Mariloo, Exbury’s new steam engine, will be publicly steamed for the first time at the award-winning Gardens at the beginning of May.

The new engine is named after Marie-Louise, the one-time matriarch of the Exbury Rothschilds and the mother of Leopold de Rothschild (Leo as he is usually known), at whose instigation the hugely popular Garden Railway was built.

Mariloo joins the existing engines, Rosemary and Naomi, named after Leo de Rothschild’s sisters. The new engine, painted in the same deep blue and gold livery as the others, has a greater engine capacity (see technical data below) than Rosemary and Naomi, giving it 50 per cent more pulling power.

It has also been built by Trevor Stirland of Exmoor Steam Railway. “We are all very excited about the arrival of Mariloo,” said Mr de Rothschild, who is often to be seen on the footplate of the engines, driving them around the one-and-a-quarter mile track.

“My mother was a key character at Exbury, who, in between nursing duties in London, kept the Gardens going during the terrible years of World War II while the men were away fighting.

It is fitting that we name this new engine after her,” he said.

Mariloo, which has the capacity to pull six carriages, each containing 16 people, arrives following a record year for the Garden Railway when 59,000 visitors took the train.

The locomotive will be publicly steamed for the first time on Sunday May 4th. Guests will be invited to take a trip on the railway in carriages pulled by the new engine.

“At the height of the season we have been running at capacity,” said Mr de Rothschild. Mariloo is arriving in the nick of time.”

The Rothschilds continue to manage Exbury and have built up the world-famous collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, trees and shrubs, over almost a century.

With the launch of Freesat by the BBC and ITV this week, television viewers can now access high-definition TV channels on a free-to-view broadcast service.

Following the first hands-on test of a Freesat set-top box, Matthew Bath, Technology editor at Which?, says: "We were really excited to take the Humax Foxsat-HD down to the lab and start testing how the next-generation of set-top boxes perform.

Although Freesat is subscription free, viewers should bear in mind that they will need to shell out for a Freesat receiver, satellite dish and installation - which costs a couple of hundred pounds.

As for the million dollar question - will you get a better quality picture? Yes, but only when high-definition TV is being broadcast - which is in bite sized chunks at the moment and, don't forget, you need a HD ready TV to take advantage of it.

"Several other new boxes didn't make it into the shops in time for the launch, so we'll be testing them in the coming weeks and giving our verdict, to make sure that viewers benefit from spending their cash on the best product in the market."

Related Internet links:
• Freesat

With people looking for more environmentally friendly ways to maintain their gardens, hand mowers are increasing in popularity and can produce better results than electric or petrol powered rivals, says a new report from Which? Gardening.

Which? Gardening weighed up the pros and cons of hand mowers and fuel powered mowers and found that the more traditional method of lawn mowing can be kinder to grass, as well as to the environment.

Hand powered mowers make less noise and cost practically nothing to run – just what they cost to maintain.

They may involve slightly more physical effort from the gardener, but many models are lighter than a fuel powered mower, and just as quick.

Which? Gardening rated the Husqvarna Novocut hand mower as the Best Buy model for medium-sized lawns, while the Brill Razorcut Premium was awarded the Best Buy for small lawns.

Ceri Thomas, editor, Which? Gardening says:“People seem to be keen to return to more traditional methods of gardening – not only are hand mowers better for the environment, they’re kinder to your lawn, too.

If you need any more reasons to try them out, they’re also quieter, cheaper, and help you keep fit into the bargain!”

1. WG Brill Razorcut Premium
2. WG Gardena 300
3. WG Husqvarna Novocut 64

If you're planning on buying a new fridge-freezer or washing machine this bank holiday, make sure you do your homework and shop around for deals says government advice service Consumer Direct.

British consumers registered more than 31,500 complaints about large domestic appliances with Consumer Direct last year, two thirds of which concerned defective goods.

Michele Shambrook, Operations Manager for Consumer Direct said: 'There is a lot of choice in the market so it pays to do your homework, read reviews and look around for the product that's best for you.'

Consumer Direct has the following tips for people buying white goods:

• Measure up - make sure you have enough space for your new appliance, and that there is suitable access. If your new fridge-freezer doesn't fit through the door, you won't have an automatic right to a refund.

• Read independent reviews and take recommendations from friends and family.

• When comparing deals, look for price, details of any free manufacturer warranties, and whether fitting is included.

• Check products for energy efficiency and if appropriate water efficiency.

• If you pay by credit card or use finance organised by the retailer, you may have extra protection if things go wrong.

• Think carefully about whether you need an extended warranty - you have statutory rights, and you may already be covered under your household insurance policy.

Further information and advice is available by calling Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or visiting the website at http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.

Highways maintenance in Hampshire has a new face from today (1 May) with Amey taking over as the County Council’s term highways contractor.

In a deal worth £35 million per year for the next seven years, and extendable to a decade subject to performance, Amey will be responsible for all aspects of road and footway maintenance in Hampshire – more than 5,000 miles of it.

Amey won the contract against stiff competition from five other companies. A key element of the new contract will be closer working with local communities, and a greater emphasis on the customer experience.

The County Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Mel Kendal, said: “Highways maintenance is one of our priorities, and residents tell us it’s one of theirs too. Just about all of us use roads and footways daily, maintaining them and getting repairs right first time will be a cornerstone of our relationship.

“Amey is hugely experienced in contracts like this, and we’ll be tapping into its expertise to make sure that we get the best possible value for council taxpayers. I look forward to a long and productive partnership, and welcome them as part of our team.”

Amey’s Service Director for Local Government, heading up the project for the County Council contract, Kunle Kolaru, said: “Effective road and footway maintenance can have a significant positive impact on the local community, improving journeys for residents and businesses alike.

Amey’s experience shows that regular, two-way engagement with the local community is key, and as such, will be an important element of the service Amey will provide to Hampshire.

The County Council’s commitment to a collaborative approach means that this is a contract Amey is particularly pleased to have been awarded.”

Amey will form part of an alliance of all highways and transport service providers working with the County Council, aimed at improving the entire highway service for everyone in Hampshire thanks to closer working and integration of services.

The term highways contract covers routine and planned maintenance of Hampshire’s highway network outside Portsmouth and Southampton, excluding the motorways and trunk roads which are maintained by the national Highways Agency.

Related Internet links:
• National Highways Agency
• Portsmouth City Council - Roads Department
• Southampton City Council - Highways Department