Hutch's on the Beach ....

Intended unimprovment since 1946.

Hutch's Restaurant is a Hamilton institution.

It's a step back in time to the fifties.

A lot of people seem to like stepping back, or maybe it's just the great fish and chips they do, because I've never seen it quiet.

You know the saying - everything old is new again .....

Hamilton ....

A quiet (for a change) coffe shop ....

Timmy's or Tim Hortons is one of Canada's best kept secrets. Wherever I've been in the country, I've never known a quiet one - true!
My favourite 'cake' there are the muffins, click here to see the muffin menu - Mmmm ....
I've never checked the history of the Tim name, so for this shot I did, and amongst other things, found out that their first store was in Hamilton.
Click here to go to page about their history.
The name Tim Hortons comes from its founder who was a famous hockey player.
I'm no hockey nut, so click here  to read about his life. He died in 1974 after opening his 40th store.
Currently there are over 3,600 stores throughout Canada and USA so you could say it's been quite a success ....

Wheels, levers and knobs ....

A photo of an old Brown and Sharpe surface grinder that I tried to avoid working on.

The days of Brown and Sharpe making grinding machines are gone.

Now they concentrate on manufacturing measuring equipment, a fine example of which can be seen by clicking here.

Hamilton and FH&S ....

And now for something completely different .....

The finished purifier is painted white in the background, while the core of the next one is in the foreground ....

It needed just a touch of Welsh magic to make it work .....

This equipment is what some very talented people and myself, built a few years ago.
It was a prototype Rapid-Cycle Pressure Swing Absorption machine, and it's designed to separate and purify hydrogen gas in oil refineries. 
We built it in Hamilton, which a wonderful place for building something like this. Click here for a link to the website of the company where it was manufactured, assembled and tested.
The equipment (RCPSA) was later installed for trial in an Exxon Mobile refinery in southern France.
It successfully completed a long trial period, and according to the Internet, is now part of the refinery process.
Click here to got to a Xebec sales brochure that has a really good photo of the installation in France.

Hamilton ....

In the pink on Beach Boulevard ....

Cootes Paradise. Hamilton .....

The "war" on the Cootes Paradise squatters ....

OK - I admit I didn't take this shot!! Here's the story behind the photo ....
While researching my previous post (I was trying to find out where the name Cootes Paradise came from) and I came across a webpage from historycooperative.org, that included this picture as part of its narrative.
Apparently around 1912 Hamilton's population exploded as people came to work in the city's heavy industries, and affordable housing was very scarce.
Some workers built themselves "boathouses" on land in Cootes Paradise - later, someone else wanted the land!
I'm not going to say any more here, but if you are interested, and fancy a good read - then go here to the History Cooperative page .....
http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/llt/51/bouchier.html

Cootes Paradise. Hamilton ....

Cootes Paradise, part of the Royal Botanical Gardens ....

A carp barrier made from old Christmas trees. It was placed here to prevent the fish from invading the wetlands.

A red-winged blackbird broadcasting his presence ....

Spring Gardens road as it climbs the hill towards the Jewish cemetery on Plains road.
The road - as you can see - is closed, and is now just a footpath.
Nature, it seems, wants it back ....

Spring Gardens road as it crosses the wetland via the single track bridge.

Cootes Paradise is part of the Royal Botanical Gardens, and is named after Captain T. Coote. He was stationed at Niagara from 1782 to 1787.
He used to hunt and fish in the wetland area, and he liked it so much that he gave it his name.

Hamilton ....

A group of bird-watchers at Confederation Park ....

"Birding" is very popular around here.
With baby-boomers now retiring, and maybe looking for something to occupy themselves with, it's a pastime that can fill many a happy hour ....

Hamilton ....

Yet another modern convenience.
A sign on Baranga's on the Beach volleyball court wall. It's a local restaurant right on the shore of Lake Ontario.
So here's their link (as a credit) ..... http://www.barangas.ca/

Hamilton ....

Bayfront Park ....

Part of the lakeside trail at Beachway park ....

Hamilton ....

The Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology ....
Looking into past for the future ....

Inside a building alongside the main pump house, there is this collection.
It's very much a "work-in-progress" at the moment, with antique steam powered equipment in various stages of refurbishment.
Is this a glimpse of the museum's future, or maybe the past??

Hamilton ...

The Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology ....
Built to last, and it has ....

These photos are of parts of one of the steam rotary beam engines at the museum.
As you can see they're in absolutely beautiful condition, and a credit to the people who are maintaining it.
One of the engines is run every day - as long as someone is there to look at it! Why not you????
I want to go back again, that's for sure. Let me rephrase that - I will go back!
This link will take you to a webpage by UMA Engineering Ltd, who refurbished both engines to their current pristine condition.
http://www.esemag.com/1198/histori.htm
It also has great content about the history of the engines, and their renovation.

Hamilton ....

The Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology ....
This building houses two 45 ft high, 70 ton, steam rotary beam engines, and believe me, they are beautiful ....

The arc of the massive 22 ton flywheels can be seen here through the engine-house windows. I had a booklet giving all the specs and history, but of course, I can't find it now :-(

I took this place it for granted every time I drove past it (nearly every day for the past three years).
Although some fascinating sites are on your doorstep, somehow you never seem to get around to visiting them, do you?
To me (a retired machine builder) it is absolutely gorgeous!! The inside is something else, and I'm afraid my photos don't do it justice. I'm going to pay it another call, and next time ....
Here's an unofficial link to it. I think it's better than the official one ....
http://www.myhamilton.ca/organizations/hamilton-museum-steam-technology
The engines are the last intact in North America, and were manufactured in Dundas, just up the road!

Place of employ - until March ....

Who needs a resume when you've got a tool box lid ....


In the eye of the beholder ....

Plant window. Opaque sunrise ....

Only eight hours a day ....

I'll be retiring on Feb 26 2010 - I can't wait believe me.

I feel I've been extremely fortunate to have been "gainfully" employed for the last 50 years.

It would have been great to finish a tad earlier, say 55 or even 60, but events made stay in the workforce a wee bit longer.

As I say - I'm fortunate ....

Reflecting over Hamilton Harbour ....

I stopped on my way to work yesterday morning around 6-45, and took this shot of the moon going down over Hamilton Harbour.
It's not that often that I get a chance to capture a "reflective" moon like this, because either it's too cloudy - or more likely - I'm running late!!

Mary K at the CWHM ....

PBY Anti submarine amphibian ......

More pics from the "CWHM"

A notice on the restoration area ....

Details of a beautifully restored radial engine ......

Restoration area of the museum where work is done by volunteers. It can take years to complete. All work is inspected by qualified engineers before the next step can proceed.

A cut-away of a Rolls Royce Spey engine ......

"Dambusters" Bouncing Bomb at the CWHM .....

This is a full size replica of the bouncing bomb used by the "Dambusters" in their raids during the second world war. It weighed in at 9,250 lbs!

Here's a link for information on "The Dambusters" ..... http://www.dambusters.org.uk/

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM)

Here's looking for you ......

A second world war searchlight reflector .....

See son - that's the famous Avro Arrow .....

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM)

Somebody else with good taste .........