Please Note: Faeroes report will be published on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th Jan. This will explore, briefly, ferries, country buses and take a look at the airport. Apologies for the change of plan. It relieves pressure on our Fellowship meetings which happen on Sunday and Monday!
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Science Fiction Or Vehicle Fact
The above suspended railway image is both unrealistic and definitely science fiction. fbb doubts that the design would be strong enough to hold such a huge vehicle traveling at speed and, additionally, cope with the lateral forces on curves. You would also need a huge amount of power to move that thing.
Here is a blurry enlargement showing the driver and fireman (?) at their seats.
The Bennie Railplane was unworkable for similar reasons.
Sadly, a very young Mrs fbb did not have the bottle to climb up the steps to explore the rotting hulk as it stood at the bottom of her road on the outskirts of Milngavie.
But the idea below also became a short-lived working proposal!
Created by one Mr Steinwinter to increase the capacity of Germany's busy autobahns, it too did not last.
This video tells the story/
We are nearly there with some modern coaches, but built in one lump and with better visibility for the driver.
Mersey Tunnel Mini-posts
The first police vehicles and the Birkenhead underwater junction as first built but with added colour.
The same location with heavy 1930s cloggage ...
... possibly photographed on the opening day?
Red Cola Christmas?
Sure to be the famous Coca Cola festive truck?
Well, actually no! It is a close copy from ...
Lidl! Lidl Cola is branded "Freeway" but, surprisingly, in a red can.
A Birthday You May Have MissedIt was the oft maligned Dr Richard Beeching who proposed that freight should no longer travel in weedy wagon loads but be plonked into containers to travel in fast "Liner" trains.
And thus began the "container revolution" on the UK's railways ...
... complete with shiny white overalls for some staff!
Liner Trains was one of the many things the Great and Good Doctor got right.
Not Quite Right, Interwebnet!
This picture appeared on-line in amongst red buses from Torshavn (Faeroe Islands) and the blue country fleet.
fbb can remember no episode of "On the Buses" in which Stan Butler took a wrong turning at Luxton and ended up on a ferry to the Faeroes. Blakey would not have been pleased!
It's NOT All On Line
The fbbs' washing machine has been in steady decline (like the fbbs themselves!) over the last year or so. First the paddles inside the drum started falling off. All attempts to get spares to fix in place failed. Then in recent weeks the mechanics have been sounding like the Paddle Steamer Waverley at speed ...
... but with severe indigestion.
So, on Thursday inst, Mrs fbb called in to the local Washing Machine Shop and spoke to Damien. A replacement was ordered and paid for at 12 noon.
Two hours and twenty minutes later Wayne and a colleague arrived and installed the replacement.
Eat you heart out AO!
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"NOT the Advent Calendar", but ...
The
CHRIST -mas
Criss-muss
Confusion
Critique 4
Part of the Christmas Story ...
... but Later.
They went into the house, and when they saw the child with his mother Mary, they knelt down and worshiped him. They brought out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and presented them to him.
It is quite amazing how many modern readers let the story of the Wise Men (a k a Magi; a k a Astrologers; a k a Astronomers) pass them by as a "pretty" anecdote. It was far from "pretty".
Matthew recorded the visit (which took place about two years after the birth of the baby) because he wanted his fellow Jews to understand that the child was God's chosen Messiah (a k a Saviour of the World) and that the way to obtain Salvation was to recognise what really mattered about CHRSTmas.
GOLDWhat people needed was the GOLD of an eternal heaven - far more important that blundering about in this earthly life. But getting there wold not be easy. God would not welcome anyone with the stain of sin, however small - and put up your hand if you have never committed a sin!
Sin's the problem.
INCENSE
What God wanted was for people to join him in a glorious
GOLD eternity. But human seemed unable to come up to God's standards. So they faced a closed door to a heavenly future. But if someone could become
THE WAY ...
Bluntly, Myrrh was used for embalming dead bodies. Its pungent odour would partially disguise the pong of necrotic tissue. This was a good thing when burying in the ground was impracticable.
Some groups burn the body, as do most people in this country.
So Jesus came to die! And, thankfully, to rise from death in the third day.
And his death was a substitute for the permanent death sentence we deserve for our suns.
THE END?
But for a committed Christian who "repents" and seeks forgiveness IT IS NEVER THE END!
The words of the hymn aren't quite what Charles son of Samuel wrote, but the music is most definitely from Felix son of Mendel.
Tomorrow is Twelfth Night!
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Weekend Variety : Sun 5th Jan
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... to the airport; costing £9.50 return.
Coffee, tea and water are free of charge in-flight, but the usual extras (small portions?) are available at a price ...
... and there is always the really exciting in-flight magazine to enjoy.
... into a busy terminal.
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And with a slight jolt, the plane has landed ...
... and unloaded.
So how do you get from Airport to Torshavn?
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... service 300, for the hour's run into the capital.
