Weekend Variety 1

Google Messes Up

For reasons only know to the program writers at Google, who do not live in the real world, the evil "bots" decided that yesterday's blog contained offensuve of dangerous material.

It didn't! 

But the mega computers at Google decided that anyone wanting to read about Nice Airport had to log in afresh via Google.

This may have off-put some readers, so fbb has added yesterday's blog to the bottom of today's in the hope that Google's bots will scuttle away and annoy someone else.

fbb could not know if the "bots" have not tried again until publication time at 0200 when he will be sleeping peacefully!

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Has Hydrogen Bombed?

The famous film and its powerfully emotional commentary, were both from different sources, stitched together later and not broadcast live. It was a grim event but of the 97 souls on board, 62 survived. It did little for the idea of hydrogen power although modern use of the fuel is no more dangerous than highly inflammable petrol.

There is growing concern about the viability of hydrogen as a means of combatting global warming; and these concerns remain even if a "green" hydrogen can be manufactured at a realistic price.

At the moment it can't.

Here are some recent news clips.

Mississauga, as well as being a splendidly ethnic name, is in Canada. It is contiguous with Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario.

There is considerable concern about the cost of their hydrogen buses. This is just one on-line objection - the emphasis is from fbb.

Recently I published a perspective on the Canadian city of Mississauga’s plan to pilot hydrogen buses for their transit system. It included global data on the high cost and low reliability of hydrogen electrolysis and refueling systems and the high cost and low reliability of hydrogen fuel cell buses. Someone asked the next obvious question: how much money are we talking about, and who would be getting it?

Follow the money, and in this case it’s up to $36 million, far more than the costs of purchasing and operating electric buses for equivalent service. (All dollar values in this article are in Canadian currency unless stated otherwise.)

A recent blip from Hyindau makes you question the reliability.

Only a "small fault"?

 Then this summary appeard a few weeks ago.

Hydrogen fuel faces a number of challenges, including: 

Safety

Hydrogen is highly flammable and explosive, even a small spark can cause a huge explosion. Hydrogen tanks can explode, scattering debris that can be fatal. 

Transportation

Hydrogen is difficult to transport and store under pressure. It carries less energy per unit volume than fossil fuels, so more tankers would be needed to transport it. 

Cost

Hydrogen fuel cells are more expensive than other energy sources, including solar panels. The initial cost of fuel cells is high because they require precious metals like platinum and iridium as catalysts. 

Availability

There are few hydrogen filling stations compared to petrol stations and public charging locations. 

Efficiency

Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs) have poor conversion efficiency, which leads to energy losses and high fuel costs. 

Extraction

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, but it doesn't exist on its own. It needs to be extracted from water or separated from carbon fossil fuels. 

Renewable sources

96% of global hydrogen production comes from non-renewable sources. 

But do not worry enthusiastic environmentalists. The above article, so its proponents claim, has been generated by AI.

So that's all right then.

The Stock Markets usually get the feel for the situation.

fbb might choose to settle his millions elsewhere; a new washing machine, perhaps?

Irrelevant Non Transport Item

From a retail shop "somewhere in Scotland"

Barely Relevant Ditto

Well it is on Hackney Downs station. But what is it advertisisng? And will anybody notice?

How Much?

Continuing fbb's on-going quest for the most expensive OO gauge railway model, how about a very small four wheel wagon?

It comes from the growing Ellis Clark organisation, Ellis being pictured here (left), with manager Albert (on the right).

The wagon is a 25 ton "Lowmac" and similar models are available from a variety of manufacturers; the cheapest, bought new, being a former Airfix kit from Dapol.

The kit will cost you about £12.

Obvioulsy, Albert's Lowmac is a vastly superior model as it is made mostly of diecast metal not plastic.

Albert is charging 

£40

plus postage, of course.

For comparison, Hornby's ancient Lowmac is available "pre-owned" at less than the Dapol kit.

And here is a real full-sized Lowmac at Wansford on the Nene Valley Railway.

The name comes from Low for Low Loader and Mac for Machine; the wagons being designed to carry large agricultural machinery, too tall for a normal wagon's loading gauge.

And is this an OO scale  Himac on a Lowmac?

Probably not!

Seasonal Irrelevant Puzzle Picture

What is it?

Answer tomorrow.

 Next Next Variety blog : Monday 4th Nov 

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Reprint of yesterday's  blog!!

Another nice posting from Nice

At Last He Can Buy A Ticket

We left No 3 son at Cannes station working his way through the electronic examination he would have to pass (pass mark 100%) in order to persuade S N C F to accept his money and provide him with a ticket.

7.20 Euros was his utterly obvious choice! 

But next ...

... his chosen train was confirmed. Did that mean he could not use, for example, the 1917, also VOU, also TER, also Keolis? It was not clear.

Next ...

 ... he was warned IN Terrifying RED of how to change his TER ticket. It seems he would not face the guillotine if he was travelling on the same day - but only by TER, obviously?

Next he was asked for e-mail or phone details.

To buy a ticket? 

The boy tried to ignore it but the machine was doggedly insistent.

To buy a ticket? 

So No 3 son typed in six arbitrary digits ...

... which seemed to satisfy the clever (?) technology. Then, and only then, he could buy a ticket ...

... assuming his "carte bancaire" passed the lie detector test. So one thing left ...

... did he want a receipt? Yes he did; to claim in his expenses application back at base.

But finally, and brimming with excitement,

... there was the distinct possibility that he would really, really, REALLY get a ticket.

Tada! Something appeared.

HIS TICKET!

And one final, final screen ...

... reminding him to remove his card.

And his ticket!

All he needed to do now was to catch his train. Imagine his excitement when a double decker pulled in.

And being his father's son he rode top deck.

It did seem a tad claustrophobic, despite the larger loading gauge. On the way upstairs he had time to witness the way in which these trains show split destinations.

We that's how he understood it.

On arrival at Nice St Augustin station, all he had to do was to get to the airport's Terminal 2.

All?

Next train tram plane mini blog is on   Tuesday .

Station Office To School

Project Completed? 

This is what it looked like when bought - not well proportioned, seemingly too tall, too "grand" for a humble village edifice.

This is the final result after an attempt to age the finish somewhat. It is noticeably reduced in height ...

... and fits nicely in Peterville village.

You don't really notice the bodge to make it less tall! From a normal viewing distance, the barely "average" results of fbb's wobbly left hand and his ARMD impaired eyesight are not overly obvious.

But he did forget to paint chimney stack in matching grey "stone"! It's on a lengthy "to do" list.

May the bots rot in their cot!