By a Slender Thread
Looking for a good novel, one with a yarn about sailing,
terrorists and plutonium? Then "By A Slender Thread" by Barrie
Skelcher. Published by Navigator, (ISBN 0 902830 46 5). Set in the fading years
of the Cold War, the old Soviet hardliners devise a plot to deprive Britain of
all its nuclear power stations and so make the Country dependant on the USSR
for its fossil fuel supplies. The settings and the technology involved in
stealing plutonium, producing a home made bomb and the problems of covering up
the operation are frighteningly realistic. Indeed, one might reasonably think
that some events since 1995, when the book was published, have now shown
themselves. A few new copies of this book are still available and are signed by
the Author at £7.50p incl. p&p in UK mainland
Vaseline and Uranium Glass
Radioactive Glass, Vaseline Glass, Glass Densities, Attributing Glass, Dating Glass. All these are described and discussed in two books by Barrie Skelcher and published by Schiffer.
Big Book Vaseline Glass
Big Book Vaseline Glass, 2002, Schiffer ISBN 0-7643-1474-2.. The book is the result of the Author's study of glass coloured with uranium often known as Vaseline glass. It covers mainly English glass and includes data on density and uranium content of several hundred items.
Vaseline Glassware
Vaseline Glassware, 2007, Schiffer ISBN 978-0-7643-2699-8.
Continues from where the Big Book of Vaseline Glass left off. Gives more
examples and more data. Although there is some duplication for the convenience
of the reader, it is strongly advised that both books should be read.
Looking for a Speaker?
VBarrie Skelcher will give illustrated talks on English Glass
1800 - 1950; Uranium / Vaseline Glass for the Collector; Motor Boat through the
French and Belgian Canals with special reference to the Ardennes area.
Mirror 16 Sailing Dinghy
The Mirror 16 dinghy is the largest
of the Mirror Fleet, originally sponsored by the Daily Mirror newspaper in the
1960's. It is built on the stitch and glue principle and is an exciting boat to
sail. l6ft long, it is lighter and faster than a Wayfarer. It is spacious and
can accommodate up to 5 crew. Designed by Jack Holt for either racing or dinghy
cruising. Only about 600 of these boats were built. The templates for the
construction kits have been lost. If you have a Mirror 16, or would like to
know more about them, contact this site.