1954 Mercedes Benz poster

Staying with the theme of the last post, here is a poster for France comparing a Mercedes-Benz car to a fine pearl in an oyster.

Mercedes O 321 bus, 1954

 The O 321 was the world's first bus with unitary body construction and the second bus with a rear engine (the first was the Mercedes O 6600 H of 1951). This design provided good handling and braking. The O 321 was also relatively light for a midsize bus. Research and initial designs began in the early 1950s but it wasn't until 1954 that the O 321 was ready. The cockpit was designed with ergonomics and simplicity in mind.

Throughout much of its production span in Mannheim, it was powered by a 5.1-litre 6-cylinder inline diesel engine with antechamber design and 110 hp. Later, a 5.7-litre 6-cylinder diesel with 127-hp was offered. The O 321 was a sales success; by 1964 over 30,000 had been sold, a third of them overseas with the bus being popular in the Middle East, Africa and South America.


(from germancarforum.com)

Wairarapa railcar at Kaitoke

Kaitoke is at one end of the 17 km Rimutaka Incline walkway/cycleway (see previous posts for more info). The old Kaitoke station is now on private land, but is still discernable nearby. Derek Cross took this picture of a Wellington-bound Wairarapa-type railcar entering the station area in the last days of operation over this route in October 1955 before the new route, including the Rimutaka tunnel, was opened.

Steam on the Otamatea River Bridge

Another view of the Mainline Steam excursion of October 2010 on the threatened North Auckland Line with Ja 1275--let's make sure that this lovely scenic railway is not closed by the Minister for Big Trucks. (Mike Tolich photo)

vessels at Saint Malo, painting

"Saint-Malo, voiliers et paquebots dans le bassin" (1972) by Bernard Buffet (1928-1999) website gallery

Barcelona trams 50 years ago

Scenes in the capital of Spanish Catelonia by Doug Grotjahn, early 1960s.  The Barcelona tramway system was closed by 1971 except for the Tramvia Blau, a heritage operation.  But new light rail lines (standard gauge) were created in 2004 with expansion proposed. Website

Incidentally, Barcelona has the same latitude (north) as Wellington (south).

1940 Fords and American Airlines DC3

An advertisement from 1940.  The 1940 coupe was probably the most appealing Ford model of that year (not shown here).

La Rochelle

Views of the picturesque port town on the French Atlantic coast of La Rochelle, during WW2 a German U-Boat base.

Nyon - Saint Cergue - la Cure, Switzerland

This pretty little Christmas-card-like scene was taken on the section of the metre gauge line between Nyon and Saint Cergue (19.1 km) in Switzerland, showing an automotrice et remorque (railcar and trailer) combination among the sapins and chalets about 30 years ago in winter snow.  

The line continues from Saint Cergue to la Cure (27 km from Nyon), nowadays its terminus, but it used to continue another 12 km to Morez in France -- this section closed on 28 September 1958.  Five of the vehicles used on this line were sold to the museum line Chemin de Fer de La Mure in France, a post about that soon.  Website

Le Havre and the transAtlantic steamer 'La Bourgogne'

This ship, seen entering the French port of Le Havre in the 1890s, the French SS La Bourgogne, was sunk on 4 July 1898 after a collision in dense fog with the British ship Cromartyshire off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. At the time of the disaster she was carrying 730 passengers and crew, of whom 565 were lost.

This was actually the second collision that this ship had been involved in.

The ship was built in 1885 by Forges & Chantiers de la Mediteranée, La Seyne for the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique. She was a 7,395 gross ton vessel, length 150.7 metres (494.4 ft) x beam 15.9 metres (52.2 ft), two funnels, four masts, iron and steel construction, single screw and a speed of 17 knots. There was accommodation for 390 first, 65 second and 600 third class passengers. Launched on 8 October 1885, she sailed on her maiden voyage from Le Havre to New York on 19 June 1886. In February, 1896 she collided with, and sank the steamer Atlas off the US coast. In 1897-8 she was fitted with quadruple expansion engines and her masts reduced to two.

Below is another view of the harbour, the name of the ship departing is not recorded.