York Air Museum: RAF Elvington

The Unexpected Museum The meeting on liquid and gas flow measurement using a novel technology pioneered by the Dutch company Bronkhorst was being held at the former RAF Elvington World War II airfield near York in England. The meeting itself was highly interesting and particularly relevant to measure the actual flow rates of infusion devices… Continue reading York Air Museum: RAF Elvington

All About Piers

On relocating close to the Clyde Coast, it was an obvious observation that various piers that had in years past assisted in the transport between destinations had been of late sadly neglected. The first encounter with a dysfunctional pier was at Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae in 2021. The pier was essentially sound but… Continue reading All About Piers

James Watt’s walk on Glasgow Green

The Story Line In one sense the Industrial Revolution was gathering steam – but not very efficiently. The Newcomen engine which initially was developed in 1712 was in use at numerous locations in Britain but was expensive to operate on account of the system’s poor conversion of input energy – coal – to useful power… Continue reading James Watt’s walk on Glasgow Green

The Lodge at Arnisdale

Local Background     The visitor is drawn to the area around Glenelg, on the shores of Kyle Rhea Narrows  opposite the Isle of Skye, perhaps to become familiar with the landscapes associated with Gavin Maxwell, author of a clutch of titles including  the famous ‘Ring of Bright Water’.  The location described as Camusfearna by Maxwell… Continue reading The Lodge at Arnisdale

Affordable Art

A City of Delights London was still at that time – and probably still is – the major centre for art in the United Kingdom. It was always a treat to head for Cork Street in London’s West End and visit the cluster of galleries that flourished there. This would be after attending specific official… Continue reading Affordable Art

Making Use of Solar Energy

The Present The proliferation of new homes with solar panels in the United Kingdom is increasing awareness of their potential ability to reduce energy costs. There are some basic observations of these developments to note. One is that the optimum south facing configuration is not always available. For East facing panels peak sun will be… Continue reading Making Use of Solar Energy

Genetic Algorithms

It was one of those computing forums that attracted a diverse cross section of those interested in emerging software technologies. Its members were drawn from a range of backgrounds- the finance sector, the health sector and the defence sector to name but a few. There was interest around neural networks where the necessary software toolkits… Continue reading Genetic Algorithms

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John Thompson: An early Scottish photographer in China

Life and Works The various accounts of the Victorian photographer John Thompson (1837 – 1921) of his travels in the Far East, notably within China, reveal surprises on many levels. These can be considered to include the then legacy of China’s past, the then contradictory nature of its observed present and insights into what it… Continue reading John Thompson: An early Scottish photographer in China

The White Island

The day’s journey on Skye in Scotland took us past Skeabost and I took the opportunity to call in at the well known second hand bookshop run by Gill Ferguson on the chance that I could at last obtain a copy of ‘The White Island’ by John Lister-Kaye (JLK). The proprietor durly emerged from the… Continue reading The White Island