Sunday, February 9, 2025

Mercedes Benz O 319 minibus promo art, circa 1955


The Mercedes-Benz O 319 was produced between 1955 and 1971, known for its high quality and luxury features such as comfortable seating and air conditioning. It was built on a heavy-duty platform, making it more reliable and durable than its competitors. It was popular as a private tour bus and for commercial transport.



moving a WW2 German U-Boat by road

 The U-Boot U17 was transported by road to the Technik Museum in Sinsheim, a technology museum.  U17 is an impressive 48 meters long and weighs 450 tons.

Transporting the submarine was a gigantic operation that lasted 15 months and covered more than 650 km [400 miles]. To ensure it reached its destination, it was necessary to close highways, remove signs and even use a special 30-axis platform! The total cost of the project was approximately 2 million Euros, financed by donations.  This year the submarine will be open for viewing, allowing everyone to explore its interior. (National Geographic)

a pup tent for the roof of a Morrie

Why not just put it on the ground? As a permanent fixture this would act like a sail on windy days. 

For lots more, see our book The New Zealand Morris Minor story.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

trucker coffee mug

Available commercially, about $US 33.

meter-gauge trikk of the GrĂ¥kallen line, Trondheim, Norway

This is the sole remaining line, since 1990, 8.8 km in length, of Trondheim's tram system, and in Norway a tram is a trikk, apparently from elektrik.  This pic is about 60 years old and needless to say, more modern vehicles run now.  

More info


'all I need for pleasure at home is a good real book'


it belongs to Woofy?

The explanation is in the fine print, it belongs to a dog groomer. It's tempting to comment a lot on vanity plates, some of which are clever, and others just result in 'huh?'.

It's unclear if ModArt on the neighboring 2005 Porsche 911 is a reference to the car or it belongs to a modern art dealer.

Sunday, February 2, 2025

NSB 10-wheeler


No.255, a 4-6-0, was built in 1913 by the Hamar Iron Foundry for the Norwegian State Railways as part of their 18c class. It operated until 1969 when it was withdrawn from service. No.255 was preserved and restored and currently operates on the Old Voss railway, being the railway's main attraction. At the time of this pic in the 1960s it had seen better days, and the same can be said about the buses.

train watching above Otira NZ, 1960s

If it looks like a hard climb from the road below, it is and the girl at left doesn't have the best attire for it.  The rows of Railways cottages that formed the village's main street is obvious (the majority have gone today) as well as the station and engine shed.

the 'Kingston Flyer' of NZ northbound towards Athol in the early 1970s

Obviously taken in summer. See earlier posts. (John Bates pic)

Copenhagen main station in steam days, 1910s?

The station opened in 1911.  Electric trains didn't replace steam until 1934, see earlier posts.

Saturday, February 1, 2025

the Matson Line's 'Mariposa' and Monterey' poster

 
See earlier posts.

an avocado car


For lots more, see our book Alternative Drivestyles by Patrick Harlow.

'I like to read a good real book at home, not a little screen'


The 'Ning Po' -- a legendary Chinese pirate junk wrecked in the US

 The Ning Po was something of a treasure in and of itself. Built in 1753, this ship earned fame and fortune as a pirate vessel, ultimately being known for her incredibly long life. While most pirate ships were lost to the oceans, Ning Po would survive for centuries.

Before finally being destroyed in an accident (or during the filming of a movie) in 1938, the Ning Po was the oldest pirate ship to have been afloat. What has happened to the Ning Po now, and where can you find the wreck? What was her story, and how did she come to sink off the western seaboard of the United States?

What was Ning Po?

Created in 1753, the Ning Po was a 3-masted junk or a small carrier for water transport. It was launched in the city of Fu Chau after its inception and was known as Kin Tai Foong.

The Ning Po was developed as a merchant trader ship with a unique design resembling that of a dragon. With a weight of 291 tons (264 tonnes) and a length of 138 feet (42 m), Ning Po was created to be the fastest vessel on Chinese waters. On top of it, she also qualified as one of the best-equipped vessels with a design that endured the test of time for almost two centuries.

Within no time, the merchant trader vessel transformed into a smuggler and slaver ship, drawing immense notoriety in those times. One of the prominent reasons for the fame of Ning Po refers to its participation in the rebellion against the Chinese Emperor in 1796.