METRO - Liverpool City Region Bus Franchising
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There is perhaps no greater contradiction to that phrase then the Jurassic franchise. Nothing ever goes to plan, a simple, and overused plot device, but it's normally more engaging in this franchise (at least the first two movies that were actually good, we aren't gonna talk about the... 4 others? How many are there now?)
So virtually, USJ's Jurassic Park: The Ride has an identical layout to Florida's, the very few differences is a mirrored track and not falling apart from neglect. This means instead of a car falling on you, it's a raptor cage, and the dilophosaurs are at the top of the lift instead of at the foot of it (and the t-rex doesn't lunge in your face before the drop).
This was one of the easiest shots to get in the park on another note. The drop zone was so far away that you couldn't hear the boats coming like in Hollywood, but that didn't matter as boats were coming frequently enough. The splash was easy to capture as a result, and I was barely able to obscure the previous boat of the frame, you can see the ripple in the water on the left. The sky was filled with haze from Osaka so naturally I got rid of that, I kept the water slightly murky but gave it a temperature change, the rocks and the trees got the greater saturation fix.
But one particular edit choice was a bit of a sentimental callback. The large building was initially as gray as the wall on the left. I gave it a bit of a mahogany fix as a shoutout to Hollywood's environmental systems building. It has been a full decade since I've been to USH, and Jurassic Park was still there last time. Say what you will about any technological superiority Jurassic World The Ride might have, I still very much prefer the original (especially since Hollywood's JP was the best version anyway), I dearly missed this ride, and even if Japan's was a little different I could tell this ride wasn't left to rot like the American ones (or like Florida still is), it still made me relive old memories that I long relished. Just goes to show Japan understands major theme parks and American property better then modern America does.
Back view.
This is Rhydon, the dinosaur-like Pokemon. Rhydon's horn is capable of drilling through rocks and even creating tunnels.
His strong hide is like armor that can withstand immense physical damage even from a cannonball blast.
He even has other strange features as well.
Some have even said that Rhydon has the ability to surf as well.
After seeing a good part usage for his horn, I have constructed Rhydon to become more
like a titan (that's why he's a little bigger than he should).
US-27 Twin Drive In: I remember this drive-in being opened during the Covid pandemic where folks could stay in their cars. Kentucky travel restrictions and gatherings of fewer than 10 people ended in May of 2020.
The drive-in shuttered its gates in 2021. Gone. Dark. Ceased to be.
The first Thameslink franchise operated by Go-Via Group had 40 of the original 60 class 319/0 sets. These units were rebuilt at Wolverton Works between 1997-98 where first class accommodation was incorporated. The units were dedicated as "Cityflier' sets for use on the Bedford to Brighton route serving Luton and Gatwick Airports and the City on London hence the choice of name. Ironically the later built class 319/1 sets operated by Thameslink which were built with first class accommodation were overhauled at Wessex Traincare, Eastleigh Works and lost their first class becoming 'City-Metro' sets dedicated to the Luton-Sutton-Luton suburban service. The paper dart logo on the unit end (set 319 443 on the right) denoted the end the first class accommodation was located.
The different paint scheme on the pair seen here in Selhurst cleaning shed belies the fact unit 319 449 on the left had been involved in the Spa Road Junction collision on 08/01/99. It spent over a year out of service stored at Selhurst Depot where it was eventually rebuilt and returned to service in late May 2000. The observant will notice the Bletchley destination which was an aspiration of the the Network SouthEast empire of British Rail and never came to fruition as the line still isn't electrified. Another destination on the 319 blinds which was never reached was Corby.
For the record 319 449 is stabled in Selhurst Cleaning Shed waiting for the evening peak while on the right stands set 319 443 waiting to form 5O91 the 14.10 ECS to London Blackfriars.
The former Manatees On The Bay bar in Gulfport FL has become the latest addition to the Caddy’s portfolio, gaining a new mural in the process.
We never saw the manor house that this drive leads to. It must be pretty impressive considering the size of the driveway though
Lady is operating a chicken stall franchise called Chicken Joy. She situated right outside a park which I think is a very lucrative location.
File: 2023001-0546
Cardiff Met Archers vs Nottingham Wildcats, Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL) match on Saturday 21st January 2023. Game played at the Archers Arena, Cardiff Metropolitan University, in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, during the 2022-23 season.
About the photograph.
This is the 25 years old, American born Abigail Yunker, playing for Archers attempting to throw the ball to her team mates. Yunker was born in Whitehouse, Ohio.
In the front of her, is the 26 years old Kayla Shaw of Nottingham Wildcats, trying to be careful not to commit a foul while attempting to block Yunker. Shaw is also an American, she was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She is now playing for a team in Finland.
With special thanks to the members of Cardiff Met staff for giving me permissions to shoot the game from courtside.
I had been taking the photos with a 50mm f1.8 lens, as it was only fast enough than the 28-200mm lens I have, for the indoor shots. I was allowed to go up and down the sidelines, as long as I don’t get too close to the playing field.
At the end of the game, the score was Archers 69 – 75 Wildcats.
The shot was turned into black and white in Adobe Lightroom, for a dramatic sports action feel (I hope).
About the teams.
The Wales based Cardiff Met Archers started in 1999, as a university basketball team. They have about 19 different teams, range from Under-10s to Seniors, and men’s teams as well as women’s teams.
The women’s senior team (seen here in the photograph) is the only team in a top-level elite franchise-based league. They joined the Women’s British Basketball League when it was first set up in 2014, and to date, are still in the WBBL.
The Nottingham Wildcats is an English women’s basketball team based in Nottingham, England, and was founded in 1976. As a successful team in the English Women’s Basketball League, the Wildcats became one of the founding members of the WBBL.
They had two Championships in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, and also won the WBBL Cup during the 2017-18 season.
The Women’s British Basketball League is a top-level franchised based basketball league in the United Kingdom, and a sister to the men’s British Basketball League (BBL). It was announced in June 2014 and started with the 2014-15 season.
The Comment Box for my photo is NOT an advertising billboard for any Groups. Canned Comments and award codes will be deleted as they are clickable adverts, thus counts as spam. You are free to comment with your own words for yourself about my photos, the subject, or your experience. If you want to promote the groups you are member of, do it in YOUR own Photostrem.
File: 2023001-0400
Cardiff Met Archers vs Nottingham Wildcats, Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL) match on Saturday 21st January 2023. Game played at the Archers Arena, Cardiff Metropolitan University, in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, during the 2022-23 season.
About the photograph.
The Cardiff Met Archers player Lara Habling could be seen just behind the Wildcats player wearing jersey number 30, just to the left of the photo.
She is the one who attempted to shoot the ball from her position there, at the basket and hope for a 3 points shoot. You’ll notice the official holding up three of his fingers to signal an attempt for 3 points.
However the attempt failed, the ball bounced off the backboard, and is on a rebound.
Here we have Nottingham Wildcats player Kayla Shaw (closer to camera) watching the ball, and hoping to catch it.
I thought to change this shot into black and white in Adobe Lightroom for a dramatic effect.
With special thanks to the members of Cardiff Met staff for giving me permissions to shoot the game from courtside.
I had been taking the photos with a 50mm f1.8 lens, as it was only fast enough than the 28-200mm lens I have, for the indoor shots. I was allowed to go up and down the sidelines, as long as I don’t get too close to the playing field.
At the end of the game, the score was Archers 69 – 75 Wildcats.
About the teams.
The Wales based Cardiff Met Archers started in 1999, as a university basketball team. They have about 19 different teams, range from Under-10s to Seniors, and men’s teams as well as women’s teams.
The women’s senior team (seen here in the photograph) is the only team in a top-level elite franchise-based league. They joined the Women’s British Basketball League when it was first set up in 2014, and to date, are still in the WBBL.
The Nottingham Wildcats is an English women’s basketball team based in Nottingham, England, and was founded in 1976. As a successful team in the English Women’s Basketball League, the Wildcats became one of the founding members of the WBBL.
They had two Championships in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, and also won the WBBL Cup during the 2017-18 season.
The Women’s British Basketball League is a top-level franchised based basketball league in the United Kingdom, and a sister to the men’s British Basketball League (BBL). It was announced in June 2014 and started with the 2014-15 season.
The Comment Box for my photo is NOT an advertising billboard for any Groups. Canned Comments and award codes will be deleted as they are clickable adverts, thus counts as spam. You are free to comment with your own words for yourself about my photos, the subject, or your experience. If you want to promote the groups you are member of, do it in YOUR own Photostrem.
Peñafrancia Tours & Travel Transport Inc.
Fleet no.: 53
Shot Location: ACBS Araneta Center Bus Station Cubao, Quezon City
A Great Western Trains' HST service from London Paddington to Swansea was recorded passing the Cardiff, Pengam Freightliner Terminal in July 1997 with power car 43169 leading the train formation. The train carries the original GWT livery of dark-green upper body and ivory lower body, with the 'Merlin' logo.
All images on this site are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed written permission of the photographer. All rights reserved – Copyright Don Gatehouse
Grunder Industries is the most famous weapons manufacturer of the Ace Combat franchise. Most of their products are cutting edge designs like the ADF-11 Raven, of which only two were built and featured at the very last mission of the "Ace Combat 7 The skies Unknown" game.
On that specific mission, the player (Trigger) must defeat the two Raven´s who were defending at the time the Space Elevator
leading to the loss of both Raven´s and their ADF-11 drones.
This aircraft can be unlocked and flown in the game after completing it.
Click here for the next photo:
www.flickr.com/photos/einon/52221951496
Eínon
The Steel / Water type Pokemon Empoleon.
I suddenly realized the surprising use of the trident. I wonder why no one else has tried...
Anyways, Empoleon is a large penguin-like Pokemon that is full of pride and majesty.
His body looks similar to a tuxedo.
Sunday 14th October saw Transport for Wales (TfW) take over the Wales and Borders franchise. The first service operated by TfW was the 0217 Fishguard Harbour-Carmarthen. The second service - at a slightly more sociable hour (and the first train to leave Cardiff) was the 2N05 0738 Cardiff Central to Ebbw Vale Town. The train is seen at Cardiff formed of class 175 DMU 175101.
Bad to the bone...
First up is Marowak and Cubone. With these new bone pieces out, I instantly thought of these guys and used a white droid torso for Marowak's skull.
He was fun to make, but hard to balance. Gravity sure gets on my nerves...
Following the announcement of a franchise arrangement with FlyBE, all Blue Islands' ATRs are likely to be repainted in Flybe colours later in 2016
Another favorite is Feraligatr, the bulky crocodilian Pokemon.
He is most notably known for his battle-like stature, as well as his powerful jaw.
Feraligatr moves faster in water than in land, then brutally attacks its opponents by dragging them down into the depths.
About 7 percent of the Golden Arches locations in the United States are company-owned. This one is s franchise.
Like a rocket.
One of my favorite Pokemon is Latios, a major powerhouse to any team.
Just give him Soul Dew, and say bye-bye to your opponent.
The blue wings and flippers really work out for this guy.
The Sad Story of Stagecoach’s franchising of its Glasgow services….
Seen here is 64107 (LG71DLV) about to head out on the former Stagecoach Glasgow X8 service to Pollok. This was one of the launch services for Stagecoach in Glasgow but now run by First Glasgow.
How this service came to be under First Glasgow control is interesting but sad tail from Stagecoach’s perspective. Stagecoach had first appeared in Glasgow at deregulation, running services as Magicbus. It ran services between Glasgow and Easterhouse, Castlemilk and East Kilbride. Services to East Kilbride were run with coaches and didn’t last long. But the services to Castlemilk and Easterhouse were run with AEC Routemasters and proved successful, all wearing Stagecoach’s stripes livery. Magicbus proved a useful little earner for Stagecoach but it wasn’t really expanded any further, other than the odd schools service. As Stagecoach acquired operators down south as it began its growth path, it updated the Magicbus fleet with acquired Atlanteans and VRTs from Ribble/Cumberland and Ailsas from Hampshire Bus. It even received some new Alexander bodied Mercedes-Benz minibuses and amongst the first of Stagecoach’s large order Alexander Dash bodied Dennis Darts.
Then suddenly and with no warning Stagecoach sold Magicbus to Kelvin Central Buses. The reason it seemed surprising was that a matter of a few weeks before it had received some brand new Dennis Darts, so Stagecoach was still investing in it. Industry wags speculated that this was to clear its way for a potential bid for Strathclyde’s Buses with no possible referral to the competition authorities. In the end, Strathclyde’s Buses was sold to its employees and management, and it looked as though Stagecoach had blown its chances in Glasgow, especially when Kelvin Central was subsequently sold to Strathclyde’s Buses in October 1994.
In November 1994, Stagecoach decided to try and go back into Glasgow, through its recently acquired Western Buses subsidiary. It registered a couple of services which would be run with brand new buses. It looked as though a bus war was on the cards as Strathclyde’s Buses stocked up on second hand buses and looked to set up operations in Perth and in Fife in retaliation.
At the last moment common sense and peace broke out. Stagecoach cancelled its registrations and took a 20% stake in Strathclyde’s Buses holding company SB Holdings instead. The new Strathclyde’s Buses operations in Perth and Fife didn’t go ahead and Strathclyde’s Buses even took on some of the buses that would have went into Stagecoach’s Glasgow operations. With Stagecoach now holding a stake in SB Holdings, to most observers it looked as though Strathclyde’s Buses would eventually end up as part of Stagecoach. However, enter stage left the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, who ordered Stagecoach to sell its stake, believing it to be anti-competitive. Stagecoach protested most strongly at this and ultimately went to the Courts over it, a case it actually won. But it was rendered pretty unimportant when SB Holdings was sold to Firstbus. Stagecoach walked away with a massive profit on its stake. It looked as though Stagecoach had left Glasgow again….or did it?
When Stagecoach Glasgow launched again for a third time in 1997, its launch routes included services X8/9 between Pollok/Darnley and Glasgow City Centre - these were genuinely innovative services which ran through the city centre before using the M8 then the newly opened M77 motorway before fanning out to serve the local communities. They competed with slower First Glasgow services that trundled through the suburbs and were run from a depot at Cowcaddens in the north of the city.
Stagecoach expanded steadily and soon outgrew the Cowcaddens premises and new premises were secured at Blochairn, at the side of the M8 Motorway near the old Gas Works and which was previously used by the Territorial Army, so it came with ready made workshops. Overtime certain services were cut back or withdrawn but Stagecoach remained a major player in the city.
In April 2001 the position changed. Stagecoach purchased Arriva Scotland West’s stake in Renfrewshire's Dart Buses. At the time, the reason was unclear but it soon became clear why. Dart Buses had grown from nothing to be one of the major players in Renfrewshire and parts of Southern Glasgow and Arriva reckoned if you cannot beat them, buy a stake in them. It then subsequently and quietly sold that stake to Stagecoach.
Stagecoach then franchised the X8/X9 service to Dart, who would run them on its behalf, using buses in Stagecoach livery - well the classic stripy livery. This allowed Stagecoach to be seen to maintain its presence but the risk would be transferred to Dart who would retain the fare box revenue. It seemed a bit of a win-win for both companies. The services were registered in Dart's name and Stagecoach Glasgow withdrew its own registration. There was a bit of grumbling from some customers when the low-floor Volvo B6LEs/ALX200s used by Stagecoach were replaced by some step entrance Wright bodies Dennis Darts initially but slowly, as Dart’s low floor Marshall Capital bodies Darts were repainted for this new venture in Stagecoach livery, any grumbles vanished.
However in October 2001 Dart Buses suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed. There had been no prior warning, although the fact that for the previous few days it's buses had been filling up outside the depot should have sent alarm bells ringing somewhere. The buses suddenly just didn't appear one Friday morning.
Stagecoach submitted its own emergency registrations to commence the following Monday and started scouring its U.K. Fleets for decent buses to run them. However First Glasgow trumped that by getting in its registrations to start the Saturday and also offered jobs to to Dart's drivers. It even borrowed buses from sister fleet First Edinburgh to run them. Stagecoach then withdrew its registrations having been out-foxed by its rival.....First Glasgow have then run the route since.