Three Towns Forum

Members' Lounge => Science and Technology => Topic started by: Yorkie on September 27, 2010, 01:44:00 pm

Title: Transport
Post by: Yorkie on September 27, 2010, 01:44:00 pm
The multi-millionaire owner of the Segway company died in a freak accident yesterday when he rode one of the high-tech two-wheel machines off a cliff and into a river.

Former miner Jimi Heselden, 62, plunged into the River Wharfe while riding around his West Yorkshire estate in Boston Spa on a rugged country version of the Segway.

He bought the firm last December and was using one of the machines - which use gyroscopes to remain upright and are controlled by the direction in which the rider leans - to inspect the grounds of his property.

Title: Re: Who says two wheels are better than four?
Post by: Merddin Emrys on September 27, 2010, 06:20:45 pm
I would love to have a go on one of them 8)
Title: Re: Who says two wheels are better than four?
Post by: Yorkie on September 27, 2010, 06:31:23 pm
They are fabulous but due to the uncertain situation re the Road Traffic Act etc they can only be used on private land at present.   >>>

In some parts of the World they are used by Police and Local Authorities for various purposes.   *&(
Title: Re: Who says two wheels are better than four?
Post by: Merddin Emrys on September 27, 2010, 06:48:19 pm
ideal for going along the prom :D   (is that allowed?)
Title: Re: Who says two wheels are better than four?
Post by: Yorkie on September 27, 2010, 07:12:05 pm
Well it isn't a cycle so unless Mostyn ban them or the Council bring out some new by-laws it should be OK.  I have toyed with buying one but resisted so far.  In Albufeira (Portugal) you can hire them complete with crash hat for a few Euros.  Great fun!   :D
Title: Re: Who says two wheels are better than four?
Post by: TheMedz on September 27, 2010, 07:30:06 pm
As Yorkie said they are used by the police patrolling the city centre in Lisbon. Possibly a publicity stunt to show off the green credentials of the Portuguese government. As some of the City centre streets are quite steep  I just hope any criminals were running away downhill.
Title: Transport
Post by: Ian on October 15, 2010, 03:43:47 pm
The inexplicable blandness of airline food has been pondered at 30,000 feet by generations of travellers. Now an explanation has been offered in the form of research showing that people lose their sense of taste when listening to the sort of "white noise" heard inside an aircraft's cabin.

White noise consists of random collections of sounds at different frequencies – such as the muffled noise of aircraft engines – and scientists have demonstrated that it is capable of diminishing the taste of salt and sugar.

The findings could explain a phenomenon well known to airline companies: passengers tend to lose their sense of taste when they are in the air. For this reason, airline meals are often "improved" with extra salt, sugar and other flavourings.
Title: Re: Who says two wheels are better than four?
Post by: Trojan on October 27, 2010, 03:47:17 am
They are fabulous but due to the uncertain situation re the Road Traffic Act etc they can only be used on private land at present.   >>>

In some parts of the World they are used by Police and Local Authorities for various purposes.   *&(

Many Police forces in the States now use the T3 Motion similar to these. They are a lot safer than the Sedgeway and have a top speed of 25mph. They have two rechargeable batteries, which you can see in the bottom photo to the front of the standing platform. The batteries slide out using the handles on their front, which makes for a quick replacement of fully charged batteries. 
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Ian on October 27, 2010, 08:05:28 am
Clive Sinclair was simply ahead of his time, it seems.
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: DaveR on October 27, 2010, 08:21:25 am
Not so much fun when its raining though!  (*)
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Ian on January 10, 2011, 08:15:50 am
At the other end of the innovation scale...

Ford Model T - 100 Years Later (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4KrIMZpwCY#)
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: brumbob on February 07, 2011, 10:14:19 am
Nothing much changes in a car factory, it's still like that  :(
except for 'elf & safety' making you wear steel toecaps  ::)
Title: Re: Who says two wheels are better than four?
Post by: Merddin Emrys on September 20, 2011, 06:07:35 pm
I would love to have a go on one of them 8)

Well, last Sunday we were at the small classic car show at Tweedmill and you could have a go on a Segway! I soon got the hang of it and it was a great experience  D)

 (http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i331/penrhynpigeons/P9180007.jpg)
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: DaveR on September 20, 2011, 07:08:51 pm
Looks like a lot of fun. I was saying earlier that an all-terrain type course somewhere in the Conwy Valley for Segways (hire of machine included) would be a big success.
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: DaveR on July 04, 2013, 01:45:30 pm
Looks like a lot of fun. I was saying earlier that an all-terrain type course somewhere in the Conwy Valley for Segways (hire of machine included) would be a big success.
Just call me Mystic Meg:
https://www.facebook.com/SegwayParkSnowdon (https://www.facebook.com/SegwayParkSnowdon)
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Merddin Emrys on July 04, 2013, 02:53:25 pm
Thanks Mystic Meg! So when are we going there?  $good$
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: hollins on September 24, 2013, 10:56:07 am
Don't know if there are any forum plane spotters out there but I thought this maybe of interest. It is a Lockheed Super Constellation that was restored by the Swiss watch company Breitling and is now based at Basel airport where I saw it last night.
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Merddin Emrys on September 24, 2013, 11:06:12 am
Wow, looks stunning!  $good$
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Merddin Emrys on November 10, 2013, 11:29:44 pm
This looks good if you have anywhere to keep it!


A UNIQUE bus used to take passengers up and down the alarmingly steep roads of Llandudno’s Great Orme needs a new home – and it could be yours for £3,000.

 The 1968 Dennis Pax model was ideal for tackling the outcrop’s daunting slopes as weaker buses would have struggled.


http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/unique-bus-used-great-orme-6287737 (http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/unique-bus-used-great-orme-6287737)
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: SDQ on November 11, 2013, 12:10:40 am
This looks good if you have anywhere to keep it!


A UNIQUE bus used to take passengers up and down the alarmingly steep roads of Llandudno’s Great Orme needs a new home – and it could be yours for £3,000.

 The 1968 Dennis Pax model was ideal for tackling the outcrop’s daunting slopes as weaker buses would have struggled.


http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/unique-bus-used-great-orme-6287737 (http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/unique-bus-used-great-orme-6287737)


Wow. At that price, if I had somewhere to keep it I'd buy it. I spent years as a kid travelling up & down the Orme on it. A real blast from the past.
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: DaveR on November 11, 2013, 06:51:50 am
You know you want to buy it, ME!  :laugh:
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Merddin Emrys on November 11, 2013, 07:43:39 am
I would love it, nowhere to keep it though!
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: hollins on January 24, 2014, 09:19:53 pm
2 buses, 2 trains and a plane brought us back to the UK from Switzerland exactly on time today.
Here is a photo diary!
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: hollins on January 24, 2014, 09:24:44 pm
Part 2. The last one is at Liverpool airport!
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Linda on January 28, 2014, 12:22:02 am
Loved your photos Hollins, keep them coming !
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: Merddin Emrys on May 05, 2014, 10:27:46 am
This looks good if you have anywhere to keep it!


A UNIQUE bus used to take passengers up and down the alarmingly steep roads of Llandudno’s Great Orme needs a new home – and it could be yours for £3,000.

 The 1968 Dennis Pax model was ideal for tackling the outcrop’s daunting slopes as weaker buses would have struggled.


http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/unique-bus-used-great-orme-6287737 (http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/unique-bus-used-great-orme-6287737)

We saw this bus on Saturday at the transport festival, the new owners have been very busy!
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: hollins on September 01, 2014, 06:57:15 am
We drove from Switzerland to Italy yesterday except that for part of the journey the car is put on a train!
Title: Re: Transport
Post by: SteveH on May 03, 2020, 10:34:35 am
The Airbus plane that will never take off - but it may give clues to the future of flying
The E-Fan X was launched in 2017 but the programme has been cancelled ahead of its maiden flight.

An Airbus and Rolls-Royce project  to develop an experimental hybrid-electric aircraft, has been cancelled ahead of it ever making its maiden flight.

E-Fan X was launched in 2017 to explore the potential of hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aviation and was due to take off next year 2021.

It was to use a 2.5MW power generation system – comprised of a gas turbine driven power generation system and high power electronics – integrated and flown on a 100-seater Bae146 airliner by the end of 2021.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/airbus-plane-never-take-give-18177026 (https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/airbus-plane-never-take-give-18177026)