I was involved in a preservation attempt involving two of these vehicles! The plan was to buy 4781 & 4786. 4781 had roof damage and 4786 had a dodgy engine. put good engine into good body + serviceable and solid base for preservation attempt? Couldn't bring ourselves to scrap 4781 so we took the expensive route! Trailways helped us out enormously by buying 4786 and storing 4781. Naivety and expense drew the project to a premature end unfortunately though 4781 being sold to Trailways. 4781 is still extant as a store with 4738 group I believe.

3478. Seen across the foredeck, the 533 ton HMAS Kookaburra's gallows horns rise above her massive and reinforced bows. While built for the specific wartime purpose of maintaining and operating boom defences at harbour entrances, the RAN's BDVs proved serviceable after WWII for bolth survey and salvage duties.

HMAS Kookaburra was operating the eastern boom gate at Darwin - which, due to its tidal range, had the world's longest boom - on February 19, 1942, when the first huge Japanese air raid took place against the northern outpost.

Kookaburra suffered some bomb damage and several casualties during the raid.

Photo: Graeme Andrews, RAN 1955-1968, RANR 1980, from a private disc, with permission.

Adidas Springblade Sneakers Size 5 1/2 (38) new to me but well worn.

I've seen this style from time to time, but never thought much about them until when I was in the Caribbean recently, and a friend there wore a pair, which had seen better days. Several of the blades or teeth had snapped off, in different places on the left and right shoes. It didn't seem to bother him, it just looked interesting to my trained eye. I never did get to ask him how they got broken off.

Then I saw someone else here on flickr who took some photos of a pair, and I thought it would be interesting to try them. Shortly thereafter I was able to get this well worn but very serviceable pair in the size I've come to wear most routinely. They are actually quite comfortable, I like them.

Now this pair is well worn, the rubber pads on the bottoms of the blades are worn smooth and thin, they are worn completely away on some of the edges, and have partly peeled off a couple of the front teeth, exposing the hard plastic, which makes them rather slippery sometimes on hard surfaces. But I plan to get good wear out of these.

Shortly after last winter arrived, I decided it would be a good time to wear, and photograph my collection of boots. I decided to add all my high-top and medium high-top shoes and sneakers to that collection.

I'm going to post these photos in segments. This is the fourth batch, the most recent photos of the boot collection.

Since I'm way behind in putting photos up, I'm not going to comment too much on the individual pair, but if you have questions or comments, I'll try to answer them.

As you can see, I'm still wearing my good snow shoveling shoes. So what if my toes are bare in the snow. I think these boots are still just fine.

The funny thing is for all the world, I can't walk totally barefoot in snow. My feet start to ache within a minute or two, just too painful. But I can wear these for an hour or two shoveling without pain, unless the temperature is way below freezing. The snow melts away from my warm toes quite quickly. These boots are just fine in the snow.

The only remaining service is the spectacular 125km long 76cm gauge line from Septemvri to Dobroniste. There are 4 passenger trains per day, but no freight. There is a shortage of serviceable motive power too. The total journey time of around 5 hours is unattractive, but does give you time to enjoy the scenery....

This is the shed at Septemvri

Going back to April 2015, 60099 in Tata Steel Silver livery is seen working an Iron Ore Train through Barnetby station. Which up until fairly recently still had a classic set up of Semaphores and a signal box, which has sadly now gone.

The loco 60099 also has a very uncertain future, laid up at Toton after an engine failure a few years ago and being placed in the 'None Serviceable' pool for DB Cargo.

The 153 has also disappeared, it is now off lease as it is no longer PSVAR compliant with new regulations coming in last December.

5 years now seems like such a long time ago, doesn't it?

(01/04/2015)

Redcar - good news! 3007 passed its MOT yesterday and is back in service for the United centenary year. Note that it has been fitted with a proper serviceable display too! It is expected that this one will be painted into a retro livery for the celebrations...

During our guest visit to Toton TMD on 7/10/22 we were able to see the vast majority of the extant fleet of Brush/Procor Class 60 Co-Co Type 5 diesel-electric locomotives. Many of these are stored unserviceable in the yard and unlikely to ever turn a wheel in anger, but around a dozen are in serviceable condition and ten have been sold to GBRF from DB Cargo, who inherited them. Drivers prefer the Class 60 to the 66 apparently, as they are less noisy and less prone to slipping with heavy trains due to independently-excited traction motors which are thyristor-controlled - a feature lacking on the General motors designs.

Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome is home to the Cold War Jet Collection including a Victor, Hunter, Canberra, Comet, 2 off Lightnings , Starfighter, Mystere, Sea Vixen, 4 off Buccaneers, 4 off Jet Provosts, Super Guppy, Iskra and a Jaguar. April 2010 saw a Nimrod MR2 arrive at the airfield. The latest aircraft to join the museum fleet are a Sea Harrier and an ex Boscombe Down 2 seat Jaguar, both arriving in April 2012..

Whilst these beautiful aircraft spark much interest and nostalgia, they rarely fly anywhere in the world nowadays. However, the Cold War Jets Collection at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome maintains several of them, in fully serviceable order..

The aircraft fleet is maintained with the support of experienced volunteers.

This 1947-48 Chevrolet Loadmaster pumper truck is parked by the fire station in Fort Deposit, Alabama. This one looks like it was just pulled out of the woods.

Two years ago I passed through Fort Deposit and photographed a 1962 Dodge 700 pumper truck parked behind the local fire station. I was in Fort Deposit again today and discovered a small treasure trove of old fire and rescue vehicles. None of these appear to be in serviceable condition.

Here is what I saw:

1947-48 Chevrolet Loadmaster pumper truck

1962 Dodge 700 pumper truck (the same truck I photographed two years ago)

1970 Ward LaFrance pumper truck

1970's Ford Club Wagon ambulance

1970's GMC 6000 pumper truck

CP Rail No. 7000; Built 1937 by National Steel Limited; Hamilton, ON.

During the 1930s, diesel technology quickly spread to switching yards. Canadian Pacific lagged a little behind Canadian National and only started testing this technology in 1935 by installing an Irish-built Harland & Wolff diesel motor in its rail motor car No. 9004. In 1937, Canadian Pacific ordered a 550-horsepower switcher locomotive from Stone Franklin of Canada, a Montreal-based engineering firm with absolutely no experience in the field. Luckily, the Irish engine-maker had switched back to the construction of diesel motors sold under the “Harlandic” brand since 1918 and had just begun marketing a switcher that was also outfitted with electric equipment provided by Laurence Scott and Electromotors, based in Norwich, England. These components were imported to develop the Canadian Pacific demonstrator.

In 1944, after having purchased powerful American Alco S2 locomotives, Canadian Pacific sold No. 7000 to Marathon Paper Mills in Peninsula, Ontario. Now long gone, the original “Harlandic” motor was replaced in 1951 by the 600-horsepower Caterpillar motor it has to this day.

When it was removed from service in 1964, No. 7000 was still serviceable and was offered to Exporail in 1965 by the paper mill. It was later restored to its original condition.

Jaisalmer, nicknamed "The Golden city", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 575 kilometres west of the state capital Jaipur. It is a World Heritage Site. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples are finely sculptured. It lies in the heart of the Thar Desert (great Indian desert) and has a population of about 78,000. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District.

ORIGIN OF NAME

Jaisalmer is named after Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king who founded the city in 1156 AD. "Jaisalmer" means "the Hill Fort of Jaisal". Jaisalmer is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow sand and the yellow sandstone used in every architecture of the city gives a yellowish-golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area.

LOCATION

District Jaisalmer is located within a rectangle lying between 26°.4’–28°.23' North parallel and 69°.20'–72°.42' east meridians. It is the largest district of Rajasthan and one of the largest in the country. The breadth (East-West) of the district is 270 km and the length (North-South) is 186 km. On the present map, district Jaisalmer is bounded on the north by Bikaner, on the west & south-west by the Pakistani border, on the south by Barmer and Jodhpur, and on the east by Jodhpur and Bikaner Districts. The length of international border attached to District JAISALMER is 471 km.

HISTORY

The majority of the inhabitants of Jaisalmer are Bhati Rajputs, named for Bhati, who was renowned as a warrior. The ruling family of the erstwhile Jaisalmer State belongs to Bhati Clan of Yadu Rajputs of Chandravanshi (Lunar) race who claim descent from Lord Krishna,the deified hero who ruled at Dwarka. In 1156 Rawal Jaisal, the sixth in succession from Deoraj, founded the fort and city of Jaisalmer,atop Trikuta Hill and began to levy taxes on the camel caravans travelling along the nearby route. Laden with exotic spices and precious silks, these trading caravans were en route to cities like Delhi or Sind, but had to pass directly through Jaisalmer. This strategic location continued to serve Jaisalmer well, as it lay right on the two main routes connecting India with Persia, Egypt and farther west. He later made it his capital as he moved from his former capital at Lodhruva (which is situated about 15 km to the north-west of Jaisalmer). In 1293, the Bhattis so enraged the Sultan of Delhi Ala-ud-din Khilji that his army captured and sacked the fort and city of Jaisalmer, so that for some time it was quite deserted.Some Bhatti's from the Royal family migrated to Jaisal (Now in Pakistan), a place near to Chiniot Distt and some migrated to Talwandi, now Nankana Sahib in Distt. Nankana Sahib (Punjab, Pakistan) and others settled in Larkana (in Sind, Pakistan)under the name of Bhutto. In Nankana Sahib, the Bhatti Clan can be traced from the lineage of Rai Bhoe and Rai Bular Bhatti. After this there is nothing to record until the time of Rawal Sahal Singh, whose reign marks an epoch in Jaisalmer's history in that he acknowledged the supremacy of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Following the collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, Jaisalmer, like the rest of Rajputana, became subservient to the Marathas, until it came under the protection of the British East India Company following the British victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War. In 1818, the Rawals of Jaisalmer signed a treaty with the British, which protected Jaisalmer from invasion provided it was not the aggressor and guaranteed the royal succession.

The Maharajas of Jaisalmer trace their lineage back to Jaitsimha, a ruler of the Bhati Rajput clan. The major opponents of the Bhati Rajputs were the powerful Rathor clans of Jodhpur and Bikaner. They used to fight battles for the possession of forts, waterholes or cattle. Jaisalmer was positioned strategically and was a halting point along a traditional trade route traversed by the camel caravans of Indian and foreign merchants. The route linked India to Central Asia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, Africa and the West.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

In the 13th century, Jaisalmer escaped direct Turkic conquest due to its geographical situation in the desert region. The Rawals of Jaisalmer agreed to pay an annual tribute to the Turkic Sultans of Delhi. The first siege of Jaisalmer occurred during the reign of Alauddin Khilji, the Turkic Sultan of Delhi. It was provoked by Bhatis' raid on a caravan filled with treasure. According to local ballads, the Bhatis defended the fort for seven years until the enemy army forces breached the ramparts. Bhatis, facing certain defeat, proclaimed the rite of jauhar. Later, Sultan Ferozshah also besieged Jaisalmer after the rulers of Jaisalmer raided his camp at Anasagar lake near Ajmer. The siege led to another jauhar. Jaitsimha's son Duda perished in the attack. Duda's descendants ruled over Jaisalmer for about two centuries. Duda's descendant Lunakarna had a fight with Humayun when the latter passed through Jaisalmer en route to Ajmer.

PRINCELY JAISALMER

On the eve of British Raj in India, Jaisalmer was subservient to the Marathas, until it came under the protection of the British East India Company following the British victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War. In 1818, the Rawals of Jaisalmer signed a treaty with the British, which protected Jaisalmer from invasion provided it was not the aggressor and guaranteed the royal succession. Jaisalmer was one of the last states to sign a treaty with the British. During the British Raj, Jaisalmer was the seat of a princely state of the same name, ruled by the Bhati clan of Rajputs. The present descendant is Brijraj Singh. Though the city is under the governance of the Government of India, a lot of welfare work is carried out by him and his family.

Traditionally, the main source of income was the levies on the caravans. However, the glory of Jaisalmer faded when Bombay emerged as a port and the sea trade replaced the traditional land routes. The partition of India in 1947 lead to closing of all the trade routes on the Indo-Pak border and rendered Jaisalmer a drought-prone desert backwater on the international border. Ironically, skirmishes between India and Pakistan gave Jaisalmer a strategic importance and made it serviceable as an army supply depot. Later, the Rajasthan Canal served to revive the surrounding desert areas. Roads and railroads were then built, knitting the hitherto remote town with the rest of Rajasthan. Later, the Government of Rajasthan decided to promote Jaisalmer as a tourist destination.

GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE

Jaisalmer has an average elevation of 229 metres. It is situated near the border of India and Pakistan in West Rajasthan, and covers an area of 5.1 km2. The maximum summer temperature is around 41.6 °C while the minimum is 25 °C. The maximum winter temperature is usually around 23.6 °C and the minimum is 7.9 °C. The average rainfall is 209.5 millimetres. Highest ever recorded temperature was 48.0 °C and the lowest ever recorded temperature being −5.9 °C.

Jaisalmer is almost entirely a sandy waste, forming a part of the Thar desert (great Indian desert). The general aspect of the area is that of an interminable sea of sand hills, of all shapes and sizes, some rising to a height of 150 feet. Those in the west are covered with log bushes, those in the east with tufts of long grass. Water is scarce, and generally brackish; the average depth of the wells is said to be about 250 feet. There are no perennial streams, and only one small river, the Kakni, which, after flowing a distance of 48 kilometres, spreads over a large surface of flat ground, and forms Lake Orjhil ("The Bhuj-Jhil"). The climate is dry and healthy. Throughout Jaisalmer only raincrops, such as bajra, jawar, motif, til, etc., are grown; spring crops of wheat, barley, etc., are very rare. Owing to the scant rainfall, irrigation is almost unknown.

Distances: Bikaner (330 km), Barmer (150 km), Jodhpur (293 km), Jaipur (568 km), Ahmedabad (636 km), Agra (802 km), New Delhi (874 km), Mumbai (1,177 km).

JAISALMER FORT

Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, Jaisalmer Fort is situated on Meru Hill and Named as Trikoot Garh had seen the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are a tawny lion colour during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. The famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later turned it into a film − Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) which was based on this fort. This is a living fort and about a quarter of city's population still live inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are: Raj Mahal (Royal palace), Jain temples and the Laxminath temple.

JAIN HERITAGE OF JAISALMER

Jaisalmer has been enriched by its Jain community, which has adorned the city with beautiful temples, notably the temples dedicated to the 16th Tirthankara, Shantinath, and 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanath.

Jaisalmer boasts some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts and artefacts of Jain tradition. There are many pilgrimage centres around Jaisalmer such as Lodarva (Lodhruva), Amarsagar, Brahmsar and Pokharan.

MUSEUMS

Desert Culture Centre & Museum

Jaisalmer Folklore Museum

Government Museum

jaisalmer fort palace museum

jaisalmer fort outsidre and insidery

GADSISAR LAKE

Gadsisar Lake – Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, it is a scenic rainwater lake surrounded by the small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. Earlier, this lake was used to be the main water source of Jaisalmer. Due to an increased water demand for agriculture, the lake is increasingly threatened to dry out.

DESERT FESTIVAL

This is held over three days in January/February every year. This is the best time to visit Jaisalmer to witness performing arts like Kalbelia dances and folk songs and music.

WIKIPEDIA

4th November 2013

The fire was lit in her belly ,she bubbled away and was ready mid-morning to move when this was taken..Latter in the day she was coupled up to a train (116 tons) and run up and down the line.There were a few beaming faces another serviceable locomotive and nearly 100years old (1918).

In November 2024, the Dover Fast track bus service began. Initially using diesel engined buses until the electric ones ordered were serviceable.

Eight months later, and there's no sign of the electric buses, and from what I saw, peak services are half full, outside of that, a handful of people use the service.

All this for £34,000,000 outlay in building the road and bridge over the A2.

Back in November we walked most of the way into Richmond Park, but I have been meaning in walking the southern part, which links Whitfield with Fort Burgoyne.

So, after coffee, Jools dropped me off while she went to the dentist, and I looked for orchids.

And other plants.

Between the sports centre and the start of the bus road, I counted 93 Dacht spikes, most clearly Common Spotted, as were probably the others, though they had the features of Heath Spotted.

I snap both kinds for future investigation.

I had hoped the mile-long stretch of road, which is lined on both sides by wild flowers, would be orchid rich too, but sadly, I guess, the soil, despite being recently turned over, was done too recently to allow orchid seed to set.

This part of the road was built on part of Watling Street, which should have been protected, but it was where a Brexit-related facility was due to be built.

That was then not needed due to the harm to the economy such veterinary checks would have done, so the land was used for this bus-only road.

Two services an hour in each direction, off-peak.

I walked down, taking shots of the road and plants, but soon it was the same flowering plants and shrubs, and it was getting warmer minute by minute.

Mullein, Wild Carrot, Viper's Bugloss, Weld, White clover, Mallow and Ox-eye daisies just going to seed.

Two dog walkers pass me, and a lady going to a gym class at the sports centre along with a bus going each way.

Otherwise it was quiet except for bird song, and the quiet hum of traffic on the A2, out of sight in a cutting.

I reached the end, Jools called. So I told her where I was, and she would pick me up on the way home.

Once she arrived, we went via Guston, Pineham, Whitfield, in a huge circle really, back to Swingate and to Tesco.

We rush round getting what we need, then back home before it gets too crowded and too warm outside.

Phew.

It was nearly eleven, and time for breakfast.

I spend half the day chasing a parcel from DHL. One which they have lost.

Then found.

Then damage.

Then repair.

And finally decide it couldn't be delivered. So sent it back to Beers of Europe.

Leaving me beer-less.

Beers of Europe get an answer from DHL which I couldn't, and a replacement is being sent.

Sigh.

This has all taken 15 days so far.

It is too hot to do anything, really. So, we take it in turns to sit out under the awning with Mulder and Scully, then back inside to cool down.

We even have beer/cider with our lunch of breaded chicken salad rolls, so struggle to stay awake in the afternoon.

Dinner was another helping of Caprese, with some store-made bread. Its too hot and time consuming to make my own.

So, slices of tomato, topped with slices of mozzarella drizzled with balsamic vinegar and cold press olive oil. Seasoned then basil leaves arranged on the slices.

Lovely.

I had some fine wine to finish, which I do finish.

Somehow, custard doughnuts had slipped into our trolley, and even though I wasn't hungry, I made brews and had one with a cuppa.

Lovely.

SN14 DXC and YN05 HGA parked inside Weymouth's First Depot. SN14 DXC is un-serviceable.

The Reds have not had the 'best' of times recently, with various issues highlighted in the press, but reliability and serviceability of the aging Hawk T1s might be an ongoing problem.

With Blackpool Transport's fleet of Volvo Olympians being retired from service over the Summer due to impending DDA regulations, the last remaining serviceable few were given a final chance to stretch their legs on the 1 from Starr Gate - Fleetwood. Here, 374 M374SCK is seen heading back north to Fleetwood passing Blackpool Tower. 23/07/16

Nice 4" vise from Ada, Oklahoma. Missing the swivel base.

Littlestown, PA

A soak in citric acid, light wire wheel to knock the remaining rust off, and a serviceable vce good for another 50 years.

I love the signs of previous use - the left side is very smoothly worn down about 1/8" from a lifetime of use, and not much abuse.

Wish I had the swivel base!

The Bury Type 2 Group’s former British Railways Type 2 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive number D5054 PHIL SOUTHERN passes over bridge 18 (over the Manchester Metrolink) in Bury on the Up & Down Broadfield line on the East Lancashire Railway with the 12:30 Heywood to Rawtenstall. Sunday 29th July 2007

Note, D5054 was built at British Railways’ Crewe works in 1959 as number D5054, being renumbered 24054 in week ending 16th February 1974. It was stored serviceable in Basford Hall yard in week commencing 2nd May 1976 and was withdrawn from Crewe Diesel Traction Maintenance Depot on 17th July 1976. It was transferred to departmental stock in August 1976 for use as an unpowered Carriage Heating Unit, being renumbered TDB968008 circa January 1977. It was withdrawn from use at Cambridge carriage sidings circa November 1982 and moved from Cambridge yard to March Traction Maintenance Depot on 3rd December 1982 for storage. It was acquired for preservation in 1983 and arrived on the East Lancashire Railway on 13th October 1983. It was restored as D5054 in 1987 and named PHIL SOUTHERN at the East Lancashire Railway’s Bury Bolton Street railway station on 28th July 2007

Ref no P7292877

One of Bruntingthorpe's serviceable Lightning F.6's, this time XS 904, is seen with chocks in place for its max power engine run, at the May 2018 Cold War Jets Event.

I held on as long as I could with one hand on the camera and one on an ear, but had to succumb when full reheat was engaged.

The only remaining service is the spectacular 125km long 76cm gauge line from Septemvri to Dobroniste. There are 4 passenger trains per day, but no freight. There is a shortage of serviceable motive power too. The total journey time of around 5 hours is unattractive, but does give you time to enjoy the scenery....

The morning train from Dobroniste arrives at Velingrad.

SEPTA Norristown High Speed Line (former Philadelphia & Western interurban). Runby sequence with the last of the serviceable Brill-built "Strafford" cars of 1927, the immediate predecessors to the line's famed Brill "Bullet" interurbans. More on the history of these cars can be found here: www.phillytrolley.org/strafford.html

Kirkby Stephen currently hosts a Brush Type 4 Class 47 locomotive.

This loco was built at the Brush Falcon Works in 1965 and was delivered as D1909. Under the T.O.P.S. renumbering it became 47 232 in March 1974. Following various modifications throughout its life it also carried 47 665 & 47 820 before becoming 47 785 in 1995.

As can be ascertained from the livery it latterly operated for E.W.S. and was acquired for preservation by the Stainmore Railway Co. in July 2007 from Motherwell depot where it had been stored, although classed as serviceable.

Once any necessary maintenance has been carried out, the loco will be repainted in BR two-tone green and renumbered D1909.

5 Sep 1967, No. 3 BSS Tac-T (Battlefield Support Squadron, Tactical Transport) had all five of their Bristol Freighters serviceable at one time. To mark the occasion a formation was flown over Auckland.

Three are in 3 Sqn livery and in NZ5911 is in No. 41 Sqn livery.

The aircraft and pilots involved were:

#1 NZ5906 – Squadron Leader Bill Cranfield AFC

#2 NZ5907 – Flight Lieutenant ADM Winkelmann AFC

#3 NZ5911 – Flight Lieutenant McLean

#4 NZ5910 – Flying Officer AJ Menzies

#5 NZ5903 – Flying Officer Riley Bell

Astrodomes still fitted to NZ5907 and NZ5910.

Click photo twice to fully enlarge.

Photographed from a C-130.

Source credit: Photo Image No: WhG1551-67

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Some Rights Reserved

fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/

New Arrivals of VOGELE PAVER MACHINES @ the yard of the Exceptional and Professional Machinery Supplier “Arabian Jerusalem Equipment Trading Company L.L.C,,

Vogele Paver Machine; State of the art technology equipped with the modern smart way of engineering, calculative and digital based operates, compatibility, convincing at all kind of paving widths by their ease of adapting, simple use and serviceability.

Soon they will be uploaded on website with complete specs. Be with us @ : www.alquds.com

First on the throne. Washroom renovations being finished as the tables are set. Well not quite finished but serviceable due to hard work by a few Brothers.

KZN - What a disaster

William Saunderson-Meyer says the floods just another blow to a province that was already on its knees

KwaZulu-Natal has declared a provincial state of disaster to try to cope with the devastating floods of the past week.

This is normally a temporary mechanism of which the primary purpose is to facilitate speedy national government assistance to hard-pressed provincial and local authorities. It also triggers the release of emergency funds from the National Treasury.

But in KZN’s case, they might as well make it permanent. This is a province that has been on its knees for some time and it ain’t getting up any time soon.

After all, KZN hasn’t even staunched the bloodied nose it suffered nine months ago. That’s when one wing of the African National Congress government — the Radical Economic Transformation followers of former president Jacob Zuma — tried to bury the other — the so-called reformists led by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

KZN hasn’t even properly tallied the body blows it suffered then. The official estimates for the insurrection were 45,000 businesses affected, R50bn in economic damage, 129,000 jobs lost, and 354 killed.

These estimates are probably on the low side. For example, the number of people who were killed in the mayhem doesn’t include the many whose bodies were simply never found and counted.

And the true economic cost is incalculable. There’s been substantially increased emigration of minorities, cancelled investment, and the loss of international confidence in KZN as a safe tourist destination. In at least a dozen small, country towns, all the business infrastructure was destroyed, paradoxically by the very people who worked and shopped in those buildings.

Now the floods. The death toll is over 300 and still rising. Some 6,000 homes have been destroyed and road, water sewage and electrical infrastructure uprooted. As I write this, roaming mobs are opportunistically plundering container depots, stranded trucks, abandoned homes and vulnerable businesses, reportedly unhindered — as was the case during last year’s riots — by the police and army.

Naturally, no disaster is complete without a scapegoat. Ramaphosa, as is his style, was quick off the mark to finger the culprit — climate change.

“This disaster is part of climate change. It is telling us that climate change is serious, it is here,” Ramaphosa told reporters while inspecting a devastated Durban. “We no longer can postpone what we need to do, and the measures we need to take to deal with climate change.”

What balderdash. Whatever role climate change may or may not have played in the larger scheme of things, it’s nonsense to pin on it responsibility for the plight of KZN. That lies with the ANC government.

First, this was not an unforeseeable bolt from the heavens. The forecasters warned months back that this was likely to be an exceptionally wet summer because of the La Niña weather pattern that occurs every few years.

There are also historical precedents for extreme weather in KZN, which a prudent administration would have taken note of.

In 1984, Tropical Storm Domoina wreaked havoc in a swathe from Mozambique, through Swaziland to KZN. Although the current downpour is worse, the scale is nevertheless in the same ballpark.

This latest storm — as yet unnamed — dumped 450mm of rain on Durban in 48 hours. Domoina let loose 615mm in 24 hours on Swaziland and northern KZN.

But the true difference between those events, 38 years apart, lies in the lack of preparedness on the part of today’s authorities. In 1984 the SA Air Force deployed 25 helicopters to airlift people to safety. In the 2000 Mozambique floods, 17 SAAF helicopters rescued more than 14,000 people.

This time, according to a News24 report, the SA Police Service and the SAAF, combined, have been unable to put a single chopper in the air. The erosion of South Africa’s military means that of the SAAF’s 39 Oryx helicopters, only 17 are serviceable.

Durban-based 15 Squadron has not a single helicopter available for search and rescue — they are reportedly primarily used as VIP transport — but two SAAF choppers supposedly have been despatched from Gqeberha to help. The SAPS airwing has only one serviceable helicopter but “the pilot on duty has been booked off sick”.

Second, throughout the province, local government is also in a state of disaster and unable to do its job. The scale of the KZN impairment can be measured in the flood destruction of homes.

Some 4,000 shanties have been destroyed, many because officialdom was too lax to forbid building on the floodplain and against precariously unstable hillsides. Another 2,000 of the homes swept away were so-called RDP houses, shoddily built during the kickback-and-steal bonanza of the government’s Reconstruction and Development Programme of the late 1990s.

In Durban, the eThekwini metro is bloated and inert. It carries a rates and services debt of R17bn, of which R1bn is owed by the national government.

Durban is also infamously corrupt. Former mayor Zandile Gumede — along with 21 co-accused — is facing fraud, corruption and money-laundering charges in connection with a R320m municipal tender.

Yet at the weekend, even as the rain was bucketing down, she won the ANC’s regional leadership contest hands-down, despite the party’s supposed “step-aside when accused” rule.

The ANC-aligned Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has no illusions about the party it supports. It issued a statement calling on the government to ensure that unlike the plundering of Covid-19 emergency relief funds, the KZN disaster funds were not stolen or misused.

Fat chance. The ANC has already announced that its parliamentary constituency offices in KZN would become “hubs for humanitarian support” and appealed for the donation of relief supplies. Watch the trousering by the ANC’s public representatives of anything that the public is dumb enough to leave with them.

It’s in KZN where the ANC’s brazen indifference to the law and antipathy towards the Constitution is at its most obvious and most destructive.

On Monday, Zuma's corruption trial once again failed to take off in the Pietermaritzburg High Court when he successfully blocked the process with another round of delaying legal actions. His lawyers also had some carefully threatening words for the judiciary in a separate Supreme Court of Appeal action.

They urged SCA President Mandisa Maya to reconsider the dismissal of his latest corruption prosecution challenges. They warned that last year’s deadly July unrest was “in part, traceable to a perceived erroneous and unjust judicial outcome” that put Zuma briefly in prison for contempt of court.

“When such conceived mistakes are committed, the citizens (wrongly) feel entitled to resort to self-help…”

Floods, fires and locusts are devastating but at least happen relatively rarely. The ANC, alas, is a seemingly unending plague.

www.politicsweb.co.za/opinion/kzn-what-a-disaster

Jaisalmer, nicknamed "The Golden city", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 575 kilometres west of the state capital Jaipur. It is a World Heritage Site. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples are finely sculptured. It lies in the heart of the Thar Desert (great Indian desert) and has a population of about 78,000. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District.

ORIGIN OF NAME

Jaisalmer is named after Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king who founded the city in 1156 AD. "Jaisalmer" means "the Hill Fort of Jaisal". Jaisalmer is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow sand and the yellow sandstone used in every architecture of the city gives a yellowish-golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area.

LOCATION

District Jaisalmer is located within a rectangle lying between 26°.4’–28°.23' North parallel and 69°.20'–72°.42' east meridians. It is the largest district of Rajasthan and one of the largest in the country. The breadth (East-West) of the district is 270 km and the length (North-South) is 186 km. On the present map, district Jaisalmer is bounded on the north by Bikaner, on the west & south-west by the Pakistani border, on the south by Barmer and Jodhpur, and on the east by Jodhpur and Bikaner Districts. The length of international border attached to District JAISALMER is 471 km.

HISTORY

The majority of the inhabitants of Jaisalmer are Bhati Rajputs, named for Bhati, who was renowned as a warrior. The ruling family of the erstwhile Jaisalmer State belongs to Bhati Clan of Yadu Rajputs of Chandravanshi (Lunar) race who claim descent from Lord Krishna,the deified hero who ruled at Dwarka. In 1156 Rawal Jaisal, the sixth in succession from Deoraj, founded the fort and city of Jaisalmer,atop Trikuta Hill and began to levy taxes on the camel caravans travelling along the nearby route. Laden with exotic spices and precious silks, these trading caravans were en route to cities like Delhi or Sind, but had to pass directly through Jaisalmer. This strategic location continued to serve Jaisalmer well, as it lay right on the two main routes connecting India with Persia, Egypt and farther west. He later made it his capital as he moved from his former capital at Lodhruva (which is situated about 15 km to the north-west of Jaisalmer). In 1293, the Bhattis so enraged the Sultan of Delhi Ala-ud-din Khilji that his army captured and sacked the fort and city of Jaisalmer, so that for some time it was quite deserted.Some Bhatti's from the Royal family migrated to Jaisal (Now in Pakistan), a place near to Chiniot Distt and some migrated to Talwandi, now Nankana Sahib in Distt. Nankana Sahib (Punjab, Pakistan) and others settled in Larkana (in Sind, Pakistan)under the name of Bhutto. In Nankana Sahib, the Bhatti Clan can be traced from the lineage of Rai Bhoe and Rai Bular Bhatti. After this there is nothing to record until the time of Rawal Sahal Singh, whose reign marks an epoch in Jaisalmer's history in that he acknowledged the supremacy of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Following the collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, Jaisalmer, like the rest of Rajputana, became subservient to the Marathas, until it came under the protection of the British East India Company following the British victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War. In 1818, the Rawals of Jaisalmer signed a treaty with the British, which protected Jaisalmer from invasion provided it was not the aggressor and guaranteed the royal succession.

The Maharajas of Jaisalmer trace their lineage back to Jaitsimha, a ruler of the Bhati Rajput clan. The major opponents of the Bhati Rajputs were the powerful Rathor clans of Jodhpur and Bikaner. They used to fight battles for the possession of forts, waterholes or cattle. Jaisalmer was positioned strategically and was a halting point along a traditional trade route traversed by the camel caravans of Indian and foreign merchants. The route linked India to Central Asia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, Africa and the West.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

In the 13th century, Jaisalmer escaped direct Turkic conquest due to its geographical situation in the desert region. The Rawals of Jaisalmer agreed to pay an annual tribute to the Turkic Sultans of Delhi. The first siege of Jaisalmer occurred during the reign of Alauddin Khilji, the Turkic Sultan of Delhi. It was provoked by Bhatis' raid on a caravan filled with treasure. According to local ballads, the Bhatis defended the fort for seven years until the enemy army forces breached the ramparts. Bhatis, facing certain defeat, proclaimed the rite of jauhar. Later, Sultan Ferozshah also besieged Jaisalmer after the rulers of Jaisalmer raided his camp at Anasagar lake near Ajmer. The siege led to another jauhar. Jaitsimha's son Duda perished in the attack. Duda's descendants ruled over Jaisalmer for about two centuries. Duda's descendant Lunakarna had a fight with Humayun when the latter passed through Jaisalmer en route to Ajmer.

PRINCELY JAISALMER

On the eve of British Raj in India, Jaisalmer was subservient to the Marathas, until it came under the protection of the British East India Company following the British victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War. In 1818, the Rawals of Jaisalmer signed a treaty with the British, which protected Jaisalmer from invasion provided it was not the aggressor and guaranteed the royal succession. Jaisalmer was one of the last states to sign a treaty with the British. During the British Raj, Jaisalmer was the seat of a princely state of the same name, ruled by the Bhati clan of Rajputs. The present descendant is Brijraj Singh. Though the city is under the governance of the Government of India, a lot of welfare work is carried out by him and his family.

Traditionally, the main source of income was the levies on the caravans. However, the glory of Jaisalmer faded when Bombay emerged as a port and the sea trade replaced the traditional land routes. The partition of India in 1947 lead to closing of all the trade routes on the Indo-Pak border and rendered Jaisalmer a drought-prone desert backwater on the international border. Ironically, skirmishes between India and Pakistan gave Jaisalmer a strategic importance and made it serviceable as an army supply depot. Later, the Rajasthan Canal served to revive the surrounding desert areas. Roads and railroads were then built, knitting the hitherto remote town with the rest of Rajasthan. Later, the Government of Rajasthan decided to promote Jaisalmer as a tourist destination.

GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE

Jaisalmer has an average elevation of 229 metres. It is situated near the border of India and Pakistan in West Rajasthan, and covers an area of 5.1 km2. The maximum summer temperature is around 41.6 °C while the minimum is 25 °C. The maximum winter temperature is usually around 23.6 °C and the minimum is 7.9 °C. The average rainfall is 209.5 millimetres. Highest ever recorded temperature was 48.0 °C and the lowest ever recorded temperature being −5.9 °C.

Jaisalmer is almost entirely a sandy waste, forming a part of the Thar desert (great Indian desert). The general aspect of the area is that of an interminable sea of sand hills, of all shapes and sizes, some rising to a height of 150 feet. Those in the west are covered with log bushes, those in the east with tufts of long grass. Water is scarce, and generally brackish; the average depth of the wells is said to be about 250 feet. There are no perennial streams, and only one small river, the Kakni, which, after flowing a distance of 48 kilometres, spreads over a large surface of flat ground, and forms Lake Orjhil ("The Bhuj-Jhil"). The climate is dry and healthy. Throughout Jaisalmer only raincrops, such as bajra, jawar, motif, til, etc., are grown; spring crops of wheat, barley, etc., are very rare. Owing to the scant rainfall, irrigation is almost unknown.

Distances: Bikaner (330 km), Barmer (150 km), Jodhpur (293 km), Jaipur (568 km), Ahmedabad (636 km), Agra (802 km), New Delhi (874 km), Mumbai (1,177 km).

JAISALMER FORT

Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, Jaisalmer Fort is situated on Meru Hill and Named as Trikoot Garh had seen the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are a tawny lion colour during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. The famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later turned it into a film − Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) which was based on this fort. This is a living fort and about a quarter of city's population still live inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are: Raj Mahal (Royal palace), Jain temples and the Laxminath temple.

JAIN HERITAGE OF JAISALMER

Jaisalmer has been enriched by its Jain community, which has adorned the city with beautiful temples, notably the temples dedicated to the 16th Tirthankara, Shantinath, and 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanath.

Jaisalmer boasts some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts and artefacts of Jain tradition. There are many pilgrimage centres around Jaisalmer such as Lodarva (Lodhruva), Amarsagar, Brahmsar and Pokharan.

MUSEUMS

Desert Culture Centre & Museum

Jaisalmer Folklore Museum

Government Museum

jaisalmer fort palace museum

jaisalmer fort outsidre and insidery

GADSISAR LAKE

Gadsisar Lake – Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, it is a scenic rainwater lake surrounded by the small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. Earlier, this lake was used to be the main water source of Jaisalmer. Due to an increased water demand for agriculture, the lake is increasingly threatened to dry out.

DESERT FESTIVAL

This is held over three days in January/February every year. This is the best time to visit Jaisalmer to witness performing arts like Kalbelia dances and folk songs and music.

WIKIPEDIA

In Gyeongju, most resort-grade modern hotels and timeshare condominiums are found around Bomun Lake. Most are local resort brands such as Kolon, but Hilton is also represented here. Due to my elite status at Hilton's frequent guest program, I chose the Hilton - not exactly the most culturally authentic way to go, but definitely serviceable.

This was a very nice hotel at a fairly good price, and having a bidet in my toilet was a very nice touch too. The complimentary buffet was also lovely, with a good mix of traditional Korean dishes and Western-style breakfast.

The Bury Type 2 Group’s former British Railways Type 2 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive number D5054 PHIL SOUTHERN passes beneath bridge 20 (Manchester Road) in Bury and by Bury South signal box 17 signal (down Broadfield home 2) on the East Lancashire Railway with the 11:05 Rawtenstall to Heywood. Sunday 29th July 2007

Note, D5054 was built at British Railways’ Crewe works in 1959 as number D5054, being renumbered 24054 in week ending 16th February 1974. It was stored serviceable in Basford Hall yard in week commencing 2nd May 1976 and was withdrawn from Crewe Diesel Traction Maintenance Depot on 17th July 1976. It was transferred to departmental stock in August 1976 for use as an unpowered Carriage Heating Unit, being renumbered TDB968008 circa January 1977. It was withdrawn from use at Cambridge carriage sidings circa November 1982 and moved from Cambridge yard to March Traction Maintenance Depot on 3rd December 1982 for storage. It was acquired for preservation in 1983 and arrived on the East Lancashire Railway on 13th October 1983. It was restored as D5054 in 1987 and named PHIL SOUTHERN at the East Lancashire Railway’s Bury Bolton Street railway station on 28th July 2007

17 signal (down Broadfield home 2) is a three aspect colour light carried on a right hand bracket with a ground level co-acting repeater. It was installed in early March 2006 and was commissioned late in the summer of 2006. Below 17 signal is 16 signal, a position light signal.

16 and 17 signals work in connection with a theatre route indicator. When either 16 or 17 lever was cleared and a 4 is exhibited in the theatre route indicator the movement was being made to platform 4, when a 3 is exhibited in the theatre route indicator the movement was being made to platform 3, when a 2 is exhibited in the theatre route indicator the movement was being made to platform 2, when a U is exhibited in the theatre route indicator the movement was being made to platform 2 via the Up Main, and when a B is exhibited in the theatre route indicator the movement was being made to the Bay Siding

Note, D5054 was named PHIL SOUTHERN in 2007

Ref no P7292873

On the hottest day of the year in the UK so far with temperatures well into the 90's (I know, many viewers will laugh at that, but in the UK that's hot!), 'Knife 71' returns from where they've been spending most of their training so far, the old disused airfield at Sculthorpe in Norfolk, only a few minutes flying time away. Hopefully when more airframes are delivered, and the serviceability woes that have dogged them so far are resolved, the flying will start to pick up.

RAF Halton, 23 June 1984. Now preserved in serviceable but non-flying condition at Bruntingthorpe.

The Bury Type 2 Group's former British Railways Type 2 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive number D5054 passes by Nuttall Park in Ramsbottom on the East Lancashire Railway with the 14:30 Ramsbottom to Bury Bolton Street. 14:32, Sunday 7th October 1990

Note, D5054 was built at British Railways’ Crewe works in 1959 as number D5054, being renumbered 24054 in week ending 16th February 1974. It was stored serviceable in Basford Hall yard in week commencing 2nd May 1976 and was withdrawn from Crewe Diesel Traction Maintenance Depot on 17th July 1976. It was transferred to departmental stock in August 1976 for use as an unpowered Carriage Heating Unit, being renumbered TDB968008 circa January 1977. It was withdrawn from use at Cambridge carriage sidings circa November 1982 and moved from Cambridge yard to March Traction Maintenance Depot on 3rd December 1982 for storage. It was acquired for preservation in 1983 and arrived on the East Lancashire Railway on 13th October 1983 where it was restored as D5054 during 1987

Ref no 12014

Opened 1 May 1904, bluestone with brick buttresses, extensions foundation stone 18 Dec 1920, re-opened 12 Jun 1921. First services in Institute.

“Catholics of this town have for years past worshipped in the local institute . . . The building, though, not of elaborate design, is a neat and serviceable structure, built of bluestone, from Mr. W. Wade’s kerbstone quarry.” [Advertiser 5 May 1904]

“The foundations are large slabs of solid stone set in concrete, which, are best suited to Riverton soil to prevent cracking. There are three windows on either side, and a Gothic window over the altar, with three divisions, the large centre window to be filled with a beautiful stained glass memorial window presented by Mrs. T. Cleary and her sisters (the Misses Buckley, of Tarlee) in memory of their mother. This work is now in Mr. E. F. Troy's hands.” [Southern Cross 23 Dec 1903]

“Riverton. . . Catholics of this town have for years past worshipped in the local institute, but as they owned a piece of land in the town it was decided some time ago to erect a church. . . the congregation helped by carting the sand and stone and other materials. . . The building, though, not of elaborate design, is a neat and serviceable structure, built of bluestone, from Mr. W. Wade's kerbstone quarry, with abutments, and capable of comfortably seating about 135 persons. It cost about £300. In the west a memorial window, representing the Good Shepherd, has been placed. It is a beautiful piece of workmanship by Mr. E. F. Troy, of Flinders-street, Adelaide, who also made the altar. The other windows were made by Mr. H. L. Vosz, of Adelaide, and the pews were locally made by Mr. T. K. Jones. Most of the church furniture and ornaments have been presented by the congregation and other friends.” [Register 5 May 1904]

“Riverton. A bazaar for the purpose of raising funds to add a chancel and vestry to the present Catholic church building here was held on Wednesday in the institute hall, afternoon and evening. The Girls' Guild was responsible for the major portion of the success of the effort, this organization having begun operations in needle work, &c., two years ago, and the net proceeds from the Bazaar and sale of work were £90.” [Kapunda Herald 8 Nov 1918]

“Catholic Church at Riverton. . . has been made much larger and several additions have been built on. Some new statues have been placed in the interior. The church is now undoubtedly one of the prettiest and most up to date in the district. . . Luncheon will be served in the Institute.” [Daily Herald 8 Jun 1921]

This is the much-loved and celebrated Guy Motors Ltd demonstrator which, after spending two years on loan to various operators in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, passed in 1955 to Blue Line (S. Morgan Ltd) of Armthorpe. It has a Saunders-Roe (Saro) body of a type which was popular with may operators such as East Midland and Ribble, though usually fitted to Leyland chassis. It will be remembered by many (now senior citizens) as the "dance bus" which departed from Goole Municipal Baths at midnight every Saturday night for all stops to Rawcliffe, Moorends, Thorne and Stainforth. Upon withdrawal in 1964, it was retained at the Stainforth premises of Wilson, Cauldwell & Co as an office. The seats were removed, electric light and heating, a desk and telephone installed and it was used in this way for some time but eventually abandoned. When acquired for preservation in 1979 it still had serviceable tyres and a partially-full tank of diesel, but needed new batteries for its 12v system. It was sold on several times and eventually reached Aston Manor Motor Museum. Much to the credit of its new owners it has been excellently restored and, as a "runner" it fairly recently made another move to Aldridge. You can see LJW336 in action here: www.flickr.com/photos/48828195@N07/7875878210/in/photostr... and here: www.flickr.com/photos/48828195@N07/7875685102/in/photostr...

sits on the ready track in Moncton NB as one of the few MLW's that were serviceable when we visited.

Built as CN 2551; re-numbered 3551; to CANAC 3551; to Hudson Bay Railway 3551;

Hengelo, 14 December 2013.

NS has been refurbishing a number of the stored DM'90 units to make them serviceable for the next 10 years. This is one of the sets and has been given a new coat of paint.

Judging by the number of heads leaning out of the windows on the 1444 Laverton to Cheltenham Racecource the preservation début of 45149 was a popular feature of the 2013 GWR diesel gala. The Peak had been restored by the Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group, and was made serviceable just in time for the event, although as can be seen by the rather unusual shade of blue, only the undercoat was completed in time.

The 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, South Carolina National Guard, is seen preparing for an upcoming COMET inspection, July 12, 2019, Eastover, South Carolina. During the preventative maintenance checks and services (PMCS), Soldiers are ensuring all equipment is serviceable and ready for mobilization in the event they are mobilized for a mission. The COMET Inspection is held twice a year in an effort to assess a Unit’s maintenance and equipment readiness. (Photograph by Staff Sgt. Jasper Jones, 678th ADA BDE, PAO NCO)

XH558, the twelfth Vulcan B2 built, first flew in 1960 and was delivered to No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit RAF at RAF Waddington on 1 July 1960. Almost immediately the aircraft moved with 230 OCU to RAF Finningley where the aircraft spent some eight years before returning to Lincolnshire in 1968. Most of its operational service was with the units of the Waddington Wing including No. 50 Squadron RAF. The aircraft was converted to a B2 Maritime Radar Reconnaissance in 1973 and flew with 27 Sqn, subsequently to the air-to-air refuelling variant K2 in 1982. It was returned to standard B2 configuration in 1985 and was the last Vulcan in service. From 1986 to 1992, it was the RAF's display aircraft.

After service with the Royal Air Force, the aircraft was sold to C.Walton Limited and delivered by air to Bruntingthorpe on 23 March 1993. The aircraft was kept in a serviceable condition and would undertake fast taxi runs along Bruntingthorpe's main runway.

Vintage Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8, with a 2x matched-multiplier. A two-touch 2x mid-zoom lens circa late 60s. It has a close-focusing setting that works remarkably good. The construction is straight forward and serviceable. Build is like a mortar shell. It can double as a hammer! It is a surprisingly excellent lens that can be found for less than the cost of breakfast. Bokeh, resolution, color, aberrations and fringing are all very good.

Deck S begins with a deuterium tank room for the main reactor. Starboard of the intermix shaft is the auxiliary fusion reactor, with a deuterium cryogenic unit to port. There is also a Secondary Bridge serving the engineering hull in the event of saucer separation, should the engineering section remain serviceable. (Sadly it’s rather small and won’t fit all the usual stations.) The cargo bay floor is next, with turbolift stations and cargo transporters. Behind this are the elevator pad mechanisms, and more lifeboats.

This is absolutely no way to treat a British icon! Former Stagecoach London RML 2488 is seen here dumped unceremoniously by the children's Crazy Golf course in Turnham Green in Chiswick in April 2011 with the vehicle looking very sorry for itself and 'painted' (I use the term loosely) in an all-over red livery without any respect as to the history of the vehicle. Many serviceable parts of this RML had already been removed as well as the engine so that nobody would drive the bus away! Curiously RML 2488 was fitted with a set of former Putney (AF) bus garage blinds on the front and rear, even though RML 2488's last port of call was at Bow (BW) bus garage with Stagecoach London where it operated on route 8 until June 2004. Thankfully RML 2488 has gone from this spot in Turnham Green and now resides by a water leisure park facility in Wraysbury in Berkshire where it has since been treated with more respect.

Much of the hydro-electric equipment remains in-situ. Not exactly serviceable, but it's there!

Having recently discovered this image in the NIST Cumulus dataset, Release _32, File folder 42A0367 – G33D1, sub-folder Steficek-2001-10-18 I have to say there are glaring anomalies thereabout this wreckage that just don't sit well with me. For starters what are the odds of these two pieces of wreckage landing side by side as they are shown on the rooftop of WTC5. In perfect orientation to one another no less and just as they would connect together were they still part of that serviceable airframe they're said to have originated from? After having torn straight through the core of the South Tower only then to exit its North face at the 81st floor. I find the odds of it highly improbable and the likelihood this wreckage did any such thing implausible and the laws of physics certainly played no part.

What's more this image differs considerably from the photograph Copyofplanepartsrf20-full and the FEMA photograph #12390. The FEMA Photo Library image #12390 being of course the only example of alleged UA175 wreckage to have been falsified using Adobe Photoshop and then published in the official WTC BPS final report and eventually made public.

What's more the much smaller piece of wreckage seen herein on the left is propping up the larger piece of wreckage on the right, much like it appears in the video footage HQ_WTC5_GARY. All of which proves my point, that the wreckage had been manipulated into place and arranged before it was photographed for the official record. Therefore not only does this image suggest the wreckage in all likelihood had been drawn together from all four corners of the WTC site and arranged there on the rooftop of WTC 5 in order for the FEMA photograph to be composed but more so then it proves the FEMA image 12390 had in fact been concocted out of scraps of wreckage and most assuredly the image was later falsified by someone using Adobe Photoshop! In other words the WTC BPS aircraft wreckage evidence is fraudulent!

Further compounding that subterfuge is the fact the time/date stamp on the file and image suggests it was taken by Gary Steficek at 4:13 p.m. on October 18, 2001 and not surprisingly then the only other sub-folder in this NIST release (Steficek-2001-10-25) contains no other images of aircraft fuselage wreckage therein. What's more I've not been able to verify Gary Steficek was present at the time this photograph or any of the WTC 5 videotaped recordings were taken, if ever he even participated in the WTC site investigation. However, his business partner and fellow WTC BPS team member Ramon Gilsanz is seen throughout the photographic and videotaped evidence pertaining to the WTC site investigation and not surprisingly then he stars in the making of the video HQ_WTC5_GARY.

The problem I have with the aforementioned time/date stamp then is according to Mr. W. Gene Corley his entire team of BPS investigator's were only allowed on the WTC site between Oct 7 thru 12, 2001. In fact Mr. Corley's exact words presented Before the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and Standards & Subcommittee on Research Committee on Science U.S. House of Representatives on March 6, 2002 reads as follows..."On September 29th, the City of New York granted the team access to the World Trade Center site and from October 7th to the 12th, the entire team was on site. The team was provided with unrestricted access to all areas of the site except for areas where their presence might have impeded the on-going rescue and recovery efforts and areas which were determined to be extremely hazardous. To aid the team in this intense 6 day effort, FEMA made its Regional Operation Center (less than 8 blocks from the WTC site) available for use by the team on a 24-7 basis...During this time period, team members also examined structural debris at the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island and at the two recycling yards in New Jersey."

So there you have it and right from the horse’s mouth but no matter how you slice and dice it both of those time/date stamps contradict his testimony, so either Mr. Corley got his dates wrong, he returned to the scene of the crime at a later date to secure the photographic evidence that morphed into the FEMA photograph 12390 or he's flat out lied all along! In fact from what I can make of it all Mr. Corley was nowhere near the rooftop of WTC 5 between October 7th and 12th, 2001 so how he managed to get that photograph is anyone’s guess but more importantly then why does that October 25, 2001 FEMA image (accredited to him) appear as though the two pieces of wreckage are one piece when clearly they do not appear that way in every other exhibit recorded by the WTC BPS investigators.

Not only does Mr. Corley need to explain those discrepancies but also how it was that certain members of the WTC BPS were coming and going from the World Trade Center scene of the crime over a much greater period of time than he's aware of or cares to admit to and for what reasons were they doing so? I say “scene of the crime” because it’s a Federal offense to tamper with evidence, obstruct justice and lie under oath.

Jaisalmer, nicknamed "The Golden city", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 575 kilometres west of the state capital Jaipur. It is a World Heritage Site. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples are finely sculptured. It lies in the heart of the Thar Desert (great Indian desert) and has a population of about 78,000. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District.

ORIGIN OF NAME

Jaisalmer is named after Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king who founded the city in 1156 AD. "Jaisalmer" means "the Hill Fort of Jaisal". Jaisalmer is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow sand and the yellow sandstone used in every architecture of the city gives a yellowish-golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area.

LOCATION

District Jaisalmer is located within a rectangle lying between 26°.4’–28°.23' North parallel and 69°.20'–72°.42' east meridians. It is the largest district of Rajasthan and one of the largest in the country. The breadth (East-West) of the district is 270 km and the length (North-South) is 186 km. On the present map, district Jaisalmer is bounded on the north by Bikaner, on the west & south-west by the Pakistani border, on the south by Barmer and Jodhpur, and on the east by Jodhpur and Bikaner Districts. The length of international border attached to District JAISALMER is 471 km.

HISTORY

The majority of the inhabitants of Jaisalmer are Bhati Rajputs, named for Bhati, who was renowned as a warrior. The ruling family of the erstwhile Jaisalmer State belongs to Bhati Clan of Yadu Rajputs of Chandravanshi (Lunar) race who claim descent from Lord Krishna,the deified hero who ruled at Dwarka. In 1156 Rawal Jaisal, the sixth in succession from Deoraj, founded the fort and city of Jaisalmer,atop Trikuta Hill and began to levy taxes on the camel caravans travelling along the nearby route. Laden with exotic spices and precious silks, these trading caravans were en route to cities like Delhi or Sind, but had to pass directly through Jaisalmer. This strategic location continued to serve Jaisalmer well, as it lay right on the two main routes connecting India with Persia, Egypt and farther west. He later made it his capital as he moved from his former capital at Lodhruva (which is situated about 15 km to the north-west of Jaisalmer). In 1293, the Bhattis so enraged the Sultan of Delhi Ala-ud-din Khilji that his army captured and sacked the fort and city of Jaisalmer, so that for some time it was quite deserted.Some Bhatti's from the Royal family migrated to Jaisal (Now in Pakistan), a place near to Chiniot Distt and some migrated to Talwandi, now Nankana Sahib in Distt. Nankana Sahib (Punjab, Pakistan) and others settled in Larkana (in Sind, Pakistan)under the name of Bhutto. In Nankana Sahib, the Bhatti Clan can be traced from the lineage of Rai Bhoe and Rai Bular Bhatti. After this there is nothing to record until the time of Rawal Sahal Singh, whose reign marks an epoch in Jaisalmer's history in that he acknowledged the supremacy of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Following the collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, Jaisalmer, like the rest of Rajputana, became subservient to the Marathas, until it came under the protection of the British East India Company following the British victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War. In 1818, the Rawals of Jaisalmer signed a treaty with the British, which protected Jaisalmer from invasion provided it was not the aggressor and guaranteed the royal succession.

The Maharajas of Jaisalmer trace their lineage back to Jaitsimha, a ruler of the Bhati Rajput clan. The major opponents of the Bhati Rajputs were the powerful Rathor clans of Jodhpur and Bikaner. They used to fight battles for the possession of forts, waterholes or cattle. Jaisalmer was positioned strategically and was a halting point along a traditional trade route traversed by the camel caravans of Indian and foreign merchants. The route linked India to Central Asia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, Africa and the West.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

In the 13th century, Jaisalmer escaped direct Turkic conquest due to its geographical situation in the desert region. The Rawals of Jaisalmer agreed to pay an annual tribute to the Turkic Sultans of Delhi. The first siege of Jaisalmer occurred during the reign of Alauddin Khilji, the Turkic Sultan of Delhi. It was provoked by Bhatis' raid on a caravan filled with treasure. According to local ballads, the Bhatis defended the fort for seven years until the enemy army forces breached the ramparts. Bhatis, facing certain defeat, proclaimed the rite of jauhar. Later, Sultan Ferozshah also besieged Jaisalmer after the rulers of Jaisalmer raided his camp at Anasagar lake near Ajmer. The siege led to another jauhar. Jaitsimha's son Duda perished in the attack. Duda's descendants ruled over Jaisalmer for about two centuries. Duda's descendant Lunakarna had a fight with Humayun when the latter passed through Jaisalmer en route to Ajmer.

PRINCELY JAISALMER

On the eve of British Raj in India, Jaisalmer was subservient to the Marathas, until it came under the protection of the British East India Company following the British victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War. In 1818, the Rawals of Jaisalmer signed a treaty with the British, which protected Jaisalmer from invasion provided it was not the aggressor and guaranteed the royal succession. Jaisalmer was one of the last states to sign a treaty with the British. During the British Raj, Jaisalmer was the seat of a princely state of the same name, ruled by the Bhati clan of Rajputs. The present descendant is Brijraj Singh. Though the city is under the governance of the Government of India, a lot of welfare work is carried out by him and his family.

Traditionally, the main source of income was the levies on the caravans. However, the glory of Jaisalmer faded when Bombay emerged as a port and the sea trade replaced the traditional land routes. The partition of India in 1947 lead to closing of all the trade routes on the Indo-Pak border and rendered Jaisalmer a drought-prone desert backwater on the international border. Ironically, skirmishes between India and Pakistan gave Jaisalmer a strategic importance and made it serviceable as an army supply depot. Later, the Rajasthan Canal served to revive the surrounding desert areas. Roads and railroads were then built, knitting the hitherto remote town with the rest of Rajasthan. Later, the Government of Rajasthan decided to promote Jaisalmer as a tourist destination.

GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE

Jaisalmer has an average elevation of 229 metres. It is situated near the border of India and Pakistan in West Rajasthan, and covers an area of 5.1 km2. The maximum summer temperature is around 41.6 °C while the minimum is 25 °C. The maximum winter temperature is usually around 23.6 °C and the minimum is 7.9 °C. The average rainfall is 209.5 millimetres. Highest ever recorded temperature was 48.0 °C and the lowest ever recorded temperature being −5.9 °C.

Jaisalmer is almost entirely a sandy waste, forming a part of the Thar desert (great Indian desert). The general aspect of the area is that of an interminable sea of sand hills, of all shapes and sizes, some rising to a height of 150 feet. Those in the west are covered with log bushes, those in the east with tufts of long grass. Water is scarce, and generally brackish; the average depth of the wells is said to be about 250 feet. There are no perennial streams, and only one small river, the Kakni, which, after flowing a distance of 48 kilometres, spreads over a large surface of flat ground, and forms Lake Orjhil ("The Bhuj-Jhil"). The climate is dry and healthy. Throughout Jaisalmer only raincrops, such as bajra, jawar, motif, til, etc., are grown; spring crops of wheat, barley, etc., are very rare. Owing to the scant rainfall, irrigation is almost unknown.

Distances: Bikaner (330 km), Barmer (150 km), Jodhpur (293 km), Jaipur (568 km), Ahmedabad (636 km), Agra (802 km), New Delhi (874 km), Mumbai (1,177 km).

JAISALMER FORT

Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, Jaisalmer Fort is situated on Meru Hill and Named as Trikoot Garh had seen the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are a tawny lion colour during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. The famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later turned it into a film − Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) which was based on this fort. This is a living fort and about a quarter of city's population still live inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are: Raj Mahal (Royal palace), Jain temples and the Laxminath temple.

JAIN HERITAGE OF JAISALMER

Jaisalmer has been enriched by its Jain community, which has adorned the city with beautiful temples, notably the temples dedicated to the 16th Tirthankara, Shantinath, and 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanath.

Jaisalmer boasts some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts and artefacts of Jain tradition. There are many pilgrimage centres around Jaisalmer such as Lodarva (Lodhruva), Amarsagar, Brahmsar and Pokharan.

MUSEUMS

Desert Culture Centre & Museum

Jaisalmer Folklore Museum

Government Museum

jaisalmer fort palace museum

jaisalmer fort outsidre and insidery

GADSISAR LAKE

Gadsisar Lake – Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, it is a scenic rainwater lake surrounded by the small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. Earlier, this lake was used to be the main water source of Jaisalmer. Due to an increased water demand for agriculture, the lake is increasingly threatened to dry out.

DESERT FESTIVAL

This is held over three days in January/February every year. This is the best time to visit Jaisalmer to witness performing arts like Kalbelia dances and folk songs and music.

WIKIPEDIA

New to West Midlands PTE as 6297 in January 1977 for transport of disabled people. It was presumably pre-registered by a dealer, as 6298 was NRF 177P, and NRF is not a Birmingham number, nor was a P-suffix plate current when this was "new" to WMPTE. 6297/8 were renumbered 501/2 in the service vehicle series, and were later joined by similar 503-520 (AOE 503-8T, EJW 509-13V, HOC 514-20W) in 1979-1981. 501 is seen in a withdrawn state in September 1986 at Liverpool Street Garage, surrounded by newer and more serviceable machines.

The lenses are in perfect condition. The Austin badge is not perfect but, serviceable.

The badges both have their retaining 'spikes' on the back.