Railway General Knowledge.

[LSWR Cavalier]

Here is a quickie. Leipzig has a huge train station, S-Bahn tunnel, and a very good tram service
The tram network has a strange ubiquitous-unique* feature that even a Pufferkuesser (buffer-kisser, railway enthusiast) would probably not notice

What is the unique feature?

 

[DerekC]

All the trams are single ended with doors on one side?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

@DerekC
They are, but that applies to other systems too, it is not the 'totally unique' feature I am thinking of

 

[xotGD]

The trams can only be driven from one end and go round and round in a loop?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

@xotGD
No not that either

There is another speciality of the Leipzig trams I remembered, just read up about it. The LVB was unwilling to pay the high prices for vehicles made elsewhere, so the simple robust 'Leoliner' was developed and built in Leipzig

Clue: the Leipzig trams can not run anywhere else

 

[DerekC]

So presumably the track gauge is close to but not exactly standard (so Pufferkuessers would be unlikely to notice the difference). How about 1425mm?

 

[xotGD]

A unique voltage?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

So presumably the track gauge is close to but not exactly standard (so Pufferkuessers would be unlikely to notice the difference). How about 1425mm?

Half-right, the gauge is 1458 mm, 23 mm *wider* than standard! Could even almost be within tolerance for very worn wheels

Over to you

 

[DerekC]

I suppose being half right, I should ask half a question.

When, and on what railway, did the first recorded fatal railway accident occur?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I suppose being half right, I should ask half a question.

When, and on what railway, did the first recorded fatal railway accident occur?

Is it too obvious to be the unfortunate Mr Huskisson on the opening day of the Liverpool and Manchester...?

 

[xotGD]

On a wagonway on Tyneside in the early 1800s?

 

[DerekC]

Is it too obvious to be the unfortunate Mr Huskisson on the opening day of the Liverpool and Manchester...?

He was the first known fatality on a passenger railway, I think

On a wagonway on Tyneside in the early 1800s?

A wagonway is right, but earlier and further north.

 

[martinsh]

Is this connected to the Battle of Prestonpans ?

 

[DerekC]

Is this connected to the Battle of Prestonpans ?

Good - that's certainly a clue to its location - the battle was fought across the track of the wagonway. Would you like to be more specific as to its name? And the date of the accident? (Clue - it was seventeen years after the battle).

 

[martinsh]

Good - that's certainly a clue to its location - the battle was fought across the track of the wagonway. Would you like to be more specific as to its name? And the date of the accident? (Clue - it was seventeen years after the battle).

The name of the line was the Tranent Waggonway, and the battle took place in 1745. I don't know any more without consulting my friend Mr W Pedia ...

 

[DerekC]

@martinsh - that'll do. According to Historic UK:

On August 27th, 1762 James Paterson, the son of the Cockenzie blacksmith was close by the rails of the waggonway. Whether he didn’t hear the waggon’s approach or whether he stumbled is not known, but he was hit by the train and later succumbed to his injuries. This was the first death on a railway anywhere in the world

Your wooden road.

 

[martinsh]

I'm afraid it's going to have to be Open Floor again

 

[Calthrop]

Offering here from me: a bit abstruse maybe, but it's what I've got...

There is in the British Isles, a wild and hilly region which was in the past served by two railway undertakings, with considerable similarity to each other; and which can be said to have, at max. extent, divided the region between them roughly "50/50". Each of these, en route between their different "A's and B's", ran through a different and respective natural passageway between areas of higher ground. By what would seem to be just an odd coincidence, these two different defiles bear names remarkably similar to each other.

Please name the geographical region concerned; the two railways; and the two "defiles".

 

[martinsh]

Oh on. Not the Irish narrow gauge again !

 

[Calthrop]

Oh on. Not the Irish narrow gauge again !

It's what I do -- there's no law against being a predictable bore... re the question, do you fancy elaborating?

 

[Glenmutchkin]

County Donegal; CDJC and L&LSR; not very clued up on defiles.

 

[Gloster]

So presumably one was the Donegal’s Barnesmore Gap, but I have no idea about the name of the Swilly’s.

 

[Calthrop]

@Glenmutchkin , @Gloster: between you, you correctly have the lot; save for the L&LSR's pass, with name very similar to the Donegal's. I plan to leave things open for a while longer, then "adjudicate". (Re the two passes / defiles: it can be possible to get the name of the former, via Googling the latter; I for one would have no quarrel with that being done.)

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I just looked with permission, the Lough Swilly went through the Barnes Gap! I wonder whether Barnesmore derived from Welsh, Barnes mawr, the greater?
The L&LS was accused of giving priority to transporting beasts rather than people, many stations were far from the settlements they purported to serve

 

[martinsh]

do you fancy elaborating?

No. I don't want to "win" because I can't think of a new question !

 

[Calthrop]

I just looked with permission, the Lough Swilly went through the Barnes Gap!

It did indeed...

I wonder whether Barnesmore derived from Welsh, Barnes mawr, the greater?
The L&LS was accused of giving priority to transporting beasts rather than people, many stations were far from the settlements they purported to serve

Assorted further interesting Google findings on these name-type themes. It turns out that the "Barnes-es" here, derive from the Irish bearnas, meaning -- guess what -- "gap" ! And the "more" part: indeed from the Irish mor = great or big; parallel, it would seem, with your Welsh mawr. Plus; I learn that there's another Barnes Gap (this one always railway-less) -- in the Sperrin Mountains, in Co. Tyrone some dozen miles south of Londonderry: we thus have in this corner of Ireland, a variety of [big] Gap Gaps !

@Glenmutchkin, @Gloster, @LSWR Cavalier: you've all contributed. Might I ask you to decide between yourselves, who sets the next question?

 

[Gloster]

I leave it to the other two gentlemen to decide between themselves.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I think @Glenmutchkin should set the next question because I 'cheated', albeit with permission

 

[Glenmutchkin]

I should have passed sooner.

I hope this is OK as a question. The photo was taken on a train.

Which country was the photo taken in?

 

[FrodshamJnct]

I should have passed sooner.

I hope this is OK as a question. The photo was taken on a train.

Which country was the photo taken in?
View attachment 91731

Ireland?