trams in Fontainebleau, France, circa 1900

This town had a metre gauge electric system from 1896 to 1953. According to this webpage, "Huit petites motrices à deux essieux de trente-six places, à plates-formes ouvertes, munies de deux moteurs de 25 CV assurèrent l'exploitation. Cas peu courant en France, la prise de courant s'effectuait par un archet. Six remorques complétaient le parc. En 1910, un parc complémentaire de trois motrices numérotées 12 à 14 fut ajouté. Elles reposaient sur un truck Brill de 2,40 m d'empattement. Cette dernière série était partiellement vestibulée et pouvait transporter trente-neuf voyageurs." (Eight small power cars with two axles, 36 seats, open platforms and two 25 hp motors provided the initial service. Unusually in France at the time, the current collection was with an archet pole. Six trailers completed the fleet.  In 1910 three more power cars numbered 12 to 14 were added.  They rested on a Brill truck of 2.4 metres wheelbase. This small series had a partial vestibule and could transport 39 passengers.)

1967 Chrysler Town and Country

1952 Ford Thames Trader

1951 Marmon Herrington trolley buses

more Muslim nuttiness

According to this, in Syrian cities it presently controls, ISIS has among other things decreed that in cattle markets the hind quarters of goats and sheep must be covered with cloth, as the sight of uncovered genitals could give men sinful thoughts.

They must know.

vehicles outside Spencer Street station, Melbourne, circa 1930

With the then Victorian Railways building to the left.  The 'Sydney Sunshine Tours' banner suggests that a train left there in the evening to be met by a tour bus at Sydney Central; the 'sunshine' implies there is more in Sydney than in Melbourne which is a bit questionable although Sydney is a lot warmer in winter.  The station was replaced in the early 1960s and completely revamped again in the 2000s, now officially called Southern Cross Station.

'do you want to read a book with me?'

Waterford crystal steam locomotive ornament

Issued last year.

French stock-car race poster, 1954

The poster isn't dated; 4 July was also a Sunday in 1948, but we think it's 1954.

In the U.S. a stock car means any production-based automobile that has not been modified from its original factory configuration used in racing, In the U.K., however, a stock car is often stripped of unnecessary fittings and specially strengthened against collisions for competing in what in the U.S. is called a demolition derby.  It seems the French use of the term is the same as the British.

1961 ZIU 5 B trolleybus model, USSR

O scale, the trolley poles obviously are movable upwards to operating position; depicted in Moscow livery.

Martini automobiles poster, Switzerland, late 1920s

"First and oldest national marque." This firm operated from 1897 to 1934.  More

girls build electric cargo cars for the Russians, 1943

Presumably powered by batteries. Despite what it looks like, this isn't in Russia but in Birmingham, England.

Southern Railway guard art, England

Or conductor as the occupation is termed in America.  Age uncertain; 1930s?

barges in Landsberg an der Warthe, Germany, circa 1910

Obviously the river Warthe in winter.  Since 1945 this city has been Gorzow in Poland.

1949 Ford Thames ET6 coal delivery truck model

By A&H models, 1:48 scale.

1936 International truck

1946 ACF Brill trolleybus advert

trams on North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 1930s

See earlier posts.

'I'm looking forward to reading this transpress nz book'

1950 Ford Thames 5-ton truck, England

1961 Ford Econoline advert

like a castle - the former Santa Fe depot at Shawnee, Oklahoma

This was built over 1902-1903 and was operational as a train depot until 1973 when it was bought by the town. It currently houses the Pottawatomie County Historical Society and an abundance of artifacts and information about the history of the county.  Museum website

horse trams in Santos, Brazil, 1910s

Postmarked 1920, which seems rather late for horse trams; most had been replaced with electricity by 1910.

100 years since NZ captured the German colony of Western Samoa

On 29 August 1914, in what was NZ troops' first action during WW1, a 1374-strong "Advance Party NZEF" captured German Samoa, for details see the book Voyage to Gallipoli.

NZ continued to rule Western Samoa until 1962 and as a result there are many Samoans in NZ today. In the 1930s, the Nazis made a big issue of the loss of Germany's former colonies, although this was almost certainly for political purposes and in reality it's unlikely they cared about them; grabbing territory in the east of Europe was Hitler's objective.

Nevertheless, there is the question why Western Samoa wasn't given to the USA after the war which would have made more sense considering America already had the eastern islands which remain an American territory.

and now a broadcasting election debate

We have mentioned before the government's scrapping of funding for public service TV, which has been one of the more petty of the present government's spending cuts.  The present government has made balancing the public books its main priority, among other things by reducing the number of public servants by about 20% on average, and substantially increasing government charges across the board.  The result is that you have to pay a lot more for a much inferior service.

1952 Bristol 401

A comprehensive history of Bristol cars 1946-2011 is on the firm's website.

"Field at Passchendale" by Paul Nash, 1918

Having mentioned it, here is an artwork which well portrays what the experience of this WW1 battle would have been like for the participants; in fact the whole western front experience.

tram on Mt Eden Road, Auckland, circa 1910

For more, see earlier posts and our books.


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'I like big books'

steam loco 'Passchendale' Ab 608

 

This was named after the infamous WW1 battle of Passchendale in Belgium and carries a commemorative plaque.  A submission from Stu Hammond:

"This 1915 built steam loco took to the rails again recently after a restoration lasting 20 years. It is leased to Steam Incorporated at Paekakariki by the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society. It was the former who restored it.

It was originally withdrawn from service in the late 1960s and was one of the most numerous class to run in NZ with something like 170 [in fact the Ab was the most numerous class with 152 of them] being built. It was named Passchendale in the 1920s in honour of those fallen in the First World War.

It was the only such loco to be named as unlike the UK, NZ did not normally name engines [not in the 20th century].

On 16 August it headed a special from Paekakariki to Feilding and return, the train recreating a typical 1950s scene with red coaches. The only thing that was untypical was that the locomotive was very clean. I followed by car with some friends from Palmerston who knew some good photo locations in addition to those I had singled out. 

Regards

Stuart"

Fiji house rafts, 1900s

railway theme CD cover

The cover of The Calling by Camino Palermo (2001), presumably where the photo was taken.

your car is not a maintenance-free machine

This article on the stuff website a couple of days ago reveals that a high proportion of motorists don't bother with basic maintenance such as changing oil and filters and general tuning.  The consequences are much faster rates of wear and deterioration - and higher fuel consumption, so it is false economy.  Unbelievably up to a quarter also ignore low oil warning lights.

Bartlesville Union Depot, Oklahoma

a Santa Fe passenger train in the 1940s

Completed in 1909 and remodeled in 1946, this station experienced the universal slow decline of passenger traffic after WW2 and hasn't seen a passenger train for over 40 years.  But the station still exists, now used for other purposes. There are still freight trains to Bartlesville, now operated by shortline railroad WATCO.  More info and pics on this webpage

His Majesty needs more men for his army, WW1

Well, the initial volunteers were mostly slaughtered so more men are needed.  As long as you're between 19 and 40 (or you're an old soldier up to 45) and are over 5'2" (1.57 metres) you'll do. You'll actually get paid while you're alive and in the likely event that you're killed the wife will get a separation allowance for 26 weeks and then a pension - so what are you waiting for?

South Australian Railways 710 class 2-8-2

A postcard issued by the ARHS (South Australia) showing one of the class of 10 (road numbers 710-719) with a passenger train between Ambleside and Bridgewater, possibly just before it was withdrawn in 1967.

The locos were built by SAR's Islington workshops for 5'3" gauge in 1929: 176 tons total weight; 75'7.75" (23.06 metres) length overall; 57" (1.48 metre) drivers, 2 cylinders 22" (0.56 metres) (diameter) x 28 inches (0.71 metres) (stroke); tractive effort 40,400 lbs (179.7 kN).

Devon trawlers poster scene, 1950s

Advertising travel by British Railways.

better farming train, Victoria, Australia, 1920s

Seen in Mildura, 1926.

As the name suggests, this was an agricultural demonstration train which toured the state of Victoria from 1924 to 1935, based on one in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, to promote better farming practices. It was the first of two agricultural demonstration trains to run in Australia.

'is there a transpress nz book on the shelf?'

sheepskin car seat covers advert, 1969

A good NZ product; the ones available today are more sophisticated and luxurious.

catching the bad guy by train, Italy, 1948

It may look like an illustration from a graphic novel, but it was actually issued as a postcard scene trumpeting the "heroic deeds of the P.S. guards."