The lack of accuracy in the calculation of longitude had caused the death of countless sailors. In 1714 Parliament, worried by the loss of British ships and mindful to the military advantage of knowing where one was at sea, offered a £20,000 prize to anyone who could accurately measure longitude. This is the story of John Harrison, a brilliant carpenter, whose timepieces solved the problem that had long defeated the scientists, it was a hard fought victory and Harrison was forced to endure pover find out more...

Flighty upper class Londoner Kitty is desperate to escape her repressive family life and accepts the marriage proposal of uptight Shanghai based bacteriologist Walter. Quickly bored she instigates her husband's hatred by having an affair with promiscuous diplomat Charlie and, as if in revenge, Walter drags her off to work in a mountainous cholera infected province in rural China. Some couples grew apart, some together....highly recommended. find out more...

The Railway Children; an affectionate adaptation of the great children's novel capturing the innocence of childhood and the comfy certainties of a bygone era. Not that their world is boring, they meet a wry bunch of characters, save a train from derailment and harbour a Bolshevik refugee etc. A high nostalgia count. find out more...