January 2026

Sun Sets on the First Day of the Year

Happy New Year and all the best for 2026. Here we are at the beginning of February and all the Christmas festivities seem such a long time ago. With a rainy December it was so nice to see a change on New Years day. I was down at Loch Lomond for the annual News Years Day fancy dress waterski. On my way home  it was such a nice day I went for a drive round the loch to Balmaha.  There was such an amazing sunset over Loch Lomond and islands of Clannish and Inchcailloch. It made a lovely start to the year and also got a great show in the Daily Mail Plus pages.

Lifting The Tall Ship Masts

I had a super week with the Tall Ship Glenlee this month. Two of the ship’s masts were being removed  for the first time in 30 years, for essential conservation work. Two of the three masts travelled south of the border bound for a specialist workshop of TS Rigging who have years of experience working with historic vessels such as RRS Discovery, HMS Gannet and the Cutty Sark, at Greenwich in London. They will give a detailed analysis of the strength and condition of the metal. It was a massive operation with huge cranes.  I was mostly stood on the new Govan bridge watching the progress. It made for amazing photographs of the ship with the riggers working up in the masts. I was still cold with all my layers of clothing on, imagine the thought of doing that a couple of hundred years ago. 

After the masts came out I managed to get on board to have a look at the spaces where the masts came from, as the ship now had two big holes where the mast were. Beneath the main mast, a small wooden box was found. It was ceremonially placed there in July 1998. Inside were a 1998 gold sovereign and a silver dollar, along with a scroll acknowledging the members of the Trust and Ship Committee who contributed to the restoration process. Also in the dirt and stoor below the mast a 10p coin was also found. It seems as the main ceremony solemn ceremony took place back then a ten-year-old Tom Gibson who stood proudly beside his grandad, Murray Scrimgeour, watching the mast being stepped. Suddenly realising he too had a shiny coin in his pocket, Tom threw in a 10p coin into the mast step, next to the official box. The whole week made for some amazing pictures and stories. 

We had a great show in newspapers and websites and on BBC & STV too. I made a montage of as many clipping as I could find.

Happy Birthday University of Glasgow – 575 years-old

On the 7th January 2026 the University of Glasgow celebrated its 575th birthday and I was in the University archives with the new University’s Principal & Vice Chancellor, Professor Andy Schofield  and archivist Michael Gallagher. They were looking at a copy of the Papal Bull dated 1490. The papal bull explains that The University of Glasgow was founded by Pope Nicholas V in a letter dated 7th January 1451 with an authenticated with a lead seal or `bull’. It was pretty impressive as was a newer 2001 copy of the Papal Bull created for the 550th anniversary of the University. I do find these things so interesting. It makes you think what Glasgow would have been like 575 years ago.

Love a Timewarp

I visited another of my favourite spots, the Glasgow Science Centre. It was turning back the clock for a night of retro fun to celebrate its 25th anniversary. I met time travelling scientists Sebastian and Nicola partying out side the centre. The adult-only event, Science Lates: Timewarp, takes place on Friday, March 13th.

It is part of the year-long anniversary celebration and will blend together nostalgia, hands-on science, gaming, expert talks, and interactive adventures. The scientists were certainly grooving on down to the sound of 1980’s music with a bit of a time travelling film theme. It was the first time I have used my 15mm fish eye lens. It really gives that psychedelic look.

Congratulations Dr John Watson CBE

It was so to nice to see my old pal Dr John Watson after getting his CBE last week at the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh. John, a veteran printing industry entrepreneur, received his CBE from The Princess Royal. He was looking great as he went up to shake hands with the princess. I have known John for many years, first meeting him in his printing base at Dobbies Loan in Glasgow. 

My 2025 Year in Pictures

I thought I would finish my first blog of 2026 with my slide show with some of my favourite photographs of 2025. Please enjoy, it’s me on guitar. I should have recorded it for longer and I could have go more pictures in.