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!

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?

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.

The Concorde story . Part-One.

Four Nations.

Only four nations used two types of supersonic civil aircraft, Britain, France and Singapore used Concorde and the former Soviet Union the Tupolev Tu-144. The Russian version was faster and a better aircraft, but all this came a heavey cost to design and the testing programme.

Meanwhile the joint British-French aircraft was more versitile and had a very long service with three long-haul airlines. Concorde was the aircraft of the rich, filmstars and the real jet-set. Both types of supersonic aicraft were the fist of their kind, and despite pleas by Virgin airlines boss Sir Richard Branson, it does not seem that they will be returning in a newer form just yet.

As a boy I remember seeing all three of them during my summer holidays, make their final approaches to London Heathrow International airport. In recent weeks I seem to have the same dream of seeing the BA Concorde against a blue sky. 

These aicraft were grounded since the trajic crash in Paris France. Russia had retired theirs much earlier, due to cracks and financial constraints.

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.

The Paris Metro. Part-One.

A different system.

The French do things differently from everyone else, that is why they are noted for their style and taste. This also applies to the Paris Metro system, which has always been much more of a tramway, than a train network. 

Over the last thirty years it has moved away in some aspects from a track based system to that of rubberized wheels, making it unique in that sense.


The network is large for a capital city, it has gradually been modernized, but the old style has been kept and enhanced where needs be.

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.