Thursday, April 28, 2022

SNCB Class 22 electric loco

One of 50 of the Bo-Bo type built during 1953-1954 for Belgium's 3 kV DC lines, seen here at the ferry port of Ostend in 1973.

Info and see the earlier post.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

1972 Renault Alpine


the Lupine Express from Wigan, England, to Pyongyang


The graphic looks to be based on the TEE trains of the 1950s-1970s, but of course it is a much longer trip. It's not clear if the train actually happened as the dates shown were preceded by a few weeks by the Coronavirus scare of 2020.

More 

horse trams in Manners Street, Wellington, 1903

This was the year before the horse trams were replaced with electric powered ones.  For lots more, see the books Wellington: a Capital Cemtury and Wellington Transport Memories.

Monday, April 25, 2022

not an NZR De class

Although the livery design is similar, and if the green was replaced with red it would be the same. This was one of 12 standard gauge Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives, numbered 81 to 92, supplied by English Electric in 1955 to Jamaica. Each was powered by a 6SRKT mark 2 prime mover rated at 750 hp. 

Here's a recent video on Jamaica's railways.



Inside London's £19 billion new railway

 


Sunday, April 24, 2022

Swiss hydro-electric power poster featuring a 'Roter Pfeil' electric railcar, circa 1950

For info in the 'Red Arrow' railcars from the 1930s, see earlier posts, and this webpage

10.25 inch (260 mm) gauge locomotive of the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway, England


Wells & Walsingham Light Railway locomotive Norfolk Heroine, 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratt type built in 2010, enters Walsingham station. (Timothy Titus pic via wikimedia)

"The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway is a 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge heritage railway in Norfolk, England running between the coastal town of Wells-next-the-Sea and the inland village of Walsingham. The railway occupies a four-mile (6.4 km) section of the trackbed of the former Wymondham to Wells branch which was closed to passengers in stages from 1964 to 1969 as part of the Beeching cuts. Other parts of this line, further south, have also been preserved by the Mid-Norfolk Railway.

"Despite its miniature dimensions, the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway is a "public railway", indicating that its operation is established by Act of Parliament. The original establishment of the preserved line was authorised by the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway Order 1982, the terms of which were altered under the subsequent Wells and Walsingham Light Railway (Amendment) Order 1994. Prior to 1982 the 15 in (381 mm) gauge Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway had traded as "The World's smallest public railway", a phrase sometimes quoted by the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway since the 1982 Light Railway Order."

'I like to enjoy a real book lying on my back in the outdoors'


Ships in Port Pirie, South Australia, circa 1909


1939 Cadillac Fleetwood Series Sixty Special

Wellington rubbish truck, seen in 1951

It looks like a Dennis and taken in Newtown. For lots more, see our two books on Wellington.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Friday, April 22, 2022

art deco styled poster for Helsinki and Finland, circa 1939


Showing a city tram and the Olympic rings. After Japan declared in 1938 that it would be unable to host 1940 Olympics in Tokyo due to the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War, Helsinki had been selected to host the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were then cancelled due to the outbreak World War II in September 1939. The Olympics were eventually held in 1952 in Helsinki.

SNCB class 55 diesel


A total of 42 of this Co-Co type were built between 1961 and 1962. The prime mover was a GM 16-567C two-stroke V16. Output was rated at 1,924 hp. This example in original green livery is now part of Le Chemin de Fer du Bocq heritage fleet. 


(Pic from Trip Advisor -- more)

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Stokes Hill Wharf, Port Darwin, NT, Australia, 1888

This still exists and serves the same role today, but without the railway tracks.

Märklin German railway art, 1960s


 With an 01 class steam loco.

HMS 'Beagle' in Sydney Harbour, 1838, art

Painting by Australian artist Ron Scobie.  


"HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, one of more than 100 ships of this class. The vessel was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames. Later reports say the ship took part in celebrations of the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom, passing through the old London Bridge, and was the first rigged man-of-war afloat upriver of the bridge. There was no immediate need for Beagle so she "lay in ordinary", moored afloat but without masts or rigging. She was then adapted as a survey barque and took part in three survey expeditions.

"The second voyage of HMS Beagle is notable for carrying the recently graduated naturalist Charles Darwin around the world. While the survey work was carried out, Darwin travelled and researched geology, natural history and ethnology onshore. He gained fame by publishing his diary journal, best known as The Voyage of the Beagle, and his findings played a pivotal role in the formation of his scientific theories on evolution and natural selection."

More

the first electric tram in Hay Street, Perth, Western Australia, 1899


Electric tram services commenced on 28 September 1899. According to Wikipedia, the first line ran 4.8 km along Hay Street, from East Perth near the WACA Ground to Thomas Street in West Perth. There was a spur line along Colin Street to Kings Park.  The tram system ended in 1958.

Third Avenue streetcar, NYC, 1944


Under the Third Avenue IRT elevated train line, looking north at East 58th Street in July 1944. (via Shorpy.com)

1961 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 2





Sunday, April 17, 2022

'I like a real book, not a little device'

Baldwin built 2-8-2 from 1912

Built for logging use, oil burning, seen here on the former Cadillac and Lake City line (as number 2) circa 1970.

More pics

Auckland sprinkler tram in Arch Hill, circa 1910


This was one of three built by Auckland Electric Tramways between 1907 and 1911 which held 3000 gallons (12,700 litres) of water, used to keep dust down on the unsealed roads.  The setting is not far from where Motat now is.

1959 Vespa 400 microcar




"Smaller is better in the case of this 1959 Vespa 400 microcar. First introduced in 1957 at the rise of scooter production, the 400 was the first car the company had produced in its then short 10-year history. It featured a two-cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled engine that produced a blistering 13 horsepower, and a top speed of 51.8 mph (83.4 km/h)."

Saturday, April 16, 2022

1920 Foden Steam Wagon



"Built in 1920 for the Isle of Man Highway Board, Foden wagon works number 10320 has had an eventful life in preservation, and extensive work was required to restore the wagon to what you see here. The wagon is regularly rallied around its home in south west England, however has made several visits to Beamish Museum where these photos were taken in April 2012."