That famous small place called.............Paddock Wood

[ROBERT M.]

Paddock Wood has been in the news a couple of times this past week ............ Firstly announcing who will be appearing at their summer pop/rock concert ............ and today I read about an attempt to halt Britain's first outbreak of an exotic tree killing beetle................the report says local people and businesses near Paddock Wood are being warned their trees may need inspecting................does this have any impact on you Marian ?

[mariana44]

I certainly knew about the concert---headlined by Bob Dylan--but not about the tree killing beetle. We had all our trees cut down over the years-we had about 5,bit I am surrounded by trees--looking beautiful at the moment, with all the blossom---- there are many many trees around here--this is a prolific Apple growing area, and any problems with the trees would be devastating to many of the Farmers around here.

[ROBERT M.]

Here is a report about the beetle

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17577358

[mariana44]

Thanks Robert---the news was apparently in our local paper-but I do not read it--but my friends had heard all about it.

[mariana44]

The latest news about the concert at the Hop Farm is that Sir Bruce Forsyth will also be performing.

Quite honestly , the whole thing sounds a strange mix--I would have thought that anyone going to see Bob Dylan would not be interested in Bruce Forsyth and vice versa.

Although they may not be on the same night-it lasts over 4 days I believe--but some people camp out for the whole time and see every concert.

[Marian]

I read about Sir Brucie appearing in yesterday's paper Marian.

[Marian]

Did you hear Chris on Eggheads mention Paddock Wood yesterday on the 1000 edition programme Marian?
It was one of the branch lines he mentioned, but didn't hear which station it went to.

[mariana44]

I heard part of the Chris Evans show, but did not hear him mention Paddock Wood. The onlY branch line now is the one that goes to Maidstone, stopping at some of the villages on the way--like Yalding, Wateringbury. This was always great "Hopping" country, and the train ride through to Maidstone is just delightful, as it follows the path of the river, but higher than the river, so it is just such a lovely view.

[Marian]

Chris Hughes on Eggheads Marian, the train buff.

[mariana44]

Oh , of course-I had just been writing about Chris Evans !

I have not seen that episode yet-I am about 3 weeks behind .

Maybe I can catch up with that episode tonight--not much else on, that is for sure !!!

[john]

Maybe I can catch up with that episode tonight--not much else on, that is for sure !!!

You are right there Marian, Saturday nights TV is just getting worse..if that is possible.

[mariana44]

I have caught up with "Eggheads" 1000th show--I thought it was a shame that the original 5 were not in the line up.

The Branch line that Chris was talking about, is the line via Hawkhurst--the other side of Tunbridge Wells. It closed apparently in 1961.about 15 years before I moved to Paddock Wood.

[ROBERT M.]

Did you hear Chris on Eggheads mention Paddock Wood yesterday on the 1000 edition programme Marian?

I heard it too Marian.............couldn't believe another mention for Paddock Wood

[mariana44]

It is all happening soon down here-with the hugeley popular "War and Peace" show, plus the open air concert with Bob Dylan and Bruce Forsyth---all at the Hop-Farm , just down the road.

It may interest you to know Robert that around the Hop Farm, was where most of the damage was done , by that insect you read about--and a lot of the vegetation around that area has been cut down, and got rid of.

[ROBERT M.]

Thank's for the update Marian