daveyb

Don't fool yourself into thinking money is thrown at London projects.... They're still on the cheap - they just cost more! To see where expensive projects have their money wasted, visit any MoD or NHS establishment with a 'project' ongoing. The works along the L&D busway are noticeable by their absence, you have plenty time to look at the weeds when sitting in Luton traffic. If ever there was a route for a Parry People Mover, this is it.

Congratulations to all, Eldavo has done N a service with a deserved win. Thanks Andy and the elves for the organisation and for RMWeb in general. 20 x 11... A t least I can attempt that in the space I currently have available - i.e. the back of my car!

Interesting video that, and illustrating the point I mentioned earlier. Note that some of the route shown in the video is not guided - only trolley, but the reserved track/road is used by all public transport - trams, Trolley buses, guides buses and diesel buses in that system. The Essen trams run on metre gauge track meaning the buses can easily straddle the tracks, many non-integrated trams run metre gauge in Germany. The integrated (standard gauge) S-Bahn services have taken over old urban branches and travel quite long distances. Think Gateshead Metro or Croydon Tramlink and to some extent Manchester. See the comment above about tram track gauge, but the loading gauge is obviously related. There seems to be a raft of problems with bus guidance gauges, both guide and loading. UK trams are wide a very long way down to the tracks not like older designs. This only presents a problem for the guides and the 'free' buses can travel on the inset track as in other UK systems. The Essen and associated Ruhr/Rhine valley systems are really quite impressive in their integration, but they did end up with a lot of space to design it in post war years, rather than trying to fit systems into a very crowded townscape - no excuses for rural systems.

There are still a few of these systems running across Europe. I was surprised to see the reserved busway 'tracks' in Essen were still operating along the A40 in Essen during the Dec 09 snow. They were a try out for cheap trams in the 70s & 80s, the advantage being the vast space available in the rebuilt German cities. Of the trialled systems in UK, few are still working (and this also applies to some in mainland Europe) due to them being rapidly obsolete and 'free' buses not! I read somewhere (a transport journal, but name escapes me) that many systems were designed to use buses of 2.3m width and nobody makes them any more (2.6m being the current standard) and that they became instantly obsolete when the fleet needed replacing. The Cambridge system seems to have been going on a long time... may be there is a 2.3/2.6m issue. Though I find them interesting as a piece of engineering (and enjoy driving them), I can't stand buses. They get lanes then leave them, they pull out on anyone, they spill diesel (lethal on a bike), They're cramped and uncomfortable, they don't go the best route to anywhere and always appear to be empty around here. Transport should be personal or be on rails! Like the meerkat - Simples!

I'm glad you enjoyed it, and hope you found it useful. As I described earlier, I have fond memories of my Work Experience at Cricklewood and St.Pancras which was 25 years ago (though I was asked for the long weight, the blue and grey coach paint and a few other things as well!). Well done to Chiltern for supporting this in the current economic climate. If I may advise.... Follow up the railways and don't join the Army - that was my decision and it still hurts now Also, thank you for taking the time to share your experiences.

This is interesting... I'm please you are finding it useful and fulfilling. I was lucky enough to do work experience at Cricklewood TMD and St. Pancras Station in 1984 . It was extremely enlightening and an opportunity to see 'heavy' engineering rather than 'metalwork' from school. At Cricklewood I was taught the rudiments of arc welding, generally repair fitting, new processes ( a euphemism for 'getting jobs done - e.g. a bogie change on a Peak using an overhead crane, an 08, some rope and about 15-20 people including me), some stores work. St. Pancras was mixture of end of line inspection and service on the HSTs and 45s and some building/PW inspection. We had a body to clean of the front of an HST at one point - an eye opener for a 15 year old. I thoroughly enjoyed my time, but it was a very different railway then and I didn't pursue a career become a soldier much later. Have fun...