Dear diary - nothing happened today

I have not blogged for some weeks and feel I ought to post something, but nothing much has happened since Christmas, so I will just post some pictures I like. I say nothing much has happened; the most significant event has been my ancient Amaryllis has flowered once more. It is now well into its thirties and still going strong.

When we were in Cumbria I took this sunset photo of the wind farm out to sea off Walney.
 

 I recently posted this picture below on FaceBook for one of my cousins who was hoping for snow and who likes trains. It was taken by my late brother-in-law when he was in the USA, where he was on a train spotting tour.

 He went all over the world looking for steam and produced crates of photos on 35mm film. I have only kept a few of those that I particularly like.

 
This picture is one of his, of a rather unusual machine in South Africa. It seems to have been converted from a standard car to run on the rails. No doubt a kind of runabout for the railway company staff who need to get to a particular section of track without using a full sized engine.  If you look closely, the steering wheel is still there.  Something to hang on to I suppose.

Next are a few pictures of things in flight.

This dove is just coming into land on a roof at Snowshill Manor in Gloucestershire.

The GoodYear blimp often found at air shows and such in the 1970s/80s.  This picture was taken at the Rolls Royce airfield at Leavsden during an airshow.  The site is no longer an airfield, but one part now hosts the Warner Brother’s Harry Potter exhibition.

Some starlings preparing to roost for the night

 Some ancient history here.

An advert from 1965. 

 You could freely  advertise cigarettes then, even though it had been known since the 1930s that there was a link to cancer.

Going back a bit, this rather scratched negative shows the M1 motorway a few weeks after it opened in 1959.  Not too busy, only two lanes and no centre barrier.

World War  Two and they had Mars bars back then.  It must have been a winning idea to last so long.  The ad does not mention points, so this must have been before they started rationing.  The bar looks a lot more chunky than modern ones. Two and a half d is one penny in modern currency.

 Finally, a clue as to where I live.  A road junction that causes panic and fear to strangers trying to navigate  the streets of my home town.

It was originally named the County Road Roundabout, but due to popular usage, by the bewildered townsfolk, it was renamed to The Magic Roundabout. Once you know how to use it it is very easy to negotiate, but for first time users it is a nightmare.