Delamere Forest Fog

A dog in the fog in the Delamere Forest

Near Solstice at Druids Circle

A near winter solstice sunset at Druids Circle, Penmaenmawr, North Wales

Does the TARDIS have an engine made in Crewe?

Catching up on Doctor Who with my son before the Christmas Special, I noticed something which points to the TARDIS having a  hitherto perceived connection to the historic rail town of Crewe.

In "The Angels Take Manhattan" the Doctor ends up back in New York in 1938 having to work out of his way out of a seemingly unbeatable conundrum with those most terrifying of enemies, The Weeping Angels.

Shortly before emerging from the TARDIS, the Doctor remarks to River Song (outside) about having a few preparations, then grooms his hair using the reflective surface of a panel. The camera changes focus, blurs out the Doctor's reflection, then some text on the panel shows:

'TYPE FD 12 MK VII
MANUFACTURER ROLLS-ROYCE MOTORS, CREWE, ENGLAND'

Other text does show, but obviously this is the significant bit. The TARDIS is a living machine, that much we know. Its interior changes for each successive regeneration. Given it's a panel from an engine, is it saying the TARDIS has one of these engines? Is it a seldom used component? Or a mere piece of reflective junk?

Whatever the truth, it's good to see Crewe's quality manufacturing history, the Best of British and an icon of superlative work ,associated with the Best of British TV fiction.

The picture shows the moment from the episode; the time index is 20 minutes, but is actually about 18 minutes in.

The main year in the episode is 1938; this is the year Rolls Royce moved to Crewe with the production of engines commencing late in that year. The most famous engine from Crewe, The Merlin, went on to have about 27,000 units made from the town over the course of the Second World War.

Crewe's a proper Victorian town, its station brought into being a couple months after Queen Vic came to the throne. Let's hope the Doctor Who Special delivers a proper Victorian Christmas treat. The portents are promising!

Thankyou Sir Patrick Moore

I've just taken a look out at the Night Sky with tears in my eyes and on my cheeks. Orion, The Pleiades, Venus instantly recognisable to me. An amazing wondrous spectacle to marvel at.

Thanks to Sir Patrick Moore's correspondence with me about 30 years ago, my childhood love and amazement of astronomy grew and became sustained into adulthood. I am very saddened by his passing today.

As someone 'off the telly' who would send short typed letters back to me, it felt so pleasing, so encouraging to have him reply in such a sincere manner. From days before internet, with just 3 TV channels, he was the closest thing to an astronomer engaging social media for that day: the letter.

Thankyou Sir Patrick, you brought the heavens a little closer and better illuminated my understanding of astronomy. You'll be missed.

OK, Who Puked on my Plate?

Well if this was vomit, it was actually very nice to eat. It was my very first Mexican food even if it looked ghastly. Given guidance by my female companions as to what I might actually like, this chicken based dish (pollo, if I recall correct) went down a treat. My very white British palate coped admirably. Thanks to Chapala Mexican off Weaver Boulevard for a satisfying intro to different cuisine of a very different country for me.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Nice Bikes

These were the bikers I was following on this first solitary drive (as such). We'd paused at Monticello Road / Weaver Boulevard intersection in Weaverville so grabbing a shot here sealed the memory of the moment. I have a story to tell about the gas station to the rear of the picture showing how things are different in the US than the UK with fuelling. I'll get around to it at some point!

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

So Many Mountains

The mountains seemed endless. They haunt me. That's largely a good thing but once they get under your skin they can make you pine to see them again, to feel their presence.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Buffalo Peekabo

When visiting the buffalo ranch several of the beasties watched us from a distance. This fella appeared to be playing peekabo through the trees scooby do style. Bless 'im!

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Edward Scissorhands Woz Ere

A big piece of topiary in a yew bush. Peacock I think. Was Edward Scissorhands here?  Them mountains continue define a very magical area.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Give me a home...

...where the buffalo roam.

One of the folk connected to my visit to US was in turn connected to a buffalo ranch somewhere across the French Broad River and beyond by some way. One afternoon we took a drive out to the ranch to see the buffalo. It was first drive in the USA and I was following the motorbikes. Good fun and broke me into driving on the wrong side of the road very nicely. I adored this weather vane. It can't be too often you get a buffalo weather vane and of all the places to get one I guess a buffalo ranch is the right place.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Spooks Branch Road

I Just love this road name. Very me. Not sure what the history of the name is, but it's just fine. Can't think of anywhere else where I've seen 'spooks' in the road name. X-Files was here. Maybe.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Weaverville High Street at Dusk

This is how I remember Weaverville best of all. The front porch of Blue Mountain Pizza. I loved sitting on front porches of different places and homes in the evening. Not a culture we've got a Britain. Though I guess the climate's to blame!

Quietening of the evening. Light still hanging on in the blue-silver night. A peaceful moment and a vibe to cherish.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Live Music at Blue Mountain Pizza

This was where we joined the live music at Blue Mountain Pizza in Weaverville itself. Wonderful vibe. Good evening. Warm spring air on the front porch. Delicious HUGE pizza, and some appropriate music to accompany a beer. Very nice one indeed. Probably my best memory itself of Weaverville.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Asheville Golden Sunset

One of my complete favourite sunset pictures from Asheville. Amazingly beautiful evening this was. Wound our way up from Downtown Asheville on the north east side of town. I just had to grab this shot en route to get some mighty fine pizza.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Ye Olde West? Ish.

I love these buildings. The style. Reminds me of wild west - except it's not. Just going through the Bat Cave area if I recall correct. Does this style of building have a name? It captures something of a very old feel. Love it. I captured this as we went through in the car.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

The Devil's Head at Chimney Rock State Park

Well, when you've got a rock so entitled and an interest in folklore references in the landscape, you can't escape a visit to such a feature a this.

A large boulder sits on a ledge overlooking the valley; it carries some anthropomorphic features but for some reason (as often is in the US, UK and European countries) is ascribed to The Devil. Why should The Devil have all the interesting rocks?

You have to go right to the top of the stairs at Chimney Rock to get a good view of this diabolical pareidolia.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Happy Independence Day

Boom! It was great being in the USA for Independence Day. I can't quite remember how it worked, but some States (or counties) selling fireworks is illegal. So, if you have a neighbouring State where it is legal, then just over the State Line you get fireworks being sold BIG TIME! When we were here late on 3rd July, pick up trucks were being filled up with fireworks of all description. We obtained a few to contribute for the next night. It was Redneck Mania for explosives, though! I'd hate to have been in one of those pick up trucks if there'd been a wreck.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Me in the Landscape

Yeah, a self indulgent shot, but reminding myself that I have been in that landscape is important. Places that evoke a sense of connection need remembering. This is one of them. Gratitude is the word and the feeling.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Chimney Rock and Lake Lure from The Top

This is one landscape which will stay with me through my living years. Awesome views looking right down on to the outcrop of Chimney Rock itself, and Lake Lure stretching away. Not to mention the forest and mountains. Almost heaven.

Photos, Words and Memories from 2 trips and 3 months in the USA. Based mainly near Asheville in North Carolina.

Does Facebook 'See Things' too?

A Ghostly Face?

Most of us will have seen faces in the clouds, in tree canopies and suchlike. We're wired to see and recognise faces from infancy. As adults it can be fun gazing up at little fluffy clouds. As for paranormal instances, it makes accepting that fuzzy or blurred photograph in the dark as a legitimate capture of a disembodied person more difficult. I want to believe but please make the grounds for the substance of that belief credible, reliable.

At The Crewe Heritage Centre I had a customer take this photograph (enlarged for perspective) in the North Signal Box. My brain definetly recognises a very distinct face with numerous features. I think "wow! it's really something!". Then I think "Hang on, there's a zig-zaggy light trail to the left. This is just the brain interpreting something vague and fuzzy as a face".

This is known technically as a pareidolia. A fascinating phenomenon, but quite natural. Disappointingly explains away many hoped for paranormal piccies.

Is this a picture of a spirit or entity hanging around the signal box? Or something quite rational? There's a choice to be made - a choice of "What will I believe?". You can try sitting on the fence, which is my most adopted posture, but believe you me, it's not the most comfortable. I also frequently find myself slipping off the fence more on to one side than the other, before jumping back up on the fence. I want to believe, but...

Faint face in (front of?) the curtain

Now, since Facebook has introduced facial recognition technology, I've noticed that occasionaly when it prompts you to tag friends and faces, it will see something which has hitherto remained unnoticed.

Following a recent event in a pub, when I uploaded the pics to Facebook, it prompted me "Who's in These Photos?". Among them was a faint face either in, or in front of the curtain. Love it! But is Facebook using the same kind of criteria for face detection as humans, but with it being driven by computer software, it's even more obsessive and accurate about it than we are?

I'm quite a sucker for cemeteries too. Reviewing some older photos of mine of cemeteries in Edinburgh, I popped them up for a few friends to see. This was the first time I'd noticed Facebook asking to tag a face which actually wasn't there.

Besides the depictions of Memento Mori, Cherubs, Angels, Abraham Lincoln (yes, really - albeit pre-Vampire hunter days), there is a small face apparent over a gravestone carving. I've got other examples which Facebook has flagged up to me, but these remain the best to show at the resolution generated.

What do you think? Do you have any good strange faces and likenesses to share which might be paranormal or pareidolial?

All the images used here will go larger when clicked on.

Copyright Tim Prevett, History and Mystery Tours. Heritage Walks and Ghost Tour details HERE.