Elk's Street: June 2008

Missing Members of Elk Street Ltd.

Those of you with insider information about Elk Street Ltd. will know that there are some members of the business who, despite their key roles, have Greta Garbo-like tendencies - their shunning of publicity becomes part of their mystique.

So, here, from the Elk Street archives, are a few more photos.

Tiina - "The Godmother"

Lilli - Senior Adviser

Uncle Stephen - Chief Technical Officer (Computer Technology)

Hwei-Ming - Chairman of the Board

A Trip to England - Part 4

The last couple of excursions were to Liverpool and the Fylde coast, Lytham-St. Annes.

The Liverpool trip gave us time to test different modes of transport:
Preston - Southport by car.
Southport - Liverpool by train.
Liverpool to Birkenhead (Hamilton Square) through the Mersey rail tunnel.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Wirral Transport Museum by replica double-decker tram.
Wirral Transport Museum to Woodside Ferry Terminal by replica double-decker tram.
Woodside Ferry Terminal to Liverpool Pier Head by ferry.
Liverpool Central to Southport by train.
Southport - Preston by car.

But the highlight of the trip was the Shore Road Pumping Station, where we were treated to a tour of "The Giant Grasshopper", a steam engine pump used in the past to draw water from the rail tunnel beneath the River Mersey.

After having visited the excellent Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, we'd really been spoilt with steam engines.

Below are a few more photos.

Ferry 'cross the Mersey. (Liverpool city skyline in the background, with the Liver building.)

Oh, and for those of you who have forgotten, the song was by 'Gerry & The Pacemakers' :

Life goes on day after day
Hearts torn in every way

So, ferry 'cross the Mersey
'Cause this land's the place I love
And here'll I stay

People they rush everywhere
Each with their own secret care

etc. etc.

For engineers, and would-be engineers, a diagram of 'The Giant Grasshopper'. Note the size of the people on the right.

The Wirral tram, a copy of a tram from 1948.
(Apologies for the poor quality of the photo, the battery ran out on the camera, so this is courtesy of Nokia 5500 Sport.)

The boys standing next to one of the 'Super Lamb Bananas'.

As part of Liverpool's celebration of being the European City of Culture, there are over one hundred of these statues around the city, all decorated in different colours. The 'Super Lamb Banana' is a lamb at the front and a banana at the back. It was created by the artist, Taro Chiezo as a warning about the dangers of genetically modified food. For more about 'Super Lamb Bananas' go to the official website. While many people may hate them, Elk Street thinks they are pretty cool, especially as there is even an Everton F.C. version, the 'Super St. Domingo Lambanana'.

A former London Transport bus, now plying its trade between Lytham and St. Annes.

"That big six wheeler, scarlet-painted, London Transport, diesel-engined, 97-horsepower omnibus"

Hold very tight, please! Ting-ting!"

Oh, and for those of you who have forgotten, the song was by Flanders and Swann and is called "Transport of Delight."

The boys on Lytham-St. Annes beach. As you can see, the tide is most definitely out.

Back home in Elk Street - our garden has flowers, too.

A Trip to England - Part 3

A couple of days were spent with Catherine and Andrew.

A picnic with Catherine, Andrew and some ducks.

Thomas caught in a cattle grid on Beacon Fell. (And experience shows that it is easier to get caught in a cattle grid than to get out.)

View over towards Pendle Hill (but no witches in sight).

Lunch was at Ye Horns Inn, Goosnargh. This is where Sarah and Ben had their wedding reception. It is a small countryside pub and hotel. The staff are friendly, the food is good and it's all sourced locally.

And in this photo you get to see some of the much-maligned English food. So, who ate what?

Andrew - Steak pie and chips.
Catherine - Lancashire hot pot.
Peter - Fried plaice and chips.
Thomas and Henry - Fish and chips (with extra Tartar Sauce)
Side dishes include: picked red cabbage, pickled onions, cauliflower, carrots and peas.

Here's cousin Jonathan (a demon at Wii golf and bowling).

A Trip to England - Part 2

After a couple of days in the white-rose county of Yorkshire, it was off to the red-rose county of Lancashire. Below some more photos.

A slightly better-kept garden than the one at Elk Street. Well done, the gardeners! But whatever happened to the football field with the two apple trees as goalposts?

Time for tea (Mum/Grandma).

Time for tea (Dad/Grandad).

In the Lake District. Danger! Sheep crossing!

Henry climbing in Hurst Grange Park, which many years ago was the home of Penwortham Hill Rovers.

Reached the top - no sweat!

A Trip to England - Part 1

In June, the boys, Peter, Henry and Thomas, went for a short trip to England. Below are a few photos.

Ready to board our flight on an Embraer 190 aircraft, Helsinki to Manchester.

Traveller 1.

Traveller 2.

Oodles of noodles, and one cousin, Abi.

Propping up the bar. Shaun is the professional. Henry is picking up some tips.

Going back to the past.

My old seat in the library is still there. (6th Floor, on the left-hand side when you come out of the lift, next to the window.) The amazing thing is that in 23 years the only major change has been that the square green-topped tables have swapped places with the rectangular ones.