The MrT Podcast Studio

Welcome to this podcast about the Driving and Firing Experience offered by  the Watercress Line. This was my opportunity to do something that I’d wanted to do since I was a child! Drive a steam engine!! There were three trainees that afternoon, guided by an excellent Watercress Line driver and fireman. I drew the short … Continue reading "Driving and Firing Experience pt. 1 &#8211...

In the eleventh episode I travel from Chicago to Burlington on the California Zephyr. The episode starts at the historic Drake Hotel in Chicago where I stayed for a night. After a restful night I took a taxi to Union Station for the start of my journey on the California Zephyr. Our journey takes us from … Continue reading "US Rail Journeys – Chicago to Burlington on the California...

Welcome to this podcast about the Open Weekend on the Watercress Line. The weekend enables you to go behind the scenes at this heritage railway and see what makes it steam. The weekend coincides with the Heritage Open Days programme and MHRPS members can come along for free. There is an enhanced train service for … Continue reading "Open Weekend on the Watercress Line – WC Ep. 8" The p...

The White Rajahs of Sarawak tells the story of the Brooke family’s rule of Sarawak. They ruled for 100 years from 1841 until the Japanese Invasion in December 1941. The talk starts with some of the history of the area in the centuries preceding the arrival of James Brooke. James used an inheritance to purchase … Continue reading "The White Rajahs of Sarawak (a) – Talking History...

The White Rajahs of Sarawak tells the story of the Brooke family’s rule of Sarawak. The rule lasted for 100 years from 1841 until the Japanese Invasion in December 1941. Jenny picks up the story of the Brooke family following the departure of James in the second part of the White Rajahs of Sarawak. She … Continue reading "The White Rajahs of Sarawak (b) – Talking History with Far...

We travel from Milwaukee to Chicago in the tenth episode of US Rail Journeys. This is the last part of our journey on the Empire Builder as the train travels along the  Milwaukee Road. Originally a plank road for horses and carts Milwaukee Road became the name given to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. The first … Continue reading "US Rail Journe...

Welcome to 2019! Welcome to this review of the year 1869 where Michael A’Bear delves back 150 years. In his talk he gives us a flavour of the people and events of that year. It’s an average year, he suggests, but includes the birth of Rasputin, the death of Hector Berlioz and the opening of the first Sainsbury … Continue reading "Talking History with Farnham U3A &#...

In the ninth episode of US Rail Journeys we journey on the Empire Builder from Red Wing to Milwaukee. For much of our journey we are on the Milwaukee Road. The Milwaukee Road was the name often given to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. The first stop in this episode is at Winona where … Continue reading "US Rail Journeys – Red Wing to Milwaukee – S...

Welcome to this podcast of Santa’s Christmas Message. Today I’ve braved the snowstorms of the North Pole to get a few words with Santa. He is just about to set out. In just 24 hours Santa travels the world giving out the presents made the Elves. Remember to leave a mince pie out for Santa … Continue reading "Santa’s Christmas Message" The post Santa’s Christmas Messag...

In the Strange Death of Liberal England – Part A Robert Sykes follows the book by George Dangerfield published in 1935. The book follows the difficulties faced by the Liberal Government in dealing with the House of Lords, the ‘Irish Question’, the women’s suffrage and the trade unions. This was the period when the Liberal … Continue reading "Talking History with Farnh...

In the second part of his talk on the Strange Death of Liberal England Robert talks about the discord that existed in Britain in 1914 immediately prior to the start of the First World War. From a situation of strife where the Government was suffering problems with the Suffragettes, in Ireland over Home Rule and … Continue reading "Talking History with Farnham U3A – The Strange Death of...

Welcome to this podcast featuring the Santa Specials that run on the Watercress Line. Santa comes all the way from his home at the North Pole each time a train is running. During his visit his sleigh is looked after by the maintenance team at Ropley and, if you look carefully out of the train windows, … Continue reading "Santa Specials on the Watercress Line" The post Santa Specials on...

The Dean Forest Railway – the Friendly Forest Line – runs for four and a half miles between Lydney Junction and Parkend. It passes through beautiful woodland and countryside and reflects the relaxing pace of a country branch line in the early Twentieth Century. The line covers part of the route of the Severn and Wye railway. It … Continue reading "The Dean Forest R...

Welcome to this podcast of the Farnham U3A open meeting on this year’s theme Africa where Michael A’Bear talks about the explorers of the Three Rivers of equatorial Africa- the Congo, Zambezi and the Nile. The Annual Theme meetings are open to all Farnham U3A members. Meetings are usually held each month in the Barley Room … Continue reading "U3A Open Meeting – Theme A...

In the eighth episode of US Rail Journeys our traveller continues his journey on the Empire Builder from Havre to Red Wing by the majestic Mississippi. The first stop in this episode is at Havre in Montana.  Passengers can take an ‘air break’ here. Whilst at the station our traveller views Great Northern loco 2584. This … Continue reading "US Rail Journeys – Havre...

Welcome to this podcast of the Farnham U3A open meeting on this year’s theme Africa where Joanne Watson talks about the French Foreign Legion. The Annual Theme is open to all Farnham U3A members. Meetings are usually held each month in the Barley Room of the Farnham Maltings (Maximum capacity 100 people). Most of the meetings … Continue reading "U3A Open Meeting – Theme Afri...

In the first part of her talk on the Exhibition Fever in  the 19th Century Joanne talks about exhibitions that preceded the Great Exhibition of 1851. She then talks in detail about the Great Exhibition. After listening to Joanne please follow this link to see the V&A material. This talk has been split into two sections … Continue reading "Talking History with Farnham U3A &#8211...

In the second part of her talk on the Exhibition Fever of the 19th Century Joanne talks about some of those that followed the Great Exhibition of 1851. There were many, both in Europe and across the Atlantic. This talk has been split into two sections to make it more convenient to listen to. Click … Continue reading "Talking History with Farnham U3A – Exhibition Fever in the 19th Centu...

Welcome to  the Canadian Pacific restoration project – part 3. The Canadian Pacific restoration project – part 3, often called the CanPac project, is about the restoration of the Merchant Navy class locomotive, number 35005, Canadian Pacific and also two carriages designed by Oliver Bulleid in the 1940s. In this episode we are in the boiler … Continue reading "The Canad...

In the seventh episode of US Rail Journeys our traveller continues his journey on the Empire Builder from Pasco to Shelby. It is dark when the train stops at Pasco. Our traveller joins the other passengers on the platform for an ‘air break’. This gives him a chance to look at the night sky. The journey … Continue reading "US Rail Journeys – From Pasco to Shelby –...

Our traveller boards the Empire Builder for the journey from Portland to Chicago. The sixth episode of US Rail Journeys describes the part of the journey from Portland to Pasco. After leaving his hotel he travels to Portland Union station. When he gets to the station he waits in the Metropolitan Lounge for the train to be ready … Continue reading "US Rail Journeys – From...

Welcome to the second episode about the Canadian Pacific restoration project. This project, often called the CanPac project, is about the restoration of the Merchant Navy class locomotive, number 35005, Canadian Pacific and also two carriages designed by Oliver Bulleid in the 1940s. Becky explains that some parts of the locomotive are at Eastleigh works (where Canadian … Continue r...

The fifth episode of US Rail Journeys is spent in the city of Portland, Oregon, where our traveller spends two days seeing the sights of this beautiful city. He takes a Pink Line tour around this relaxed city. The high-point, quite literally, of the tour is Washington Park where the tour ‘trolley’ takes visitors through … Continue reading "US Rail Journeys – In Portland &#8...

In the first part of the Boer War and Other Colonial Adventures Richard Thomas starts by talking about the Colonial tensions in southern Africa. He discusses parts played by the key players in the lead up to the war and their different viewpoints. He covers the Boer sieges of Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking and the … Continue reading "Talking History with Farnham U3A – The Boer War a...

In the second part of his talk on the Boer War and other Colonial Adventures Richard Thomas discusses the replacement of Redvers Buller by Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener. The arrival of these two  new Army leaders brings a much tougher regime for conducting the war with a scorched earth policy as a response to the … Continue reading "Talking History with Farnham U3A – The Bo...