William Morris ...
... a k a Lord Nuffield, was the founder of Morris Motors and the creator of the iconic Morris Minor car. He secured a contract to supply the van version to the Post Office, which bought hundreds; either in Royal Mail red ...
... or the more sombre Post Office Telephones dark green.
For parcels work and bulkier transport, he supplied the equally distinctive 'J' series vans.
This was a popular buy for many businesses, small and large.
Now, a start up company has launched a 2026 version of the Morris J, due to go into production next year.
And what a beauty it is!
There are lots of pictures of the product on-line, most of which are likely to be 'renders' ...
... like these two alternative body styles.
Was this one really parked outside the Sennedd, Cardiff.
Google reckons the price will be £60,000, which suggests that mass sales to BT Openreach are unlikely!
A niche market beckons, but the new 'J' is electric!
Of course, Dinky made the original in a scale close to 'O' gauge.
The Capstan version is on offer at EBay for ...
... £165!
For the less financially well-blessed, Oxford Diecast does an 'OO' version at about £9.
Sweet!
On The Set Of Dr Who?
Actually we are in Riyadh ...
... the capital city of Saudi Arabia.
U.N.I.T. Headquarters?
A Dalek breeding ground?
A T.A.R.D.I.S. docking station?
A Laser Missile Launch Pad?
fbb is most definitely NOT going to undertake a detailed blog. His brain us still recovering from Wuhan!
But the 'Dr Who' pictures are all infrastructure on the Riyadh Metro.
Rolling stock is colour coded to match; as below with a Line 3 train.
Or you could have blue for Line 1.
The route map (extract only shown) ...
... also shows "Community" bus services as narrow lines. fbb guesses "community" is akin to "municipal".
This is captioned "Western" station.
It consists of a huge cathedral-like booking hall ...
... a selection of wide-arched roof structures ...
... and a tiny-looking two track metro line running through the middle!
Eat you heart out, Elizabeth Line line!
All Our Yesterdays?
This map popped into fbb's ambit. It is of the railways of East Anglia in "The Good Old Days"
How much is left today?
Wasn't Technology Wonderful?
Wasn't Technology Wonderful?
Two pieces if old technology side by side.
We see the Newport (Wales) Transporter Bridge ...
... and P. S. Waverley ....
... sharing the murky waters of the River Usk.
Both are relics of a bygone age; but both still available to remind us of the quality and survivability of the engineering.
Glorious!
Remember This?
Above is a computer modified picture of a class 800 in Great British Railways livery, a unit which does not exist.
Remember This?
What did exist at the launch at London Bridge station was a Hornby model.
Now Hornby has announced a five car set for modellers to buy.
The set us in the "Railroad" range and is a basic model with no interior detail. But it looks the part whizzing around a tail-chaser layout.
By today's terrifying price standards, that has to be good value at £150.
The set us in the "Railroad" range and is a basic model with no interior detail. But it looks the part whizzing around a tail-chaser layout.
======================
The squeamish or hospital phobic may now read this diary with impunity!
EIGHT DAYS INSIDE
(Wednesday 3rd/Thursday 4th June)
Blood numbers were going in the right direction with no signs of further leaks, so fbb was allowed to escape on the Thursday.
The ordeal was over and, full of praise for the NHS, fbb was handed over to the inestimable care of his wonderful wife.
Bur the astounding care in the Everlasting Arms if an Almighty God, plus the Peace of God which is truly beyond human understanding, sits like a comfort blanket surrounding the work and commitment if the medical professionals.
Look to the mountains;
where will your help come from?
Your help will come from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let you fall;
your protector is always awake.
The protector of Israel
never dozes or sleeps.
The Lord will guard you;
he is by your side to protect you.
The sun will not hurt you during the day
nor the moon during the night.
The Lord will protect you from all danger;
he will keep you safe.
He will protect you as you come and go
now and for ever.
PSALM 121
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