Success!

With a little help from my Morgan navigator the jigsaw is complete.

The original artist is Arthur Bottomley, born in Oldham who went on to study art at the Oldham School of Art, leaving in 1964.He is a member of the Guild of Railway Artists and his subjects are mostly of a nostalgic nature, painstakingly researched.


THE PAINTING
The locally named ex GWR Saint class locomotive No 2947 'Madresfield Court' waits at the head of the Hereford-Paddington express for the local branch train from Ashchurch to enter Great Malvern station in the early 50's.

The two Morgans are, a 1934 three wheeler Supersports beetleback and a 1950 Plus4 drophead coupe.

Above the station on the Malvern hills, can be seen Malvern Boys College.

Interestingly, I have looked at the 'Gibsons Puzzles' website and cannot find 'Great Malvern' listed so presumably it has been withdrawn, although I guess that it might be worth emailing the company if you were interested in acquiring it.

Morgan owners....

....have got to do something when the weather is not suitable for a spin.

At least I've made a start and no doubt my dear wife will complete it for me when I lose interest!

 Whether or not it is still in production I don't know but, for any one who wishes to buy one, it is a 'Gibsons' puzzle.

 I have completed it once before and it is a first class jigsaw which is obviously of interest to Morgan drivers and followers.

What a cracker!

There are some days in winter when you just have to get out and enjoy the weather.

Just warming her up!

This was one of those days and it would have been criminal of me not to get the Morgan out and revel in a glorious drive.

Across the Bay towards the Lake District

No wind, loads of sunshine and the Morgan at 27300 miles on the clock, just 'run in'!

In front of the 'Mount' at Fleetwood.

So back to the sea I went, 15 minutes away from home, Fleetwood first with its fabulous views across Morecambe Bay to the Pennines and the Lake District.

A calm and peaceful sea at Cleveleys

Secondly I motored farther south along the Fylde coast of Lancashire to Cleveleys and there enjoyed views at high tide across the Irish Sea and in a southerly direction towards Bispham and Blackpool.

The view south towards Bispham and Blackpool.

What a fantastic enhancement to our retirement this little car has been.

On a cold and frosty morning....

......I drove the Morgan out of the garage for a quick spin.

This was having first started the engine and turned the heater and fan on full  to warm the hood before I lowered it, being worried that I might cause damage, particularly to the rear window because it was so cold and the vinyl material so stiff.

Anyway, the Morgan heater being particularly effective, this did not take long and I was soon on the road for my first drive of 2019.

Living close to the sea I am drawn to it and this morning was to be no exception.

My target, a few miles away was to be Wardleys Creek, which for hundreds of years since medieval times, was a major trading port, together with Skippool Creek just across the River Wyre.

As well as serving British trade, ships from the Baltic transported flax and ships from Africa brought  guano for use as fertiliser.

In the 30's, mussels from Wardleys were highly sought after and prior to that visitors came in the 19th century for 'Hambleton Hookies', large mussels that often contained a pearl.

There are many more fascinating facts about this port including smuggling and sadly slavery connections.

It was a lovely short drive exploring some back roads that I have not visited before.