Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Thorney Island
Q2. Bognor Regis
The initial clues appear to place us on Thorney Island, in the county of West Sussex. Thorney Island was home to 164 squadron during the second world war and according to some of the sources I checked, staffed by six hundred Argentinian pilots. They must have been very brave indeed, as flying sorties against shipping and ground attack runs against armour, using the primitive rockets on their Hawker Typhoons, must have been more than a little hairy.
The canal the puzzle author is referring to, is probably the 'Portsmouth and Arundel Canal'. This seems to have been constructed c 1823, with the intention of providing a route from Portsmouth to London that avoided the dangers in the English Channel. I found an old map which shows it starting in Portsea Island, passing through a dredged channel North of Hayling Island, passing South of Thorney Island and then tracking North East, until it joined the river Arun near Ford.
Thorney Island is where the one hundred and fifty mile long 'Sussex Border Path' begins and some references claim that a TA unit called 63 SAS Signal Squadron are currently based there.
Five miles south west of Ford, would place us in the town of Bognor Regis. The pier there looks to be three hundred and fifty feet in length. The town got the Regis extension, when it was recommended to George V as a place that could restore his health. Upon hearing this, the king is reported to have quipped, 'Bugger Bognor!' . The pier is where an event (International Bognor Birdman) involving potty eccentrics jumping into the sea in barely airworthy 'flying machines', is held.
Famous people who were educated in Bognor include another potty but very interesting eccentric, namely the Astronomer, Patrick Moore ( born c 1923). Moore first appeared on TV c 1956 to talk about UFOs. The cricketer is probably David Stuart Sheppard (born c 1929). Some of his biographies claim that he was educated at Nothcliffe House School in Bognor and that as well as playing in twenty two test matches ( debut c1950 ), was also the Bishop of Liverpool. The playwright is most likely Anthony Joshua Shaffer. He was for a time educated in Bognor Regis and did produce a work called 'Murderer' .
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 19 March 2016
Saturday, 12 March 2016
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Sir Alexander Matheson
Q2. Plockton
The initial clues appear to place us about a mile East of Loch a Chroisg, at the roundabout which marks the confluence of the A832 and the A890, just outside the village of Achnasheen, in the county of Ross, in the highlands of Scotland. Some of the sources I checked, claim that the roads were built by Thomas Telford. The puzzle author has been a bit crafty with the red herrings here, as I found three railways with the acronym D&SR, the Devon & Somerset Railway, the Durham & Sunderland Railway and the Dingwall & Skye Railway, which runs South West from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh and was later part of the Highland Railway.
The banking baronet is probably Sir Alexander Matheson, some of his biographies claim that he was born in Attadale House (c 1805), which is famous for it's gardens. Calling this guy a banker may be stretching the truth somewhat, as his company might well have sold more drugs than Tuco Salamanca, to addicts in China.
Continuing down the line would bring us to Stromeferry which sits on the southern shore of Loch Carron, opposite Strome Castle (c 15th century). The next station after Stromeferry is Duncraig and this is where the opium dealing banker built Duncraig Castle (c 1866) after being involved in a shooting war with the Chinese government, who were perhaps understandably a bit upset about their citizens being stoned all the time.
The next stop after Duncraig is Plockton and this was used as a location in the 1973 film 'The Wicker Man'. The puzzle writer may be confusing his sects here, as Christopher Lee's cult in the movie were Pagans, not Devil Worshippers and the hapless police sergeant, played by Edward Woodward could have easily avoided the unpleasant effigerial conflagration at the end, if he taken Britt Eckland up on her offer. The hamlet also seems to have been used as the location for Lochdubh in the TV series Hamish MacBeth, starring Robert Carlyle.
Plockton does appear to have an airfield with an honesty box to put the landing fees in, though it appears to be unmanned and landing there without fire cover, could be a tad risky.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Sir Alexander Matheson
Q2. Plockton
The initial clues appear to place us about a mile East of Loch a Chroisg, at the roundabout which marks the confluence of the A832 and the A890, just outside the village of Achnasheen, in the county of Ross, in the highlands of Scotland. Some of the sources I checked, claim that the roads were built by Thomas Telford. The puzzle author has been a bit crafty with the red herrings here, as I found three railways with the acronym D&SR, the Devon & Somerset Railway, the Durham & Sunderland Railway and the Dingwall & Skye Railway, which runs South West from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh and was later part of the Highland Railway.
The banking baronet is probably Sir Alexander Matheson, some of his biographies claim that he was born in Attadale House (c 1805), which is famous for it's gardens. Calling this guy a banker may be stretching the truth somewhat, as his company might well have sold more drugs than Tuco Salamanca, to addicts in China.
Continuing down the line would bring us to Stromeferry which sits on the southern shore of Loch Carron, opposite Strome Castle (c 15th century). The next station after Stromeferry is Duncraig and this is where the opium dealing banker built Duncraig Castle (c 1866) after being involved in a shooting war with the Chinese government, who were perhaps understandably a bit upset about their citizens being stoned all the time.
The next stop after Duncraig is Plockton and this was used as a location in the 1973 film 'The Wicker Man'. The puzzle writer may be confusing his sects here, as Christopher Lee's cult in the movie were Pagans, not Devil Worshippers and the hapless police sergeant, played by Edward Woodward could have easily avoided the unpleasant effigerial conflagration at the end, if he taken Britt Eckland up on her offer. The hamlet also seems to have been used as the location for Lochdubh in the TV series Hamish MacBeth, starring Robert Carlyle.
Plockton does appear to have an airfield with an honesty box to put the landing fees in, though it appears to be unmanned and landing there without fire cover, could be a tad risky.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
Saturday, 5 March 2016
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Ashington
Q2. Ellington
N.B. For question two, there is some ambiguity in the sources I checked on whether Sid Waddell's school was in Ellington or Lynemouth but given that Ellington is a mile west of the sea, the Eastender is taking a punt on this being the correct answer, as it is a good fit for the clue about the sea lying a mile to the East of the village (Lynemouth looks like it is right next to the sea).
The Eastender was laid low by spring's icy blast last weekend but has recovered sufficiently to peruse the puzzle. The initial clues appear to place us in one of the most beautiful counties on the big British island, ie Northumberland and specifically the village of Ashington. This according to some of his biographies, was where a footballer called 'John Edward Thompson Milburn' aka 'J.E.T. Milburn' or 'Jackie Milburn', was born c 1924. There seems to be a statue of him in the town. Some sources claim that Ashington was once the world's largest coal mining village. The settlement was once home to a group of artists called 'The Pitmen Painters', which consisted mainly of miners who wanted to earn a bit of extra cash by creating and selling their artworks at local markets. A playwright called 'Lee Hall' ran a production called 'The Pitmen Painters' c 2007.
Driving North East out of Ashington, possibly on the A1068, would take us past the mothballed Alcan smelter plant and thence to the village of Ellington. Both Ellington and Lynemouth appear to have been used as locations in the film 'Billy Elliot' but Lynemouth is almost by the sea and Ellington lies about a mile west from the sea, which is a better fit with the clues. The darts commentator 'Sid Waddell' ( born c 1940), according to some of his biographies, attended 'Ellington County Primary School'. There is some ambiguity about whether this school was in Ellington or Lynemouth but if it was in Lynemouth, why bother calling it Ellington County Primary School?
After passing through Ellington, the puzzle author most likely then arrives at a dorp called 'Cresswell'. There does appear to be a ruined fourteenth century tower house there and this is also the start of the sixty four mile long 'Northumberland Coast Path'.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and it's possible solutions, he will endeavour to publish it.
Q1. Ashington
Q2. Ellington
N.B. For question two, there is some ambiguity in the sources I checked on whether Sid Waddell's school was in Ellington or Lynemouth but given that Ellington is a mile west of the sea, the Eastender is taking a punt on this being the correct answer, as it is a good fit for the clue about the sea lying a mile to the East of the village (Lynemouth looks like it is right next to the sea).
The Eastender was laid low by spring's icy blast last weekend but has recovered sufficiently to peruse the puzzle. The initial clues appear to place us in one of the most beautiful counties on the big British island, ie Northumberland and specifically the village of Ashington. This according to some of his biographies, was where a footballer called 'John Edward Thompson Milburn' aka 'J.E.T. Milburn' or 'Jackie Milburn', was born c 1924. There seems to be a statue of him in the town. Some sources claim that Ashington was once the world's largest coal mining village. The settlement was once home to a group of artists called 'The Pitmen Painters', which consisted mainly of miners who wanted to earn a bit of extra cash by creating and selling their artworks at local markets. A playwright called 'Lee Hall' ran a production called 'The Pitmen Painters' c 2007.
Driving North East out of Ashington, possibly on the A1068, would take us past the mothballed Alcan smelter plant and thence to the village of Ellington. Both Ellington and Lynemouth appear to have been used as locations in the film 'Billy Elliot' but Lynemouth is almost by the sea and Ellington lies about a mile west from the sea, which is a better fit with the clues. The darts commentator 'Sid Waddell' ( born c 1940), according to some of his biographies, attended 'Ellington County Primary School'. There is some ambiguity about whether this school was in Ellington or Lynemouth but if it was in Lynemouth, why bother calling it Ellington County Primary School?
After passing through Ellington, the puzzle author most likely then arrives at a dorp called 'Cresswell'. There does appear to be a ruined fourteenth century tower house there and this is also the start of the sixty four mile long 'Northumberland Coast Path'.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and it's possible solutions, he will endeavour to publish it.
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