WesWorld

Hood scripset:

Quoted

In the background, they are still looking for Schrod.

As he is safely back in the Fatherland at this point, that would be complicated and quite risky. The kidnapping of anyone from German soil would be a very serious matter.

Who mentioned kidnap? ;)
Interpol could be brought into play, not just for espionage but perhaps tax irregularities, smuggling antiquities etc. If Schrod was traced, then a formal request for extradition would be made. Of course Germany would refuse and that would be proof enough in London circles that he was indeed involved in Abwehr activities.
His name and photo have probably featured in newspaper coverage of the case so his cover is blown as an agent anyway.

Quoted from "Hood"

Who mentioned kidnap? ;)
Interpol could be brought into play, not just for espionage but perhaps tax irregularities, smuggling antiquities etc. If Schrod was traced, then a formal request for extradition would be made. Of course Germany would refuse and that would be proof enough in London circles that he was indeed involved in Abwehr activities.
His name and photo have probably featured in newspaper coverage of the case so his cover is blown as an agent anyway.

Perhaps you can find him in The Village. ;)

Edited to add:

Germany would never refuse a proper request via Interpol. Of course, a crime would have to proven. Somehow I doubt espionage on behalf of Germany would be considered a crime under German law. Evasion of taxation payable to HM Treasury is questionable; no *German* law would have been broken. Smuggling antiquities? Same situation.

The Village, Date ?

Aston rubbed his sore eyes, his head was fuzzy. He felt the sheets and he opened his eyes. The room was just as he had left his lodgings in Station Lane. Had it all been a dream? Was he mad? The last thing he remembered was the policeman helping him into the back of the Black Maria that was to take him to prison.
He jumped out of bed, the room appeared perfect, everything where he normally left it. He opened the curtains and his eyes were confronted with a strange scene:



He pulled on his clothes and ran out of the door, stepping into the alien street which was deserted. He ran down the cobbled lane, and turning the corner found a women laying out tables outside a little cafe.

"What's the name of this place?"
"You're new here aren't you?"
"Where?"
"Do you want breakfast?"
"Where is this?"
"The Village."
"Yes?"
"I'll see if coffee's ready"
"Where is the police station?"
"There isn't one."
"Can I use your telephone?"
"Well, we haven't got one."
"Where can I make a call?"
"Well, there's a phonebox around the corner."

He picked up the receiver and spoke into it, then it clicked and a voice answered.
"Welcome, I suppose it feels strange. Why do you come over for breakfast? See the big green dome? Just go in and I will be waiting and I will tell you everything."
The line crackled off and Aston completely dazed looked around and seeing the dome over the treeline headed in its direction.

On entering the building a butler who did not speak showed him to a large door which swung open, he descended the ramp into the dark room. In the middle was a desk and an official looking man behind it. The man spoke first, "I suppose you're wondering what you're doing here?"
"It had crossed my mind. What's it all about!"
"Well, sit down and I'll tell you. It's all a question of your treachery. The information in your head is priceless, I don't think you realise what a valuable property you have become, a man like you is worth a great deal on the open market."
"Who brought me here?"
"I know how you feel believe me, and they have taken a liberty."
"Who are they?"
"People who are curious about what lies behind your treachery. They want to know why you suddenly switched sides."
"I didn't walk out!"
"People change, exactly. So do loyalties."
"Not mine!"
"Very commendable but not very practical. I am only interested in facts. Your only chance to get out of here is to give them to me and if you don't give them I will take them. Think it over, its up to you. Good day Number Sixty."
"Number what?"
"Sixty, for all official purposes everyone has a number, yours is Number Sixty."
"I am not a number!"

"I am not a number, I am a free man!"

:thumbup:

22 January
The Ministry of Defence has announced the a modest draw-down of British forces in Iraq following the agreements last year to reduce the military presence in the country. It has been decided to reduce the effective forces by around a quarter.
The RAF will remove two squadrons this year and the Army will disband the 6th LARB in order to reduce troop numbers, but the current force of one infantry and one armoured division will remain.

29 January
The Savings and Loans Society Limited in Nairobi and all ten branches across Kenya and their office in Port Sudan have been acquired by Diamond Trust Bank (Kenya).

31 January
The radio programme Book at Bedtime debuts on the BBC Light Programme. The series began with the first instalment of a 15-part reading of the John Buchan novel The Three Hostages, read by Arthur Bush.

1 February
The Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) was formed today by Army Order 6 as the successor to the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) that had been founded in 1938.
In a similar move the Women's Auxiliary Air Force has been renamed as the Women's Royal Air Force.

11 February
The London Mozart Players perform their first concert at the Wigmore Hall in London.
The London Mozart Players were founded by Harry Blech, a violinist and conductor, who had been asked by pianist Dorothea Braus to form an orchestra with which she could play two Mozart piano concertos. The concert programme also included two Mozart symphonies, Nos. 28 in C and 29 in A. The event was a sell-out success.

12 February
The founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Imam Hassan al-Banna, has today been assassinated in Egypt. Local police are investigating the crime and a manhunt for the assassin is currently underway.

15 February
Gerald Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux have begun excavations at Cave 1 of the Qumran Caves in the West Bank region of Jordan, the location of the first seven Dead Sea Scrolls.

20 February
The Amiri Hospital officially opened today is a new general hospital located in the Kuwait City and is the first government owned hospital. It will replace the inadequate provision which relied on a missionary hospital and small clinics run by doctors in their own houses. The hospital is fully equipped for all medial requirements and has adult and children’s wards.

22 February
Lieutenant Commander Roger Kenyon saw the small flotilla of ships in the sparkling waters of the Med. One of them was a large ship trailing a large wake, an aircraft carrier. Roger recognised it immediately for he had spent three years familiarising himself with every detail of her, it was the Andrea Doria. So often he had looked at silhouettes of her, practised torpedo shots against models of her, now she was in front of him as he swung his Fairey Spearfish into line with her wake, the rest of 839 Squadron formed up behind him. He reached for the flap control lever, descending smoothly. This had to be perfect, a lot was riding on his skill. He descended lower, lining up with the flight deck, even a big ship like her looked small against the ocean. He began to fill his windscreen, Roger was skilfully adjusting his trim, the big bomber with everything down looking like a metal hawk. The batman gave him the 'Ok' signal and moments later the big Fairey touched the deck with a small bounce, caught the second arrestor wire and jerked to a halt. Within moments a grinning Italian deckhand was on the wing pointing where to taxy as the arrestor wire was released and the next bomber came in.
Roger was pleased his landing was good, he wanted to impress his hosts for the next three weeks.

24 February
The next batch of Bay Class sloops, HMS Ernard Bay, Herne Bay, Hollesley Bay and Largo Bay, have commissioned with the 6th Sloop Flotilla at Gibraltar, replacing four aging Mountain Class ships which have been laid up for disposal. The next batch of four sloops was laid down last month, these vessels will replace more of the older sloops currently in service.

25 February
The latest SIS report from the Berlin Station had been most interesting. The recent interview with the German Minister of Economics, Otto von Hapsburg, which had appeared in the Zeitschriftfür Wirtschaftspolitik only a week earlier had been a timely news item. As such it drew public attention to the commodity stockpiles Germany held, itself a rather suspicious move which was designed to cloak Germany's war-making industrial potential in the light of potential economic disruptions and the acts of speculators. von Hapsburg has publicly revealed Germany was still expanding her stockpile facilities, and the SIS report based on an internal report by Vacuum Oil AG showed facilities for 100,000 tons of oil in Austria. Doubtless Austria was chosen as a safe place free from the range of heavy bombers but the Air Ministry was confident that the new generation of "super-heavies" could reach that far and indeed the Middle East Air Force bomber wings would have a prime target in the southern regions of Germany which had formerly been Austria. There had been little sign of speculations on the oil market, Germany may well be weary of the danger posed by economic warfare and blockade. In any case the existence of a trans-continental Grand Alliance made the traditional blockade less effective owing to the internal communications via the overland routes across Eurasia. What worried the policy makers in Whitehall was that safely cushioned herself, Germany might seek to start speculations on the commodity markets to destabilise weaker nations. Interpol investigations were still ongoing into the flooding of Italy with counterfeit money to add to Italy's economic woes. SIS had already informed their counterparts in Rome that only a few international criminal gangs could operate on such a scale and that interference from an outside power could not be ruled out. For the moment the policy was to watch and wait and try and locate some of the installations more precisely.

27 February
The Malayan Chinese Association (MCA) met for the first time today. The organisation has the implicit support of the British colonial administration and the central purpose of the MCA is to manage the specific social and welfare concerns of the Chinese populations as a means to reduce tensions with the Malay population.

28 February
The Seaward Defence vessel HMS Sandys has commissioned with 2nd Seaward Defence Flotilla at Bermuda.

1 March
Avro chief test pilot J.H. ‘Jimmy’ Orrell made the first flight of the new Avro 706 Tudor VI today. The aircraft is the second in the jet-Tudor research programme and was converted from a standard Tudor I airframe with four 5,000lb Rolls-Royce RB.41 Nene III turbojets in two nacelles. The 706, serial WB490, is the first full equipped research aircraft and will be used on avionics research. A second airframe will complete next year.

2 March
Lieutenant Commander Roger Kenyon was lining up with the target barge towed behind the Italian destroyer, looking up he could see the Italian fighter escort was still in position above his formation of Spearfishes. He swung his Fairey Spearfish into line and then began to push the stick forwards to begin his dive. The barge began to fill his windscreen, the bomb lights were green, at the right moment he squeezed the release button and four 20 lb practice bombs released from the underwing racks. He pulled up into a tight climb, jinking and his observer straining to see the pattern. "Bang on Skipper! Right on the money!" he shouted. Roger smiled into his mask, "Leader to Red Section, that's how its done boys, Red Two standby to go in."

British Infrastructure and Transport Projects in 1949

Motorway Programmes

New Sections of Motorway opening this year (labelled by prospective Junction numbers):
J5-6 Three Crutches - Medway Bridge section of the M2.
J3-5 Mottingham – Sidcup section of the M20.
M92 spur motorway for the planned Forth Road Bridge.
Westgate - Claypit Lane Phase I of the A58(M) western section of the Leeds Inner Ring Road.
J12-13 The Birches – Verners section of the M1 in Northern Ireland.

New sections of Motorway beginning construction this year (labelled by prospective Junction numbers):
J18-24 Crick - Kegworth section of the M1, work on this motorway has been in abeyance since 1944
J9-11 Stockbury - Faversham section of the M2
J1-5 Chiswick – Slough section of the M4
J3-4 Quinton - Lydiate Ash section of the M5
J32-33 Preston – Lancaster section of the M6
1950 J4-5 Harthill Bypass section of the M8. This is the first section to be built of the M8 motorway. The M8 will link Edinburgh and Glasgow, running from the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass, across the old A8 and into the centre of Glasgow. Six miles of the A8 will be dualled and grade-separated as part of the project.
J25-26 M3 - Feltham & Ashford section of the M16 ‘D-Ring’ motorway
J26-27 Ashford- Heathrow Airport section of the M16 ‘D-Ring’ motorway
J27-28 Heathrow - M4 section of the M16 ‘D-Ring’ motorway
J56-59 Darlington Bypass, upgrading of the A1 to motorway standard, designated A1(M), the third such section upgraded so far.
J7-9 Sprucefield – Moira section of the M1 in Northern Ireland

Railways
London North Eastern Railway continues work electrifying the West Anglia/ Fen Line, this work should complete next year.
The London Midland & Scottish Railway are introducing the last of several new steam locomotive classes; 45 LMS Standard Class 4 2-6-0 and 16 LMS Standard Class 3 2-6-2T. LMS will begin taking the first of 30 LMS Pioneer Class diesel shunters powered by 350hp English Electric 6KT engines.

7 March
Aden Airways Limited was formally established today as a wholly owned subsidiary of BOAC. It has taken over BOAC’s assets at Aden and scheduled operations will be flown across the Arabian and Gulf region and into Sudan. It has taken on six de Havilland DH.95 Flamingo Mk.II airliners. Additional capacity for Hajj flights will be handled by charters.

12 March
The Ministry of Supply has contracted the Sterling Armaments Co. of Dagenham to produce 750,000 FN FAL semi-automatic rifles under licence from Fabrique Nationale. The FAL has been acquired due to expense of the EM-2 due to its high production costs, the FAL will equip units overseas. It will be known in the British Army as the Rifle No.7 Mk I FN FAL.

15 March
A jet-powered airliner prototype took to the skies today. The BCAC Vickers VC.4 Jet Viscount has been converted from a surplus V663 Viscount airframe and fitted with two 6,250lbs thrust Rolls-Royce Tay I turbojets in new nacelles without afterburner as an engine testbed for the RAE and a control-system testbed for Boulton Paul. Standard wings were used but with four separate main undercarriage legs (two either side of the nacelle).

Visit of Philippine Military-Technical Commission – 7 March 1949

The Philippine Military-Technical Commission led by Colonel Francisco Magundaya had arrived from France on a BEA flight which landed at Southampton airport in the early hours and from there a group of cars whisked them to Bovington Camp in Dorset, the home of the Royal Tank Corps. On arrival they were given refreshments and then during the morning the Commission were lead into one of the parade grounds where an array of vehicles, both service vehicles and prototypes had been gathered for their inspection. On hand were a number of Army personnel, smartly turned out in their working dress, the drivers and mechanics that tended their charges and some engineers from the companies running the prototype tests.

In one corner stood three armoured cars. The Coventry made by Rootes was a standard Army vehicle and indeed production was now winding down. The Commission were shown over the 4x4 wheeled car, armed with a 6pdr gun and powered by 160hp Rolls-Royce B60 petrol engine. Much more to their interest was the new little FV701 Ferret scout car. In particular they were very interested in what armament the little turret could take and the Alvis engineer on hand assured them that any machine-gun they might want could be easily fitted. Another engineer even took Colonel Magundaya to one side and informally revealed that Alvis were working on a variant with the powerful new 30mm ADEN cannon as intended for the latest jet fighters. The Commission inspected the Rolls-Royce 129hp B60 petrol engine and were happy when it was confirmed that the British Army had already ordered a tropicalised version suited for hot climates. Looming beside the Ferret was a powerful looking 6x6 armoured car, a prototype of the new FV601 Alvis Saladin armed with a new 76mm low-pressure gun and powered by a 170hp Rolls-Royce B80 petrol engine. Much impressed by its layout and good armament, Alvis confirmed the engine bay could accept a wide range of engines if the Philippines wanted a different engine.

The rest of the square was crammed with a range of armoured carriers.
Beside the Saladin was its close cousin, the first prototype FV603 Alvis Saracen based on the same 6x6 chassis with the turret of the Ferret and a spacious rear compartment for troops. Intended for second-line duties within the British Army, it was nevertheless of interest as a fast and mobile armoured carrier and was also attractive because the troop compartment was roofed but with topside access hatches too, one of which could accommodate a ring mount for a second machinegun. The Mk I Oxford was well known to the Commission, having been in service for some years already and they were more interested to see the one of the first production vehicles of the new FV401 Cambridge. The Cambridge is an improved Oxford with a simpler box hull with sloped frontal glacis for better protection, new torsion-bar suspension for improved cross-country performance and a 160hp Rolls-Royce B80 petrol engine. It is designed to carry 8 infantry, but is still opened topped. Colonel Magundaya was informed that a fully enclosed variant was under consideration but a few years away from production. He could not help remarking why the British were interested in such types when they already possessed the FV300 series. This series has been well publicised in technical journals, underpinning everything from light tanks, self-propelled guns and resupply vehicles. On show was an FV301 tank, FV304 25pdr self-propelled gun, an FV306 recovery vehicle, the FV308 gun tractor and an FV310 carrier capable of seating 8 troop in its enclosed rear compartment.

Following lunch in the mess, they were taken to the exercise grounds and were shown the vehicles in operation over rough terrain, including gunnery training and a mini-tactical exercise involving tanks and supporting infantry in the carriers. Overhead was a prototype Type 171 Sycamore helicopter operating as a spotter.

There was just enough time to whisk the commission to Farnborough to examine a line up of helicopters, as the Commission had before hand asked to examine some of the latest types. All were a selection of prototypes; a Westland Widgeon, a 5-seat light helicopter, a BCAC Type 171 Sycamore 4-seat light helicopter, the Saro W.14 Skeeter observation helicopter and the giant Saro W.11 Air Horse. Some members of the Commission opted for a brief flight in the Widgeon before heading off to Southampton to their overnight accommodation before flying back to the Continent.

19 March
Admiral James Fownes Somerville has today died from coronary thrombosis at the family home, Dinder House in Somerset. Until very recently he had been serving as the Fourth Sea Lord of the Admiralty.

Somerville was born the second son of Arthur Fownes Somerville and his wife Ellen Somerville. Through his paternal grandmother, he was descended from the Hood family, which had a long tradition of naval service and which counted as members Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, 1st Baronet, and Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood. Somerville joined the training ship HMS Britannia as a cadet on 15 January 1897 and served as midshipman in the cruiser HMS Royal Arthur in the Channel Fleet and then in the cruiser HMS Warspite on the Pacific Station. He was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 15 December 1901 and Lieutenant on 15 March 1904 before joining the armoured cruiser HMS Penang on the China Station. He attended the Torpedo School HMS Vernon in 1907 and while there he worked on the development of wireless telegraphy.
Somerville served during the Great War, initially as a wireless officer aboard the battleship HMS Marlborough in the Grand Fleet and then as the Mediterranean Fleet’s fleet wireless officer aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Inflexible and the cruiser HMS Chatham. While aboard HMS Chatham he was involved in providing naval support for the Gallipoli Campaign. He was promoted to Commander on 31 December 1915 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 14 March 1916. He transferred to the battleship HMS King George V in the Grand Fleet in January 1917 and joined the Signals School at Portsmouth just as the war ended.
Post-war he became Executive Officer of HMS Ajax in the Mediterranean Fleet in March 1920 followed by HMS Canada [*]. Promoted to Captain on 31 December 1921, he joined the Admiralty as Deputy Director of Signals in early 1922 before becoming Flag Captain to Sir John Kelly, commanding the 4th Battle Squadron, in August 1922. He returned to the Admiralty as Director of Signals in February 1925 before becoming Flag Captain to Sir John Kelly in his new role as Commander of the 1st Battle Squadron in early 1927. He joined the directing staff at the Imperial Defence College in 1929 and became commanding officer of the heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk in the Home Fleet in December 1931. Promoted to Commodore on 14 October 1932, he became commander of the Royal Navy Barracks at Portsmouth later that month. Promoted to Rear Admiral on 12 October 1933, he became Director of Personnel Services at the Admiralty in May 1934, introducing a seaman's welfare scheme. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1935. Somerville became Flag Officer Destroyers in the Mediterranean Fleet in March 1936 and took part in the NATO Exercises that year as commander of Scouting Group 2. He was promoted to Vice Admiral on 11 September 1937 and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 8 June 1939. In February 1944 he became Commander in Chief Channel and then Commander in Chief Arabia in March 1945. He was promoted Admiral on 18 July 1946 and was appointed Fourth Sea Lord in June 1947, a position he has held until two months ago when he retired from the service.

* HMS Canada is the WW name for the OTL HMS Emperor of India

In other news;
Westland has flown a prototype of their Canberra PR.Mk.III to meet Spec. PR.31/46 issued for a reconnaissance variant. It will be equipped with seven cameras and flares housed in a reduced size bomb bay. Extra internal fuel is carried as well as wing tip-tanks. 35 are on order.

20 March
The first production Saro SR.A/1 Petrel FRN.Mk.I aircraft, TH104, was flown from Saro’s Isle of Wight factory and will be followed by 99 more production aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm. This jet-powered flying-boat fighter was developed to Spec E.6/44 and has a 6,250lb Rolls-Royce RB.44 Tay turbojet and is armed with four 20mm cannon and can carry bombs and rockets under the wings. Maximum speed is 512mph and range 1,000 miles.

24 March
Lawrence Oliver’s film Hamlet wins the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 21st Academy Awards ceremony.

25 March
The Scottish Aviation Pioneer C.Mk.I has entered RAF service. Designed to meet Spec A.4/45 for a light short take-off and landing communication aircraft, the design has a high-wing with extensive flaps and leading edge slats to take-off in 75 yards and land within 65 yards. The cabin can seat the pilot and four passengers or a stretcher. Eighty production aircraft were ordered in 1948 and production is now well underway.

27 March
The Seaward Defence Programme has taken another large step forwards with the commissioning of HMS Brunei River, HMS Pandaruan River, HMS Miri River and HMS Rajang River which have formed the new 4th Seaward Defence Flotilla at Kundat, Sarawak. This is a major step in protecting the sea communications with Borneo and will free larger escorts for other fleet duties. It is hoped local manpower will eventually make up a large portion of the crews of these ships.

28 March
Astronomer Fred Hoyle coins the term ‘Big Bang’ to explain the beginning of the universe during a BBC Third Programme radio broadcast on the subject today.

Hood scripset:

Quoted

Astronomer Fred Hoyle coins the term ‘Big Bang’ to explain the beginning of the universe during a BBC Third Programme radio broadcast on the subject today.

Is Wesworld's Fred Hoyle changing his stance on the origins of the Universe and rejecting the historical Hoyle's theory on the "steady state" of the Universe? From what was reported, it is unclear.

No, he would still be the same man in WW, the term he coined is still as a disparaging remark on the supporters of that theory.

Quoted from "Hood"

No, he would still be the same man in WW, the term he coined is still as a disparaging remark on the supporters of that theory.

Thanks for clarifying.

From what I have read, while Hoyle did not subscribe to what came to be called "The Big Bang Theory", he apparently coined that term more as a descriptive than as a disparagement, but it quickly came to be used as such. The Bell Labs facility where Penzias and Wilson did their work to discover the predicted background radiation is only about 5 miles from my home.

Bazinga!
:D

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Quoted from "Hood"

No, he would still be the same man in WW, the term he coined is still as a disparaging remark on the supporters of that theory.

The Bell Labs facility where Penzias and Wilson did their work to discover the predicted background radiation is only about 5 miles from my home.

Bazinga!
:D

That's pretty cool!

1 April
The Royal Navy has announced several vessels will be paid off, mostly to free manpower and resources for newer ships and due to changes in strategic policy. The seaplane carrier HMS Pegasus will be paid off for refit and will transfer to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as an aircraft carrier tender for the Caribbean Station. The 8th Submarine Flotilla at Campbeltown will disband this month and the five P Class submarines will be paid off for disposal. The training role of the 8th Submarine Flotilla will be assumed by the 11th Submarine Flotilla transferred from Malta. Another unit to disband will be the 4th Destroyer Flotilla at Hong Kong, the eight ageing A Class destroyers being decommissioned for disposal.

In other news, the Marquess of Bath has opened Longleat House to paying visitors, the first privately owned stately home to be so opened in the country.

3 April
Trolleybuses have been introduced in Glasgow. The trolleybuses are owned and operated by Glasgow Corporation's Transport Department (along with the city's buses, trams and the Subway).Three routes are planned for the immediate future. The fleet consists of 34 three axle double-deck B.U.T. vehicles with bodywork by Metro-Cammell of Birmingham. They are almost identical to those built for London Transport.

4 April
In Parliament today the First Lord of the Admiralty, A. V. Alexander, reported to the House of Commons on the results of the intensive mine sweeping operation in the North Sea conducted since the sinking of the Phoebe Ann. The extensive search netted four mines, one of which was floating free. All were aged Great War-era mines from the Allied belt across the northern North Sea. All were exploded safely. No further mines were found near the coast.
The surveyors report on the wreck of the Phoebe Ann confirmed severe structural failure of an ageing hull following an external explosion close to the side of the hull of the ship. Nothing else conclusive can be said and the insurance company has now paid out the claim to the owners.

10 April
Two additional New Towns have been designated as part of the Second Generation of New Towns to ease overcrowding in several large urban areas.
The first is Redditch in Worcestershire. Redditch is approximately 15 miles south of Birmingham. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry and at one point 90% of the world's needles were manufactured in the town. As a designated New Town the population will be increased from 32,000 to around 77,000. Housing developments will be created to accommodate the large overspill from an industrially expanding Birmingham. Redditch will be a flagship town using new methods and new town planning; all the main roads (including dual carriageways as well as a ring road for the town centre) will be banked to reduce noise and the whole of Redditch will be landscaped. The town is planned to be linked to the forthcoming M42 motorway and the town will have a system of dual carriageways. The system is designed to allow rapid flow of large volumes of traffic around the various districts and into the town centre, whilst keeping fast moving vehicles separated from residential streets.
Runcorn, in Cheshire is the other town. An industrial town and cargo port on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north across the Mersey is the town of Widnes. Upstream and eight miles to the northeast is Warrington and downstream sixteen miles to the west is the city of Liverpool. It is planned to increase the population by 10,000. ICI has a large plant in the town. Plans for Runcorn include three distinct types of roads; local roads, expressways and the Busway. The expressways are intended to keep all through traffic off the local roads. This system will link to the north by the A533 over the new Silver Jubilee Bridge to Widnes and Merseyside, to the northeast to Warrington by the A56, to the east to Northwich and north Cheshire by the A533, and to the southeast by the A557 to the M56 and to Frodsham. The planned M56 will link to the M6 and the M62. The Busway is a system of roads for use by buses only as a totally separate road system. In addition, there will be a network of dedicated cycleways in the town and a second railway station for the town on the Chester to Manchester line is also planned.
Work on current New Towns is progressing well. In Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire there is a waiting list of about 10,000 wishing to move to into the town and construction of homes is underway in the neighbourhoods of Bennett's End, Chaulden and Warner's End. The redevelopment of the town centre has also started with a new centre based on Marlowes south of the old town. This is alongside a green area called the Water Gardens, designed by Jellico, formed by ponding back the River Gade. At Stevenage, Hertfordshire the third of six planned self-contained neighbourhoods, Bedwell, has been completed. Designated on 1 April 1947, Corby in Northamptonshire remains in the planning stages but progress is being made. Chief architect William Holford prepared the development plan with a car-friendly layout and many areas of open space and woodland las year and has now produced the town centre plan. Construction will probably begin next year. An interesting statistic comes from Crawley, Sussex. An ambitious 15-year plan is well underway but already industry and homes have been built and a census shows 800 people are employed in building and joinery firms locally and a further 1,529 in manufacturing companies.

12 April
The Manchester Mark 1 computer has been declared operable at the University of Manchester. The Manchester Mark 1 has been developed from the Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM) which became operational in June 1948. Work began in August 1948. The first programme is currently being written to search for Mersenne primes.

14 April
BOAC have begun commercial services with their new BCAC Bristol Type 175 BC.3 Britannia Series 110 airliners when G-ALCD departed Heathrow for Nairobi this morning. The 25 Bristol Proteus turbine-propeller powered 74-seat airliners will operate on medium and long-haul routes across Europe, Africa and the Far East. On 2 April BOAC began its trials programme with the de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 jet-airliner with the airline’s special Comet Unit based at Hurn. Twelve Comet 1 aircraft will be flown on worldwide trials for the next two years.



19 April
The Air Ministry has outlined today what new aircraft will be supplied over the year to allied air forces.
The Royal Egyptian Air Force will receive three Gloster Meteor T.Mk.VII trainers to enable its pilots to undergo local jet conversion courses before piloting that air force’s Meteor F.Mk.IV fighters. Heliopolis will also deliver an additional six Gomhouria 2 basic trainers.
The Royal Iraqi Air Force will also receive three Gloster Meteor T.Mk.VII trainers and twenty-four Percival P.56 Provost T.Mk.55 basic trainers to modernise their training fleet. The Royal Iraqi Navy Air Force will receive four Percival Provosts.
The Arab Legion Air Force in Transjordan will receive eight Percival P.56 Provost T.Mk.56 trainers and and six ex-RAF Fairey Fox II B.Mk.I ground-attack aircraft to form their first operational combat unit and expand their Training Flight.
The Sudan Defence Force Flight will receive a Percival P.66 President for VIP transport duties.
The Palestine Defence Force Flight formed last year will receive six Percival P.56 Provost T.Mk.54 for training duties and two Percival P.66 Presidents for VIP transport duties.

25 April
The 17,500GRT Royal Mail Lines cargo liner RMS Magdalena has run aground near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on her maiden voyage. Brazilian naval vessels came to her aid to refloat her but the ship broke in two during the attempt to tow her into harbour. All the passengers and crew got safely off the vessel before she sank. Work is now underway to salvage the passengers’ luggage and her cargo including mail and 12,000 cases of oranges.

26 April
The latest Ealing Studios comedy film Passport to Pimlico premièred in London this evening.
Passport to Pimlico was directed by Henry Cornelius and written by T. E. B. Clarke and stars Stanley Holloway, Margaret Rutherford and Hermione Baddeley. A workman on a construction site in Pimlico, London, reveals a buried cellar containing artwork, coins, jewellery and an ancient manuscript. The document is authenticated as a royal charter of Edward IV that ceded a house and its estates to Charles VII, the last Duke of Burgundy, when he sought refuge there after being presumed dead at the 1477 Battle of Nancy. As the charter had never been revoked, an area of Pimlico is declared to still be a legal part of Burgundy. Excited at being freed from bureaucratic restrictions the residents declare independence as Burgundy but independence brings its own problems and soon a diplomatic crisis arises. [The film will go on to be nominated for the British Academy Film Award for Best British Film and the Academy Award for Writing (Story and Screenplay) later in the year].


28 April
The 1949 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference has begun today, it is being held in London.

29 April
The News Review reveals that neither the English public school Selhurst College nor its headmaster H. Rochester Sneath exist, but are a hoax created by Humphry Berkeley. Berkely is a student at Cambridge and is currently President of both the Cambridge Union Society and Cambridge University Conservative Association. As a practical joke he impersonated H. Rochester Sneath, the headmaster of a rather odd public school and wrote hoax letters to public figures.

30 April
Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Leicester City 1 – 3 to win the FA Cup at Wembley. It is the first time in 41 years Wolverhampton Wanderers have won the Cup.