U.S. Leading the way in the new Super-Sonic Age!

 Smaller business class Jets?

Britain, and France lead the way with the one-hundred seat Concorde until a crash in France twenty-five years ago ended a most successful trans-Atlantic affair, meanwhile only Singapore airlines operated the type and the Soviet-Russians operated their Tupolev TU-144 between Moscow and the far east, but the demand was not strong and the type was retired too!

On the other hand the U.S. has gone it alone with several larger Boeing concepts, but this new type will allow a one third version to be built more so for private and business flights and to be employed world wide, the secret to this type is perhaps alternative fuel, speed and operational costs being much lower than the original types?

One will just have to wait and see what will happen, or is this another red herring, pink elephants ect, that we will never see the light of day as so many went before!

Tesla has joined the weapons of Choice!

 For International terrorism with the SUV and the Toyota pickups?

The world is changing for terrorism, the lack to explosives is evident but it is easier to kill people with what you can find in your kitchen and hire a SUV or a Tesla to get you point across mowing down peoples and hearing,  'the snap, crackle and pop!

Wither they kill five or fifteen, its a start on killing many more with a stolen truck as was seen in France and many other places, some incidents could be terror related but are being classed as out of control vehicles rather than deliberate?

In Germany over Christmas a mechanical digger was used to try to demolish a super store and the driver shot dead. Knife crime across the U.K. in cities is now normal and an everyday occurrence with both the police and the government doing their best to play it all down, since they are well protected and the rest of us have to hope for the best!

France Intervenes.

France is showing off its naval Power.

With the recent attacks in Paris last month in which 130 people were murdered, France has had no choice but to be seen on the offencive against the elusive Islamic Khalifate. The first time deployment of a battle group since the end of the second world war (1939-45) is now well underway. 

France has a host of untested combat aircraft type such as the Rafael and its latest Mirage fighter jets. Time will only tell if they are as effective as the Russian bombing missions in eastern-Syria. France has as we have seen has a long history in military equipment developments at sea, air and on land. In fact an interesting fact to be worth noting is that their Surface to Air and air to air missile systems were very effective during the Falklands War. These being Crotale and the Exocet.

Currently this union with Russia may already be under strain, as their aircraft carrier is due to re-deploy to the Persian Gulf. We have to take a historical look at the roles and influences in this region that were marked out by France and Britain 100 years ago in the division up the middle-east, after the collapse of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1919. 

Meanwhile modern Turkish action recently against Russia, with the downing of a Russian Jet and tensions over the French support and recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1900, may be one of many reasons forcing France into U.S. Policy for the region, wither they like it or not?

High Speed Trains. Part-One.

From the Bullet to ICE.

Over the last seventy years Japan with its Bullet, France and the TVG and now Germany and the ICE have made serious breakthroughs in speed and comfort to get people from A-B/Z. Japan was the first to develop a really high speed train and despite Earthquakes and many other disasters the system has expanded and continues to grow.

France was determined to have a similar system to fan out from its capital Paris and be also part of a wider European network, even before there was one. The Channel Tunnel has allowed a serious extension to be made, but within the U.K. this remains limited and future plans are being delayed.

On the other hand Germany has joined the European network with its own sleek version known as ICE, while Italy, Switzerland are also developing their versions and linking up with France and Germany.

Modern Trams and Metros. Part-One.

Improved Technology.

Modern trams and the various other light rail systems today are a far cry from say seventy years ago. These newer systems and machines have better design and layout, but that is to be expected. We can only learn to improve by experience, trail and error in anything.

The computer, battery technology and design for capacity layout has been a great advantage. Speed and comfort are also improved considerations, employed in some countries with security measures.

The building of town extensions, new town has forced planners to improve the use of both the metro and tram to go to the best pic up and dropping points for both day and night use.

The Airbus Story. Part-One.

From A300 to A350.

The beginning of the Airbus story started in 1965, when British European Airlines proposed a 200 seat aircraft to compensate on the United States Boeing model 747. But it was not until the 28th October 1972 that the A300B2 took to the skies on its first test flight.

In 1970 eight European airlines and their national aviation companies from Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France and Spain met to start the development of a total European joint built commercial airliner. 

The 28th June 1973 saw the A300B2 enter production, with the first delivery to Air France on 30th may 1974. This gamble paid off very quickly with orders from forty airlines in twenty-nine countries.
The A300 was reliable and cheap to operate, it could accommodate three crew and 336 passengers, was powered by two General-Electric CF6-50C1 engines.

Cruising speed 911km/hr at 9450 metres and a range of 5375Km. Other airlines to operate the aircraft were Air India, Saudi and Thai Airways.

The Biz Jets. Part-Two.

Enter the Jet Age.

With the end of World-War II (1939-45), the development of the jet engine was going to change aviation for ever. It was the United States of America, Britain, France and the Soviet Union that were going to lead the way in fighter jet development, but this also lead to jet airliners such as the De Havilland Comet and Sud-Est S.E.210 Caravelle.

The very rich stilt wanted to enjoy the flying experiences of the years prior to the second world war and the comfort and private factor. It was the Americans who where the first to cotton on to this market, with the Lockheed (C-140) Jetstar and the North American T-39 Sabreliner. 

A private jet was for 4 to 20 people, but most have since favoured 4, 8 and 12 seats.

France had developed a 4 seat touring version of its two seat military trainer the Morane-Saulnier M.S.760 Paris, which could be said to be the first private jet in 1956.

Escalator and the Elevator.

Moving walkways/stairs and the Lift.

It is perhaps a strange subject to start a New Year with, but both the escalator and elevator have now been around over over 120 years. Essentially developed for the mining industry by James Borgardes in the U.S.A. He first displayed his steam model at the world trade fair in New York in 1853. E. G. Otis introduced his department store lift in 1857 and he was the first to show in Europe at the Paris exhibition in 1867.

Meanwhile it was J. W. Reno who invented the continuous moving stairs, in a new york department store in1896-97. It was the first to appear in Europe in the 1900 Paris, Exhibition. 

The Lift/Elevator made it essential in the construction of the Skyscraper and so it remains today, around the world.

Meanwhile many airports and train stations have developed moving walkways, these take the weight of carrying your cases long distances between terminals. These being a fixed machine, are still a form of transportation.

Narrow Gauge Railways. Part-Two.

Modern Systems...

(New article now on the Space Page for those who are interested).

Narrow gauge railways have over the last 100 years have been adapted for Metro system travel, such as in Paris, France. While Iceland built a 27 mile long network of narrow gauge railway to help in the building of an energy hydro plant. This is the longest underground service railway in the world.

Nuclear power plants have employed narrow gauge into their systems as well as mainline railways.

Many new engine designs are now available, replacing the improvised tractors and the early steam. Meanwhile many others railways are now great historical tourists pullers, while others like the bog or peat production continue to do both, work and tourism.

Metro Systems.

Introduction.

Whatever you call them, underground, subway or metro systems, railways, nearly every major capital city now has one or more. We will look at four of them over the next few months in Moscow, Russia, Paris, France, New York, U.S.A. and London UK. 

These are probably the four most well known, because of 'Hollywood and the film industry.' They are really 'the daddy systems of underworld urban transportation and are unique in their history and construction.' Today they are old, in need of some 'Tender loving care.'

The other feature that mark them out for further study are there use of new and old stock trains, while also a mixture of wiring and signalling. They also have secret tunnels and stations no longer used.

Electric Trains.

Where are we going in the future?

What does the future hold for the electric train? Is it here to stay and will it just get faster and faster? France has its TVG, while Germany has ICE and the rest of Europe has a mixture of other high-speed stock. Today these trains are very comfortable to travel in, that is because of improved track work and the hydraulic systems employed.

But were do we go from know? Will these fast trains be replaced by the mono-rail of science-fiction or levitation trains, that do not even need rails to run on. 

The environmental issues will probably dictate the future use over long distances?

Hovercraft.

The exciting days of the Dover to Calais hovercraft have now gone, replaced they say by the Channel tunnel rail link to France. But I think that this form of transport would still be viable. The hovercraft was much faster than the conventional ferry, because it skimmed over the Calais sands. 


Today we see that the RNLI have found value in smaller machines for rescue work on the sands off Avon and Somerset, while others work the Dee estuary between NE-Wales and the Whirral. 


Many military versions of the hovercraft were built in the former Soviet union. But alas another British invention seems to be put to the side lines, because of politics?