by Birmingham Mail

The Royal Family Love them or loathe them, the Windsors and their complicated family sagas are a national, and international, obsession. St George With his dragon-slaying and red cross on a white background St George is the English patron saint whose national day is April 23. William Shakespeare Local boy made good, William is the world's most famous, and most frequently performed playwright. Baptised on April 26, 1564 (his actual birth date is unknown) he was at his most creatively prolific between 1590 and 1613, after which he returned to his native Stratford, dying three years later. Surviving works include 38 plays (comedies, tragedies, histories and tragicomedies or romances), 154 sonnets and a number of poems, although uncertainty surrounding the man about everything from his appearance to his sexuality to his religion, have led to doubts being cast on his authorship, though most alternative candidates have been rejected by academics.

Ever the master of timing, he died on St.George's Day, which has now been adopted as his official birthday. Edward Elgar Born in Worcester in 1857, Elgar was the son of a music dealer. Something of a prodigy who would rise early to read Voltaire and Longfellow, he took piano and violin lessons as a child and taught himself music theory by taking long bike rides into the country to read manuscripts. He struggled to make money as a composer for many years, although his wife Alice Roberts was immensely supportive and convinced of his genius. Whenhe was 42 he produced his first major orchestral work, the Enigma Variations, which established him as the pre-eminent composer of his generation. He set Cardinal Newman's poem The Dream of Gerontius to choral music and between 1901 and 1930 wrote his five famous Pomp and Circumstance marches, part of which was Land of Hope and Glory, the unofficial national anthem.

He was the first composer to make extensive recordings of his compositions and was filmed at the opening of Abbey Road studios. He diedin 1934 and was buried in Little Malvern. Up until 2007 it was his head on the back of a pounds 20 note. Margaret Thatcher The grocer's daughter from Grantham who trained as a chemist and barrister, she followed her Alderman father into politics and was elected Conservative MP for Finchley. As Education Secretary she became notorious as the women who stopped free school milk. The first female leader of the Conservative party, she became Britain's first female Prime Minister following the strike-stricken Winter of Discontent under Labour in 1978-79. Famously steely and immovable in her opinions, she was dubbed TheIron Lady by the Russians. She took a hard line against the unions, supported free markets and entrepreneuralism and proved her mettle asa wartime Prime Minster after Argentina invaded the Falklands.

She survived an assassination attempt when the IRA blew up Brighton's Grand Hotel. She was elected for an unprecedented third term, butthe unpopularity of the Community Charge and her views on the European Community, saw her own party start to turn against her and she resigned as Prime Minister in 1990. Agatha Christie A writer with a worrying fascination for plotting the perfect crime, that were then invariably foiled by elderly spinsters, fussy foreigners or bright young things. Agatha hailed from Devon, where she was born in 1890. During World War 1 she worked at a hospital then a pharmacy which is where she gained her familiarity with poisons. She published her first novel,the Mysterious Affair at Styles, during her turbulent marriage to Archibald Christie. After discovering he was having an affair she unaccountably vanished for 11 days in 1926, leading to a manhunt. She later married archeologist Max Mallowan, which endured despite his many affairs.

Their travels together inspired many of the locations for her stories. She wrote 80 detective novels and 160 short stories. The most famous of her West End plays is The Mousetrap, which has been running continuously in London since 1952. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott. She tired of hermost famous creation Hercule Poirot, fairly early on, but saw he was too popular to kill off. She wasfonder of Jane Marple who she said was based on her grandmother and her "cronies". The Guinness Book of Records called her the best selling writer of a books of all time and the best selling writer of any kind (including Shakespeare). Only the Bible has outsold her. She was made a Dame in 1971 and died five years later aged 85.

Charles Dickens Novelist, social commentator and do-gooder, Charles Dickens has through his works and the adaptations of them, ingrained in the British psyche the idea of a white Christmas. The son of a clerk he was born in Portsmouth in 1812. When he was 12 and the familywere living in Camden Town all of them, save Charles, famously joined the profligate father in debtor's prison and provided a setting forLittle Dorrit. Charles was put to work in a shoe polish factory. Many of the people he lodged with or worked with, including a Bob Fagin,inspired characters or their names. He became a political journalistfor the Morning Chronicle and serialised his first novel The Pickwick Papers. Married the daughter of the editor of the Evening Chronicle, Catherine Hogarth, who bore him 10 children. His success as a novelist led to two trips to America, one to meet President Tyler in the White House, where he was feted in spite of his unpopular anti-slaverystance.

He died in 1870 after suffering a stroke, leaving the Mystery of Edwin Drood unfinished. Winston Spencer Churchill Britain greatest wartime minister, whose oratory inspired a nation to fight them on the beaches and to never surrender. A descendant of the Spencer family, hewas born in Blenheim Palace eight months after the hastily arranged marriage of his father, Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome, the daughter of an American millionaire. He saw action in the Sudan andthe second Boer War while in the army, then gained fame as a war correspondent. Elected to Parliament in 1900 he was the First Lord of the Admiralty at the start of World War I. He left the war cabinet after the disaster of Gallipoli and went back to active service.

As a politician he set up labour exchanges to help the unemployed find work. After supporting the King during the abdication crisis he was in political exile but, having being one of the first to recognise the threat of Hitler, he was asked to be Prime Minister of an all-party Government. Most effective leading the country in war, he lost the election in 1945, though he served a second term from 1951 until his resignation in 1955. Following his death, aged 90, in 1965, he wasgiven a state funeral. Jane Austen One of literature's most artful social observers, she has also been god's gift to the television's period drama departments.

Born in Hampshire in 1775, she was raised in a close-knit family on the lower fringes of the English gentry, but found herself perfectly placed to write about women in similar positions to herself, who were able to escape their perilous circumstances by making advantageousmarriages. Austen never married herself, though there was a spark ofromance with Tom LeFroy which was extinguished by his family. She remained with her parents then with her mother and sister Cassandra, whose own finance had died abroad. Her first full-length novel was Elinor and Marianne, renamed Sense and Sensibility. Her second was First Impressions, which became Pride and Prejudice. These were followed byMansfield Park and Emma, all of which bar a second edition of the latter, were financial successes.

She died aged 41 of either Addison's Disease or Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published posthumously. Horatio Nelson The Vice Admiral who had risen through the ranks, he is one of the country's greatest military heroes. A reverend's son, Horatio was born in 1758 into a modestly prosperous Norfolk family and followed his uncle into the navy, in spite of suffering from chronic seasickness. Courageous and with a flair for tactics, his career was occasionally compromised by illness, injury - he lost most of one arm and the sight in one eye, which he famously exploited to ignore an order by putting his telescope to it - and periods of unemployment. He enjoyed decisive victories in the Battle of Cape St Vincent, the Battle of the Nile and the Battle of Copenhagen.

He was an inspirational leader, though prone to vanity and insecurity. While married to Frances Nisbet he began a long standing and infamous affair with the married Lady Emma Hamilton. His final triumph was in the Battle of Trafalgar where the outnumbered British defeated the combined Franco-Spainish fleet without losing a single ship. Nelson was shot by a French marksman while on the deck of the Victory; recognising he was dying it's said he asked Captain Thomas Hardy to kiss him. Isambard Kingdom Brunel Brunel was born in 1806 in Portsmouth,the son of a French engineer who had fled the revolution. He followed in his footsteps and worked with him in planning the Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping.

One of the century's most versatile and daring engineers, he not only designed tunnels but bridges, railway lines and ships. In 1831 his design for Clifton Suspension Bridge was picked as the winning one and work began that year. He never saw it completed as, due to lack of funds, it was another 33 years before it was finished Inspired by the trials of fellow engineer Stephenson's Rocket, he became chief engineer for the Great Western Railway, constructing an impressive routeof tunnels, bridges and viaducts. While working on the line he designed a combination of tubular, suspension and truss bridges. He improved on this for his famous link over the Tamar at Saltash. In 1837, Brunel's SS Great Western was the first steamship to engage in transatlantic service.

The SS Great Britain was the first propeller-driven, ocean-going iron ship, while the SS Great Eastern laid the first lasting telegraphcable. Married with three children, the workaholic Brunel was careless about his health. He smoked up to 40 cigars a day and slept as little as four hours a night. In 1859 he suffered a stroke and died 10 days later, aged 53. Tim Berners-Lee A computer scientist, though his name may not be immediately recognisable to many his work is known, quite literally around the globe. An MIT professor, he is credited with inventing the World Wide Web (www). Born in London in June 1955, hestudied Physics at Oxford University. While contracted to nuclear research body CERN he put forward an idea of using hypertext (text displayed on computers with links to other text) to facilitate the sharing and updating for information.

The prototype was called Enquire. He returned to CERN in 1989 and saw the opportunity to link hypertext with the internet. Together with Robert Cailliau he wrote a revised proposal which they took to their manager. The first website was built at CERN and went on line in 1991. It explained what theWorldWideWeb was, how to own a browser and set up a web server. It was also the world's website directory In 1994Berners-Lee founded the World Wide Web Consortium at MIT to set standards and make recommendations to improve the quality of the web. Berners-Lee made his idea free to all, with no patent or royalties. He became Sir Timothy Berners-Lee in 2004 and was awarded the Order of Merit, a personal gift from the Queen, in 2007. Finland made him the winner of the first Millennium Technology Prize, which had a cash prizeof EUR1 million.

The Beatles Formed in January 1960 (their name a tribute to Buddy Holly and The Crickets), John, Paul, George and Ringo are arguably the most famous band of all time. Famously turned down by Decca, they released debut single Love Me Do in 1962 - the start of what was to beknown as Beatlemania. The Fab Four's albums progressed from the Mop Top pop of Please Please Me to the conceptual Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, before their sign-off Let It Be and the band's dissolution, which finally came in 1975, five years after McCartney first filed a suit to break up the legendary band. The Rolling Stones Often seen as direct rivals to the Beatles (you were a fan of either one or the other), the Stones formed in 1962 when Brian Jones and Ian Stewart linked up with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. While Stewart disappeared from the official line-up, Jagger and Richards came to the fore as chief songwriters, penning the likes of Get Off My Cloud, Ruby Tuesday and Honky Tonk Women.

The band continued to enjoy huge success on both sides of the Atlantic throughout the 70s and 80s,Wyman quitting in 1992. The remainingline-up still record and tour extensively, captured live in last year's Scorsese-directed road documentary Shine A Light. Pink Floyd While their roots were in the late 60s psychedelia movement, Floyd are best known as a progressive rock band famous for their philosophical lyrics, huge guitar solos and equally large stage shows. Their 1973 opus Dark Side of the Moon catapulted the band into worldwide success, followed by the likes of Wish You Were Here, Animals and rock opera TheWall. In 1983 bassist Roger Waters declared the band a spent force, but the remaining trio of Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright continued under the name, releasing two successful albums. Waters reunited to perform a one-off set at the London Live 8 concert in 2005, but any rumours of a full reunion were quashed by Gilmour. Keyboardist Richard Wright died at age 65 in September 2008.

Led Zeppelin Along with Brummies Black Sabbath, Led Zep are credited as being the co-creators of Heavy Metal. Formed in 1968, the name came from a comment by Who drummer Keith Moon who said the new band would go down 'like a lead balloon'. With a rock-infused blend of blues and folk, Led Zep enjoyed massive success in the late 60s and throughout the 70s. As famous for their offstage antics and largesse as for their iconic anthems - including Kashmir, Black Dog and, of course,Stairway To Heaven - the sudden death of drummer John Bonham in October 1980 precipitated the band's equally untimely demise. The three existing members have reunited only a handful of times since Bonham's death - most notably at Live Aid in 1985 and in 2007 for a one-off benefit concert at the O2 Arena.

Sex Pistols If Zeppelin were kings of heavy rock, then the Pistolswere the princes of punk. Formed in 1975 under the watchful 'guidance' of manager Malcolm McLaren, their influence on music still shows today. Johnny Rotten, Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock (replaced by Sid Vicious in 1977) constantly sparked controversy through their live appearances, singles (God Save The Queen to name but one) and the infamous Reg Grundy TV incident. After Rotten left in early 1978 and Vicious died of an overdose in 1979, it would be another 17 yearsbefore the original line-up played together again. UB40 Named after a DHSS benefit form, these eight lads from Birmingham went from humble beginnings to become one of the biggest bands in the world, sellingover 50 million albums in a career that spans 30 years.

Hit UK number one three times (each time with a cover version) andhad two chart-topping albums in a glittering career that has seen them travel the globe and team up with the likes of Chrissie Hynde, Robert Palmer and Pato Banton. In January 2008 lead singer Ali Campbell sensationally quit, soon followed by keyboardist Michael Virtue. Now bolstered by Ali's brother Duncan and Maxi Priest, UB40 continue to record and play live, with a UK tour scheduled for late 2009. The Jam With their sharp suits and edgy new wave songs, The Jam fronted the Mod revival of the late 70s and early 80s.

The trio of Paul Weller, Rick Buckler and Bruce Foxton enjoyed a string of hit singles and albums including four chart topping 45s - Going Underground, Start!, Town Called Malice and their swansong Beat Surrender. Splitting at the height of fame in 1982, Weller went on to enjoy success with both The Style Council and solo. His former bandmates now record and tour under the name From The Jam. Pet Shop Boys Quintessentially English duo, former pop journo Neil Tennant and architecture student Chris Lowe have sold over 50 million records worldwide, their blend of deadpan electro pop, strong styling and theatricals translating to a career spanning 25 years, ten Top 10 albums and three number one singles, including iconic debut hit West End Girls.

At the 2009 BRIT Awards, The Pet Shop Boys received an award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. The Smiths If one band characterised mid 80s English pop, it was The Smiths. Formed in Manchester in 1982, it saw the birth of one of the most creative and successful songwriting partnerships since Lennon and McCartney. Morrissey and Marr's songs were often working class or political commentary - witty and erudite lyrics married with infectious riffs. Splitting in 1987, The Smiths have gone on to enjoy cult status amongst music fans, Morrissey enjoying a solo career thanks largely to his loyal core of die-hard fans. Oasis/Blur Two very different bands, Blur and Oasis led the Britpop phenomenon. While the loudmouth Mancs had the swagger and laddish anthems, Blur's art school pop was every bit as successful - more so,in fact.

The 'Battle of Britpop' saw Blur's Country House outsell Roll WithIt to give them their first number one single. While Oasis have continued to enjoy uninterrupted success, Blur's members have had their own golden moments - notably Albarn with Gorillaz and bassist Alex James with his cheeses. This summer sees Oasis on the latest UK tour, while Blur reform for a handful of reunion gigs. Bobby Moore West Ham United and England legend who will go down in history as the captain who lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in the 1966World Cup final. Captained the Hammers for over 10 years and led the national side for a record 90 appearances. Won a total of 108 caps for England, only bettered by Peter Shilton and David Beckham. After West Ham, played for Fulhamand brief spells in the NASL for San Antonio Thunders and Seattle Sounders.

Having overcome testicular cancer in his twenties, in 1991 Moore was diagnosed with colon cancer and died in February 1993, aged just 51. As a tribute to their greatest player, West Ham renamed their south bank the Bobby Moore Stand. Phil Taylor Purists may question darts being classed as a sport, but there's no denying the record of the man they call 'The Power'. The 49-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent has beencrowned world champion an incredible 14 times since first winning the PDC title as a 125-1 outsider in 1990. Nominated for the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Ian Botham A talented footballer as well as cricketer, 'Beefy' (aka 'Guy the Gorilla') was both a talented and controversial player, captaining the English Test cricket side inan international career spanning 15 years and 102 matches.

Playing his county cricket for Somerset (and then later for Worcestershire and Durham), all-rounder Botham is recognised as one of England's greatest ever Test players with over 5,000 runs and more than 350 wickets. Arguably most famous moment was the 1981 Test series against Australia, often referred to as Botham's Ashes, in which he scored 399 runs and took 34 wickets to help England win the series 3-1. Raised thousands for Leukemia research charity with his long distance walks (which he started in 1985) and was knighted by the Queen in 2007. Now a regular on TV as commentator for Sky Sports - as well as advertising breakfast cereal and British beef.

Daley Thompson Like Botham, decathlete Thompson was a mercurial talent and natural showman with the odd bit of irreverent behaviour thrown in - most famously whistling along to the National Anthem when receiving his Olympic gold medal in 1984. Won the 10 discipline event twice, at the Moscow and Los Angeles games, three Commonwealth titles and broke the world record four times. Famously put his name to a series of early computer games, including the 80s classic, Daley's Decathlon. Retired from athletics in 1992; awarded the OBE in 1983 and CBEin 2000. David Beckham While he may be as famous for being one half of the marketing machine that is Posh and Becks, Beckham is first andforemost a footballer - and a great one at that.

The 33-year-old, currently playing at the San Siro for AC Milan, began his professional career at Manchester United, one of Alex Ferguson's 'kids' alongside the likes of Giggs, Neville and Scholes, winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League final in his time at Old Trafford. Leaving in 2003 to become one of RealMadrid's 'Galacticos', he has since moved to Los Angeles to play forMLS side Galaxy, before making the 'timeshare' loan move to Milan. An England stalwart for 13 years, Beckham has also captained the national side and recently broke Bobby Moore's record for appearances by an outfield player. Steve Redgrave Britain's greatest ever Olympian who won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games (from 1984 to 2000) - only one of four people with that achievement. After winning hisfourth gold in Atlanta, Redgrave famously declared: "I hereby give permission to anybody who catches me in a boat again to shoot me."

Happily no-one listened and he duly returned to the water at the Sydney games in 2000 for the coxless four (with Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster, James Cracknell). Retired after the games and that year was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Knighted in 2001. Kelly Holmes Middle distance runner Dame Kelly overcame years blighted by injuryto end her career with some of her best ever performances - winning silver medals at the 2003 World Championships and World Indoor Championships and her famous double golds at 800m and 1500m at the Athens Olympics in 2004 - the first British woman to win two Olympic athletics gold medals and only the third woman in history. Became a Dame in New Year's Honours List in 2005, the year she also retired. Still involved in sport - noatbly with the 2012 Olympics, as well as TV work onthe likes of Superstars and Dancing On Ice.

Fred Perry The name may be better known to millions today for the fashion label, but Perry was an outstanding English Tennis and table Tennis player of the 1930s, winning eight Tennis Grand Slams including three consecutive Wimbledon titles - the last Englishman to win themen's singles at SW19. One of the sport's all-time greats, he helpedcreate the wrist sweatband, while his iconic polo shirt, first launched in 1952, is still a fashion classic. Died 1995, aged 85. Martin Johnson Solihull-born former Leicester and England rugby union lock, best known for leading the 2003 side to the Six Nations Grand Slam andfamous World Cup victory over Australia.

Became the English team manager in 2008. Rebecca Adlington First British swimmer since 1908 to win two Olympic golds (and the first female swimming gold since 1960) when she won both the 400m and 800m freestyle events at the Beijing games, breaking Janet Evans' 19-year-oldrecord in the 800m final. Chelsea Flower Show A highlight of the annual gardening calendar is the show that brings together leading growers, designers and gardening enthusiasts from around the world. The organisers Royal Horticultural Society have strict guidelines about what can and cannot happen at the show that transforms the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, home to the red-coated Chelsea pensioners. Grand National One of the most famous steeplechases in the world takes place at Aintree racecourse near Liverpool each year.

The course is nearly two and a quarter miles long and includes thefamous Bechers Brook and Chair fence, the biggest on the course. Thefirst official Grand National was in 1839 and was won by Lottery. Other celebrated winners include Red Rum, who claimed victory three times. The race's history is the stuff of fairytales - Bob Champion, recently recovered from cancer, won on Aldaniti in 1981 and in 1983 the first ever woman trainer Jenny Pitman took the honours with Corbiere.FA Cup Final The teams running out on to the pitch for the final game of the FA Cup are following in the footsteps of sporting legends. The first FA Cup final in 1872 was played at the Kennington Oval - itshome for the next 20 years. The trophy, the 'little tin idol' was coveted by winning teams until it went missing while on display in a Birmingham shop after Aston Villa won the challenge in 1895. A replacement was made and then a third, and since 1923 the final has been played at both Wembley stadia as well as the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Wimbledon Strawberry teas, Henman Hill and a Tennis championship that traces its roots back to 1877. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is responsible for staging the worldrenowned tournament which began with just one gentlemen's singles match won by Spencer Gore, an old Harrovian, from a field of 22. He was watched by 200 spectators who paid one shilling each, the equivalent of today's 10pm, to watch the final. The Centre Court now seats 3,601 and has seen epic matches including Rafael Nadal's 2008 win over five time consecutive champion Roger Federer.

The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race Two friends, Charles Merivale, a student at Cambridge, and his Harrow school friend Charles Wordsworth, studying at Oxford, first came up with the idea in the 1820s. Thefirst took place in Henley but by 1845 it had moved to its current six mile route on the Thames from Putney to Mortlake. The trials and tribulations include the Cambridge Blue Boat sinking in 1978 - the Oxford crew have endured similar fates including 1925. Now 250,000 spectators line the banks cheering on the crews, including the occasional woman taking the cox position. Ladies' Day at Ascot Queen Anne, out riding in 1711, first saw the potential of Royal Ascot and the first race meeting saw seven horses challenging across the open heath for Her Majesty's Plate.

The Queen Anne Stakes still take place at Ascot but it is on Ladies Day, the third day of the Royal Ascot meeting, when the Gold Cup draws thousands of people to the course and the fashion vistas are out in force. The Queen and other members of the Royal family are regulars to the course she first visited at the age of 19 in 1945. Henley Royal Regatta Messing about on the river is serious business at this annual regatta where rowers now challenge for national and international honours. The first regatta was in 1839 but it soon became a societyfavourite and in 1851 Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert became its first Royal Patron. Temple Island, the landmark at the start of the course in Henleyon- Thames in Oxfordshire was bought in 1987 and restored to its former glory. Trooping the Colour All the colour and pageantry of the annual Queen's birthday parade is held in June each year on London's Horse Guards Parade.

The custom dates back to the time of Charles II in the 17th century when the colours of a regiment were used as a rallying point in battle. It became a celebration of the Sovereign's birthday in 1805 and traditionally ends with the Queen and her family watching an RAF flypast from a balcony at Buckingham Palace. Glastonbury Where would music lovers be without the mud, music and mayhem at one of the world's leading festivals. The first was held in September, 1970 the day afterJimi Hendrix died and 1,500 people listened to a line-up including Marc Bolan for just pounds 1, including free milk. By the following year it had evolved into Glastonbury Fayre and moved to June to tie in with the summer solstice but it would be 1981 before the festival would make a profit. Farmer Michael Eavis was now at the helm and nuclear disarmament group, CND were the main beneficiaries. Since these small beginnings the festival has grown into an event attracting more than 134,000 people.

Last Night of the Proms Elgar's stirring Pomp and Circumstance sung on the Last Night at the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall mark the end of the promenade of concerts first inspired by Sir Henry Wood. World leading orchestras, soloists and conductors all take part in the concerts, that moved to the hall in 1941. Jerusalem, Rule Britannia andLand of Hope and Glory are all part of the musical celebrations on the last night of the festival when enthusiastic 'Prommers' are encouraged to wave Union Jacks and sing along. Full English Breakfast The only way to start the day, the traditional fry-up (although it's more likely to be grilled now) is guaranteed to see off mid-morning hungerpangs. Bacon, eggs, sausages, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, fried bread ... it's difficult to know where to stop. Just never have haggis (Scottish and therefore wrong).

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding The quintessential English roast and undisputed king of the Sunday lunch table. Don't settle for second best - choose sirloin, resist incineration and serve with lashings of proper gravy, made from meat juices, not powder. Remember: roast beef without fluffy Yorkshire puds is thoroughly shoddy. And don't forget the creamy horseradish. JamRoly Poly and custard It's impossible to beat Billy Bunter's favourite suet pud for texture, sweetness and total dessert immersion. Raspberry is the purists' jam of choice, so don't be swayed by suggestions of plum or damson. Spotted dick is a controversial omission from this list but jam roly poly must reign supreme. Cream Tea Who can resist such an afternoon delight? Home-baked scones, jam, oozing fresh cream, preferably with a crust, and a pot of tea (china service is obligatory).

A cream tea has the unrivalled ability of banishing the summer blues on a storm-lashed August afternoon in Blighty. Eat, retire, and snooze. Beans on Toast England's contribution to the cause of healthy, budget, fast food. Baked beans on hot buttered toast is a classless dish, fit for paupers and princes. Beans contain antioxidants, which protect the cells in our body and offset the effects of ageing as wellas offering protection from diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Bangers and Mash Comfort food for the masses.

The re-emergence of independent sausage-makers, selling their wares through farm shops, delis and supermarkets, means today's choice ofbanger is limitless. Always accompany with England's finest condiments - brown sauce, tomato ketchup and blow-your-head-off mustard. Gravy is a bonus. Strawberries and Cream Summer wouldn't be summer without English strawberries. Refusing to buy the imported soft (bullet) fruits isn't xenophobic - it just makes sense. Foreign strawbs lack thesweetness and, well, strawy-ness of native varieties. Bathe in cream. Bliss.

Pork Pie Roughly chopped pork, cool, slippery pork jelly, all sealed in a robust crust pastry, the pork pie is an all-in-one feast. Oneof the nation's most versatile favourites, it can be bunged in a great coat for a forced march or dressed at the table on a platter. Ooo,bring out the Branston. Curry The finest legacy of our colonial pasthas to be England's long-standing love affair with curry, a term applied with scatter-gun effect to any spicy dish originating from Asia.Dining out would be a poorer place without the magic words balti, bhuna, biryani, masala, naan and "Two more lagers, please."

Curry's purported health benefits are legion, including fighting Alzheimer's disease. Turmeric aids digestion - so you'll be ready for another balti the next day. Fish and Chips Nobody - repeat nobody - does fish and chips like the English, and if you are going to do it, do it properly. That means fresh, wet fish (not frozen), quality spuds, good frying oil (beef dripping preferred) and a liberal sprinkling of salt. Vinegar and mushy peas optional. You're hungry just thinkingabout it, aren't you? Morris Minor The Morris Minor was the brainchild of the great Alex Issigonis, who later penned the Mini, and came into being after studies started in 1944.

Eventually it became the British equivalent of the Volkswagen Beetle. Early versions with a split screen and grille mounted headlamps were eventually superseded by the later model with wing headlamps and a one piece screen. A convertible model followed the saloon and then there was the super little Traveller with its wood framing around theestate car body. There were even van and pick-up versions. Routemaster Of all the buses to work on the streets of London the Routemaster is probably the most famous. The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was introduced by Associated Equipment Company (AEC)in 1954 and produced until 1968.

Primarily front-engined, rear open platform buses were introduced in 1956 and saw continuous service in London until 2005. They currently remain on two heritage routes in central London. Morgan The British motor industry is just a fraction of what it was in its heyday, butsome companies still survive and thrive. One of the best examples isthe Midland car maker Morgan, still based in its home town of Malvern. The Morgan name made its very first public appearance at the Olympia Motor Show in 1910. The two three-wheelers were both single seaters but it soon became apparent that for the vehicles to be universallypopular they would have to become two-seaters.

Today it receives a steady stream of orders from all over the world. In fact some 70 per cent of all the cars made now go for export and there is a waiting list for all cars. Raleigh bicycles Anyone of a certain age who had a bike is almost certain to have had a Raleigh. Once the biggest cycle factory in the world, employing 10,000 workers and making two million bikes every year, Raleigh is still producing bikes but its factory on Triumph Road in Radford, Nottingham ceased production in 2003 hit by the effects of cheap imports. Manufacturing has now moved to the Far East. BSA Britain's largest and most successful motorcycle manufacturer was BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Company).

Its factory at Small Heath was a familiar Birmingham landmark for more than 100 years and produced a wide range of motorcycles from thehumble Bantam to the formidable Rocket with its three-cylinder ohv engine mounted transversely. When you ride a 'Beezer', as they were called, you're not just riding a classic BSA motorcycle you're riding apiece of history. Rolls Royce The Rolls Royce is the most iconic of British cars and arguably the most famous of all models is the SilverGhost. Ironically the Silver Ghost started life as what was an early"special edition" model.

It was based on the 40/50 model first introduced in 1906. Managingdirector Claude Johnson took the twelfth 40/50 produced, had all itsfittings silver plated and the coachwork painted silver. This car became known as The Silver Ghost, and the name was later adopted for all of the 40/50hp cars. Aston Martin As the world's greatest all-action hero, James Bond considered an Aston Martin to be most ideally suited to his image, and aficionados of the marque agreed. The DB1 appeared in 1948, followed by the DB2 unveiled at the New York motor show in 1950. By 1960 the series was on to the DB4, which boasted acceleration to 60mph in nine seconds, a 0-100mph time of 20 seconds and a topspeed of 140mph.

By the mid 1980s Aston Martin was racking up losses of pounds 1 million a year and was eventually bailed out by Ford in 1987. Since then the brand's wheel of fortune has tuned full circle with an impressive line up of Vantage, DB9 and DBS models - and James Bond firmly back in the driving seat. Jaguar/Land Rover Sixty years ago, a motoring icon made its public debut, when the original Land Rover was shown ata motor show in Amsterdam, on April 30, 1948. The current Defender is descended from that first vehicle which is now known as a Series 1.Amazingly they even share a couple of original parts, an oil filler plug and a cleat for tying down the canvas roof. But the rest of the vehicle technology has moved on considerably.

Today, Land Rover goes from strength to strength, with a five-model line-up headed by the Range Rover, and global sales of over 190,000vehicles in 2008. Looking at Land Rover's sister company Jaguar it'shard to believe that it started life as a company making sidecars inBlackpool in 1922. By 1926 plans were in place for producing car bodies as well as Swallow sidecars but it was not until 1928 when the factory moved to Coventry that the Jaguar story really began.

Today from its Birmingham base the company makes luxury cars and sports cars that are the envy of driving enthusiasts all over the world. The Mini When theMini first appeared way back in 1959 it had a gear lever as long as a golf club, strings to operate the doors from inside and windows that slid rather than winding down. Nonetheless, the car was a monument to brilliant packaging and somehow managed to carry four people at a pinch. The Minis to aspire to were the Cooper and Cooper S versions with fans equally divided between the chrome-grilled Morris models and the honeycombed Austins. The Sinclair C5 The C5 was a battery/electric vehicle invented by Sir Clive Sinclair and launched in Britain on January 10, 1985.

The futuristic looking tricycle was steered by handles on either side of the driver's seat and had a top speed of 15 miles per hour. Despite being relatively cheap to buy (it sold for pounds 399 + pounds 29 for delivery), the C5 quickly became an object of ridicule, and was a commercial disaster - only around 12,000 being sold. Alexander McQueen An East End taxi driver's son, he learnt his tailoring on Savile Row where he rebelliously scrawled obscenities into the lining of the suits made for patron the Prince of Wales. Theatrically inspired, he has been described as having the Gothic sensibility of a Brother'sGrimm fairytale, though when Gwyneth Paltrow turned up to the Oscarsin a sheer-topped black McQueen dress with plaited hair, she looked like a droopy-busted Vampiric Heidi.

He was named British Designer of the Year at 27 and replaced John Galliano at Givenchy but parted company with them when Gucci acquireda controlling interest in his own label. Now 40, he continues to thrill women with his romantically dark designs and tailoring. In 2003 he returned to his roots with bespoke menswear followed by a ready-towear collection. Paul Smith An aspiring professional racing cyclist, the urbane Smith, whowas born in Nottingham in 1946, changed careers following an accident and started making the kind of clothes he wantedto buy but couldn't find. He studied fashion design at evening classes. By 1976 he was showing menswear in Paris.

His strengths have been to combine the best of traditional Englishwith unusual prints, such as his now signature stripes. He put boxershorts back on the map in the 1980s. He conquered New York and Parisand is hugely popular in Japan where he has 300 stores. Knighted in 2001, he sells to 35 countries across the world but remains hands on in the business, styling clothes with an elegant insouciance. Vivienne Westwood Once the punk princess, she is now, at 68, the undisputed Queen of British fashion, celebrating the very establishment that sheonce left spluttering in indignation and bewilderment. Together withMalcolm McLaren, they slashed to ribbons the preconception of what fashion could be - and then held it together with safety pins and bondage straps. She has always remained at the fashion zeitgeist most heavily influenced by musical movements, like punk and New Wave.

The V&A Museum launched a travelling retrospective exhibition of her work, securing her iconic status. Once arrested on the night of the Queen's Jubilee, she was given an OBE in 1992 and was made a Dame in 2006. Typically she received both honours knickerless. James Dyson An engineer who went to art school, Dyson has probably done the most to revolutionise vacuum cleaning since asthmatic janitor James Spangler conjured a prototype Hoover out of a broom handle, pillowcase and old motor fan. Frustrated by the diminishing lack of suction on his Hoover Junior, he came up with the idea of using cyclonic separation, doing away with the need for bags that got clogged with dust.

His wife Deirdre, an art teacher, helped support him financially while he worked on its development. It was launched in Japan as no British manufacturer would touch it. He eventually set up his own company to make it himself. His luridly coloured products now outsell rivals that once snubbed him. Now worth pounds 1 billion, he has continuedto innovate and invent, making water flow uphill for a showpiece garden at the Chelsea Flower Show and also creating the Airblade hand dryer that blows moisture from the hands like an invisible windscreen wiper. He was made Knight Bachelor in the New Year's Honours in 2006. Zandra Rhodes The pink haired fashion institution was introduced to her vocation by her mother, a fitter in a Paris house and teacher at art college.

Zandra, 67, hails from Kent and studied textile design at the Royal College of Art. Her early designs were considered too outlandish bytraditional manufacturers, so she set up a boutique with a fellow student, where she designed the material. In 1969 she opened her own shop where she became famous for her flamboyant yet feminine creations.Punkish in looks, with her bright green hair, later changed to pink or red, she helped turned accepted fashion on its head in the late 70s, with her exposed seams, artistic rips and safety pins - though hers were jewelled. However, she went on to design for royalty, both literal and pop, in the form of Diana, Princess of Wales and Queen's Freddie Mercury. She founded London's Fashion and Textile Museum in 2003.

Among the many honours she has been awarded is a CBE and the rare privilege of appearing as herself on The Archers. Jonathan Ive Probably one of the most influential designers of the 21st century, Ive's genius lies in his contribution to technology. As senior vice president of industrial design at Apple Inc, Ive, who comes from Chingford, Essex, headed the teams responsible for the iMac, MacBook and the iPod. The 42-year-old's computer creations combine both form and function, the first iMacs replacing boxy shapes with soft rounded contours and dull yellow/ white plastic with translucent surfaces in candy colours. Ive actually visited confectionery plants for inspiration to try and recreate the effects of gumdrop candies. The iconic original was coloured Bondi Blue, the colour reflecting the surf at the famous Australian beach. This was followed by five fruit colours including Blueberry, Grape, Tangerine, Lime and Strawberry.

Ironically, considering how much Ive has done to shape the future,he is married to an historian, Heather. Hewas given a CBE in 2006 for services to design and the Queen revealed that even she owned an iPod. Mary Quant While Westwood and Rhodes left an indelible impressionbecause of their work in the 70s, Quant practically invented the style uniform of the 60s. Born in Blackheath, London, in 1934, she studied illustration before gaining work with a milliner. In the 50s she opened a clothes shop in the Kings Road, brightening up black dresses and sweat shirts with white plastic collars. Skirts had been getting short since the late 50s and at least two designers had already takenthem to thigh level, but it was Quant that claimed to have named them 'minis' - after her favourite car - and become most closely identified with the style. She took the idea a step further with the little-more-than-abelt micro minis.

She concentrated on household goods and make-up in the 70s and 80sand in a talk at the V&A said it was she who invented duvet covers. Terence Conran An entrepreneur as much as a designer, Conran was bornin Kingston on Thames in 1931. He studied textiles at Central Saint Martins but abandoned the course to work on the Festival of Britain. He started his own design practice in 1956, designing a shop for MaryQuant, then eight years later opened his first Habitat. This revolutionised furniture buying for trendy young Britons who had previously relied on parental hand-me-downs. An influential restaurateur, he opening the Soup Kitchen, Quaglinos, Mezzo, Pont de la Tour and Butler'sWharf Chop House, but sold that side of the business two years ago.

Knighted in 1983, he started something of a design dynasty throughhis sons and daughter. Jasper specialises in fashion and interiors, Sebastian is a designer in his father's empire, Tom followed him intorestaurants, while Sophie did both, making pies and designing. Norman Foster One of the leading lights of British architectural design Foster is responsible for some of Europe's most iconic buildings, including the Swiss Re London at 30 St Mary Axe (also known as The Gherkin).

the new Wembley and the domed roof of the restored Reichstag in Berlin. Knighted in 1990, hewas made a life peer and became Baron Foster in 1997. Won the Stirling Prize twice, for the American Hangar at the Imperial War Museum Duxford and for the Gherkin. In 2007, he was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the largest architecturalaward in the world, for the University of Technology Petronas, in Malaysia. Stella McCartney There is no denying that her famous surname made the world sit up and take notice of what the Beatle progeny had to offer, but it was probably as ready to throw brickbats as it was bouquets. In the event McCartney junior proved she too had talent, possibly inheriting her artistic eye from her photographer mother, Linda. Born in London, Stella, now 37, started designing clothes when she was 12.

She interned for Christian Lacroix at 15 and then studied fashion at Central Saint Martins. She was made chief designer at Chloe, assisted by friend Phoebe Philo who replaced her when Stella left to starther own line with Gucci. She designed Madonna's wedding dress and the clothes for her Re-Invention Tour, as well as for Annie Lennox's summer tour and Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law's costumes for Sky Captainand the World of Tomorrow. In 2005 she designed an affordable range for H&M that sold out almost immediately on launch day. Stella McCartney has proved she is more than just the offspring of a celebrity James Bond Commander James Bond is an MI6 officer, licensed to kill, whogoes by the number 007.

He's the sort of man every English gent aspires to be - suave, cool in a crisis, charming to women and able to escape any kind of dangerous situation. No one looks better in a dinner jacket, he's brave - he lied about his age to join the Navy in World War Two - and he doesn't even age!Created by Ian Fleming in 1952, he's been the star of 22films. He takes his vodka martinis shaken, not stirred and loves scrambled eggs. In fact, there is just one thing about Bond which is very unEnglish - he hates tea. Del Boy and Rodney You know characters have become icons when they change the language. Del Boy gave us the phrases "lovely jubbly", "plonker" and "cushty".

Only Fools And Horses also managed to make the very English, Tamworth-made three-wheeled Reliant Regal van vaguely fashionable. Consistently voted Britain's Best Sitcom, the final episode in the 1996 Christmas trilogy - at the time believed to be the last-ever - attracted a record-breaking 24.3 million viewers. The show ran from 1981 to 2003, introducing us to fast-talking cockney market trader Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter, played by David Jason, and his younger brother Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst). They lived in a council flat in Nelson Mandela House in Peckham, South London and tried to get rich quick through dodgydeals. John Steed and Mrs Peel What could be more English than a gentleman sporting a bowler hat and rolled-up umbrella, driving a Bentley? John Wickham Gascoyne Berresford Steed was a Major in the British Army before joining an unnamed branch of British intelligence for TheAvengers. As played by Patrick Macnee, Steed was the epitome of sophistication, with a nice line in dry wit.

He was a very dapper secret agent, but Steed's bowler and umbrellaweren't just for show. His brolly contained a sword and his hat was metal plated, with the ability to stop bullets and knock down opponents. From 1965 to 1968, Steed's faithful companion was Mrs Emma Peel, played by Diana Rigg. Most Avengers fans will fondly remember her dressed in a skintight leather catsuit. The Avengers was one of the first series to fly the flag for English TV abroad, being sold to ABC in America for an unprecedented $2 million. They were worth every cent. Inspector Morse Detective Chief Inspector Morse was a true Englishman, even down to his first name. We eventually discovered it was Endeavour, after explorer Captain James Cook's ship. A lover of real ale, opera, crosswords and Jaguar cars, Morse was based in that most English of towns, Oxford, with its dreaming spires, perfectly manicured quadrangles and bicycles. Morse was played by the late actor John Thaw, and ran for 33 two-hour episodes from 1987 to 2000.

Doctor Who Okay, so he's not really English. As we all know, the Time Lord is from Gallifrey. He's often been played by a Scotsman, andhe was successfully revived in 2005 by a Welshman, Russell T Davies,and it's filmed mainly in Cardiff. But the Doctor is still a very English invention, with very English traits. He's a great one for fair play and hates to see injustice anywhere in the galaxy. He's also full of English eccentricities, especially in his dress, sporting everything from cricket whites and frock coats to straw hats and brogues. He has a loyal dog (K9) and spends most of his time in a shed-like box(the TARDIS) fiddling with his sonic screwdriver. What could be moreEnglish than that? Dad's Army Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Hitler, if you think old England's done? Don't panic! Because the men from the Home Guard were on hand to protect England's shores from anyinvading Germans.

This sitcom ran for more years than the war, from 1968 to 1977, and introduced us to such English icons as Captain George Mainwaring, the pompous bank manager who appointed himself leader of Walmington-on-Sea's Local Defence Volunteers. Then there was quietly spoken Sergeant Arthur Wilson, butcher Lance Corporal Jack Jones and Private FrankPike, played by Brummie actor Ian Lavender It produced memorable catchphrases like "Don't tell him, Pike!", "You stupid boy," and "They don't like it up 'em" and still gets millions of viewers when repeated. Robin Hood Few English characters have been played by so many people - more than 40 - even if some of them have been American. The firstto take to the screen as the outlaw in the early 20th century were Hollywood stars Robert Frazer, Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn. And of course, who could forget Kevin Costner's 1991 Prince of Thieves, who made no attempt to change his Yankee accent? The first on TV was Patrick Troughton in 1953 - ironic that, more than 50 years later, hisgrandson Sam is one of the Merry Men in the BBC1's current hit version.

The series with the catchy theme tune arrived in 1955 with RichardGreene robbing from the rich to give to the poor. It shows what an enduring character he is that Robin continues to be reinvented. Comingnext is a Ridley Scott film starring Russell Crowe in the dual rolesof both Robin and his arch enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham. Sherlock Holmes The creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock lived at 221b Baker Street, London, and solved any crime or mystery with his amazing yet elementary powers of deduction. A real English pipe-smoking gent, he first appeared in 1887 and became hugely popular, even surviving death. When Doyle killed him off in 1893, there was such an outcry he was revived. His legacy continues.

The Sherlock Holmes Museum in Baker Street was the first in the world to be dedicated to a fictional character. Wallace & Gromit An eccentric English inventor with a love of Wensleydale cheese and Lancashire hotpot, Wallace sports a lovely green jumper and lives with his faithful dog. This lovable pair were first introduced to us by Nick Park in the 1989 short film A Grand Day Out, before entertaining us with such comedy gems as TheWrong Trousers, A Close Shave and last year's most-watched programme, A Matter of Loaf and Death. Peter Sallis voices Wallace, while Gromit is the silent, but definitely more intelligent, half of the partnership, who can speak volumes with a raised eyebrow. Norman Stanley Fletcher When it comes to bad guys we love, Fletcher (played by Ronnie Barker, right) is up there with the best of them.

He may have been "an habitual criminal", as his sentencing judge (also voiced by Barker) called him, but he was a good guy underneath. Sentenced to five years in Slade Prison, Fletch took under his wing his naive Brummie cellmate Lennie Godber (Richard Beckinsale), and diddaily battle with warder Mr Mackay. The series ran from 1974 to 1977. Buckingham Palace Peer through the railings and get a taste of lifein the Royal household at the palace that has been the official residence of British sovereigns since 1837. From the Changing of the Guard to royal celebrations - the Palace is a magnet for thousands of tourists with more than 50,000 each year making it through the gates.

The 775 rooms include 19 state rooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms - many boasting priceless works of art that are part of the Royal Collection. Wembley Stadium The newly-opened Wembley Stadium, England's national sporting venue can seat up to 90,000 - each promised a clearview of the pitch. The iconic twin towers of the previous stadium have been replaced by a dramatic arch that spans 315 metres - the longest single span roof structure in the world. The new stadium's versatility means it can not only host football, rugby and music events but is also capable of hosting world class athletic meetings. Selfridges,Birmingham Visionary architect, the late Jan Kaplicky, who designed this iconic store buildingwhich opened in 2003, used more than 15,000reflective aluminium discs against a blue backdrop to create the innovative look.

The designer's company Future Systems, challenged to create an architectural landmark for the new Bullring regeneration scheme, developed the store's look to reflect the soft lines of a body that billows gently outwards before drawn in at a kind of waistline. Inside, a dramatic roof lit atrium is criss-crossed by a cradle of sculpted escalators creating a haven for shoppers. Stratford-upon-Avon The town on the River Avon was the birthplace of one of England's greatest and most celebrated playwrights - William Shakespeare. His parents John and Mary set up home in Henley Street, now open to visitors who want to gain an insight into the early life of a man inspired by the Warwickshire town. Their son's move to London and the ill-fated Globe, did notsever links with Stratford where his heritage and wealth of plays still thrive.

London Eye At 135 metres high the British Airways London Eye is the world's largest observation wheel which offers fantastic views overLondon from its 32 passenger capsules, each holding up to 25 people.A new design, originally conceived by architects David Marks and Julia Barfield in an entry for the millennium landmark competition, usesa different arrangement of observation wheels. Rather than being suspended under gravity each turns on mounting rings fixed to the main rim ensuring 360[bar] panoramic views at the top of the structure built on the bank of the River Thames. Eton College Henry VI founded the school for boys in 1440, making it one of the oldest in the country and well-deserving of its motto, Floreat Etona - May Eton Flourish. The great, the good and the well connected all share a need through thecenturies to ensure their boys are educated at the school that stillthrives in the castle town of Windsor, Berkshire.

Through its six centuries of education, generations of boys have each left their mark on school life and many have gone on to play influential roles in England's history including 18 Prime Ministers and writers, from George Orwell to Ian Fleming. Blackpool Tower The north's answer to the Eiffel Tower in Paris rises 518 feet and 9 inches over the Lancashire coast. The Victorian engineering masterpiece was thebrainchild of town councillor John Bickerstaff who masterminded the pounds 300,000 project - about pounds 40 million in today's money. Its doors opened in 1894 - the designers Maxwell and Tuke died a year before completion of the project that used 2,500 tons of steel and five million bricks and more than a century later is still entertaining thousands of visitors each holiday season. Warwick Castle A millennium of history is celebrated at this medieval castle with its soaring towers and magnificent ramparts.

Thousands of visitors enter through the grand gate house to explore the grounds and castle with its dramatic Great hall and State Rooms. Now owned by an entertainment enterprise, jousting and medieval banquets are still regular pursuits at the castle that has often played host to royalty, including the Royal Weekend party of 1898. Stonehenge The mystery of the megalithic ruin, thought to have been built around 3100BC, still baffles experts who visit the site on Salisbury Plains close to Amesbury in Wiltshire. It was built in three phases usingblue sandstone and is now a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors are no longer allowed to touch the stones, although at summer and winter solstice and the spring and autumn equinox, Druid inspiredceremonies are allowed to take place.

Angel of the North The dramatic Antony Gormley sculpture greets visitors with its 54 metre wide wing spread at the entrance to Gateshead Tyneside on a former colliery site. The 60 foot high steel structure, unveiled in 1998, can be seen by A1motorway users or passengers onthe East Coast mainline and pays tribute to the industrial heritage of the north east.

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Taxi! The black cab is recognised throughout the world The classicred telephone box Morris dancers City gents in their traditional bowler hats George, Paul, Ringo and John on the cover of TheBeatles'classicAbbeyRoad The classic Stones line-up of Richards, Jones, Jagger, Wyman and Watts Going Underground: Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton and PaulWeller - The Jam Martin Johnson celebrates the World Cup win in 2003Bobby Moore is held aloft by his England team-mates after their famous win in 1966 The Grand National Chilling out at the Glastonbury Festival Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall is a national institution Walter Smith's award-winning pork pies Breakfast, lunch or tea, beans on toast is a healthy, classless meal and an English classic The Sinclair C5 on the road and (above) a classic BSA bike One of Issigonis's early designs Hold tight please... the classic Routemaster Norman Foster Stella McCartney has proved she is more than just the offspring of a celebrity 'Stupidboy'-Dad'sArmy'sPrivatePike Nick Park's Oscar winners Wallace and Gromit Steed and Peel - The Avengers Buckingham Palace Wembley Stadium Gormley's stunning Angel of the North

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