March 2019 - The MrT Podcast Studio

Detailed Project Scope – Talking Business

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:11 — 13.0MB)

Your Big Project – Series 1 Episode 5

Welcome to the Detailed Project Scope, episode five, in the series ‘Your Big Project‘. Hopefully this series of podcasts will improve the chances of success for your project. In this series we always consider the good, the bad and the extremely ugly!

In the Detailed Project Scope I talk about the need for ensuring that your scope is in line with your to-be process – i.e. the process that supports your Best Practice Programme.

I talk about the need to define everything in detail, to be completely clear in everything you write and the need to get everyone to agree at this stage. Its critical that there can be no going back ….!

The talk is based on the experience I have gained through my involvement in a number of systems projects. I hope that you find it useful.

I hope that you gain ideas from the successes and failures of others and that you have a life changing success.

Please click on the link to access the .PDF slide pack for this talk:

Presentation 5 The Detailed Project Scope

This series of podcasts is also available through iTunes (Apple Podcasts), Spotify and Stitcher.

Join me in two weeks for episode six of Talking Business – Your Big Project.

The theme music Lifestyles used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.

A Day Out With Thomas (A)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:56 — 10.0MB)

Episode 13

Welcome to A Day Out With Thomas, a favourite event for visitors, of all ages, to the Watercress Line. I join Thomas and his friends who are out in the summer weather to entertain everybody!

I talk to the Fat Controller who is here to ensure that the event runs smoothly. He has come all the way from the Island of Sodor for the week. I also speak to Rusty who gives magic shows each day.

In A Day Out With Thomas (A) I get to talk with footplate staff and listen to Thomas driving the commentator to distraction. Such a naughty engine!

I also talk to the Vicar of Sodor who rescued Trevor the Traction engine and the local policeman.

Listen to part B of A Day Out With Thomas in two weeks time.

I had a really enjoyable day out and you can do the same at the next A Day Out With Thomas event.It runs from the 13th to 22nd April and details are here.

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link Watercress Line.

The next episode of Life on the Watercress Line is in two weeks.

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.

The theme and incidental music Steam Railway used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.

US Rail Journeys – Across the Sierra Nevada to the Donner Pass

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:54 — 13.6MB)

Series 1 Episode 15

Across the Sierra Nevada to the Donner Pass continues my journey westwards on the California Zephyr. I left you at the end of the last episode as we started the climb across the Sierra Nevada. Today we continue the climb, through spectacular scenery, to the Donner Pass.

Building the route required complex engineering because there were so many challenges. The train’s first stop in California is at Truckee, a town of around 16,000 people.

The train goes round many very tight curves as it climbs the Sierra Nevada towards Donner Lake and the Donner pass. Donner Lake and the Donner Pass are spectacular.

This episode ends with us high up in the Sierra Nevada. There is a very long drop to the river valley below.

I’ll tell you about the last part of the journey to the Bay Area in the final episode of US Rail Journeys in two weeks time.

Click on a ‘thumbnail’ to open the gallery for the journey from Across the Sierra Nevada to the Donner Pass.

My thanks go to the passengers and crew on our journey from Chicago to the Bay Area, aboard the California Zephyr, for their tolerance of the man waving the microphone. It truly is a magnificent journey.

Full definition copies of the photographs taken by MrT are available on Flickr. In addition a selection are on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The music Steam Railway is used under licence from AKM Music.

This podcast is also available through iTunes (Apple podcasts), Spotify and Stitcher as well as this website.

The Austro Hungarian Empire (a) – Talking History with Farnham U3A

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:52 — 36.5MB)

Season 2018 / 2019 – Talk 8 a

in the Austro Hungarian Empire (a) Jo Huddleston tells us about the early years of the Empire. He tells us that there were Prime Ministers in both Austria and Hungary. He discusses the stress this caused and the need for the Emperor to keep tight control.

We hear about the suicide of Franz Joseph’s son and how Franz Ferdinand became the heir apparent.

We also learn about the international weakness of the Austro Hungarian Empire (a) and the threats from other nations.

The Farnham U3A site is at Farnham U3A Home Page.

The music Media Magazine used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.

The Austro Hungarian Empire (b) – Talking History with Farnham U3A

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:10 — 30.4MB)

Season 2018 / 2019 – Talk 8 b

The Austro Hungarian Empire (b) continues Jo’s talk. Jo picks up the story in the 1880s, and tells us about the period to the Empire’s dissolution in 1918.

We hear about the lack of democratic government and the stress caused by the differences between Austria and Hungary. Franz Joseph was the Emperor from 1867 to 1916. He governed for much of the time with just a few ministers and a small Civil Service.

Jo also talks about the institutional antisemitism, particularly in Vienna. This had a major effect on an aspiring, but relatively unsuccessful, artist living in Vienna at the time.

Jo tells us how the visit by Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand to Sarajevo went ahead even though the threat level was known. As we know, this led to World War 1.

The Farnham U3A site is at Farnham U3A Home Page.

The music Media Magazine used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.

The Team – Talking Business

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:19 — 11.3MB)

Your Big Project – Series 1 Episode 4

Welcome to The Team, episode four in the series ‘Your Big Project‘. Hopefully this series of podcasts will improve the chances of success for your project. In this series we always consider the good, the bad and the extremely ugly!

In The Team I talk about the need for ensuring that you have the best team that you can find. This means that you will need your most valuable business and IT members on the project as well as a carefully selected external consulting organisation. Putting the right people on the project may give you problems today but is essential for the future.

The talk is based on the experience I have gained through my involvement in a number of systems projects. I hope that you find it useful.

I hope that you gain ideas from the successes and failures of others and that you have a life changing success.

Please click on the link to access the .PDF slide pack for this talk:

Presentation 4 – The Team

This series of podcasts is also available through iTunes (Apple Podcasts), Spotify and Stitcher.

Join me in two weeks for episode five of Talking Business – Your Big Project.

The theme music Lifestyles used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.

Walk the Line – Life on the Watercress Line

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:34 — 10.6MB)

Episode 12

Welcome to Walk the Line where members of the public raise money for the Watercress Line. It is an opportunity to see the railway from ground level and at walking pace!

950 walkers, with many assorted dogs, took up the challenge to Walk the Line on a Sunday last November. It was a beautiful autumnal morning when the walkers set off but torrential rain arrived during the walk.

Many of the walkers ‘signed on’ in Alresford and took the vintage ‘rail replacement buses’ to Alton so that they could walk the whole length of the railway. The walk from Alton is uphill all the way to just before Medstead & Four Marks station and then downhill for the rest of the way.

The money raised by the walkers is being used to replace 1,000 yards of ballast between Medstead and Ropley.

Walk the Line 2019 is on the 9th November – follow the link to the events page and scroll down to the bottom for the details.

Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:

To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link Watercress Line.

Join me in two weeks for the next episode of Life on the Watercress Line.

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.

The theme and incidental music Steam Railway used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.

US Rail Journeys – From the middle of nowhere in Wyoming to Reno

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:15 — 18.5MB)

Series 1 Episode 14

In episode fourteen I travel on the California Zephyr from The Middle of Nowhere in Wyoming to Reno. We continue along the diversion to Salt Lake City and then, having rejoined the usual route, on to Reno .

The route takes us through some pretty desolate desert. I certainly wouldn’t like to get stranded out there!

The train passes through the desert communities of Elko, Winnemucca and Lovelock on our journey through Nevada. All the time going westward, much faster than the wagon trains of old.

As we approach Reno there are more roads, cars and business parks. A sign of ‘civilisation’ approaching fast. The stop at Reno was long enough for us to get off. I noticed that the sleepers in Reno station are concrete; most in the US are still wood.

This episode ends with us back in the countryside as we reach the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Learn more about the Sierra Nevada here.

I’ll tell you more about the route across the Sierra Nevada, built with amazing engineering skill, as we travel on the California Zephyr in the next episode of US Rail Journeys in two weeks time.

Click on any of the ‘thumbnails’ below to open the photograph gallery covering the journey from The Middle of Nowhere in Wyoming to Reno.

Full definition copies of the photographs taken by MrT are available on Flickr. In addition a selection are on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The music Steam Railway is used under licence from AKM Music.

This podcast is also available through iTunes (Apple podcasts), Spotify and Stitcher as well as this website.

Process Mapping – Talking Business

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:12 — 16.7MB)

Your Big Project – Series 1 Episode 3

Welcome to Process Mapping the third episode in the series ‘Your Big Project‘. Hopefully this series of podcasts will improve the chances of success for your project. In this series we always consider the good, the bad and the extremely ugly!

In Process Mapping I talk about the need for accurate, detailed process maps before starting your project. These are an essential foundation before you start your systems project. Even the simplest process has complications that become visible when mapped.

The talk is based on the experience I have gained through my involvement in a number of systems projects. I hope that you find it useful.

I hope that you gain ideas from the successes and failures of others and that you have a life changing success.

Please click on the link to access the .PDF slide pack for this talk:

Presentation Process Maps

This series of podcasts is also available through iTunes (Apple Podcasts), Spotify and Stitcher.

Join me in two weeks for episode four of Talking Business – Your Big Project.

The theme music Lifestyles used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.