Saving Old Seagulls

I have watched the last episode of britains greatest machines and was disappointed that the Marston and even the british seagull was not even mentioned throughout the whole series. Considering how many they manufactured and sent around the world, it really disappointed me

Now you know how we feel, perpetual dissapointment with all things modern & British.

Don't be dispirited, Charles.

We still lead the world in Scotch Whisky. I speak from experience.

And our National Health Service is the envy of the world. Or the envy of Angola, anyway. Here again I speak from recent prolonged experience.

And we lead the world in Kendal Mint Cake, hand made shoes for fetishists, and Lofthouse's Fisherman's friends.

A proud heritage.

Marmite, too. The list is, er, endless.

Marmite, like Bovril, is no longer British owned, it has not been for some time, If something has a county name attached to it, it can only be made there, like Kendal Mint Cake, that's the only reason we lead the world and the only reason why we still have it.

Marmite not British? Nor Bovril?

I must go and lie down in a darkened room.

Don't mention Cadburys now owned by a "cheese" company.

Well fear not we sent a Canuck over to get things straightened out for ya. AS Mr. Carney said ‘I am going to where the challenge is greatest' that and where you'll pay 700,000 pounds a year to be able to blame it all on a colonial

Life is short 3 squares and pocket change for a pint and the Mrs's birthday flowers, after that there is no need to worry eh.

What about these...
AEC Matador
Scammell Pioneer
Alvis Stalwart
Land Rover
Leyland Bison
Austin
Morris
Humber
Bsa
Norton
Triumph
Shall I stop? It's sad to think that these are just a few of the big exports from the UK for over 50 years until the world ended for Britain in the late 1980s...

Don't miss the most important one, Vincent
Then there are a few others:
Royal Enfield

MG
Morgan
Gardner
Lister
Rover

Much as they might want to who can forget Lucas?

Not wishing to offend anyone but, that great line from the Frasier show. Uttered in a Seattle British sports pub, character Daphne's favorite retreat, with somewhat disastrous results. "What has the UK ever been first in?, oh yes, first in soccer hooliganism."

Morgan is still running and making cars, its still missing a wheel though.

If you are looking for machines that were built very well for purpose, spanned the globe and had massive impact on 100s of millions of people and are still in use over 100 years after manufacture look to the Short Magazine Lee Enfield. Great british Engineering (tho lee was a yank) built by all the major factories in the UK, S.A, AUS, INDIA, CAN, and still beaten out of rail ties in afghanistan. A machine of perfection and likely used by more stalwart brits then all the bikes and autos on all the lists above. Loose and sloppy just like a seagull, reliable and ugly (per gull) enough that theft is not an issue that oft interupts ownership.

Britain will forever be behind the Yanks, inventor of cheese in a spray can...

What about my erstwhile employer, Sir Henry's finest?

Not to mention Triumph, Norton and most of the F1 teams, all UK based.

UK leads the world in its fair share of good things.Who holds the land speed record?

LOL, no wonder the west is in the craper manufacturing wise, your lists of best machines almost exclusively involve going fast around a track or splashing about in the mud for recreation! Not alot of room for fruition in hood ads and tailgate parties. Surely there must be a medical diagnostic machine, a mineral exploration machine (OK Rover) or at least an inovative turbine to point to with pride? For crying out loud did'nt you build the Radar Machine and half the western world aim high kids!

It is a great series to watch everyone. Its narrated by Chris Barrie. You can see the whole series on you-tube. I just plug my Tv HDMI cable into the jack on my laptop and watch it threw the big screen. Just type in Britains greatest Machines in your search bar and you will see all the different episodes from the early to late 1900s. Click below for a 40 odd second clip.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1RDl7Nn ... E51CE75E5B