This and That

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MY MEMOIRS

Sunday, September 5th, 2010
I am delighted to tell you I will shortly be publishing my memoirs. They will reveal all the conversations I had which, at the time, the other parties to them thought were confidential, they will reveal my view of the top industry colleagues I worked with and will also underline how all the good ideas which emerged and were sometimes attributed to colleagues were, in fact, my ideas.

Automotive history will be rewritten extensively in order to put me at the epicentre of everything and many key players will scarcely get a mention to underline their irrelevance.

The memoirs were to have been titled “The Journey” but my agent tells me that title has been taken along with some silly humour about translation into German so I have gone for “Loss of Consciousness” which when translated is sensibly “Bewusstlosigkeit” which will avoid any childish humour in the tabloid press about my title – and in French is “Évanouissement”.

I will advise you when I am doing a signing in your home town.

Christopher Macgowan

IGHTHAM MOTE

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

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Fabulous National Trust medieval manor house near Sevenoaks – early 14th century and well worth a visit! I loved it.

Christopher Macgowan

MANCHESTER METROLINK

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

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I was in Manchester recently. There are not that many metrolink/tram projects going on around the UK at the moment but I am pleased to report  that the Trafford Bar to St Werburgh’s Road extension (passing Chorlton-cum-Hardy ) to the existing Piccadilly Gardens to Trafford Bar line is well under way and scheduled for opening in Spring 2011. All things being equal it will continue out to East Didsbury for Summer 2012. Contractors include Volcker, Thales and Kier. The current Metrolink system carries some 20 million passengers annually.

Christopher Macgowan

A WEEKEND IN HEREFORD.

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

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A delightful weekend spent with friends in Hereford. Last night saw a Wine Society gathering where we tasted Languedoc wines outside on a balmy evening in a delightful garden. Le Cisso – a Merlot/Cabernet made by a Dutchman in the village of Nizas near Pezenas won the day for me.

Our hostess has many admirable features but her potting shed is one of the best I have seen and is my prize winning picture this week!!

Christopher Macgowan

TOP GEAR

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

I am saddened to learn today from James May that this Sunday’s new series of Top Gear is going to be a generally more serious programme reflecting a slight retreat from “the Last of the Summer Wine tomfoolery”. Irreverent and troublesome it sometimes might be – but about five million viewers watch the BBC2 programme every Sunday and many of them have absolute no interest in cars whatsoever!

I hope it retains the feeling that anything might happen at any minute!

Christopher Macgowan

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