Saturday Variety (mini blog)

On the left (above) is the headline of this segment in "simplified" Chinese script, followed by the same headline in Chinese, but using western orthography. Maybe the content of this item will help you translate?

VHS?

You have, no doubt, experienced a ride in the UK's now almost disappeared HST - the High Speed Train. Or maybe you are looking forward to an even faster ride on the latest French TGV.

But a recent announcement from China goes not one but several better.

That is 280 miles per hour in the old money.

WOW! Discounting the fact that you would have to allow time to speed up and slow down, and the need of a perfectly straight railway, that would get you from London to Newcastle in one hour!

Of course, it will never happen as such a high speed will crush your body into a sticky pulp. It will never catch on.

More HS?

Articles on-line suggest that this project is unlikely to happen. (Now where have we heard that before in the UK?). But the idea was for brand new lines linking China with Tajikistan, Usbekistam and Kyrgistan.

No neither has fbb - but they are there, north of India!

Here are the plans as originally discussed.

That looks a bit like a choice of two routes!

But we now have the obligatory picture of Chinese officials being inscrutable but launching the project.

fbb is not sure what is exploding below, but it makes for a memorable launch!

Fortunately you don't have to read about it in Chinese, even the simplified version.

That looks like the blue line on the map above.

At this early stage, we do not know what stock will be used, but here is a typical train operating thereabouts today.

How is our very own HS2 going, Mr S?

English Spelling Extremely Silly

Clearly the web site designers at Jadlam Toys and Models struggle with the native language of most of its customers. The following sentence may help them to do better next time.

It was the lightning lightening the runway that helped the Lightning land after the lighting fused at the air base. This helped in lightening the mood of the Lightning pilot as he spent some time enlightening the aircrew in the NAAFI delighting in the candles lighting the tables.

Surprisingly Tamiya managed it get it right on the box!

They Never Work Out Of The Box

Towards the end of last year, the |Tyde and Wear Metro was extolling the virtues of its brand new fleet of trains, the first of which started running in service. And very smart they look ...

... BUT ...

Whoops!

Net Zero Or Not Zero (1)

It is a matter of heated debate north of Hadrian's wall.

It all depends on how you measure it and where you are standing when the measurements are taken.

So it is far from simple.

Net Zero Ot Not Zero (2)

CalMac runs a lot of little ferries shuttling across short sea routes and serving smaller numbers of customers. So, in yet another move to net zero, the company has ordered new electric ferries.

But many of the locations chosen for this greenery policy simply do not have enough electric to charge up the batteries.

The cost of upgrading the electric supply to thicker wires is huge.

Well done CalMac.

Keen Modellers Use Kit Models

There may yet be some hope for fbb as he weeps  copiously at the beautiful layouts presented in the Railway Modelling magazines. All too often cheap and cheerful plastic kits appear on quite serious scenic displays.

Here is the Airfix engine shed ...

... complete with non-working lights as supplied in the bag of a kit that dates from the early 1960s

Likewise the water tank.

fbb has examples of both; in fbb's case slightly modified. Originally the kits cost three shillings (each). Now they are made by Dapol and cost between £9 and £12.

More Variety tomorrow.

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Blog Plans for Next Week

Monday 13 Jan

MK - Weird Service at Woburn Sands

Tuesday 14 Jan

Take Me To Your Leader (mini)

Wednesday 16 Jam

MK - Baffling Buses At Bow Brickhill

Thursday 17 Jan

The Thrup Knee Bit (mini - part 1)

Friday 18 Jan

MK - Frustration At Furzton

Saturday 19 Jan

The Thrup Knee Bit (mini - part 2)

Sunday 20 Jan

MK - Remaining Oddments (mini)

As ever, amendments may always happen as the week progresses.

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 Next Variety blog : Sunday 12 Jan