Photographs for week ending 14 December 2014

Here is another variety of photographs I've published this week through my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

On Saturday 6th December there was a steam engine day trip to Lincoln to coincide with the city's Christmas Market. The locomotive was the Union of South Africa. I managed to get a few reasonable snaps as the train was entering our village of Heighington rail-space. I was caught unawares slightly by its speed: it was really motoring – or should that be training – as you can see by the horizontal steam trail.

In the previous week's gallery I showed you Mr Blackbird in our crab-apple tree: this week to maintain equality of the sexes it is the turn of Mrs Blackbird.

This view was taken during my recent nostalgia visit to my childhood home-town. Folkestone's inner harbour on 21st November 2014; a leaden and dispiriting morning. Can you spot the Martello Tower?

I've been trying to get an image that I believe portrays the concept of the bird and its habitat for the Woodpidgeon – I think this might just do it justice.

For this I like the title of 'Time for Thought'.

Sea-fishing on a grey, damp, misty, windy November morning, at 09:30 hrs. on the exposed Hythe beach. The grey-green sea looks arctic and aggressive. Surely they cannot find it an enjoyable experience?

This is a case of view one get one extra because I can't decide which is the better image. Which do you prefer?

I have shown you Mrs. B and then followed on with Woodie so today here they are together.

© Elliot Sampford

A unique channel crossing.

Was it a bird; was it a plane?

images.nationalgeographic.com

No: it was Felix Baumgartner taking a quick trip to France without using a ferry or the channel tunnel! He was the first person to skydive across the English channel.

It was on the 31st July 2003 (ten years ago today) at 05:09 hours, that Felix leapt out of a plane at 9000 metres above Dover, England, and headed for Cap Blanc-Nez, near Calais, France, some 35 kilometres away. All he needed for his travel was an aerodynamic jumpsuit with a 1.8 metre XC-K1 composite carbon wing strapped to his back, a tank of oxygen to assist his breathing, and a parachute to help him land as safely as possible.

After exiting the plane he initially reached speeds of 360 kilometres per hour with this reducing to 220 kph during most of his 6 minute and 22 seconds flight. Cloud cover that early morning made his journey a little difficult and after landing Felix said: “I couldn't see the other side so I had no reference point. I was flying over the clouds all the time. But, in the last 2,000 metres I could see those lights right over there so I knew I was going to make it.” Whilst recovering from the exhausting flight safely on French soil he told a BBC reporter: “It was total freedom. If you step out of the aeroplane at this altitude it's perfect because you see the sun rise . . . It's the beginning of the day. You're totally alone, there's just you, your equipment, your wing – and your skills. I like it.”

When I'm crossing the channel from Dover to Calais, I think I'll stick to using my car, a train, and the channel tunnel – even though it will take me 35 minutes.

The new El Altet (Alicante) Airport will open in February 2011

The announcement was made today by Inmaculada Rodríguez Piñero, the general secretary of infrastructure of the Ministry of Developement that the ministry plans to open the new international airport of El Altet, Alicante, in February 2011.

It will become the "most modern" managed by the Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (AENA, and will have a capacity of about 20 million passengers a year, almost double the current figure.

The investment in the expansion is around 670 million euros and that the area covered by the airport will be six times larger from approximately 54,800 square meters to that of 333,500 sq. mtrs. There will be almost twice as many retail outlets, three times as many fixed embarkation tunnels, and the parking area will double from the current 2,000 parking spaces to 4,200.

Before the opening, in the autumn, all the necessary tests will be carried out to ensure the expanded airport will be operationally ready

The new passenger building, topped by some twenty large domes, will have eight floors with departure and arrival halls, and other airport services.