Tuesday, October 31, 2017

LMS route map poster, 1925


With traditional costumes (and a bunch of leeks or daffodils?)

1969 Austin-Morris Mini Cooper S


Something clearly needs close inspection.

IDF blows up Gaza attack tunnel, killing 7 Palestinian terrorists and wounding 12 inside


"Most of the dead are Islamic Jihad members; terror group threatens to retaliate after deadliest incident since 2014 Gaza war; Israel deploys Iron Dome [anti-rocket] batteries in the area.

"Media reports said Islamic Jihad wanted an immediate coordinated military response, while Hamas was urging caution and coordination with Egypt in order not to jeopardize the fragile Palestinian unity deal that is supposed to be implemented over upcoming weeks."


Don't the Palestinians want peace?  Obviously, some do and some don't. 

tram and other traffic in Emerson Street, Napier, circa 1913


The tram system was opened in 1913 and this was probably taken not long after, judging from the lack of motorcars. The trams ceased with the earthquake of February 1931 and most of Napier was destroyed with it, too.  See earlier posts and our books.

Tokyo bus, 1953


Maybe a Bedford?  T.K.K. are probably the initials of an industrial concern.

Monday, October 30, 2017

'give me a real book over a smart phone any time'


historic tram, Dortmund, Germany


The oldest tram of the HVDSW (Historische Verein der Dortmunder Stadtwerke), built by Uerdinger Waggon in 1909, acquired by the Städtische Straßenbahnen GmbH, in operation coupled with a trailer from 1908. 

More

Baldwin 10-wheeler, 1881


Of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, info

Loco specifications

1958 Foden 10½ Ton Construction Dump Truck


1957 Chrysler Imperial Crown sedan

"Now raise that gangway so I've got room to drive my car on board."
"And who might you be?"
"I'm the new ship's doctor, didn't they tell you?"
"I think he's been watching that 'Catch Me if You Can' movie."
"I've locked the gate so he can't escape."

WW2 anti-Soviet gulag train poster


Jamais is French for never, although this may have been used throughout Europe by the Germans and overprinted with the local equivalent.  The prediction was true when it came to German prisoners of war captured by the Soviets.  A lot of Soviet prisoners of the Germans were also railed off to gulags as Stalin viewed them as traitors (that was his warped mindset).

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

1951 Morris Minor Low Light


For lots more, see the book The New Zealand Morris Minor Story.

1932 Singer Junior


'I like touching a real book'


early 1950s Fordson Thames ET 7 36 bus


As used by Blue Bus (yes, it's green) in the Wairarapa, with Wallace Trickett standing next to it in 1982.

'Star Wars'-style Hoverbikes to be used by cops in Dubai



Those spinning rotors would be a safety issue unless surrounded by grill cages.

the last Holden is also the last Australian-built car


The automotive industry in Australia officially shut up shop last Friday 20th with a Holden Commodore V8 being the last car to roll out of the Elizabeth factory. Toyota and Ford bailed out over the last two years citing rising costs; now Holden, the GM subsidiary and an Australian icon has gone as well.

Holden, in spite of being an American-owned company, blended incredibly well with the Australian psyche. Holden’s signature cars, the Commodore muscle car and small low slung Ute, were built specially for the Australian market.

The closure marks the end of 69 years of local production for Holden and almost a century of car making for Australia.

The final tally for Holdens built since the first car was assembled in Port Melbourne in 1948 is 7,687,675.  A significant percentage of them also came to NZ.

1958 Studebaker Packard brochure cover


A 1958 Packard Hardtop; a Mercedes 300d (Studebaker-Packard were the American partners at the time) and a Studebaker Golden Hawk.

new NZ government likely to be good news for rail


The US has the NRA as its most powerful lobby group; NZ has the Road Transport Forum.  The consequence of that over the last 9 years has been little investment (although not none) in the country's rail freight infrastructure.

This article in the NZ Herald from last year announced that the North Auckland line was going to be 'mothballed' like the Stratford-Okahukura, Rotorua and Wairoa-Gisborne lines.

Winston Peters' NZ First party made a fundamental election policy plank of not only restoring, but improving rail freight to the economically depressed region, and now as a coalition partner in the new government that should happen.

Political background

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

DSB poster, Denmark, 1989


An MZ diesel locomotive with a 3-car passenger train rides across the sky above scattered sun in front of a rainbow with lightning in a somewhat blue-skied thunderstorm. Below the train is a sailboat floating above the sea.

NAC poster circa 1950


Was Kororo an actual name or similar to an actual name?  What aircraft is depicted?  See the answers in the book The Aircraft of Air New Zealand and affiliates since 1940.

1963 Pontiac Catalina

"Have you come to admire our sunflowers?"
"No, I want to pick up a hot swimsuit babe."

Southern Railway (USA) 4-6-2 from 1926


A total 64 of these were built by Alco and Baldwin. "The Southern Railway's Ps4 class of 4-6-2's have often been called one of the most beautiful 'Pacific's ever constructed featuring a long, graceful boiler, large drivers, and handsome livery of Virginia green (a color that the railroad continued to use until it merged with the Norfolk & Western in 1982) with white and gold trim adorning various aspects of the locomotives."