It’s just a lot of hot air….

Posted on June 23, 2019 by

Interesting article on hydrogen powered trains in the UK….

Hydrogen trains: Are these the eco-friendly trains of the future?

Hydrogen-powered trains are said to be the greenest trains out there.   “Mini power stations on wheels”, is how a University of Birmingham researcher describes them, as they give off zero emissions and their only by-product is water.

And in Europe….

Are hydrogen trains the future of UK travel?

Trains powered by hydrogen could be a reality in the UK by the “early 2020s”, according to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.
They’re seen as a cleaner – but pricier – alternative to diesel trains, as the exhaust emission is pure water.

The BBC’s Roger Harrabin reports from Germany, where hydrogen trains are already running.

But this is a scary headline…

Rogue slug blamed for Japanese railway chaos

A power cut that disrupted rail traffic on a Japanese island last month was caused by a slug, officials say.  More than 12,000 people’s journeys were affected when nearly 30 trains on Kyushu shuddered to a halt because of the slimy intruder’s actions.

Its electrocuted remains were found lodged inside equipment next to the tracks, Japan Railways says.  The incident in Japan has echoes of a shutdown caused by a weasel at Europe’s Large Hadron Collider in 2016.

Beat our leaves on the track anyday….

And reminds me of this post from a couple of years ago…

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ESNG meeting – 19 June 2019

Posted on June 20, 2019 by

A quiet club night.  Just the seven of us, and not that many trains.  Derek discovered that his old goods train on Peco chassis wouldn’t stay coupled, whilst Paul had yet another new bulley on display.

None the less, a pleasant evening, though I spend some time checking the Women’s World Cup scores on the phone, to see England winning, and Scotland snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

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N Gauge SouthEast 2020

Posted on June 17, 2019 by

N Gauge SouthEast 2020
4 April 2020 10am-4pm

Reigate College
Rushworth Road
Reigate
RH2 0QF

Well, I’ve given in and we’ve committed ourselves to NGSE 2020. The show will be on 4 April 2020, and it will be at a new site, Reigate College.

The show will be a little smaller than Riddlesdown this year, but still a good size with around 15-18 layouts. This facility does look as if it could be a regular home for us, access is a lot easier (it’s just behind Reigate station), and a slightly smaller show will be more sustainable as an annual event (at least for the exhibition manager).

The hall is a large single facility (no long walks between exhibits), using the two halves of the College refectory. It’s a modern, airy, space. Access to public transport is good, train or bus, and there is plenty of car parking on site.

I appreciate being supported for next year by a larger team, so I hope that life won’t be quite as pressured coming up to the event – and the slightly smaller size will help.

We’ll try and plan another fun show…..

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Taking a few days off

Posted on June 13, 2019 by

Life’s got a bit busy, so I’ll be taking a few days off from blogging.

Hope to have some news on N Gauge SouthEast 2020 over the weekend.

And here’s a dreadful warning for our larger readers….

Britain’s steepest cliff railway has carriages reinforced because passengers have become heavier

As for me, I’m just resting…..

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A little whimsey for Sunday

Posted on June 9, 2019 by

An entry by Railsquid on NGForum caught my eye….

Mate, you wouldn’t know Rule 1 if it came up and punched you in the face.

This is Rule 1.

We do get a little too serious sometimes….

And today’s modelling challenge….

Government launches ‘exciting’ plan to turn Pacer trains into village halls

Pacers could also become community spaces or cafes once they are finally replaced by new trains, according to the government, one year after the northern rail meltdown

This popped up in the press a couple of weeks ago, and was well discussed on the usual forums.  I liked this response in the linked article.

Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds responded with bemusement, however.

“I am not sure my constituents will agree that this is an ‘exciting opportunity’, unless one of them is turned into a museum dedicated to highlighting years of under-investment in Northern transport,” he said.

“My personal suggestion would be to invite my fed up constituents to dismantle them piece by piece, a bit like when the Berlin Wall came down.”

Still, the Dapol Pacer is reported to be a bit inclined to blow its lights and strip its gears, so perhaps a village hall conversion is just what we need!

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ESNG meeting – 6 June 2019

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

Back to the normality of a club night, with 9 attending.  A particular welcome to Paul, visiting for the first time.

It was ‘Terrier’ night again.  Simon was running a second hand ‘Brighton Works’ and I test ran my three new Terriers.  I’ve been waiting for a couple of years for these models from Dapol, and they are all a treat to own – ‘Brighton’ in LBSCR livery, then Terriers in SECR and LSWR greens.  All the liveries are very well done.

 

A more usual train from Simon….

Bullet trains in the fiddle yard – though the one on the left won’t get any further than the Kent coast (it’s just a 4-CEP, really!)

And newspaper headline of the week.

‘Metal thieves’ steal 56-tonne, 23-metre rail bridge in Russia.
Central span of bridge in Arctic Russia vanished leaving no trace or debris.

At least the line was disused!

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The Bartlett’s in Berlin – 2019

Posted on June 5, 2019 by

Back from a pleasant long weekend in Berlin.  We did less tourism than usual, but 34C temperatures does rather discourage trudging the streets, and encourage ice cream and beer and polite conversation.  But here are a few railway (and other) shots…..

An ideal hotel room overlooking the U-1 line.  The trains are remarkably quiet, even at night.  More than can be said for the emergency services, with full sirens at all hours.

Having climbed up to the top of the Berliner Dom (too many stairs) it was worth the view.

Next day, we did another boat trip – the ideal way to relax and see the city – and a few trains if you are lucky.

       

I saw some new liveries on trains crossing the bridges, but none close enough to get a picture.  This picture of the new Flixtrain cut-price service comes from their website, but is taken from a boat on the Spree.

A visit to my daughter’s partner’s craft brewery (good product) and the old and disused Witenau station building on the S-bahn.

 

Queuing for Sicilian ice-cream – and U-bahn spotting…

One topical (if not political) one on a taxi.

And the compulsory sunset to ride off into…..

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