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The Ovaltine "Tinscope"
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Amateur astronomers have always demonstrated remarkable inventiveness in optics and engineering, and in utilising mundane objects to produce working instruments. The tube of this telescope - made by Harry Brierley (above right) and Bert Lineham during the 1950s - consists of several Ovaltine tins.
Bert Lineham was an engineer, and for many years worked for British Timken - a company which produced roller bearings for some of the world's largest telescopes; and yet all of his own instruments which he constructed were made of the simplest materials.
The photograph on the left was recently supplied (via Martin Taylor) by Cliff Shutlewood - an old friend of Harry and Bert.