TARS Book Group
goes Zoom!
The first online meeting of the new TARS Book Group is scheduled on Zoom for
Saturday October 23 at 6pm
Any TARS members welcome Discussion topics: Our three Summer books:
Spylark, Voyage of the Sparrowhawk and Lark, plus your suggestions for winter reading
Join Zoom Meeting hOps://us02web.zoom.us/j/86729682678?
pwd=ZDhEL2ZhRlE0N3dOc3kzNE1tckdnUT09
Meeting ID: 867 2968 2678
Passcode: 603330
More details, including copy-and-paste address, international contact details for the Zoom meeting on our
TARS website page: Members Area > Society Information >Book Group
Visit to Seven Stories archive , Newcastle Saturday 20th November
We meet at the Common Room (formerly the Mining Institute) café, next to the Central Station at around 10.30. Hopefully I can arrange a short tour after coffee. It is an amazing building. Then on to Newcastle Lit and Phil (adjoining) to look at this equally interesting building with a superb book collection. I’m trying to organise a short tour here too.
Then on to lunch, possibly at the Laing Art Gallery café, or wherever you want.
Meet at 1.15 at the Central Library for a look at some of the Arthur Ransome related material, particularly
- The David Wood (speaking at the 2022 Literary Weekend) archive, which has scripts, treatments and correspondence not only for the 1974 Swallows and Amazons film, but also unseen work on Great Northern, Winter Holiday and other work which was never filmed
- The complete Pamela Whitlock correspondence from Arthur Ransome, which is very moving. Hazel Sheeky Bird spoke about this at the last Literary Weekend
Hazel will be with us there, and in the morning. We may well want to choose particular material that we’d like digitised on the Seven Stories website for people interested in Ransome to see the sort of material Seven Stories have in their archive.
Afterwards, you may want a 25 minute walk to the Seven Stories exhibition and / or The Biscuit Factory art gallery, or look around the Laing.
**** N.B. Due to Covid restrictions we can only have 12 people, including Hazel and myself, in the room in the Central library, so contact me straight away if you want to reserve a place on this part of the day. Lots to see even if you don’t want to do this*****
Please contact me, Elizabeth Williams, on 0191 3844759 email elizabeth.williams10@aol.com if you want to come and I’ll send the final arrangements when it’s all organised (with maps) and final timings for different parts of the day.
Regards
Elizabeth Williams
We are leaving these details as we are hoping to run a similar event in October 2022
Sorry, Covid bites again and we have cancelled this event for now.
Overlooking the sea and prom, this beautiful setting has drawn us back. The lunch will be a sit-down meal followed by a talk, with cake to round off the day.
We will be joined by members of the public to hear the popular speaker, Viv Wilson who will be speaking on Teignmouth Waterside Tales, a film show, embracing the significance of this resort’s coastal location during the past century. This will include footage of a 1930s Shaldon sailing regatta and J Class yachts at Babbacombe.
Please contact Barbara for ticket.
Literary Weekend
1st – 3rd April 2022
OXFORD
We are pleased to announce that the next
Literary Weekend will be held in April 2022 in
Oxford, at St Edmund Hall, otherwise known
as Teddy Hall, one of oldest teaching
institutions in the world, established in 1286.
Located in the heart of Oxford, it makes a
perfect venue for our weekend of stimulating
talks, sightseeing and camaraderie. The small
and accessible campus has everything close
at hand, including a large lecture room with
space for our library and stalls, good single
and twin rooms, a large dining hall, bar and
pleasant courtyards and gardens.
Speakers: We welcome and invite talks
from TARS members; if you would like to
speak at the Weekend, either a short cameo
or a longer presentation, please contact Peter
Wright as soon as possible, either by email:
peterwright180@btinternet.com, or by
phoning him on 0121 443 2910. We will
announce the full programme of speakers
and all other details in the next Signals, along
with the booking form. In the meantime,
please book the date in your diary now.
New members or first-time attendees will be
particularly welcome.
Please note that parking in Oxford is scarce.
Broads Cruise is back in 2022!
The Hunters Yard ‘Coot Club’ Broads cruise, postponed last year due to Covid, is now to take place next year – July 23-30 2022.
Six of the fleet’s Teasel-style yachts (one actually was the Teasel in the BBC TV adaptation) have been reserved.
Famously engine-less, they now have quiet electric motors to cope with the Broads’ busy traffic.
Contact Neville Khambatta, Tars member and chairman of the Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust,
on 01692 678263 or info@huntersyard.com.
Meanwhile the yard has been busy refurbishing the sailing dinghy that played Titmouse in the TV adaptations.
As you follow the signs there is a Y +fork and you need the left fork, and the field is on the right (second gap in hedge?). You will see a large blue tent and some S&A pennants.
We start on Friday when you can arrive. Activities available include crossing the Wade, paddling through the backwater weeds, sailing along the creek or in the more open waters o Chichester Harbour. It is a secure site on an almost traffic free peninsular and great for Outlaws. Brilliant woodland for free-range Outlaws, and good coastal walks. We have a bbq on Sat night. Costs have gone up as we have to supply portaloos. Cold outdoor showers available.
Don’t forget to get yourself a permit for the harbour for your craft.
A trail over Pictish Scotland. Bring your car or get to Inverness area by train
Itinery Sat 3rd September
06.35 depart Edinburgh Waverley
10.28 arrive Inverness or Tain
(then car to Inver, near Portmahomack)
12.00 lunch at Inver Restaurant
(then car to Tarbat Discovery Centre)
13.30 Tarbat Discovery Centre
16.15 leave by car for Nigg – Cromarty ferry
17.00 (or thereabouts!) ferry to Cromarty
19.30 dinner at Royal Hotel Cromarty
(then stay overnight in various B&Bs in Cromarty area; (the Royal Hotel is fully booked!)
Sun 4th September
09.00 Groam House Museum, Rosemarkie
12.00 lunch at restaurant to be determined
14.30 depart on Jacobite Rebel for 2 hour Loch Ness cruise
16.30 return to Inverness centre, maybe for a snack
18.57 depart Inverness
22.41 arrive Edinburgh
Chris says:
TARS Northern Region
Sunday 16th October 2022
Join us on a visit to Tanfield Railway (Durham 12 miles Gateshead 7 miles)
Arrive in Durham by train and I can give up to 4 people a lift!
Meet at East Tanfield Station at around 11 am to have coffee in The Waiting Room Cafe, look at the shop and catch the 11.50 from East Tanfield DH9 9UY. You can get on and off at any station. There is usually lots to see around the sheds at Marley Hill (Near Andrews House station) and at East Tanfield.
Find out more about this lovely little railway on www. Tanfield-railway.co.uk
We suggest lunch at Causey Arch station at 12. 45. If the weather is good there is a picnic area. There is also a café, and over the road a pub. Walk down and see the oldest railway bridge in the world. Then catch the train back to East Tanfield or walk back through a lovely wooded ravine (uneven steps and rough footpath)
You could even be really decadent and take another trip on the 14.30, with afternoon tea on a table for two for £58!
Tanfield is standard gauge and runs nearly all steam engines – mostly ex colliery saddletanks. I’ll know which engine should be running a couple of days before. The line is about 3 miles each way, running through lovely countryside. One hour round trip.
For full day tickets: (Book online the day before and get 10% discount)
Price:
£13.50 adult
£11.50 Senior
£1.00 child (under 5 free)
Contact Elizabeth elizabeth.williams10@aol.com Tel: 07897246670
Enjoy a day by the sea at the Jurassic coast looking for fossils. Meet by the Heritage Coast Centre at 11.00 am. We are hoping to have a guide to tell/show us what to look for.
The beach is pretty rocky so wear stout footwear.