2 December 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 17 - Making Steel

Charles Caldwell

After a snowfall in Consett Co. Durham the landscape was red, not white.  This was caused by iron ore dust when the area was a centre of steel making. Our speaker, Charles Caldwell began his career as a metallurgist there before turning to education and he became Principal Teacher of Physics in Kirkland High School.  He used his experience in both fields to deliver an expertly produced PowerPoint talk on steel manufacture.  This was heavy hot and noisy industry. The newly graduated Charles quickly realised that diplomacy was needed when advising very experienced iron workers supervising tons of molten metal being poured out of the smelter during a night shift  We were taken through the complete process on iron ore to steel with clear outline of the differences in composition and uses of wrought and cast iron and the various types of steel including stainless steel. The latter was almost a chance discovery of a metallurgist experimenting with a variety of additives. Centuries ago, wrought iron was in demand for swords but modern so called wrought iron gates are more likely to have a different composition. Steels have highly controlled carbon content and are alloyed with a range of metals to meet specific demands for a range of uses such as car cylinders or bridges. In the disastrous Tay Rail Bridge collapse of 1879 one contributary factor was likely to be metal with the wrong composition. The interest stimulated was evident in the range of questions which followed. Chairman Mike thanked Mr Caldwell for an excellent and informative presentation.  Earlier Mike had conducted a business meeting in which he appealed for members to Zoom in for our club quiz on the evening of Thursday 17th Dec.  Almoner Roy had no reports of members in trouble and as usual supplied some entertaining jokes. Our next full meeting at our normal 10:30 will be on 20th Jan but by popular request we will hold coffee meetings on intervening Wednesdays. Mike announced that he had learned during the meeting that the first vaccine had been approved so the end of the need for Zoom meetings may not be too long delayed but is not imminent.  Until then, as a very senior member commented, the Zoom meetings have provided a very welcome method of keeping in touch.

18 November 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 16 - Alaska Part 1

Tommy Bryson

An encouraging number of members were taken on an Alaskan Journey by Tommy Bryson, A member of Dalgety Bay Probus Club. Tommy is an enthusiastic photographer and his PowerPoint presentation showed spectacular scenes of the landscape on his journey across Greenland and Canada before touching down at Anchorage. Alaska is 22 times the area of Scotland with a growing population but still less than 1 million.  Anchorage has a population of 285,000 and is the biggest city.  A journey through the Chugach Mountains took our speaker to the oil and fishing area of Valdez and a wonderful small boat voyage to Columbia Bay fed by a glacier which, in June, was spawning small icebergs. The wildlife, including whales, seals, sea otters and tufted puffins seemed to line up, some on the ice floes, to pose for excellent photographs. A graceful Arctic Tern contrasted with a powerful Bald Eagle.  The area also is rich in fish such as salmon, halibut and crabs which made the Exxon Valdez oil spillage in 1989 a major ecological disaster. Tommy showed large barges equipped with equipment to scoop up oil which are now on full time duty.   Valdez is an ice free port at the Southern end of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, opened in 1975, running 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay on the North coast. The pipeline was sometimes visible, supported by pillars, as Tommy journeyed northwards to Fairbanks.  Much of it is underground but the warm oil can melt the permafrost.  Good roads were certainly not congested and afforded fine vistas of mountains, rivers and glaciers. There was also evidence of the retreat of glaciers caused by global warming. Wild flowers were blooming including blue lupins. Eielson Air base now houses US fighters but was once the site of the first mail flight to Fairbanks which saved many days by dog sled.  The long history of gold mining continues at the Fort Knox mine near Fairbanks.  Another source of income is provided by the Alaskans building a village called North Pole complete with a Santa Claus House and a resident Santa selling presents costing thousands of dollars!  Member Jim Browning spoke for us all in complementing Tommy for a well organised visual presentation which he was giving us as its premiere.  Chairman Mike had conducted a very short business meeting. A few more entrants to the Zoom Quiz will be welcome. At the next meeting on 2nd December Charles Caldwell will give a talk on Making Steel. The usual informal zoom chat will take place on 25th November.

4 November 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 15 - Turning over a New Leaf

Jim Browning

On 18thth Dec 1898 a car created the first recognised land speed record of 63 km per hour.  Remarkable?  Even more so, it was an electric car!  Many are projecting electric vehicles will become the norm but few of us realise the long history of this type of car.  Our speaker, member Jim Browning delivered a talk on his experiences with an electric car, a Nissan, which he purchased in January 2017. Jim worked in the electronics industry and has for years used solar power generators on his roof so had considerable knowledge in this field. His PowerPoint talk was well illustrated and contained two interesting videos and gave a very balanced view of the pros and cons of this method of propulsion. In the long history of electric cars, the main problem has been development of affordable batteries with adequate range but in recent years this is being increasingly successful and there is some optimism for more success in the future.  As a network of charging points grows across the country wider travel becomes more feasible.  Charging power and therefore times vary from 9 to 4.5 hours at home or as little as 40 minutes at some roadside points. Expense is a major factor; one has to balance the initial quite high cost of the vehicle with much lower running costs due to less frequent and cheaper servicing, no road tax or oil changes and fuel about 1/5 of petrol. Jim enjoys the quiet running which enables him to hear his favourite music but admits that pedestrians can be put at risk by lack of awareness of his approaching vehicle. One method of decelerating does not operate the brake lights which can take drivers behind him by surprise. His car has an excellent system of touch screens supplying sat nav and directions to charging points.  The vehicles require some adjustment to driving technique and may not appeal to all drivers, but Jim has been pleased with his experience so far.  During questions he was asked about possible cost of replacement batteries, but Jim is not expecting this to be required soon. He also admitted that a trip home from Aberdeen on a cold winter night requiring lights and heating would not be achieved without recharging about halfway, probably at Forfar where there are ‘fast charging’ facilities. A hearty vote of thanks was led by Bill O’Donnell. Earlier Chairman Mike stated that our web site is functioning well with a lot of hits. Master of Zoom Stuart Rennie outlined a Christmas Quiz proposal which we hope will take place on the evening of 17th Dec. Our next Zoom Meeting is the coffee chat on 11th Nov. with speaker Tommy Bryson on 18th Nov and subject “Alaska Part 1”.

21 October 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 14 - Go East Young Man

Derek Bethune

At our meeting on 21st October 2020 we were zoomed off to obey Confucius who said “Go East Young Man”. In 1996 Derek and Lin flew to Hong Kong which at that time involved a tricky landing for a Jumbo during which he had a close up view of washing lines.  Huge development was going on and they saw many ships in the harbour with cranes on their decks. Families lived on small boats which unloaded larger ships in the bay.  A visit to Hong Kong Island via tunnel was made but the funicular to the viewpoint on Victoria Peak unfortunately showed a vista of smog.   The pair sampled the delights of a floating restaurant on a water tour from Aberdeen.  Bangkok provided a colourful  welcome with song, dance and magnificent silks at the hotel then much exploration was by boat. Express Boats ran up and down the river all the time.  The landing stages were smallish and basically only the stern of the boat could access them. Communication between the driver at the front and the conductor at the back was by whistle It was interesting to see  monks who were on the boat as they are not allowed to touch or be touched by a female. The old capital was Ayutthaya north of Bangkok until the mid 1700’s. The biggest gold Buddha in the world at 5 ½ tons was there until that time before being moved to Bangkok.   The fast ‘long tailed boat’.is an exciting craft to travel in.  It has a 4 cylinder Isuzu car engine on a rotating pedestal on the back with a straight drive shaft ending in a propeller. The driver has control of the throttle and can swivel the engine to steer the boat. The famous Damnoen Saduak floating market sells an incredible number of different items.  In Singapore a statue of Stamford Raffles the founder of Singapore and the Hotel which bears his name. are well situated in the centre. Our speaker took the Metro about 10 miles into the country to the Chinese and Japanese Gardens. The  island of Sentosa  was reached by  a small 4 seater cable car, followed by a trip around the harbour and out into the Singapore Strait in a seaworthy Junk.  The shipping lanes were crowded with craft at anchor with  fast ferries from Indonesia and local craft. The Maldive Islands provided a restful finale during which they sailed to Bandos, taking 45 mins from the airport,  by a local boat called a Dhoni.  The Maldives were not so well developed, and Singapore and other Airlines were using the island as a stopover for their aircrews.  The facilities during the day revolved round swimming, lazing, water skiing, or maybe sleeping   The return take off was as interesting as the outward landing as the runway surface was cracking up!  Jim Browning expressed our thanks for a well delivered presentation. In our brief business meeting George Warner reported on a rare but successful golf outing. Jim Browning will talk on Electric Cars on 4th Nov. with a coffee zoom on 28thOct

7 October 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 13 - Kirkcaldy's Place in the World

Bob Docherty

A well kent face appeared as our latest Zoom Speaker on 7th October.  Bob Docherty, a member of Raith Probus Club, is a langtonian educated in Kirkcaldy High School and eventually an Assistant Rector and Football Ambassador for the school, is well qualified to talk about Kirkcaldy’s Place in the World. Two current former pupils with very different careers are Gordon Brown and Val McDermid, but many distinguished figures preceded them.  The school was one of the earliest in Scotland and we were shown an illustration of a 16th century document about Ane Grammar Schoill with a building in Kirk Wynd.  Thomas Carlyle, Adam Smith and the prolific architect, Robert Adam are still famous and were pupils as the school moved to various buildings.   Lord Tweedsmuir, better known as John Buchan, the author of the Thirty Nine Steps spent some time at school in Kirkcaldy and became Governor General of Canada.  Other local diplomats included William Sinton, British Ambassador to Panama and Algeria, and more surprisingly David Anderson, US Ambassador to Yugoslavia!.   Sandford Fleming’s achievements with latitude and time are recognised by a plaque in the Memorial Gardens while Archie Howie became Cavendish Prof. of Physics and a close friend of Stewart Miller CBE a senior designer of Aero Engines with Rolls Royce.  Stewart was responsible for developing engines for the Harrier and 747. A Burntisland and KHS educated lady, Anellia Sargent is currently Professor of Astronomy in California and has been President of the American Astronomical Society.  Bob briefly referred to several other Langtonians who are still following distinguished but varied careers in fields such a medicine, accountancy and, of course his beloved football.

A warm vote of thanks was given by Mike Simpson who also repeated his invitation to other men, Probus members or not who may wish to join in our Zoom Meetings for experience of this rapidly expanding type of meeting.  If so, please consult our website.  In a brief business meeting Mike reported the website is attracting hits. Secretary John said our talks programme is progressing and golf convener George gave news of a golf outing which is the sole survivor of a virus ravaged year.  On 20th Oct. Derek Bethune is taking us out East while coffee Zoomers join up on the 14th. at 10:30

16 September 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 12 - Lessons from my Travels

Jim Boyd

Full meetings have been successfully held using Zoom since the start of Lockdown. The present upward trend of virus cases makes it increasingly likely that Zooming may be the norm for several more months.  In the circumstances Kirkcaldy Probus Club would like to extend an invitation to members of other Probus clubs or indeed any men who may be interested in Probus to be our guest and share listening to a variety of interesting speakers.  Please use the Contacts information on our website and joining details will be sent to you.                                   

Our meeting on 16th Sep. was our 12th on Zoom and was addressed by Jim Boyd of Glenrothes Probus Club.   Many tourists will take pride in travelling to as many destinations as possible.  Our speaker Jim has visited 112 countries.  Very few travellers will have gained more insight about the areas he spent time in so Jim’s talk, Lessons from my Travels, was far more than a collection of holiday snaps. Jim delighted in finding out about the people in the areas and increasing his understanding of the world in a manner similar to the TV presenter Simon Reeves.  He was careful to respect the wish of some locals who did not wish to be photographed.  In a coach tour of a very deprived area in S. Africa he was amazed when the tour guide thanked the tourists for visiting his country and bringing some much needed finance then stepped off the coach without expecting a tip!. Comparing and contrasting the effects of earthquakes in Christchurch and a Tibetan village he asked us to appreciate that the power of nature can be impossible to control  but can be dealt with much more successfully  in a developed country. We can only apply sticking paster to some dreadful situations.  While meeting very friendly locals in a beautiful Iranian city he appreciated that enmity was between governments rather than the inhabitants.  He then found that having Iran on his passport was not helpful on a subsequent visit to the USA. In Nepal Jim was very aware of surveillance of visitors by the Chinese occupying regime but it was in Venezuela that he felt most threatened.  In a serious and informative presentation Jim introduced some humour including the language situation with English diners, Scottish Diners and a French Canadian waiter in Quebec City.  We can all reason which diners came off best. Our Speaker admitted he was boasting a little when saying he had met John Wayne and Tele Savalas but was particularly pleased with a discussion with an old Red Indian Chief.  Jim was thanked for a very well presented talk by President Mike. The meeting was chaired by former President John Edmonds. Some rapid  Zooming manipulation enabled the meeting to continue when our technical expert, Stuart Rennie was suddenly the victim of an internet failure.  On 7th Oct. Bob Docherty will present some thoughts on Kirkcaldy’s Place in the World but there will be the usual Zoomed coffee meetings on the intervening two Wednesdays, all at 10:30                   

2 September 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 11 - Towards the North Pole

Jim Husband

President Mike welcomed a good turnout of members for our main zoomed meeting on Wednesday 2nd September. In a business meeting Mike revealed good use was being made of the club website and demonstrated how to access our humour page on the site. Almoner Roy Urquhart provided another sample of his humour and he was pleased to welcome two members recovering from operations. Secretary John stated that speakers are booked into November but would appreciate ideas for the future.  Club member Jim Husband took us aboard Fred Olsen’s Black Watch for a cruise up Norway to Svalbard which he enjoyed in 2014, shortly after a schoolboy was killed by a polar bear on the main island!  Jim is a keen photographer and artist with a particular interest in nature and he found the facilities for observing the abundant wildlife were excellent with mostly good weather helping. Leaving from Rosyth the ship was escorted by gannets, fulmars and Arctic Terns then welcomed into the attractive port of Kristiansund by a three cannon salute!  Continuing North past the remarkable mountain, Torghatten with its tunnel then crossing the Arctic Circle, the ship reached Honnigsvag, only a short coach trip from the North Cape. Elk and reindeer were seen and the local trees, Dwarf Willow which grow to 3 inches!  Around Svalbard the marine life was bountiful with 17 species of cetaceans including many different porpoises, fin, humpback, beluga and even the blue whale spotted.  Several communities in Svalbard were visited including areas where the Russians mined high quality coal before leaving derelict mines and trains now conserved as tourist attractions.  One surviving mine still supplied coal to BMW in Germany.  Strolling away from villages without a rifle was discouraged but no polar bears were seen apart from possibly one distant speck.   A gorgeous ivory gull came to inspect our speaker during an alfresco lunch resulting in a beautiful photo showing its pure white plumage. Many other birds were seen some of which occasionally visit Scotland, Turning Southward Black Watch visited Tromso with its magnificent post war cathedral then sailed into the very narrow Trollfiord before a stop at the reconstructed Art Nouveau City of Alesund with mementoes of the Iceland Bus then returned to Newcastle.  Mike complimented Jim on a very well illustrated and informative talk.  Coffee Zoom meeting next Wednesday at 10:30 then on 16th Sep. Jim Boyd will present a talk called “Lessons from his Travels”. Chatting is welcome from 10:00.

19 August 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom 10 - Caithness and Orkney

Arthur Lloyd

After the preliminary Zoom Chat and very brief business meeting, Chairman Mike introduced our speaker, Arthur Lloyd, presenting a PowerPoint talk from his home in Aberdour. Arthur had happy childhood memories of travelling many times to the most Northerly tip of Scotland, Dunnett Head, near which his grandparents lived.  He still frequently travels to Caithness and Orkney and he gave us many reasons for considering the areas for staycations in the foreseeable future. Many of the attractions are rock formations including the Dunnet Slabs which paved streets as far away as New York and Australia. There are still trains to Thurso with some stops at request stations including Altnabreac which handled only 33 passengers last year!  Social distancing may not be a problem.  John o Groats has a very colourful hotel extension.  Dounreay Power Station, once a beacon for the future now lies awaiting safe disposal of the waste.  Most of the history of Caithness is of interest to the tourist, including the Castle of Mey which the Queen Mother bought for £100 then developed as her home. Arthur had photographic evidence of his attendance when Britannia sent a Royal landing party of the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, and family to a tiny nearby harbour.  He also showed Ebenezer Place, proudly holding the Guinness record as shortest street at 2.06 m (6ft 9in).  Honestly!  Work is now being carried out to restore much of the Flow Country, once bought by celebrities such as Terry Wogan who obtained grants for commercial forestation, a process which destroyed a unique habitat.  The coastline features headlands with historic lighthouses and the offshore Stacks of Duncansby.  We were ferried across to the attractive village of Stromness on Orkney from which we were taken round wonderful and very ancient sites such as Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae. Tomb of the Eagles provides a challenging method of entry. The Italian Chapel built by POWs is well worth a visit. Within Orkney flights or ferries can transport one to the northern island of Papa Westray. A ferry across Scapa Flow to Hoy can give a walk to the Old Man. In a visit to North Ronaldsay Arthur sampled the local mutton from sheep feeding on seaweed.  Kirkwall has two well known Cathedrals, St Magnus and Highland Park! Returning across the notorious Pentland Firth by a different ferry route Arthur became intrigued by the abandoned island of Stroma and regaled us with a fine story which led to a visit with the landowner who grazes his sheep on it.  Throughout his presentation Mr Lloyd conveyed his enthusiasm for this fascinating area and Jack Dempsey expressed our appreciation for an excellent talk.   Our next speaker on 9th Sep is our own Jim Husband and he will take us Towards the North Pole. Coffee Zoom on 2nd Sep at 10:30 will however be in the warmth of our own homes.

5 August 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom Meeting 9 - The Aramco Oil Company in Saudi Arabia

Jack Dempsey

After 30 minutes of convivial chat President Mike Simpson welcomed members to another Zoomed meeting.  He announced that since our previous meeting there had been 605 hits on our website.  John Edmonds reported that more speakers are in the pipeline and Almoner Roy had no further news about members but delivered his customary jokes.

We were then given an illustrated talk by our member Dr. Jack Dempsey.  Jack  has a Ph.D in Electrical Engineering which led to his career with the Aramco Oil Company in Saudi Arabia. In the 1930s geologists were aware that the present Arabian Peninsula had been under the sea around 300 million years ago, before tectonic plate movement resulted in the sea bed with associated sand and marine animals being buried deep under the overlying plate. Intense pressure cooked up this material to form oil and gas trapped between grains of the compacted sedimentary rock. Californian geologists determined the possibly of oil and carried out exploration drilling. Six of these operations found no oil even at 3000 feet at which it is accessed in California but the gamble of drilling to 7000 feet eventually paid off.

WW2 hindered development but work resumed in the 40s. Oil is normally found in association with gas and water.  In the earlier days there was no market for the gas in a non-industrial country, so it was flared off.   Dealing with the water remains a big task. Jack became involved with Aramco in Arabia in 1977 by which time a market was developing for the associated gas as well as the oil. Today separate gas fields are also exploited.  Over his career computerisation of the industry saw his talents put to effective use and Jack gave us a very full account of modern operations involved in controlling the oil and gas from exploration, extraction, separation, and distribution   A pipe line from the main fields on the Arabian (Persian) Gulf to the deeper water ports of the Red Sea is not just a hollow tube.  It requires very powerful pumps and complex safety control systems are involved. This involves multivariable control with huge banks of computers before the oil and liquified gas is shipped across the world in giant tankers.  The Arabians claim that new discoveries compensate for extracted materials thus the known reserves are so far maintained.

Member Jim Browning, also an electronics man, paid tribute to a well presented talk.   Our next talk on 19th August will be delivered by Arthur Lloyd on the subject Orkney and Shetland. Members are also invited to participate in the Zoomed coffee morning on 12th August.  Supply your own coffee!

15 July 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom Meeting No 8 - The Story of the PS Waverley

Ian Gilchrist

The story of the PS Waverley is a long and interesting one starting with the ship bearing that name being launched in 1899.  It carried passengers around the Clyde estuary until 1939.  The Admiralty requisitioned it and it saw service at Dunkirk where it was sunk by many Heinkel bombers, taking two of them down in the process.  Her Captain John Cameron, a non swimmer, was saved by his lifejacket.

The second PS Waverley was built in 1946 and entered service on the LNER Steamer route from Craigendoran Pier, near Helensburgh.  After Nationalisation of the Railways she was operated by Caledonian Steam Packet Company(CSP).  Its boiler was made in Greenock by Rankin & Blackmore and was originally a hand stoked coal-fired unit with six furnaces, which was converted to burn Bunker Oil.

After a revival of fortunes in the 1950s, the 1960s saw a gradual change in holiday habits that led to a decline in passenger numbers and the closure of many of the small piers.

Since 1969 and the formation of the Scottish Transport Group, the CSP had been gradually merging with the West Highland shipping and ferry company David MacBrayne Ltd.  In 1973 the company became Caledonian MacBrayne.

By 1973 Waverley was the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world. For this year only she was operated as part of the fleet of Caledonian MacBrayne offering a variety of Clyde cruises and ferry duties until she was withdrawn from service at the end of September, after which her future would become uncertain.

In November 1973 Douglas McGowan, Chairman of Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) was invited to attend a meeting with Caledonian MacBrayne which resulted in PS Waverley being offered to the PSPS for £1!  The sale took place in 1974.

Nobody believed she ever sail again but how wrong they were!

On May 22, 1975 The now PSPS owned Waverley carried her first passengers.  She departed Glasgow with a magnificent send off thanks to the Glasgow Police Pipe Band.

1980 Captain John Cameron DSC returned as guest of honour to the waters off Dunkirk on the present Waverley for the 40th anniversary and cast a wreath on the sea.

Finally, between 1999-2003 after a heritage refit costing £17 million it was announced that PS Waverley was to be formally listed by the UK National Historic Ships Committee as part of their “Core Collection” - vessels of “pre-eminent national importance.” Also admitted to this hall of fame was the former Royal Yacht BRITANNIA; the list includes vessels of the stature of HMS VICTORY.

After many more years of excursions around Britain Waverley faced the possible catastrophic cost of again replacing boilers.  She was out of action in 2019. Another successful appeal has raised the required £2.3 million. She was ready for a 2020 season, but the virus has intervened. When she resumes, she may complete another 25 Years!

1 July 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom Meeting No 7 - Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

Tommy Bryson

One or two new Zooming members joined in around 10:00 on a miserable 1st of July day suitable for coffee rather than gardening. At 10:30 President Mike welcomed a good audience to a short business meeting. Secretary John  Edmunds reported that some speakers were in the pipeline but more volunteers would be welcome. George Warner regretted that the Scottish Golf Union is still not permitting club outings but was ready to organise these when restrictions were lifted.   Almoner Roy was happy to report no problems and entertained us with some witty short anecdotes.  Roy passed on the good wishes of two members who are not Zoomers. Mike then introduced our guest speaker, Tommy Bryson, who was sitting comfortably in his home at Dalgety Bay. The wonders of technology!  Tommy is a retired engineer and a member of Dalgety Bay Probus Club. In 2017 Tommy had undertaken an extensive coach tour in Alaska.  While staying in a hotel in Fairbanks he learned that the hotel owner had a huge collection of Antique American Automobiles in the Fountainhead  Antique Auto Museum. Tommy, an enthusiastic photographer, then entertained us with many excellent pictures of the vehicles and many details.  Cars were introduced to Alaska by Klondikers and were regarded with great suspicion by the locals who called them devil vehicles.  Central Alaska seems an unlikely venue for this extensive collection which highlighted some equally surprising facts.  An electric car in 1903 had 20 batteries above each axle.  Another electric vehicle in 1908 had a range of 60 miles per charge. A snowmobile car had skis for front wheels and an early Ford came with steering wheel on the left and speedometer on the right. Several steam powered cars had the boiler under the driver which was nice for an Alaskan winter.  The collection contained some very expensive cars such as a 1934 Packard with a 7000cc engine. All the cars were beautifully restored in situ and almost all went on the road at least annually.  After several questions were answered Euan Fraser gave a vote of thanks for our very well delivered first external presentation of the Zoom period.  Next Wednesday 8 July at 1030 members are invited to take part in our coffee chat then join in again at 10:00 on Wednesday 15 July for a presentation on the Paddle Steamer Waverley at 10:30. As always new Zoomers are welcome.

17 June 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom Meeting No 6 - The Land of the Pharaohs

Derek Bethune

An encouraging number of members zoomed into our pre meeting session from 10am and Stuart Rennie skilfully directed them into 3 separate meeting rooms for convivial chat.  More members joined us as we were regrouped together at 1030 and welcomed by President Mike Simpson to a short business meeting. Some apologies were submitted and new Zoomers welcomed. Efforts are being made to keep in touch with members who lack the facilities for taking part in our temporary online meetings.   

Mike then handed the screen over to member Derek Bethune who presented a talk on the Land of The Pharaohs.  Derek and his wife, Lin, arrived in Luxor 6 weeks after the infamous 9/11 terrorism to find very tight security but the decrease in tourists allowed them to view the splendours in relatively quiet conditions.  After a relaxing week at Luxor they boarded a floating home for 7 days to sail the Nile for 139 miles as far as Aswan, visiting Esna, Edfu, and Kom Ombo en route. Derek always records interesting scenes such as a lady doing her washing in the Nile, fishermen in action and swarms of “bum” boats around their vessel. Garments were thrown up to tourists to try on then return or send down money.  No Covid restricts then!  There are no crocs either to bother the locals here as the dam has now restricted them to South of Aswan.

Edfu has the best preserved temple in Egypt.  Derek soon experienced the attention of locals wishing to be in the picture to give local atmosphere with just a wee hint of ‘backshiesh’ requirement.  However, he succeeded in showing that the magnificent carvings had figures always looking left or right but never straightforward.  Kom Ombo has 2 temples with magnificent carvings more deeply carved onto them.  The Aswan Dam completed in 1970 provided a regular water supply and electricity but required the physical movement of many buildings over 5 years.  This was evident at Abu Simbel, a 130 miles flight South of Aswan. The Temple of Ramses II, the Kings and the Queens Temples were visited before returning to sail back to Luxor.  Cairo was the final destination staying in a hotel a very short distance from the Pyramids and the Sphinx.  Once again, a very interesting and well illustrated talk was presented, and this was recognised in a show of hands at the call of the Chairman. There will be the normal coffee chat at 10:00 on 24th June then we will have our first zoomed guest speaker on 1st July.  Tommy Bryson will talk about 'Antique American Automobiles'

3 June 2020 - 'Probus Live' Zoom Meeting No 5 - Ferry Bonnie Scotland

Ian Gilchrist

At 10 am a Zoom experiment, gathering members into one of three coffee groups using ‘Breakdown Rooms’, was tried.  Members were able to move around the groups while under the Stuart’s overall control.  This continued until 10.30 am when 31 Members joined the main meeting, welcomed by Chairman Mike.  Some general discussion took place then Mike introduced Ian Gilchrist, todays speaker, whose subject was “Ferry Bonnie Scotland”.

Now Ian is a sailor, having gained his Captain’s Ticket while in charge of a cruiser on the Norfolk Broads in the 1980’s.  He put his experience to good use by taking us round the islands of the West Highlands and the Orkneys, using the large number of ferries which ply between them all and the mainland.  He has a reputation for ‘attracting’ good weather, and almost without question, this happened throughout our journey.

Starting with the Ardrossan to Brodick route, which he has used many times, he took us to Arran with lovely views of Goat Fell and the island.  Further north, a weekend trip using the Corran Ferry on the way to Arisaig, and eventually Skye, before stopping at Plockton, and to capture his description – Paradise!

Other islands came thick and fast, most were visited but some only captured, in passing, on camera.  Ian’s results were excellent, showing thoughtful composition and the all important light brought out beautiful colours of both the countryside and many buildings.  A welcome stay at the lovely Loch Melfort Hotel allowed access to one of the shortest ferries, Easdale Ferry and the islands of Easdale and Luing, with its special breed of cattle.  Mount Stuart House with its 300 acres of gardens boast arboriculture and horticultural collections of global significance.  Islay and Jura, both renowned for their distilleries and product were of interest before Gigha, lying just off the West of Kintyre.

Having a base in Oban is an extremely useful way to explore many of the routes radiating from that town.  Using maps throughout his presentation, Ian made everyone aware of where these ferries sailed and their destinations including visits to Mull, Coll, Tiree and Fingal’s Cave on Staffa.

Finally, in the north, the Orkneys were visited and archaeological sites including the Standing Stones of Stenness and Skara Brae.  Ed Cockburn proposed a warm vote of thanks for an interesting talk and this was ‘supported’ by ’waving hands’ as applause.

20 May 2020 - 'Probus Live' - Zoom Meeting No 4 - Greenland Part 2

Mike Simpson

Three coffee groups assembled in separate Zoom Meetings between 10 and 1030 a.m. to exchange chat then a growing number of members joined the main meeting, welcomed by Chairman Mike.  Some general discussion took place then Mike gave us part 2 of his Greenland Cruise Powerpoint after a brief resume of Part 1 for the benefit of some new Zoomers.  More members can still join in. UUmmannac Fiord provided lovely scenery and the ship called at the tiny village of Niaqornat  with a population of 58. Passengers were taken ashore in Zodiacs and well warned by the crew to avoid stepping on masses of blubber and excrement!  A polar bear had been shot during the past year as it presented a danger to the locals.  Water came from a high level icefield but had to be stored in a large tank and the tourists were shown the thick insulation on the pipes.  A harsh environment indeed. On a happier note the Greenland home of Santa Claus was seen. The ship then travelled to two wonderful areas, the Jacobshavn and Ilulistat Fiords. By Greenlandic standards Ilulisstat is a metropolis with a population of 4,600 humans and 5000 sled dogs. It has council houses, shops, offices and even refuse collection. Council houses tend to prove inconvenient for working dogs!  Tourism is now an important industry of the town. It is in a World Heritage Site on the 70 mile long Ilulistat Icefiord which gave magnificent views of icebergs. This area spawns a large percentage of the North Atlantic Icebergs. The nearby airport enabled Mike and Thelma to be reunited with their luggage which had unfortunately been left in Iceland 6 days previously.  This was needed because the couple were then attending a family wedding in the US.  After this fascinating talk there was further discussion about developing our meetings with the technique of Breakout Rooms being tested. A small sub committee was formed to investigate this and other developments.

6 May 2020 - 'Probus Live' - Zoom Meeting No 3 - Cast away on a Desert Island

Derek Bethune

Kirkcaldy Probus Club held the third Zoom Video Conference Meeting on Wednesday 6th May.  Facilitated by careful planning by Stuart Rennie, members logged in for small coffee groups between 10 and 10:30 with only one small technical hitch.  20 members then smoothly grouped together for our main meeting at 10:30 and were welcomed by Chairman Mike Simpson for a brief continuation of chit chat.  Clearly there were no activities for conveners to report, but our almoner Roy Urquhart had some remarks and his customary humorous stories.   Member Derek Bethune then gave an illustrated PowerPoint presentation on his National Service as a Royal Corps of Signals Officer working on RAF stations in the Middle East. Initially based in Aden, Derek found his work was compensated by swimming, boating and fishing at a nearby beach and plentiful Duty Free shopping. He worked at a series of RAF stations around Southern Arabia including Ryan, Salalah, Masirah, Sharjah and Bahrain. This gave him the opportunity to see and take photographs of local life and desert landscapes which he now put to good use.   While at RAF Sharjah Derek went to the opening of the first airport at Dubai in 1960.  At that time Dubai was two small villages either side of a creek and very little else. Derek was warmly thanked for his interesting presentation.

15 April 2020 - 'Probus Live' - Zoom Meeting No 2 - Greenland Part 1

Mike Simpson

Our second Zoom meeting commenced with separate coffee groups assembling online around 10:00.  After chat the main meeting commenced, and it was fascinating to see 18 faces quickly appear on the screen. President Mike Simpson gave a particular welcome to a member making his first appearance in over 8 months due to surgical problems.  We look forward to his attendance at a normal meeting whenever this can be held.  There being no activities for conveners to report on Mike donned the speaker's cap with a PowerPoint presentation of a cruise around Greenland. His ship was a converted ferry and the mainly Scandinavian passenger list proved to be excellent company. It was equipped with a large fleet of Zodiacs.

Greenland is a very large self-governing island under Danish Sovereignty but has a population only a little greater than Kirkcaldy. The population live mainly on the West coast and with many in the capital, NUUK.

Mike is a keen photographer and was fascinated by many icebergs, some of which were massive. Against a frequently blue sky they were very impressive. Some trips ashore showed very smart brightly painted houses often perched on rocks in very windswept locations. Even a tiny village with 33 inhabitants had a very well stocked shop.  Huskies abounded but they were very much working dogs rather than pets. Rifles were a common item in shops. This reflected the important hunting industry as well as a need for protection against polar bears rather than a criminal community.

One of many areas of outstanding natural beauty was around Ummannak in the North of the country. This is a small hunting and fishing town with a dramatic mountain peak dominating the landscape. Greenland has much to offer the tourist provided one accepts that summer highs of about 12 degrees can be expected.  There were a few teething problems at the start of this very interesting and attractive presentation.  These were very quickly overcome and the success of this very new form of meeting owes much to the efforts of Stuart Rennie and Mike.  There may now be online coffee meetings held on non Probus Wednesdays. Kirkcaldy Probus Club is determined to cope with adversity! Other members who have the facilities to take part are welcome to join us on these socially acceptable occasions. Phones, tablets laptops etc can all be used.

1 April 2020 - 'Probus Live' - Zoom Meeting No 1

A meeting of Kirkcaldy Probus Club commenced at our normal 1030.

No. this is not an April Fool joke and it did not infringe Government Health Warnings.

Thanks to the initiative and guidance of a member, Stuart Rennie, a group of 12 members sat at computers in their own homes and used an application called Zoom to hold a meeting. Several, including your correspondent had never heard of Zoom but it is likely to become ever more popular during the present restrictions.  It was fascinating to view our screens from 1025 as they gradually filled up with the images of our fellow members until 12 were present. One or two others experienced some technical difficulties which we expect to be overcome.  Computers used included desktops, laptops, tablets and phones with some having advantages over others but all contributing.  A surprisingly successful chat followed presided over by Mike Simpson and fears that members would talk over each other were soon dispelled. It was decided to repeat this meeting on April 15th with the possible addition of a talk by a member using a PowerPoint presentation. Participants were asked to invite others to join in.  Stuart was warmly thanked, and he agreed to send out a further email to explain the process further. It was stressed that members unable to participate should appreciate that this novel approach will not continue once the health situation is resolved.

4 March 2020 - Greener Kirkcaldy

Geraldine O'Riordan

Speaker Geraldine O'Riordan represented Greener Kirkcaldy, an organisation with which most members were acquainted  although few knew much of its day to day working.  For long it was based in a shop close to the old ABC (formerly) Regal cinema but now has taken over the disused County Library building in East Fergus Place.  This move was facilitated thanks to grants from Fife Council, the Scottish government and several charitable trusts.

Greener Kirkcaldy has been in existence since 2009 and has a simple objective of cutting down carbon emissions and encouraging people at large to adopt a new life style. Geraldine began her presentation with a brief and informative film shot in 2018 about Greener Kirkcaldy.  In the last decade its activities have multiplied through south Fife.  A similar organisation based in St Andrews does similar work in the north of the county.

Geraldine gave a brief account of her career which has seen her involved in food, volunteering and employability.  Greener Kirkcaldy is largely dependent on volunteers and now there are as many as fifty involved. Many of those developed and maintain the walled garden in Ravenscraig Park.

Greener Kirkcaldy wishes to promote eating locally produced food which reduces the carbon footprint. Now with the much larger premises in East Fergus Place, Greener Kirkcaldy now has the opportunity to enlarge its education function.  Regular volunteer led workshops promote conservation ideas.

Apart from food Greener Kirkcaldy provides advice on a range of conservation functions.  Their Cozy Kingdom section has grown in recent years and is in demand for help to householders with conserving heat, including house insulation.  They also assist motorists with fuel conservation and also promote alternative forms of transport, especially cycling.

Gordon Levack proposed a vote of thanks to Geraldine for a most informative talk.

19 February 2020 - David Speed the Violin Maker

Lynda Colston

Few guest speakers succeed in arousing strong emotional feelings in our members. Lynda Colston did just that with a true story of a very ordinary Fifer, David Speed, who had extraordinary achievements. He was a motorcyclist with Monty in N. African and lost a brother in the war. David’s heartbroken father died leaving him to look after his mother while using his home as a joinery business. Learning of a young girl who had to give up her school violin to a better player, David, who had no musical accomplishments saw a challenge. He used his joinery skills to copy a borrowed violin for the youngster!  He then spent many years making others using well seasoned wood obtained from any available sources such as derelict buildings and an old piano.   His collection amounted to 200 violins which hung on the walls of his workshop/home with a few violas stored under a bed.  Most were never played.  He may have sold two!

Word reached Noel Edmonds who ran a TV show, Noel’s Christmas Surprises. in the 1990s. Friends sent a violin to London. The quality and the astonishing story  of the violin maker captured Noel’s imagination.  Interviews followed then David was invited, by subterfuge, to a concert in Burntisland Church. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, in full evening dress, played the wonderful intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana then David was told that the instruments were his violins which had been smuggled out of his home!  Linda brought a video of this performance showing a tearful David overcome by this totally unexpected gesture. In a further TV show this humble man was brought to meet the leader of the RSNO who gratefully accepted a violin.  3 pieces of music were composed in his honour including David Speed’s Waltz.  David died in 2002 having expressed a wish for his violins to be used to help needy youngsters.  This wish has also been fulfilled as they are now being played by the Big Noise Orchestra associated with Nicola Benedetti in Raplock, Stirling.  A very warm vote of thanks was led by Ian Gilchrist.

5 February 2020 - "Sakura"

Tommy Bryson

Cherry blossoms are widely celebrated in Japan. Known as “sakura” they are significant in Japanese history. These short-lived pink flowers symbolise life, friendship, and are a cultural landmark. Japan is a long way off and trips have to be booked well ahead so one has to be fortunate to arrive for the brief period when trees are in bloom before quickly losing their flowers. Our speaker, Tommy Bryson was indeed in luck a few years ago, and he is an enthusiastic photographer.  He entertained us with an illustrated talk featuring a beautiful selection of scenes which featured the many shades of pink and other colours of cherry. His tour, by bus and train covered a wide area of the main island and almost always at nearly peak time for blossom.   Japanese TV featured maps showing where the best colour could be seen in the following days. Newly- weds sometimes returned for photos of the blossom if it appeared after their chosen day. Different towns held Sakura Festivals and people staked their claim for viewing positions by sleeping on blue tarpaulins.  Tommy was intrigued by restaurants and food which was ordered from visual menus and paid for in varied ways.  Coming from Fife his observations on train travel was interesting.  From one city there was a choice of 4 trains to Tokyo within about 12 minutes. For the bullet train one minute was allowed for boarding and trains ran on time!  The tour included a moving visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial. He viewed the Dome and a tree which had survived the atomic bomb. The tour finished in Tokyo. The very impressed audience responded to a vote of thanks by Stuart Rennie.

15 January 2020 - BBC Bargain Hunt

Ron Macleod

Being well aware of the dour nature of his fellow members our speaker, Ron Macleod, warmed up his audience with a method of forcing them to make themselves happy. This technique, releasing “feel good neurotransmitters” was learned during his career as a maths teacher.  Ron then gave us an account of his experience as a contestant in the BBC Bargain Hunt programme which has lasted many years and viewed in many countries around the world as far as Australia. Participation required an interview in an Edinburgh Hotel during which the candidates are required to display some knowledge of the world of antiques.  Ron was impressed by the intensity shown by the BBC staff and he and a friend must also have impressed as they were later selected to appear in the programme. This was filmed in Ingliston in November where they bought items. A trio of young members of the production team introduced Ron to the Green Room, a location where performers relax between film takes. Again, Ron was impressed by their efficiency and enthusiasm and by the BBC employing a young deaf person as a trainee.  As one of the Red Teams Ron and his friend bought some items with a little guidance.  Among their purchases was a Gordon Highlander Officer Cap Badge and a Bakelite Electric Bed Heater. Tim Westcott of the BBC was extremely knowledgeable and friendly during this stage.   A cameraman who had filmed in many different fields was an interesting companion.  In January the auction was held in Glasgow. This proved to be fascinating, conducted by Anita Manning and all items were sold at a profit with a net gain of £225.  Other teams made greater profits, but Ron is now a proud member of the order of the Golden Gavel. As Anita said, “it may come in as junk, but it goes out antique.” Eddie Cockburn led a warm vote of thanks to Ron.