eastwestdivide Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 The winter months are approaching, so it's time to do a bit of research for next year's holiday jaunt to "The Continent". Can I ask the collective wisdom for suggested "must-see" impressive civil engineering sights or unusual transport systems? They don't have to be railway-related. I've already visited many of the Swiss Alpine routes, and rack-and-pinion systems are ten a penny, so to speak, so I'm looking elsewhere. For example: Millau Viaduct (awkward but doable by very infrequent train) Belgian canal boat lift and inclined plane (both in the vicinity of Charleroi) Karlsruhe tram-trains (for comparison with Rotherham!) Dutch coastal defences Montzen/Moresnet viaduct (again, bowled out by bike problems before) Semmering Pass Multi-level stations like Antwerp or Berlin Hbf. Train ferries (Italy-Sicily and Hamburg-Copenhagen I think are the only ones left) Thanks in advance. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpendle Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Oresund crossing between Copenhagen and Malmo, frequent trains over the sound. Regards, John P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
108 Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 The Pantheon in Rome. Civil Engineering 2,000 years old, concrete, unsupported dome. Anyone interested in Civ. Eng. will understand Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brack Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Gota and Corinth canals? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Currently I will just settle for the ending of the upgrade work on the A1 from Jct 51 at Leeming to Barton being completed rather than the job creation scheme it has become! It was scheduled to be completed Spring 2017 but just as Spring was due to finish it was changed to winter and there has been a deafening silence from our local MP but can you imagine if it was Network Rail rather than the Highways Agency! Mark Saunders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamwig Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Pont de Normandie The Wuppertal Schwebebahn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Liege station roof? The bridge over the Kiel canal on the way to Flensburg (whos actual location temporarily eludes me) The Wuppertal danglebahn? Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 The bridge over the Kiel canal on the way to Flensburg (whos actual location temporarily eludes me) The Rendsburg Hochbrucke. An impressive piece of civil engineering, especially considering that it is over a century old. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted November 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 13, 2017 The Elbląg Canal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbl%C4%85g_Canal) in Poland - not one but four inclined planes... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Morgan Posted November 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 13, 2017 Pont du Gard Roman Aqueduct in southern France. Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Germany. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 The Lantern of Ely Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollastonblue Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 If you drive down to Rousillon region of France, you can take in the Millau Viaduct, and the Garabit Viaduct. Try Le Petit Train Jaune from Latour de Carol. The change of gauge at Port Bou across the border into Spain. The resort of Argeles Sur Mer is a fantastic place to stay with a stunning beach. Coullioure give the arty side of things. If you do drive it, I would recommend breaking the journey over night either at Orleans or Bourges. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 It's a shame that it would need sub-aqua gear (and doubtless all sorts of permits) to dive the trireme sheds of Piraeus. But a reconstruction of the very significant ship this complex supported may be seen. The evidence for the standardisation of a complex weapon system on a proven high performance template revealed in the trireme shed excavation is the real significance. Over two thousand years were going to elapse before this idea came around again and was applied on this scale (the Athenian navy maintained about 400 triremes). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympias_(trireme) ...Corinth canal Twofer on offer there, there's the 'Diolkos' guided trackway system too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diolkos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted November 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 13, 2017 Two in Portugal to recommend. The Eiffel bridge across the Douro at Porto (very similar to Garabit but with a roadway at low level and now trams at the upper level); The road/rail bridge across the Tagus at Lisbon. If you take up the driving via Millau to Southern France option (as per above), many other viaducts worth visiting such as Fades and also on the constructed but never opened line south-east from Le Puy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted November 13, 2017 Author Share Posted November 13, 2017 Thanks for all the suggestions people. And keep an eye out for photos and a trip report next summer, funds permitting. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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