Remember Inter City 225, the brand that, in 1989, brought class 91 electric trains to the East Coast main line.
The 225 was for kilometres per hour (140mph) which never happened because British Railways, doubtless under the dead hand of the Treasury, bottled it and went for cheap overhead wires which would only permit 125mph. And whatever happened to the swallow?
And who remembers milk bottles with adverts on them?
There will be plenty of the younger set around who don't even remember glass milk bottles, and certainly not the original pre-foil card cap type.
But a twitterer has posted a couple of pictures of the advertising bottle, promoting ...
... the InterCity "Electrics" to Leeds.
The wires were completed to Leeds in 1988 when fbb was nobbut a lad of 43!
X9 and X10 reprise.
A few weeks back fbb was reporting that his chum Peter was cconfused(dot)com and somewhat impoverished by the poor publicity for fares and tickets between Middlesbrough and Newcastle. Keen blog readers can remind themselves (here).
fbb doesn't know whether Peter's fares confusion still applies, but he does know that today (this very day, no less) thee X9 and X10 are being upgraded.
X-lines X9
X-lines X10
From Saturday 5 September, the services will be operated by luxury coaches. There'll also be some permanent changes to stopping arrangements in Newcastle and Peterlee from the same date. The services will terminate at the bus stop opposite St Andrew’s Church, near The Gate, rather than serving Eldon Square Bus Station.
Eldon Square bus station is glued onto a shopping centre of the same name, now itself rebranded as intu Eldon Square.
The new stop, with absolutely no facilities, appears to be on Newgate Street, layby on the left ...
... and a poor welcome to the great home of a certain "Brown" beer. But in another way, this "upgrade" isn't quite what it seems - certainly not at first.
The new "Inter-Deck" coaches ...
No, fbb wasn't sure either; but they have wide doors for wheelchair access and a low floor chunk inside the door then a staircase up to the main seating.
... won't be ready in time (GoAhead must be learning from the rail industry) so, for the time being, you will have what look suspiciously like National Express cast-offs adorned by a few sheets of sticky-backed plastic.
Might it not have been a good idea to delay the "launch" until the vessels were ready to slide gracefully down the slipway of GoAhead's P R machine.
Talking of which the company has been quick to point out that it has its first '70 plate (new registration numbers) on the road on the first day - viz 1st September.
The claim is that it was the first '70 plate "on the road" for any UK bus - unless anybody knows better.
Talking Of New Liveries
Courtney Coaches (now part of Reading Buses) have unveiled a new livery for their Wokingham network.
Formerly attired in boring Courtney generic brown and white ...
... Wokinghamians (if there is such a descriptor) will be able to enjoy a vivid orange.
What Is The Roof Made Of?
The trouble is that most pictures of water towers are taken from ground rather than drone level. So, even if the tank has a roof - and many don't - its hard to see its construction. fbb's Airfix/Dapol based model has a roof, but it just has moulded lines in the plastic.
They would represent very large sheets of something - but what?
fbb was not happy, so glued on some ribbed plastic sheet bought a few weeks ago for something - but what something the old man has forgotten. It seemed a good idea at the time.
Still the problem remains; sheets of what? Maybe the old codger should have chopped up his ribbed plastic into 32mm by 16mm pieces and glued them all on separately and overlapping as a representation of corrugated iron/asbestos/polycarbonate depending on date of installation.
There again ...
... the folks at Peterville Quarry Railway might well have splashed out on posh modern corrugated stuff.
fbb's tank still needs the corrugated construction equivalent of ridge tiles.
Notice something different? The original frail rail around the access hatch on the roof ...
... got itself busted whilst resting on the fbb workbench a k a dining table. O.K. Mr Clumsy set something on top of it; but it was always at risk in an exposed position on the model.
Replaced by something more substantial ...
... bits of landing banister from the unwanted interior of a no-longer-available R273. Waste not want not.
Deep Joy c/o Oxford Scientists
Maybe?
A Twitterer replies:-
Maybe not!
X-lines X9
X-lines X10
From Saturday 5 September, the services will be operated by luxury coaches. There'll also be some permanent changes to stopping arrangements in Newcastle and Peterlee from the same date. The services will terminate at the bus stop opposite St Andrew’s Church, near The Gate, rather than serving Eldon Square Bus Station.
Eldon Square bus station is glued onto a shopping centre of the same name, now itself rebranded as intu Eldon Square.
The new "Inter-Deck" coaches ...
... won't be ready in time (GoAhead must be learning from the rail industry) so, for the time being, you will have what look suspiciously like National Express cast-offs adorned by a few sheets of sticky-backed plastic.
Talking of which the company has been quick to point out that it has its first '70 plate (new registration numbers) on the road on the first day - viz 1st September.
Talking Of New Liveries
Courtney Coaches (now part of Reading Buses) have unveiled a new livery for their Wokingham network.
What Is The Roof Made Of?
The trouble is that most pictures of water towers are taken from ground rather than drone level. So, even if the tank has a roof - and many don't - its hard to see its construction. fbb's Airfix/Dapol based model has a roof, but it just has moulded lines in the plastic.
fbb was not happy, so glued on some ribbed plastic sheet bought a few weeks ago for something - but what something the old man has forgotten. It seemed a good idea at the time.
There again ...
Notice something different? The original frail rail around the access hatch on the roof ...
Deep Joy c/o Oxford Scientists
Maybe?
More Variety blog : Sunday 6th September
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