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Tuesday 27 October 2015

My Roadster 100 Calendar for 2016

Every Year since the setting up of our Morgan Centenary Roadster 100 Register I have published a Calendar.

Last year 16 other Members purchased a Calendar. Since then 6 of them have sold their cars and I suspected that interest from other members may be waning. 

This year I would only have three copies made and use them to test the water. 

True to expectations I only managed to sell two of them for donations to our chosen charity, Combat Stress 

Here are the Front Cover and the Monthly Pages with Photos












Wednesday 21 October 2015

Another Trip - Another MOT

This time it was the turn of The Green Goddess to have its annual MOT Test and Service. 

I decided a year ago before we moved that I would be returning to SGT in Buckinghamshire to give the car the continuity of the Service Engineer there, Taff.

Knowing that the car needed to be in the garage early and remembering my age I once again travelled up the day before to enjoy the drive and have an early night.

Arriving early in the area I decided to have a pleasant afternoon with a visit to one of my favourite National Trust properties at Cliveden   


 Being a quiet afternoon there was plenty of space in the Car Park - Hood Up for Security after being down all day.

 The Cliveden Estate Plan  

 The Magnificent Fountain at the end of the Main Drive

 The House is a Luxury Hotel at around £465 per person per night.
The drive was where the Annual Classic Car Show was always held.


A must see Garden if you ever make a visit. 




 On entering the gates it was obvious that the Flower Beds were between seasons - Empty

One of the many Ornate Statues to see

 Some of the pieces of Topiary 


 The view from middle to begining

 Just behind this wall is a very busy main road.

 The side gate into the woodland garden

 The view to the Fountain

 The view towards the River Valley

More Garden Statues to enjoy





The Secret Garden has recently been given a full makeover and planted with all of these roses, no past their best. 

Another view through the fence designed to keep the rabbits and deer out.

Through the tree can just be seen the magnificent clock tower at the house.

The side entrance doors to the Private area where the hotel guests may enjoy the outside swimming pool. This area was made famous during the Profumo scandal




This little drive crosses the main drive to allow deliveries to the house kitchens

The path through the hedge along the walled gardens

The well stocked borders.

The hotel is very busy today.

That Clock Tower again

A Rolls Royce photo shoot in action making it easy for me to get this shot.

The other side of the Walled Garden backing on to the Orangery 

The Main House and West Wing

The Ornate Dovecot at the end of the Orangery wall. 

The East end of the House

About the work ongoing to make the Steps safe again.

The Parterre Garden with its Box Hedges flower beds ready for re planting. 

Tower Topping Ornamentation



The Masonry Work on the Steps 

The West end of the Terrace

How the Parterre looked when first laid out

The view from the East side

The deep void alongside the Kitchens 

Through the Window, a hazy view of one of the rooms.

Another window shot


The East Wing rooms

The Orangery Tea Rooms 


Crossing the Car Parking Area, I spot another Hotel restriction sign

These are the Gates to the Hotel Relaxation facilities and that Swimming Pool Area. I was not aware that there was a 'Club' here, presumably for other than guests.

The Sign on the Gate Post

That Clock Tower again

Heading back towards the Visitors Car Park now I take the scenic route through the Picnic Area

While there are magnificent views along the River Thames on the other side of the estate, this small lake can be seen from my footpath. I imagine it is there as part of a drainage scheme. 

The Visitors Bus to the House and Gardens areas. I was tempted, but not just yet. 

One the other side of the car Park is another area worthy of exploration as it leads through the Japanese Water Garden  to the Cottage Tea Rooms and Children's Play Area. 

Onwards from there is the Grand Drive and Woodland Walks which follow the line of the River Thames for a couple of miles towards an old disused entrance gate near the village of Taplow.


Just behind the Car Park Wall (It is located in old Walled Garden) is the latest major recovery project. The original maze, lost over the years has been re planted and open to the public to explore.

I have never been in on previous visits, but the plaintive cries of a child being guided by its mother from the entrance changed my mind. I did not have time to make the full exploration to the centre and back so just when in along a few of the paths.  

You either love Mazes or you hate them. That fear of never finding you way out again.


Ah! Which way do I go now?
The Maze 'Minders Hut' was empty and I am not sure if the Drawing is the Route or just a diagram? The reassuring message 'You Will Be Found' did not add ' Dead or Alive' I notice

Just around the corner is the water Garden with is lovely Pagoda and Giant Koi Carp. 

The Lakes here have a problem of Murky Water which the keepers have never been able to resolve but the fis are visible as the swim near to the surface and tend to gather near the bank when people stand there to view them.

Looking back towards the Maze Entrance

Just outside of the Cliveden Shop is an array of Garden Ornaments and Plants

There is another Tea & Coffee Booth just here where I would come with our Dog. 

All of the other areas I have just visited here are restricted to Dogs. Only the Woodland Walk is available. 

The Visitors Information Centre 


And Finally, Back to the Morgan. 
I now need to set off for my overnight stay in Gerrards Cross

Just a 15 minute drive from Cliveden and I am in the Hotel Car Park. I will be going out again later to have dinner with my Son. Then when I return, on will go the All Weather Cover as well.

As I do not want to roam around outside now, here are a couple of photos of Gerrards Cross from the Hotel Wall Hangings.

The Hotel Entrance as it used to look before it was moved to the right hand end.

The Pond on the Village Green 

The Tree which is forming the shadow on the Photo of the Front Entrance, floodlit a night.

The Following Morning, I deliver the Morgan to the Garage and then take the Slow Train to London from Taplow Station which is just a short walk across from the Garage.

My Destination - The Victoria and Albert Museum once more.

The Schools are just beginning their Half Term Holidays and there are children everywhere, sketching the exhibits.

I head straight for the displays of fashion through the ages.

I apologise for the Flashlight but it was quite dark in there.


Typical of Victorian Styling







The next hall was full of Beautiful Statues - Far to many to photograph.



The last time I visited I found new areas. This open courtyard with pool is the latest find. I am amazed at the beautiful architecture of this building.



The Shallow Pool

In the building opposite I find the Cafe where I took lunch on my very first visit. Not today though as I will be going across the road to the Science Museum soon.

Upstairs on the first floor I find myself on a gallery between the two Halls of Full Sized Plaster Copies that I featured last time.




Then I turn another corner and find yet another new area.



The Glazed Roof indicates that this was once an outside area.






Back inside I take my final photo here and leave for the Science Museum.


Following Lunch in the Space Cafe again, I wander a few more exhibits not seen here before, plus a few seen before but from different angles.


I found this structure in a area dedicated to 'Materials'. It is laminated from hundreds of different products.

Cabinets indicating products and inventions using Materials of all sorts.

I did not go up here last time and missed the Clocks and Watches displays. An opportunity for my own Ariel Photographs


On the opposite Balcony I find this fabulous display of models. Many of which have wheels which rotate at the press of a button. 

Beautiful Model Engineering




















The Schneider Trophy plane. Forerunner of the famous 'Spitfire'
Schneider Trophy Video
Trophy Video Two.

Apple's First Prototype of the Apple I Computer (seen from above).


The Car Stack from below.






Full Size Railway Engine 

 Space Rocket with an Early Satellite Launching System


An Early Rocket Engine. 

More fine Model Machines


Enough of Museums for another day. I decided to take a walk to the Park to find the Albert Memorial.

On the way I decided to photograph some of the fine Architecture.

Immediately adjacent to the Science Museum is the main entrance of Imperial College London



A Magnificent Art Deco Styled Apartment Block

A Terrace of Houses typical of affluent London at the turn of Last Century


Another Elegant Apartment Block

Around the corner is another Facade of the Science Museum which may once have been its Main Entrance

Looking back on that facade again

Turn another Corner and there is the Royal Albert Hall.
It is interesting in how the Apartment Buildings are also curved to follow the curvature of the roads.

One famous resident of an apartment here. Orchestra Conductor..
Sir Malcolm Sargent


And there it is, On the edge of Hyde Park, The Albert Memorial

The Albert Memorial

.From the Memorial Steps I can now take the Iconic Photo of the Whole Hall

The Royal Albert Hall

The Tourist Plan of Hyde Park

The Royal Collage of Organists 

The Royal College of Organists

Another Fine Apartment Building

I cant find any information on this Chimney

The Royal Albert Hall Main Entrance

The Royal Academy of Music Building

More Apartments

The Prince Albert Statue

The Diamond Jubilee Steps

The Imperial Collage Map

Cycle Storage, Colledge Style

One of the Kensington Side Streets

An Apartment Block Courtyard Entrance

 A Modern Office Block

The West End Corner of the Natural History Museum


Institut Francais

I get the call that my Mog has passed its test and is ready for collection and make my way back to Taplow via Paddington.

Arriving at SGT I can just see the front of the MOG at the left hand side where it was being cleaned. Sadly my 85 mile journey home would probably cancel out the effect of that hard work


Once the bill is paid the car is ready for me at the front door.

So it is Farewell to SGT until the next time.
Frank