LOSE YOURSELF IN 1969

HM THE QUEEN OPENS THE VICTORIA LINE

London Transport dug a trial tunnel in 1959 and the line was opened from Walthamstow Central to Highbury & Islington on 1 Sept 1968. The section to Warren Street followed on 1 December 1968. The formal opening ceremony took place on 7 March when Queen Elizabeth II became the first reigning monarch to travel on the London Underground. HM travelled from Green Park to Victoria on a 5d ticket at 11am. On arriving at her destination she transferred from the driver’s cab to the main carriage for the return journey.

THE FLASHING BLADE

Or, Le Chevalier Tempete, a 1967 children’s adventure serial from France. The BBC bought the rights the following year, creating 12 25-minute instalments from the original four 75-minute episodes. The soundtrack was dubbed into English at the De Lane Lea studios, and The Flashing Blade continued to air during the 1970s; the wonderful theme song was credited to ‘The Musketeers’. So always remember: ‘As long as we have done our best, then no one can do more, and life and love and happiness are well worth fighting for’.

ABBEY ROAD PHOTO SESSIONS

On the morning of Friday 8 August, Iain Macmillan placed a stepladder in the middle of Abbey Road. He had just 10 minutes to photograph the Beatles on the zebra crossing outside the famous recording studio before they continued work on the album. In attendance was a Metropolitan Police Morris J4, whose two officers controlled the traffic – one stationed further down the road and the other behind Macmillan. The Fab Four eventually selected the fifth shot for their latest album, although John Lennon complained: ‘We’re meant to be recording, not posing for Beatles pictures.’