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Country: PORTUGAL
Operator: CP
Item: STEAM
Class or Maker: CP/E165
Wheel Arrangement or Type: 0-4-4-0T
Number: E170
Place details: BOAVISTA Loco Shed (Porto area)
Additional notes: Gauge 1000mm
E170 built by Henschel in 1908
Original source material: Agfa 35mm colour slide
Photographer: Bernard Harrison
Copyright: Photographer's estate
Library locator reference: BHAR_0136
30937 Transport Photograph Database
1968SEP11BHAR5142cs
Operator: Reading Buses
Make/Model: Scania N280UD/Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC-CBG (H47/28F)
Registration Number: YN66 EZS
Fleet Number: 705
View: RoyalBlue (Livery)
Operator: Reading Buses
Make/Model: ADL E40D/Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC (H47/33F)
Registration Number: YY15 OYB
Fleet Number: 760
Operator: Reading Buses
Make/Model: ADL E40H/Alexander Dennis Enviro 400H (Hybrid) - (H45/33F)
Registration Number: SN11 BVR
Fleet Number: 210
Operator- First Potteries
Operating Area- Staffordshire & Cheshire
Make- ADL
Model- Enviro 200 MMC
Chassie-
Fleet No- 67181
Reg- YX66WBW
Location Seen- Stoke University Hospital
Service- 22 to Newcastle
Info- New to First Hampshire
Seen- 18/8/22
Operator: Arriva (The Shires) - (High Wycombe)
Make/Model: Mercedes-Benz Citaro (O530FL) - (B38F)
Registration Number: BJ12 YPV
Fleet Number: 3010
Operator: Colas Rail
Livery: Colas Rail
No: 56105 & 56087
Service: 6C51 Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M. to Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M.
Location: Abergele & Pensarn
Operator: Go North East
Fleet Number: 541
Registration: NA52 AXF
Vehicle: Dennis MPD- Transbus Mini Pointer
Livery: East Durham
Location: Low Pittingdon
Route: 265- Seaham- Durham
Depot: Peterlee
Year New: 2002
Qantas Airways is the flag carrier of Australia. It is the third oldest airline in the world, after KLM and Avianca, having been founded in November 1920. From 1959, Qantas has been one of the first operator of the Boeing 707s, starting with 13 of the short fuselage series -138/138B specifically built for Qantas followed by 22 of the standard -320 series. The last Boeing 707s was retired in 1979.
VH-XBA (c/n 17696 l/n 29 series -138/138B) was delivered to Qantas in July 1959 as VH-EMA and it served the Australian Airline until November 1969 when it was sold to Pacific Western (CF-PWV later C-FPWV). In October 1978 the plane was sold to TIgerair as N138TA to be operated as corporate/VIP plane. In October 1983 the plane was sold to Airmark Corp as N220AM and in December 1985 ro Community Tr. as N138MJ. In September 1987 the plane was sold to Saudi Government as HZ-123 to be operated by the Saudi Ambassador in the USA. The plane was retired in 2000 and in 2004 Qantas Foundation memorial started to consider to buy it and restore in Qantas color scheme. In July 2006 the plane has bene built and repainted in old Qantas livery to be used in promotional tours. Retired it is now on display since July 2007. The registration is "wrongly" VH-XMA since VH-EMA is in use by a Qantas A.330.
Slide dated December 2006.
Operator: First Great Western
Location: London Paddington
Platform: 5
Class: 43
Number: 146
Type: Diesel Locomotive
Origin: London Paddington
Destination: Bristol Temple Meads
Date: 26th April 2015
Auckland bound heading out of Wellington, the Volvo B11R of 12 November 2014 which operated the inaugural Auckland to Wellington service on 21 November 2014.
ManaBus.com No. 2 operated the inaugural Wellington-Auckland service the same day.
Photo: Keith Bennett.
TRIPPERS WIN IN LONG-HAUL BUS WARS
NZ Herald, Friday, October 31, 2014
Budget travellers will soon have three major long-distance bus operators to choose from, offering fares from as little as $1 each way between Auckland and Wellington.
Scottish business magnate Sir Brian Souter yesterday announced plans to start day and night services between the two cities from November 21 [2014], and to other North Island centres in December, using five locally assembled double-decker buses with 79 seats each.
The other centres to be serviced by ManaBus will be Hamilton, Tauranga, Whangarei and Rotorua.
Sir Brian hopes to extend his network further into provincial New Zealand later, especially to areas such as Gisborne whose residents complain about excessive airfares.
Each bus has a toilet, allowing fewer stops which will cut journey times between Auckland and Wellington to just under 10 hours - at least an hour less than other bus operators - and free Wi-Fi and power connections to every seat.
ManaBus is not alone in offering $1 deals, Naked Bus and InterCity also offer the cut price fares.
But Sir Brian, who pioneered 1 fares with his MegaBus venture in Britain, says his larger buses will allow him to supply more low-cost seats than his competitors.
"There will be a larger number at lower price ranges - people may get seats for $5, $8 or $12," he said.
He was coy about indicating his upper price range, saying that would depend entirely on demand.
Naked Bus says its fares between Auckland and Wellington for a new sleeper service it will introduce in December, for which each of 40 seats in designated overnight buses will be convertible into a bed, will range from $1 to $55.
Although the lowest Naked Bus fare the Herald could find for the route yesterday on the company's website was $17.99c for late January, founder Hamish Nuttall said a new batch of $1 fares for February to March would be posted next week.
The next $1 fare the Herald could find for InterCity was for a return night trip from Wellington on February 10.
But executive John Thorburn said lower fares were just one of a number of considerations, others being the breadth of a bus operator's network and its level of service.
Another was baggage, for which his company offered a "very generous" free allowance of two 25kg checked bags as well as a 5kg carry-on item.
ManaBus offers just one 15kg checked bag and a carry-on item.
A Naked Bus offer of one free checked bag up to 20kg will end on November 24, when a $5 fee will be introduced, which Mr Nuttall says will allow him to reduce fares.
Sir Brian operates almost 12,000 buses and trains through various business interests across Britain, Europe and the United States.
He owned Auckland's main bus fleet for about 16 years until 2005 under his Stagecoach brand, then returned a few years later to buy the Howick and Eastern operation and Fullers ferries.
Mr Nuttall said Naked Bus intended introducing toilets to its fleets, and would reduce travelling time on some services in December.
He and Mr Thorburn of InterCity welcomed the new competition as giving a higher profile to bus travel in a very car-oriented society.
The curtain comes down...
MANABUS AND NAKEDBUS TO END SERVICES
Author Damien Venuto, NZ Herald, Publish Date Thursday, 21 June 2018
Budget coach services ManaBus and Naked Bus have confirmed that they will cease operations in July.
The companies are part of InMotion Group, which also operates Fullers, 360 Discovery, Roam Experiences and Waiheke Bus Company.
A spokeswoman for Mana said that the decision to end the budget bus operations was in order to focus more exclusively on the company's Ferry services.
"Fullers Group is consolidating its business to focus on its ferry operation and on servicing Auckland's popular Hauraki Gulf, which has considerable potential due to rising visitor numbers," the spokeswoman said.
The spokesperson said the ManaBus and Naked Bus fleets had been sold to Ritchies Transport Holdings as part of the decision to exit the space.
"As of 15 July, ManaBus.com and nakedbus.com bus services will cease operation and tickets will no longer be available to purchase," the spokeswoman said.
Customers who bought tickets in advance have already been offered full refunds via email.
The spokesperson is yet to confirm how many staff worked for the pair of bus companies or if any jobs are on the line.
"Fullers is working closely with its staff, partners and customers throughout this process to support them through this transition," she said.
ManaBus was first launched as a budget travel option in 2014 by Scottish transport entrepreneur Brian Souter, adding to a portfolio that included Auckland urban bus companies Howick and Eastern Buses, the Wellington-based bus service Mana Coach Services and Waiheke Bus Company, as well as the Auckland Fullers Group ferries and the 360 Discovery cruises.
In May 2015, Souter's company acquired rival Naked Bus in a bid to expand the company's footprint across the South Island.
At the time of the acquisition of NakedBus, Manabus said the combined entities across the entire portfolio transported more than 13 million customers a year and employed 670 people.
It's unclear how many of those staff members fell under the Naked Bus and Manabus subsidiaries.
Operator - Manabus.com Ltd - NZ - InMotion Group Ltd
Fleet Number - 3
Registration - HTL289
Chassis Type - Volvo B11R
Chassis No. - YV3T2T121EA168225
Body Manufacturer - Kiwi Bus Builders
Body Date - 2014
Status - Withdrawn
Seating Codes - HC79D
Notes - Transferred to Waiheke Bus Company - Waiheke Island - InMotion Group.
Livery - ManaBus
NZ 1st rego - 12 November 2014
Operator - Fullers Group Ltd (Waiheke Bus Company) - Waiheke Island - Souter Holdings Ltd
Fleet Number - 302
Registration - HTL289
Chassis Type - Volvo B11R
Chassis No. - YV3T2T121EA168225
Body Manufacturer - Kiwi Bus Builders
Body Date - 2014
Seating Codes - HC79D
Notes - ex (3) HTL289, Manabus - InMotion Group.
Livery - Waiheke Explorer
Businfo details on ManaBus Volvo B11R No. 3:
Operator: Thames Valley - (Reading Buses)
Make/Model: ADL E20D/Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 (B29F)
Registration Number: YX63 LGV
Fleet Number: 132
Group History: Reading Buses
Operator: Swiss Air Force
Aircraft: de Havilland DH 112 Venom FB50
Registration: J-1648
C/n: 858
Location: Fricktal-Schupfart Airfield (LSZI)
Date: 16-8-2019
Operator Name: First Glasgow.
Fleet / Reg No: 69042 SF55 UBB.
Chassis: Volvo B7RLE.
Body: Wright Eclipse Urban N43F.
Location: Jamaica Street, Glasgow.
Date: 28th July, 2012.
Car specification
Operator: Edmonton Light Rail Transit System (Edmonton Transit System)
Car Number: 1061
Manufacturer: Siemens Mobility GmbH
Rolling stock model: Siemens SD160 High-Floor LRV
Formation: 2 cars per trainset
Traction Motors: 4 × 194 hp (145 kW alternating current)
Maximum Speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
Passenger Capacity: 250 [190 (Maximum) + 60 (Seated)]
Line specification
Type: Light rail
Line: Metro Line (NAIT–Century Park)
Number of tracks: 2
Track length: 16 km (10 mi)
Track gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Depot: D.L. MacDonald Yard
Electrification: 600 Volts DC overhead lines
No. of Stops/Stations: 14 - NAIT, RAH/Kingsway, MacEwan, Churchill, Central, Bay/Enterprise, Corona, Grandin/Government Square, University, Health Sciences/Jubilee, McKernan/Belgravia, South Campus/Fort Edmonton Park, Southgate, Century Park
Direction: Southbound (Century Park)
Date Taken: July 16, 2016 (Mountain Daylight Time: GMT -6:00); July 17, 2016 (Manila (Philippines) Time: GMT +8:00)
Notices:
* Please DON'T GRAB A PHOTO WITHOUT A PERMISSION. If you're going to GRAB IT, please give A CREDIT TO THE OWNER. Also, don't PRINT SCREEN my photos.
** If I have mistakes on the specifications, please comment in a good manner so that I can edit it immediately.
*** The specifications mentioned above are subjected for verification and may be changed without prior notice.
Operator: Wizz Air
Aircraft: Airbus A320-232
Registration: HA-LYP
C/n: 6589
Location: London Luton Airport (LTN/EGGW)
Date: 18-1-2020
Previously: F-WWDX Airbus Industrie
Operator: Saulog Transit Inc
Fleet no# 717160
Classification: Air Condtioned Provincial Bus
Route: San Jose City Nueva Ecija-Olongapo City Zambales
Seats Configuration: 2x2
Type of operation: Provincial Operation (Regular)
Area of operation: Region 3 (Central Luzon)
Unit: 2015 Xiamen Golden Dragon Co., Ltd XML6103
Coachbuilder: Trans Oriental
Chassis:
Engine:
Shot Location: SM Robinsons Pampanga Gapan-Olongapo Rd City of San Fernando Pampanga
SoulRider.222 / Eric Rider © 2022
April 2022 Kona build
2015 Kona Supreme Operator frame
2015 Fox 40 Performance Elite fork
2022 Marzocchi Bomber CR rear coil-over shock
Fox M8 x 38mm shock hardware mounting kit
Sprindex adjustable weight progressive coil spring
Jagwire Lex SL dropper post and shifting cable and housing
FSA Orbit C-40 (lower ABEC sealed cartridge bearing 36° x 45° with a 1.5 to 1.125 reducer crown race, upper ABEC sealed cartridge bearing 45° x 45° )
Wolf Tooth headset bling kit
Renthal FatBar 35mm handlebar
Renthal Integra II 35mm direct mount stem
ODI Lock-On Rogue grips
Hope Tech 3 E4 front and rear brakes
Hope F20 pedals
Kona seatpost collar
Wolf Tooth Dropper Remote
PNW Cascade external dropper post
SDG Radar seat
Roach top tube pad
Shimano Zee FC-M645 crankset
Wolf Tooth Drop-Stop chainring
Wolf Tooth chainring bolts
e. thirteen ISCG-05 chainguide (original 2006 E13 SRS mounting plate and lower guide pulley with an LG1+ upper chain guide plate)
KMC X9.99 chain (9 speed)
MicroSHIFT Advent derailleur (9 speed)
MicroSHIFT Advent Trail Trigger Pro shifter (9 speed)
MicroSHIFT Advent 11-42 tooth cassette (9 speed)
Hope 203mm floating rotor in front
Galfer Wave 180mm rotor in rear
Shimano 180mm R/P180 adaptor
Shimano XT M800 BB92 press-fit bottom bracket
Renthal Padded Cell chainstay / swingarm protectors
Wheels:
Rear:
SunRingle ADD Expert STR 26
28 hole, 26 inch, 30mm disc only rim (29mm inner width)
Stan's Tubeless Ready BST with rim tape
Presta valve drilling
Wheelsmith double butted straight pull spokes
Wheelsmith alloy nipples
SunRingle SRX hub
Shimano HG aluminum freehub (8/9/10/11 speed)
Super Boost 12mm x 157mm thru-axle
Maxxis High Roller II 26 x 2.4 folding bead tire
Front:
Custom made - handbuilt by Universal Cycles when they were in Portland
Hadley DH Boost 20mm x 110mm hub
DT Swiss Competition double butted stainless steel spokes
DT Swiss brass nipples
Arrow Racing DHX rim (36 hole, 26 inch, 36mm disc only rim (35mm inner width)
Wilderness Trail Bicycles (WTB) Weirwolf 26 x 2.5 folding bead vintage tire
Operator: Jet Story
Aircraft: Hawker Beechcraft 750
Registration: SP-CEO
C/n: HB-70
Time & Location: 05.08.2021, EFHK,Finland
Operator- Chaserider Buses
Operating Area- Staffordshire & Shropshire
Make- ADL
Model- Enviro 200MMC
Chassie-
Fleet No- 541
Reg- YX22OGH
Location Seen- Wellington Bus Station
Service- 102 to Newport
Info- New to Centrebus
Seen- 15/3/23
West Dundee Schools bus 356, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, 2010. Former Illinois bus, with telltale front reflectors.
I'm not sure whether this was the site of a bus operator, hoarder, or scrapyard; but judging from satellite pictures, there were close to two dozen buses scattered nearby.
So I have had time to look at some of the pictures I have taken in the last couple of days. I decided to post these six as they kinda' cover all the action of the work. Hope you like my rendition of waves in action.
Operator: Abellio Greater Anglia
Location: Ipswich
Platform: 3
Class: 90
Number: 014
Type: Electric Locomotive
Origin: Manningtree
Destination: Norwich
Date: 21st February 2015
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
History
Italy
Name:Vittorio Veneto
Namesake:Battle of Vittorio Veneto
Operator:Regia Marina
Ordered:10 June 1934
Builder:'San Marco' Trieste, Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico (C.R.D.A.)
Laid down:28 October 1934
Launched:25 July 1937
Sponsored by:Signora Maria Bertuzzi
Commissioned:28 April 1940
Decommissioned:1 February 1948
Stricken:1 February 1948
Fate:Scrapped at La Spezia 1951–54
General characteristics
Class and type:Littorio-class battleship
Displacement:
Standard: 40,723 long tons (41,376 t)
Full load:45,237 long tons (45,963 t)
Length:237.76 m (780.1 ft)
Beam:32.82 m (107.7 ft)
Draft:9.6 m (31 ft)
Installed power:
8 × Yarrow boilers
128,000 shp (95,000 kW)
Propulsion:4 × steam turbines, 4 × shafts
Speed:30 kn (35 mph; 56 km/h)
Range:3,920 mi (6,310 km; 3,410 nmi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:1,830 to 1,950
Sensors and
processing systems:EC 3 ter 'Gufo' Radar[1]
Armament:
3 × 3 381 mm (15.0 in)/50 cal guns
4 × 3 152 mm (6.0 in)/55 cal guns
4 × 1 120 mm (4.7 in)/40 guns for illumination
12 × 1 90 mm (3.5 in)/50 anti-aircraft guns
20 × 37 mm (1.5 in)/54 guns (8 × 2; 4 × 1)
10 × 2 20 mm (0.79 in)/65 guns
Armor:
Main belt: 350 mm (14 in)
Deck: 162 mm (6.4 in)
Turrets: 350 mm
Conning tower: 260 mm (10 in)
Aircraft carried:3 aircraft (IMAM Ro.43 or Reggiane Re.2000)
Aviation facilities:1 stern catapult
Vittorio Veneto was the second member of the Littorio-class battleship that served in the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) during World War II. The ship's keel was laid down in October 1934, launched in July 1937, and readied for service with the Italian fleet by August 1940. She was named after the Italian victory at Vittorio Veneto during World War I, and she had three sister ships: Littorio, Roma, and Impero, though only Littorio and Roma were completed during the war. She was armed with a main battery of nine 381-millimeter (15.0 in) guns in three triple turrets, and could steam at a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).
Vittorio Veneto saw extensive service during the war. Early in the war, she participated in the Battle of Cape Spartivento in November 1940 and the Battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941. While damaged by torpedoes several times, including in the engagement off Cape Matapan and by the British submarine HMS Urge in December 1941, the ship escaped undamaged during the British raid on Taranto in November 1940. She spent 1941 and early 1942 attempting to attack British convoys to Malta, but crippling fuel shortages in the Italian fleet curtailed activity thereafter. Vittorio Veneto was among the Italian ships that were surrendered to the Allies in September 1943 after Italy withdrew from the war, and she spent the following three years under British control in Egypt. After the war, she was allocated as a war prize to Britain and subsequently broken up for scrap.
Description
Main article: Littorio-class battleship
Line-drawing of the Littorio class
Vittorio Veneto was 237.76 meters (780.1 ft) long overall and had a beam of 32.82 m (107.7 ft) and a draft of 9.6 m (31 ft). She was designed with a standard displacement of 40,724 long tons (41,377 t), a violation of the 35,000-long-ton (36,000 t) restriction of the Washington Naval Treaty; at full combat loading, she displaced 45,236 long tons (45,962 t). The ship was powered by four Belluzo geared steam turbines rated at 128,000 shaft horsepower (95,000 kW). Steam was provided by eight oil-fired Yarrow boilers. The engines provided a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and a range of 3,920 mi (6,310 km; 3,410 nmi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph). Vittorio Veneto had a crew of 1,830 to 1,950 over the course of her career.[2][3]
Vittorio Veneto's main armament consisted of nine 381-millimeter (15.0 in) 50-caliber Model 1934 guns in three triple turrets; two turrets were placed forward in a superfiring arrangement and the third was located aft. Her secondary anti-surface armament consisted of twelve 152 mm (6.0 in) /55 Model 1934/35 guns in four triple turrets placed at the corners of her superstructure. These were supplemented by four 120 mm (4.7 in) /40 Model 1891/92 guns in single mounts; these guns were old weapons and were primarily intended to fire star shells. Vittorio Veneto was equipped with an anti-aircraft battery that comprised twelve 90 mm (3.5 in) /53 Model 1939 guns in single mounts, twenty 37 mm (1.5 in) /54 guns in eight twin and four single mounts, and sixteen 20 mm (0.79 in) /65 guns in eight twin mounts.[4] EC 3 ter Gufo radar, which could detect surface targets at a range of 30 kilometers (19 mi) and aircraft at 80 km (50 mi), was installed in July 1943.[5]
The ship was protected by a main armored belt that was 280 mm (11 in) with a second layer of steel that was 70 mm (2.8 in) thick. The main deck was 162 mm (6.4 in) thick in the central area of the ship and reduced to 45 mm (1.8 in) in less critical areas. The main battery turrets were 350 mm (14 in) thick and the lower turret structure was housed in barbettes that were also 350 mm thick. The secondary turrets had 280 mm thick faces and the conning tower had 260 mm (10 in) thick sides.[3] Vittorio Veneto was fitted with a catapult on her stern and equipped with three IMAM Ro.43 reconnaissance float planes or Reggiane Re.2000 fighters.[6]
Service history
Construction
Vittorio Veneto was ordered under the 1934 construction program, and was named for the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, a decisive Italian victory over the Austro-Hungarian Empire in October–November 1918 during World War I.[7] Her keel was laid on 28 October 1934 at Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico in Trieste, the same day as her sister ship Littorio. Vittorio Veneto was launched on 25 July 1937, and major construction was completed by October 1939. The fitting-out process was greatly delayed due to repeated changes to the design and shortages of heavy armor plate. Before she could begin sea trials, Vittorio Veneto was moved to Venice on 4 October to have her bottom cleaned of the fouling that had accumulated during the long fitting-out period, since the Venice Arsenal had the only drydock in Italy long enough to accommodate a ship the size of the Littorio class.[8]
On 17 October, with the cleaning completed, the dockyard personnel flooded the drydock to conduct stability tests. The new battleship moved to Trieste on 19 October, and her trials began on 23 October. The trials, which also included tests for the ship's weaponry, lasted until March 1940, after which some additional fitting-out work was completed.[9] She was delivered on 28 April, though she was not yet complete. On 1 May, Vittorio Veneto was sent to La Spezia for final fitting-out work, escorted by the destroyers Leone Pancaldo and Emanuele Pessagno. On 6 May, she was loaded with shells for her main battery; the loading work for the main and secondary guns lasted until 20 May. Later that day, she was transferred to Taranto, escorted by the destroyers Ascari and Carabiniere, where she joined the 9th Division of the Italian fleet. The following month, Italy joined the war against Britain and France, though it wasn't until 2 August that Vittorio Veneto and Littorio were formally declared operational.[10][11]
World War II
On 31 August – 2 September 1940, Vittorio Veneto sortied as part of an Italian force of five battleships, ten cruisers, and thirty-four destroyers to intercept British naval forces taking part in Operation Hats and Convoy MB.3, but contact was not made with either group due to poor aerial reconnaissance and no action occurred.[12][13][14] In addition, British aerial reconnaissance detected the oncoming Italian fleet and was able to escape. On 6 September, the fleet sortied again to attack a British force that had been reported leaving Gibraltar, but the British ships instead steamed south into the Atlantic.[15] A similar outcome resulted from the movement against British Operation "MB.5" on 29 September - 1 October; Vittorio Veneto, four other battleships, eleven cruisers, and twenty-three destroyers had attempted to intercept the convoy carrying troops to Malta.[12][16] In this operation, the Italian Regia Aeronautica (Royal Air Force) did locate the convoy, but the British were able to evade the Italian fleet.[17]
On the night of 10–11 November, the British Mediterranean Fleet launched an air raid on the harbor in Taranto. Twenty-one Swordfish torpedo bombers launched from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious attacked the Italian fleet in two waves.[18] The Italian base was defended by twenty-one 90 mm anti-aircraft guns and dozens of smaller 37 mm and 20 mm guns, along with twenty-seven barrage balloons. The defenders did not possess radar, however, and so were caught by surprise when the Swordfish arrived. The first wave struck at 20:35, followed by the second about an hour later.[19] Vittorio Veneto was undamaged in the attack, but three other battleships were hit, two of which were severely damaged.[18] The morning after the Taranto raid, Vittorio Veneto led the Italian fleet to Naples. There, she took over the role of fleet flagship, under the command of Admiral Inigo Campioni.[12]
Battle of Cape Spartivento
On 17 November, Vittorio Veneto and Giulio Cesare—the only operational Italian battleships—participated in an attempt to intercept the British Operation White convoy to Malta, though the forces made no contact.[20] On 26 November, the Italian fleet made another attempt to attack a British convoy, Operation Collar, which resulted in the Battle of Cape Spartivento (known as the Battle of Cape Teulada to the Italians). Vittorio Veneto, Giulio Cesare, six cruisers, and fourteen destroyers attempted to catch a convoy steaming to Malta. The British escort included the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, the battleship Ramillies, and the battlecruiser Renown; Italian aerial reconnaissance detected the escorts but exaggerated their strength and Campioni, under orders to not risk his two operational battleships against equal or stronger opponents, broke off the engagement shortly after it began. Vittorio Veneto briefly engaged several British cruisers at the extreme range 27,000 metres (17 miles). Vittorio Veneto fired 19 rounds in seven salvoes from long range and that was enough for the now outgunned British cruisers, which turned back at the fourth salvo.and slightly damaged the light cruiser Manchester.[21][22] During the engagement, Ark Royal launched torpedo bombers against Vittorio Veneto, but the latter successfully evaded the torpedoes.[12]
Repeated British air attacks on Naples, one of which damaged the cruiser Pola, prompted the high command to move Vittorio Veneto and the rest of the major warships of the fleet to Sardinia on 14 December. They were returned to Naples six days later, however, after the high command concluded that removing the fleet to Sardinia would allow British convoys from Alexandria to reach Malta with relative ease.[23] On the night of 8–9 January 1941, the British launched an air raid with Vickers Wellington bombers on the Italian fleet in Naples, but the aircraft again failed to hit Vittorio Veneto; Giulio Cesare was slightly damaged by several near misses. Both ships were moved to La Spezia the next day, with Vittorio Veneto providing cover for Giulio Cesare. Vittorio Veneto was now the only operational battleship in the fleet.[12][23][24] Giulio Cesare was back in service by early February, as was Andrea Doria. The three battleships, along with eight destroyers, attempted to intercept Force H on 8 February, which was en route to bombard Genoa. The two forces did not encounter each other, and the Italian fleet returned to La Spezia.[12]
Battle of Cape Matapan
Vittorio Veneto returned to Naples on 22 March, and four days later led an attempt to attack British shipping off Greece, in company with eight cruisers and nine destroyers.[12] The fleet would be supported by the Regia Aeronautica and the German Fliegerkorps X (10th Air Corps).[23] This operation resulted in the Battle of Cape Matapan; the engagement began when the Italian 3rd Division—comprising the two Trento-class heavy cruisers and Bolzano and commanded by Vice Admiral Luigi Sansonetti—encountered the British 15th Cruiser Squadron. Iachino attempted to maneuver Vittorio Veneto to the east of the British cruisers while they were distracted with Sansonetti's cruisers, but HMS Orion spotted the battleship before she could close the trap. Vittorio Veneto immediately opened fire and quickly found the range, but only inflicted splinter damage on Orion, which fled to the south, back toward the main British fleet. Misfires in Vittorio Veneto's forward-most turret forced her to cease firing temporarily. The Italian gunners quickly returned the guns to action, however, and resumed their bombardment of the British cruisers. Poor visibility and smokescreens hampered the accuracy of Vittorio Veneto's gunners and they scored no hits, though they straddled the cruisers several times. In the course of this phase of the battle, she had fired 92 rounds from her main battery.[25]
During this period of the battle, torpedo bombers from the carrier HMS Formidable arrived on the scene, and their attack forced Vittorio Veneto to break off the engagement with the British cruisers to take evasive action. She evaded the torpedoes, but the attack convinced Iachino that the Mediterranean Fleet was at sea, which prompted him to end the operation and return to port. The British launched several air attacks against the Italian fleet in an attempt to slow down Vittorio Veneto, including land-based Blenheim bombers from Greece and Crete. Later in the afternoon Formidable launched a second strike, and at 15:10 one of her Swordfish hit Vittorio Veneto on her port side, aft.[26] The Italian anti-aircraft gunners shot the plane down after it launched its torpedo. The hit sheared off the port side propeller, damaged the shaft, jammed the port rudder, and disabled the aft port pumps. It also caused severe flooding—some 4,000 long tons (4,100 t) of water entered the ship—which gave her a 4–4.5 degree list to port, and forced her to stop for about ten minutes. While she was immobilized, a Blenheim bomber dropped a bomb that landed near her stern; the blast caused further, minor damage to stern.[27][28]
The damage control parties had great difficulty in controlling and reducing the flooding, as they could use only emergency hand pumps. Some forward and starboard voids were counter-flooded to reduce the list. In the meantime, engine room personnel were able to restart the starboard shafts and steering could be effected with the backup hand-steering gear.[29] After she got back underway, she was able to slowly increase her speed to 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) using only her starboard shafts. While the Italian fleet was withdrawing, Formidable launched another air strike of nine Swordfish in an attempt to slow Vittorio Veneto down. But instead of hitting the Italian battleship, they struck the cruiser Pola, leaving her dead in the water. Vittorio Veneto returned to port while two cruisers and several destroyers were detached to protect Pola; all three cruisers and two destroyers were sunk in a furious night action at very close range with the battleships Valiant, Warspite, and Barham.[29] Vittorio Veneto meanwhile reached Taranto on 29 March, where repairs lasted until July.[30] She was not fully operational again until August.[31]
Later operations
Vittorio Veneto and Littorio participated in an unsuccessful sortie to intercept British forces on 22–25 August. The British had intended to mine Livorno and launch an air raid on northern Sardinia, but Italian agents in Spain warned the Regia Marina of the British operation when it departed Gibraltar. The Italian fleet positioned itself too far to the south, however, and aerial reconnaissance failed to locate the British.[32] A month later, Vittorio Veneto led the attack on the Allied convoy in Operation Halberd on 27 September 1941, in company with Littorio, five cruisers, and fourteen destroyers. The British had hoped to lure out the Italian fleet and attack it with a powerful convoy escort centered on the battleships Rodney, Nelson, and Prince of Wales. It too ended without contact with the British fleet; neither side located the other, but Italian torpedo bombers hit Nelson. At 14:00, Iachino cancelled the operation and ordered the fleet to return to port.[33]
On 13 December, she participated in another operation to escort a convoy to North Africa, but the attempt was broken off after a British radio deception effort convinced the Italians that the British fleet was in the area. While returning to port the following day, Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Urge in the Straits of Messina. Urge fired a spread of three torpedoes, but only one hit on her port side. The torpedo tore a hole 13 m (43 ft) long and caused over 2,000 metric tons (2,000 long tons; 2,200 short tons) of water to flood the ship, though the ship's Pugliese torpedo defense system successfully contained the explosion. Vittorio Veneto took on a 3.5 degree list to port and was down by 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) by the stern. Some counter flooding of a compartment on the starboard side abreast of the forward-most turret reduced the list by a degree, and she was able to steam under her own power back to port.[34] She returned to Taranto for repairs, which lasted until early 1942.[35]
On 14 June, Vittorio Veneto participated in the interception of the Operation Vigorous convoy to Malta from Alexandria. Vittorio Veneto, Littorio, four cruisers and twelve destroyers were sent to attack the convoy.[36] The British quickly located the approaching Italian fleet and launched several air strikes early on 15 June with Wellington and Bristol Beaufort bombers in an attempt to prevent them from reaching the convoy. The aircraft scored no hits on the battleships, but they did disable the cruiser Trento, which was later sunk by a British submarine. Later that morning another air attack, this time B-24 Liberators from the USAAF, occurred. The high-level bombers scored one hit on Littorio and several near misses around her and Vittorio Veneto, but neither ship was seriously damaged. Another British strike with Beauforts arrived shortly thereafter, but Italian and German fighters had since arrived and they shot down two Beauforts and damaged five others. By the afternoon, Iachino had concluded that he would not reach the convoy before dark, and so he broke off the operation; by then, however, the threat from the Italian battleships had led to the failure of the British operation, as the convoy had been ordered back to Alexandria, and did not reach Malta. On the return voyage, another British air attack succeeded in torpedoing Littorio.[37]
Fate
On 12 November, Vittorio Veneto was moved to Naples from Taranto in response to the Allied invasion of North Africa.[35] While en route, the British submarine HMS Umbra unsuccessfully attacked Vittorio Veneto.[38] An American air raid on the harbor on 4 December prompted the Italians to withdraw the fleet to La Spezia, where it remained for the rest of Italy's active participation in the war.[35] On 5 June 1943, Vittorio Veneto was badly damaged by an American air raid on La Spezia; she was hit by two large bombs toward the bow, though only one detonated. That bomb passed through the ship and exploded under the hull, causing serious structural damage. The damage forced her to be transferred to Genoa for repair work, since the dockyard in La Spezia had also been damaged by the attack.[39] On 3 September, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies, ending her active participation in World War II. Six days later, Vittorio Veneto and the rest of the Italian fleet sailed for Malta, where they would be taken into internment for the remainder of the war. While en route, the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) attacked the Italian fleet using Dornier Do 217s armed with Fritz X radio-controlled bombs. Vittorio Veneto was undamaged but Littorio—by now renamed Italia—was hit and damaged and her sister Roma was sunk in the attack.[40][41]
Vittorio Veneto remained in Malta until 14 September, when she and Italia were moved to Alexandria, Egypt and then to the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal on 17 October. The two battleships remained there until 6 October 1946, when they were permitted to return to Italy. Vittorio Veneto went to Augusta, Sicily before moving to La Spezia on 14 October. In the Treaty of Peace with Italy, signed on 10 February 1947, Vittorio Veneto was allocated as a war prize to Britain. She was paid off on 3 January 1948, stricken from the naval register on 1 February, and subsequently broken up for scrap.[35]
Vittorio Veneto had been the most active Italian battleship of the war, having participated in eleven offensive operations.[42] Twelve 90 mm anti-aircraft guns taken from Vittorio Veneto were reused by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) as armament of its Žirje Island coastal artillery battery.[43] The battery surrendered without resistance to the Croatian National Guard on 14 September 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence,[44] and played a pivotal role in 16–22 September Battle of Šibenik, preventing the advance of the JNA on Šibenik and bottling up in harbor 34 Yugoslav Navy's patrol boats, one-fourth of the Yugoslav fleet, which were eventually seized by Croatian forces.[43][45][44]
Operator: First South West Ltd
Fleet No: 32818
Registration: OIG1788 (T818LLC)
Body/Chassis: Dennis Trident Plaxton President
Chassis No: SFD113BR1XGX20293
Seating: H39/??F
New: June 1999
Ex: Capital Citybus Ltd
Livery: Buses of Somerset
Date: Friday 26th August 2016
Location: Taunton Bus Station, Tower Street
Route: 21 (Taunton)
Operator: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 747-406M
Registration: PH-BFV
C/n: 28460/1225
Name: Vancouver/City of Vancouver
Location: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS/EHAM)
Date: 15-3-2021
Previously: Final departure from Schiphol as PH-BFV...
Operator: Stagecoach (South) - (Worthing)
Make/Model: ADL E40D/Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 MMC (H45/28F)
Registration Number: SN18 KNZ
Fleet Number: 10958
Operator: Diamond (West Midlands) - (Rotala)
Make/Model: Wright Streetlite - (DF) - (B33F)
Registration Number: SK19 FCG
Fleet Number: 20167
P1140915
Operator: First Eastern Counties Buses Ltd
Fleet No: 37274
Registration: LK58EDF
Body/Chassis: Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse-Gemini
Chassis No: YV3S4J8298A128866
Seating: DPH39/26F
New: September 2008
Ex: First Beeline Buses Ltd
Livery: X1 Excel
Date: Thursday 10th December 2015
Location: Queen's Road, Norwich
Route: X1 (Gorleston J.P.H. via Middleton Road)
Slide Description:
Operator: TAP - Air Portugal
Registration: CS-TJA
Type: Boeing 747-282B
C/N: 20501
S/N: 178
Airport: LIS
Date: MAY 1984
Obs: Delivered in 1972. B/U at VCV in 2004 as N610FF with Tower Air. Seen here in the last colours for the type stored in Lisbon, would be delivered to TWA the following month as N301TW. Named "Portugal"
Photographer: Unknown
Original Kodachrome K25
Fernando Mesquita Slide Collection.
Operator: First South West Ltd
Fleet No: 53504
Registration: YJ56AOT
Body/Chassis: Optare M710 Solo
Chassis No: SABCNDAB06R192523
Seating: B23F
New: November 2006
Ex: Regal Busways
Livery: Buses of Somerset
Date: Thursday 25th August 2016
Location: Penzance Bus Station, Station Road
Route: 6 (Mousehole via Newlyn)
Unknown operator, later used as a mobile billboard. Kewaunee, Wisconsin, 2010.
This particular bus is the only Ward body I ever found in Wisconsin. Most local transportation operators into the 1990s just seemed to spurn the brand, likely because "Ward" and "rust" were synonymous four-letter words.
As if to drive home the point, the original emergency door was replaced with a wide-window version from the 1980s (note the differing shades of yellow)...and the surrounding panels have fissures of iron oxide leaching through.
Another new entry to the York Pullman fleet is former Go-Ahead London General PVL 386, Volvo B7TL Plaxton President PJ53 NLC still in the former operators livery but with new destination blinds fitted bearing the TfL 'Johnson' font and with Pullman destinations. Pullman did buy a PVL in 2017 and the boss told me that would be the last double decker purchase for quite some time - but things at the company don't stay still for long, and the addition of new routes acquired from former operator Just Travel has now increased the vehicle requirement for the company.
This gave me a chance to finally have a look at what routes and destinations were on the blinds. The usual school routes were on there as well as Leeds (for the Leeds Festival), 197 Racecourse and 198 Yorkshire Marathon, and 748 Pocklington; stagecarriage service 36 and X36 are on the blinds too with Pocklington, Sutton on Derwent, York and York rail station as available destinations..... but there are also one or two unexpected routes such as the 13 and 13A (Haxby-Copmanthorpe), 16 (though there's no 'Acomb' destination) and also 44 and 44X (York-University).... As Pullman have recently gained extra work and routes, it is yet to be seen if these blinds will be swapped out for further updated ones - if so, I'd like to see the 37 route added to the list as well as for a few tendered services in York to futureproof these in case Pullman win any contracts (service 10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26... perhaps also put on services 11 and 12 in case First ever decide to give them up). These blinds are blank on the inside with no markers as to what is showing, so I had to set up my tripod with the camera in front of the bus and then flip my camera screen round so I could see it (even though the image is flipped) and work out what was showing.
Operator: Reading Buses
Make/Model: Scania K270UB/Alexander Dennis Enviro 300-SG (B42F)
Registration Number: YR13 PNF & (FA57 BUS)
Fleet Number: 420
P.S: This bus holds the record for the fastest service gas bus in the world at a record of 80.73MPH
View: Cow Print (Branding)
Operator: Warbird Airshow Flying Services
Aircraft: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI
Registration: N104CJ/ MU-2
C/n: 1A01004
Time & Location: 07.06.2015 EFTU, Finland
Remarks: This very rare beast is performer at the Turku International Airshow 2015, Finland. It's wearing temporary Finnish Air Force markings. MiG-15UTI was used in Finnish Air Force between 1962-1977. It's real registration can be seen under the tail.
Operator: Swedish Air Force
Aircraft: Saab JAS 39C Gripen
Registration: 39248
C/n: 39248
Time & Location: 11.06.2017, EFSI, Finland
Remarks: Seinäjoki Airshow 2017.