Grafton saxophone

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The Design

Designed by Hector Sommaruga, an Italian living in London, the saxophone was named after "Grafton Way", his address during the late 1940s. The basic saxophone design was patented in late 1945. Creation of the first non-working prototype took place in 1946, and commercial production commenced in 1950. The selling price of the Grafton was 55 i.e. approximately half the cost of a conventional brass saxophone. Contemporary marketing literature described the Grafton as a "Tone poem in ivory and gold". The decision to make it mainly from acrylic glass like perspex was motivated not by a belief in any special acoustic qualities, but simply because of its much lower cost and ease of production. The serial number on a Grafton appears in an unusual location: it is stamped onto the main body of the saxophone (and highlighted in black) at the front, approximately 2 cms above the front F key which is operated by the player's left hand. Serial numbers run to a maximum of five digits. Serial numbers running up to at least 13,571 are known to exist.

Grafton saxophones have a very distinctive appearance due to their 1950s Italian style. The mechanical action of Graftons has an unusual "spongy" feel to it, without the quick, "snappy", positive feel of other more conventional saxophone actions. The plastic technology used in the Grafton dates from the late 1940s and is therefore nowhere near as robust as the injection moulded plastics used in the 21st century. belly punching

Fragility portable soccer goal

The basic problem with Grafton saxophones is that they are brittle. As a result, component parts can easily crack, fracture or snap off during normal use. Not only do Graftons use a non-standard spring mechanism to operate the action, but spare parts are unavailable. Not surprisingly, Graftons are challenging to overhaul and repair when compared to saxophones made entirely of metal e.g. Selmer or Conn. For these reasons, and their comparative rarity, it is unusual to see a Grafton being played by performers in the 21st century. As a general rule, Graftons are now regarded purely as collectors' items i.e. for display purposes only. This is because they are fragile and very easy to damage, which detracts from their monetary value. kid punching bag

Notable players

Charlie Parker

The most notable player of a Grafton saxophone was Charlie Parker. While in Toronto, Charlie Parker and he quintet were scheduled to perform at Massey Hall, but Parker had pawned his saxophone - some sources say to buy heroin. A sales representative for Grafton (or the owner of the company, depending upon from whom one receives the story) asked Parker to use a Grafton for a Massey Hall gig in May 1953. Although Parker was under exclusive contract to use only one type of saxophone whilst gigging in the United States, outside the U.S.A. he was free to use any sax he wished, including this Grafton. The recording of Parker (credited as Charlie Chan due to contract issues) can be heard on the CD "Jazz at Massey Hall" with Bud Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus and Max Roach. The Grafton saxophone that Parker used (serial number 10265) was sold at the Christie's auction house in London in September 1994 for 93,500 sterling, though this was because of its association with a famous jazz musician rather than the instrument itself having any special merit. The buyer was the American Jazz Museum, located in Parker's home town of Kansas City, Missouri.

John Dankworth

English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist John Dankworth was an early endorser. The Grafton company provided him with two altos, specially customised to his requirements. During the Festival of Britain in 1951, the "John Dankworth Seven" (with Dankworth playing a Grafton) performed at the newly-opened Royal Festival Hall in London.

Ornette Coleman

Ornette Coleman used to play a Grafton (that he purchased in 1954) originally because it was the cheapest saxophone he could replace his first tenor with after it was broken. In the late fifties and early sixties, Coleman was sometimes known as "the man with the plastic horn". However, Coleman subsequently replaced his Grafton with a white-lacquered Selmer alto instead.

Legacy

As of 2010 there are no manufacturers of plastic saxophones, with the exception of Vibratosax. It would be very difficult to predict the tonal qualities of a modern plastic saxophone without first making a prototype and testing it. However, it is certain that a plastic saxophone made in the 21st Century would be much more robust than the Grafton. This is because plastics technology has advanced significantly since the 1950s. Superior polymers now exist which are much more durable, not to mention the possibility of using carbon fibre composites (or even Kevlar/Twaron) for component parts requiring extra strength.

External links

Review of the Grafton alto saxophone

Additional information regarding the Grafton

Video of Charlie Parker's Grafton saxophone at Christie's auction house - (played by Peter King)

Video of Loren Pickford playing a Grafton saxophone

Video of Gerald Dunn playing a Grafton saxophone

Video #1 of Grafton saxophone repair process

Video #2 of Grafton saxophone repair process

References

^ http://www.saxpics.com/?v=gal&a=1075

^ http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2007/06/18/coleman-ornette-collapse.html?ref=rss

^ http://www.jazzhouse.org/vote/pho7/Abbott.jpg

Categories: Saxophones

PC

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Ultima VII

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Gameplay

Game system

The character paper dolls and inventory management in Serpent Isle. All containers in this case, character backpacks and a drawer in the room - can be opened and items can be moved or equipped by dragging and dropping. (Exult screenshot) stainless steel solar garden light

Ultima VII introduced major changes in the Ultima series. The most important change is that, as far as the player is concerned, the world is no longer tile- and grid-based; tiles are still used internally (in a largely improved way where the tiles themselves are smaller and frequently grouped), but they no longer affect character and monster movement or the item placement the same way. The maps are also more visibly multi-layered, and objects and things can be stacked on top of each other. This can also affect movement, and be part of puzzles; some places are inaccessible unless the player stacks items to form stairs. hydroponic grow lights

The game is the first in the series that is entirely mouse-driven, with optional keyboard hotkeys for some common actions. This is in contrast to earlier parts that were entirely keyboard-driven, and to Ultima VI which supplemented keyboard commands with on-screen command icons. While in Ultima VI, the player has to specifically use a "move" command to move an item from place to place, or "drop" to drop it on the ground, in Ultima VII, items are simply dragged and dropped in their desired locations. While the game could be played entirely with a keyboard, doing so is very difficult, and in-game characters would recommend the player use a mouse. oil lamp burner

Ultima VII introduces "gumps", on-screen representations of containers, later also used in Ultima VIII and IX. For example, clicking on a drawer or backpack will show the contents of the container on screen, allowing the items within arranged freely with the mouse. Gumps are also used for books, scrolls, the spellbook, the status display, maps, and character equipment management; double-clicking on the Avatar opens his or her inventory, after which the inventories of other party characters can be opened by double-clicking them in turn. In Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle, the inventory view uses a paper doll concept: equipping items will change the character inventory display to show the worn or held items in place.

Another major change is that the game is now completely real-time, and only pauses when the inventory, the menu, or a dialogue is open, significantly affecting combat. The combat system was changed accordingly: every party character is controlled by artificial intelligence (AI), and the desired behavior can be chosen for each character (for example, stronger characters can be ordered to attack the big monsters, while weakened characters can be ordered to flee), and there is also the option to choose manual control for the Avatar. Even when the combat is real-time and AI-controlled, using items is still possible; for example, the game pauses while the player picks and uses the item from the backpack. The AI is not perfect, but it saves the player the need to micromanage up to eight different characters in battle.

Dialogue in Ultima VII. (Exult screenshot)

Ultima VII: The Black Gate is the first game in the mainline Ultima series to use dialogue trees. The first trilogy only allowed simple interaction while the second trilogy used a keyword-based dialogue. Ultima VII retains the old keywords themselves, but uses a dialogue tree where dialogue options are picked with a mouse rather than entered on keyboard; previously, the players had to learn a keyword from other dialogues, which allowed the player, if so desired, to find out the keyword from other sources (such as walkthroughs). Now, the keywords only appear when they are actually learned beforehand in the game due to the plot. (For example, "thief caught" dialogue option won't actually appear until a thief is actually caught.) The game also features a lot more dialogue than the previous parts; most of the characters have extensive dialogues.

Game world

The gameworld of both games is renowned for its interactivity: virtually everything not nailed to the ground can be moved, taken, or interacted with in some fashion. It is possible, for instance, to bake bread, to forge weapons, to milk cows, to play musical instruments, and even to change a baby's swaddling. The Avatar and his companions will complain of hunger pains and severe thirst, and will even die if these matters are not attended to eventually. If they come across a disgusting or gruesome scene, they may groan and vomit; strong alcoholic beverages can also induce vomiting.

Both parts of Ultima VII allow free exploration of the game world, featuring a main plot and several other major subquests and tasks for the player to complete. Ultima VII: The Black Gate is a relatively open-ended game where following the main plot is less integral to the play, while Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle is stricter when it comes to the plot, is more quest-oriented and only becomes open-ended toward the end of the game. The Black Gate is highly nonlinear; although there is a linear storyline, this is countered by the ability to explore the map in any order when coupled with the many sub-quests, including one that parodies Star Trek: the Next Generation

Ultima VII features less emphasis on behaving 'virtuously' than other installments in the Ultima series. The Avatar can steal and murder to his or her heart's content, without making the game impossible to finish. However, the game simulated a society that sticks to some of the virtues: the NPCs either the party members or the people of Britannia react to killings of innocents and stealing whenever they became aware of it; party members may leave the group if they witness too much bloodshed and larceny and will refuse to join the party until the player redeems his- or herself. Also, in The Black Gate, the Guardian sometimes mocks the player when he commits a criminal act.

In Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle, however, not even the companions take issue with theft or murder - the only punishment for such behavior is if characters outside the party witness it. As the world of Serpent Isle does not emphasize the virtues the way Britannia does, guards will sometimes ask for bribes from the Avatar if the player is caught stealing or murdering; bribing the guards was last possible in the game Ultima III.

The Black Gate features a deed system, where the Avatar must purchase and carry a title to any horse-and-carriage or ship that he or she wishes to board. The Serpent Isle does not have this deed system; instead ships, barges, and the Serpent Gates are all triggered by the plot.

Part One: The Black Gate

Ultima VII: The Black Gate (1992) is the first part of the game.

Plot

The game begins with what appears to be the game introduction on the Avatar's own computer screen. Suddenly, the screen is filled with static, and a red creature who calls himself The Guardian proclaims:

Avatar! Know that Britannia has entered into a new age of enlightenment! Know that the time has finally come for the one true Lord of Britannia to take His place at the head of His people! Under my guidance, Britannia will flourish. And all the people shall rejoice and pay homage to their new... Guardian! Know that you, too, shall kneel before me, Avatar. You, too, shall soon acknowledge my authority - for I shall be your companion... your provider... and your master!

The Orb of the Moons glows, and the Avatar finds that a red moongate has appeared behind the house. The Avatar thus returns to Britannia through the moongate, and arrives in Trinsic, where he meets Iolo. Iolo tells him that two centuries have passed since he left. The whole town is shocked due to a ritualistic murder that occurred the preceding night - the body of the blacksmith Christopher was found in the stable. Finnigan, Mayor of Trinsic, asks the Avatar to investigate the incident.

In Trinsic, the Avatar gets to meet several members of a new religious organization called the Fellowship. Eventually, in Britain, he meets Batlin, one of the founders of the Fellowship. He also meets Lord British, who urges the Avatar to join the Fellowship, which, according to him, has done a lot of good things. It also turns out most of the mages of the realm have gone completely insane without any good explanation, and their magic doesn't work as it should.

Most of the game is composed of the Avatar's investigation of the Fellowship and the Trinsic murders. During the game, the Avatar finds more and more clues that implicate the Fellowship in shady dealings; more murders appear on the way, and the Avatar himself goes undercover by entering the Fellowship. His quest takes him to most of the cities and towns of Britannia, including Minoc, a destroyed Skara Brae run by a liche, Yew, Moonglow and Bucaneer's Den.

The Avatar eventually learns of an astronomical alignment of importance that is supposed to happen very soon, and about the three evil Generators that the Guardian has created, which have been causing most of the problems of the land. After destroying them, he and his companions follow several leads to the Isle of Avatar, where members of the Fellowship are waiting. The Fellowship has fashioned a black moongate out of blackrock on this island to allow the Guardian to enter Britannia when the astronomical alignment happens.

The Avatar confronts the Fellowship members and defeats them. As the astronomical alignment begins and the Guardian starts to loom behind the moongate, the Avatar destroys the gate just in time, preventing the Guardian from entering Britannia. As the moongates had been rendered useless by the destruction of one of the generators, the Avatar has to remain in Britannia, with no means to return to Earth.

Development

Elements of Ultima VII are inspired by game creator Origin Systems' conflicts with competitor (and later owner) Electronic Arts. Origin Systems' corporate slogan was 'We Create Worlds', while the main antagonist of the story - The Guardian - is presented as a 'Destroyer of Worlds'. The three evil 'Generators' created by The Guardian in the game took the physical shapes of the contemporary Electronic Arts Logo: a cube, a sphere, and a tetrahedron. Elizabeth and Abraham, two apparently benevolent characters who later turn out to be murderers, have the initials "E" and "A".

The Black Gate was released in English, German, French and Spanish.

Reception

The first release of the game pre-dates the ESRB, and as such, was not rated by them. The game credits do include the warning "Voluntarily rated MP-13 (For Mature Players)". The game credits have been made to look as movie-like as possible, with all of the standard disclaimers and elements found in movie end credits. The credits, notoriously, also included the mention that a soundtrack CD is available from Origin, while it actually wasn't until 1993 (as Origin Soundtrack Series volume 2); Ultima VII Part 2: Serpent Isle credits actually said "Soundtrack CD NOT available from Origin, so don't ask!"

Ultima VII: The Black Gate and Forge of Virtue were reviewed in 1993 in Dragon #191 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.

When it was later released on CD as the Complete Ultima VII it was rated T for Teen by the ESRB for "Animated Blood and Gore, Animated Violence".

Forge of Virtue expansion

Box cover for Ultima VII: Forge of Virtue expansion, depicting The Black Sword

Forge of Virtue was an expansion pack that adds a quest to Ultima VII in which the Avatar must pass a series of tests to revalidate himself in the three principles of Truth, Love, and Courage, and destroy the last remnants of Exodus.

With the expansion, an earthquake takes place at the beginning of the game. After speaking to Lord British about the tremors, the player will be given free use of a ship called The Golden Ankh, and can visit the Isle of Fire to begin the expansion subquests. The Isle of Fire was previously the site of Castle Exodus in Ultima III, and reappears only during this game.

The main plot of the subquests involves destroying the Dark Core, which contains the last remnants of Exodus. In order to do so, the Avatar must obtain three talismans of Truth, Love and Courage, by passing their respective tests. The concave and convex lenses from Ultima VI are also required to complete the quest.

The player is rewarded with a powerful weapon, The Black Sword, during the test of Courage. The Avatar also gains maximum strength, intelligence, and dexterity in the course of the tests, and after completing the quest, Lord British grants the player double strength on top of that. The Golden Ankh contains many extra supplies and the Avatar can use it for the rest of the game, making it unnecessary to purchase deeds from shipwrights.

In later releases of Ultima VII, this add-on was always included.

Part Two: Serpent Isle

Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle

Developer(s)

Origin Systems

Publisher(s)

Origin Systems

Designer(s)

Warren Spector, Richard Garriott

Engine

Ultima VII Engine

Platform(s)

DOS and others through Exult

Release date(s)

1993

Genre(s)

RPG

Mode(s)

Single Player

Rating(s)

ESRB: T (13+)

USK: 12+

Media

5.25" and 3.5" floppies; later releases on CD-ROM

Input methods

Keyboard and Mouse

Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle was released in 1993. While the Avatar destroys the Black Moongate that the Guardian was coming through, Batlin flees to Serpent Isle. The Warriors of Destiny pursue the rogue fanatic and find a strange land that has many very different customs than Britannia: a large, icy island, only lately recolonized by men, with many remains of an ancient culture where serpents played a central role.

This is the first game in the series to take place outside Britannia as it has been known since Ultima III. It is also more linear than the earlier parts unlike the earlier games where the order in which quests were completed was of little concern, the new approach makes it possible to give the game a more carefully plotted storyline, while at the same time somewhat limiting the player's choice. Additionally there are few optional sub-quests; every objective somehow ties into the main quest.

Serpent Isle is the same location as the Lands of Danger and Despair, originally featured in Ultima I. As the character of Shamino was a lord here in Ultima I, more of his backstory is presented, and part of the game involves visiting his old castle.

Since most of the game's code was recycled from The Black Gate, it was decided not to call it Ultima VIII; Richard Garriott had stated in interviews around 1988 that no two Ultimas shared the same source code, unlike the then-competing The Bard's Tale series, and he may have felt bound by this statement.

The Silver Seed expansion

The Silver Seed expansion adds the Silver Seed story arc to the game, in which the party visits a subterranean keep in the ancient civilization of Serpent Isle (centuries in the past, during the war between the two sects of Ophidians). The Avatar is given an amulet by the Xenkan Monks when he or she first visits Monk Isle (either by death or by physically going there), and after using this amulet at one of the Serpent Gates, the subquest begins.

Powerful magic items, including a keyring, a ring of unlimited reagents, and an enchanted belt can be found in this area and in nearby dungeons. In later releases of the game, the expansion pack was included, and both games and expansions were released as The Complete Ultima VII.

The Silver Seed expansion was not properly finished due to a rushed release by Electronic Arts; the story told in the expansion does not properly conclude, nor does it seem to 'connect' with the larger plot of Serpent Isle outside of a few incidental 'framing' elements.

Versions and releases

The various parts of Ultima VII have been published in at least the following forms:

Ultima VII: The Black Gate (1992) The original release, available on 5.25" and 3.5" floppies.

Ultima VII: Forge of Virtue (1992) The original release, available on 5.25" and 3.5" floppies.

Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle (1993) The original release, available on 5.25" and 3.5" floppies.

Ultima VII Part Two: The Silver Seed (1993) The original release, available on 5.25" and 3.5" floppies.

Ultima VII: Complete Edition (1993) Has both games and both expansion disks, available on 3.5" floppies only.

The Complete Ultima VII (1994) Has both games and both expansion disks, on CD-ROM.

Electronic Arts CD-ROM Classics: The Complete Ultima VII (1994) Budget release that has both games and both expansion disks, on CD-ROM. Aside of a brief installation and quick-start guide, no printed documentation or trinkets; all documentation is on CD-ROM in PDF format.

Ultima: The Black Gate (1994) The original SNES version.

Electronic Arts CD-ROM Classics: The Complete Ultima VII: Gold Edition (1996) Same as the 1994 release, but with gold-edged box.

In addition, it has been published as part of collections:

Origin Top Ten Pack Includes Ultima VII: The Black Gate. (pre EA buyout)

EA Compilation, bundled with some Creative Labs sound cards.

Ultima Collection (1996) Contains all cardinal Ultima games between Ultima I and Ultima VIII, and also Akalabeth.

Super Nintendo version

FCI / Pony Canyon published the SNES version of Ultima VII, simply titled Ultima: The Black Gate, which was created by a small team inside Origin Systems.

This version was largely different from original since the PC version of the game was a then-huge twenty megabytes, yet this translation could use only one megabyte of memory for all of the game data and program. The maps and many usable items and plotlines had to be redesigned from scratch, and the game program had to be rewritten entirely in assembly language.

The game was largely real-time action, similar to The Legend of Zelda series. The 'party' system was scrapped; instead, the Avatar journeyed alone. Also, the story was largely changed due to Nintendo of America's censorship policies at the time: instead of murders, the Avatar is asked to investigate kidnappings.

PSP version

In August 2006, GameSpot reported that Electronic Arts would be porting Ultima: The Black Gate (the SNES version of Ultima VII) to the PlayStation Portable as part of EA Replay. It was released in the United States on November 14, 2006.

Compatibility with modern systems and fan projects

This section does not cite any references or sources.

Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2009)

Both parts of Ultima VII used a non-standard DOS memory management extension called Voodoo Memory Manager. This was not a typical DOS extender; therefore, Windows 95 and later are completely incompatible with the game in its original form, unless rebooted into DOS mode. The game can be run with fan-made patches in modern operating systems. The game is also playable in x86 DOS emulators such as DOSBox.

Exult is a cross-platform recreation of the Ultima VII engine, which allows the game to be played on modern machines and across different operating systems. Exult's array of tools have enabled fans to take the game apart and modify it. It has enabled several fan translation projects. Exult contributors have also expanded the game by enabling Serpent Isle paper doll graphics in Black Gate, and fixed some of the bugs and design flaws found in Serpent Isle, which were originally left in due to the rushed release. There are some features of the original game still to be implemented (for example, the way NPCs interact with the game world is not fully recreated) and some extra features added by the Exult team.

There have been a few projects to make Ultima VII fan remakes in other game engines, but so far the majority of these projects have not been successful.

See also

Usecode

References

^ Garriott, Richard. "Tabula Rasa: Questions and Answers". NCSoft. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/tabularasa/news.html?sid=6143760. Retrieved 2006-11-05. 

^ Garriott, Richard. "Tabula Rasa Team Bios: Richard Garriott". NCSoft. http://www.playtr.com/team/team_bios.html#biosTop. Retrieved 2006-10-02. 

^ MobyGames, , Retrieved December 7, 2009.

^ MobyGames, , Retrieved December 7, 2009.

^ GameSpy, , Retrieved December 7, 2009.

^ MobyGames, , Retrieved December 7, 2009.

^ The Trivial ULTIMA, Old Trivia Answers, Retrieved 29 October 2006.

^ For clarity, it should be noted that the Avatar character can be of either gender.

^ The Escapist: Issue 14, The Conquest of Origin, Retrieved 19 July 2007.

^ Underworld Dragon. "Audio". Collectible Ultima. http://www.notableultima.com/collectibles/Audio.html. Retrieved 2006-10-02. 

^ Lesser, Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk (March 1993). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (191): 57-62. 

^ MobyGames: Ultima VII: Part Two - Serpent Isle, , Retrieved 18 December 2009.

^ MobyGames: Ultima VII: Part Two - Serpent Isle, , Retrieved 18 December 2009.

^ Underworld Dragon. "Ultima VII". Collectible Ultima. http://www.notableultima.com/collectibles/Title_U7.html. Retrieved 2007-05-25. 

^ Sinclair, Brendan (2006-08-31). "EA confirms retro Replay". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6156902.html. Retrieved 2007-08-25. 

External links

Ultima VII and Ultima VII Part Two on Origin/EA's Ultima Web Archive

The Conquest of Origin Background information on the Origin Systems / Electronic Arts conflict and takeover.

v  d  e

Ultima series

Main series

I  II  III  IV  V  VI  VII  VIII  IX

Worlds of Ultima

The Savage Empire  Martian Dreams

Ultima Underworld

The Stygian Abyss  Labyrinth of Worlds

Other games

Akalabeth  Escape from Mt. Drash  Ultima Online  Ultima V: Lazarus

Cancelled games

Ultima Worlds Online: Origin  Ultima X: Odyssey

Developers

Chuck Bueche  Dr. Cat  Richard Garriott  Herman Miller  Warren Spector  David R. Watson

Characters

Avatar  Companions of Avatar  Lord British  Lord Blackthorn  Mondain  General list

Locations

Britannia  Britannia Manor  Worlds of Ultima Online

Other topics

Exult  Usecode  Virtues

Categories: 1992 video games | 1993 video games | DOS games | Open world video games | Role-playing video games | Super Nintendo Entertainment System games | Ultima | Video game sequels | Video games with expansion packs | Video games with oblique graphicsHidden categories: Articles needing additional references from August 2009 | All articles needing additional references

Guigal

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History

Guigal was established in 1946 by tienne Guigal, who had worked for Vidal Fleury for 15 years before setting up his own business. It has been managed by his son Marcel Guigal since 1961. In 1984, Guigal bought Vidal Fleury but continues to operate it as a separate business. In 2000, Guigal bought and absorbed two other wineries: the estate Jean-Louis Grippat in Saint-Joseph and the Domaine de Vallouit, with vineyard holdings in Cte-Rtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage, which added some high-end vineyards in other appellations to the Guigal range. In 2006 the Domaine de Bonserine was purchased by Guigal. In recent years, Marcel's son Philippe Guigal has been active as a winemaker at Guigal.

Guigal, under Marcel Guigal, came to international fame in the early- to mid-1980s when Robert M. Parker, Jr. followed by other wine critics heaped praise on Guigal's top Cte-Rtie wines, in particular the three single vineyard wines La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque. Parker comments that "In the past 26 years I have spent visiting wineries and vignerons, I have never seen a producer so fanatical about quality as Marcel Guigal." This attention contributed to the Rhne wines' improved international fame in general, and in particular led Cte-Rtie to be seen more on par with Hermitage than in previous times. This also meant that the top Cte-Rtie wines increased in price to reach and later follow and sometimes surpass that of the top Hermitage wines. In 2006 Marcel Guigal was awarded the Decanter Man of the Year award for his contribution and dedication to the Rhne. dog feeding station

Wines and vineyard holdings natural dog shampoo

Four bottles of Guigal wine showing the different label designs. The two bottles on the left carry the standard Guigal label and the two bottles on the right are high-end wines with individual label designs. pet stroller carrier

Guigal produces a wide range of wine of all colours from both northern and southern Rhne appellations. These wines are sold under the appellation's name with similar-looking wine labels across the range.

The high-end wines, on the other hand, have individual labels of very varying design and mostly carry vineyard designations, sometimes an official lieu-dit and sometimes Guigal's own designation. These wines are only produced from Guigal's own vineyards.

Guigals total vineyard holdings is slightly over 45 hectares (110 acres), of which around half is in Cte-Rtie.

Of the 25,000 cases of wine typically made in the Condrieu appellation each vintage, around 45% is produced by Guigal.

Cte-Rtie wines

The Cte-Rtie wines, for which Guigal is most famous, are produced on three quality levels:

Brune et Blonde de Guigal (previously known as just Brune et Blonde), the basic Cte-Rtie carrying the names of the Cte Brune and Cte Blonde parts of the appellation, and featuring a standard Guigal label. Typically a blend of 4% Viognier and 96% Syrah.

Chteau d'Ampuis, a blend of six vineyards of Cte Brune and Cte Blonde, and priced between the Brune et Blonde and the vineyard-designated wines. Typically a blend of 7% Vigonier and 93% Syrah. Produced since the 1995 vintage, it is named after the 11th century fort and historical monument in Ampuis that was purchased in 1995, restored and setup as Guigal headquarters.

La Landonne, a vineyard-designated wine made from 100% Syrah, and therefore often the most tannic of the three top wines. Produced since the 1978 vintage.

La Mouline, a vineyard-designated wine from a parcel inside the lieu-dit Cte Blonde. Typically a blend of 11% Vigonier and 89% Syrah and therefore often the most floral of three top wines.

La Turque, a vineyard-designated wine from a parcel inside the lieu-dit Cte Brune. Typically a blend of 7% Vigonier and 93% Syrah and often described as intermediate between La Landonne and La Mouline in style.

For the vineyard Cte-Rties, Guigal has received more 100 point ratings by Robert M. Parker than any other single wine producer. As of 2009, this meant 21 wines, consisting of seven vintages of La Landonne (1985-2005), nine vintages of La Mouline (1976-2005), and five vintages of La Turque (1985-2005).

Other high-end wines

Condrieu La Doriane, from the three lieux-dits Cte Chatillon, Colombier and Coteau de Chry.

Condrieu Luminiscence, a sweet Condrieu only produced in some vintages.

Ermitage Ex Voto red, from old vines in the four lieux-dits Bessards, Greffieux, Murands and Hermite. 100% Syrah. Produced since the 2000 vintage.

Ermitage Ex Voto white, from old vines in the two lieux-dits Murets (90% of the wine) and Hermite (10% of the wine). Typically a blend of 90% Marsanne and 10% Roussanne. Produced since the 2001 vintage.

Saint-Joseph Lieu-dit Saint-Joseph red. 100% Syrah.

Saint-Joseph Lieu-dit Saint-Joseph white. Typically a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne.

Saint-Joseph Vignes de l'Hospice red. Produced from a formerly church-owned vineyard that was divided between the two estates of Grippat and Vallouit before it was bought by Guigal. 100% Syrah. Produced since the 1999 vintage and priced higher than the Lieu-dit Saint-Joseph wine.

References

^ a b c d e Jancis Robinson, ed (2006). "Guigal". Oxford Companion to Wine (Third Edition ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 336. ISBN 0-19-860990-6. 

^ WineAnorak - Spotlight on Cte Rtie

^ a b c Parker, Robert (2005). The World's Greatest Wine Estates. Simon & Schuster. pp. 361. ISBN 978-0-7432-3771-0. 

^ a b J. Molesworth "Guigal Sets Price Record for Rhne" Wine Spectator, Feb 8th, 2007

^ Wine Spectator - E. Guigal Buys Neighboring Domaine de Bonserine

^ Guigal: The Estate, accessed on January 6, 2010

^ Jancis Robinson - News from Ampuis

^ Guigal: The Vineyard, accessed on January 6, 2010

^ Guigal: The Wines - Cte-Rtie Brune et Blonde de Guigal, accessed on January 6, 2010

^ Jefford, Andrew (2006). The New France. Mitchell Beazley. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-84533-000-2. 

^ Guigal: The Wines - Cte-Rtie "Chteau d'Ampuis", accessed on January 6, 2010

^ Syrah du Monde - Chateau of Ampuis

^ Guigal: The Estate - Page 3

^ Guigal: The Wines - La Landonne, accessed on January 6, 2010

^ Guigal: The Wines - La Mouline, accessed on January 6, 2010

^ Guigal: The Wines - La Turque, accessed on January 6, 2010

^ eRobertParker, accessed on January 6, 2009

^ Guigal: The Wines - Condrieu - "La Doriane", accessed on January 6, 2009

^ Guigal: The Wines - Condrieu - "Luminiscence", accessed on January 6, 2009

^ Guigal: The Wines - Ermitage red - "Ex-Voto", accessed on January 6, 2009

^ Guigal: The Wines - Ermitage white - "Ex-Voto", accessed on January 6, 2009

^ Guigal: The Wines - Saint-Joseph red - "Lieu dit Saint-Joseph", accessed on January 6, 2009

^ Guigal: The Wines - Saint-Joseph white - "Lieu dit Saint-Joseph", accessed on January 6, 2009

^ Guigal: The Wines - Saint-Joseph red - "Vignes de l'Hospice", accessed on January 6, 2009

External links

Official website

Categories: Wineries of France

London Fire Brigade equipment

China Suppliers


Dual-Purpose Pump Ladder

Dual-Purpose Pump Ladder

A Dual-Purpose Pump Ladder (DPL) is the standard type of firefighting vehicle used by the London Fire Brigade. There are approximately 170 in operation across the city, and are deployed to all emergency calls made to the brigade. thermal arc welder

The standard London fire engine has 13m and/or 9m ladder extensions, eight 18m lengths of hose reel tubing, four 23m lengths of 45mm hose, ten 23m lengths of 70mm hose, cutting equipment, a portable generator, a lightweight portable pump, water-packs, inflatable air bags, road signs, floodlights, a medical kit, hose ramps, general tools, chemical suits, breathing apparatus, and more. For stations with two DPLs, one will be a 'pump' and the other a 'pump ladder', both carrying a short extension ladder and cat ladder for climbing roofs. The pump carries the 9m ladder, the pump ladder carries the 13.5m, whilst the stations with only one DPL will carry both. wave solder machine

DPLs weigh in at around 11.2 tonnes, and are approximately 7.7m long, 2.3m wide and 3.2m high. They carry 1,365 litres of water, and have a pumping capacity of 3,910 litres per minute. brazing machine

Between 2002 and 2007 a brand new fleet of 216 Mercedes-Benz Atego vehicles were delivered to fire stations, training centres and driving schools throughout London with new TVAC/Plastisol bodywork. These were to replace the fleet of older Volvo FL6.14s with Saxon Sanbec bodywork.

All fire engines and fireboats also now carry improved first aid equipment, including defibrillators. The introduction of the improved first aid capability and training known as Immediate Emergency Care (IEC) will mean that as part of normal firefighting duties firefighters attending incidents will be even better prepared to treat casualties who need immediate medical care until paramedics can take over.

Aerial Ladder Platform / Turntable Ladder

Aerial Ladder Platform

Turntable Ladder

The LFB uses two main types of aerial appliances, the Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) and the Turntable Ladder (TL).

The fleet consists of four TLs and seven ALPs, with five more ALPs kept spare as reserves, and one used at the Brigade's training centre in Southwark.

The ALP platform can carry up to four firefighters and reach a height of 32m; a monitor in the cage can deliver up to 2400 litres of water per minute.

Fire Rescue Unit

Rescue Unit

A Fire Rescue Unit (FRU) is a special type of rescue vehicle used by the London Fire Brigade.

The FRUs are equipped with heavy lifting, winching, cutting and pulling tools, floodlighting, longer duration breathing apparatus (vital for rescuing people from tunnels deep underground) and portable generators and other specialised equipment. FRU crews are specially trained and equipped to handle complex rescues, including those from road and rail accidents, water, mud and ice, urban search and rescue incidents such as collapsed buildings, chemical spills and difficult rescues at height.

Nine of the Brigade existing fleet of Fire Rescue units were successfully mobilised to the London bombings of 7 July 2005 and since then the LFB has upped its number of FRUs from 10 (including one reserve) to 16.

Command Unit

A Fire Brigade Command Unit, or Command Support Unit, will be summoned to any incident that has more than four fire crews on scene and is a vehicle from which senior officers can control the incident, and have the latest computer and radio technology fitted to allow them to do this, including two large plasma screens (one inside, one outside) for viewing footage or CCTV of the ongoing situation with a 6m mast and generator.

There are nine (one reserve) of these vehicles placed at strategic locations across London so that one can reach any incident within 20 minutes. A fundamental advantage of specialised Command Units is to accommodate the many different types of communication equipment needed at major incidents. In addition to the wide range of radio frequencies used, the brigade often need to communicate via through landlines and mobile telephones as well as send and receive information via satellite links and CCTV.

Fire Investigation Unit

A Fire Investigation Unit (FIU) attends fires and incidents where the cause is thought to be suspicious, and is crewed by specially-trained experts, acting in assistance to police investigations.

Acton and East Ham stations each have two of these FIUs, while New Cross station has three.

In addition, New Cross is also the base of the London Fire Brigade's only Fire Investigation Dog van. This unique vehicle is manned by members of the Arson Response Team and can transport one of the brigade's four specially-trained search dogs. At the scene of incidents, a fire investigation dog wears specialist protective 'fire wellies' on his or her paws to guard against injuries from broken glass or hot material. The dogs can detect minute quantities of hydrocarbon accelerants within minutes. This procedure would normally take a human fire investigator - using specialist equipment - hours before samples can be taken away for scientific evidence.

Operational Support Unit

New Operational Support Units (OSUs) became operational in 2008, each costing 43,800.

Six of these vehicles are based at specially-designated Operational Support Stations, being Ealing, Finchley, Lee Green, Stratford, Sutton and Wandsworth. A seventh OSU is stored as a reserve. OSUs provide initial emergency attendance, taking specialist supporting equipment, such as a large quantity of breathing apparatus, to incidents.

A number of palletised and transferable loads are stored at the Operational Support Stations. These pallets can then be requested by incident commanders as required, and would be loaded on to the OSU to be taken to the fireground.

Bulk Foam Unit

A Bulk Foam Unit is a demountable pod carrying a 3,000-litre foam tank and twenty 25-litre foam cans.

The brigade may summon a Bulk Foam Unit to incidents that require a large amount of foam for firefighting operations. An example would be a plane crash or chemical fire where a major foam attack would be undertaken.

The LFB currently operates three of these vehicles citywide, which are based at Barking, Finchley and Sutton fire stations. However, three new foam vehicles are under development to provide a new method of foam concentrate delivery to incidents. The vehicles will transport a variety of fuel firefighting media and application equipment in 1,000-litre containers or on 1-tonne pallets. These are intended to be deployed individually from the transporter via a forklift truck, and transported around the fireground as required.

Hose Layer Unit

A Hose Layer Unit is a demountable pod which is mounted on a Volvo chassis.

The vehicle houses large-capacity high-pressure hose wagons and responds to incidents where hydrants or other water sources are not close enough to the fireground and firefighters are hampered by a lack of water. The vehicle will lay out its hose at the nearest hydrant or open source then drive to the fireground with the hose laying off the back.

Upon arrival it will connect to a standard appliance to supply it with the water needed for the firefighting operations.

There are four of these citywide, based at Beckenham, Romford, Southgate and Richmond stations.

Incident Response Unit

Incident Response Unit

An Incident Response Unit (IRU) is a British government-supplied decontamination vehicle that was introduced in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks as part of the New Dimension scheme for equipping UK brigades with extensive disaster response vehicles for any major catastrophe or terrorist attack.

A forklift truck is mounted on the rear of the lorry, and is used to remove the equipment cages from the curtain-side.

Equipment includes disrobe and rerobe packs for before and after casualty decontamination; 48 gastight suits; tent structures raised by hot-air blowers; decontamination showers powered by a water boiler and supplied by a submersible pump (decontaminated water is dammed); a telescopic lighting unit; mobile data transmission; GPS mapping and radiation monitoring devices.

High Volume Pump

A High-Volume Pumping Unit (HVPU) is a large fire appliance supplied by the British government to UK fire brigades, as part of the New Dimension scheme to help better-equip the fire services to respond to large-scale disasters and terrorist attacks.

It carries a submersible pump, supplying water from any open source to the fireground, a generator that pumps up to 8,000 litres a minute (twice as much as a typical standard fire engine), a hose box module, and ancillary equipment.

London currently has nine of these HVPUs.

Outside of London, these vehicles proved invaluable in response to the UK floods in 2007.

Urban Search and Rescue

As part of the British government's New Dimension scheme following the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks on US cities a range of specialised fire and rescue vehicles were supplied to fire brigades around the UK.

These include the Incident Response Unit, High Volume Pumping Units, and a range of other Urban Search & Rescue vehicles.

The first USAR "module" is primarily for building collapse rescue. It is a heavy-rescue truck carrying apparatus to gain access to and explore voids/spaces after a structural collapse, as well as binoculars, digital cameras, core drills, electrical tools, angle grinders, search cameras, communications equipment, life detectors, timber cutters, and lighting.

Another type of USAR module is a truck carrying a black Bobcat multi-purpose vehicle for removing debris from a disaster site and disposing of this onto the truck. As well it carries a large inflatable tent for sheltering equipment.

Finally, a flatbed lorry carrying ten tonnes of C16-grade timber can used to support unstable structures that may collapse.

Scientific Support Unit

Scientific Support Units (SSUs) are specialised vehicles carrying a vast amount of chemical monitoring equipment.

Purchased in late 2005 following the 7 July suicide bombings, an SSU can attend a wide range of incidents, including chemical spills and fires, where early on-site scientific analysis and monitoring will speed up the detection process and allow the Brigade and other emergency services to provide the correct response for the particular incident.

Until their arrival, the brigade had not been able to adequately undertake enhanced scientific analysis for chemical, biological and radiological testing at the scene. These durable and future-proof vehicles are fully upgraded to respond to a range of incidents including those where forensic fire investigators request the use of a mobile facility to enhance both public and firefighter safety.

The only two of these vehicles in the brigade are stationed at Poplar and Hammersmith.

Fireboat

London's two Fireboats are called Fireflash and Firedart, both based at the Lambeth River station. Firedart is used in daily operation, while Fireflash is reserved for training exercises and a spare.

They are used for a variety of incidents, such as people stranded in the River Thames, fires on boats, crashed boats, and riverside property on fire.

References

^ Press release about Immediate Emergency Care

^ Official press release about the fire investigation dog unit

^ Press release regarding the Scientific Support Units

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