Home from Home: September 2012

On Saturday 15 September, RAF Leuchars hosted the only remaining Battle of Britain Air Show, and second largest non-sporting outdoor event in Scotland. The 2012 show will probably be the last as the RAF Leuchars base is to close with the Army expected to take up residence in 2015 onwards.

We headed off for the day by car - Billy's dad and Barbara, Danny and Mary (Billy's brother and sister-in-law) and me. Leuchars is in Fife which is on the east coast of Scotland near the University town of St Andrews.

Here are a few photos of the day.

Entry gates from the disabled car park.

Danny - Billy's brother

Mary buying a ticket at the stalls.

E-3D Sentry taking off.

The Red Arrows

The Avro Vulcan

In London for the weekend (18-19 August) I was looking forward to my tour of Althorp and Cambridge on the Sunday. Unfortunately, and yet again for the second time, the tour was cancelled. What to do? Oxford of course!

I caught a day's tour to Warwick Castle, Stratford Upon Avon and the City of Oxford. Our tour of Oxford was the highlight for me and it didn't disappoint. You immediately sense the presence of Morse and Lewis.

Colleges and Halls of the University of Oxford

There are 38 colleges and six permanent private halls which combined forms the University of Oxford.

There are over 21,000 students at Oxford, including 11,752 undergraduates and 9,621 postgraduates.

The University, including the colleges and Oxford University Press, is the largest employer in Oxford and the second largest in Oxfordshire, supporting more than 18,000 jobs and injecting £750 million annually into the regional economy.

Old stone college buildings in Oxford.

Entering Christ Church. Christ Church is the only college in the world which is also a cathedral.

Christ Church is one of the largest colleges in the University of Oxford and the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Oxford. Located on St Aldate's it has a busy academic community of about 450 undergraduates and 150 graduate students.

Do you recognise the staircase?


It's the staircase used in the Harry Potter movie.

Professor McGonagall at the top of the stairs.

The Great Hall at Christ Church college.

The dining hall that inspired the Great Hall at Hogwarts. It is a functional dining hall, so the students of Christ Church get to eat in the Great Hall every day.