http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/ http://www.eblah.com en http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1222365595/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1222365595/#num1 Summerlee Heritage Park in Coatbridge re-opens on Friday, September 25, 2008, after the completion of a £10 million refurbishment. This saw the main exhibition hall being completely cleared, and the building stripped back to its bare skeleton as part of an almost complete rebuild, as you can see in our selected pic.

The museum closed back in October 2006, so has been off the radar for almost two years, and sorely missed by those who came to see it as a regular appointment. Within the collection of authentic, working exhibits of our industrial and mechanical past the visitor can enjoy the noise, or trace the evolution of of heavy industry from Victorian times to the present day. Historic items include working steam engines, trams, and a replica of the Vulcan, the first all iron boat in Scotland.

Families can (at the right time of year of course) enjoy the play area and picnic areas at the side of the Monklands Canal, which flows through the site.

The site itself is of historic significance, having been the Summerlee Ironworks.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?.....amp;z=16&iwloc=A

    * Superb new exhibition hall with interactive displays and kid's Discovery Zone
    * Scotland's only working electric tramway
    * Underground mine and miners' cottages from 1840 to 1960
    * Great playpark for tots to teens
    * Café and shop. Free parking.

Open all year 10am to 5pm (4pm Nov - March)
Closed Dec 25 & 26 and Jan 1 & 2.

Admission Free

Address:

Heritage Way
Coatbridge
Lanarkshire
ML5 1QD

Tel: (01236) 638460
Fax: (01236) 638454]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:59:55 Apollo http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220738347/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220738347/#num1
So far, the announcement that the Vulcan B2, XH558 will be displaying has stayed on the front of the official web site, so for those that can make it, it will be the return of an old airshow friend, and a sound and feeling that can only be experiences, not described

The show makes a welcome return this year, being absent from the calendar last year as essential works were carried out to the airfield's runway.

Leuchars Airshow official web site

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane - will of course be in attendance, with an equally emotional sound and sight filling the sky over this long-established RAF airfield.

The area's connection with aviation dates back to 1911, when the Royal Engineers carried out military testing with balloons. Leuchars Airfield was formally established in 1918, when a fleet station of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) formed the Fleet Aerial Gunnery and Fighting School (NW area) there. The school occupied most of the original technical area, including six general coupled aeroplane sheds, and many of the original buildings, which were used as classrooms, stores and accommodation.]]> Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:59:07 Apollo http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220737315/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220737315/#num1
For those of you still flitting about the land with some regularity, Doors Open Day 2008 is now underway, and has a shiny new web site. For the first time (in my opinion) all the locations taking part are easy to identify and find on the web site, by area, or by date, across the country:

Doors Open Day 2008 Area Programmes

Glasgow's own Doors Open Day web site:

Doors Open Day: Glasgow's Built Heritage Festival, September 15 - September 21, 2008

Updates here! Because there's always last minute changes, cancellations, and additions.]]> Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:41:55 Apollo http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220605702/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220605702/#num1 Largs Viking Festival sooner, and giving anyone interested, but unfamiliar, better opportunity to make a visit. Since I can’t make the trip this time round, it wasn’t in my mind, and it was only noticing the date that reminded me of the omission.

There are lots of events on during the festival, it started on Saturday, August 30, with a parade through the streets of Largs, official opening and lots of fun activities and displays. During the following week, a Viking Village on the promenade populated by the Vikings where you can learn more about the how the Vikings used to live and concludes with the grand finale - the symbolic re-enactment of the battle along with boat burning and fireworks on Valhalla Day at The Pencil monument - on Saturday, August 6, 2008.

Our absence might lead to the success of the event, especially the re-enactment and fireworks, as our occasional visits have always been ruined by the arrival of dreadful weather. Last time, it took over half an hour for the the participants to get the beacon fire to light and burst in a wild… smoulder. It was almost funny as the local Fire Brigade was in attendance - no doubt due to some cowering minion that that had been obliged to carry out a Health & Safety Risk Assessment, and determined that a burning straw bale on the Largs shore half a mile away from the town was likely to cause the Great Fire of Largs, and they’d be held liable. Doesn’t really help the atmosphere, having a big red fire engine following the parade - somebody needs to get a grip.

There’s also the aspect that the place is so damp that the outbreak of fire from a spark has to be one of the most unlikely results of the firelight parade - a few years ago we never even had the parade. After waiting for over two hours, the word was finally passed down that the Vikings were’nt coming, having been flooded out of their camp site the previous night due to torrential rain. They’d tried their best to pull things together for the procession along the front, but eventually had to admit defeat at the hands of the Scottish weather.]]> Fri, 5 Sep 2008 10:08:22 Apollo http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220194006/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220194006/#num1
Having grown in popularity over the years, this is now reported to be drawing 250,000 watchers, but the real figure is probably only 249,998 since I had to give it up a few years ago.

I wonder what the local viewing conditions are like nowadays? With lots of local knowledge, I was able to pick my viewing point anywhere from the Waverley Bridge, through the Royal Mile, even Princes Street once (but it's far too crowded to be enjoyable), and off into the outskirts where the old road at the back of the brewery makes an ideal layby to sit and enjoy the show with a fish supper.

This year's show will be interesting, or maybe not, as it will be the first to feature "silent fireworks"

In a first for Edinburgh, the bangless-fireworks will be timed to complement quieter passages of music at the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert, performed live by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

I was worried for a moment, and was trying to imagine the whole show without the bangs, however it looks as if the big bangs will still be in place.

Watching the show from directly below, in the area of the Royal Mile probably provides the best spot to enjoy the bangs from the biggest shells used in the show, and the spacing of these event means that the all the car alarms that are triggered each time these detonate will have had a chance to reset, and are ready to triggered each time another shell explodes overhead.

Bangless fireworks...

What next?

Dry rain?]]> Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:46:46 Apollo http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220110040/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220110040/#num1 http://www.dunoon.tv if anyone is interested.]]> Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:27:20 The Fox http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1209826596/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1209826596/#num1 Contact http://www.nuclearburst.co.uk or new member tocsin for details.
Free guided tours on the hour ( tour lasts one hour) 1400, 1500, 1600 and 1700hrs.

tocsin]]> Sat, 3 May 2008 15:56:36 tocsin http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1207688149/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1207688149/#num1
Exercises are also taking place in Knoydart,Kingussie, Granton on Spey,Ullapool,Dingwall and Cape Wrath.

So far on the Clyde we have had a few over flights and a great increase in Naval activity including one of the new class of destroyers and mine hunters exercising in the Firth.]]> Tue, 8 Apr 2008 21:55:49 The Fox http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1194137775/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1194137775/#num1 http://www.winterfestglasgow.com/

Winterfest 2007 wraps up a number of festivals and events in Glasgow, formerly run as separate events. Dates and time on the events web site, given above.

Glasgow on Ice       
Christmas Lights      
Glasgow's Hogmanay      
Radiance      
Shindig in the Square      
Santa's Grotto      
Festive Market

Glasgow’s biennial International Festival of Light "Radiance" takes place in the city centre this year with buildings transformed by the installation of light between the 23rd and 25th of November. The event follows a trail through the Merchant City, the Commercial District, Strathclyde University Campus and High Street.

The last Radiance festival of 2005 can still be viewed on the event web site from that year: http://www.radianceglasgow.com/

Glasgow Cathedral will be transformed into a modern day mural by international artist Xavier de Richmont.]]> Sun, 4 Nov 2007 00:56:15 Admin http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1190592150/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1190592150/#num1
http://www.pbase.com/rothesay/qe2_greenock

The QE2 will be delivered to Dubai in November 2008, when her role as an ocean-going passenger vessel will come to an end, and she will be refurbished and transformed into a luxury floating hotel.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7003848.stm]]> Mon, 24 Sep 2007 01:02:30 Apollo