On The Barcelona Metro
These are a few pictures of the Barcelona Metro
Note the station I used was being rebuilt.
Barcelona Wakes Up
On my way back, I stayed overnight in the Tryp Apolo Hotel in Barcelona.
These are pictures I took on my morning walk.
Some of the pictures show Las Ramblas.
The Americans Reinvent The Sausage Roll
This article on the BBC, describes a row about the American’s reinvention of the sausage roll.
The sausage roll is ours, so to paraphrase The Sun.
“Hop Off, You Yanks!”
The Beer In Spain Makes Up For The Lack Of Rain
Before I was diagnosed as a coeliac, I used to like my beer. For a few years afterwards, I could drink bottles of Guinness from Park Royal, but like the brewery they are now history.
But in this trip to Spain, I have drunk four different gluten-free beers and as I post this, I’m seinking a bottle of Estrella Damm Daura and very reasonable it is too!
I used to get it from Waitrose, but her upstairs got it replaced with the aptly named Celia.
One day, I intend to share a bed with a Celia, whilst we drink appropriately bamed bottles.
I’ll add that to my bucket list!
By the way Cecelias need not apply!
I
Seville’s Elegant Trams
Seville’s tramway; the MetroCentro, by the cathedral is powered without using traditional overhead catenary.
Each double-sided stop has a high electrified rail on each side.
When the tram stops, it puts up a pantograph and then for a minute or so, it charges the batteries.
Seville’s Urbos trams are the same as in Birmingham, so will the Midland Metro be using the same elegant system to charge the batteries, that are now been fitted, so trams can run to Centenary Square in Birmingham and the railway station in Wolverhampton?
|Edinburgh also has another version of Urbos trams, so if Birmingham battery trams are successful, will we be seeing them North of the Border?
There’s only one thing wrong with Seville’s trams. Every one is wrapped in advertising, which makes it difficult to see out and look at the outstanding buildings.
How Does The Battery System Work?
CAF , who built the Urbos trams, have this page on their web site, which is entitled Greentech Tram.
The system uses two methods of storing electricity.
Supercapacitor Modules
A supercapacitor has the advantage that it can be quickly charged and discharged.
So as a tram only takes perhaps fifteen seconds to stop from full speed, the fast charging allows the regenerative braking energy to be stored.
On starting again, this energy can be discharged quickly from the supercapacitor to accelerate the tram.
This charging/discharging cycle does degrade the supercapacitor and they would have to be replaced periodically.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries can hold greater amounts of electricity, but their charge and discharge rate is slower.
They can provide smaller amounts of power to keep the tram going at a constant speed after it has been accelerated.
A Sophisticated Control System
The page talks about a sophisticated control system that optimised the driving of the tram and the minimisation of energy.
The System Can Be Licenced From CAF
It should be noted that CAF will licence the system to other manufacturers.
Conclusion
By using two different storage systems with different characteristics, CAF are able to drive the tram along its 1.4 km route, charging at each stop.
Governor LePage Is Angry At Being Called A Racist
According to this article on the BBC, Governor LePage is angry at being called a racist. I’m angry too, at how such a man got to be the Governor of a US State.
The man and those who voted for him are an effing disgrace! And incredibly stupid too!
Rail Improvements Between Hastings and London
With four bids to run the new Southeastern franchise, in a few months we will be able to see a bit clearly what will happen to the train service between Hastings and London. The two latest franchises to be awarded in East Anglia and South West London etc. have both gone to companies willing to spend almost a billion pounds on new trains, which will bring more services and seats, wi-fi and 4G to the resp3ctive framchise areas. I wouldn’t be surprised if the new incumbent spends a similar amount and Network Rail chips in a couple of hundred million to make sure that passengers see a real benefit.
As far as Hastings is concerned, we could see the following.
- A faster service to Ashford.
- St. Pancras in 70 minutes.
- A fast service from Brighton to Hastings.
- A rail by-pass through an Eastbourne Parkway station.
We might even see a Brighton to St. Pancras srvice via Hastings, Ashford, Ebbsfleet and Stratford.
In the medium term the following could happen.
- A link to Crossrail at Ebbsfleet.
- A link to Cambridge/Stansted services at Stratford of only a few metres.
- A South Coast Express from Bournemouth to Ashford.
Who knows where companies spening a billion pounds on infrastructure and trains will go.
Anber Rudd is the key, as she sits like the Queen Bee in the middle.
I’m thinking of going to the States around the 19th to 21st of August to see the most amazing solar eclipse of the Century. It goes through major cities like St. Louis, Kansas City and Charlestown. The latter looks the best and I can manage it without driving. Anybody fancy tagging along?
Fruit And Veg Farmers Facing Migrant Labour Shortages
This the tutle of an article on the BBC.
It makes some ontrtesting points blaming the weak pound and Brexit.
Perhaps twenty years aho, I read an article in a msgazine about a team of engineers and scientists working on developing an automatic apple-picking machine.
The article finishes by saying in a couple of decades, we’d only be eating fruit that could be harvested by machine.
We don’t seem to be there yet!
Alliance Delayed In Opening London Blackpool Service
Accordinh to this article in Global Rail News, Allisnce will have to delay opening its six times a day, three-hour aervice.
A three hour service will mean that a train leaving Blackpool at 6 will be back in the town at 12 and then again at 18:00. So one train will give three return trips a day, if you add in some minutes for turning the train.
So six trains per day will need just two trains.
The Anonymous Widower 