Saturday Variety

Hydrogen Hopefully?

GM

fbb has always been uneasy about the enthusiasm of some parts of the motor industry for the benefits of hydrogen as a "green" fuel. A reminder is in order. Currently the only viable source of hydrogen is either worse environmentally than fossil fuels OR impossibly expensive.

Nevertheless, Wrights have been demonstrating their bus with  hydrogen drive-line. No doubt in production the tanks will get a nice neat cover?

Hydrogen Hopelessly?

The company offers a passenger rail service between Bremerhaven and Hamburg via Bremervörde that carries one million passengers per year. It also operates seventeen bus lines with four million passengers per year as well as freight services between Bremerhaven, Bremen and Hamburg. Using rented Siemens Dispolok locomotives, it also operates freight trains to Southern Germany and has recently announced to acquire two new Eurorunner diesel locomotives. During the summer months, a heritage railway service between Bremervörde and Osterholz-Scharmbeck, called the Moorexpress, is in operation.

Recently the company has hit the "green" headlines by introducing hydrogen fuelled trains.

But things have not gone at all well with the project.

Running hydrogen trains without hydrogen is, indeed, a problem.

Maybe they need to go back to steam?

Or horses? It worked fine on the Mumbles Railway!

Hornby Happier?

Some time ago, Mike Ashley (retail success tycoon and personality) ...

... took a significant shareholding in the ailing Hornby.

At least one on-line article suggests that his role as an adviser to the board is beginning to have an effect. Clearly, if the illustration below is to be believed, part of his "good advice" is to return to selling Gauge "O" tinplate trains!

Ot maybe the picture editor for this article merely searched for "Hornby Trains" and simply did not know the difference!

How about avoiding shipping delays and escalating shipping costs by making the stuff in the UK?

Home-made Hobby

That's the way to do it! 

The above company IS now making stuff in the UK. Current output includes their range of budget advertising wagons; cheerful but cheap. They are so cheap that it would pay the average modeller to buy these and repaint them in a more conventional livery. 

Here are the latest as priced by Rails of Sheffield.

And the company is offering these designs in "O" gauge as well.

Nit quite as big a bargain in the larger scale, but still good value. Remember "O" trains are nearly four times as big in volume as the "OO" versions.

Puzzle Picture 1

Any guesses as to what is happening here? It is NOT a Public Transport happening as such, but you could use THREE different bits of public transport to get to see it.

The fun of getting there is as enormous as the event you are viewing in the picture. And another clue?

Not Quite Public Transport

One aspect of the industry that lies well outside the experience of most enthusiasts is the typical team coach for a footy match. Back in the day, the local coach operator would supply their latest model for the away journey.

But now carrying the precious cargo of players is big business ...

... with big luxurious vehicles ...

... costing big money!

The Kings Ferry (part off National Express) has just sold its Footy Team Bus business.

The recipient of SEVEN "VIP" coaches and FIVE football team vehicles will make Grange Travel the largest such operator in the UK.

The innards of these motors takes coach travel to a whole new level of luxury ...

... if you have got the money.

It is  a far cry from "luxury" coach travel in the 1930s!

Below was Royal Blue in the 1950s

For a bus, this top deck takes a lot of beating for luxury!

It is Transdev Harrogate Buses service 36 between Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds.

Puzzle Picture 2

Who is this?

Answer tomorrow.

And Now Greater Bristol ...

... intends to join the coveted "Franchise Club".

It would be good to have some hard-nosed figures from Greater Manchester. Have passenger numbers actually exceeded pre-covid levels? And, if so, at what cost to the council taxpayers of Manchester and to the rest of the taxpayers of the UK?

If there has been no increase, why bother?

The unlaundered truth, please, Mr Burnham!

How do you see the financial future of your Bees?

Magazine Mystery

On-line edition for October 2024 ...

OR - print edition also for October 2024.

The on-line cover design is a repro of a much older edition but NOT that of 75 years ago, which is shown below.

 Next Variety blog : Sunday 15th Sept