Kitchen equipment...

Like me, im sure most of you have seen at least some of Red Dwarf (if not your missing out), and therefore are familiar with Lister's phrase. So imagine my joy when rambling the streets of Scarborough one cold day last November when i spotted the above sign outside a Kitchen shop. For Smeg is also a rather classy brand of Kitchen appliance (£725 + for a fridge), but youd just chuckle everytime you went for the milk if you thought of the cheekyScouser - since appearing on Robot Wars and Corrie. Anyway, the reason for the pic was ive just returned to uni (got on the internet now too) and it pretty much sums up my reaction to the impending workload i face. If i go quiet from now on you know why.....

*Pic taken with Pentax Optio S

Belfast Built

A long spell without posting again as i was in the often overlooked south-western part of Scotland - go north to the end of the M6, past Carlisle, over the Solway and turn left at Gretna. This was my last holiday for the foreseeable future (well until post degree anyway) and was a very relaxed affair. The weather came good towards the end so a trip to Corsewell point, north of Stranraer, to photograph the Marine engineering sights (ships) proved irrestible. Its an exposed location which on a clear day gives views up the Aryshire coast, to the Kintyre pensiular and Northern Ireland - look at the Map! . Note on the picture you can also see the Isle of Arran (far left) and the lump of rock that is Ailsa Craig (left).

5 ferries passed us as they plied their trade from Northern Ireland to Scotland (P&O with 2 ro-pax and one cat, Stena with the HSS and ferry), but the above was the oldest. The Stena Caledonia is seen here on the 8th September heading for Stranraer with the 11:00 sailing from Belfast. Built at Harland and Wolff yard in Belfast, (responsible for the infamous Titanic triplets) in 1981, she was one of 4 "sisters" - ro-ro ferries built for the old British Rail owned Sealink and originally called St David until 1991. Suffice to say she is the last now in UK waters as the others are dispersed around the med. Here are some pictures i found in dry-dock. Id copy the "tech-spec" but if your interested click.