The Two Bridges Run

That’s a cycle over the Forth Bridge, along through Fife to the Kincardine Bridge and back to Edinburgh via Grangemouth and Bo’Ness. No matter how many times I’ve done it I’ve never managed to get the journey to break the 90K. Until today – which involved a wee bit of canal path exploring. Until I could take a snap of The Kelpies……………

Kelpies

.. and that’s not all that’s new when you pass through Grangemouth. A plastic ( I assume) Spitfire. A Mark One or Two. Just the fellows who were first in action in WW2 when the Rosyth Dockyards were attacked by JU 88s. Or not attacked in reality.
Before the building of the oil refineries there was an aerodrome here. With Spitfires. Westland Whirlwinds came here too.

Spit

So, all in all, not a bad wee cycle. But next time Ill do it when it’s warmer. Bloody freezing today.

WIP! Work in Progress.

My Media-adviser (Ruthie) assures me I have to have a THEME for successful blogging. That’s a shame as I thought I’d try to cover Aeroplanes, Steam Locomotives, the Caledonian and Highland Railways, Bicycles and cycling, Running, Music, perhaps Photography and Colour theory. Artists materials, Running shoes, Saxophones, BSA Gold Stars, First World War history and maybe more.
Oh well – I shall be on Aero-Painting then. With occasional deviations.
There’s an Edinburgh school which has an impressive list of former pupils – amongst whom were the Barnwell Brothers. Harold became a test-pilot for Vickers but died in a crash in 1918. Frank however was a designer with Bristol and produced the Great War’s Bristol Scout, M1 Monoplane, Bristol Fighter and then went on to create the Blenheim prototype between the wars.
That very school now requires an image for a 2014 WW1 Centenary publication and it’s to be the Bristol Fighter (or “Biff” to its crews.)
I thought I’d try one in a more unusual but still authentic setting. Having a tussle with a Rumpler CIV in Palestine regions.
From No.1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps. The fuselage is overpainted in white, either for recognition or for easier spotting on the ground in case of engine-failure

Biff

A fair bit to go yet but I WILL try not to over-work this one.

4-4-0 Gordon Highlander

In days of yore, young boys all wanted to be engine drivers when they grew up.
Not me! I was to be a world-class Moto-Crosser. Ah! well……..
But after a recent visit to Bo’Ness Rail Museum, I wonder if I’m too late?

The So’jer Cab

Mmmm…..thought so.

Malevolent Morning

I’ll be posting some of my pictures here as I blunder across them.
It’s an attempt to get a blog running successfully. Lots of things to talk about.
And be grumpy about!
This is a painting of Halberstadt CLIIs in 1918, which I did earlier this year.
They were very good ground-attack two-seaters and escort fighters.
Quite like aerial sharks……………

Malevolent Morning

It made it to the Guild of Aviation Artists’ Annual Exhibition and won a Commendation from the Cross and Cockade Society.
– still on the market though…………

Acer Palmatum – in Red

Here is our wee Acer which is shown displaying proudly at approximately 620-740 nanometres. That’s Red.

Autumn Acer

It has now shed its colour for Winter but it’s still a lovely wee tree.
It would have been even more so, had some uncaring scaffolders not decapitated it a couple of years back.