Sarurday Variety On Monday!

Mini Museum

The Conway Valley Railway Museum occupies the former goods yard at Betws-y-Coed Station. There is not a lot of it, but if offers many delights. The main building contains a whole heap of railway stuff ...

... i.e. various bits of railwayana.

There is a working model railway ...

... and a diorama of a typical slate mine.

There is a caff in a carriage ...

... and a few other railway vehicles to see. The best bit is the miniature railway (video below) and occasionally the tiny electric  tram is on offer for a ride.

It draws power from a miniature overhead wire and tolley pole using its own little bit of track.

When fbb was watching from the national rail station platform, the little train was hauled by its diesel. 

But at busier times the steam loco appears.

Well worth popping in!

Colne Valley Construction

One of the most spectacular bits of the now fairly useless HS2 remnant, after Rachel and Keir have refused to reverse Rishi's violent destruction by the great political chopper, is the 3.4 kilometre viaduct over the Colne Valley a tad north of Denham.

Here is the route (DARK BLUE) of HS2 in the area ...

... here is he viaduct in RED ...

... and here in reality and partially complete c/o Google Earth.

The section across the southernmost lakes is the really spectacular bit ...

... as seen above in artist's impression. It is supposed to look like a snake writhing across the water. And so it doesn't!

First you build a road across the lake and use that to build the viaduct's piers ...

... seen here from a lower level.

Then, having built the piers ...

... you use a gurt big sliding metal bridge ...

... to assemble the gurt big blocks of the decking.

Apparently there are exactly 1000 decking blocks to stick together with a huge tube of UHU glue - or something similar.

These units are cast on site. 

Now that the viaduct is constructionally complete, the access roadway on (or in) the lakes will be removed.

Spectacular, Eh?

Not Spectacular But Splendid

Remember the Bond Bug? It was a two-slim-person orange plastic car with a putt putt engine. It probably wouldn't stand a chance in an altercations with a bicycle!

A huge chunk of the body lifts up to gain access to the cramped driving position.

It is now available as am OO model from Oxford Diecast.

As usual with Oxford's models, it is exquisite. But an eagle eyed fbb spots a disappointment. The non-working headlights are moulded in clear plastic, whilst the real things ...

... are set in an orange "container".

Disappointing.

Following the purchase of Bond Cars Ltd. in 1969, Reliant commissioned Tom Karen of Ogle Design to alter the Reliant Rogue design; the car would now become a Bond vehicle. The Bond Bug was based on chief engineer John Crosthwaite's newly designed chassis, and used a mixture of Reliant Regal parts, and running gear which had been designed for the Reliant Robin 750, which was due to be launched in 1974. The original concept was explored by chopping down a production Regal vehicle, the car's rear being shortened to end over the rear axle.

You wouldn't get four inside though!

Livery Delivery Quiz Question

Every so often a disease breaks out amongst bus company management which results in buses appearing in heritage liveries to confuse the passenger and delight the enthusiast.

This one has just appeared.

So the question is, "Who operates it and which company is it retrospectively celebrating".

And a clue? It may well go close to the pier!

Ecclesiastical Note

There were about 50 attendees at the new 0915 service at fbb's church, slightly less than half the average congregation. Statistics are unfairly compared because the Sunday School Classes only operate at the 1100 edition, so families would perforce attend then.

Another Identity Parade

Four characters appear in the above picture - please identify all four.

There is a fifth character likely to be present as the locomotive prepares to depart, but that character would perforce be hidden from view. ("perforce" seems to be fbb's  word of the month, which, perforce, sounds a bit "intellectual".)

So, identify the FIFTH character. And for a clue to this one, enjoy a glass of ginger beer.

Shouldn't it be Old Welsh ginger beer?

Answers tomorrow if fbb remembers or later in the week if he doesn't!

 10 Days to Go 

 Next Variety blog : Tuesday 24th September