and for some light relief - a Muslim cleric in Turkey says masturbating men will find their hands pregnant in the afterlife

You can't help thinking the main requirement for a Muslim cleric is an advanced case of mental illness.

A Turkish televangelist has warned male Muslims away from masturbation -- because it may leave their hands pregnant in the afterlife.

full article

caravan styled dog kennels

Found on the Architecture and Design Facebook page where there are more examples.

bicycle in a tree, Washington state

More pics on this theme here

Rio Grande F7 lash-up with a freight train in Colorado, March 1966

It's hard to tell if there are 2 or 3 B units in there.

1954 Autocar fire truck

streetcar in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1940s

The system was operated by the Twin City Rapid Transit Company; the trolleys were ended in 1954.  Info

As in other U.S. cities, there are plans to bring a streetcar line back to Minneapolis, the 3.4-mile (5.5 km) Nicollet-Central Modern Streetcar.

tram in Colombo street, Christchurch, late 1900s

Looking south.  See earlier posts for lots more.

Brussels cancels New Year festivities over Muslim terrorism fears, other cities nervous

Fears of Muslim extremists committing suicide bomb and shooting attacks at New Year have caused Belgium authorites to cancel festivities in the capital.

"Together with the interior minister, we've decided to not have the celebrations on Thursday evening," Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur told the state broadcaster RTBF.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said the decision had been taken "given information we have received". Daily Mirror (UK) article

Other reports from Paris are that people there are choosing to go elsewhere for their parties. In Berlin where the Muslim population has increased substantially this year, all attendees at the Brandenburg Gate festivity will have to pass through security checks.

Meanwhile, police in the Turkish capital of Ankara arrested two Muslims with ISIS links after a raid uncovered one suicide vest, bomb-making equipment and ball bearings that could be used in an explosive device. New York Times article

Mexican sleeping car

Or "dormitorio" in Spanish. Seen in 1972.

Guy motor vehicles ad, late 1940s

An impressive radiator cap.

'with the Channel Squadron in Lough-Swilly - catching the Derry train' Ireland, 1885

According to wikipedia, "Lough Swilly (Irish: Loch Súilí, meaning "Lake of Shadows" or the "Lake of Eyes") in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three glacial fjords in Ireland." It is in what is now the Irish Republic while Derry is in Northern Ireland. Wikipedia also states that the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company began running 160 km of railway in 1853, but ceased a century later in 1953, although bus services lasted much longer.

"We catch the train", the drawing at bottom right, seems to involve gesticulating at it from a distance, without a station in sight...

'I like big reference books'

early racing car desk piece

Date uncertain, by Württembergische Metalwaren Fabrik.

less wait at crossings with Timken roller bearings, 1947

1947 Plymouth Special DeLuxe

1949 White 798 bus

1925 Guy bus advert, England

This company was established in 1914.  It lasted until 1981, albeit after being swallowed by BMC (subsequently British Leyland).  More

Hollywood cars of the Pacific Electric, greater LA

There are other clips on the web, but this relatively short one is good.  

a Pacific next to the Pacific bound for Gisborne

AB 702 with what looks like a fan trip and at a photo stop.  For literally hundreds more photos like this, see the book New Zealand 1950s Steam in Colour.

Ducati Darmah motorbike promo pic

trolley buses in Como, Italy, early 1950s

this shows the main FS railway station from 1949

a trolley bus is heading away from the camera on the right

The system lasted from 1938 to 1978.

tram on Oriental Bay Parade, Wellington, late 1900s

See earlier posts and our two books on Wellington for lots more.

'what's better than reading a good book in the garden?'

Compagnie Navigation Mixte poster 1935

'The quickest and most luxurious paquebots for Algeria and Tunisia via Algeria and Port-Vendres'.  The ship depicted is the El Djezair inaugurated the previous year. The company existed until 1981.

'Arunachal Pradesh's road infrastructure needs massive improvements'

what truck is this?

A couple of pics we stumbled across on this BBC webpage in an article on this part of India close to what China considers part of Tibet.

They need Steven Joyce :-)

cars in Heretaunga Street, Hastings, 1946

Looking east. This is a postcard that can be accurately dated because the movie screening at the State Theatre (this post-earthquake art deco building still exists but is no longer a cinema), Sentimental Journey, was released in March 1946.  The railway line is obviously in the foreground.

cars on Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, early 1950s

A good postcard for classic car enthusiasts, this one :-) Fittingly, the Petersen Automotive Museum is not far from this standpoint at 6060 Wilshire today.

trams in Cuba Street, Wellington, 1900s

Looking south with the intersection with Manners Street in the immediate foreground and Dixon Street next up past the Royal Oak on the left. Tram number 18 is on the left.  For lots more, see the books Wellington: a Capital century and Wellington Transport Memories.

traffic in Chicago, early 1960s

Including a 2-car elevated train.

private railway diesel-electric railcar from 1925, Denmark

Of the Hillerød-Frederiksværk-Hundested Jernbane -- a single-track 36.3-km long local line -- seen in 1956. It was built at Diesel-Elektriska Vagn-Aktiebolaget, Västerås, Sweden, with construction number 31.

In 1943 it was equipped with an Atlas 6-cylinder diesel engine; from 1959 with a Leyland 6-cylinder diesel engine of 150 hp.

Length: 16 metres;
Axle arrangement: 2B;
Service weight: 31 tonnes;
Seating places: 50;
toilet, luggage room.
It was withdrawn in 1973.

More pics

1956 Packhard

traffic in King Street, Sydney, late-1900s

Including at least 6 electric trams.

'I need another bookcase the same size as this one'

Soviet VL10 class electric locomotive

Yes, VL stood for the communist hero Vladimir Lenin. An impressive total of 2,881 of this articulated Bo-Bo+Bo-Bo type for 3 kV DC were produced from 1961 onwards. Power output was stated as 6,165 hp (4,597 kW) and locomotive weight as 184 tonnes.

They were built at the Tblisi Electric Locomotive Works (ТЭВЗ) in Georgia between 1961–1977, as well as the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant (НЭВЗ) during 1969 and 1976. The first year, 1961, marked the 40th anniversary of Soviet rule in Georgia.

SNCB GM/Nohab from 1955

Seen here on the point of a freight train at Houyet, Belgium, in 1989.  This member of the double-ended Co-Co type of the Series 204 entered service in 1955 and was scrapped in 2002.  See earlier posts on the Nohabs which also appeared in Denmark, Norway and Hungary.

1949 Kaiser convertible

See earlier posts.

1955 Lincoln coupe ads

1956 Lincoln Premier Coupe ads

a pick-up pool for the pick-ups

Only in NZ? (Sam Gould)

buses and horse cabs outside Slough station, England, circa 1910

The station dates from 1840 and was rebuilt in the present form in the late 19th century. According to wikipedia, "It is a near-unique design on the Great Western Railway, only one other, much smaller, station was built with the same features. The most notable architectural details are the unusual scalloped roof tiles and the decorative ironwork around the top of the buildings."

model of a British Railways Waggon- und Maschinenbau 1950s 56-seat railbus

A model by Heljan. A total of 5 units of the real thing were acquired from Waggon- und Maschinenbau GmbH of Donauwörth in the 1950s. The last, road number 79964, is preserved on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and is in regular use on morning diesel services between Keighley and Oxenhope (5 miles or 8 km).

Swaziland transport theme stamps, 1981

summer service 1955

Actually we've no idea what this is; ostensibly it is the cover a regional train service timetable for a Dutch speaking part of Belgium.

Auckland tram at the corner of Karangahape Road and Pitt Street, mid-1900s

Karangahape Road is nearly always referred to as just K Road.  For lots more, see earlier posts and our books.