Ron Ron Ron

Labour's announcement is just a different flavour of the same thing. The Tory idea is to find a new role for private sector involvement, in providing services to or on behalf of GBR, with the hope of installing commercial incentives and retaining access to external channels of capital. Not quite the management contract arrangement, but something similar. The dithering is because (as far as we know) nobody (government, DafT, the Treasury, the TOC's) has come up with a concrete plan. From the scant detail put forward by Labour, it's sounds like they would like GBR to provide the TOC service, but still outsource in some areas. They appear to be putting a lot of emphasis on making big savings and efficiencies, by removing duplication and complicated interfaces. If you really want to achieve those sort of savings it would inevitably lead to lots of job losses. .

For one, we don't live in a totalitarian communist state. Two; why would any government body need too get involved in running commercial transport services (outside of wartime or national emergency). Do you expect them to control delivery of your groceries or your toy train purchases? A return to British Road Services? No thank you. We may think that public operated passenger bus services are the best way to provide local public transport, but it doesn't follow that other road traffic, such as trucks and taxis, or whatever, have to be publicly operated. Rail freight is a purely commercial business and we no longer depend on it for vital national supply lines, such as supplying coal. The sector is doing reasonable well, considering the commercial ups and downs over the last dozen or more years and the loss of several major customers (coal, oil and steel etc,). Labour recognise this, hence leaving it well alone, despite factions within the party wanting to nationalise all sorts of things or purely ideological reasons. Anyway, it's not on the table from either so called "main party", so not worth considering. . .

There was an issue back in the past, when the early ROSCO's took over the former BR stock, but most of that has gone. The old BR stock was largely written down, but the leasing costs didn't reflect that. However, the majority of passenger rail stock running today, has been provided by private sector finance over the last (now more than) quarter of a century. The ROSCO's may own the rail stock, but they owe the purchase costs to a large number of banking and finance consortia. Without those investors, there couldn't have been the mass re-equipment of passenger stock we've witnessed, over the 28 years post BR. To "nationalise" the ROSCO's would mean having to purchase all the rolling stock, which belongs to them and having to find a huge amount of money to pay back the lenders. There's no way the treasury would allow that. The sums involved would require serious major cuts elsewhere in public spending. As for the Freight operating companies (FOC's), where is the need too nationalise them? There is none whatsoever. Also you can kiss goodbye to any notion of political policies to encourage more freight onto rail. Nationalised rail freight would be a monopoly and therefore any actions that would penalise competing modes (basically road), would be anti-competitive, illegal and open to challenge. Attempting to nationalise rail freight would be an ideological fools errand, which is why it's been left out of both Labour and Conservative proposals. .

First completed sections of HS2’s Curzon Street Station viaduct, revealed. .

Another infrastructure tunnel at Old Oak Common has been completed. This is a 120 metre long, small bore tunnel under the Grand Union canal, designed to carry electrical power services to the eastern end of the OOC station box,. Initially this tunnel will carry the power supply for the 2 TBM's, ordered for the construction of the Euston tunnels. Once tunnelling to Euston is completed, this tunnel will then provide the power supply for the Euston tunnels from OOC to Euston. https://barhale.co.uk/news/uk-power-networks-and-barhale-build-tunnel-to-power-hs2-construction-to-euston/ .

"HS2 moves 1,100 tonne viaduct in weekend operation" https://mediacentre.hs2.org.uk/news/in-pictures-and-video-hs2-moves-1-100-tonne-viaduct-in-weekend-operation .

An article explaining some of the ground condition difficulties encountered by TBM's "Sushila" and "Caroline", while tunnelling under the Ruislip area. (remember the incidents with sludge bubbling up through boreholes, last year?) https://www.geplus.co.uk/news/hs2-tbm-quartet-tackles-differing-geology-on-twin-bore-tunnel-under-london-22-04-2024/ .

In normal operation, Concorde reached its maximum altitude at the end of its Atlantic crossing (see my post above about the “cruise climb”), before starting its descent and deceleration to subsonic flight. Eastbound, it rarely ever reached FL600 and would normally start its descent from somewhere between FL570 and FL590 at the end of the cruise phase, before descending to subsonic flight at FL290 as it approached landfall. .

I think you've answered your own question. Just buy (or use) a decoder with the correct type of connector for the model. Next18 decoders exist and are designed to fit a specific, clearly defined space to be provided within smaller locos. This is to facilitate fitting in N, TT and very small H0/00 models. The power rating on these decoders tends to be at the lower end of the scale and therefore they will not be suitable for H0/00 or larger scale models with more power hungry motors (e.g. many Heljan models). .

Concorde crossed the Atlantic in what is known as a “cruise climb”. A gradual increase in cruising level through the duration of the cruise phase of the flight. After departure from London or Paris and being threaded through the regular traffic, it climbed out to an initial subsonic cruising level (FL280), following special designated routes, to reach the start of the dedicated Concorde oceanic tracks. Because of the supersonic “bang”, it wasn’t allowed to fly at supersonic speeds, until over the sea. On reaching the “acceleration point” beyond the coastline, they hit the reheat and began climbing rapidly and accelerating past Mach 1 towards supersonic cruising speed. IIRC, they levelled off and began the gradual cruise climb somewhere between FL470 and FL500, reaching between FL580 and FL600, by the end of the supersonic part of the flight, on the other side of the ocean. Unlike the normal Oceanic tracks, which change on a twice daily basis, to take into account the jet stream and other significant weather, the Concorde tracks were fixed. They were obviously operating much higher and separated from all the other ocean air traffic. There were 3 parallel tracks, SM, SN and SO. Normally Westbound, Eastbound and an alternative overflow track, respectively; although the routes were bi-directional if needed. BA and AF Concorde departures were timed so they would follow one another, but if the minimum separation at the track entry point was being eroded once they became airborne, the following aircraft would be re-cleared to the overflow track. Coming off the oceanic Concorde tracks, they would request descent from the top of the cruise climb (whatever they had reached by the end of the cruise) and then carried out quite a speedy decent passing through a transonic phase, before achieving stable subsonic flight and eventually levelling off at (IIRC) FL290, as they arrived over land. The inbound routing fed them into the regular airway system. Some of you might remember stories about Concorde supersonic booms being heard in the West Country (Devon and Somerset) and the Channel Islands. The supersonic shock wave would travel ahead of the aircraft and if the atmospheric conditions were right (or wrong, depending how you look at it), Concorde’s boom would continue forward towards landfall in the Bristol Channel (for London), or the Channel Islands and northern Brittany (for Paris ), even after the aircraft had decelerated through subsonic transition long before crossing the coast. The Paris outbound route crossed the French coast near Le Havre, where they would begin supersonic acceleration and a rapid climb. The route took them to the north of the Cherbourg peninsula in UK airspace, before turning SW down the middle of the English Channel, until passing abeam Lands End, where they would turn westwards towards the entry point of their cleared oceanic Concorde track. Paris inbounds normally hit landfall as they passed directly over Jersey eastbound, crossing over the French coast just east of there. However, there was an alternative, extended route that followed the track of the outbound route, eastbound up the Channel towards Dieppe. This allowed the AF Concorde to stay supersonic for a bit longer, but it was only used occasionally. London outbounds passed over the Bristol area before crossing the coast near Weston-super-Mare, prior to reaching the acceleration point out over the Bristol Channel, heading towards the Oceanic track entry. Inbounds followed a similar route after leaving the eastbound track and descending to the subsonic flight level before crossing the coast and merging into the regular route structure. .

I bought a 737 MAX mug, on my visit to the Everett visitor centre a few years ago. The handle fell off in the dishwasher ! .

Aircraft don't cruise at Altitudes, but at Flight Levels, based on the standard altimeter pressure setting. Flight levels remain constant, but vary in altitude (both geographically and with time), depending on the local atmospheric pressure setting at any one particular position. Assuming the A350 could find conditions to get up that high, the nearest cruising levels available are FL490 and FL510, which approximate to (+ or -) 49,000 and 51,000 ft. There is no cruising level analogous with 50,000ft. Normally, you would expect to see long haul flight A350's cruising between FL350 and FL430. Above that, the only civil aircraft will (normally) be high performance business jets. If you're interested, Mickey Mouse FR24 has a filtering option that allows you to filter out aircraft above (and/or below) a selectable altitude. Set it to show only aircraft above 43,500ft and see if you can spot any civil airliners. .

Engineers ave been dismantling and removing TBM "Lydia", that was used to bore the Old Oak Common to Atlas Road logistics tunnel. "Lydia" is a smaller TBM than those being used to bore the railway tunnels. Note the size of the workers, next to this "smaller" TBM.....

Kibri and Walthers also do similar, but in 1:83 H0 scale.

They can still lower the pantograph and overtake. The overhead is providing motive power and recharging the truck’s batteries. IIRC, if the driver indicates to leave the lane under the wires (e.g. overtaking or turning off the road), the panto lowers automatically. .

BA377 is a full size model Spitfire IX .

Thanks Steve. Finger trouble ! Now edited. .

B-32FZ A321-200F First Delivered to Air Macau in Feb 2003 Retired Sept 2021 Converted to a freighter in 2023. Entered service with Sichuan Airlines Dec 2023 .

ScrewFix is your friend.... https://www.screwfix.com/p/apollo-2-ply-steel-barbed-wire-50m/38515?tc=YB3&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT7zu92rhNkTCtyuZuygAbm2HQzipmwh5Mj_gl0MFI-svwLFDMIeEb6hoCuFUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds https://www.screwfix.com/p/stockshop-bx100-electric-fence-energiser-battery-powered/4858f .

I've seen reports of the Radio Icon disappearing after updates. Apparently it can be easily restored to the screen. Try a reboot of the central screen. I must be covered in the handbook. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's just a matter of pressing down both scroll wheels (on the steering wheel) together, for a several seconds. The central screen should go blank and then re-boot. If that doesn't bring back the Icon, then there are various Tesla forums that will be able to help. .

From what I can find, during the published, limited operational hours, Air Traffic Services will be provided when operationally required. Cosford airfield can operate an "Air Traffic Control Service" (Note that the much busier Halfpenny Green, just to the south, operates with a "Flight Information Service"). There'a a standard "Aerodrome Traffic Zone" (ATZ) and no other protected airspace. There are published radio frequencies for Tower, Approach and Ground (both VHF and Military UHF for all three). When no Air Traffic Service is available, pilots are required to make blind calls on the Approach frequency, when inbound or operating in the vicinity of the ATZ.. Resident flying club activity may continue outside of the times when an Air Traffic service is provided. Regarding the short runway. The Landing distance available is... r/w 06 1092 m / 3602 ft r/w 24 1118 m / 3668 ft .

Colne Valley Viaduct. Crossing the Grand Union Canal. (Note: the temporary pier will be removed at some point) .

There are lots of companies globally, heavily involved in developing Sodium ion and other solid state battery chemistries. It's one of the biggest sectors for technological investment, in the present day.

It’s rehashing old ground, but nobody said ESU decoders were inferior.

Sorry Dave, it isn’t a bridge to carry rail tracks. It’s the new road bridge to take the diverted Perry Hill road over both the HS2 mainline and the access lines into and out of the depot, to/from the north. I posted this same reply in the HS2 thread. There’s a video on there showing that bridge from above. Here’s a map of the (to be) completed layout, showing that new bridge (Perry Hill Overbridge). You can zoom in for better detail……. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7eb9c9ed915d74e33f2084/C222-ATK-CV-DPL-020-000016_0.pdf .