Spring is Coming ...

[Colwyn]

... It's Just Around the Corner.

So time for a stroll in the sunshine up the escarpment to the top of the down that stands over my house.

STILL GLOOMY IN CUT THROAT LANE



UP THERE?



STIFF TEST



ABOVE THE TREES



NEARLY THERE



PLEASANT MEADOW



THE FIRST WOOD ANEMONES



OBELISK AND TOWER

[usedbustickets]

Nice photos Colwyn.  And I've now got an understanding of where you live in Bristol, my lover:D:D

Not sure about Cut Throat Lane.  Never mind being a victim, I wouldn't even want to be a mugger down there

[Scunner]

Lovely, Colwyn. Is that some sort of telecommunications tower? (In simple terms please if you reply UBT, I remember your telecoms knowledge quite well   )

[usedbustickets]

quote:Originally posted by Scunner

Lovely, Colwyn. Is that some sort of telecommunications tower? (In simple terms please if you reply UBT, I remember your telecoms knowledge quite well   )

It's a former telecom tower, like the BT (nee Post Office) Tower in London.  In these days of fibre optic and satellite, there's little call (no pun intended) for microwave signals using in line of site towers like these anymore.  Is that simple enough Scunner?

[Scunner]

No

There is a transmitter on the hill near us, I had no idea it was powering my microwave though  

[usedbustickets]

quote:Originally posted by Scunner

No

There is a transmitter on the hill near us, I had no idea it was powering my microwave though  

Yes and now BT are not using their allocation of 'free' microwaves, you'll find that the performance of your microwave oven has improved as well, with an 800w microwave oven, now operating at an average of 873w.  However, excessive use of your micro wave, just because your getting more free, does have an impact on your download speed of your broadband.  This effect can be measured in what scientists call UBTs, with a 10% increase in microwave power producing a 5% decrease in download speed equalling 144UBTs.  

[Colwyn]

I researched the tower on the net and found that it is used only for a few radio stations invluding Kiss (to which my daughter listens) and has a DAB band - no wonder our reception is good.

But I found out something else when researching. Right next to to the Telecomm Tower is an abandoned WWII gun emplacement. It was from here that the legendary Purdown Percy, a supergun to rival the German Big Bertha, defended Bristol - and especially the airplane and aero-engine works at Filton - from attack by German bombers. Or so I have thought all my life and so have all the other Bristolians I know. I discovered some swine has posted that no such gun ever existed. Looking further, I discovered that this was confirmed on lots of military sites. Apparently it was a collection of 3.7 inch heavy anti-aircraft guns that were electrically triggered to fire at the same time - so sounding like one huge supergun. I am distraught. I could have carried on happily believing in good old Percy if I hadn't looked up UBT's comments.

Turning my back on the gun emplacement and looing out to the north east from the obelisk there is a very familiar landmark to those who have left Bristol using the M32. It is Dower House where - I insist - General Fairfax stayed before marching his New Model Army, along with Cromwell's cavalry, down into Bristol to defeat Prince Rupert and the Royalists. And I don't want to find out otherwise!