Mark Barnes
@markbarnesn16.bsky.social
Retired Fleet Street foot soldier (1975-2024). Ink in my veins. Arsenal fan. Indifferent runner. Life on the Essex Riviera, photography, cars, military history, model making, armour, aviation, other nonsense.
Pinned
An OTD memory from ten years ago when I finished the manuscript of "The Liberation of Europe". It still sells... blimey. This classic glass neg by Bill Tetlow shows 513 PIR (17 AB Div) and 4th Tank Bn Coldstream Guards at Appelhulsen during the assault on Munster. Page 199 of the book.
Further progress with the Emhar Bedford. Weathering is a challenge, remembering that the upper body panels are ply not metal. I've scuffed up the edges and will see what works to show lightly stressed paintwork. The crane looks very nice. #Histscalemodels
February 9, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Further progress with the Emhar Bedford. Weathering is a challenge, remembering that the upper body panels are ply not metal. I've scuffed up the edges and will see what works to show lightly stressed paintwork. The crane looks very nice. #Histscalemodels
Another random photo memory. Broadway Car Spares, Stoke Newington Church Street in 1978 or 1979. I shot this with a Fujica ST705W using Ilford Pan F for reasons unknown all these years later. The shop was an estate agents when I last saw it a few years ago.
February 9, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Another random photo memory. Broadway Car Spares, Stoke Newington Church Street in 1978 or 1979. I shot this with a Fujica ST705W using Ilford Pan F for reasons unknown all these years later. The shop was an estate agents when I last saw it a few years ago.
Reposted by Mark Barnes
The Short Seaford (1944) began life as the Sunderland Mark IV, an improved version of the existing flying boat designed to operate in the Pacific. Though it used many common elements, the aircraft ultimately incorporated so many changes that it was given a new name.
📷 IWM ATP 14556B
🧵1/4
📷 IWM ATP 14556B
🧵1/4
February 8, 2026 at 12:47 PM
The Short Seaford (1944) began life as the Sunderland Mark IV, an improved version of the existing flying boat designed to operate in the Pacific. Though it used many common elements, the aircraft ultimately incorporated so many changes that it was given a new name.
📷 IWM ATP 14556B
🧵1/4
📷 IWM ATP 14556B
🧵1/4
Reposted by Mark Barnes
A real shame if this photo went viral again today.
January 18, 2026 at 8:18 AM
A real shame if this photo went viral again today.
This is hilarious
Well, if it’s 8 February, it must be the 94th anniversary of Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk (a fascist from New Zealand who said he was King of Poland) going on trial for attempting to get into print his poem ‘Here Lies John Penis’ 🧵
February 8, 2026 at 12:49 PM
This is hilarious
Reposted by Mark Barnes
The Miles M.20 resulted from an Air Ministry requirement for a ‘utility fighter’ which could be quickly manufactured. There was a concern, fortunately never realised, that Luftwaffe bombing could cripple aircraft production. The prototype was produced in just 9 weeks.
📷 destinationsjourney.com
🧵1/5
📷 destinationsjourney.com
🧵1/5
February 8, 2026 at 11:19 AM
The Miles M.20 resulted from an Air Ministry requirement for a ‘utility fighter’ which could be quickly manufactured. There was a concern, fortunately never realised, that Luftwaffe bombing could cripple aircraft production. The prototype was produced in just 9 weeks.
📷 destinationsjourney.com
🧵1/5
📷 destinationsjourney.com
🧵1/5
Warren Zevon - Mr Bad Example. A really nice listen with a cup of tea before Match of the Day comes on the telly.
February 7, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Warren Zevon - Mr Bad Example. A really nice listen with a cup of tea before Match of the Day comes on the telly.
Reposted by Mark Barnes
Remembering those who perished on this day in 1958, when a flight carrying Manchester United players, staff and journalists crashed shortly after takeoff in Munich, West Germany.
23 of the 44 people on board lost their lives. The 'Busby Babes' were an exciting young team decimated on that day.
23 of the 44 people on board lost their lives. The 'Busby Babes' were an exciting young team decimated on that day.
Munich air disaster - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
February 6, 2026 at 9:11 AM
Remembering those who perished on this day in 1958, when a flight carrying Manchester United players, staff and journalists crashed shortly after takeoff in Munich, West Germany.
23 of the 44 people on board lost their lives. The 'Busby Babes' were an exciting young team decimated on that day.
23 of the 44 people on board lost their lives. The 'Busby Babes' were an exciting young team decimated on that day.
#Histscalemodels fun continues with the 1/24 scale Emhar Bedford OSB tow truck which has been on ice since October. I've successfully threaded the tow ropes into place and fixed issues with the cab doors. Lots to do yet. This is a lovely kit. I want to do the tanker version next.
February 6, 2026 at 1:29 PM
#Histscalemodels fun continues with the 1/24 scale Emhar Bedford OSB tow truck which has been on ice since October. I've successfully threaded the tow ropes into place and fixed issues with the cab doors. Lots to do yet. This is a lovely kit. I want to do the tanker version next.
A random car moment from February 2017. My Toyota Corolla Verso and a lovely Renault 5 in the car park at Thiepval. It is almost the same colour as my beloved R5. Battlefield tours in France offered plentiful moments to admire cars back then. I didn't see a single R5 on my last two visits in 24/25.
February 4, 2026 at 9:56 PM
A random car moment from February 2017. My Toyota Corolla Verso and a lovely Renault 5 in the car park at Thiepval. It is almost the same colour as my beloved R5. Battlefield tours in France offered plentiful moments to admire cars back then. I didn't see a single R5 on my last two visits in 24/25.
This is hilarious and scary - the entire point, of course.
Ah, Anthropic, the company that pirated four of my books and which should have been sued into bankruptcy.
Anthropic’s Super Bowl ad which criticizes AI chatbots that run ads (aka ChatGPT) just dropped. They aren’t pulling any punches and I love the song choice.
February 4, 2026 at 8:46 PM
This is hilarious and scary - the entire point, of course.
Reposted by Mark Barnes
While I am sorry to hear that the Allied cemeteries in Gaza have been partially demolished by the Israeli military, I am glad to see that the Guardian was able to talk to Essam Jaradah, a former caretaker who was not evacuated to Egypt with the current CWGC staff.
![Essam Jaradah, the graveyard’s former caretaker, whose home is close by, said: “Two bulldozing operations took place at the cemetery. The first bulldozing occurred outside the cemetery walls, extending approximately 12 metres around all sides of the cemetery. These areas were entirely planted with olive trees.
“Later on, an area of slightly less than 1 dunum [1,000 sq metres] was bulldozed inside the cemetery walls, specifically in the corner of the cemetery, which contains graves of Australian soldiers. The bulldozing covered the area from the bench where foreign visitors used to sit up to the memorial monument. Bulldozers also created sand mounds that were used as earth barriers.
“I witnessed this bulldozing after the Israeli army withdrew from the area, around late April or early May.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:b6qa67q2qrr77rcetegdfbfe/bafkreieln52qlwracdv77r757nlsipajgdm2yo4jgnkj7aaduhzvkpe5lu@jpeg)
February 4, 2026 at 2:57 PM
While I am sorry to hear that the Allied cemeteries in Gaza have been partially demolished by the Israeli military, I am glad to see that the Guardian was able to talk to Essam Jaradah, a former caretaker who was not evacuated to Egypt with the current CWGC staff.
Reposted by Mark Barnes
'Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves'
Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
@caitlindeangelis.bsky.social #WW1 #WW2 #WarGraves #Gaza #HeritageAtRisk
Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
@caitlindeangelis.bsky.social #WW1 #WW2 #WarGraves #Gaza #HeritageAtRisk
Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves
Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:39 PM
'Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves'
Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
@caitlindeangelis.bsky.social #WW1 #WW2 #WarGraves #Gaza #HeritageAtRisk
Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims it was forced to take defensive measures
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
@caitlindeangelis.bsky.social #WW1 #WW2 #WarGraves #Gaza #HeritageAtRisk
This is a tragedy for my city, especially for it's young people.
Incandescent. One of the best pieces I've read about what university means to people and their communities - and what will happen to a city and people after one closes. The *Labour* government and Jaqui Smith in particular should be ashamed of themselves and shamed into doing something. Deplorable.
‘If I think about what this means, I want to cry’: what happens when a city loses its university?
When Essex University’s Southend campus opened, it was a message of hope for a ‘left behind’ UK seaside town. Its closure will be felt far beyond its 800 students, some of whom will not get their degr...
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:30 AM
This is a tragedy for my city, especially for it's young people.
Saw this on FB. Nice to see a job done by Jack Barker of The Times during his wartime service with APFU. He went back to Printing House Square after the war. @newsukarchives.bsky.social
February 3, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Saw this on FB. Nice to see a job done by Jack Barker of The Times during his wartime service with APFU. He went back to Printing House Square after the war. @newsukarchives.bsky.social
If there is such a thing as a #ToyotaTuesday, I offer you the angular Twin-Cam-Turbo Group B thug from the 1983 Lombard RAC Rally. Remembering the late great Bjorn Waldegard RIP.
February 3, 2026 at 9:59 AM
If there is such a thing as a #ToyotaTuesday, I offer you the angular Twin-Cam-Turbo Group B thug from the 1983 Lombard RAC Rally. Remembering the late great Bjorn Waldegard RIP.
Poor Burnley. Safe to say they were muscled out of that encounter with a Sunderland team who did not waste their chances.
February 2, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Poor Burnley. Safe to say they were muscled out of that encounter with a Sunderland team who did not waste their chances.
A few more pix of the Valkyrie...just before a wing fell off and the weapons stores broke off 🙄... #scalemodels #Warhammer
February 2, 2026 at 12:54 PM
A few more pix of the Valkyrie...just before a wing fell off and the weapons stores broke off 🙄... #scalemodels #Warhammer
I love this. His piano playing was pure genius.
Made in Manchester: comedian Les Dawson (1931-93), a bricklayer’s son from Collyhurst who grew up in poverty, became known for his curmudgeonly persona and jokes about his mother-in-law and wife. 1/7
February 2, 2026 at 8:48 AM
I love this. His piano playing was pure genius.
Reposted by Mark Barnes
The Supermarine Spiteful (1944/45) resulted from attempts to improve the high-speed handling and performance of the Spitfire as engine power increased. It used a straight-edged laminar flow wing, which featured four 20mm cannon and an inward-retracting wide track undercarriage.
📷 RAF Museum
🧵1/6
📷 RAF Museum
🧵1/6
February 1, 2026 at 11:25 AM
The Supermarine Spiteful (1944/45) resulted from attempts to improve the high-speed handling and performance of the Spitfire as engine power increased. It used a straight-edged laminar flow wing, which featured four 20mm cannon and an inward-retracting wide track undercarriage.
📷 RAF Museum
🧵1/6
📷 RAF Museum
🧵1/6
The too big for it's own boots up-gunned #Warhammer Valkyrie is done. Happily it breaks down into sections for storage. Yep, those are Swedish markings. Its all for fun after all. Its a nice kit overall , with a few niggles. The door guns are fun and the stores look mean. Happy days. #scalemodels
February 1, 2026 at 12:58 PM
The too big for it's own boots up-gunned #Warhammer Valkyrie is done. Happily it breaks down into sections for storage. Yep, those are Swedish markings. Its all for fun after all. Its a nice kit overall , with a few niggles. The door guns are fun and the stores look mean. Happy days. #scalemodels
Fun times being one of 871 hardy souls watching Billericay Town beating Lewes 3-0 in the Isthmian Premier League. Not so happy I missed two of the goals due to distractions. That's football. Billericay stay 7th in the table.
February 1, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Fun times being one of 871 hardy souls watching Billericay Town beating Lewes 3-0 in the Isthmian Premier League. Not so happy I missed two of the goals due to distractions. That's football. Billericay stay 7th in the table.
Not sure the BBC would play this, unless there's a new Kid Rock effort they can play for the sake of balance.
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
January 30, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Not sure the BBC would play this, unless there's a new Kid Rock effort they can play for the sake of balance.
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#OnThisDay 29 January 1945 tankers of the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique (5e Division Blindée) with a captured Panther tank dubbed "Kayserberg", the name of the Alsatian village where it was captured.
#WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #Tank #Armor #France #Germany #Panzer #Alsace
#WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #Tank #Armor #France #Germany #Panzer #Alsace
January 29, 2026 at 9:34 PM
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One for Neil @ngautoart.bsky.social ... I'm loving his 037 artwork and its in good company with a treasured souvenir of great times in 1984.
January 29, 2026 at 1:54 PM
One for Neil @ngautoart.bsky.social ... I'm loving his 037 artwork and its in good company with a treasured souvenir of great times in 1984.