailing, we passed a similar ferry, the "Ta' Pinu" heading away from Gozo.

The "Ta' Pinu" ferry heads for the mainland.

Another ten minutes saw us approaching the dock at Mgarr Harbour and before long we were driving onto Gozo, still not having paid. We decided (correctly) that they now collect fares on the return journey. Dean drove to the major town, Victoria (also called Rabat) and parked near Pjazza Indipendenza where there was a small tourist market. Ann had a drink at an open-air cafe whilst Dean and I went exploring the Cittadella 'the old fortified city of the Island of Gozo'. It's built on high ground surrounded by tall walls. Like many of the old parts of the mainland, the Cittadella is being restored by grant money but, in this case, the grant is supplied by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism administered by EEA Grants and the Ministry for Gozo. Within the Citadel, there's a Cathedral with a 17th-century Baroque facade, Courts of Justice and Armoury together with Museums of Folklore, Natural Science and Archaeology.

'Assumption of Our Lady' Cathedral in the Citadel, Gozo.

We'd only time to visit a small museum dedicated to the (rather improbable) co-operation agreements between Gozo and Japan and Gozo and China (why did I think of the film 'The Mouse that Roared'?). Climbing the Battlements gave splendid views across Gozo in all directions. Noticeable is the way the undulating land has been terraced to assist crop cultivation and the fact that the landscape is dotted with fairly grand, domed churches.

View from the Battlements of the Citadel.

We then drove to Gozo's Craft Village at Ta' Dbiegi, in the west of the island near Gharb. Unlike the mainland's converted Nissen Huts, Ta' Dbiegi is purpose-built with a number of stone buildings.

A short drive took us to Dwejra Point, a popular tourist destination because of nearby free-standing Fungus Rock, the Azure Window and the Inland Sea.

The Azure Window. Note the people standing on top.

The Azure Window is a rock in the sea still linked to the main cliffs by a 'bridge' of stone. Despite the 'DANGER' signs, quite a few people were climbing up and crossing the 'bridge', so Dean aqnd I did likewise.

View from the top of the Azure Window looking south, showing Fungus Rock.

The Marketing Department just about got away with 'The Azure Window' but I think they rather oversold the 'Inland Sea' which is a pool, almost completely surrounded by boathouses and dwellings built in stone, separated from the sea by massive cliffs. A tunnel pierces the cliffs joining the Inland Sea to the Mediterranean.

The Inland Sea, showing the tunnel mouth.

We next went to Ta' Pinu Church, which seemed a very elaborate building for such a rural area.

Looking north towards Ta' Pinu Church, with the Mediterranean in the background.

This became a place of pilgrimage following accounts of Our Lady speaking to a local woman where people can give thanks for blessings received or ask for help. Hundreds of framed testimonials are displayed. The Church (a minor Basiiica) is now called Ta' Pinu National Shrine, according to its website here.

Preserved Section of Aqueduct.

Returning to Victoria, we passed a preserved section of aqueduct, now isolated in a field. Dean drove to the ferryport at Mgarr by a circuitous route, allowing us to see a little more of the island. A toll booth collected the fare and we were immediately waved onto a waiting ferry - the 'Melta' again. By the time we'd parked on the car deck and made our way onto the main deck, the ferry had left the dock for the twenty minute trip to the mainland. Since the morning, a wind had developed and the sea was 'livelier'.

By the time we were back on the mainland, it was fairly dark. There remained only a fairly short journey back to Golden Bay at the end of a splendid, but tiring day.

Photographs:

Malta.

[Revised 28-Nov-2012}

Return to Malta (Part 4)

Events of Monday 25th November 2012

Ann decided to relax in the hotel in the morning, so Dean proposed that he and I visited Mosta followed by Rabat. It didn't take long to drive to Mosta and Dean managed to park near the famous 'Mosta Dome', more properly called the Rotunda of Saint Marija Assunta. This Roman Catholic church was consecrated in 1871 to replace an earlier church on the site. It is famous both for the size of its dome and the fact that a German bomb which fell through the dome during a service in 1942 failed to explode, an event called 'The Bomb Miracle'. There's more information in a Wikipedia article.

The Rotunda of Saint Marija Assunta, Mosta.

The church is certainly impressive, so I include the obligatory shot looking up at the inside of the 122 feet diameter rotunda.

The decorated inside of the rotunda.

We set off for Rabat but, remembering we'd pass near the Aviation Museum at Ta' Qali which neither of us had visited, we changed plans and headed for the museum. The museum was very impressive due, I am sure, to the dedication of the volunteers and the European Union funding.

General view of one bay of the original building at Malta Aviation Museum

The original museum building (formed from two Nissen Huts side-by-side) has been supplemented by both a large building able to display a number of complete aircraft and a slightly smaller building called 'The Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hanger'.

Mark IX Spitfire number EN199 displayed in the Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hanger.

The range of exhibits is impressive and the access exemplary. In most cases, you can get up close to exhibits and view all sides. In addition to a wide range of complete aircraft, aircraft engines and accessories, there's a complete Link Trainer - the first aircraft simulator used for training pilots. There's a large collection of detailed models of aircraft.

There's a complete cockpit and forward door section of a BAC 1-11. Access is via the aircraft's airstairs. I've flown as a passenger in BAC 1-11s a few times but never ended up in the P2 (co-pilot) seat until this visit.

Jan in the co-pilot's seat of a BAC 1-11.

My pictures don't do justice to the items on display. There's more information on the Malta Aviation Museum website or, preferably, make a visit.

In the afternoon, we all went to Saint Julian's by car. Ann had an appointment at the Spa at the Hilton Hotel so Dean and I explored the area on foot. On my first visit to Malta, I'd stayed at St. Julian's but the changes since then have been so massive, I recognised nothing. Dean found the hotel where he and Ann had stayed some years before but he was amazed at the changes. The Hilton Hotel is possibly the tallest building in Malta - it certainly gets my award as the ugliest, beating off fierce competition from the surrounding developments. We walked downhill to the sea and a small, rocky cove. Moving on, we passed The Westin Resort. At least they'd retained the limestone wall and triumphal arch of whatever was before. Slightly inland, we came to a multi-level shopping mall with a number of "Gentlemen's Clubs" nearby in a fair imitation of London's Soho. Returning to the sea, we came to St. George's Bay - much nicer. It even had a sandy beach (although I suspect this was man-made).

By the time we'd walked back to the Hilton, Ann was ready for us so Dean retrieved the car from the multi-storey underground car park and took us via Sliema to various parts of Valetta. The most incongruous sight was visiting cruise ship 'Pacific Princess' moored almost at the side of our road opposite traditional three-storey buildings of stone.

'Pacific Princess' preparing to leave Valetta.

'Pacific Princess' had only berthed that morning and, when we saw her, she was preparing to leave. I'd noticed the ship was berthed with three radar scanners working. That puzzled me although imminent departure seemed the most probable reason. The useful website MarineTraffic.com confirmed the ship's movements.

As we left Valetta and headed back to Golden Bay, we saw Cunard's 'Queen Elizabeth' arriving. Afterwards, MarineTraffic.com confirmed the ship's arrival from Limassol for a brief stay of just under one day.

Photographs:

Malta.

[Revised 27-Nov-2012]

Return to Malta (Part 3)

Events of Sunday 25th November 2012

After breakfast in Flavours Restaurant I took a 'deep paddle' up to my waist in Golden Bay (still not warm enough for me to swim - I see a pattern emerging). I'd heard the roar of a number of motor bikes since earlier in the morning. When I left the beach for the main road, I discovered that Golden Bay is the 'Matlock Bath' of Malta.

At 9 o'clock, I counted 60 motor bikes at the Apple's Eye restaurant, with more arriving every minute. In addition to the usual range of Japanese machines, there were 'Triumph', 'Harley', off-road 'trials' bikes and, no doubt, many other types. There was plenty of exuberant driving, particularly on the straight road to Ghajn Tuffieha. There were also a few low-slung, expensive sports car in the mix so, from time to time, the distinctive roar of a 'V8' engine could be heard.

Motor bikes at Golden Bay.

I walked up to Ghajn Tuffieha Bay which I shared the beach with just one man doing morning exercises near the (closed) cafe. The area is managed for the government by the Gaia Foundation and they have a website here.

Plan of Ghajn Tuffieha Bay on the Gaia noticeboard.

Click here for an enlarged view of the Plan..

I tried the sea, but the water still wasn't warm enough for me to do other than a 'deep paddle'. I spent a while walking on the cliffs but, although the sun was very warm, it was still very damp underfoot on the cliffs from the heavy rain of a few days earlier. The clay in the soil mixed with the scree made a tenacious aggregate which attempted to suck my shoes off at every step (it was too rough for barefoot). By the time I'd walked back to Golden Bay, I found my shoes had acquired a layer of 'cement' which proved very hard to remove.

The number of motor bikes parked near Apple's Eye had increased to at least 150. In the hotel, I met up with Ann and Dean taking a late breakfast before leaving on foot for a horse ride. Ann and Dean remained in the hotel.

The stables were less than a mile from the hotel. It took a while for all the people booked to arrive and get mounted but we set off at 11.30 with a girl from the stables up front, a couple of experienced riders free and the rest of the riders on leads to what I took to be the proprietor. We took the public road for about half a mile, passing cars and a couple of buses before turning off into Il Majjistral Nature and History Park. This is 'Malta's first natural national park' - there's a brief description here. We trekked along rough tracks around the hillside behind our hotel. The area was fairly windswept and barren, sprinkled with small, abandoned buildings. Presumably because it was Sunday, there were numerous parked cars dotted around with families enjoying a picnic. We rejoined the public road where we had left it and, after running the gauntlet of various cars and buses, arrived back at the stables an hour after we'd left.

Horse riding in Il Majjistral Nature and History Park.

In the afternoon, we all went out by car. Ann wanted to visit the Ta' Qali Craft Village near Rabat. A series of Nissen huts on a World War II airfield have been converted into industrial units occupied by a variety of craft workshops. Since it was Sunday, only some of the businesses were open but Ann spent some time in the stonecraft workshop whilst Dean and I visited the large glassblowing business and explored some of the abandoned Nissen Huts.

We then drove to Rabat where Ann and Dean took me to the former railway station at Museum, the ultimate terminus of the metre gauge Malta Railway line from Valetta. First opened in 1883, the railway went bankrupt in 1890 but was taken over by the government and, after further rebuilding, re-opened in 1892, finally closing in 1931. Traces of the railway can be found in some places. The Museum station operated as a restaurant and railway museum until a few years ago but it is currently boarded up.

Museum Station Building (rail side).

Some Railway references:

Wikipedia.
Malta Railway Website.
'The Malta Railway'.


The fortifications of Rabat loom over the old station and major restoration work is currently in progess.

Rabat viewed from the old station. At four o'clock in the afternoon, the moon is visible.

Rabat itself was very busy and parking was a problem so, promising to return, we headed towards Valetta and the former film studios at Kalkara. Although Malta became a popular destination for film-makers, the facility we visited appears closed. The remains of various sets and the large outside pool used for 'tank shots' can still be seen but major building work seems to be producing a 'Smart City'. The MFS website is well worth a look and there's a list of films made in Malta here.

Derelict sets and the huge Tank at Malta Film Studios.

Valetta and the Three Cities is an impressive and confusing area where the ancient and modern meet in surprising ways. The massive medieval fortifications are everywhere, pierced to allow roads through in tunnels or huge arches. The sea is always at hand with a remarkable mix of small boats and large ships, particularly around Grand Harbour.

Ancient and modern around Valetta.

As it started to get dark, Dean drove us back to the hotel where we enjoyed a buffet dinner in Flavours Restaurant.

Photographs

Malta.

[Revised 27-Nov-2012]

Return to Malta (Part 2)

Events of Saturday 24th November 2012

Much of Malta's coastline is rocky but Golden Bay, where our hotel is located, is the northernmost of three sandy beaches on Malta's north-west coast.

Radisson BLU Resort & Spa, Golden Sands, Malta.

Fortunately, the weather was shaping up to be a dry, warm day - the two weeks prior to our arrival had been wet. Shortly after 7.0 a.m. I decided to walk to the watch tower visible from the hotel - Ghajn Tuffieha Tower. Once outside the hotel, I took the long straight road to a T-junction where the road to Valetta formed the left turn and the entrance to Ghajn Tuffieha car park the right turn. I walked past a large derelict building (predictably constructed from limestone blocks) to reach the tower itself (also limestone but clearly having had a modern restoration).

Ghajn Tuffieha Tower.

I returned to the hotel the same way I came out. When I was last in Malta, Malta Bus ran a very unpredictable service with a fleet of aging buses. All swept away now, of course. The buses which stop a short walk from the hotel are pale blue and operated by Arriva. Their website is here.

I was back in time to have breakfast with Ann and Dean in Flavours Restaurant. Later in the morning, Ann had an appointment in the Myoka spa and Dean and I went for a walk. Dean showed me the cliff path to Ghajn Tuffieha Tower, then we descended the concrete steps leading to the pretty beach of Ghajn Tuffieha. The sun was now very warm, so I couldn't resist the opportunity to paddle in the clear sea. I decided the sea hadn't warmed up enough for total immersion.

Jan in paddling mode. Ghajn Tuffieha Tower visible at the cliff top as is part of the Radisson Hotel (in the next bay).

In the afternoon, we all went by car to Bugibba, on the eastern coast, where Ann had arranged to meet a friend.

Bugibba.

Bugibba has a promenade but no beach, just rocks. Nontheless, it has become popular as a tourist destination. Following Ann's meeting, we took ice cream in a small seafront cafe before driving back to Golden Bay and an excellent dinner in Flavours Restaurant.

Photographs

Malta.

Return to Malta (Part 1)

Events of Friday 23rd November 2012

On 23rd November 2012 I travelled to Malta with Ann and Dean. They've been visiting the Radisson resort at Golden Sands in Malta for a number of years and, this time, I agreed to accompany them.

We set off early by road for Heathrow and parked in the Terminal 4 Long-stay car park. A shuttle bus transferred us and luggage to the Terminal for check-in. The two-and-a-bit hour flight to Malta by A320 was pleasantly shorter than on many of my trips.

Our A320 on arrival at Malta International Airport.

It's actually my second visit to Malta. I've been trying to remember exactly when the first was - my guess is around twenty years ago. Needless to say, there have been major changes since my last trip. The first time I arrived at Luqa Airport its origins as an RAF base were still obvious. Now, development of the site into the present Malta International Airport has obliterated most evidence of its history although I did spot some derelict Nissen Huts just outside the airport. These durable buildings had clearly found civilian uses before finally falling into disrepair. I was intrigued by the signboard on one of these buildings - 'MALTA RABBIT CLUB'.

Dean had booked a hire car and we drove to Radisson Golden Sands as it was getting dark. Ann had arranged a well-appointed suite with two bedrooms and a large sitting room. Later in the evening, we enjoyed a splendid meal in the Agliolio Restaurant. By this time, we were all pretty tired so we retired to bed. I slept soundly.

A bit of history

Malta has a strategically-important location in the Mediteranean and, consequently, the island has been colonised a number of times over the centuries, latterly by the British. The Maltese people, of course, have the distinction of having been collectively awarded the George Cross, in recognition of the heavy bombing the island suffered in the second World War when Malta provided a vital base to Britain. Malta gained independence in 1964, became a Republic in 1974, joined the European Union in 2004 and adopted the Euro as its currency in 2008. The Maltese Constitution makes Catholicism the official religion and worship is deeply engrained in the society.

Although natural resources are few, Malta has quarries producing limestone which, cut into blocks, were the traditional method of constructing buildings. In recent times, Malta enthusiastically embraced tourism which I think has proved something of a mixed blessing. I believe Information Technology is now seen as the way forward. For more information, see the Wikipedia article.

Entering the EU meant (for at least some people) 'Falling on Soft Times'. But, looking at some of the farmers tending smallholdings producing vegetables and the delapidated state of many houses and commercial premises, I don't think the largesse has been spread around evenly. Malta received significant contributions from the European Regional Development Fund. For instance, the hotel we're staying in (opened in 2005) was funded 50% private enterprise, 12.5% Malta Government and 37.5% ERDF. Rather like Spain, there has been massive housing developments which in these troubled economic times have become difficult to sell. The EU has recently proposed a massive reduction in funds to Malta signalling worrying times ahead.

More when I can.

Photographs

Malta.

Oak Tree Pruning at Brewood Hall

Events of Tuesday, September 25th, 2012

The most famous oak tree in this part of the country is the Royal Oak at Boscobel House, just a few miles from Brewood. The Royal Oak is a descendant of the tree in which King Charles II hid to avoid capture following his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

The trees in the rear garden at Brewood Hall are somewhat younger and were planted in 1972 as saplings around four feet tall. My Uncle Eric (now deceased) had grown the saplings from acorns.

The oak trees at Brewood Hall before pruning.

The trees were first pruned a few years ago and the trees were pruned again in September, 2012. Attending to mature trees requires a number of trained men with various vehicles, including a wood chipper.

A Land Rover and two lorries (one towing a wood chipper) at Brewood Hall.

The actual cutting was carried out by two 'climbers' equipped with chain saws, under the direction of the senior forester on the ground.

A 'climber' in the crown of one of the oaks.

The removed branches were carried or dragged to the wood chipper and converted into small chips which were taken away by one of the lorries.

Branches being converted to chips. Ear defenders were very necessary when the wood chipper was in operation.

The job was completed in a few hours. Fallen leaves and twigs were cleared away, leaving little trace of the work carried out other than the pruned and reshaped trees themselves.

View of one of the re-shaped trees.

Photographs:

Oak Tree Pruning at Brewood.

The Clack Valve

'Planet' leaving the 'New' Platform at 'MOSI' with Bev in charge

One Saturday, some time ago, I was rostered driver on the 'Planet' replica at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry ('MOSI'). I'd completed my oiling-round and daily examination of the engine and the fireman was just waiting for the boiler to develop full working pressure. I felt a bit peckish so I decided to pop across the road for a sandwich. When I returned a few minutes later, the locomotive was virtually invisible, wreathed in a thick cloud of steam. Apparently, having obtained full pressure, the fireman had tested the injector but, on shutting it down, the Clack Valve had not re-closed so the boiler was now ejecting steam through the injector overflow.

Steam locomotives use non-return valves, usually called 'Clack Valves', to allow fluid to pass in one direction only. Clack valves are most commonly inserted in the water feed to the boiler, allowing pressurised water to enter the boiler but preventing steam and hot water from escaping.

A 'Sticking Clack' can be a fairly common problem on locomotives with injectors. It's usually caused by a small piece of solid matter getting trapped in the clack valve as it closes, preventing a proper seal. The usual source of solid matter is boiler scale. Fluid flow in the vicinity of the Clack Valve can be turbulent and particles of scale can get swept into harm's way. There are a couple of techniques that can be used to rectify matters.

Vibration can be used to dislodge the offending matter. This is usually achieved by whacking the clack body. Different firemen tend to have different places on the clack to deliver the blow but I've usually found the top of the clack body is the most effective. On many old engines this preferred position is attested to by the battered appearance of the top of the clack body, caused by blows from coal picks. To prevent this sort of damage, I try to use a wooden footplate brush to thump the clack body.

Alternately, the clack can be made to 'hiccup' by shutting the steam cock feeding the injector and then opening it again. I've found that gently closing the steam cock and then immediately opening it wide can often cause the right sort of disturbance to seat and unseat the clack and hopefully, when the steam cock is closed again, the clack will seal properly.

If neither technique remedies the situation, then that feed has to be declared a 'failure'. Most locomotives have two injectors and two clacks so one failure does not prevent the crew from finishing the 'diagram', provided they're fairly confident about the other 'feed'.

The problem on 'Planet' was quickly rectified by a few sharp 'taps' and it didn't recurr. If the problem happens regularly, it suggests permant damage or scoring to either the clack or its seat.

Water Feed Pumps

Before the invention of the Injector by the Frenchman Henri Giffard in about 1859, early locomotives like 'Sans Pareil' and 'Lion' used pumps to pressurise the feed water to the boiler, allowing water to be delivered to the boiler against the internal steam pressure.

Water pump on the 'Sans Pareil' replica

Right hand water pump on 'Lion'

Clack Valves were still required to prevent steam and water escaping from the boiler when the pump was not being used to feed cold water to the boiler. The original 'Planet' (built in 1830) employed a water pump driven from the reciprocating motion of the crosshead but this method of feeding water to the boiler can only be used whilst the locomotive is in motion. The replica 'Planet' does have a pump but it's also provided with an injector (an anachronism, of course) allowing water to be fed to the boiler whilst stationary, provided there's sufficient steam pressure to operate the injector).

'Ball and Cage' Clack

'Lion' uses a 'Ball and Cage' clack design. The pressurised feed water from the pump 'unseats' a ball to allow water to enter the boiler but, when the feed pressure drops, the ball falls back onto the seat and prevents the flow from reversing. This works well if the ball and seat are 'true' but later designs of clack tended to make use of a disc valve.

A 'Ball and Cage' clack valve on 'Lion'

And what about the operation of injectors? We'd better keep this for another time.