As well as old calculators, i also collect typewriters. I currently have 39 in my collection, though as yet no chimpanzees.
The latest machine to join the collection is a rather nice Italian typewriter from the 1960s, an Antares Little Star. It works fine as well, it didn't even need a new ribbon. The longevity of typewriters can be rather impressive.
Though to be honest i'm finding the current pop culture obsession with filling in gaps and continuity-porn a bit tiresome, as it was with this volume and a number of other volumes in the series. It would be nice for future volumes to explore new territory. "Plutarch's Staff" does cover some interesting origin details though, especially for one of the series' major characters.
The criticisms aside, the story is very good, and drawn beautifully of course. This story sees Blake more to the fore and so is less mystical and more action and intrigue based.
At the risk of contradicting myself in the previous paragraph the events that lead up to Secret of the Swordfish are very interesting indeed and fit in perfectly well with the later stories even though they were written by another author (the original master Edgar P. Jacobs of course) and over 60 years before.
This book is a survey of the railway stations of Warwickshire from Atherstone to Wootton Wawen. It details the history, architecture, operations and railway services each station has. All with lots of photographs from yours truly!
This is the first in a series i have been commissioned to create for Amberley. The second on the railway stations of the West Midlands should be out later this year. The third on the stations of Herefordshire & Worcestershire is now in the early stages, a fourth is also on the horizon...
The book has two halves, the first covers the history of the Luftwaffe after Hitler's take over, and throughout the war from glory to collapse. The second part is a directory of types used and is very comprehensive covering many obscure types as well as the famous aircraft like the Stuka and Bf109. Each entry in the directory contains technical information, colour artwork, and photographs. Major types also get full cutaway illustrations.
The book dates from the mid-1970s so some information may be out-of-date nowadays as archives have become more readily available but this book can only be very highly recommended indeed.
The parish church of St Mary the Virgin in Lapworth dates from the 12th century though much of the surviving church is from later centuries.
The nave is 12th century with a north aisle and chancel from the 13th, a north chantry chapel also dates from the 13th century though was rebuilt in the 15th. The church has a 14th century tower and also from that century a nave clerestory.
The tower is probably the most interesting feature of the church. The steeple is connected to the north aisle by a passage and has a projecting stairway. The church is built from random coursed stone.
I headed up to Frodsham in Cheshire at the weekend, a town i have not been to before. Though at times i did not think i would make it! I changed trains at Chester, somewhere else i have not been before, but at Helsby (the stop before Frodsham) the train was stopped due to trespassers on the line. This did give me a chance to look around Helsby station but as time went on it did look like the train might be turned around.
Luckily, after an hour the all clear was made and i made it to Frodsham. I climbed a very steep hill which gave a good view of the surrounding area, and gave me access to the church. You can see my photos here.
