EddieB

"If" rather than "when"? So far it's 50% race completion for Red Bull, 83% Ferrari. At least Mercedes have managed to bring their cars home every time.

As he clearly hadn't his changed tyres, I was closely watching the race positions/status. Albon pitted as the leaders were well onto the last lap, but was shown as "pit lane exit" just before LeClerc crossed the start/finish line. Therefore, technically he wasn't lapped and hadn't seen the chequered flag, so was allowed to finish his last lap. A clever move?

Yes, I have Estoril L-301 as NBL 26683/1950. The loco carries combined GEC/NBL plates (which can be seen as the red splash on the front), but without works numbers or dates. The yellow vehicle behind it is a Matisa draisine, PV 630. There's some question over the AEG works numbers for the two other Estoril electric locos (L-303 is also at the museum), some sources give the alternative date of 1926. The green/cream DMU's are single railcars (0351 series), extensively rebuilt from Allan railcars (0301 series) introduced in 1954. Only two or three remain in service, working out of Entrocamento.

Yes and no. It looks like CP 1154, which is kept operational for moving stock around the museum site. (Sister CP 1184 is on display in the former workshops). Either way, these were built under licence by Sorefame (to an obvious Sentinel design) and fitted with Rolls Royce engines.

The Stothert & Pitt steam coaling crane is still there - and probably in the same place where you photographed it. It's part of an unrestored "collection" beyond the boundary fence of the museum, which also includes SACM/Graffenstaden 0-6-0 no. 167 - visible behind and to the left of the luggage van (51 94 92-29 001-9, of 1960) in the same picture.

Q1: Maple syrup?

To confuse matters, the track maintenance company Somafel has applied new numbers in the 1400 series to other second-hand locomotives acquired from CP. In most instances, mercifully, the original CP light panel numbers are still present. Thus you can see that the photo of the Somafel Alco loco has the former CP number (1511) visible on both the long and short hoods, but also the number "1420" (much smaller, trust me!) on the cab side. The same applies to ex-CP 1525 (as "1417"), as well as some locos from the CP 1200 series (1206 as 1415, 1219 as 1416 and 1210 as 1423). Other Somafel acquisitions from the 1200 series, 1400 series and 1550 series appear not to have been renumbered.

Interesting to see diesels and one of the Estoril electrics in the museum roundhouse - I guess that the former workshops (where they are now displayed) was still being prepared. The "class 50" is most likely 1805, which along with electric 2501 (to the left of your photo) are both in the museum workshops awaiting attention. There are still a few of the "class 20" look-alikes (1400 series) in operation. For CP they work a few passenger turns in the Douro valley, as well as freight/shunting for Medway and Takargo (only the latter re-liveried).

Well I'm relieved that the farcetrack that is Saudi ended no more than the one major accident - and thankfully no serious injuries. Does the circuit (or country) have anything to commend it? We're going to need a new rule about approaching the DRS line.

Just tried to upload "dumb" meter readings to my supplier (Shell), only to find their website disabled. Photos taken, but bet they will make it difficult to reclaim over-charging (any refunds paid in roubles?) Edit: Website up this morning (1st April), readings entered without t-rouble.

Well, based on that qualifying the cat is certainly among the pigeons. As expected, Mercedes off the pace and Bottas thinking he may have jumped into a better car! Amazing come-back performance from Magnussen - who would have thought a Haas in the top ten? Let’s hope for a good, clean race tomorrow - and that the aerodynamic changes do promote proper racing.

Well, based on that qualifying the cat is certainly among the pigeons. As expected, Mercedes off the pace and Bottas thinking he may have jumped into a better car! Amazing come-back performance from Magnussen - who would have thought a Haas in the top ten? Let’s hope for a good, clean race tomorrow - and that the aerodynamic changes do promote proper racing.

Breaking news, the report now being released. "Human error to blame" for Abu Dhabi fiasco: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/60807766

I agree they could be the top three, but in a different order: Max, Charles, Carlos. (But happy to be proved wrong!)

Like Andrew I do admit a slight bias towards the British drivers (not so much towards the teams). In terms of winning championships then it has been supporting Lewis in recent years, if nothing else than to see him beat every record set by Michael Schumacher (of dubious race tactics). While I cannot but admire the boy’s talent, I dislike Verstappen (junior and senior) for their sense of entitlement, as egged on by their team owner and team principal, expressed in a bullying racing style and treatment of other drivers... Which brings me to wanting just rewards for the talent of Gasly, Albon and Ocon - three good drivers and nice guys dealt badly by their teams. Brits aside, the paddock is awash with young talent, nice guys whom I enjoy seeing do well - LeClerc, Sainz, even Schumachersprog. I’m almost coming around to liking Vettel, 50/50 with Alonso and Bottas (but for different reasons). Perez has become a team player and has also come through a raw deal. All of which can be summed up by saying I enjoy watching good, fair, clean racing and exceptional drivers putting in exceptional performances - and may the best man win (but especially if he’s British or one I’ve singled out)!

Ok, time to put last season behind us (as if!), all set to go racing? Prediction time: it’s going to take a while for the new regulations to bed down, with some teams taking an advantage while others are disadvantaged. I think there could be six or more drivers heading for the top step of the podium as the season progresses (hoping Lando and George are among them). Controversy from the word go, even a possible row between Red Bull and Alpha Tauri, as Horner looks to pick fights with other teams all around the paddock. I want and hope Lewis can right the wrongs of last season and bag that eighth championship, but as we start the season I think the table is too far tilted towards Max.

E444R.

Close, but no [mild] cigar. (Hamlet).

While that is an excellent reference, through many, many editions, I would suggest an even better work is this one: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/de-nederlandse-stoomlocomotieven/1001004002069001/ (I'm not posting the direct link, but there's a copy in the UK on abebooks going for an absolute steal).

Sorry a blatant rip off and it's probably been posted before...

Not to mention that other group, that Horner (and the FIA) conveniently forgets - true fans.

Spanish/Iberian gauge is 5'6" (1668mm) as also used (with slight variations) in Portugal, Argentina and India. Both the reasons given by Geep7 have been suggested, but it could just be that the first lines were laid at a time when gauges wider than standard were in vogue, and a measure of six Castillian feet (those Castillians had little feet) presented as a nice, exact measure. I hadn't been aware of the mixed gauge/standard gauge serving Barcelona docks. There used to be a change of gauge (and frequent change of train) at Port Bou (southern end of mixed gauge tunnel from Cerbere in France). I note that the standard gauge is offset within the broad gauge away from platform faces, such that it would not support the use of stopping passenger services on the mixed gauge tracks.

I woke up to the very sad news this morning that Rodney Marsh, the legendary Aussie wicket-keeper, had died. Just heard on the radio that Shane Warne has died of a suspected heart attack, aged 52. Two greats of the game, that always added spice to the Ashes Tests. I was watching the Old Trafford test match on live TV (free to air, in those days) when Shane Warne bowled Mike Gatting with "the ball of the century" - I can just about remember Richie Benaud's commentary word for word. Here's a shot from later in 1993 - with the Australians playing Essex at Chelmsford. Shane Warne wasn't playing, but 'warn-ed up' with Boon-ie and fellow Victorians Merv Hughes and (I think) Paul Reifel. Respect.

To those who eschew the degrees of automation available in modern digital cameras - do you really want to return to using one of these (associated CC filters)? Colour temperature, mired shifts, reactions of different films to fluorescent lighting - all covered in a little function called "white light balance". Isn't technology wonderful!

The unified German classification system grouped similar locomotives into a single class (baureihe), such that 92 011 was the last of eleven Württembergische Staatsbahn (WüSt) type T6 locos inherited by the DRB (series 92 001-011), being built by Esslingen (works number3830) in 1918. After WW2 it was sold to the private railway Südwestdeutsche Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (SEG), being withdrawn in 1974 and put on display at Europa Park, Rust (Baden Württemburg) in 1975. From the dates, it is likely that filming took place with the assistance of the SEG. By then the locomotive would have lost its pre-war number, so it would be a nod towards historical accuracy were it given that number again (as in the film clip). As far as I know, it is still on public display in that theme park. A full history can be found by entering the number into this database search engine: https://www.beitraege.lokomotive.de/datenbank/e_datenbank.html Just to add that steam working in West Germany ended in 1977. I don't have an exact date for Rottweil, but there was certainly steam activity there into the early 1970s.