Beamish

Beamish is a fantastic living open air museum in County Durham, just south of Newcastle.  Using old fashioned buses or trams, you can travel back in time to 1825 Pocketly Manor and its railway, complete with a ride on Puffy Billy. 
Then there's the 1913 Mining village, where you learn the life a miner's family, and with the village's mine that you can go down into, right down to the work face and learn of the workers who mine the coal that made Great Britain and its Empire that great power of its day.  Lunch of fish and chips are served in newspapers behind the village church, which is next door to the village school where could be the belt if you're late or misbehave. 
Then you can visit the 1913 Town where you can visit the bank to learn the old currency (Pounds, Shillings and Pennies, just don't forget the Half-Pennies) and if you times the old currency seventy times you will get today's currency.  After the bank you can visit the sweet shop where the sweet jars are on display for all to see then to the tea shop for a cup of tea. 
There is plenty to see and do at Beamish.  Enjoy your visit if you pass by. 

End of the Eighth Week

Hard to believe that this week, the eighth week, has gone past already.  It seems that almost everyone I knew has been busy.  Gordon has asked us to do a survey about the course so far and I answered it the best I could.  Hard to believe that Ali has left the college, I hope to see him around somewhere. 

Alnwick Gardens

I'd say that the best kind of day to go to Alnwick Gardens is a sunny and dry day with no hint of rain in the weather forecast.  Just be careful not to get wet at the fountains or near the main waterfall that you see first at the Garden gate and don't get lost in the Bamboo maze or in wonder of the flower garden at the top end of the Garden.  If you do go, I hope that you enjoy it all. 

10th College Blog - Back at the end of holidays

Hard to believe that it's been two weeks and that the October Holidays has ended.  I hope that this week will go well and we can get back into the swing of things.  Wish us all luck till Christmas. 


Northumberland and Newcastle was great, the weather managed to hold, especially at Alnwick Gardens where the only water that falls is from the fountains.  Beamish hasn't changed.  Pegswood, my home village, and Morpeth, the neighbouring town has changed; Appleby, Morpeth's book shop is closing. 

Fifth Week

A wet week and no sight of any break in the weather.  This week so far as been refer quiet so far with the final pieces of the operating systems have been installed.  Today will be the deep end of the pool as the Video and Aduio assessment is today with some extra revision before we all take the plunge.  Wish us all luck. 

Fifth Week

Hard to believe that this is the sixth week already, the first five seems to have flown by quickly.  Just wondering where it has all gone. 


This week is back to normal and has started well with Gordon's return to college.  Installing the operating systems were interesting to do and were quick and easy, only Paint.net the most troublesome system while installing it onto the computer.  The file handling files were a little tricky to do and understand but I have at least attempted them with a few pointers from Graeme.  Lets hope the rest of the week goes well.