The MrT Podcast Studio

Millennium Park and the Lurie Garden –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 33 ‘Millennium Park and the Lurie Garden’ takes me through the streets of Chicago to this wonderful garden in the centre of the city. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Through the streets: I’m now in the heart of The Loop , the ‘downtown’ area in...

Season 2023 – Talk 17- Deborah In ‘ Deborah’ Jim Hastie tells us the story about the First World War Tank D51, Deborah. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Jim tells us that Deborah is a very favourite lady of his. He says that this is her story in the Battle of Cambrai , the first major tank battle in November 1917. Deborah was a female t...

We arrive in Chicago –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 32 ‘We arrive in Chicago’ completes our journey on the Texas Eagle. In 62 hours we have passed through cities and countryside, deserts and lush pasture, an amazing, ever changing, panorama. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Leaving Pontiac: Our stop in Pontiac is brief, a few sec...

Season 2023 – Talk 16 – When newspapers were pressed to be ‘right minded’ In ‘ When newspapers were pressed to be ‘right minded” Andrew Cole tells us about the state’s efforts to control the press using taxes. A situation lasting for 140 years. We learn of the efforts to achieve today’s press freedom. The issue: Andrew tells us that we take tod...

Carlinville to Pontiac –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 31 ‘Carlinville to Pontiac’ continues our journey through the lush farmland of Illinois and historic towns and cities. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Carlinville: The town is the county seat of Macoupin County and has nearly as many historic sites as it does unique and inter...

Season 2023 – Talk 14- Napoleon III and Eugenie In ‘ Napoleon III and Eugenie’ Jo Watson tells us about the man who was Emperor of France from 1852 until his defeat by the Prussians in 1870 and his wife Eugenie. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Napoleon III: Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is born in Paris in the early hours of April t...

Walnut Ridge to Alton –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 30 ‘Walnut Ridge to Alton’ continues our journey through the night and into the morning as we travel through Arkansas, Missouri and enter Illinois. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Walnut Ridge: By the time we reach Walnut Ridge we are 2,215 miles into our journey. I am asleep...

Season 2023 – Talk 13- The History Divide In ‘ The History Divide’ Margaret Denyer, Alan Freeland, Andrew Cole, David Simpson and Richard Thomas give their views on the question ‘ Whilst the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 ended the Allies war with Germany, did it lead to the outbreak of World War II in 1939?’ The Paris Peace Conference: David Simpson opens by telling us about...

Texarkana to Little Rock –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 29 ‘Texarkana to Little Rock’ continues our journey through the evening and into the night as we leave Texas and travel into Arkansas. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Texarkana: We reach Texarkana after 28 hours travelling through Texas. Texarkana Union Station dates from 1...

Season 2023 – Talk 12- The Earth Transformed In ‘The Earth Transformed’ Alan Freeland reviews Peter Frankopan’s book which changes our view of history by looking at the effect of climate on events. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The Silk Roads: Alan tells us how the book ‘ The Silk Roads ‘ changes his retirement plan...

Mineola to Marshall –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 28 ‘Mineola to Marshall’ continues our journey through the afternoon and in to the evening. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Mineola: As the episode opens we are travelling through the countryside as we approach Mineola . We stop short of the station, across a level crossing, wai...

Season 2023 – Talk 11 04- Going to the Pictures In ‘Going to the Pictures’ Tim Davies tells us about the history of the projected image in the ‘silent era’. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The Magic Lantern: The talk starts in the age of the Magic Lantern . These project pictures such as paintings, prints and photographs. T...

Fort Worth to Mineola-  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 27 ‘Fort Worth to Mineola’ covers the 120 miles between these two cities. The journey has a schedule of 3 hours. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Fort Worth: We arrive in Fort Worth early. The station dates from 2002 and is an intermodal transit centre in downtown Fort Worth serving T...

Season 2023 – Talk 11 03- Sarah Bernhardt In ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ Jo Watson tells us about the life of the legendary French actress. Please note: this talk was given in June 2023, the centenary year of Sarah Bernhardt’s death. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Early years: Sarah Bernhardt is born as Henriette-Rosine Bernard in Paris o...

Temple to Fort Worth –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 26 ‘Temple to Fort Worth’ is composed of my thoughts on the 130 mile journey between these two cities. The journey has schedule of 2 1/2 hours but we reach Fort Worth early. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Temple: Temple station dates from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail...

Season 2023 – Talk 11.02 – Max Miller In ‘Max Miller’ Adrian Martin tells us the life story of the music hall comedian billed as the ‘Cheeky Chappie’. You’ll appreciate from that billing that his humour is not always politically correct. Indeed it could be described as ‘nudge, nudge, wink, wink… you know what I mean’ humour. There are a c...

San Marcos to Temple  –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 25 ‘San Marcos to Temple’ covers around 105 miles of our journey. We reach Temple, the fourth station on this part of the journey, after nearly 3 hours. To see the photographs that accompany this podcast please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery: San Marcos: We soon reach San Marcos station. It is an intermodal tran...

Season 2023 – Talk 11.01 – Dame Margaret Rutherford In ‘Dame Margaret Rutherford’ Wendy Senior tells the story of the life of this famous British actress. Early Life? There is tragedy in her early life involving both of her parents. Her father is the journalist and poet William Rutherford Benn who marries Florence Nicholson on 16 December 1882 in Wandsworth, South London. H...

Marfa to New Braunfels  –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 24 ‘Marfa to New Braunfels’ covers our 400 mile journey during the late afternoon and overnight. We travel from the very wet desert west of Marfa to New Braunfels on the way to our stop at San Marcos. To see the photographs that accompany this podcast please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery: The desert: As we tr...

Season 2023 – Talk 10 – The Border Reivers In ‘The Border Reivers’ David Simpson tells us about these bandits who plundered the English / Scottish border counties from the 13th Century to the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Who? Border raiders from every class in society operating in the north of Engl...

El Paso and a very wet desert  –  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 23 ‘El Paso and a very wet desert’ describes our time in El Paso and the first part of our journey to Alpine, Texas. The photographs that accompany this podcast: Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery: El Paso: Apparently it is 95 o F (35 o C) as I step from the train onto the platform. It really is hot...

Season 2023 – Talk 09 – Mao Zedong In Mao Zedong Alan Freeland tells us about the life of Mao and Chinese Communism until his death in 1976. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Childhood: Mao was born on 26 December 1893 and spends his childhood at Shaoshan  village in  Hunan . His father, once an impoverished peasant, becomes one of the wealthi...

To the border town of El Paso – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 22 ‘To the border town of El Paso’ covers my journey from our stop at Lordsburg, via Deming, through the inhospitable countryside of New Mexico. The photographs that accompany this podcast: Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery: Lordsburg: As we leave Lordsburg we pass alongside a road with dreary buildin...

Season 2023 – Talk 07 – The Glorious Revolution In The Glorious Revolution Andrew Cole tells us about the events of 1688 and questions whether it really was a revolution. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. James II and Catholicism: James converts to the Catholic faith in 1669 while his brother, Charles II, is on the throne. When Charles dies on...

From the suburbs of Tucson to Lordsburg – US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 21 In ‘From the suburbs of Tucson to Lordsburg ‘ I travel through the unhospitable countryside of Arizona and New Mexico. To view the photographs for this podcast: Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery: Out into the desert: There are lots of cacti along our route as we travel away from the Tucso...