Silent movies and Wurlitzer organ music

Stockport Town Hall Silver Screen Evenings with the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust.

We're always on the lookout for fun, interesting and different things to see and do, and since moving to the Stockport area three months ago we've had plenty of opportunity to do just that.

On Friday we went along to the Stockport Town Hall Silver Screen Evening to watch the 1920 film Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. We've never seen a silent movie on the big screen before and were very impressed. The film was accompanied by Donald MacKenzie from the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust playing the Wurlitzer Organ throughout.

What a setting for a silent movie and Wurlitzer organ music

Stockport Town Hall is a fine setting. It was built at the start of the 20th century and based on Belfast Town Hall. We first visited the hall for a recent postcard fair and were impressed by the nice interior. It was a great place to watch the film and be entertained.

The Wurlitzer Organ - when we arrived I could've sworn I heard the music from Holiday on the Buses being played, but Emily thinks I was mistaken

The Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council will next be showing Robin Hood on Friday 18th November, with Safety Last and Get Out and Get Under on Friday 23rd December. Admission to the shows is £10, with doors opening at 6.45pm for a 7pm start. It's well worth going along to. Good music, films, venue and bar - what more could you ask for.

Upcoming shows in the series

Throughout the year the Town Hall hosts Wurlitzer Organ Concerts. You can find out more information on the Stockport Town Hall and Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust websites.

Links:
- Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust
- Stockport Town Hall

Britain's Barmiest Golfers

Emily and I have been named as two of Britain's Barmiest Golfers in the latest issue of Today's Golfer magazine. Check out the feature in the November 2016 edition.

Do we look barmy to you?

It's great to see our friend and minigolf rival Tiger Pragnell getting featured too. As well as crazy logo golf ball obsessive Martyn Vallance showing off his collection of 80,000+ golf balls too.

Last year I was named ‘Officially Britain’s Craziest Golfer’ by the magazine.

Perhaps it's hardly surprising to collect these 'gongs' considering we've visited more than 700 miniature golf courses on our travels over the last ten years!

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Bagatelle at the Union Vaults pub in Chester

Playing Bagatelle in Chester.

We love playing pub games and when our friend and minigolf rival Jam Trubridge told us that you can still play Bagatelle in Chester we knew we'd have to hunt down a table for a game.

The Union Vaults in Cheshire is a proper pub. They've got a dart board there too

Jam recommended the Union Vaults so, after our ride on the Grosvenor Park Miniature Railway, we headed to the pub.

The Union Vaults had a nice table. It was a great place for us to have our first play of the old game 

We received a nice welcome from the locals at the busy pub and they were very happy to help us novice players have a game.

The final resting positions of the balls in our close contest

One of our favourite pub games is Bar Billiards and the rules of that game can appear complicated to a newcomer. Bagatelle is no different in that respect. However, while the two cue, table and green baize ball games may also appear to be similar in appearance, looks can be deceiving.

Playing for the black - as you must unless it's been cupped

What's really nice about Bagatelle is that there are no mechanisms on the table, so once your go is over and you've totted up your score, you have to retrieve the balls and let the next player take their turn.

Emily playing a nice opening shot

With each pocket worth from 1 to 9, and the black ball scoring double if potted, the aim is to reach exactly 101 points. We found ending the game to be quite tricky indeed, as to do so you must finish on 101 - for instance, if you needed thirteen points (as we did at one point) but shot a total of 14 or over on your turn, your break was stopped and the next player took to the table.

The table was placed next to the window and near a telly showing the horse racing, so it seemed like we had the eyes of the pub upon us as we played! We did receive plenty of tips from the locals as well though

In our match-up I picked up the win 101 to Emily's 92. My highest break was 33 (the opening one), while Emily scored in the twenties on one go.

The final score

It's a great game, simple to pick up and play, but one that takes ages to master. We'll definitely play Bagatelle again.

Check out the Chester & District Bagatelle League website for more information on the game and places to play it in and around Chester.

Related blog posts:
- Pub games
- Sports and games we've played
- Bar Billiards
- Chester

Grosvenor Park Miniature Railway in Chester

A visit to the Grosvenor Park Miniature Railway in Chester.

Upon arrival in Chester we checked out the city map in the car park by the racecourse - and lo' and behold we spotted there was a miniature railway in Grosvenor Park! We had to take a look.

A lovely brown sign for the Grosvenor Park Miniature Railway

Luckily the weather and timing was right so we got to have a go on it.

The mini-miniature railway gets the thumbs-up from me

Grosvenor Park station - the start and terminus and only station on the line

The train shed

The engine in use on our visit

The engine makes a relatively short loop of the park, with no tunnels. Although it does go across a long bridge next to a duck pond - and the sound as it goes along the bridge is marvellous.

The train next to the pond

About to cross the bridge

An adult fare is £1.50 (or three rides for £2.50). Take a look at the Grosvenor Park Miniature Railway Facebook page for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Miniature Railways
- Chester

A visit to the Lakeside Miniature Railway in Southport

Lakeside Miniature Railway in Southport.

We'd forgotten there was a miniature railway in Southport, so it was a nice surprise to see it when we parked up near to Marine Parade Station next to the pier.

Marine Parade Station

Unfortunately we were just on the wrong side of the season to have a ride on it.

The larger of the two stations on the Lakeside Miniature Railway

The trains on the Lakeside Miniature Railway run from the Marine Parade Station alongside the pier, passed the BMX and skate park, near to the Pitch & Putt course and the beside the lakes as it makes its way to the Pleasureland station. We had a nice walk along the route.

Passing under the pier

I do like to see writing on a roof

Pleasureland terminus

A park bench at Pleasureland station

Another view of the bench at the station

We also spotted there's a Model Railway Village in Southport. Unfortunately the last day of the season there was the week before too.

The Model Railway Village in Southport

We did have a great time promenading in the seaside town and got to play and revisit the Crazy Golf courses there, as well as have a drink in the Smallest Pub in Britain!

Links:
- Lakeside Miniature Railway
- Southport Model Railway Village

Related blog posts:
- Southport
- Miniature Railway

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New website for the Midlands Minigolf Club

Check out the new Midlands Minigolf Club website.

The Midlands Minigolf Club has a new website, where you can find out more about the club, it's players, history, events, results and more.

The Midlands Minigolf Club relax during a break in the action at the national team championships held in Basingstoke in 2013

The Midlands Minigolf Club (MMGC) was formed in 2005 and are two-time national team champions, winning the title for the first-time at Stratford-upon-Avon in 2008 and regaining the title in Hastings in March.

Playing a shot in the 2015 edition of the British Club Championships in Hastings

I've been a member of the MMGC since my rookie year on the National Tour and was a member of both British Club Championship winning teams. I also captained the team in 2009. Last year the club produced its own Ball of Fame to celebrate the victory.

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The Masters Putting Green Crazy Golf course in Southport

A revisit to The Masters Putting Green in Southport.

Back in September 2009 we visited Southport and The Masters Putting Green there became the 150th miniature golf course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

A popular and classic bit of seaside fun in Southport

On our return last week we found the course was proving very popular - especially on the front-9 - so unfortunately skipped playing it as we were pushed for time.

Striking a similar pose to 2009

The layout is a classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course design and it's very nice to see a good quality course being well used. It is a marvellous layout and well worth a go.

Rule #1 in Crazy Golf

Related blog posts:
- Southport
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- The Masters Putting Green in Southport - Minigolf Course Visit No. 150

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Mini Golf course at Hesketh Park in Southport

A revisit to the Crazy Golf course at Hesketh Park in Southport.

On Saturday 8th October we revisited Southport for the first time since 2009 and had to see if we could get a game on the Crazy Golf course at Hesketh Park. Luckily for us the course was open.

The Crazy Golf course at Hesketh Park in Southport

In our minigolf match-up I defeated Emily 21-27, scoring two aces along the way.

About to ace the first

The course became the 418th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

As a brilliant bonus I won a FREE GAME on the LUCKY LAST HOLE to add another FREE GAME TICKET to my collection.

Winning

The course was £1.50 for a round, and while the course looks a little rough around the edges it plays really rather well.

You can actually play some quite skillful angle shots and a hole-in-one is possible on almost all of the holes. Although at some point in the course's history some of the holes were a bit longer!

Hole 1

There definitely used to be more hole there by the look of it

We also found out there's another Crazy Golf course very close to Hesketh Park, but only realised this after we left! Luckily we're heading back to the seaside town again next month so will definitely look up the Mini Golf course at the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown then.

Related blog posts:
- Southport
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Hesketh Park Crazy Golf course visit

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