What Is It?
Yes, it is a rather sickly sweet chocolate bar from Cadburys ...
... a melange of goo, crunch and chocolate - and only about a million calories.
But this is an atrociously bad piece of journalism - almost as bad as Brighton and Hove's "new livery" video!
0 out of 10 Madeline plus a detention and write out 1000 times "London Underground never had double deck trains."
"They will pulled". Another 0 out of 10 Madeline. Write.out 1000 times "They were pulled from service".
Only they weren't.
0 out of 10 AGAIN, Madeline. Another detention and another 1000 lines. "They operated until 1971".
That's just a tad longer than one day.
The item continues ...
0/10 Madeline. Write out 1000 times "They weren't in the slightest bit streamlined."
The article includes a picture.
0/10 Madeline. 1000 lines "It's not a mock-up; its someone's model railway!"
Every so often writers, seeking to create a crisis where none exists, roll out the "Why can't the UK have double deck trains?"
There are two problems. The UK's loading gauge is not big enough for two layers of people!
The Southern Railway's 4DD class (NOT the Underground!) tried to overcome this by having "interlaced" seating ...
The upper deck passengers' posteriors were a few inches above the heads of those in the lower seats.
The top deck was unventilated, cramped ...
... and hard to get to.
Which led to the second problem. Compared with a so-called "slam door" commuter train ...
... loading and unloading were oh so terribly slow.
The 4DD stock might have been called "double deck" but they barely carried 30% more passengers.
fbb has travelled on double deck trains in Paris ...... where the extra loading gauge helps enormously. But the steps UP to the top deck and DOWN to the lower deck ...
... still slow down loading at very busy stops.
Recent speculative designs for the UK follow the same principle as in Europe but with less room. The bottom deck is below the platform entry level between the bogies ...
... but the doors seem far too narrow for a busy commuter line.
More expensive construction will still only give about 30% additional capacity.
The top deck is constricted by the need for the sides to "lean in". Both decks will be more cramped than a conventional carriage.
fbb was reminded of this conundrum when the internet announced new trains for OBB, Austrian State Railways. The system has had double deck commuter trains for some time ...
... but a recently announced order is for InterCity stock.
It's never going to happen in the UK, is it?
Flat Pack In 1916
That's when Peter Norman Nissen designed his hut. 
It came on a lorry as a kit to be assembled.
A true Nissen hut was semicircular and constructed on iron frames with, usually, timber horizontals ...
... clad outside and in with corrugated iron. Sometimes hardboard or even asbestos sheet was used internally.
Doors and windows were part of the end walls only, although in later life many were adapted for housing with additional "dormer" windows along the curved sides.
The Americaans had their "Quonset" hut ...
... and the UK had the much larger Romney Hut.
Note that the latter two were not semicircular, presumably to squeeze some extra floor space out of the same amount of material used in construction.
So what is this?
It purports to be a Nissen Hut - but it issent!
It is, however, a model; ordered by fbb and due in a few days.
This Is Honolulu!
Waikiki beach to be precise; and this a s simple plan of the Hawaii Islands.
And, in case you aren't sure, this is where the Islands are ...
... plonked way out in the Pacific Ocean! It is a long way fom almost everywhere.
And you are welcomed (ALOHA) with a Lei.
But Honolulu has just opened its new Metro ...
... and its a monorail. The trains are swish and ...
... fully automatic. The stations are, of course, up in the air.
The line was, as one has to expect these days, delivered late and significantly over budget. 
The first chunk (PURPLE) opened on 30th June (2023) ...
The extension to the airport (RED) is due in 2025 ...
... and the last bit (GREEN) in 2031.
There are still two more stations but they are only at the planning stage.
It is branded Skyline and fbb is sure that all his readers will be busting to know how to use this new transportation facility when they next hop happily over to Hawaii, homing in on hospitable but hexpensive Honolulu.
So here is how!It never seems like that on London's Underground!
Next Ile de France Bus Re-Brand blog : Mon 10 July
The 4DDs ran from 1949-71 - that's a very long day! My sister lived in Greenwich at the time and once rode in one - she did not like it!
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