Sarurday Variety On Monday!

Mini Museum

The Conway Valley Railway Museum occupies the former goods yard at Betws-y-Coed Station. There is not a lot of it, but if offers many delights. The main building contains a whole heap of railway stuff ...

... i.e. various bits of railwayana.

There is a working model railway ...

... and a diorama of a typical slate mine.

There is a caff in a carriage ...

... and a few other railway vehicles to see. The best bit is the miniature railway (video below) and occasionally the tiny electric  tram is on offer for a ride.

It draws power from a miniature overhead wire and tolley pole using its own little bit of track.

When fbb was watching from the national rail station platform, the little train was hauled by its diesel. 

But at busier times the steam loco appears.

Well worth popping in!

Colne Valley Construction

One of the most spectacular bits of the now fairly useless HS2 remnant, after Rachel and Keir have refused to reverse Rishi's violent destruction by the great political chopper, is the 3.4 kilometre viaduct over the Colne Valley a tad north of Denham.

Here is the route (DARK BLUE) of HS2 in the area ...

... here is he viaduct in RED ...

... and here in reality and partially complete c/o Google Earth.

The section across the southernmost lakes is the really spectacular bit ...

... as seen above in artist's impression. It is supposed to look like a snake writhing across the water. And so it doesn't!

First you build a road across the lake and use that to build the viaduct's piers ...

... seen here from a lower level.

Then, having built the piers ...

... you use a gurt big sliding metal bridge ...

... to assemble the gurt big blocks of the decking.

Apparently there are exactly 1000 decking blocks to stick together with a huge tube of UHU glue - or something similar.

These units are cast on site. 

Now that the viaduct is constructionally complete, the access roadway on (or in) the lakes will be removed.

Spectacular, Eh?

Not Spectacular But Splendid

Remember the Bond Bug? It was a two-slim-person orange plastic car with a putt putt engine. It probably wouldn't stand a chance in an altercations with a bicycle!

A huge chunk of the body lifts up to gain access to the cramped driving position.

It is now available as am OO model from Oxford Diecast.

As usual with Oxford's models, it is exquisite. But an eagle eyed fbb spots a disappointment. The non-working headlights are moulded in clear plastic, whilst the real things ...

... are set in an orange "container".

Disappointing.

Following the purchase of Bond Cars Ltd. in 1969, Reliant commissioned Tom Karen of Ogle Design to alter the Reliant Rogue design; the car would now become a Bond vehicle. The Bond Bug was based on chief engineer John Crosthwaite's newly designed chassis, and used a mixture of Reliant Regal parts, and running gear which had been designed for the Reliant Robin 750, which was due to be launched in 1974. The original concept was explored by chopping down a production Regal vehicle, the car's rear being shortened to end over the rear axle.

You wouldn't get four inside though!

Livery Delivery Quiz Question

Every so often a disease breaks out amongst bus company management which results in buses appearing in heritage liveries to confuse the passenger and delight the enthusiast.

This one has just appeared.

So the question is, "Who operates it and which company is it retrospectively celebrating".

And a clue? It may well go close to the pier!

Ecclesiastical Note

There were about 50 attendees at the new 0915 service at fbb's church, slightly less than half the average congregation. Statistics are unfairly compared because the Sunday School Classes only operate at the 1100 edition, so families would perforce attend then.

Another Identity Parade

Four characters appear in the above picture - please identify all four.

There is a fifth character likely to be present as the locomotive prepares to depart, but that character would perforce be hidden from view. ("perforce" seems to be fbb's  word of the month, which, perforce, sounds a bit "intellectual".)

So, identify the FIFTH character. And for a clue to this one, enjoy a glass of ginger beer.

Shouldn't it be Old Welsh ginger beer?

Answers tomorrow if fbb remembers or later in the week if he doesn't!

 10 Days to Go 

 Next Variety blog : Tuesday 24th September 

Saturday Variety

Fatigued Feline

There is no doubt that Mr Tubbles takes his domestic duties very seriously. There are patrols to be scheduled, observation from a window to fit in and much much more. Bring crepuscular, his efforts are concentrated in two periods of the day.

There is activity around breakfast, say from 0700 to 0900 followed by a short nap until about 1600. Then there is the evening meal followed by gentle duties (e.g. sitting around and napping) until about 2200 when it is time for overnight snoozes.

Note, in the recent heat, he has, unfortunately, had to curtail his frenetic lifestyle and substitute extra sleeping time.  Here he is on the landing at fbb mansions fitting in some extra naps between 0700 and 0900.

It's a tough life but you have to admire his dedication!

Lumo Expands to MetroCentre

Lumo (It's actually First Rail in heavy disguise) runs open access trains along the East Coast main line and, as far as observers can tell, it is a hugely successful operation. The company is now looking at expanding its services.

The latest development is not, perhaps, the most commercial of its projects. But the company has taken over another operator.

The operator concerned runs a kiddies ride round part of Newcastle's MetroCentre shopping mall. And it has already acquired the Lumo branding!

Lumo management are anxious to point out that their altruistic purpose is to teach the kiddies about safety on and around the railways; about the th dangers of trespass etc.

Yeah, right!

And this "presentation" is nothing to do with the fact that Lumo is planning to increase the number of trains between London and Newcastle.

Of course it isn't; we all believe you, yes we really, really do"

More From McGills

Having just bid a fond (?) farewell to Alex Hornby as part of a "responsible restructuring of the management team" - OK he was sacked - boss man Ralph Roberts has now appointed a new Director, this time of finance with a remit to look after the pennies.

Robbie Drummond arrives from CalMac which, as we know from regular reports from across Hadrian's Wall has been at the very top of management and financial stability for years and years.

Oh, hasn't it?

Andy's Having a Review

Andy Birnham, seen above begging for money from his chum Keir to pay for his expansionist plans, is the Mega Mayor of Manchester.

He has just announced a wholehearted review of bus, rail and tram services ...

... a review which will take "several years".

fbb wonders what he is hoping to find out. But surely a review before he started taking the buses under his wing might have been a better policy. He might have decided that his aspirations were something like this

His chum, chancellor Rach (Rache?) Is unlikely to have any pennies to spare for a long long time!

She looks far too nice to be Chancellor - aren't such beings supposed to be thoroughly miserable?

Ferry Failure : Future Ferry

For nigh on forty years the Scilloian 3 has plied its trade to the Channel Islands. It has a reputation for "Mal de Mer" but that applies only in bad weather and we all know how glorious the weather is every day out West.

But up pops Harland and Wolff (yes, that Harland and Wolff) ...

... offering to buy The Scillonian company. The offer was firmly rejected.

OK, says H & W, we'll run our own ferry with nice ships brightly painted and very lovely - much better than that old tub you run.

Well it didn't quite work out and a chartered high speed vessel arrived on the harbour side for the service starting in May 2024. 

But it didn't.

There were the ineviutabl delays and thus far no vessel has chugged at any speed to the Sillies.

Why not?

It transpires that H & W are in financial "stum" and have asked the Government for some cash - quite a lot of cash.

Ker-ching! Mega loan refused.

So, after much delay, the fast ferry plan is cancelled. Apparently, "the time is not right for such a venture"- which being interpreted means "we ain't got the money".

And, as if to tweak the H & W nose, The Scillonian's owners have announced a grand new Scillonian (No 4).

The deal includes a new cargo vessel and the whole caboodle will be privately funded, so Rache's purse strings can remain tight shut!

Remember Lego?

You got a huge box of bricks and a book full of suggestions as to what you might like to make. With a big enough box, there was no limit to your imagination. fbb never had Lego and was disappointed to be bereft of such a joyous construction toy.

Then along came Technic Lego, Space Lego and even Pneumatic Lego; but still it was bricks and cog wheels plus stimulating ideas.

Not so for big boys toys.

Now you buy a once-and-for-all kit and make it up. When complete you, well, erm, look at it! Then you might go out an buy another bigger one to build and look at.

Here is an example ...

Note the price:  £219! Does it have any traditional gnobbly bricks?

And that price is quite reasonable compared with some.

More bits and pieces tomorrow including fbb's take on "Tampo" printing for the elderly railway modelling bodger.

 Next Variety blog : Sunday 4th Auuist 

Sunday Variety

Write Out Correction 50x!

At school it was common for teach to add the dreaded code SP50 to a marked essay. This meant that Sir expected a neat part page of e.g. the word "necessary" on his deck at the start of the next lesson.

It's SchaRfenberg - named after one Karl of that ilk, who invented his automatic joiner of trains in 1905! His invention was certainly not "digital" and it was a good while before the automatic UNcoupler came along.

Until then you had to yank on a gurt big lever to get them apart.

Then fbb, overcome with aghastness, realised that he had no idea how they worked. Obviously the pointy bit pokes into the "cup" of the attaching vehicle, but what happened then was a closed book for fbb. Or maybe even a closed coupling.

But it is "all on line"!

In each "half" of the coupling "hook" is a bar with a pin at the end. That's the dark grey bit that sticks out pointing left.

The other notable component is a circular disc with a bite taken out of it. That shiny metal lever is part of the UNcoupling mechanism.

So the two couplers approach, gently, and the magic happens.

See the bar from the left hand coupling is about to click into the bite in the opposite disc. Likewise the other way.

And, abracadabra sim salabin ...

... they come together sweetly and strongly!

In modern systems there are pneumatic, hydraulic or servo driven gubbins to do the UNcoupling and once the trains are joined in holy matrimony, other gubbinses join the electrics etc.

If you are captivated by the technology of SchaRfenberg couplers there is oodles of excitement  awaiting you on the interwebnet.

Government Transport Policy?

So, fix what things?

Isn't that exactly the same as the last lot promised? And with 14 years of expertise, how well did it go?

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back!

Some news snippets of varying content.

Better For Bedford

Wuxams? It is currently on the A6 south of Bedford ...

... but the development is due to spread west to the Midland Main line, hence the desire for a station.

The huge warehouse, top left on the above, is a B & M distribution centre. The Google Earth view shows where development is in progress!

Bad for Brum?

Yet again, it's all about the money!

Saving The Planet?

Hmmm?

It's Big; It Steams and It Costs!

People like Henry Greenly and Wenman Basset Lowke cut their teeth on miniature railways.

Thebsmaller scales ran from "5" downwards for what Henry would have called a model. Eventually the arithmetic led to "O" gauge and in the late 1930s, as they had run out of numbers, to "OO".

But there are still those who are wealthy enough to run trains in the larger "model" scales.

But if you do have the money and a large garden, this is the sort of 5" gauge model you might like.

Such a beauty will only cost you £15,000.

Grand Prix, Great Prize or Great Price?

We have just had the British GP at Silverstone, not too far from Northampton Alan's residence. On a weeknd excursion by rail, Alan was intrigued to spot some different styles of sign for the bus link from Northampton.

London North Western Railway had not spent a great deal on disseminating information about the special buses.

Young Bill had done a splendid job with his felt tip pens; we note especially the chequered flag motif!

The station's official sign was of superb quality.

But if you found you way to "the top of the hill" ...

... actually the top of the bridge across the line.

, Stagecoach had hired something big and obvious.

It didn't tell you too much.

But, as Alan reported, there were no times or fares on the Stagecoach web site.

But fbb is made of sterner stiff and he looked more widely on-line and, lo and behold, the Silverstone race site had the necessary.

This, for example, shows departures from Northampton on the Saturday.

and the Northampton fare?

These arrangements would tend to be used for passengers from the north. If you were coming from London your connection would be from Milton Keynes ...

... but at a higher price.

Maybe take the chopper next year?

 Next 1X blog : Monday 15th July