1994 - Adolescent Milton Keynes

1994 – NOT THE CONCRETE COWS ! 

A collection of articles I wrote for our local newspaper and for several national magazines kaleidoscoping  through the then adolescent New City of Milton Keynes.

ALLOW ME TO SHARE THE OPENING WORDS:

I want to say, right at the outset of this little book that I am a strong supporter of Milton Keynes. My wife was actually born in the area but I proudly boast being one of the first immigrants to the new city, coming to live here in 1971.  All of my children have been brought up in the city and I consider it to be a fine place to live. Fortunately, however, it is not Utopia - thank goodness for that but never let it be said in my hearing the best thing to come out of Milton Keynes is the M1 !

I doubt there is such a thing as a Milton Keynes Fan Cub but if they were then you could certainly put me down for a lifetime subscription.

1994 – that’s a long time ago. In those days I wrote under the pen name of Jonathan Flie – Flie being an adaptation of Fly-on-the-Wall as so many of my articles were such. In 2016

Amazon accepted me as one of its writers when I changed my pen-name to Max Robinson. AMAZON republished the now out of print kaleidoscope in paperback at  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HVRTXTL for £3.99. That’s cheaper than the original version which hit the shelves at £4.99. It is also available in Kindle e-book format https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HKFQMTG £1.99. If you belong to Kindle Unlimited it’s FREE.

Picking this work out for this week’s read I want over the seven days to dip into my work and each day share some pictures.

CONTENTS:

The Follies Of Milton Keynes:

·       The Windmill That Never Turns

·       The Folly Of Portway Bridge

·       Part And Parcel

·       The Big One !

·       So Who Will Take It Off Our Hands !

·       Food For Thought

·       I’ve Got The Hump

·       A Lasting Tribute For James

The Forgotten Landmarks Of Milton Keynes;

·      

Leon’s Bridge

·       The Legend Of Milton Keynes

·       Fenny Lock

·       Tattenhoe Oak – The Oldest Living Thing In Milton Keynes

·       A Real Jurrasic Park

·       Queen Elanor Passed This Way

Do You Remember:

·       Dial-a-Bus

·       No Airport Here

·       Milton Keynes Hospital Action Group

·       Queensway – No Longer Fit For A Queen

Education – A Gift For Life:

A man Who Gives You Money Gives You Nothing But A Man Who Gives You His Time Gives You His Life:

·       Lightforce International – A Light In the Darkness

·       Valley Medical Transport – A Friend To All

·       A Special Lady With An Extra Special Mission

·       Channel Five – Milton Keynes Hospital Radio

Flie On The Wall:

·       Monarch Airlines – Your Holiday Starts Here

·       So You Want To Be An Airline Pilot

·       What’s In A Name ?

·       How Fast Is Fast Food ?

·       The Chief

·       Mailcom – A Milton Keynes Success Story

Let’s Look At Some Legends:

·       Mary

·       The Dead Queen

·       Stand And Deliver

·       In Search Of The Supernatural

Wartime Memories Of Milton Keynes:

The Heritage Of A Name:

Within that original text I say that while I love Milton Keynes I am not happy at what some people would want to do with it. Now those people have done their worst I will change not happy to DESPISE.

It is no secret that I am NOT a fan of Milton Keynes Council which has trashed all of the foundation stones set down by Milton Keynes Development Corporation.

No building shall be taller than the surrounding trees. LOOK AT THE HIDEOUS SKYLINE THE COUNCIL’S PLANNING POLICY HAS GIVEN TO OUR CITY CENTRE !

The entire city was planned around three fundamental ley-lines: Silbury Boulevard, Avebury Boulevard and MIDSUMMER BOULEVARD. Midsummer Boulevard was immaculately planned so on midsummer solstice the sun would rise over the hill and shine down the entire length of the road. It does indeed shine down the entire length of the road – here is a picture I took this year. HOWEVER, the sun can not rise over the hill as the Milton Keynes Cowboy Council planning officers destroyed that when permission was given to a sad shopping centre.

When Harold Wilson’s government in 1967 designated an area of land in North

Buckinghamshire it as to build a NEW CITY and not a new town. Years went by and years went by but Milton Keynes was not given a city charter. In early 2021 I wrote to Milton Keynes councillors quoting Not The Concrete Cows and offering my writing which covered more than three decades to support a city application within Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. MILTON KEYNES COUNCILLORS DID NOT REPLY. Nothing unusual about that.  I, therefore, spent hours and hours preparing my own presentation to Buckingham Palace.

Unlike Milton Keynes Council Her Late Majesty could read and sent me a beautiful reply.

I would like to think that Not The Concrete Cows helped Milton Keynes achieve its city status but at least our cows and I did our bit.

So look out for some Concrete Cow extracts this week and check the book out for yourself.

Paperback at  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HVRTXTL for £3.99.Kindle e-book format https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HKFQMTG £1.99. If you belong to Kindle Unlimited it’s FREE.