Olympia Exhibition Centre – 18th June 2026
I went back to Olympia today and took these pictures.
I don’t think, I’ll be going again, as they don’t seem to have any gluten-free food.
Clapham Junction Station – Platform 0 – 18th June 2026
As I passed through Clapham Junction station, I took these pictures of Platform 0.
Note.
- Platform 0 has the red brackets along the back.
- Platform 1 has the Class 378 train for Stratford parked in it.
- There is a useful Costa Coffee, with a waiting room behind it on the platform.
Little seems to have changed since I wrote Barriers And Planters On The London Overground Platforms At Clapham Junction Station, except that the barriers and planters have been removed.
A Simple Way The Overground Could Operate
Surely, if Stratford trains used Platform 1 as they do now and Dalston Junction trains used the new Platform 0 would enable a much faster interchange between the two halves of the South London Line.
This OpenRailwayMap shows some platforms at Clapham Junction station.
Note.
- The orange tracks are generally tracks in platforms.
- The blue dots are platform numbers.
- The top orange line in Platform 1.
- The dotted line will be Platform 0.
I suspect that with a few extra junctions, the two halves of the South London Line could access the opposide sides of the island platform 0 and 1.
It would certainly speed up passengers on their way between East London and the Olympia Exhibition Centre.
Encomara’s Floating Wind Installation Technology Gets ABS Design Approval
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Encomara’s floating wind installation technology, Squid, has received Product Design Assessment (PDA) certification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
These three paragraphs add more details.
The PDA follows an Approval in Principle (AiP) granted by ABS in November 2025 and moves the system a step closer to commercial deployment, according to Encomara, as it advances the technology along its qualification pathway towards Technology Readiness Level assessment and market adoption.
The technology is developed by Encomara and manufactured by Aurora Energy Services (AES), which acquired the Aberdeen-based company in 2025.
Squid integrates pre-installed mooring lines and electrical connections into a single subsea unit, enabling floating wind turbines to be connected using a “plug-and-play” approach.
In some ways the project reminds me of a floating oil and gas production platform, on which I did the calculations.
But the Balaena Structures design never sold a platform and the company, which was based in Cambridge, folded.
Encomara have a web site, which is well worth a visit.
Does Floating Wind Power Have A Higher Capacity Factor Than Fixed Foundation Wind Power?
I asked Google AI the question in the above sub-title and received this answer.
Yes. Floating wind power typically achieves higher capacity factors than fixed-foundation wind power.
The main reasons for this performance edge include:
Stronger, More Consistent Winds: Floating platforms allow turbines to be placed much further offshore, where wind speeds are higher, steadier, and less turbulent.
Access to Deeper Waters: Over 80% of deep-water offshore wind resources exist in waters too deep for fixed-bottom structures.
Performance Comparisons: Fixed offshore wind turbines typically see capacity factors ranging between 45% and 60% (depending on the location), whereas floating installations can push past 60%. For instance, the Hywind floating wind farm in Scotland achieved a capacity factor exceeding 65% in its first months of operation.
Despite this higher generation yield, floating wind technology is generally more complex and features higher installation and capital costs than fixed-bottom turbines.
I also believe that some of the floating wind technology, lends itself to advanced production and installation methods.
Toyota Hydrogen Cars At Le Mans
I gave the title of this post to Google AI and this is what I received.
Toyota is aggressively pushing hydrogen technology at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, moving beyond concepts to on-track public demonstrations of the TR LH2 Racing Prototype. Powered by a liquid-hydrogen combustion engine, the vehicle aims to showcase the viability of hydrogen as a near-zero emission fuel in endurance racing.
The TR LH2 Racing Prototype
The Vehicle: Built on the same chassis as Toyota’s TR010 HYBRID. It acts as a dedicated technology development platform to test hydrogen performance under extreme endurance conditions.
On-Track Debut: The prototype officially took to the track for demonstration laps at the 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe during the 94th Le Mans 24 Hours.
The Drivers: The vehicle was driven in special dynamic sessions by former Le Mans winner Kazuki Nakajima.
The Competition: Toyota’s demos also featured other pioneering hydrogen machines, including the Alpine Alpenglow and the Ligier Bosch JS2 RH2.
Long-Term Vision & Infrastructure
Timeline: The ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) is targeting the introduction of an official hydrogen class at Le Mans, with race entries potentially slated for upcoming endurance racing seasons.
Hydrogen Village: During the race week, Toyota highlighted the full hydrogen ecosystem.
Fans could explore the Hydrogen Village, which featured a functional TotalEnergies 700-bar liquid hydrogen refueling station.
Fuel Cell Support: Toyota’s commitment expanded to race operations, with official team staff and drivers utilizing hydrogen fuel cell buses and Toyota Hilux Fuel Cell prototypes during the event week.
Toyota seem serious about hydrogen.
Kensington (Olympia) Station – 16th June 2026
The refurbished Olympia Exhibition Centre is now open, so I went to have a look and took these pictures.
As it was a hot day and the Overground was playing up, I only got as far as the station.
- The Victorian building and the new Hyatt Regency hotel looked good from the outside.
- There were also toilets inside the updated station.
- As the owners appear to have spent £1.3 billion and six years on the refurbishment, you’d have thought, they would have put in a bridge with lifts at the station of the venue.
- There is a step-free route, that avoids the bridge, but it is a 600 metre walk.
- An affordable cafe would be nice too!
But then all the celebs, influencers and Z-listers wouldn’t turn up in a train!
Is The UK Developing Sea-Drones To Protect Wind Farms?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this answer.
Yes, the UK is actively developing and utilizing sea-drones (and autonomous boats) for its offshore wind farms. This technology is being used to protect the farms by patrolling subsea infrastructure, inspecting underwater turbine foundations, and delivering heavy equipment to mitigate human risk.
Here is a look at how sea drones and autonomous systems are being developed and used for the UK’s offshore energy sector:
Subsea Security and Patrolling: The UK and NATO are highly focused on protecting critical subsea cables and wind networks from adversarial interference. Firms like Aberdeen-based Honuworx have been contracted to develop autonomous underwater vehicles capable of prolonged remote operation for defense and infrastructure surveillance.
Underwater Structure Inspection: Projects like the UNITE program (led by Heriot-Watt University and supported by the National Robotarium) are testing AI-controlled underwater robots to operate in turbulent seas and maintain offshore wind infrastructure. Meanwhile, Beam (an offshore wind services company) successfully deployed the world’s first AI-driven autonomous underwater drone at Scotland’s Seagreen wind farm, cutting inspection times in half.
Sailing Drones & Remote Operations: Energy companies like Vattenfall are controlling uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and sailing drones from remote operation centers in Aberdeen to patrol and keep North Sea wind farms safe and efficient.
Heavy-Lift Cargo Drones: Beyond sea drones, energy giant Ørsted has utilized giant autonomous drones to deliver heavy equipment—like 70kg boxes of safety gear—directly to the tops of offshore wind turbines in the UK, removing the need for ships and cranes in rough seas
We should fight fire with innovation.
The Undersea Tunnel Network That Could Transform Shetland’s Fortunes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Shetland wants to ditch ageing ferries and replace them with undersea tunnels connecting five islands including Unst, the most northerly of the British Isles.
These three paragraphs add some more detail.
The plans sound grand but they have also been greeted with some scepticism.
Can the Shetland Isles really pull off such an ambitious plan, given the UK’s struggles to deliver big projects such as high speed rail?
Yes, says the prime minister of the tiny Faroe Islands, which are 200 miles further out into the Atlantic.
The Faroe Islands Tunnel Network
I asked Google AI to describe the Faroe Island tunnel network and received this answer.
The Faroe Islands tunnel network is a massive feat of engineering connecting the 18-island archipelago.
It features over twenty land tunnels and four ultramodern subsea tunnels.
The system replaces unpredictable ferries, drastically reduces travel times, and even features the world’s first subsea roundabout.
The subsea tunnel network links major islands and regions:
Eysturoyartunnilin (Eysturoy Tunnel): A major project stretching over 11 km that connects the capital, Tórshavn, to the towns of Runavík and Strendur.
It is famous for the world’s first underwater roundabout—dubbed the “jellyfish”—which sits 72 meters below the seabed and is illuminated by stunning blue light effects and sculptures by local artist Tróndur Patursson. Travel times between Tórshavn and Runavík plummeted from over an hour to just 16 minutes.
Sandoyartunnilin (Sandoy Tunnel): Spanning roughly 11 km, this subsea tunnel connects the island of Sandoy to Streymoy.
It reaches depths up to 150 meters below sea level and integrates a relatively isolated community into the mainland, turning an hours-long ferry journey into a brief 30-minute commute.
Norðoyatunnilin (Northern Islands Tunnel): A 6.3 km subsea connection linking the island of Eysturoy with Borðoy (home to Klaksvík, the second-largest city in the Faroes).
Vágatunnilin (Vágar Tunnel): The first subsea tunnel constructed (opening in 2002), spanning 4.9 km and connecting the main island of Streymoy to Vágar, where the Faroe Islands’ international airport is located.
How the Network Works
Design & Specs: All four subsea tunnels are spacious, two-laned, single-tube designs.
The speed limit throughout the tunnels is fixed at 80 km/h.
Safety & Depth: The tunnels can reach depths of up to 187 meters below the Atlantic Ocean. Despite this, the maximum road gradient never exceeds 5%, ensuring safety for all vehicles.
Toll System: All subsea tunnels require a toll fee. Drivers can either pay per single trip or purchase a Tunnel Pass that covers driving through any subsea connection over a specific timeframe.
How Were The Faroe Tunnels Funded?
I asked Google AI to say how the Faroe Tunnels were funded and received this answer.
The Faroe Islands’ extensive subsea tunnel network is primarily funded through public-private financial partnerships utilizing international bank loans, pension fund investments, and government guarantees.
These multi-million-pound infrastructure projects pay for themselves entirely over time through user tolls.
The mechanics of this self-financing model operate as follows:
Public Companies & Bonds: The government establishes dedicated, publicly-owned companies (such as P/F Eystur- og Sandoyartunlar) that build, own, and manage the infrastructure. These companies take out large loans from international financial institutions—including UK and US pension funds—and issue bonds to private investors.
Toll Revenue Repayment: The loans and bonds are secured against future toll revenues, which are collected from motorists using the tunnels.
Government Guarantees: The Faroese government provides financial backing, essentially guaranteeing minimum traffic usage to reassure institutional investors.
Cross-Subsidization: To ensure all islands benefit, highly-trafficked tunnels (like the Eysturoy tunnel) subsidize the costs of less-trafficked tunnels (like the Sandoy tunnel).
Inside The Faroe Tunnels
This article on the BBC is entitled Faroe Islands: Inside The Undersea Tunnel Network.
It is worth a look.
They’re Only A Five-Pack Of Mens’sTrunks
With all this hot weather, I needed some more Marks and Spencer’s trunks to keep myself comfortable and cool.
I liked the overall packaging, so I took these pictures.
Note.
- Most of the packaging is a piece of carefully cut and folded cardboard.
- It was probably done with love by a robot.
- It’s almost folded into a pair of crocodile’s jaws, so the product is held safely.
- All five pairs were still in the packaging, when I brought them home.
But then as the product was made in Bangladesh, where crocodiles are native, I would expect them to get this type of packaging right.
In some ways the hook, is the most interesting part of the packaging, as it appears to have been stamped out of a sheet of quality laminated cardboard.
My father was a letterpress printer in the 1950s and one of the specialties of his business was stamping out components like these on one of his two Original Heidelberg printing machines.
Around the turn of the last century, I had a friend, who could design origami packaging like this. Quality and sustainable ideas like these will keep going around and around.
A Walk Between Barbican Station And Snow Hill – 18th May 2026
When I wrote What Housing Is Being Built At Cockfosters Station?, I rambled off about the building of the London Museum over the tracks underneath Smithfield.
So this morning, I went and took these pictures, whilst I walked between Barbican Station and Snow Hill.
Note.
Blackpool North Station Platform Layout
In this post, I will look at the current platform layout at Blackpool North station and see if it needs to be updated for High Speed Two.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the current platform layout at the station.
Note.
- The pink tracks are the Blackpool Tramway.
- The Tramway station has two terminating platforms and a crossover and together with the delta junction on the seafront, trams can go North or South.
- I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Tramway upgraded.
- The red tracks are the Blackpool Branch to Blackpool North station.
- Blackpool North station has six platforms and their lengths are 277, 277, 205, 203, 203 and 205 metres.
- The two longer platforms are on the South side of the station and can take an 11-car Pendolino or an HS2 200 m. Classic-Compatible train.
It appears to be a compact interchange between the trams and the trains.
I have some further thoughts.
Do Trains Spend The Night Parked In Blackpool North Station?
The Wikipedia entry for Blackpool North station says this about work done whilst the station was being electrified.
A major rebuild and upgrade of the nearby carriage servicing depot was carried out at the same time.
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this reply.
Yes, trains can and do spend the night parked in the sidings and platforms at Blackpool North station. While many trains return to depots for maintenance, some units are stabled overnight at the station to facilitate the first early morning services of the day, as the facility is a key terminus for Northern Trains.
Overnight Stabling: Trains often occupy the 6 platforms or nearby sidings to start service early in the morning.
Station Activity: While passenger facilities close around midnight, the site itself remains secure for overnight parking.
Blackpool North station appears to be almost an efficient cross between terminal station and depot.
Stabling a train at Blackpool North station could be the easy way for Avanti West Coast or HS2 to run an early train to London.
Could A Late Train From London Bring Up All The Stragglers And Take Back All The Early-Risers?
The only transport, I’ve ever scheduled in anger were container ships, but it seems the following could be possible.
- A late train runs from London Euston to Blackpool North, stopping at stations where it is thought necessary.
- The train gets an overnight service and a wash-and-brush-up in Blackpool North station, from staff in the local depot.
- An early train runs from Blackpool to London Euston, stopping at stations where it is thought necessary.
It would be efficient use of equipment and staff. It would also help those in Crewe, Warrington, Wigan, Preston and the Fylde, who wanted to spend a long day in London or the South.
Could Blackpool North Handle A 400 Metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Train To And From London?
Consider.
- Avanti West Coast’s London Euston and Blackpool North train calls at Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston.
- The Specification of the HS2 Classic-Compatible Train says that they should be able to split and join, with all the speed and competence of a sex act, at one of Epstein’s parties.
- Blackpool North has two platforms that are 277 metres long, which can both handle 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Trains.
- Preston station has a platform, that is one of the longest in England at 362 metres.
- Wigan North Western station has a platform that is 274 metres long.
- Warrington Bank Quay station has main line platforms that are 250-260 metres long.
- Crewe station has a platform that is 390 metres long.
- The provisional timetable for HS2 shows pairs of 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Trains, stopping at Preston and Crewe stations.
- When built, HS2 stations at London Euston, Old Oak Common and Birmingham Interchange will be able to handle pairs of 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Trains.
I am fairly sure that a 400 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Train could run between London Euston and Blackpool North stations
- The train could call at Old Oak Common, Birmingham Interchange, Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston stations.
- The frequency could be as passenger numbers needed.
- HS2 stations at London Euston, Old Oak Common and Birmingham Interchange will be able to handle pairs of 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Trains.
- Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston stations should be able to handle pairs of 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Trains by using selective door opening.
- Each 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Train, would use one of Platform 1 or 2 at Blackpool North station.
The two 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Trains would either split and join at Preston station or by some shunting in Blackpool North station.
Conclusion
I believe Blackpool North station could handle as least one pair of 200 metre HS2 Classic-Compatible Trains to and from London Euston every hour.
It might be able to handle two such trains in every hour.
The Anonymous Widower 