The MrT Podcast Studio

Our return to Paddington – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 18 In Our return to Paddington our two steam locomotives power us out of Wales and up the Great Western mainline to Paddington. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs for this podcast: Watering at Craven Arms: We stop for water at Craven Arms. It takes quite a long time to water both our locomotives! At...

Season 2022 – Talk 01 – Tea – The Cup that Cheers In the talk  Tea – The Cup that Cheers Richard Thomas takes us through the political economy of tea over the last few hundred years. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Types of tea: We hear that tea first came from China. Apparently there is a record of the date when it was first ide...

From Crewe to Shrewsbury – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 17 In From Crewe to Shrewsbury our our two steam locomotives power us out of Crewe station and on to the Welsh Marches line. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs for this podcast: Crewe station: The station, then on the Grand Junction Railway , has been open since 4th July 1837. It has a great historic...

Season 2021 – Talk 20 – King Arthur – Fact or Myth? In the talk  King Arthur – Fact or Myth? David Simpson analyses the case for King Arthur, his legend and also the evidence against him. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Battles against the Saxon invaders: King Arthur was a legendary Celtic Briton who, according to legend, led the...

Onwards to Crewe – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 16 In Onwards to Crewe our journey continues along the North Wales Mainline to Chester and then south to Crewe where two steam locomotives are waiting for us to arrive. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs for this podcast: More closed stations Our journey takes us through the sites of Queensferry, Sandycroft...

Season 2021 – Talk 18 – Countess Markievicz and Lady Astor In the talk  Countess Markievicz and Lady Astor  Jo Watson tells us about these two women. They came from wealthy backgrounds, married into the nobility, became Members of Parliament but in other respects were very different. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Constance Markievicz: Cons...

Homeward Bound (1) – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 15 It’s day 5 of The Welsh Dragon and we’re Homeward Bound, however before we set off on our coach to the station I talk to Kate and Shaun who are two very seasoned Steam Dreams travellers. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs for this podcast: Thoughts on Sunday’s Mystery Tour I talk with...

Season 2021 – Talk 17 – The Changing lives of women In  The Changing lives of women Margaret Denyer tells us how the role of women has evolved in British society over the last few centuries. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Status: For many centuries the role of women depended on their status. Those who were part of wealthy families led a lif...

Snowdonia (2) – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 14 It’s day 4 of The Welsh Dragon and we’re in Snowdonia . But before we set off I talk to Kate and Shaun, two of the seasoned Steam Dreams travellers. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs for this podcast: Yesterday’s trip with Kate and Shaun Our seasoned travellers joined the boat trip to Puff...

Season 2021 – Talk 16 – The Highland Clearances In  The Highland Clearances Sue Willson uses literature as the basis for her talk. The sources range from the visit to the Western Isles by Dr Johnson and James Boswell in 1775 to modern literature. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Why literature? Modern novelists have to carry out a great deal...

Up Snowdon by rail – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 13 On day 4 of The Welsh Dragon tour we board our coaches and head to Llanberis because we’re going Up Snowdon by rail . But before that I talk to two seasoned travellers. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs that accompany this podcast: A chat with some seasoned travellers Kate and Shaun have been tra...

By boat to Puffin Island – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 12 Day 3 of The Welsh Dragon and we board the Island Princess for our voyage by boat to Puffin Island . The sun is shining, the sea is calm and the boat is at the end of the pier. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs that accompany this podcast: We join the Island Princess Beaumaris has many pubs, rest...

Season 2021 – Talk 15 – Food for Thought In  Food for Thought Andrew Cole tells us about diet through the ages and dispels many myths. There is no image gallery available with this talk. Medieval times: Many believe that the peasant population has a poor diet at this time. Andrew agrees that the diet may have been boring but argues that people had enough to eat. At this time many poor...

Beaumaris Castle – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 11 Day 3 of The Welsh Dragon and we board our coaches after a leisurely breakfast, I’m heading to Beaumaris Castle because I’m swapping the train for a coach, a castle and a boat today. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs that accompany this podcast: So how do you pronounce Beaumaris? If you ask a...

Season 2021 – Talk 14 – John Ruskin In his talk about John Ruskin Alan Freeland tells us the story of the life of this English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath who lived in the Victorian era. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Early life: Ruskin’s parents are first cousins and he is an only child. His father imports sherry and...

Through the West Midlands to Crewe – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 10 The second day of The Welsh Dragon continues as we continue our journey through the West Midlands to Crewe. We are not following the planned route along the Welsh coast because someone crashed into a bridge. Instead we are taking a long route from Shrewsbury to Crewe. Our four and a half hour journey allows eve...

Season 2021 – Talk 13 – The Songhai Empire In The Songhai Empire David Simpson tells us the story of the greatest Empire on the African continent. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Where was it? The empire dominates to the west of Sudan in the 15th and 16th century. The largest Empire in Africa at its peak. The name is derived from its leading...

Day 2 – We start our Mystery Tour – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 9 The second day of The Welsh Dragon begins in Shrewsbury station where we start our Mystery Tour. Sadly we are not following the planned route along the Welsh coast because someone has crashed into a bridge. We are travelling by a long route to Crewe. Our four and a half hour journey will allow every passeng...

Season 2021 – Talk 12 – The History of Farnham Park In The History of Farnham Park Pam Taylor tells us the story of the Park, or more correctly Parks, over the centuries. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Farnham Castle: The Park surrounds the site of Farnham Castle. Henry of Blois, the Bishop of Winchester, founds the castle in 1138. He is th...

We reach Shrewsbury and head for our hotels – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 8 The first day of The Welsh Dragon ends as we reach Shrewsbury and head for our hotels . For the last few hours we’ve been having dinner and travelling along the Welsh Marches line on our journey towards Shrewsbury. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs that accompany this podc...

Season 2021 – Talk 11 – Six Characters from History – the Burning House Debate In Six Characters from History – the Burning House Debate six speakers  put the case for our historical characters. Please decide which one deserves to be saved. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Sir Alexander Fleming: Margaret Denyer tells us the story...

Along the Severn and on to the Welsh Marches Line – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 7 Our journey continues as we travel along the Severn and on to the Welsh Marches Line . The first part of our journey is on the Gloucester to Newport line . We pass over  Maindee junction near Newport and take the Welsh Marches line . Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs that...

Season 2021 – Talk 10 – Wellington’s Campaign in Portugal and the Lines at Torres Vedras In Wellington’s Campaign in Portugal and the Lines at Torres Vedras Peter Duffy takes us back to the Peninsular War. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The start of the war: The Peninsular War begins when France and Spain invade Portugal in 1807...

In and around Gloucester – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 6 In this episode our journey continues as we travel along the Golden Valley line through Stonehouse station and on to Gloucester. We have a few hours in Gloucester whilst the crew services our train. We then take the Gloucester to Newport line for the next part of our journey. Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the...

From Challow to Stroud – UK Rail Journeys Series 1 – Episode 5 In this episode we continue our journey and travel from our water stop at Challow to Stroud . Our journey takes us along the Golden Valley line . Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to view the photographs that accompany this podcast: Our water stop: A steam engine needs water, lots of water. Mayflower holds over 4,000 gallo...