Railway General Knowledge.

[Welshman]

Gosh, Paul - that took you all of 14 minutes!!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Gosh, Paul - that took you all of 14 minutes!!

Strangely enough, I was asked this same question in 2011 in a PM from a forum member with regard to a query on the start of this projected route from the Manchester Ship Canal, in my capacity as an amateur railway historian.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
What company in 1908 chose a short line to electrify with overhead high-voltage power (6600 volts AC 25hz) and what was the line chosen to be used.

 

[Mvann]

The heysham branch. Lnwr?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Not so...and a different railway company

You are in the right area.

 

[steamybrian]

My guess would be the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway
South London Line between Victoria and London Bridge

 

[D841 Roebuck]

L&YR - Holcombe Brook branch?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My guess would be the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway
South London Line between Victoria and London Bridge

Not so
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

L&YR - Holcombe Brook branch?

Not so

 

[Welshman]

Was it the Midland Railway, and the Lancaster Castle/Green Ayre- Morecame electrification in 1908?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Absolutely spot-on in all respects....your turn to set the new one.

 

[Welshman]

Post deleted - please see #792 below

 

[steamybrian]

My guess would be the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway
South London Line between Victoria and London Bridge

I was going to appeal for a recheck on this one but I have found that the line was electrified in 1909 using 6700volts ac overhead electrification. It was converted to 3rd rail in the 1920s

 

[Welshman]

On reflection, some of my original "clues" might be a bit too vague, so I'll replace them with what, I hope, is an easier version. The answer is the same.

What's the connection between:-
[1] A main line
[2] Plans for a link to France, and
[3] A mountain in Wales?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I will pluck up courage to make the first posting on this new conundrum...

Sir Edward Watkin always wanted to build a route from Manchester to Paris which would have required a tunnel under the English Channel. He served as director and chairman on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and was the driving force behind the "London Extension" of that railway, which together became the Great Central Railway. He had a French connection as he held a seat on the board of the Chemin de Fer du Nord, which would have carried the projected railway from the French side of the tunnel to Paris. With regard to a Welsh mountain, I will hazard a guess that one of the locomotives that ran either on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway or the Great Central Railway carried a nameplate with that mountain on it.

 

[Welshman]

Paul - you're right on two out of three, so I'll give you the third.
Watkin retired to a chalet in Cwm Llan on the foothills of Snowdon, and navigated a path up Snowdon which is now named after him - the Watkin Path.

So you're right - Sir Edward Watkin [1819-1901] is the connection.

Your turn next.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Which Victorian era railway notable was the Deputy-lieutenant of a county, an MP from 1845 till 1859, was Lord Mayor three times of a city which now has a street named after him and had a daughter who married a Polish count and a son who was killed in the Indian mutiny of 1857.

 

[The Barlow Boy]

I'm not sure of the Mayoral bits but I'll take a punt on "The Railway King", that old fraudster George Hudson.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'm not sure of the Mayoral bits but I'll take a punt on "The Railway King", that old fraudster George Hudson.

....and you would be correct..

You can set the next one.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
****************************************************************************************

Nearly three days have elapsed without the next conundrum being set, so I will oblige...

What claim to fame does the Wharncliffe Viaduct on the Great Western main line have and why does a certain species of mammal appreciate this fact ?

 

[Johnuk123]

I believe it was Brunels first major construction and it's a home to a species of bat.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I believe it was Brunels first major construction and it's a home to a species of bat.

I will give you this, but would add that the Wharncliffe Viaduct was the first to be constructed with hollow piers and that is the reason why a colony of bats roost there.

Your turn to set the next one.

 

[Johnuk123]

A nice easy one :

Which ex railway company chief mechanical engineer had a middle name that was the same as an English cathederal.

 

[Welshman]

John Chester Craven - LB&SCR [1847-1870]?

 

[Johnuk123]

John Chester Craven - LB&SCR [1847-1870]?

Blimey I had not heard of him, the only John Craven I know is the one from Newsround.

My guy was Sir Vincent Litchfield Raven.

Who would have thought you could find 2 engineers with Cathedral middle names.

Excellent - your turn.

 

[Welshman]

Thank you.

Which Anglican Bishop and railway photographer died on Appleby station?

 

[Johnuk123]

Eric Treacy (1978)

 

[Welshman]

It was indeed. Your turn.

 

[Johnuk123]

Where would you be if you were catching a metro train at Popular station ?

 

[Whistler40145]

What's the most direct route from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Victoria without reversing?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What's the most direct route from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Victoria without reversing?

We are still awaiting a correct answer to the conundrum set by Johnuk123 featuring Popular.

I will hazard a guess that the conundrum may refer to the American TV series of the same name that was based in a high-school that was broadcast over 10 years ago, but I am not sure in which American city this was based in, but have an impression that the high school was named after someone high up in the American social status.

 

[Johnuk123]

Not in North America sorry.

 

[clagmonster]

Where would you be if you were catching a metro train at Popular station ?

I don't know. However, I would say that it sounds as if it is in an English speaking country, so will have a wild guess at Brisbane.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What's the most direct route from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Victoria without reversing?

I would say:
Piccadilly-Diggle-Huddersfield-Brighouse-Hebden Bridge-Rochdale-Victoria