More High Speed
We seem to be less keen today on comedic racial stereotypes - even if the humour is very gentle. Here is Mr Khan at home stereotyping the over excitable import from the Indian sub continent.
Apologies for the asperity.
If you search on-line, you will easily find literally dozens of You Tube videos about the recent opening, by Prime Minster Modi ...
... of India's very first High Speed commuter railway line.
They are mostly narrated by very excited Indian gentlemen extolling the virtues of this line and its trains in minute detail. Most of the videos are not in English!
The line has been built, mostly on viaduct and ...
... complex viaducts they are!
The trains are very swish, as is explained by a not too exciteable Indian lady.
Below is a map of the line, in two sections for viewability.
It runs from Delhi ...
... roughly northeast to Meerut.
The statistics are impressive to go with the trains.
That is, we are told, an average speed of 100mph. To those enjoying France's TGV and Brits anticipating getting from London to Birmingham in (?) 30 minutes, this doesn't sound like High Speeds. But for those who have experienced India"s trains in the recent past ...
... the new service will be a step up! India does have modern trains on some "inter city" lines, of course, but the newly opened route ...
... is the first quality high(er) speed commuter line.
Whilst we can understand the nation's enthusiasm, fbb must point out that only a little bit of line has opened ...
... and only four of the five stations! Delhi's commuters will have to wait for the rest of the line to Meerut till 2025.
Here a brief look at the current terminus at Ghaziabad.
The new one looks quite a bit better than the old ...
But, how many high speed commuter lines has the UK got? That's commuter lines with multiple stops. fbb doesn't include those good folk who commute from Didcot, Rugby and Peterborough etc. on InterCity trains.
Museum Meteorological Misery
Whist the national media has focussed mainly on Scotland, other areas have suffered with too much of the precipitated wet stuff. Here are a few pictures from the Isle of Wight.
East Cowes
Ryde St Johns Road Station
And where is this?
Ryde Esplanade
A view of the cutting leading to the Ryde Tunnel. The footbridge is the marker.
But sadly ...
Ryde Bus Museum
The museum has asked for donations to help defray the huge amount of damage. Insurance? They can't get it at any reasonable price because the site is os liable to flooding! Life can be tough, sometimes.
Details on line. Please help if you can!
In Happy Holiday Times
How about a Midland Red Coach Cruise?
See map!
Only 21 guineas; inflated to £430 today and still a bargain.
And the coach?
It was a Midland Red C1 which were deep cushioned comfy seat gorgeous.
Deep joy!
Snippet?
fbb has never met a smoking guide dog. But you never know.
Next Variety blog : Sunday 29th October
The railway is 100km/he not ,100Mph so not high speed at approx ,60mph
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that you cannot comment on a foreign country's transport affairs without resort to racial stereotype by way of (unrelated) introduction says more about you than anything else. You regularly report on other (European) countries but don't feel the need to indulge in stereotype.
ReplyDelete