Electricity Experiments 1888?
The front cover of the book shows an intriguing picture of an electric bus from 1888. Here is the same illustration, but bigger.
Mr Rosa suggests that details of the bus and its operation are "confusing"!
8 mph would have been a terrifyingly speed! Some commentators would suggest that 8 mph would be quite a good
average to achieve in central London today!
Intrigued by this box of batteries on wheels, flbb turned to Wikipedia for enlightenment ...
By 1879, Radcliffe Ward was working for the British Electric Light Company. In 1881, he designed a Gramme machine which could power 4 to 6 arc lights of 4000 nominal candle power per light. In February of that year, he ran some experiments at George's Pier Head, Liverpool along with Alderman Joseph Hubback, chairman of the light company. They used one of the Gramme machines along with a multi-tubular boiler and vertical engine supplied by Cochrane and Co. The light produced was more effective in penetrating the fog than the pre-existing gas lights.
In 1882, Radcliffe Ward was named as the electrical engineer working for the Faure Electric Accumulator Company, working with consultants William Edward Ayrton and Camille Alphonse Faure.
... and got none; beyond the second sentence above!
But author Richard has sent his notes about electric buses for a later 1907 volumes of his magnum opus. When fbb has found time to digest the information, he will return to the topic.
The problem seems to have been batteries and charging.
Oddly, but for different reasons, batteries and charging remain problems today for electric vehicles, 120 years later!
Until fbb can assimilate more snippets, herewith a picture of a steam bus from the early 1900s.
They didn't catch on either! At least the downstairs saloon and the front top deck seats would have heating!
More to come.
'West Coast' Lumo
There has been a sort of launch (without any trains on which to travel) of the forthcoming Euston to Stirling service. The boss has had his say ...
... and strange things have been happening in the approaches to the station building at Preston.
fbb is a little unsure of what links peacock feathers and a young lady with her hat on fire with innovative low cost intercity train travel. But doubtless all will be revealed in due course.
Understanding the mind of PR consultants is well beyond the skill set of an overweight octogenarian.
A Good Idea? Hmmm?
A gang of folk in Norfolk has come up with a cunning plan ...
Why not open up a bit more track (a lot more track?), involve two heritage lines and bits of Great British Railways and, like a prestidigitator promoting a perfidious presentation, run a circular service round the whole caboodle.
If fbb reads the map aright, a through train would have to reverse at Cromer, reverse at Fakenham, reverse at Wymondham and reverse at Norwich.
That would seem to be a recipe for a slow service and lots of ludicrously expensive modern signalling.
Welcome Wellness?
fbb is greatly encouraged by an offer which will improve his wellness; which, at 81, is a bit of a challenge!
Upon further investigation, it appears that this improvement in fbb's general health is derived from something called Galaxy S26 Ultra.
It does sound like a chocolate flavoured health drink.
Sadly, it's a mobile phone, innit!
For the uninitiated, "pink gold" is metallic pink in the old money while 'silver shadow' it metallic grey!
And the price of this aid to comfort, peace, and a warmness inside?
Yikes!
£1700 quid for a mobile phone? Who is conning who?
But it has got THREE cameras!
fbb prefers Christianity which offers much the same and is completely free!
Wakefield Wants Works for Weaver
Readers may remember the recent news that Arriva was closing its historic Wakefield depot. The site is vacated, awaiting demolition. Some pictures taken near the end show the main sheds held up with scaffolding ...
... and the HQ building of the once proud West Riding Omnibus Company, all neglected and boarded up.
This former tram depot will soon be consigned to transport oblivion.
Some chap has made a model of the site, recording its better days.
Was it ever that busy under Arriva's occupancy?
Anyway, there was little chance of Arriva building a new Wakefield depot when there is always a possibility that the boys in blue would lose the contract under Tracy's franchising plans.
Tracy Brabin is mega metro mayor of West Yorkshire, seen below in her more famous role ...
... in Coronation Street.
The cunning plan (another one, Baldrick) is to move Wakefield city dustcarts out of their depot at Newton Bar ...
... building a new maintenance and admin building ...
... to supplement the existing covered garage ,,,
... and fill it with Weaver Network branded buses.
And that's why franchising us going to cost mega bucks in West Yorkshire. Yorkshire tykes with flattats and coal in t' bath (is that still a valid stereotype?) had better not expect cheap fares if Wakefield is typical of the rose tinted (whoops, green tinted) future.
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PETER, JAMES and JOHN
had failed to support Jesus as he prepared for his expected, his pre-planned crucifixion.
Also overnight and very early on Friday morning, Peter had denied he knew Jesus before the ...
COCK
... crowed; as accurately predicted by Jesus.
At the arrest, most of the Lord's followers had fled. The 'trial' was corrupt and illegal; a terrorist had been released; the crowd had bayed for Jesus crucifixion and Pilate had chickened out.
Two missing words!
Jesus has been crucified - a horribly painful death - he had breathed his last"and been hurriedly placed in a borrowed tomb.
On the Saturday, nothing happened - it was the Sabbath when no work, not even a proper burial, could be undertaken.
Historically, at this point, the Jesus story was over.
There would be no Christianity!
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Next Variety blog : Sunday 5th April
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