Rob Davis Home Page

Home is Telford, Shropshire. I am a retired data analyst and database developer. You are welcome to email me but manually remove the extra 'z' from the address. Due to spamming I don't accept email traffic from public email services such as Hotmail, Yahoo, MSN, Gmail etc which do not contain the word zooble in the body or subject line, or unless the sender is on my whitelist.

At last ! We will leave the corrupt and undemocratic EU, gain control of our own country and free ourselves from the threat of being subjected to rules passed by the United States of Europe.

There are two cats in the house;a three-year-old grey puss called Monty and a formerly feral cat who has now decided he prefers the home life. His name tells you all about him - 'Tabby', we think he's also about three years old.

If you like in Shropshire and are interested in forming a Sea Shanty singing band - please let me know! I have a name for it - "Staggers and Jaggs" - from the shanty 'Barratt's Privateers'.

Access 2003 "Record deleted" error - how to fix this problem. If you are struggling with "Tree View" in Access Visual Basic, you can download this demonstration, which should help you get your head round it. You'll need Access 2003 or higher to use it.

Powerpoint CAN play MP4 High Definition (HD) video!

How to obtain and program additional key fobs for NECO remote garage doors, including those supplied by Essati.

Telford and West Midlands weather. BBC News - Shropshire Star News - Google

Links to my own other pages, and sites of interest

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I've lost touch with ...

John Spencer. John and I spent years riding motorcycles together in the early 1980s. At the time, he had a white Suzuki X7 registration XJF84S and his father was well known for ownership of a Vincent Black Shadow.  A very fine rider and a good friend, we both moved house at about the same time and lost touch in the mid 1980s. I wonder if his helmet still tastes of dead sheep? He would be in his late 50s now, and at the time I last saw him, was attached to Karen Stilgoe; but she has since settled away from the Midlands. At the time, she worked for the East Midlands Electricity Board, and her bike was a Honda CB200 Benly. John and I rescued this and other bikes from a garage fire shortly before Christmas 1981; I managed to collect some nasty burns at the time. Both John and Karen were at my wedding to my first wife Fiona in June 1981. Every time I was given an address for John he seemed to have moved out shortly before. He was the only person I actually saw do something impossible. Where are you, John? Let's ride together again.

Other riding companions of that era were Mick and Lorraine Taylor, Paul Folwell and Andy Maggott. Keith Hart was my mentor and friend with Star Rider (the National Motorcycle Training Scheme), but despite many good times together, he has not returned contact.

Steve Thorne / Stephen Thorne. A chum from Waitrose, Evington in the 1973/4 era, Steve moved to North London and then Croydon as his mum (Margaret?) was a solicitor with Croydon Council. They lived in super grand style at Coombe Wood House. This magnificent building had previously been a Childrens' Home and is now the French Restaurant called Le Chateau, or Chateau Napoleon. I stayed with them for some months whilst unsuccessfully job hunting during the famous hot summer of 1976, and we rattled around in this huge building where we virtually had an entire floor each. Steve had a sister Jennifer, and was briefly married to a Chinese girl. He worked as a nurse at Croydon Mayday hospital and was very much into martial arts. Last time I saw him was 1981 when I just missed him as he had paid me an unannounced visit at my flat in Leicester, and I saw him as I passed by on the bus, being unable to attract his attention. After that we both moved house, and lost contact. Did you ever fulfil your dream to get on motorcycles, Steve?

Tony Ratcliffe. A friend from about 1976 to 1980, Tony and I met whilst we both dabbled in politics, attending several meetings in Leicester before deciding that it wasn't really very interesting (and I haven't changed my mind). Tony was often engaged in writing his book on religious history, and I lost touch with him when I moved to Broughton Astley.

What happened to my old school chums Richard Durrant, Pete Woodward (whose father was on the front of the Mastermind box), Philip Deakin, Jennifer Watkins, Mark Weakley, Amanda-Jane Buckland-Large, and so on?  Currannchiebum  … If Richard Durrant reads this, I finally found out who Idley Dan and Susannah the Bollicle Man are!

Do any of the National Westminster Bank staff who volunteered to help handle the deluge of paperwork associated with the launch of Access Cards in late 1972 remember Mariner House, Pepys Street, London EC3?

Any of the vehicles I have owned, or which have featured prominently in my life:-

Austin 1100 FBC300C, Honda CB125s KAY216L, Mini Clubman Estate BRY6K, Honda CD175 RJF944M, Honda CB250G5 PBC910M (this is still in use - who owns it?), Vauxhall Chevette MRY665P, Honda CB400T TRY407S, Honda CG125s TWS555T, Honda CB250N GJF939V, Honda CB400T UUT235S, Honda CX500A FET800V (this is still in use - who owns it? Contact me!), Ford Fiesta ADG374T, Honda VT500 A874FFP, Austin Maestro B243CFL, Fiat Tipo G210URO, Ford Fiesta C698LDM, Ford Fiesta G808DAC, Honda CX500A LUD297W, Honda CX500 Turbo B748MRK, Honda CX500A DUJ63T which I built from scratch in 2004. Dear old Renault 19D L648NRF went for scrap in late 2006. L609FJA followed in 2008. Ford Fiesta 1.25 DS54NBL was part exchanged in March 2015 when it had done 73,000 completely trouble-free miles, and was replaced by - yes- another Fiesta - my 5th such.

Recommendations for Good Service

Holiday Time

Belford, Northumberland

Belford is a good jumping-off spot for Alnwick, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, and such lovely places as Bamburgh with its quite stunning floodlit castle. Here, astonishing and spotlessly clean beaches are the best I have ever seen and are almost completely empty, not only from other visitors, but also from anyone trying to sell or rent you anything. At low tide you can walk for five or six miles along these magnificent beaches and never see another human being. The water comes straight from the North Pole in terms of temperature but we are not ones for anything but paddling. If you like the high life with discos, pubs, and such noisy past-times, avoid Northumberland. For kiss-me-quick entertainment travel a few miles south down the coast to Seahouses. The chip shops here are excellent.

Head instead for Warkworth, Etal, Dunstanburgh and Norham Castles, preferably after you've joined English Heritage. Etal particularly has a fine Walkman tour of the ruins. Lindisfarne Priory is worth a visit, and you can't go without trying the celebrated mead; however check the tide tables first on the causeway approach, or you may find yourself marooned on the island until the next low tide.

One Northumberland delicacy not to be missed is the famous Singing Hinnie, available at café in Belford just to the right of the Salmon Pub.  I won't go into details about this dish but can thoroughly recommend it with jam and a large pot of coffee or tea, ideal for either "elevenses" or a mid-afternoon snack.

Kinlochbervie, Sutherland, Scotland

I just had to visit this remote spot on the north-west Scottish coast after working on a production of Brian Friel's play Faith Healer. Kinlochbervie is a tiny but busy fishing port "as far north as you can go in Scotland" and we found a thoroughly excellent Bed and Breakfast B&B at "Braeside", 01971 521325. The establishment was spotlessly clean, the bedroom was warm and comfortable and we recommend this if you are staying in the area. We didn't quite find "where the baby was buried" but we liked the place nevertheless! The B&B is easy to find - just follow the B road into the village and as you see the school buildings in a small valley on the right, "Braeside" is immediately on the left. If you get as far as the petrol pumps on the right, you've gone too far. We paid £27.50 for a twin bedded room, and the breakfast was as good as the accommodation. (September 2005)

Ofir, Esposende, Portugal

Having spent two weeks at the Hotel Axis Ofir (Google Earth link) on Portugal's Costa Verde in late September/early October 2009, I can recommend this location if you want a quiet holiday at this time of year, when it is free from noise and rowdy youngsters. The hotel is 4 star with attentive and unobtrusive staff, the rooms comfortable and well maintained with aircon, tv and safe, but without kettle and tea/coffee facilities although they do have fridges. Food - buffet style - was well presented and prepared, with inexpensive good quality house wine and other drinks. The pool area is modest but well kept and the amazing miles of sandy, shallowly shelving beaches are literally a stone's throw from the hotel and quite magnificent. A short walk brings you to the adjacent village of Fao from where you can ride the local bus north to picturesque Viana do Castelo or south to Blackpool-like Povoa de Varzim, from where the superb Metro electric tram takes you directly into Porto. I'd be pleased to amplify this information for interested readers. See Youtube and Tripadvisor websites.

Falmouth, Cornwall

We thoroughly recommend the "Poltair" guest house / B&B on Emslie Road, Falmouth; telephone 01326 313158. Website and email address. We have stayed here for five years now during the Falmouth Sea Shanty Festivals, always finding the rooms spotless, comfortable, with tea making facilities (with REAL milk - topped up as required!), ensuite, balcony, DVD/TV, complementary slippers and dressing gowns. The breakfasts were outstandingly good and the service impeccable. See the Tripadvisor site. "Beachcomber" is the recommended room.

Bembridge, Isle of Wight

Whilst moored at Bembridge, Isle of Wight over the August Bank holiday 2010, we had a fantastic "full English" breakfast at Lottie's Cafe on 35 High Street, Bembridge, Isle of Wight, PO35 5SD. The sausage and bacon from a local butcher were particularly tasty.

Otterburn, Northumberland

We enjoyed a very pleasant and comfortable time in October 2011 at the Four Star Butterchurn Guest House in Otterburn, Northumberland.

Unering, Bavaria, Germany

I've spent three summers on my annual motorcycle holiday with bike friends, staying in a rented cottage in the very quiet village of Unering, Bavaria, Germany. This is owned by Dr Karl Neppel (neppel@vr-web.de) and consists of a bedroom with three single beds with ensuite; a twin bed room, kitchen, living room with TV, downstairs toilet and shower room, cellar with Z-Bed and small play area. There is an integral garage and room to park two more bikes alongside the house. The cottage easily sleeps five and would sleep seven if one is content on the Z-bed and another on the living-room sofa. An Aldi is close by.

Unering is midway between Seefeld and Starnberg and between the Ammersee and Starnberger See, 25 miles south-west of Munich which is very easily reached by the most highly efficient public transport - electric train - from Seefeld. It is a good jumping-off- spot for exploring the beautiful Bavarian countryside and if you go southwards for 30 miles you strike the foothills of the Alps, a ride or drive to Innsbruck via Garmisch-Partenkirchen being particularly picturesque. The fairy-tale castles at Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein near Fussen and the adjacent cable ride are memorable visits.

If you would like details of this terrific holiday base please see the recommendation on my Motorcycle Touring page.

Estoril and Cascais, Portugal

We stayed in the Vila Gale hotel at Estoril in October 2012 and found the hotel excellent throughout with friendly English-speaking staff (although we re-learned out 'tourist' Portuguese beforehand). The room on the 7th floor was clean, tidy and very well maintained by the efficient and unobtrusive cleaning staff. Meals were buffet-style with a good selection and we liked the house wines. The only aspect we didn't like was the proximity to the main road, which means quite noisy traffic at morning and late afternoon rush times.

Walk over the road outside the hotel and sample the magnificent cakes and snacks at the Pastellaria Garrett - unmissable! For mid-day snacks or drinks try the Piccadilly bar, a couple of doors down from the hotel.

Estoril itself doesn't have much going for it, although the beaches are excellent. The only place of note is the massive Casino - reputedly the largest in mainland Europe - and worth a walk though, especially if you keep a tight hold on your wallet! The ground floor has wall-to-wall highly complex one-armed bandits and slot machines, which seemed to me to be the equivalent of an airliner flight deck in terms of complexity. But the polished black marble floor reflects the red-squared roof lights in a freaky effect, looking like you're walking over a giant chasm. Quite an experience in itself. The upper floor has the serious stuff; roulette, poker and so on, where you'd need to know exactly what you're doing if you intended to play.

We have also stayed at the Pousada in Cascais, this is a very comfortable hotel located in the old medieval castle.

Lisbon is an easy train or bus ride to the east, but take the 20 minute walk along the attractive sea front or a 5 minute local train journey west to adjacent Cascais, where there is far more to keep you interested. Many museums, bars, restaurants, parks and a huge marina are well worth exploring.

I have uploaded some Panoramio photos here and our Tripadvisor entry is here.

Etoile d'Or Caravan and Camping Site, Taxo d'Avall, Argelès-sur-Mer, France

We stayed in a rented 40-foot static caravan at the end of May 2013 and found the site extremely pleasant. Although there are many hundreds of caravans, each pitch is carefully shielded from its neighbours by high hedges, bushes and trees. There is an excellent onsite bar/restaurant and other facilities such as sauna, hairdresser and shop. Although the pool was closed when we were there (it was rather pre-season) it looked like a fun place and the location is quiet, but close to a good shopping centre with Aldi, Intermarché and fuel. The Pyrenean mountains dominate the skyline and are easily reached in a day's drive along sometimes challenging mountain roads, but have a go because the scenery is stunning. Go into Pas de la Casa in Andorra for tax-free shopping, and explore the coastline south towards Collioure, Banyuls-sur-Mer, Cerbère and Portbou. The castle at Perpignan is worth a visit.

Try the local rosé wine - delicious, and easily obtainable on tap at local wineries or in bottles from Aldi.

Directions to the site : southbound from Perpignan, exit the motorway at Junction 10 and at the first island take the 3rd exit back over the motorway. Another island follows immediately; take the 3rd exit again marked Taxo d'Avall and follow this along two dog-legs. The road then straightens out and has speed bumps; continue to the end of the straight and Etoile d'Or is on the right hand side, clearly signposted.

Shopping : retrace your route back and at the first island take the second exit back over the motorway. At the next island take the first exit and continue towards Argelès, you'll soon see the large shopping precinct on the right. The Intermarché is expensive - use the Aldi on the extreme right edge of the site. The Saturday market at Argelès is also good for shopping.

Fishermans Cottage, Luarca, Astorias, Spain

This delightful cottage is situated 60 miles west of the ferry port at Gijon, and is about 150 miles west of Santander. Luarca is a large fishing village with a harbour and plenty of eateries with extremely cheap, excellent food. The cottage is located at 51 Calle de la Pena, 2/3 of the way up the hillside on a zigzag cobbled road, and consists of a fully equipped kitchen diner with washing machine, microwave etc and an adjacent small wet room; next level is the living room with easy chairs and sofa plus a gravelled terrace affording fine views across the valley towards the distant railway viaducts. Next level is a family bathroom, double room and bunk bed room and on the fourth topmost level is the attic room with twin beds, ideal for kids but adults need a hard hat!

We stayed here in May/June 2014, 2015 and 2016, enjoying superb motorcycle touring around Boal, Tineo and Foz and the marvellous mountain roads, virtually traffic-free. Try the 'Ancomar' terrific cake shop at the bottom of the road and the bar/cafe/restaurants overlooking the town hall square. For details Email the owner, Frances Sutton.

De Montfort University, Leicester

Congratulations to the following fellow students who passed the 1994/5 MScIT Course:- Rob Alleway, Colin Altuccini, Mardizyah Arshad, James Barrett, Andy Binning, Paul Buckler, Ajit Chall, Gi-Wing Cheung, Chris Clayton, Steve Davenport, Lloney Eyole-Monono, Antoine Gresset, Simon Hawkins, Ed Haynes, Simon Hutchinson, Tim Ingall, Richard Jacklin, Richard King, Steph Lewis, Paul Martin, Ashvin Mistry, Tommy Moore, Imtiyaz Mulla, Kaussar Parveen, Robert Sands, Jane Smith, Nigel Turner and Winnie Wu.

Where Are They Now?

News, Links and date of last information

Rob Alleway was until 19-7-2001 working at Aldermaston, for a small Computing Software House. Still doing database work in MS-Access but now more involved in web page design. (July 2001)

Mardizyah (Maritha) Arshad returned to Malaysia, married, and is working as an IT teacher.   She emails sporadically, most recently in January 2013, saying that she has now an 8-year-old adopted daughter. Here is a Google Earth link to the district where she lives. She now has a Facebook page.

James Barrett - news is welcomed.

Andy Binning was IT Manager for a labels manufacturing company in Barwell, Leicestershire. (July 1997)

Paul Buckler says "After the MScIT course I moved to London and worked for a company called Menhir for 9 months then joined Raft International in 1996 as their first employee. I have seen the company grow from nothing to a plc over the last 8 years. I worked in London for 3 years then went to work in India for 18 months, 6 months in Denmark and 6 months in Texas. I got married in 2001 to Vanessa, who I meet at Leicester University and have two sons named Mack and Elliot. I am currently based in London doing sales and project work which is mainly Credit Risk solutions for energy companies. I keep in regular contact with Simon Hutchinson." (Sept 2003)

Bob Butler spent a while in full time in landscape gardening and then worked for an electronics company in Hinckley. Not having been able to complete the dissertation for his MSc, he received the Postgraduate Diploma. He also worked as an NT site engineer, delivering, installing and configuring computers, and moved to Wolverhampton. He was last heard of working as a network technician at Sandwell College, Birmingham. (August 2001).

Ajit Chall worked for a while in Leicester, but now says "I have moved from the stock broking software stuff, got a bit bored with it. So now I am a consultant working for a large consultancy. I am living in London at the moment. As one person put it 'Living Like a rock star, without the sex drugs and rocking roll'. It was good to read about all the other people on the course and where they have got to." (September 2001). He continues "Nothing much to write about. Still in London on the same project. Got in contact with Jane thanks to your web-site. (<Thanks>). I'll probably be off on to another project somewhere else in the country in a few weeks, I'll write then. Have not found out where. Things are good." In October 2004, he adds : "Unfortunately , I have still not made my million and retired, so I am working as software dogsbody. It's fun, but not as much fun as bumming around on a beach." He continues "Would you believe it I was to be in London for a month and two years later I am still here. Looking for a new place to live. Thing are pretty good down here. Haven't seen any one in ages." (October 2002)

GI-Wing Cheung - news is welcomed.

Chris Clayton says "Hi Rob, how’s it going? Thought I’d send you a quick mail to tell you my address has changed. I still regularly look at your site. Been here now for almost 12 years. Still enjoying myself. Kids are now 8 and 6. Bettina is teaching at a vocational school and I’m still working for ECG. Nothing much more to report. Still come to England 3 or 4 times a year, visit my parents and brother in Worcester. I hope you and your family are well. It would be good to see all the guys from the course at some time again. All the best and say hi to anybody I know, Chris" (January 2008)

Steve Davenport - I believe he went to work for Andersen Consulting, but I'm not sure, so news is welcomed.

Rob Davis is now enjoying retirement. Having returned to motorcycling after some years' absence, he now owns two Hondas, a classic 1981 CX500 and a 2003 NT650 Deauville, taking an annual European motorcycle touring holiday and has resumed playing the piano accordion. In summer 2012 he returned to an old hobby of Campanology (church bell ringing, despite being completely nonreligious) and now rings bells all over Shropshire, as well as anywhere else he can find!

Lloney Eyole-Monono (now known as just Lloney Eyole) says "I left Bristol a while ago and worked in Belgium with Alcatel Bell Space for close to two years and returned to this country whence I pursued an MBA with the University of Leeds Business School .... tough it was, yet I came through and graduated in December last year ... I am back in the world of consulting and it's business as usual ... I enclose a picture of my graduation." (Oct 2003)

Antoine Gresset returned to France after finishing the MSc course and started his 2 years' National Service, which would finish in late summer 1997. More news is welcomed.

Simon Hawkins moved to Cramlington in Northumberland where he is now working in the New Media department of a newspaper, designing and developing websites. He is not involved in the design, but writes code in Cold Fusion to create dynamic pages from a database back end.

Ed Haynes works as a civilian IT specialist for the Leicestershire Police Authority (some of the early time was with Chris Clayton).  He and Loretta married on September 9^th 2000, and he acquired a delightful stepdaughter, Marianne. (October 2003). Ed still works for the Police but he an Loretta are now separated (October 2007).

Simon Hutchinson says "Been a long time. Hope you and the family are well. Just wanted to touch base and see how you are. Have moved to Reigate now. Still work in London for Morgan Stanley. The kids are growing up quick. Ellen is 5 1/2 and Flynn is 3 1/2. I still see Paul Buckler from time to time. He is working for Lloyds and has 3 kids, living in Hazelmere." (June 2012)

Tim Ingall worked in Leicester as a senior technical product specialist for Philips business communications part of the Philips electronics group, evaluating new telecommunications management systems and provide technical support to any one in the UK. What he described as a "buck stops here" situation. He and Helen have a daughter Alice, born in September 1996. (April 1999). Tim showed up on Facebook (March 2016) and is living in Cambrideshire, working for the NHS. The cottage at Cressbrook where he, Bob, Steph, Kaussar, Jane and I did our exams cramming has been renovated and sold. I've added some photos taken a few years ago, these are visible on Panoramio and Google Earth.

Richard Jacklin ran an Internet consultancy in Leicester for a while but now works for Unipart in Oxford, as intranet manager. (February 1998)

Richard King - news is welcomed.

Steph Lewis is the mother of Ben (1998) and Charlie (2003). She now has a Facebook page and having taught IT in schools for many years, is now undergoing a major career change (October 2015) and will be married in summer 2017.

Paul Martin says "Here's a bit about myself if you could maybe add to your next site update. The main news at the moment is that I get married to Barbara in September so I'm starting to get nervous about that one. She's from Chicago so there's all the joys of planning for an overseas wedding to experience! From there I'm not sure what we'll end up doing, but I can see us spending at least another couple of years in London. To be honest my job has been pretty much the same since '95 really - I arrived at BNP Paribas through a software house but now contract directly. The job was ideal - working in London for the New York desk and tons of trips out there armed with a company credit card, but sadly 9/11 put an end to all that. I've now switched a similar role on the Tokyo desk where it's pretty quiet as the project reaches 'maturity', though the upside is that I find time to organise a wedding & 5-a-side footie matches within the bank ! Anyway, I'm glad I found your website & look forward to reading your updates in the future." (June 2005).

Ashvin Mistry has also moved back to Leicester after working in Bracknell, and is working in Birmingham. (September 2001)

Tommy Moore - news is welcomed.

Imy Mulla says "It's been ages since I contacted you or looked at your site. We were talking about DMU in the office this morning and I thought I would look the site up again. As someone born and brought up in Leicester, not too thrilled with your statement "We've moved to Telford in summer 1999 after years of living in Leicester - a dreadful place - we don't miss it at all " !! Anyway, an update on me. I now work for Europcar UK Ltd. I am still in Software Architecture. I have 3 children now - Aaliyah (7), Zahra (5) and Yaseen (20 months). They keep me busy and out of trouble and are a real joy (most of the time)! I was thinking it must have been really tough for those of you who did the MSc while juggling a home and family at the same time. I certainly have respect for those of you that managed this. Hope you are well and will mail you again soon. Regards, Imy" (10-Oct-08)

Kaussar Bashir (formerly Parveen) went to London and studied for a PGCE which she passed. She then returned to Leicester and studied at Nottingham University for a PhD, which was cut short by a serious road traffic accident. Kaussar then disappeared for several years, but I was able to contact her in late 2002. Since then, however, she has not kept in touch.

Robert Sands - Since completing the course he's worked for two software houses in the Reading / Berkshire area as a VB analyst programmer, and is currently working for Drake Insurance in Brighton using SQL Server/VB. (Dec 1999)

Jane Smith says "I am still living in NW London, purchased my own property about 5 years ago after selling my half of a Guest House that I owned with my ex in Ruislip, Middlesex. I now live in Hampstead Garden Suburb in NW London. I got married last year (finally!) to Sascha (man not woman!) whom I met on the 102 bus on my way home from work. Well you know I could never do anything conventionally. He's a survivor of the Liberian/Sierra Leone civil war. He's an amazing husband. I was working at Network Rail as an IM Project Manager for a number of years, and after a restructure my position no longer exists, so I am currently looking for a new job. Enjoying being a housewife for now. No kids as yet, and no plans.....but let's see." (July 2010). Jane too has a Facebook page.

Winnie Wu worked for Eurodollar (later, National Car Rental) for a while but then returned to Hong Kong (at a time when most people were leaving there!). (June 1997)

News of the rest of you is very welcome - I will keep this page updated, and add email links, if news is passed to me.

Robert Gibson did not pass the course. Gary Duncanson, having only achieved a pass by consistently cheating, does not deserve to be included in the congratulations.

Thank you for visiting.

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