July 2019 - The MrT Podcast Studio

Review – Your Big Project

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Your Big Project – Series 1 Episode 13 – Review

Welcome to Review, the last talk in the series ‘Your Big Project‘. Hopefully this series of podcasts will improve the chances of success for your project. We have considered the good, the bad and the extremely ugly throughout the series!

The Review is where you learn from the successes and mistakes in your project . If you have skipped steps or haven’t done things thoroughly enough this is where you start to understand the factors that contributed to your disaster! Remember that a lack of commitment in the delivery of a successful solution can kill a successful business.

The Review Meeting:

Long enough after go-live to know how it went, but not too long as otherwise you’ll forget the details
Invite the key players (global, regional and local) but no JFDIs
Understand the What and the Why – for both the successes and failures
This is an opportunity to embed success and improve – document everything and set realistic dates for completion of any repairs
Understand the reasons for the successes so that you can replicate them next time
Understand the reasons for the failures so that you can eradicate them next time

Remember that only JFDIs look for innocent scapegoats.

Take this opportunity to review the series of talks – remember to listen again when you start your next project!

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

Episode 13 – Review

This 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.

There will be a new series of talks, on a different topic, in a few months. I hope that you have enjoyed these talks.

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

Lifestyles is the theme music and is licensed from AKM Music.

Autumn Steam Gala (1)

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Episode 19 – Life on the Watercress Line – Autumn Steam Gala (1)

Welcome to the Autumn Steam Gala (1). The Steam Gala is an opportunity to see Guest locomotives on the Watercress Line. There is one in the Spring and this one each Autumn.

This episode features Foxcote Manor and ‘Prairie’ tank locomotive 5199.

4-6-0 locomotive No. 7822 Foxcote Manor

This is one of a class of 30 engines. Charles Collett designed the engines for the Great Western Railway and first were built in 1938. Foxcote Manor is on of 10 built by British Railways in the 1950s.

The locomotive spent its working life in an area roughly bounded by Chester, Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury. The Cambrian Coast Express was regularly hauled by 7822 and, on 10th August 1963, she ‘double headed’ the Royal Train.

There are 9 survivors from the class. They are an ideal size for heritage lines.

Click here to visit the Foxcote Manor Society web page.

2-6-2 Class 5101 ‘Prairie’ tank No: 5199

5199 is based at the Llangollen Railway. The class was first introduced in 1929 by Charles Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway. Designed for suburban and mainline stopping trains, they accelerated quickly between closely spaced stations. They were also used for ‘banking’, mainline ‘piloting’ and freight trains.

These, and sister classes 6100 and 8100, were amongst the most successful Great Western locomotives. Over 200 locomotives were built.

The name, ‘Prairie’, comes from the US where it was used for 4-6-2 locomotives.

Click here to visit the Llangollen Railway website.

I spoke with a member of the ‘Wagon Group’ about the work that they carry out on the Watercress Line.

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.

This podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.

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

Backplate, licensed from Joseph McDade, is used for background music in this episode.

Victoria and Albert (1)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:29 — 16.9MB)

Season 2018 / 2019 – Talk 12 a – Victoria and Albert (1)

Please note: This talk is in five parts and Victoria and Albert (1) is the first part. Please scroll down to each part after listening to the previous part. There is a linked video after parts 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Nigel Mariott tells us about the lives of Victoria and Albert and their great love for each other. He brings humour to the talk and included a number of video clips. I have split the talk into five parts so that you can ‘click on the link’ to see the video at the appropriate place.

Victoria and Albert (1) starts with a view of Britain and its Empire in the early 1800s. Nigel continues with Victoria’s early life and her meeting with Albert in 1836.

The story continues with the Coronation in 1838. We then hear about Albert’s early life and their wedding in 1840. Nigel tells us about the influence of Lord Melbourne and the true love of Victoria and Albert.

This episode concludes with the showing of a trailer for the ITV series – click the link to view it.

I have converted the presentation used at the talk into a series of images as it is too large to load.

Please click on one of the images as you listen to the talk to open the gallery.

The Farnham U3A site is at Farnham U3A Home Page.

I have used Media Magazine for the title music and it is licensed from AKM Music.

Victoria and Albert (2)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:29 — 4.1MB)

Season 2018 / 2019 – Talk 12 b – Victoria and Albert (2)

Please note: This talk is in five parts and Victoria and Albert (2) is the second part. Please scroll down to each part after listening to the previous part. There is a linked video after parts 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Victoria and Albert (2) starts with Victoria and Albert’s family life. Nigel talks about their affection for their dogs. This section concludes with the creation of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

Please click on the link to view the video of Osborne House.

I have converted the presentation used at the talk into a series of images as it is too large to load.

Please click on one of the images as you listen to the talk to open the gallery.

The Farnham U3A site is at Farnham U3A Home Page.

I have used Media Magazine for the title music and it is licensed from AKM Music.

Victoria and Albert (3)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:28 — 6.8MB)

Season 2018 / 2019 – Talk 12 c – Victoria and Albert (3)

Please note: This talk is in five parts and Victoria and Albert (3) is the third part. Please scroll down to each part after listening to the previous part. There is a linked video after parts 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Victoria and Albert (3) starts with Victoria and Albert’s family life. Nigel then talks about the importance of Balmoral. He continues with the importance of the Great Exhibition. This section concludes with Albert’s death in 1861.

I have converted the presentation used at the talk into a series of images as it is too large to load.

Please click on one of the images as you listen to the talk to open the gallery.

The Farnham U3A site is at Farnham U3A Home Page.

I have used Media Magazine for the title music and it is licensed from AKM Music.

Victoria and Albert (4)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 10:17 — 9.4MB)

Season 2018 / 2019 – Talk 12 d – Victoria and Albert (4)

Please note: This talk is in five parts and Victoria and Albert (4) is the fourth part. Please scroll down to each part after listening to the previous part. There is a linked video after parts 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Victoria and Albert (4) concentrates on Victoria’s later life. We are introduced to John Brown and hear about his influence. Nigel talks about her good character and also the Diamond Jubilee of 1897.

I have converted the presentation used at the talk into a series of images as it is too large to load.

Please click on one of the images as you listen to the talk to open the gallery.

To view the Diamond Jubilee videos please click here and then here for the second one.

The Farnham U3A site is at Farnham U3A Home Page.

I have used Media Magazine for the title music and it is licensed from AKM Music.

Victoria and Albert (5)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:08 — 2.9MB)

Season 2018 / 2019 – Talk 12 e – Victoria and Albert (5)

Please note: This talk is in five parts and Victoria and Albert (5) is the last part. Please scroll down to each part after listening to the previous part. There is a linked video after parts 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Victoria and Albert (5) concentrates on the legacy they left on British (and global) culture. Nigel talks about the National History Museum, the Albert Hall, the ‘V and A’ and the Albert Memorial.

I have converted the presentation used at the talk into a series of images as it is too large to load.

Please click on one of the images as you listen to the talk to open the gallery.

To view the ‘V and A’ video please click here.

For more about membership of the ‘V and A’ please click here.

Queen Victoria’s Scrapbook can be found by by clicking here.

The exhibition ‘Victoria: Woman and Crown’ is open until 5th January 2020 – for more details please click here.

The Farnham U3A site is at Farnham U3A Home Page.

Media Magazine is used as the title music and is licensed from AKM Music.

Implementation / Go-Live – Your Big Project

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:24 — 16.9MB)

Your Big Project – Series 1 Episode 12 – Implementation / Go-Live

Welcome to Implementation / Go-Live, talk twelve in the series ‘Your Big Project‘. Hopefully this series of podcasts will improve the chances of success for your project. We always consider the good, the bad and the extremely ugly!

Implementation / Go-Live is where your work becomes reality. If you have skipped steps or haven’t done things thoroughly enough you will have a disaster. This lack of commitment to deliver a successful solution can kill your successful business.

It is unlikely that everything will be perfect:

There may be minor flaws – correct them before customers notice
Minor flaws, corrected, will not kill your business
If you can transact normally and accurately with customers you should be OK
If it is a disaster, you cannot sort out the mess after go-live – you will need to stop and go back and try implementation again later

Remember the JFDIs, wanting an implementation bonus, will push you to go before you’re ready. They’ll make light of the issues – don’t listen to them as their attitude creates disasters that destroy years of building successful businesses – in days.

If you have followed the steps I have laid out, checked all the data rigorously, trained people properly and tested thoroughly there is a chance that it might work!

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

Presentation 12 – Implement (Go Live)

This 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.

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

Join me in two weeks for episode thirteen, the final episode of this series of Talking Business – Your Big Project.

Lifestyles is the theme music and is licensed from AKM Music.