Picture(s) of the day....

[Gibbo2286]

I've not seen one of these before on the ground in my garden, used to have them in the trees at my last place. Took this on Tuesday.

[CitroJim]

Gosh, that's amazing One very beautiful woodpecker!

[NewcastleFalcon]

I like my birds, and the green woodpecker is always a joy to see...great photo Gibbo.

Geograph's subject of picture of today is the Bass Rock.

According to the blurb with this photo 10% of the worlds Gannet population reside on this relatively small lump of rock poking out of the sea near North Berwick in East Lothian.

Have sailed past it before, but never realised someone had actually built a castle on it dating back to 1405. The lighthouse as avid POTD followers will not be surprised to know was built by one of the "lighthouse Stevensons".

from Wiki
The Bass Rock Lighthouse on Bass Rock is a 20-metre (66 ft) lighthouse, built in 1902 by David Stevenson, who demolished the 13th-century keep, or governor's house, and some other buildings within the castle for the stone.

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

I'm always most interested in lighthouses.. I looked a bit deeper into the Bass Rock light and was intrigued by this:

Until the automation [in 1988] the lighthouse was lit by incandescent gas obtained from vaporised paraffin oil converted into a bunsen gas for heating a mantle. Since that time a new biform ML300 synchronised bifilament 20-watt electric lamp has been used

A 20 watt bulb seems very small and feeble for a lighthouse light. I would have expected it to have been some ten times this at least...

[Hell Razor5543]

It would depend on what was available at the time. However, don't forget the powerful lenses that lighthouses also use.

[CitroJim]

The latest addition to my vintage wireless collection...

The very pinnacle of 1950s Hi-Fi... A high-end radiogram

It's not stereo but does sound bloody awesome courtesy of those three speakers

It's around 60 years old and is an early example of a wireless capable of receiving the then very new VHF/FM Band II broadcasts back when they were known as the Light Programme, Third and the Home Service

Own Work

Own Work

Own Work

It all works but the record deck - an early autochanger - requires a good service as all its lubrication has long since dried out...

I am absolutely delighted with it

It came my way due to the space it was previously occupying being required for an Invacar project...

Finally, here it is in pride of place in my lounge along with one of my favourite and most-loved vintage wirelesses...

Own Work

Both the Cossor radiogram and the Bush wireless sitting on top of it are around the same age (c. 1957) and both together would have set a purchaser back about 100 Guineas in 1957...

[Hell Razor5543]

So, winning a famous horse race at Newmarket would allow you to buy twenty such setups then?

[CitroJim]

So, winning a famous horse race at Newmarket would allow you to buy twenty such setups then?

Hey, yes... I like it James

I'm wondering now just how many of our readers know what a guinea is? I don't think they've been used as a currency for a good 50 years now...

I believe it was always the expensive luxury goods (and that radiogram surely was one of those) that were priced in guineas but oddly cars never were as far as I know...

[Hell Razor5543]

I just checked, and my memory was correct. A guinea was worth (on the old, pre-decimalisation currency) one pound and one shilling.

[CitroJim]

I just checked, and my memory was correct. A guinea was worth (on the old, pre-decimalisation currency) one pound and one shilling.

That's it James.. £1.05 in modern language...

I just checked and they went out of general use in 1971 upon the UK going decimal on the 15th February of that year...

But, in a tenuous link to your earlier mention of Newmarket, horses are still traded in guineas to this day...

[NewcastleFalcon]

Theres nothing like a bit of "Through the Keyhole" (although for me it is totally unwatchable with Keith Lemon who I just don't "get" at all )

A possible I-Spy Citroen H Vans if I am not mistaken.

anything but my own work but if the copyright holder objects I'll take it down!

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

A possible I-Spy Citroen H Vans if I am not mistaken.

You are definitely not mistaken Neil It is two of several H Van models I have...

Can you identify the other cars keeping the H Vans company?

A little clue is that they are all Citroens...

EDIT: Except one... But it's French and from the same stable

[NewcastleFalcon]

I'll give it a go, but not being the primary subject of the photo I think some may be a bit fuzzy!

James' little aside into "Guineas" had me looking up the article on wiki about them. Originally a gold coin, and known as a Guinea because that was an important source of the precious metal.

Goes into some detail, but I liked the little fact about the early coins produced like these


1686-Guinea-elephant-and-castle-James-II [Public domain], by Royal Mint, from Wikimedia Commons

The fascinating bit for me is the "Elephant and Castle" on the face of the coin (under the head-easy not to notice it). The Castle bit comes from the "Howdah" the "seat" on the top of the Elephant, part of the Coat of Arms of The Royal African Company

Look up the Wiki page for the area of London known as "The Elephant and Castle" (lovely quirky name) and it just refers to an old coaching inn of that name rather than digging back further to see where the name of the Inn came from.

anyway..back to your model cars but I enjoyed my diversion!

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

I just love the incredibly varied and interesting subjects this thread (and others in the OTCL) visit... It is simply magical

[NewcastleFalcon]

[
Can you identify the other cars keeping the H Vans company?

A little clue is that they are all Citroens...

EDIT: Except one... But it's French and from the same stable

This is my best effort, since doing it I think I have got the ones marked impossible.

Look like remote controls to me!

Regards Neil