Vallourec’s Delphy Hydrogen Storage Solution
Hydrogen can be a nuisance to store.
I have just found a YouTube video of a system called Delphy from French company Vallourec.
Delphy seems a neat solution, where hydrogen is stored vertically in a 100 metre hole, that can hold a 100 tonnes of hydrogen.
You can watch this video.
I think this would be an ideal hydrogen storage solution for a bus or coach company or a truck operator.
Wrightbus StreetDeck Ultroliner Next-Gen To Get Cummins Power
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Route One.
These three paragraphs give more details.
Wrightbus will utilise Cummins power in its StreetDeck Ultroliner diesel double-decker for the first time in a next-generation variant of that model.
Those vehicles will be powered by the six-cylinder B6.7 engine rated at 250bhp or 300bhp, driving through the Voith DIWA.8 seven-speed automatic gearbox. Such an approach will further reduce emissions, and the new model will be Ultra-Low Emission Bus accredited by Zemo Partnership, the manufacturer says.
The existing StreetDeck Ultroliner, which is powered by the Daimler OM 934 four-cylinder engine, will continue to be available. The first Cummins-powered examples are to be supplied to Isle of Man operator Bus Vannin.
As a hydrogen version of the the Cummins six-cylinder B6.7 engine is available, at some point in the future, these buses will be convertible to zero-emission hydrogen power.
Wrightbus have already set up a division called New Power to do the conversion of existing buses, as I reported in Wrightbus Launches NewPower In Bicester.
London’s New Tram-Like Buses Come Into Service
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
I went to Orpington station and all I saw was several small diesel single-decker buses running around in the awful cold.
So I retreated on a warm train after a couple of hours.
One driver said that the reams were running and she looked genuinely disappointed, that they hadn’t turned up.
But from my knowledge of electric vehicles, although not Irizar ie Trams, I do wonder if the single-figure temperatures in Orpington had drained the batteries.
But I can’t imagine a company like Irizar making a mistake like that.
Although one of the station men said that Orpington can get to be a very cold station. Now that is something I’ll agree with!
In the other hand the 358 route takes an hour from end to end, so in my opinion, it might have been better to use hydrogen-powered buses.
Taking A Bus In London? It Might Be Quicker To Walk
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article from The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
The mayor has been urged to review cycle lane and low-traffic policies after a watchdog revealed that average bus speeds had fallen as low as 6.6mph
After my weekend experiences that I wrote about in Struggling To Get Home From Moorgate Station, I would wholeheartedly agree.
But it’s all Londoners’ fault, as they had the chance to vote him out in May, but no party put up a creditable candidate.
So we’re stuck with SadIQ for another four years.
Wrightbus Signs Deal For Largest Ever Order
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus has signed a deal to supply more than 1,000 buses to operator Go-Ahead over the next three years.
These are the first three paragraphs.
The company said it is the largest deal in its 78-year history and will be worth up to half a billion pounds.
Go-Ahead is an international transport group and one of the UK’s largest public service providers.
Wrightbus has had a strong 2024 with 786 buses registered so far this year and it now employs more than 2,000 people.
It finally looks like Wrightbus is securely on the road again.
Orpington Station And The 358 Bus
This morning, I went to Orpington station, to look at the preparations for the 358 bus and took these pictures.
Note.
- Orpington station is a eight -platform station with full step-free access.
- There are three bay platforms.
- The platforms are long.
- There was no sign of the new Irizar ie Trams, that will be used on the 358 route.
- The charger had been installed.
Transport for London have said the new vehicles will be running in Summer 2024.
But then TfL’s promises, must be taken with a large pinch of salt.
How I Was Imprisoned In A Pizza Restaurant And Driven Home By The Metropolitan Police
At lunchtime today, I received a phone call, saying that my GP’s surgery could see me at 16:30 this afternoon, to discuss my lack of sleep, arthritis and various strains and pains.
My middle son; Henry had expressed a desire to be at such an appointment, so I said, that if he could chauffeur me to the GP, he could come along.
His diary co-operated and he duly arrived outside my house at 16:00.By the time of the GP’s appointment, we had parked conveniently outside the surgery and we had been ushered into the GP’s consulting room.
We had a good meeting and by just after five, we had broken up and agreed a comprehensive plan for the diagnosis of my problems.
Henry had three problems of his own.
- He had legal work to do for the morning.
- He needed to do some bits of shopping.
- He also said, that he was feeling rather hungry.
- I too was hungry and needed to do some shopping.
So I suggested we drive to Southgate Road and see if we could get a pizza in Sweet Thursday.
- They do gluten-free pizzas, so I would have no dietary worries.
- In previous meals, I have found the quality excellent.
- There are shops nearby, where we could shop, if we needed.
As I approached the restaurant, I decided we had made the right decision, as there was a parking space about twenty metres from the restaurant.
We both had similar meals.
- Ham and mushroom pizzas, although mine was gluten-free.
- I drunk a zero-alcohol Lucky Saint, whilst Henry had a Diet-Coke.
- We both finished off, with two scoops of appropriate ice cream.
It was only, when we had paid and tried to leave that we got a very big surprise.
Parked in front of the restaurant with its disabled ramp extended, like some beached airliner was a 141 bus, that was empty of passengers.
- There was broken glass at the front of the bus.
- Was this evidence, that the bus had hit something or somebody?
- The police had strung white tape everywhere.
- There were half-a-dozen police cars and ambulances blocking Southgate Road.
Henry’s car wouldn’t be going anywhere for some time, as it was blocked in by two ambulances and a police car with flashing blue lights.
- So, Henry and I each had a coffee, to pass the time.
- We also made friends with others trapped in the restaurant.
- Henry also obtained information from the police, that no-one would be moving, until it was known that no-one would be moving until the full state of the injuries of the person hit by the bus was known.
So Henry and I just sat there with several others on the hard chairs in front of the restaurant.
In the end, for me, it was over very quickly.
- I live about a kilometre North of the incident.
- Some were walking from the incident to the Balls Pond Road to get a bus.
- I am fairly sure, Henry had told the police, that it was far too far for me to walk with my arthritic hip.
I was put in the back of a police car and ferried home, at about 21:45.
Thanks to the Metropolitan Police.
I have some further thoughts.
Do I Drink Enough?
Since lunchtime, I have drunk the following.
- 4 x 330 ml – Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5 % Beer
- 1 x 330 ml – Lucky Saint 0.5 % Beer
- 300 ml – Assorted water and juices.
- 1 cup – coffee.
Is that enough?
I certainly slept better last night!
Debenhams Oxford – May 27th, 2024
These pictures show the current state of the Debenhams store in Oxford.
This will be the first development of those, that I talked about in Crown Estate To Spend £1.5bn On New Laboratories.
- I have deliberately shown pictures of the Junction, where the Debenhams building occupies the North-West corner.
- There is a Waterstones opposite the Debenhams building, on a busy junction between George and Magdalen Streets.
- There is a bus information display on the corner.
- There are a lot of chain eateries and a pub; the Wig & Pen.
These are a few thoughts.
Does the Debenhams Building Have Any Car Parking?
I would doubt it, but there may be a need to bring in large equipment.
Taxis To And From The Station
Note.
- I took a black taxi from the station to just outside the Debenhams building and it cost me the princely sum of £5,20.
- I also noted there was a rank at the rear of the building.
- In both locations, taxis were ready to roll.
That looked reasonable.
Buses To And From The Station
Staff at Oxford station, assured me that buses were available, but due to all the road works and Bank Holiday chaos, I suspect it could be improved, when the station upgrade is complete.
Walking To The Station
I took this second set of pictures as I walked from the Debenhams building back to the station.
Note.
- I walked from the junction by Debenhams, along George Street.
- It was a fairly straight line and level.
- There were no signposts between Debenhams and the station.
- There was quite a bit of blocked traffic.
- The route could do with some improvement like refurbished pavements and a few direction signs.
It took me about twenty-four minutes and at 76, I walked it easily.
On entering the station, I walked straight on to the platform for my train back to Reading, which was two minutes late.
Cycling
I suspect that many will cycle to work in the Debenhams building, as it is in Oxford.
But then, I suspect the Crown Estate, their architects and builders will know the appropriate provision to make.
Is The Debenhams Building At A Good Location?
When I was around 23, I used to reverse commute to ICI in Welwyn Garden City.
This involved.
- A ten-minute walk from St. John’s Wood to Chalk Farm tube station.
- A Northern Line train to King’s Cross station.
- A suburban train to Welwyn Garden City station.
- A fifteen-minute walk to my place of work.
St. John’s Wood to Oxford would involve.
- A fourteen-minute bus ride to St. Paddington station.
- A suburban train to Oxford station.
- A twenty-minute walk to my place of work.
A Brompton bicycle would help.
Knowing Cambridge as I do, the Debenhams building would be very well-located, if it were in Cambridge in a similar location, with respect to the railway station.
I feel that the Debenhams building passes the location test.
Korean Hydrogen Bus Adoption Emerging To Block Low-Priced Electric Buses From China
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on BusinessKorea.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Major Korean business groups such as Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, and POSCO are expanding the introduction of hydrogen buses. They are more efficient than electric buses, and can run 635 kilometers on a single charge, making them suitable for long-distance commuting. Expanding hydrogen mobility, including buses, is considered the first step in building an entire hydrogen ecosystem.
SK Group is one of the most active companies in expanding hydrogen buses. According to SK Group on May 26, SK siltron has decided to replace its commuter buses for employees of its Gumi plant in North Gyeongsang Province with hydrogen buses. Additional deployments are under consideration after a pilot run in the first half of the year. In early May, SK hynix introduced three of the Universe model, Hyundai’s hydrogen bus for commuting. SK E&S recently completed the world’s largest liquefied hydrogen plant in Incheon and plans to soon expand its hydrogen refueling stations nationwide to 20.
The Korean bus seem to have developed a strategy to protect themselves from the Chinese.
I have a few thoughts.
Korea And HiiROC
Hyundai and Kia have joined Centrica in taking stakes in Hull-based startup HiiROC, which I wrote about in Meet HiiROC, The Startup Making Low-Cost Hydrogen Free From Emissions.
London’s Future Bus Fleet
There are rumours on the Internet that Sadiq Khan, will replace all London’s buses with new Chinese buses.
How will I get around, as I don’t ride in anything that was made in China?
Conclusion
We live in interesting times.
Superloop -February 2024
This article on the Londonist, shows the latest status of the Superloop on this TfL map.
Note.
- The recently opened; SL3 has a lot of stops including Abbey Wood on the Elizabeth Line.
- SL4 will go through the Silvertown Tunnel.
- Since it opened, I’ve never needed to use a Superloop route going about my daily business.
I have this feeling, that a couple of years after it fully opens, there will be a few modifications to the route.
The Anonymous Widower 