The Importance Of Libraries For Research
I went to a fund-raising event for Book Aid at the British Library on Monday evening.
The main purpose was to raise funds for the library in Mosul, which has been wrecked by IS.
The event made me think, about the number of times in the 1960s and 1970s, I used libraries for research.
- My undergraduate thesis was about analogue computing and I used information about how Lord Kelvin and his elder brother; James, were developing and using mechanical analogue computers in the late 1800s, that I had found in the Liverpool University library.
- A few years later, whilst working for ICI, I found that by properly searching Chemical Abstracts in their library, I could find the solution to difficult problems. Nowadays, you’d use the Internet!
- When I developed Artemis, I needed methods to improve the performance of the software. Some I developed myself, but one particular algoithm used for linking datasets together was found in a paper, written in the 1960s in IBM’s library. In those days, getting the maximum performance from not very powerful computers was more difficult and the algorithm was important.
- These days, with everything on the Internet I use libraries less. Although, I regularly visit Hackney’s Records Office near to where I live, to browse old images, reference books and maps.
Do we all underestimate the part books, play in our lives?
A Brief Glimpse Of The Class 799 Train On BBC Breakfast
The Class 799 train is being launched today and BBC Breakfast were there with cameras.
These are my thoughts.
A Test Train
Helen Simpson from Porterbrook, said it was very much a test train.
Seats appear to be in some of the cars.
It looks like Birmingham University have sensibly put the hydrogen drive system in one or both of the two central cars, which in the original Class 319 train were given the designations PMSO and MSOL
The Hydrogen Tanks And Fuel Cell
The hydrogen tanks didn’t appear to be unduly large, which suggests, the the train is not going for a very long rang. But it is only a test train.
The fuel cell was clearly marked from Ballard and was just a large anonymous box. I would think, that it was probably upwards of 100 kW.
It should be noted that the Class 319 train was originally a 1,000 kW train, with a top speed of 100 mph and good acceleration.
I’ll be interested to see what size these components are, when they are published.
The Battery System
The battery did appear to be large, but then these are probably not batteries designed to fit the train, but what is available.
As with the hydrogen tanks and fuel cell, sizes would appear to have been chosen large enough to make sure that the train is not significantly less powerful, than current Class 319 trains.
Does Boris Need To Be Prime Minister For The Flat And The Money?
According to Camilla long in The Sunday Times, Boris is living n a flat in Camberwell and outside is his 1995 Toyota people carrier, sdorned with a few parking tickets.
It sounds to me, like the lifestyle of a loser, not that of someone, who aspires to lead the country.
Jeremy Hunt is shown on the Internet driving a clean Volkswagen estate, that appears to be a few years old.
So is Boris short of money, as he strives to win the most important election of his life?
There is also the small matter of his divorce from the barrister; Marina Wheeler.
Even if she is not a divorce specialist, then one of her friends will be an expert is making sure the wayward Boris is strewed, glued and tattooed.
Conclusion
Winning the election and the free flat and increased salary would do Boris just fine.
Free Device Charging On The Overground
This picture, that I took at Shoreditch High Street station, says it all.
There were a selection of leads for all the different devices.
A Plaintiff Plea On Wake Up To Money
I regularly listen to Wake Up to Money on BBC Radio 5 Live.
One morning, they were talking to Kentucky Fried Chicken about their new vegan burgers. As a coeliac, I say Yuck! to that!
Somebody else texted the program and said something like.
I’m a coeliac, how about more gluten-free food.
In fact it was a bad week for me as a coeliac last week.
- I found Beyond Bread had closed on Upper Street.
- Le Petite Bretagne closed in Dalston.
- I spent about twenty minutes looking for a coffee and a gluten-free cake in Liverpool Street.
All this passion for vegan and vegetarian food, is marginalising those like me, who have to avoid gluten.
I’ve still got a couple of cafes in Dalston, where this is possible and I could always go to M & S and take a cake home.
But I refuse to buy an expensive coffee maker.
After Liverpool Street, I ended up in Leon in Moorgate.
Note the excellent gluten-free cake and the posh cup and saucer.
Note, that because of my stroke, I like a proper china cup or mug
I tend to avoid American-owned chains like Costa and Starbucks, as some American gluten-free practices are suspect to say the least. I used to like Cadbury’s Bournville chocolate, but now I believe it uses addictive wheat-derived glucose, I wouldn’t dare touch it.
As I said finding good cafes and restaurants that do gluten free well is becoming more difficult.
- Carluccio’s is creaking and many that I used regularly like Glasgow, Islington, Liverpool and Westfield have closed.
- Pattiserie Valerie is struggling and has closed a lot of outlets.
- Jamie’s Italian has gone bust.
- If I go a bit upmarket, there is Bill’s and Cote, but they are not ideal for a fast pit-stop.
As last week, I suspect that most coeliacs hope that Leon or others following their relaxed, quirky and customer and diet-friendly model, prosper.
Freedoming
These days many pensioners like me, get free public transport in their local area.
Londoners like me, get a Freedom Pass, which gives free buses, Underground, Overground, trams and trains, within the M25.
I will often get up, look at the BBC London News, the weather and other sources. I may then decide to go to Canary Wharf, Richmond ir wherever to have a walk, see an exhibition or whatever.
London is an amazing cornucopia of delights, which is a sentiment echoed by others who live close to our other great cities.
Free public transport enables this lifestyle.
I think the various cafe and restaurant chains can tap into this lifestyle, as often one of the reason to go to a place is to have a good meal or a drinki.
If like me, you like particular chains, I believe that their web sites could be an important part in planning how to waste a few hours.
Suppose, their web site had the following features.
- A simple list of all their cafes and restaurant, with st most a short description like “Close to Pierhead”
- The ability to sign up to a simple e-mail alert of new openings and closures. Note the word simple!
I believe that if I got a message saying a chain had opened in say Kingston, it might prompt me to go and have a walk and perhaps lunch, with a friend I haven’t seen for years.
Note.
- Lists are much better than maps, if you don’t know the area.
- Companies are relying too much on apps, which are OK for finding places near where you are, but are useless, if you are using the cafe or restaurant, as the resewn to go or the starting point for an explore.
- I believe Carluccio’s troubles started, when they abandoned their list on their web site. I told them so in strong terms.
Patteriserie Valerie has an excellent list.
Mathematics Of A Stadler Flirt Akku Battery Train
In Stadler Receives First Flirt Akku Battery Train Order, I quoted this from as that of this article in Railway Gazette International.
Schleswig-Holstein transport authority NAH.SH has selected Stadler to supply 55 Flirt Akku battery multiple-units to operate regional services and provide 30 years of maintenance.
This is a substantial order for a large number of trains and many years of maintenance, and would appear to be structured similarly to deals in East Anglia, Glasgow and Liverpool in the UK.
Does The Train Have A Central Power-Pack Car?
Is the Flirt Akku, similar to Greater Anglia’s Class 755 trains and other of the companies products, in that it has a central power-pack car?
This picture shows a Class 755 train at Norwich.
Note that this four-car train has four full-size cars and a shorter one, that doesn’t appear to have any doors or proper windows.
This is the power-pack car, which in these trains has the following properties.
- The power-pack car is 6.69 metres long.
- The power-pack car is identical in both the four-car and three-car versions of the Class 755 trains.
- The four-car trains have four diesel engines.
- The three-car trains have two diesel engines.
The number of engines possible, leads me to believe there are four slots for engines in the power-pack car.
Transport for Wales have ordered a number of Flirts, which are similar to those in use by Greater Anglia, but they are tri-mode trains, that can run on overhead 25 KVAC electrification, diesel or battery power.
I speculate that they have one diesel engine and three batteries in the four slots.
This is a picture of the Flirt Akku.
I have enlarged the image and it would appear that the trains do not have a central power-pack car, but they do seem to have a lot of electrical gubbins on the roof.
This video shows the Class 755 train being tested at Diss.
It looks to have a much smoother roof line.
Could this indicate that the batteries on the Akku are placed on the roof of the train, as there is certainly a lot of equipment up there?
I Have Just Setup My July Tax Payment
I received my Self Assessment Statement yesterday and have just setup the payment on-line.
My father didn’t do any Government printing, as he said, that they always wanted very small type and at fifty, his eyes weren’t up to it.
I find in checking the account to pay the money, that the form is still confusing and I need to get my magnifying glass out.
- There would also appear nowhere to print a large format version of the instructions.
- Or details in another language for that matter!
- There is a help web-address at the bottom. In very small type. It should be in an easy-read twelve point type.
HMRC can do better!
But they don’t care, as if you put in the wrong amount, it’s your fault not theirs.
Major Upgrade Planned For Norwood Junction Railway Station
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on IanVisits.
Ian introduces his article like this.
A somewhat shabby, and yet quite busy station in South London could get a major makeover if plans by Network Rail are approved.
The proposals are part of the wider plan to clean up the mess of tracks around Croydon to boost the capacity of the lines through the area, but it is also a stand-alone project.
Ian also has this visualisation of the upgraded Norwood Junction station.
Note.
- London Bridge station is to the left with East Croydon station to the right.
- The Main station entrance is on the near side, with the Clifford Road station entrance on the far side.
- Platform 1 & 2 is the highlighted island platform on the near side.
- Platform 3 & 4 is the highlighted island platform on the far side.
It looks expensive with two step-free bridges.
Both bridges have four sets of steps to.
- The Main Station Entrance.
- The Northbound Platform 1 & 2,
- The Southbound Platform 3 & 4
- The Clifford Road Entrance.
In addition, the Southern bridge has four lifts to the two entrances and two platforms.
These pictures show the current state of the station.
Currently, the station has three island platforms.
- They are connected by a well-lit, step-only subway.
- Some platforms are too short for twelve-car trains.
- The wooden buidings need a quality makeover. Where is Terry Stollery, when you need him?
- In the new layout, the central island platform will be removed, to allow a pair of fast lines through the station.
- One advantage of the subway is during the station upgrade, it can still be used to access the middle platforms, thus easing construction and causing less disruption for passengers.
After the upgrade, the layout will be as follows.
- Platforms 1 & 2, which are currently Platforms 2 & 3, would be for Northbound trains, with perhaps Platform 1 for stopping and Overground services and Platform 2 for limited-stop and Thameslink services.
- Platforms 3 & 4, which are currently Platforms 5 & 6, would be for Southbound trains, with perhaps Platform 3 for stopping and Overground services and Platform 4 for limited-stop and Thameslink services.
The subway will probably be closed.
Improved Train Services
For people like me, who live on the Overground, North of Norwood Junction station, hopefully it will solve the problem of getting to Gatwick Airport.
- It’ll just be a walk across the platform at Norwood Junction station, instead of a tram between West Croydon and East Croydon stations.
- In the future, would the cross-platform interchange help travellers between Crossrail and Gatwick and the South Coast?
- The Zeus of the Timetables could even make it better, by increasing the frequency of Thameslink trains between Norwood Junction and Gatwick Airport stations to match the four trains per hour (tph) between Dalston Junction and West Croydon stations.
Note that the day, I took the pictures Bedford and Highbury & Islington trains were in the current Platforms 2 & 3.
Up here in sometimes-forgotten Dalston, I’ll certainly give this new layout at Norwood Junction station, a high score, if the trains are changed to use it to advantage.
Norwood Junction Will Become A Major Interchange!
The walk-across interchange between Northbound services on platforms 1 & 2 and Southbound services on platforms 3 & 4, will mean that the station, will become the station where travellers will prefer change trains.
Suppose you were travelling from Luton to Epsom.
The Journey Planner on http://www.national.co.uk, suggests a double change at Farringdon and Carshalton, with a journey time of 1 hour and 51 minutes.
The upgraded Norwood Junction station, would allow the journey to be done in two legs.
- Luton and Norwood Junction – one hour and three minutes.
- Norwood Junction and Epsom – 29 minutes.
It could be quicker and it is a cross-platform change, where hopefully, there will be a climate-controlled waiting room and a coffee stall.
Current frequencies going North are as follows.
- Anerley – Six tph
- Balham – Two tph
- Battersea Park – Two tph
- Bedford – Two tph
- Brockley – Six tph
- City Thameslink – Two tph
- Clapham Junction – Two tph
- Crystal Palace – Two tph
- Dalston Junction – Four tph
- Farringdon – Two tph
- Flitwick – Two tph
- Forest Hill – six tph
- Gypsy Hill – Two tph
- Haggerston – Four tph
- Harlington – Two tph
- Harpenden – Two tph
- Highbury & Islington – Four tph
- Honor Oak Park – Six tph
- Leagrave – Two tph
- Hoxton – Four tph
- London Blackfriars – Two tph
- London Bridge (Non-stop) – Two tph
- London Bridge (Stopping) – Three tph
- London St. Pancras – Two tph
- London Victoria – Two tph
- Luton – Two tph
- Luton Airport Parkway – Two tph
- New Cross Gate – Six tph
- Penge West – Six tph
- Rotherhithe – Four tph
- Shadwell – Four tph
- Shoreditch High Street – Four tph
- St. Albans City – Two tph
- Streatham Hill – Two tph
- Surrey Quays – Four tph
- Sydenham – Six tph
- Wandsworth Common – Two tph
- Wapping – Four tph
- West Norwood – Two tph
- Whitechapel – Four tph
Current frequencies going South are as follows.
- Carshalton Beeches – Two tph
- Cheam – Two tph
- Coulsdon Town – Two tph
- Earlswood – Two tph
- East Croydon – Six tph
- Epsom – Two tph
- Ewell East – Two tph
- Gatwick Airport – Two tph
- Horley – Two tph
- Purley – Four tph
- Purley Oaks – Two tph
- Redhill – Two tph
- Reedham – Two tph
- Salfords – Two tph
- South Croydon – Two tph
- Sutton – Two tph
- Waddon – Two tph
- Wallington – Two tph
- West Croydon – Eight tph
In addition these services pass through.
- Bedford and Brighton – Two tph
- Cambridge and Brighton – Two tph
- London Brifge and Caterham & Tattenham Corner – Two tph
- London Bridge and Uckfield – Two tph
- Peterborough and Horsham – Two tph
It is a very comprehensive list of services and possible destinations.
I believe that if a few more trains stopped at Norwood Junction station, there could be at least two tph to every station connected to Norwood Junction station, with these higher frequencies to the more important stations.
- Bedford – Four tph
- Brighton – Four tph
- Canada Water – Four tph
- City Thameslink – Eight tph
- Clapham Junction – Four tph
- Crystal Palace – Four tph
- Dalston Junction – Four tph
- East Croydon – Eight tph
- Epsom – Four tph
- Farringdon – Eight tph
- Finsbury Park – Four tph
- Gatwick Airport – Four tph
- Highbury & Islington – Four tph
- London Blackfriars – Eight tph
- London Bridge (Non-stop) – Four tph
- London Bridge (Stopping) – Four tph
- London St. Pancras – Eight tph
- London Victoria – Four tph
- Luton – Four tph
- Luton Airport Parkway – Four tph
- St. Albans City – Four tph
- Stevenage – Four tph
- Sutton – Four tph
- Welwyn Garden City – Four tph
- West Croydon – Eight tph
- West Hampstead Thameslink – Four tph
- Whitechapel – Four tph
These frequencies could be attained, by stopping a few extra services at Norwood Junction station.
It is certainly comprehensive and getting to most important areas of Central London is direct or a single change.
- The step-free changes to Crossrail at Farringdon and Whitechapel will allow simple access to Canary Wharf, the City,, Heathrow, Paddington, the West End and all the towns and cities on the branches.
- The Bakerloo Line Extension will connect at New Cross Gate.
- The Central Line doesn’t connect
- The Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines connect at Farringdon, Kings Cross St. Pancras, London Blackfriars and Whitechapel.
- The Jubilee Line connects at Canada Water, London Bridge and West Hampstead Thameslink.
- The Northern Line connects at Kentish Town, Kings Cross St. Pancras and London Bridge
- The Piccadilly Line connects at Finsbury Park and Kings Cross St Pancras.
- The Victoria Line connects at Finsbury Park, Highbury & Islington and Kings Cross St. Pancras.
But there are some important places that are not well-connected or have difficult interchanges to Norwood Junction station.
- Euston station, High Speed Two and the West Coast Main Line.
- Cannon Street, Charing Cross and Waterloo mean a complicated interchange at London Bridge.
- The connections to Great Northern services, the North London Line and the Victoria Line at Highbury & Islington need serious improvement.
- South East London needs going to London Bridge and coming out again!
Radical thinking and serious improvement is needed.
Milton Keynes Central and East Croydon
This is a useful service for some..
It calls at Bletchley, Leighton Buzzard, Tring, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, Watford Junction, Harrow & Wealdstone, Wembley Central, Shepherd’s Bush, Kensington (Olympia), West Brompton, Imperial Wharf, Clapham Junction, Balham, Streatham Common, Norbury, Thornton Heath, Selhurst.
But, it has problems.
- It has a high level of cancellation.
- It has a totally inadequate hourly frequency.
- It has no connection to the North London Line at Willesden Junction.
- It blocks a platform at East Croydon, when it turns round.
In his report on Southern, Chris Gibb recommended that the service be the responsibility of the London Overground. I wrote about this in Gibb Report – East Croydon – Milton Keynes Route Should Be Transferred To London Overground.
To connect High Speed Two at Old Oak Common, there needs to be a four tph service between Croydon and Old Oak Common.
Transport for London are proposing a new Hythe Road station on the West London Line..
- It will be a seven hundred metre walk to the High Speed Two station. That is too long!
- There will be a bay platform to turn trains from Clapham Junction.
- Trains still won’t be able to call at Willesden Junction for the North London Line.
I think that building Hythe Road station is a bad idea.
This map shows the lines in the area.
Surely, the West London Line should have been re-routed over the Eastern end of Old Oak Common station at right angles, which would have the following benefits.
- Quick and easy interchange with High Speed Two, the Great Western Main Line and Crossrail.
- The ability to add bay platforms to terminate services.
- Sharing of station services with the other stations.
Perhaps, though this practical passenger and operator-friendly idea would have ruined the architect’s vision.
Or is it, that the current track layout to connect to the West Coast Main Line only allows crap solutions.
Surely, the amount of money being spent on High Speed Two allows the best to be done everywhere.
London Overground principles say that services must be at least four tph.
The simplest way to do this would be to extend the current Stratford and Clapham Junction service via Willesden Junction to Croydon.
- It would call at Balham, Streatham Common, Norbury, Thornton Heath, Selhurst, if it followed the current route.
- I doubt that East Croydon station could handle four tph terminating at the station.
But why not use the route taken by London Victoria and West Croydon services via Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streatham Hill, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill, Crystal Palace, and Norwood Junction, to terminate at West Croydon?
- This route calls at Norwood Junction, with all its connectivity.
- If needed, there is space for a new platform at West Croydon.
I’ve no idea, what will happen, but the upgrade at Norwood Junction station should help.
Suppose you were going between Gatwick and High Speed Two.
- The standard route will be Thameslink and Crossrail with a change at Farringdon.
- A surface route with a change at Norwood Junction could be an alternative.
The second may be more pleasurable.
Upgrading The Station
In Winner Announced In The Network Rail Footbridge Design Ideas Competition, I wrote how the competition was won by this bridge.
So could two factory-built bridges like this be installed at Norwood Junction station?
- The design is adaptable to multiple spans over the tracks.
- Lifts could be left out for one bridge.
- Once the site is prepared, I believe the bridges can be quickly installed, probably from a train with a crane.
- The bridge is probably more affordable, than a traditional design.
During the installation period, the existing subway can be used for platform access.
Conclusion
Obviously, I am speculating that the new footbridge system will be used at Norwood Junction station.
But the new platform and track layout at the station, will certainly improve services on these routes.
- Between East Croydon and London Bridge stations.
- Between East Croydon and the London Overground and Crossrail.
- Between the Overground and Gatwick Airport station and the South Coast.
All of the interchanges will be step-free and some will be cross-plsatform.
Are
Engie Partners Innovate UK For £4 Million Energy Transition Competition
The title of this post is the same as this article on Current News.
- This is an interesting link-up between the UK Government Agency; Innovate UK and the French energy giant; Engie.
- Wikipedia defines energy transition as a long-term structural change in energy systems.
- It is the first time Innovate UK has secured overseas private funding.
- It aims to fund the very best of \british innovation in clean growth innovation.
- Grants of between £100,000 and £1.2 million will be awarded.
- There appears to be no mention of Brexit!
It looks to me, like a very strong endorsement of British innovation and the British energy industry by the French.
I also think, that if there is one industry where the British and the French should be linked, it is energy.
The UK has the following energy sources and resources.
- Offshore and onshore oil and gas.
- Redundant gas fields for carbon capture and storage.
- Offshore and onshore wind.
- Large areas of sea for offshore wind.
- We have 8,183 MW of installed offshore wind capacity, which is the largest in the world.
- The possibilities of tidal and wave power from a long Western coast.
- Vast experience in building off-shore structures in some of the worst weather on the planet.
- Interconnectors to Norway and Iceland to import their surplus geothermal and hydroelectric energy.
Could we become a renewable-energy powerhouse?
The French have the following.
- Nuclear power, some of which will need replacing.
- Only 500 MW of offshore wind.
- More solar power than we have.
- Easy connection to North Africa for solar power.
But in some ways, most important is the several interconnectors between the UK and France, with more planned.
Conclusion
Between the UK and France, with help from Ireland, Spain and Portugal, can develop a massive Western European renewable energy powerhouse, backed by the following, non-renewable or external sources.
- French nuclear power.
- North African solar.
- Icelandic geothermal power
- Icelandic hydro-electric power
- Norwegian hydro-electric power
It should be noted that in a few years, the UK will have joined Iceland, Norway and North Africa outside of the European Union.
I believe that Sovereign Wealth Funds, Hedge Funds, Pension Funds, Insurance Companies and other individuals, groups and organisations will increasingly see renewable energy as good places for long-term investment of their funds.
The two big problems are as follows.
- What happens when all these renewable energy sources are producing more energy than we can use?
- What happens when there is an energy deficit?
Energy storage is the solution, but the amount needed is massive.
In Airport Plans World’s Biggest Car Parks For 50,000 Cars, I looked at the mathematics in using car parks for electric cars for energy storage.
These are a few figures.
- Electric Mountain is the UK’s largest electricity storage scheme with a capacity of 9.1 GWh.
- The largest battery in the world is the Bath County Pumped Storage Station with a capacity of 24 GWh, which works on similar principles to Electric Mountain.
- Building another Electric Mountain would cost £1350 million, if we could find somewhere to put it.
But supposing half the 35.5 million cars and light goods vehicles in the UK were replaced by new electric vehicles containing a battery of around 20 kWh, that would be a total storage of 355 GWh or nearly forty Electric Mountains.
Conclusion
Harnessing all of these batteries will be an enormous challenge, but it will be ideas like this, that will enable the world to go carbon neutral by 2050.
But I don’t think we’ll ever see Trump or Xi Jinping in an electric limousine..
The Anonymous Widower 