View allAll Photos Tagged Reliable
Built at the English Electric Vulcan Foundry in 1965, AC Locomotive Group's Class 86/1, 86101 "Sir William A Stanier FRS" stands on the block at Euston after working in the Empty Coaching Stock (5S95) for the Caledonian Sleeper Down Highlander service (1S25). It would then run round to stable in the Middle Sidings ahead of working the ECS again in the morning.
I have it on good authority that whilst being the oldest engine in the current Sleeper traction fleet, she's also the most reliable!
On the days where freight train activity can be sparse... so most days here on Pan Am... we do have to be thankful for the reliable Amtrak's that at times can be fun to shoot. This time of year we have the wreaths but also 406 back on duty as other NPCUs are cycled through a shop program down at Beech Grove. Here Amtrak train 691 glides through Deering Jct towards Brunswick where it will lay over for a few hours until needed again later today. Pan Am has been storing many C Plate boxcars as of late, not a downturn in the mills but rather a lack of demand for this dinosaur of a car. More F Plate cars are on the way to modernize the mill fleets in Northern New England.
The donkey is the beloved symbol of Amalfi. Donkeys have been used for centuries to move people and materials up and down the steep mountains along the Amalfi coast, and as can be seen in this photo, are still being used today.
Amalfi, Italy
IMG_0157
If this was in the UK, I think this Peterbilt truck would struggle with Cornish lanes, but fortunately I took this photo in Punta Gorda, Florida, USA. However, that sleeper cab looks a bit spacious doesn't it?
I'll "stick" with you thru thick or thin and am loyal as can be. But now that I'm older, I realize that some things are not meant to be and I've finally learned to cut things off. So I'm a bit of a mix of the tape and the dispenser!
ODC: An object to describe my personality
Hououhime - Princess Fire Bird
This is my new Taisho era geiko hikizuri. I purchased it from the same seller that I got my maiko hikizuri and ro geiko hikizuri from (both of which have been traced back to geisha in Gion Kobu), so I feel this seller is quite reliable. The reason I'm stating the reliability of the seller is because I wanted to talk about some of the curiosities of this kimono. Basically, I've come to realise that Taisho era geiko hikizuri are very similar to other kimono from the same era - in other words they're not as easy to distinguish from the normal kimono of a common woman as more modern hikizuri are.
The first thing you'll probably notice is that this hikizuri is relatively short compared to modern hikizuri. This is partly due to the fact that people were shorter back in the early 1900's. At 163cm, this hikizuri is about the length of a modern normal kimono, but is a bit longer than most regular Taisho era kimono. Not neccessarily much longer, but a little. Most regular kimono of that era fall between 140cm - 155cm, with a few exceptions, and furisode tending to be slightly longer. This minimal difference in length may be because it was fashionable at that time for other women, aside from geisha, to wear their kimono trailing. This hikizuri is actually shorter than the other geiko kimono I have from the same era: kurokami-kanzashi.deviantart.com/art/Taisho-Geiko-Hikizur... That one is about 168cm long. The other influence on the length of hikizuri seems to do with the style in which they were worn. If you look closely at photos of geisha from the taisho period, you'll notice that their collars are not pulled quite as low at the back and their hems don't trail as long as modern geiko wear them. These two differences in kitsuke mean that the garment does not need to be as long as modern hikizuri.
This phoenix hikizuri seems to have been constructed for a very petite individual. I'm on the skinny side of things and actually have difficulty getting this kimono to wrap around my waist enough. So it's reasonable that the geiko who once wore this kimono was not only quite thin, but also quite short (between 4'4" and 5'2").
The other interesting thing about this kimono and my other Taisho geiko hikizuri, is that their hems are not padded any more fully than normal kimono of that era. Modern geisha kimono have hems that are easily padded three times more thickly than this.
So one might begin to question, given all of these similarities, how can you be sure this actually is a geisha kimono? To be honest I can't confirm it 100%. However, as I mentioned before, the seller I purchased this from is very reputable and they have sold me items I've been able to trace directly back to Gion Kobu. So I trust this seller's sources, and I doubt they would mislable a geisha's kimono.
Other than that there are some visual cues that one eventually begins to pick up as they become more versed in the world of kimono. Probably the most telling is the proportions of this hikizuri. The skirt is very long compared to where the collar meets the outer edge of the kimono. This meeting of collar and edge comes part way down the thigh on most kimono, but on geisha hikizuri, it tends to come down only to the hip or may even be as short as the waist. Basically geiko kimono tend to have collars that take up only 40% of the overall length of the garment; (the rest is all skirt) while the collars on regular kimono tend to take up about 50 - 55% of the overall length. I believe this is due to different styles of being worn. This is not a hard and fast rule for hikizuri, but it's a visual clue that can sometimes be picked up on.
Another such cue is the pattern. Geisha kimono are designed to be beautiful from afar while dancing, but also when up close while sitting next to a client. You'll notice that the large phoenixes on this kimono are striking from a distance, but the little plum blossoms and details of the phoenix's feathers can only really be appriciated up close. Dance kimono will tend to be very striking from afar, and many normal kimono will tend to be best appreciated up close.
You'll also notice that the design on this kimono comes very high up on the skirt. This is actually a characteristic of tomesode worn by rather young married women, but I think it's also a type of pattern placement that is rather neccessary for hikizuri. If you think about wearing a kimono trailing; a design that is situated solely along the bottom of the hem, will end up being obscured by the pooling of the fabric. While a design that's higher up on the skirt will still be nicely visible.
There are some other visual clues, but they are difficult for me to put into words. For the most part though, I know this is a geiko hikizuri just by looking at it. There's something about it that just feels different than other Taisho era tomesode.
This kimono being worn:
www.flickr.com/photos/13061699@N06/4584378133/in/set-7215...
www.flickr.com/photos/13061699@N06/4584982218/in/set-7215...
www.flickr.com/photos/13061699@N06/4584354855/in/set-7215...
www.flickr.com/photos/13061699@N06/4584982492/in/set-7215...
This beautiful pink Cymbidium Orchid comes through with its gorgeous blooms every year now for several years ... 8 flower stalks this year .
1068 'Western Reliance, pulls into Exeter St davids, with the 0730 Paddington-Penzance (1034 out of Exeter) on 7th August 1976.
Not sure what the make and model is, there is a logo on the radiator but it's ??.
Displayed at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.
On my moms side we are 20 cousins. 10 ladies and 9 gents &me. This is Rezwan, 6 years older than me, one of the most reliable people you will ever meet.
I've had this orchid for 30 years, and it has bloomed every Spring. Not sure the variety. I believe it's a Cattleya X Laelia cross.
Some background:
Simple, efficient and reliable, the Regult (リガード, Rigādo) was the standard mass production mecha of the Zentraedi forces. Produced by Esbeliben at the 4.432.369th Zentraedi Fully Automated Weaponry Development and Production Factory Satellite in staggering numbers to fill the need for an all-purpose mecha, this battle pod accommodated a single Zentraedi soldier in a compact cockpit and was capable of operating in space or on a planet's surface. The Regult saw much use during Space War I in repeated engagements against the forces of the SDF-1 Macross and the U.N. Spacy, but its lack of versatility against superior mecha often resulted in average effectiveness and heavy losses. The vehicle was regarded as expendable and was therefore cheap, simple, but also very effective when fielded in large numbers. Possessing minimal defensive features, the Regult was a simple weapon that performed best in large numbers and when supported by other mecha such as Gnerl Fighter Pods. Total production is said to have exceeded 300 million in total.
The cockpit could be accesses through a hatch on the back of the Regult’s body, which was, however, extremely cramped, with poor habitability and means of survival. The giant Zentraedi that operated it often found themselves crouching, with some complaining that "It would have been easier had they just walked on their own feet". Many parts of the craft relied on being operated on manually, which increased the fatigue of the pilot. On the other hand, the overall structure was extremely simple, with relatively few failures, making operational rate high.
In space, the Regult made use of two booster engines and numerous vernier thrusters to propel itself at very high speeds, capable of engaging and maintaining pace with the U.N. Spacy's VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter. Within an atmosphere, the Regult was largely limited to ground combat but retained high speed and maneuverability. On land, the Regult was surprisingly fast and agile, too, capable of closing with the VF-1 variable fighter in GERWALK flight (though likely unable to maintain pace at full GERWALK velocity). The Regult was not confined to land operations, though, it was also capable of operating underwater for extended periods of time. Thanks to its boosters, the Regult was capable of high leaping that allowed the pod to cover long distances, surprise enemies and even engage low-flying aircraft.
Armed with a variety of direct-fire energy weapons and anti-personnel/anti-aircraft guns, the Regult offered considerable firepower and was capable of engaging both air and ground units. It was also able to deliver powerful kicks. The armor of the body shell wasn't very strong, though, and could easily be penetrated by a Valkyrie's 55 mm Gatling gun pod. Even bare fist attacks of a VF-1 could crack the Regult’s cockpit or immobilize it. The U.N. Spacy’s MBR-07 Destroid Spartan was, after initial battel experience with the Regult, specifically designed to engage the Zentraedi forces’ primary infantry weapon in close-combat.
The Regult was, despite general shortcomings, a highly successful design and it became the basis for a wide range of specialized versions, including advanced battle pods for commanders, heavy infantry weapon carriers and reconnaissance/command vehicles. The latter included the Regult Tactical Scout (リガード偵察型). manufactured by electronics specialist Ectromelia. The Tactical Scout variant was a deadly addition to the Zentraedi Regult mecha troops. Removing all weaponry, the Tactical Scout was equipped with many additional sensor clusters and long-range detection equipment. Always found operating among other Regult mecha or supporting Glaug command pods, the Scout was capable of early warning enemy detection as well as ECM/ECCM roles (Electronic Countermeasures/Electronic Counter-Countermeasures). In Space War I, the Tactical Scout was utilized to devastating effect, often providing radar jamming, communication relay and superior tactical positioning for the many Zentraedi mecha forces.
At the end of Space War I in January 2012, production of the Regult for potential Earth defensive combat continued when the seizure operation of the Factory Satellite was executed. After the war, Regults were used by both U.N. Spacy and Zentraedi insurgents. Many surviving units were incorporated into the New U.N. Forces and given new model numbers. The normal Regult became the “Zentraedi Battle Pod” ZBP-104 (often just called “Type 104”) and was, for example, used by Al-Shahal's New U.N. Army's Zentraedi garrison. The related ZBP-106 was a modernized version for Zentraedi commanders, with built-in boosters, additional Queadluun-Rhea arms and extra armaments. These primarily replaced the Glaug battle pod, of which only a handful had survived. By 2067, Regult pods of all variants were still in operation among mixed human/Zentraedi units.
General characteristics:
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in main body
Overall Height: 18.2 meters
Overall Length: 7.6 meters
Overall Width: 12.6 meters
Max Weight: 39.8 metric tons
Powerplant & propulsion:
1x 1.3 GGV class Ectromelia thermonuclear reaction furnace,
driving 2x main booster Thrusters and 12x vernier thrusters
Performance:
unknown
Armament:
None
Special Equipment and Features:
Standard all-frequency radar antenna
Standard laser long-range sensor
Ectromelia infrared, visible light and ultraviolet frequency sensor cluster
ECM/ECCM suite
The kit and its assembly:
I had this kit stashed away for a couple of years, together with a bunch of other 1:100 Zentraedi pods of all kinds and the plan to build a full platoon one day – but this has naturally not happened so far and the kits were and are still waiting. The “Reconnaissance & Surveillance” group build at whatifmodellers.com in August 2021 was a good occasion and motivation to tackle the Tactical Scout model from the pile, though, as it perfectly fits the GB’s theme and also adds an exotic science fiction/anime twist to the submissions.
The kit is an original ARII boxing from 1983, AFAIK the only edition of this model. One might expect this kit to be a variation of the 1982 standard Regult (sometimes spelled “Reguld”) kit with extra parts, but that’s not the case – it is a new mold with different parts and technical solutions, and it offers optional parts for the standard Regult pod as well as the two missile carrier versions that were published at the same time, too. The Tactical Scout uses the same basis, but it comes with parts exclusive for this variant (hull and a sprue with the many antennae and sensors).
I remembered from a former ARII Regult build in the late Eighties that the legs were a wobbly affair. Careful sprue inspection revealed, however, that this second generation comes with some sensible detail changes, e. g. the feet, which originally consisted of separate toe and heel sections (and these were hollow from behind/below!). To my biggest surprise the knees – a notorious weak spot of the 1st generation Regult kit – were not only held by small and flimsy vinyl caps anymore: These were replaced with much bigger vinyl rings, fitted into sturdy single-piece enclosures made from a tough styrene which can even be tuned with small metal screws(!), which are included in the kit. Interesting!
But the joy is still limited: even though the mold is newer, fit is mediocre at best, PSR is necessary on every seam. However, the good news is that the kit does not fight with you. The whole thing was mostly built OOB, because at 1:100 there's little that makes sense to add to the surface, and the kit comes with anything you'd expect on a Regult Scout pod. I just added some lenses and small stuff behind the large "eye", which is (also to my surprise) a clear part. The stuff might only appear in schemes on the finished model, but that's better than leaving the area blank.
Otherwise, the model was built in sub-sections for easier painting and handling, to be assembled in a final step – made possible by the kit’s design which avoids the early mecha kit’s “onion layer” construction, except for the feet. This is the only area that requires some extra effort, and which is also a bit tricky to assemble.
However, while the knees appear to be a robust construction, the kit showed some material weakness: while handling the leg assembly, one leg suddenly came off under the knees - turned out that the locator that holds the knee joint above (which I expected to be the weak point) completely broke off of the lower leg! Weird damage. I tried to glue the leg into place, but this did not work, and so I inserted a replacement for the broken. This eventually worked.
Painting and markings:
Colorful, but pretty standard and with the attempt to be authentic. However, information concerning the Regults’ paint scheme is somewhat inconsistent. I decided to use a more complex interpretation of the standard blue/grey Regult scheme, with a lighter “face shield” and some other details that make the mecha look more interesting. I used the box art and some screenshots from the Macross TV series as reference; the Tactical Scout pod already appears in episode #2 for the first time, and there are some good views at it, even though the anime version is highly simplified.
Humbrol enamels were used, including 48 (Mediterranean Blue), 196 (RAL 7035, instead of pure white), 40 (Pale Grey) and 27 (Sea Grey). The many optics were created with clear acrylics over a silver base, and the large frontal “eye” is a piece of clear plastic with a coat of clear turquoise paint, too.
The model received a black ink washing to emphasize details, engraved panel lines and recesses, as well as some light post-shading through dry-brushing. Some surface details were created with decal stripes, e. g. on the upper legs, or with a black fineliner, and some color highlights were distributed all over the hull, e. g. the yellowish-beige tips of the wide antenna or the bright blue panels on the upper legs.
The decals were taken OOB, and thanks to a translation chart I was able to decipher some of the markings which I’d interpret as a serial number and a unit code – but who knows?
Finally, the kit received an overall coat of matt acrylic varnish and some weathering/dust traces around the feet with simple watercolors – more would IMHO look out of place, due to the mecha’s sheer size in real life and the fact that the Regult has to be considered a disposable item. Either it’s brand new and shiny, or busted, there’s probably little in between that justifies serious weathering which better suits the tank-like Destroids.
A “normal” build, even though the model and the topic are exotic enough. This 2nd generation Regult kit went together easier than expected, even though it has its weak points, too. However, material ageing turned out to be the biggest challenge (after all, the kit is almost 40 years old!), but all problems could be overcome and the resulting model looks decent – and it has this certain Eighties flavor! :D
Some background:
Simple, efficient and reliable, the Regult (リガード, Rigādo) was the standard mass production mecha of the Zentraedi forces. Produced by Esbeliben at the 4.432.369th Zentraedi Fully Automated Weaponry Development and Production Factory Satellite in staggering numbers to fill the need for an all-purpose mecha, this battle pod accommodated a single Zentraedi soldier in a compact cockpit and was capable of operating in space or on a planet's surface. The Regult saw much use during Space War I in repeated engagements against the forces of the SDF-1 Macross and the U.N. Spacy, but its lack of versatility against superior mecha often resulted in average effectiveness and heavy losses. The vehicle was regarded as expendable and was therefore cheap, simple, but also very effective when fielded in large numbers. Possessing minimal defensive features, the Regult was a simple weapon that performed best in large numbers and when supported by other mecha such as Gnerl Fighter Pods. Total production is said to have exceeded 300 million in total.
The cockpit could be accesses through a hatch on the back of the Regult’s body, which was, however, extremely cramped, with poor habitability and means of survival. The giant Zentraedi that operated it often found themselves crouching, with some complaining that "It would have been easier had they just walked on their own feet". Many parts of the craft relied on being operated on manually, which increased the fatigue of the pilot. On the other hand, the overall structure was extremely simple, with relatively few failures, making operational rate high.
In space, the Regult made use of two booster engines and numerous vernier thrusters to propel itself at very high speeds, capable of engaging and maintaining pace with the U.N. Spacy's VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter. Within an atmosphere, the Regult was largely limited to ground combat but retained high speed and maneuverability. On land, the Regult was surprisingly fast and agile, too, capable of closing with the VF-1 variable fighter in GERWALK flight (though likely unable to maintain pace at full GERWALK velocity). The Regult was not confined to land operations, though, it was also capable of operating underwater for extended periods of time. Thanks to its boosters, the Regult was capable of high leaping that allowed the pod to cover long distances, surprise enemies and even engage low-flying aircraft.
Armed with a variety of direct-fire energy weapons and anti-personnel/anti-aircraft guns, the Regult offered considerable firepower and was capable of engaging both air and ground units. It was also able to deliver powerful kicks. The armor of the body shell wasn't very strong, though, and could easily be penetrated by a Valkyrie's 55 mm Gatling gun pod. Even bare fist attacks of a VF-1 could crack the Regult’s cockpit or immobilize it. The U.N. Spacy’s MBR-07 Destroid Spartan was, after initial battel experience with the Regult, specifically designed to engage the Zentraedi forces’ primary infantry weapon in close-combat.
The Regult was, despite general shortcomings, a highly successful design and it became the basis for a wide range of specialized versions, including advanced battle pods for commanders, heavy infantry weapon carriers and reconnaissance/command vehicles. The latter included the Regult Tactical Scout (リガード偵察型). manufactured by electronics specialist Ectromelia. The Tactical Scout variant was a deadly addition to the Zentraedi Regult mecha troops. Removing all weaponry, the Tactical Scout was equipped with many additional sensor clusters and long-range detection equipment. Always found operating among other Regult mecha or supporting Glaug command pods, the Scout was capable of early warning enemy detection as well as ECM/ECCM roles (Electronic Countermeasures/Electronic Counter-Countermeasures). In Space War I, the Tactical Scout was utilized to devastating effect, often providing radar jamming, communication relay and superior tactical positioning for the many Zentraedi mecha forces.
At the end of Space War I in January 2012, production of the Regult for potential Earth defensive combat continued when the seizure operation of the Factory Satellite was executed. After the war, Regults were used by both U.N. Spacy and Zentraedi insurgents. Many surviving units were incorporated into the New U.N. Forces and given new model numbers. The normal Regult became the “Zentraedi Battle Pod” ZBP-104 (often just called “Type 104”) and was, for example, used by Al-Shahal's New U.N. Army's Zentraedi garrison. The related ZBP-106 was a modernized version for Zentraedi commanders, with built-in boosters, additional Queadluun-Rhea arms and extra armaments. These primarily replaced the Glaug battle pod, of which only a handful had survived. By 2067, Regult pods of all variants were still in operation among mixed human/Zentraedi units.
General characteristics:
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in main body
Overall Height: 18.2 meters
Overall Length: 7.6 meters
Overall Width: 12.6 meters
Max Weight: 39.8 metric tons
Powerplant & propulsion:
1x 1.3 GGV class Ectromelia thermonuclear reaction furnace,
driving 2x main booster Thrusters and 12x vernier thrusters
Performance:
unknown
Armament:
None
Special Equipment and Features:
Standard all-frequency radar antenna
Standard laser long-range sensor
Ectromelia infrared, visible light and ultraviolet frequency sensor cluster
ECM/ECCM suite
The kit and its assembly:
I had this kit stashed away for a couple of years, together with a bunch of other 1:100 Zentraedi pods of all kinds and the plan to build a full platoon one day – but this has naturally not happened so far and the kits were and are still waiting. The “Reconnaissance & Surveillance” group build at whatifmodellers.com in August 2021 was a good occasion and motivation to tackle the Tactical Scout model from the pile, though, as it perfectly fits the GB’s theme and also adds an exotic science fiction/anime twist to the submissions.
The kit is an original ARII boxing from 1983, AFAIK the only edition of this model. One might expect this kit to be a variation of the 1982 standard Regult (sometimes spelled “Reguld”) kit with extra parts, but that’s not the case – it is a new mold with different parts and technical solutions, and it offers optional parts for the standard Regult pod as well as the two missile carrier versions that were published at the same time, too. The Tactical Scout uses the same basis, but it comes with parts exclusive for this variant (hull and a sprue with the many antennae and sensors).
I remembered from a former ARII Regult build in the late Eighties that the legs were a wobbly affair. Careful sprue inspection revealed, however, that this second generation comes with some sensible detail changes, e. g. the feet, which originally consisted of separate toe and heel sections (and these were hollow from behind/below!). To my biggest surprise the knees – a notorious weak spot of the 1st generation Regult kit – were not only held by small and flimsy vinyl caps anymore: These were replaced with much bigger vinyl rings, fitted into sturdy single-piece enclosures made from a tough styrene which can even be tuned with small metal screws(!), which are included in the kit. Interesting!
But the joy is still limited: even though the mold is newer, fit is mediocre at best, PSR is necessary on every seam. However, the good news is that the kit does not fight with you. The whole thing was mostly built OOB, because at 1:100 there's little that makes sense to add to the surface, and the kit comes with anything you'd expect on a Regult Scout pod. I just added some lenses and small stuff behind the large "eye", which is (also to my surprise) a clear part. The stuff might only appear in schemes on the finished model, but that's better than leaving the area blank.
Otherwise, the model was built in sub-sections for easier painting and handling, to be assembled in a final step – made possible by the kit’s design which avoids the early mecha kit’s “onion layer” construction, except for the feet. This is the only area that requires some extra effort, and which is also a bit tricky to assemble.
However, while the knees appear to be a robust construction, the kit showed some material weakness: while handling the leg assembly, one leg suddenly came off under the knees - turned out that the locator that holds the knee joint above (which I expected to be the weak point) completely broke off of the lower leg! Weird damage. I tried to glue the leg into place, but this did not work, and so I inserted a replacement for the broken. This eventually worked.
Painting and markings:
Colorful, but pretty standard and with the attempt to be authentic. However, information concerning the Regults’ paint scheme is somewhat inconsistent. I decided to use a more complex interpretation of the standard blue/grey Regult scheme, with a lighter “face shield” and some other details that make the mecha look more interesting. I used the box art and some screenshots from the Macross TV series as reference; the Tactical Scout pod already appears in episode #2 for the first time, and there are some good views at it, even though the anime version is highly simplified.
Humbrol enamels were used, including 48 (Mediterranean Blue), 196 (RAL 7035, instead of pure white), 40 (Pale Grey) and 27 (Sea Grey). The many optics were created with clear acrylics over a silver base, and the large frontal “eye” is a piece of clear plastic with a coat of clear turquoise paint, too.
The model received a black ink washing to emphasize details, engraved panel lines and recesses, as well as some light post-shading through dry-brushing. Some surface details were created with decal stripes, e. g. on the upper legs, or with a black fineliner, and some color highlights were distributed all over the hull, e. g. the yellowish-beige tips of the wide antenna or the bright blue panels on the upper legs.
The decals were taken OOB, and thanks to a translation chart I was able to decipher some of the markings which I’d interpret as a serial number and a unit code – but who knows?
Finally, the kit received an overall coat of matt acrylic varnish and some weathering/dust traces around the feet with simple watercolors – more would IMHO look out of place, due to the mecha’s sheer size in real life and the fact that the Regult has to be considered a disposable item. Either it’s brand new and shiny, or busted, there’s probably little in between that justifies serious weathering which better suits the tank-like Destroids.
A “normal” build, even though the model and the topic are exotic enough. This 2nd generation Regult kit went together easier than expected, even though it has its weak points, too. However, material ageing turned out to be the biggest challenge (after all, the kit is almost 40 years old!), but all problems could be overcome and the resulting model looks decent – and it has this certain Eighties flavor! :D
Led out by SD Reliable...
The SD prefix represents the operating contractor Serco Denholm Marine , who took over most of the MOD harbour vessels and tugs after the disbandonment of the RMAS in March 2008.(copyright Dave Forbes). Vessels currently in service can be recognised by their black hulls with white beading and white-coloured upperworks
SD Reliable (based Faslane):
Gross Tonnage: 271
Length: 29.14m;
Beam: 9.59m.
Year Built: 2009.
......................
RFA Tidespring was formally named at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering’s Okpo-dong yard on 7 October 2015.
She finally entered service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) on 27 November 2017 as the first of a class of four vessels, designed to support the RN's new Queen Elizabeth-class new aircraft carriers.
Essentially a floating petrol station complete with shop, her main duty is supposed to be refuelling Royal Navy and allied ships on the high seas. In addition, she is capable of carrying dry stores and fresh water, along with jet fuel for the carriers.
Crew; 63 plus 46 non-crew embarked persons (Royal Marines, flight crew, trainees).
Speed: 26.8 knots (49.6 kmh; 30.3 mph).
Displacment: 37,000 t (36,000 long tons).
Length: 200.9 m (659 ft 1in)
Beam: 28.6 m (93 ft 10in)
Draft: 10 m (932 ft 10 in)
Range: 18,200 nautical miles (33,700 km; 20,900 mi)
Capacity: Tanks for diesel oil, aviation fuel (19,000m3) and fresh water (1,300m3)
Armament: 2× Phalanx CIWS; 2 × 30 mm cannons.
Aircraft: 1 medium helicopter with full hangar facilities (Merlin / Wildcat), flight deck capable of landing Chinook-size helicopter.
A bright red fire alarm stands out against the bricks of an old Mill building in North Chelmsford, MA.
Since I'd bought some film anyway for the waterproof point and shoot I bought a couple of weeks ago I decided to put a roll in my wife's old SLR (a Pentax ZX-50) and see what I came up with. This was one of my favorites.
Another day, another E-Type, and this example is one of what many consider the better cars, being the stylish and flamboyant Series I fitted with the powerful and reliable 4.2L Straight Six engine!
One of the most revolutionary cars in all of motoring history, a car that has often been declared as the Space Shuttle in the Middle Ages! Beauty, style and performance all harnessed in one simple bodyshell. It can't be anything other than the Jaguar E-Type!
When it was launched in 1961, Britain was still very much an antiquated Victorian country, and transport was not much better. Steam Trains still had another 7 years to go and the most you could get out of the Motor Industry were flaky BMC products such as the humble Austin Cambridge and the Morris Minor. Unbeknownst to this very slow moving world of modesty, the entire picture was about to be turned on its head. In music, the Beatles rocked their way into everlasting legacy, the De Havilland Comet brought nations closer together, and Jaguar launched the E-Type, a car that set the motoring world ablaze!
Designed by Malcolm Sayer and powered by a 3.8L Straight Six engine, the Jaguar E-Type could now whisk people to 150mph, and with there being no speed limits back then, that was not too much of a stretch to imagine. You just had to look at it to see nothing but speed, everything about it was designed to go as fast as possible!
In spirit, the E-Type can trace its roots back to the race ready D-Type, also designed by Malcolm Sayer and notable for raking home victory after victory at Le Mans, being credited with being one of the most advanced sports cars of all time. A limited edition road going version, the XKSS, made the idea of a D-Type on the public highway possible, and parts developed in this often forgotten little gem helped to culminate in the final and superb E-Type.
On March 16th 1961, the E-Type was released upon the unsuspecting public at the Geneva Motor Show to an absolute roar of applause and acclaim. It made the front page of pretty much every newspaper in Europe, and orders absolutely rolled in by the thousand! The thing that made the E-Type so desirable was the fact that it was fun on a budget, a high performance 150mph capable machine for an affordable price of just £2,000, the equivalent of about £40,000 today. Now you may think that's a lot of money, but when you consider that a car of comparable beauty and performance was double that price, you'd know it was something truly special.
However, this proved to be a problem for the comparatively small company, who simply couldn't turn out the cars fast enough to supply the demand. Millions and Millions of Pounds worth of orders were being placed, with some owners even going so far as to place deposits at 10 to 15 Jaguar dealers hoping that one of them could give them a car! The biggest problem was trying to supply differing markets, especially if you were British because in order to appease the desperate American buyers, cars would be built in LHD for 6 month periods at a time, which meant if you were someone wishing to buy a car here in the UK, you'd be stuck for the best part of a year!
But it was obvious why, these cars were unrealistically fast! Tap the pedal and you'd be at 60mph in 7.1 seconds, press it further and you'd be over 100, and if you pressed it further, the bonnet would rise and with blood gushing from your eyes and every fibre of your body telling you to stop, you'd be hitting 150mph! That doesn't sound like much today considering the Aston Martins and Ferrari's we're so used to, but in 1961 this was absolutely unheard of.
Not that your E-Type would ever make 150mph because Jaguar had been a tad naughty. As it turns out the initial test cars that had been leant to the Press had been tuned to reach that golden 150, but the rest of the flock would barely go that fast. This was further compounded by a troublesome gearbox, hopeless brakes, cramped interior and uncomfortable seats. Jaguar's con had only been done to bless their car with the initial fame that would sell the production models, but in 1965 Jaguar chose to redress the issue by fitting the car with a much larger and much better 4.2L Straight Six engine.
But once the novelty had worn off the E-Type was starting to become maligned. Much like owning a topping Rolls Royce, seeing one being driven in the street opened the wounds of jealousy that continued to divide the social classes, and if you were very lucky you'd only get away with a disapproving look or a nasty name, if you weren't expect a brick, a can of paint or a rock to be hurtled in your direction! At the same time because so many cars had been built, the Second Hand market became saturated which meant that people could pick up early ones for a song, which removed the exclusivity that these vehicles had once commanded. Again, much like a Rolls Royce these owners only saw them as ways to get women to take off their clothes for you, and thus didn't exactly give them the love that such cars required.
However, this was before we got to the biggest problem of them all, America.
Actually I take it back, America can't be blamed for everything, in fact the stringent safety legislation and rules on car manufacturing can be credited to the increased safety of modern motor vehicles, the people to be blamed though are in fact the car manufacturers themselves for not being able to incorporate the compulsory safety features whilst still keeping the car stylish.
But still, throughout the 1960's the death of James Dean had resulted in a gradual increase in safety legislation on US Highways, and in order to have a market there, cars had to conform. The height of the headlights, the bumpers, the smoke emissions, the recess of the switches, all of these things were scrutinised and had to be taken into account by car builders. The E-Type became a shameful victim as its looks were compromised with changes to the lights, and body profile. To be honest the Series II was not that bad a car, still retaining much of its charm, especially when you compare it to 1971's Series III which was formulated by British Leyland. With the cabin looking like it had sunk, the lights being stretched and contorted, and sporting a massive 5.3L V12 engine. By this point many of the cars former buyers saw the E-Type as damaged beyond repair and thus sales began to tumble. British Leyland however had been planning to replace the car since the late 1960's, and after much deliberation its replacement, the Jaguar XJS, was launched in 1975, bringing an end to the increasingly hard to sell E-Type. Although very well performing, in terms of looks, the XJS was considered by many classic Jag fans to be absolute heresy, but would go on to have a much longer life that the E-Type, being built until 1996.
However, even before the last E-Type left the production line the originals were already being hailed as classical heroes. In total well over 70,000 of these cars had been sold, and a large number of them remain on the roads. During the late 70's and 80's the car continued to be a major pin-up, often ending up rather oddly, and to my mind a bit shamefully, in erotic films and porn movies (I sure hope they washed thoroughly afterwards). But when you look at the E-Type you can understand why, it is a seriously sexy looking car!
So iconic and so stylish were these cars that over the years many different replica models have also been made. Throughout the 1990's the company Eagle GB built the Eagle E-Type, brand new cars built to exactly the same specifications as the original Series I versions, whilst in 2011 the Eagle Speedster was produced, revising the bodyshape but attempting to maintain the charm of the original, and in 2014 several remaining chassis from the original production run that had been kept in storage are intended to be built into fully functioning cars.
The E-Type may have died a long time ago, but its reputation isn't letting up! :D
Randsburg, CA
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Blyth.
This small town of 300, with reliable annual rainfall of over 420mm was founded in 1875. But the Hundred of Blyth was declared in 1860 and named after Sir Arthur Blyth a successful SA businessman and politician who had arrived in the colony in 1839. Sir Arthur Blyth was Premier of South Australia three times albeit for short periods of time. Before the declaration of the Hundred of Blyth the area was under pastoral leases to local pastoralists from Clare such as Edward Gleeson and George Hawker of Bungaree and the Jacob brothers. The town grew with the arrival of the railway in 1875 after it was extended from the previous terminus at Hoyleton. Once it reached Blyth there was much agitation in Clare about having a railway built from Blyth to Clare but this never happened. The fine stone gable ended railway station was erected in Blyth in 1878. The railway line was then later extended northwards again in 1894 to go on to Yacka, Georgetown and connect with the existing railway network at Gladstone. The historic buildings and structures of Blyth include the Blyth Hotel which opened in 1876 with an upper storey added in 1910 and the old Lutheran St Petrie church built in 1886 and closed in 1969 - it is now the Medika Art Gallery known for its beautiful Australian bird and plant paintings of artist Ian Roberts. He sells items with reproduced images of his paintings on place mats, mugs and jewellery etc.
In its heyday the town had a butter factory (the 1890s), the school which opened in 1878, and a Wesleyan Church which opened in 1878. The hospital, one of the first government hospitals, and the Catholic Church both opened in 1911. Alas the hospital is now closed despite additions in the 1930s and 1970s and the large Catholic Church was demolished in 1982 to make way for the Burkanendi Homes for the Aged.
The Institute and Town hall was built in 1904 when two front rooms were added to the Blyth Hall which had been built in 1893 by the Institute Committee. In 1904 one of the new rooms was for the Council and the other for the Institute Library. The hall was enlarged again in 1932 when movie pictures were shown for the first time in the hall. Some church services began in the hall. In 1909 an Anglican Church opened although services had begun earlier in 1901 in the institute hall. In more recent times a new Lutheran Church was built in 1970 and today it is the only church still open for worship in Blyth. The German family of Roderick Buzacott ran a coach building business in Blyth for many years with up to 40 employees. It started in 1891 and finally closed in 1929 as motor cars replaced horses and coaches. The town had several stores and a bank. As around half of the settlers of the district were of German Lutheran background it also had a Eudunda Farmers’ Cooperative Store. Store number Nine operated in Blyth from 1908 to 1984 when it was sold. Sir Lyell McEwin and Lady McEwin who had property at nearby Hart were both buried in the Blyth cemetery. The fine old railway station in Blyth has been closed since the rail services to Gladstone ceased around 1980. The tracks were torn up and the station is now used by a trucking company but it is in a terrible state of disrepair. The old English Scottish and Australian Bank in the town closed in 1942. Blyth also had a second Lutheran Church apart from St Petrie. It was built in 1909 on South terrace and demolished in 1970 to make way for a newly built third Lutheran Church. Trinity Lutheran opened in 1971. From 1881 to 1909 the congregation met in the disused Wesleyan Methodist church near Blyth cemetery. In the early years Blyth also had a flourmill as it was basically a wheat growing district. The flourmill opened in 1897 near the railway station. Benjamin Deland and his family ran the mill from its inception until its closure in 1920. Mr Deland died in 1906. The last vestiges of the flour mill were demolished in the 1940s.
Blyth was the site of an experiment in land development. The Working Men’s Block scheme was instigated by the SA government in 1885 after much agitation for the scheme from George Cotton a member of the Legislative Council. He formed the Homestead League in 1885 to promote the legislation. The scheme was based on small acreages of up to 20 acres being made available at low rental cost to working men so that they could grow fruit, vegetables, keep a cow, chickens and a few pigs etc to supplement their incomes. Further legislation in 1891 permitted “blockers” to purchase their land at low cost. Blocks were especially created along the old Travelling Stock Routes across the state including along the Clare to Lochiel Road. In 1887 seventeen blocks on the road to Lochiel were created but the scheme was not successful. The blocks still remain there as large housing blocks. A second release of blocks on the Clare Road east of the town parklands was much more successful as the creeks from the Clare Hills provided more reliable water. These blocks eventually were turned into broad acre paddocks or added to existing farms and there is no sign that this “blockers” scheme ever existed here.