The MrT Podcast Studio

From west of Syracuse to Albany -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 37 In 'From west of Syracuse to Albany' I travel another 150 miles on my journey to New York on the Lakeshore Limited. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Syracuse: The William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center is an intermodal  station serving Syracuse and the surrounding area. It also hosts Greyhound Lines, Megabus, and Trailways. In addition there are local and regional busses and taxis. William F. Walsh is a former mayor of Syracuse and representative in the U.S. Congress. Syracuse station  is served by the daily round trip of the Lake Shore Limited, two daily Empire Service round trips, and the daily Maple Leaf round trip. Utica station: The Boehlert Transportation Center at Union Station is served by Amtrak and the Adirondack Railroad. Sherwood Boehlert is a retired U.S. Representative. The station is in the Italianate style with a rusticated granite first story and buff brick above. There are thirteen bays across the façade and fifteen on the side elevations. With a brick parapet crowning the building and a large clock flanked by eagle sculptures over the main entrance it is most impressive. Inside there is a restaurant and a barber shop. There are twelve large benches, with heating by steam pipes. Eight Amtrak trains use the station daily: two on the Lake Shore Limited, four on the Empire Service, and two on the Maple Leaf. The Adirondack Railroad operates a heritage railway with a seasonal service terminating in Tupper Lake. Schenectady: Schenectady station dates from in 2018 and hosts five Amtrak routes. The Lake Shore Limited, the Empire Service, the Maple Leaf,  the Ethan Allen Express between New York City and Burlington, Vermont and the Adirondack between New York City and Montreal. Albany–Rensselaer: Albany–Rensselaer station, formally the Joseph L. Bruno Rail Station, is in  Rensselaer, about 1 1/2 miles from downtown Albany across the Hudson River. Amtrak's Empire Corridor routes use the station  – the Adirondack, Berkshire Flyer, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple Leaf. Listen to the podcast to hear about my journey from East of Syracuse to Albany.. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Lousy Thief for use in this podcast.

Season 2023 - Talk 21 - Franco's Spain In 'Franco's Spain' Peter Duffy tells us about the Spanish dictator who controlled Spain from 1939 to 1975. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Early career: After he passes out from Toledo, Franco is posted to Morocco where he remains until the late 1920s. He comes a lieutenant in 1912, a captain in 1915, a major in 1917, a colonel in 1925, and a general in 1926, making him the youngest general in both the Spanish army and across Europe. His military achievements and bravery in battle drive both his promotions and also 13 medals and decorations. His key roles in North Africa are in the Spanish Foreign Legion. He becomes commander when his predecessor dies in battle. Sidelined: From 1928 to 1931 he is director of the military academy and responsible for the training of the officer corps of the army. However in 1932 he is effectively sidelined with a posting by the new Republican government. Franco becomes military commander in La Coruña, a minor post in northwest Spain. After this period in the wilderness he is restored to grace. From 1933 to 1934 he is commander in chief of the Spanish forces in Morocco. Then from 1935 to six he becomes chief of the general staff. In 1936 another sideways move to Captain General of the Canary Islands. Marriage and religion: During his posting to La Coruña he marries Doña Carmen, a very pious woman. She influences his personal beliefs. His religious faith and Catholicism become part of his identity when he makes religion and the Catholic Church principal supports of his regime. For Franco, his Catholic faith and Spanish nationalism are inseparable. At a personal level Franco believes that he has a personal mission to save Spain from liberalism and communism. Listen to Peter tell the full story . About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2024

Erie to east of Rochester -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 36 In 'Erie to east of Rochester' I travel a further 250 miles on my journey to New York on the Lakeshore Limited. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Erie: By the time we reach Erie we are only 40 minutes late. The 'Art Deco' station opens on 3rd December 1927. Today Logistics Plus own the site and their headquarters is in the building. There is also a micro brewery / brew pub, The Brewerie, on the ground floor. In 1927 trains departed every hour for destinations across the US. Today the station hosts two trains a day, the eastbound Lakeshore Limited services to New York/Boston and the westbound ones to Chicago. In 2023, 15,236 Amtrak passengers passed through the station. A bus service operates to transport passengers into Erie. Buffalo - Depew station: Buffalo-Depew station dates from 1979. It replaces the magnificent, but by that time underused, Buffalo Central Terminal as Buffalo's main Amtrak station. The station is 10 miles (16 km) east of downtown Buffalo. It has the standard Amtrak 1970s to early 1990s design. This  includes concrete block walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and a cantilevered black roof. There are eight trains per day with two Empire Service round trips, one Lake Shore Limited round trip, and one Maple Leaf round trip. Rochester: Rochester's station moves to the current site in 1914. That New York Central railway station is four stories high with three high arching windows, reminiscent of train driving wheels, at the front of the train shed. Sadly this famous station is demolished in 1965. In 1978 Amtrak builds an Amshack style station which opens on July 12, 1978. This temporary facility lasts until late 2015 when it makes way for the current station, the Louise M Slaughter station. Dorothy Louise Slaughter  was an American politician elected to 16 terms as a United States Representative from New York state, serving from 1987 until her death in 2018. Listen to the podcast to hear about my journey from Erie to east of Rochester. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Light Fun Azz for use in this podcast.

Through the night from Chicago to Cleveland -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 35 In 'Through the night from Chicago to Cleveland' I start my journey on the Lakeshore Limited. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: The Lakeshore Limited: In 1975 the Lake Shore Limited starts running. It is an overnight service between Chicago and Albany where it splits into sections for New York or Boston. In 2023 over 351,000 passengers use the service. It is nearly back to its pre-Covid level. I'm travelling on the New York section, train 48 (eastbound), for the 959 miles between Chicago and New York. From Chicago to Cleveland, the train uses the Chicago Line, which belongs to the Norfolk Southern Railway. This section is also used by the Floridian. Leaving Chicago Union station: Our schedule has us leaving Chicago Union station at 9.30 pm but there is delay. One of the carriages in the Boston section has a fault and must be removed from the train. We expect a long delay but pull out only just over an hour late. Indiana: Our first stop is at South Bend, we are around 84 miles into the journey. The  Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad build the station in 1970 and until 1992 South Shore Line trains continue to use the station. We soon reach Elkhart station. It is only open in early mornings and late evenings for the eastbound and westbound trains. Although there is no one to sell tickets, there are staff to help passengers. The station dates from 1900. In 2023 over 16,000 passengers use the station. Next we reach Waterloo, no, not the one in London. The station opens in 1990. It opens for short periods before the trains arrive. In 1995 the Lake Shore Limited starts stopping at Waterloo in 1995 and in 2023 0ver 17,000 Amtrak passengers use the station. Ohio: We cross the State line from Indiana to Ohio and reach the station in Bryan. It is unmanned and 8 miles south of the Ohio Turnpike. In 2023 4,353 passengers come out in the middle of the night to use the station. Next we reach Toledo, a major Mid-West port city. It’s the fourth-most populous city in Ohio, and based on the 2020 census, the 79th-largest city in the United States with a population of 270,871. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, formerly called Central Union Terminal and Central Union Plaza, is the main passenger rail and intercity bus station. 280 miles into our journey we reach Sandusky station, an uncovered platform, a small car park, and two buildings. In 2023 just over 8,300 passengers got up early to use the station. Another 35 miles and we stop at the small bus stop-type shelter in Elyria which hosts 8,819 passengers in 2023. Cleveland is on the southern shore of Lake Erie, on the U.S. maritime border with Canada.  With a population of 372,624 in 2020 it is the 54th-largest city in the U.S. Lakefront Station is in downtown Cleveland near the Lake Erie waterfront. It is a service stop for the Lake Shore Limited. Listen to the podcast to hear about my journey from Chicago to Cleveland. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Stars Smile at You for use in this podcast.

Season 2023 - Talk 20- A history of Animal Welfare Legislation in the UK In 'A history of Animal Welfare Legislation in the UK' Richard Thomas tells us about the tortuous path culminating in the Hunting Act of 2004. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. A long time coming: The 1835 Act to abolish animal baiting also gives some protection to domestic and farm animals. The next successful Act, abolishing fox hunting, stag hunting and coursing is in 2004, a gap of 169 years. Richard doesn't go through all the twists and turns in the debate over those 169 years. He looks at some milestones, which gradually, shake the complacency of the Squirearchy. Professor E A Freeman: Perhaps the next important milestone is in 1869 when Professor Freeman publishes an article in the Edinburgh Quarterly. That's already another 30 years! He changes the nature of the debate. Freeman argues that hunting is both cruel and bad for hunters. He suggests the argument that hunting is a manly sport with the additional benefit of reducing vermin is no longer sustainable. Also he notes that the 1835 Act abolishes the sports of the poor, the working class. He asks, 'is there any difference in principle between fox hunting and bull baiting so that fox hunting can be right and bull baiting wrong?' He answers 'no'. The real issue is the difference between the social class and the political influence of the two groups of supporters. At this time the poor, urban working class are entirely without political power. Freeman's article is widely read and is quoted in every subsequent book about animal welfare. It marks the real beginning of the next phase of the debate. Changing views in society: Why do hunting and coursing come under the spotlight? Firstly, the gradual increase in the franchise in 1832, 1867 and other bills means an increasingly urban electorate. Whilst the working classes are not fully enfranchised until 1918, and women not until 1928, Parliament begins to reflect different views. There is a change from rural power to urban power. Many liberals are sympathetic to the anti hunting movement, but only the Labour Party considers hunting something worth having a policy on. The path to the 2004 Act: In 1997 the Labour Party wins the election with a landslide majority. This leads to the 2004 Hunting Act . Listen to Richard tell the full story . About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2024

Chicago's Architecture -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 34 'Chicago's Architecture' takes me on a very interesting river trip through the city. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: On to the river: I cross the river on on Michigan Avenue using the DuSable Bridge. Starting in 1918 the bridge takes 10 years to complete although it opens for traffic in 1920. Like the other bridges that I will pass under during the afternoon the bridge opens. I join the Shoreline Sightseeing boat at the Michigan Avenue dock for the afternoon Architecture Tour. Our Guide: Becky is our guide and she bubbles with enthusiasm throughout the journey telling us interesting facts and anecdotes about the buildings that we're passing. Some of the highlights: We hear about the Chicago Fire of 1871 which destroys much of the city. Although it is a great disaster it gives the city the chance to start again. In 1885, just 14 years after the fire, the first skyscraper in the world is built in Chicago. We pass the carriage sidings for Union Station. These are all below other buildings. Amtrak owns the land but is willing to sell air rights allowing developers to build above their tracks. We also see the old main post office. A building with 2.7 million square feet of space inside. Between 1929 and 1996 this post office ships, via the railway network, the mail order purchases from Montgomery Ward and Sears Roebuck across the United States. Down to Lake Michigan: We travel to the lock that separates the Chicago River from Lake Michigan. The lock gate is slightly open and we see water flowing from the lake into the river. The lake surface is higher than the river. One might say it flows in the wrong direction! Listen to the podcast to hear about the rest of the river tour through  Chicago's Architecture. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and White Cat for use in this podcast.

Season 2023 - Talk 19- William Cobbett and Hunting In 'William Cobbett and Hunting' Richard Thomas tells us about 'field sports' during William Cobbett's lifetime. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. William Cobbett: A countryman learning, as a child and young man, all the skills one needs to be a successful farmer. He farms in Botley, Hampshire, lives to the age of 72 and dies on his farm near Woking. In his life he does lots of other things. The best known journalist of his age; using his energy and influence to agitate for reform. He joins the army. Goes into exile in the USA. Spends time in prison for seditious libel. He attacks virtually every politician of the time and publishes the Political Register each week for around 35 years, until he dies. With his quill pen he writes 20 million words about things as varied as English grammar, history of the Protestant Reformation, the cottage economy and, most famously, his  Rural Rides which is still in print. The Penguin edition is available from Waterstones. His enjoyment of hunting: Richard ignores all his writing and political agitation and tells us about his interest in field sports, particularly fox and hare hunting which, in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries, are as natural as breathing to country people like Cobbett. Simply a part of daily life, a part of the rural culture everywhere in Britain. In his autobiography Cobbett tells us that 'there is a little hop garden near Moor Park in which I used to work from eight to ten years old, from which I have scores of times run in order to follow the hounds, leaving the hoe to do the best it could to destroy the weeds'. The beginning of the animal welfare lobby: In 1789 Jeremy Bentham writes 'the question is not, can they reason, or can they talk, but can they suffer?'.  Whilst Cobbett enjoys hunting he knows, as a farmer, that a well treated and well fed cow gives more milk, and that a well treated horse is much pleasanter and much safer to ride. In Cottage Economy, he emphasises the importance of looking after the animals on which the farmers depend. He says 'it is good for children to learn that the care is all.' In reality there could be little change whilst the major landowners have control over parliament as before the 1832 Reform Act the urban vote hardly matters. The changes during the 19th and 20th Centuries that lead to the 2004 Hunting Act will be in the second part of Richard's talk. Listen to Richard tell the full story . About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2024

Millennium Park and the Lurie Garden -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 33 'Millennium Park and the Lurie Garden' takes me through the streets of Chicago to this wonderful garden in the centre of the city. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Through the streets: I'm now in the heart of The Loop, the 'downtown' area in Chicago. In every direction I look are the  skyscrapers which last night had their tops hidden in the clouds. I'm see the amazing Carbide and Carbon building, built in 1929. It  really is an absolute stunner.  According to popular legend, the architects chose this building's dark green and gold colours, based on a gold foiled champagne bottle.  Whether true or not, the building is one of the most distinctive features on the Chicago skyline. I pass  plenty of places to eat. Some are premium establishments and many are chains.  There are many that I've never seen before,  such as Stan's Donuts and Bubblelicious Milk and Fruit Tea.  Yes, it really does exist! Millennium Park: As you enter Millennium Park from the north one of the first things you see is the Millennium Monument. The dedication is to Millennium Park's founders. There are individuals, including someone called Anonymous, through to big corporations. It's quite a warm day and there is a big water feature where people are paddling. Others are getting soaked by the water raining down from above. In each part of Millennium Park the roadways and paths bear the names of some of the sponsors. The Lurie Garden: The Lurie Garden is a two and a half acre garden at the southern end of the Millennium Park. It combines natural planting with ecologically sensitive maintenance practices. It is an urban oasis for both visitors and wildlife.  The habitat supports a wide variety of plants, animals, and insects. In 1997 the Illinois Central Rail Yards it were made available for development into the Millennium Park and Lurie Gardens. Today it creates a rooftop garden on top of the Millennium Park parking garage, which is itself above railway tracks. The garden blends with Chicago's past, present and future. It reflects Chicago's transformation from a flat marshland to a city that invests in extensive green spaces.  Or as they call it,  'Herbs in Horto'. Apparently the Latin for a 'City in a Garden'. Listen to the podcast to hear the rest of my morning in Chicago. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others. Music: AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and In Green Forest for use in this podcast.

Season 2023 - Talk 17- Deborah In 'Deborah' Jim Hastie tells us the story about the First World War Tank D51, Deborah. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Jim tells us that Deborah is a very favourite lady of his. He says that this is her story in the Battle of Cambrai, the first major tank battle in November 1917. Deborah was a female tank. A part of D Battalion in the Royal Tank Corps. Male and Female tanks: 150 tanks are built, 75 male and 75 female.  Male tanks have sponsons mounting a 57mm 6 pounder gun whilst female tanks have two cumbersome sponsons designed to carry two Vickers, water cooled, heavy machine guns. Why Deborah? Tanks receive a name, often of wives or girlfriends, before their first battle. The names have the prefix HMLS - His Majesty's Landship. In 1917 there are two tanks with the name 'Deborah'. This is the story of the second, now preserved in France. Deborah II and Cambrai: Second Lieutenant Frank Heap commands a new Mark IV female tank. Manufacturer number 2620, crew number D51 and the name Deborah with a crew of 7. These tanks are not very reliable and Deborah is knocked out by shellfire. Today four of the crew are buried side by side at the British cemetery at Flesquieres Hill. Recovery and display: Cambridge schoolboy, Philippe Gorzinski, has a passion about World War I tanks and a desire to find relics in and around Cambrai. In 1977 he meets local shopkeeper, Michael Bacquet, known locally as Iron Man. Iron Man contacts British service organisations and French civic authorities and a 60th anniversary reunion takes place. There are more than 60 men with an average age of 82 there. In 1992,  their investigation takes them Marthe Bouleux, a teenager in 1917, who tells them about a buried tank. Listen to Jim tell the full story and also talk about Talbot House, in Poporinge, a refuge for all service personnel irrespective of rank. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 - 2024

We arrive in Chicago -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 32 'We arrive in Chicago' completes our journey on the Texas Eagle. In 62 hours we have passed through cities and countryside, deserts and lush pasture, an amazing, ever changing, panorama. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Leaving Pontiac: Our stop in Pontiac is brief, a few seconds maybe and worthy of a Formula 1 pit stop. Pontiac station hosts both the Lincoln Service, running between Chicago Union Station and the Gateway Transportation Center in St. Louis, and the Texas Eagle. The station has a single, low-level side platform and a modern station building for passengers. It complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Originally a stop on the Chicago and Alton Railroad the old station depot, built in 1901, was replaced with the current one in 2017. The old station, one block north of the new station, becomes a pizzeria. Joliet: The railway reaches Joliet began in 1852, enabling the city to rapidly grow into a railway hub. In 1909 an improvement project removes level crossings and constructs a new Union Station. Joliet Union Station opens in 1912, serving at its peak over 100 trains a day. The decline in passenger numbers in the late 20th century coupled with the increase in freight traffic leads to issues because of congestion. The station is 37.2 miles from Chicago Union Station and in 2018 it is the 51st busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 996 passengers boarding on weekdays. In 2024, Joliet is served by eight Lincoln Service trains (four each way) and two Texas Eagle trains (one each way), every day and in 2023 hosts nearly 60,600 Amtrak passengers. We reach Chicago: Our journey into Chicago takes us through a varied landscape. We see old industry pouring pollution into the atmosphere, narrow streets and run down buildings. Conversely we also pass modern housing with pleasant gardens and then a yacht marina, home to leisure craft. In the distance there are the skyscrapers of the city, their top floors shrouded in the clouds. For me the high point is the Canal Street bridge, also called the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge, which is a vertical-lift bridge across the south branch of the Chicago River. Opening in 1915 it becomes an official Chicago Landmark on December 12, 2007. To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others.

Season 2023 - Talk 16 - When newspapers were pressed to be 'right minded' In 'When newspapers were pressed to be 'right minded'' Andrew Cole tells us about the state's efforts to control the press using taxes. A situation lasting for 140 years. We learn of the efforts to achieve today's press freedom. The issue: Andrew tells us that we take today's relatively free press in Britain today for granted. The authorities see the arrival of the printing press as a threat to those in authority. Their desire - control. This talk explores how this is achieved. In particular Andrew looks at the use of taxation to suppress unwanted publications and encourage, in the view of the establishment, a 'right minded press'. To many these taxes are taxes on knowledge. Many see this as a fight for freedom bringing liberty, due scrutiny, and enabling the political awakening of the masses. The story isn't as glossy as that and historians, as always, have quite differing interpretations. Taxes: The attempt to control newspapers and their narrative involves taxation. This situation runs from 1712 to 1861, 140 years. Andrew tells us about the introduction of the taxes and their working. Andrew then tells us about their repeal and the consequences. We learn of the taxes on the type of publication, on paper and on advertising. You need to listen carefully as some of the ways that the taxes operate and some of the wheezes to avoid them are complex. We also learn about the growth of the press following the repeal of the taxes. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Andrew. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group Group 2018 - 2024

Carlinville to Pontiac -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 31 'Carlinville to Pontiac' continues our journey through the lush farmland of Illinois and historic towns and cities. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Carlinville: The town is the county seat of Macoupin County and has nearly as many historic sites as it does unique and interesting shops, restaurants and attractions. In the Historic District you'll find the Macoupin County Jail, Million Dollar Courthouse, and the largest collection of Sears & Roebuck mail-order homes in the U.S. The new Carlinville station dates from the Autumn of 2017 and hosted 8,332 passengers in 2023. Springfield: Abraham Lincoln spends a large part of his life here. His memory is celebrated all over the city. Visitors can tour his home from 1837 to 1861 and  stand in the sitting room where he wrote his speeches. His marble family tomb is at Oak Ridge Cemetery and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum tells about his personal and political life. The station dates from 1895 and is due to be replaced by a, delayed, new facility in 2025. The station hosts over 140,000 passengers in 2023. Lincoln: When the railway company arrives here in 1853 they decide to name the new town after their lawyer - one Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln arrives on August 27, 1853, and leads a ceremony by the tracks to mark the founding of the new town. He pays a farmer to bring a wagon-load of watermelons, for the celebrants. Lincoln then cuts into one and "christens" the railroad with the juice. The current station opens in 1911 and in 2023 a total of 15,557 passengers use the station. Normal: Often called Bloomington-Normal, or BN, because the station serves both communities. The station dating from 1990 was rebuilt to open in 2012. It is a modern facility like some of the others on our route through Illinois. In 2023 it hosts nearly 204,000 passengers. Pontiac: We head through vast fields of maize until we reach Pontiac, another city on Route 66. The current station dates from 2017 and in 2023 nearly 13,000 Amtrak passengers use it. If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we continue our journey on the Texas Eagle from Pontiac to Chicago. Links: To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others.

Season 2023 - Talk 14- Napoleon III and Eugenie In 'Napoleon III and Eugenie' Jo Watson tells us about the man who was Emperor of France from 1852 until his defeat by the Prussians in 1870 and his wife Eugenie. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. Napoleon III: Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is born in Paris in the early hours of April the 20th, 1808. His father is Louis Bonaparte, the younger brother of the Emperor Napoleon. The union of his parents isn't overly successful as they not particularly compatible. They spend long times apart, but produce three sons, all called Napoleon something or other. Arriving a few weeks earlier than expected he's rather weak at birth so he's bathed in wine and wrapped in cotton wool. Was he just a premature child, or as the scandal mongers were later very fond of saying, fathered by someone else? He involves himself in political intrigue, failed putsches and becomes a feared ladies man. A few years elapse and he heads to London with his extensive inheritance. Louis sets up house in Mayfair with 17 servants and a monogrammed carriage and begins to mix with high society. He seduces eligible young ladies when their mothers aren't looking, notches up a couple of engagements and joins country house set. He attends shooting parties, reads voraciously in their libraries and hobnobs with eminent politicians all the time preparing for another shot at power. In 1853 he marries Eugenie Empress Eugenie: 26 year old Eugène Montejo, educated partly in Paris, is a regular visitor to the court. She is also one of the most beautiful women in Europe. She also impresses Napoleon with her horsemanship and conversation. She's a good Catholic girl and is determined not to be another notch on his bedpost. He definitely tries, but she never relents. 'What is the way to your heart', he asks. 'Through the church, sire', she replies. Jo Watson has written a book about Empress Eugenie and you can find more about it here. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Jo. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

Walnut Ridge to Alton -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 30 'Walnut Ridge to Alton' continues our journey through the night and into the morning as we travel through Arkansas, Missouri and enter Illinois. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Walnut Ridge: By the time we reach Walnut Ridge we are 2,215 miles into our journey. I am asleep as the time is around 1.40 am. It is an Italianate/Mediterranean style station dating from 1920. Today it serves as the home to the local Chamber of Commerce tourist centre and the Amtrak passenger stop. In 2019 nearly 2,900 passengers brave the night hour and use the station. Poplar Bluff: We cross the Arkansas / Missouri border on our way to Poplar Bluff where the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway railway station dates from 1910. In 1994 the station is added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2003 Union Pacific donates the building to a citizens-led non-profit local committee to Save and Restore the Historic Train Depot. The group raises money to restore both the exterior and interior of the station. The station hosts nearly 3,750 passengers in 2023. Arcadia Valley: First the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway serves the Arcadia Valley with a northbound station in Arcadia and a southbound one in Ironton. In 1941 the Missouri Pacific construct a new station to consolidate the stations in Arcadia and Ironton. They call the new station Arcadia-Ironton. In 1965 passenger services cease and the Arcadia Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Iron County Historical Society occupy the station. The current station opens in November 2016 and in 2023 a total of 1,228 night owls use the station. St. Louis and onwards: We arrive into the Gateway City of St. Louis and then travel through the morning to Alton in Illinois. If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we continue our journey on the Texas Eagle through Illinois towards Chicago. Links: To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others.

Season 2023 - Talk 13- The History Divide In 'The History Divide' Margaret Denyer, Alan Freeland, Andrew Cole, David Simpson and Richard Thomas give their views on the question ‘Whilst the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 ended the Allies war with Germany, did it lead to the outbreak of World War II in 1939?' The Paris Peace Conference: David Simpson opens by telling us about the Peace Conference and the key players. Just four men, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, U. S. President Thomas Woodrow Wilson, French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau and Italian Premier Vittorio Orlando, known as the Big Four, control the discussions. So what are the goals of the Allies? France wants revenge by weakening Germany, Britain wants to punish Germany, but with restraint. The U. S. has the most idealistic position wanting an end to imperialism and the creation of the League of Nations. There is much conflict and much discussion, before they all agree. The main 5 provisions: The five main provisions are to: Establish the League of Nations. Reduce German armed forces. Germany to accept full and sole responsibility for the war, the so called War Guilt Clause. Germany to pay the Allies a sizeable sum in reparations. This figure will not be known until 1921. A reduction in German territories and colonies which has far reaching implications well beyond the borders of Europe. Our speakers discuss the financial implications of the treaty, the issues that the settlement has on many other nations and the League of Nations. At the end we leave it to you to decide whether it led to the Second World War or not. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from our speakers. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

Texarkana to Little Rock -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 29 'Texarkana to Little Rock' continues our journey through the evening and into the night as we leave Texas and travel into Arkansas. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Texarkana: We reach Texarkana after 28 hours travelling through Texas. Texarkana Union Station dates from 1928. It is on the state border between Texas and Arkansas - quite literally! The border bisects the station structure with  the eastern part, including the waiting room and ticket office, in Arkansas and the western part in Texas. Stopped trains span both states! It is the second busiest Amtrak station in Arkansas. Although it is on the National Register of Historic Places the view from the platform is somewhat depressing. Sadly there is not time for me to see the more impressive facade on the street. Hope: The red brick Hope depot dates from 1912. The original operator, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, a subsidiary of Missouri Pacific Railway, is commonly known as the "MoPac." The station is in the MoPac's signature Mediterranean Revival style.  It was in passenger use until November 1968, before falling into disrepair. To celebrate the election of Hope native Bill Clinton to the U.S. presidency plans were made to convert the station into a museum focused on Clinton's life. In 1994 the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company, part of Union Pacific Railroad, donates the station to the city in 1994. In 1995, with renovations complete, the facility opens to the public. Arkadelphia: They do love fancy names in this part of the world. This station dates from 1917 and in 2023 1,050 passengers use the station. Next up: If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we continue our journey on the Texas Eagle through the night and into the morning. Links: To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others.

Season 2023 - Talk 12- The Earth Transformed In 'The Earth Transformed' Alan Freeland reviews Peter Frankopan's book which changes our view of history by looking at the effect of climate on events. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The Silk Roads: Alan tells us how the book 'The Silk Roads' changes his retirement plans. This is a book by Peter Frankopan that he rates very highly. This book is an important account of the forces that have shaped the global economy and politics over many centuries. It is a long read: The Earth Transformed runs to 736 pages (the paperback) and Alan tells us that he has to re-read many of the pages to understand things. He also says that the text doesn't flow well. This is no reflection on the material, rather one of style. The book: Peter Frankopan is one of the world's leading historians. He tells us that the natural environment is a crucial, if not the defining, factor in global history. Volcanic eruptions, solar activities, atmospheric, oceanic and other shifts have a fundamental effect on history. We learn about how the desire to centralise agricultural success results in the bureaucratic state. And how growing demands for harvests result in the shipment of enslaved people. These lessons of profound importance as we face a precarious future of rapid global warming. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Alan. Unfortunately I have not been able to remove all the external noises. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

Mineola to Marshall -  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 28 'Mineola to Marshall' continues our journey through the afternoon and in to the evening. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Mineola: As the episode opens we are travelling through the countryside as we approach Mineola. We stop short of the station, across a level crossing, waiting for permission to enter the station. I have a good view of the main street and the bandstand which is proudly flying the Stars and Stripes, the national flag of the US. I wonder whether this is left over from the celebrations of 'Independence Day' yesterday. Just after we pull out of Mineola there is the first call for dinner. There are only two sittings today. Longview: We pass through some lovely countryside on our journey from Mineola to Longview. There is dappled sunlight and a beautiful lake full of reflections. The red brick station dates from 1940, replacing an 1874 building. Its in the Colonial Revival style, popular in the early 20th century. There are stylized quoins, brick cornice and grey stone trim highlighting the coping, keystones and lintels. In its heyday there were several Missouri Pacific and Texas & Pacific trains a day. Soon after leaving Longview we pass a car breakers yard. Marshall: Marshall is a crew change stop. The crew finishing their shift allow me off the train so that I have time to photograph a steam locomotive and a caboose which are part of the railway museum. The station, known as the T&P Depot, is the only surviving structure of the Texas and Pacific Railway complex which originally consisted of fifty-seven buildings spanning 66 acres. I re-board the train as we set off for our next stop at Texarkana which, apparently, is on the state line. Next up: If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we continue our journey on the Texas Eagle across the state line from Texas to Arkansas. Links: To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Vurbl , You Tube and others.

Season 2023 - Talk 11 04- Going to the Pictures In 'Going to the Pictures' Tim Davies tells us about the history of the projected image in the 'silent era'. Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk. The Magic Lantern: The talk starts in the age of the Magic Lantern. These project pictures such as paintings, prints and photographs. The slides are usually transparent glass plates. First appearing in the 17th century they are often used for entertainment by travelling showmen, conjurers and storytellers. In the 17th century the only artificial light is from candles and oil lamps giving very dim projected images. By the 1820s we start to see the much brighter Limelight and then in the 1860s the electric arc lamp, which removes the need for combustible gases and hazardous chemicals. The magic lantern can project moving images with movement achieved in a number of ways such as two glass slides projected together. One has the stationary part of the picture and the other the moving part, maybe a train passing through a landscape. What the Butler saw: The Mutoscope is an early motion picture device appearing in 1895. It is a coin-in-the-slot peep-show which only one person at a time can view. It operates like a flip book with black-and-white prints attached to a circular core. A reel typically holds about 850 pictures, giving a viewing time of about one minute The Birth of the Cinema in Britain: Leeds claims the world's first moving picture shot by Louis Le Prince in 1888. In 1889 and William Friese Greene makes the first celluloid film in Hyde Park. Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Tim. Unfortunately I have not been able to remove all the external noises. About this podcast: This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group . This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others. AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk. © The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 - 2024

Fort Worth to Mineola-  US Rail Journeys Series 3 Episode 27 'Fort Worth to Mineola' covers the 120 miles between these two cities. The journey has a schedule of 3 hours. Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with this podcast: Fort Worth: We arrive in Fort Worth early. The station dates from 2002 and is an intermodal transit centre in downtown Fort Worth serving TEXRail, Trinity Railway Express, Amtrak , and Greyhound intercity buses. The station is also the main transfer centre for Fort Worth's buses. There are toilets, vending machines, a passenger service kiosk, and a Subway sandwich shop. There are five brick bas-reliefs depicting a former black-owned commercial district that existed at the station site from the Civil War to the 1940s. The reliefs are by Paula Blincoe Collins. There is a restored interurban car from the Northern Texas Traction Company on display. Dallas: Dallas Union Station, officially the Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station is an  intermodal railway station. The third busiest Amtrak station in Texas, behind Fort Worth Central and San Antonio, serves DART Light Rail , Trinity Railway Express commuter rail and Amtrak. The station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The first floor of the station houses an Amtrak ticketing window, waiting room, and privately rented offices. The second floor contains the restored Grand Hall and several meeting rooms named after railway companies that previously serviced Dallas.  Towards Mineola: I'm travelling on the 5th July, maybe that's why it is very quiet! Is everyone recovering from yesterday's celebrations? Once we leave Dallas we travel through farmland until we reach the outskirts of Mineola where the episode ends. I'll tell you about Mineola in the next episode. Next up: If you enjoy these podcasts please join me in a couple of weeks as we continue our journey on the Texas Eagle. Links: To visit the Amtrak website please follow this link. This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others.