Isn't there something in Thomas More's Utopia about all the gold and silver being taken by the state to fashion chains to be worn by those who had risen to wealth by improper means ? (View Post)

I would think the hypothesis is more wrong than right. It was existing Canal companies and existing mining companies which established the railways in England. Newcomen, Boulton and Watt, Trevithick … (View Post)

I think one of the greatest culture shocks when I visited New Zealand two years ago was the different attitude to rail safety. Firstly I would never diminish in any way the need for serious railway s… (View Post)

The serious question is how will you stop people re-engineering the software within the vehicle to make sure it accurately measures mileage done. The only way would be to have analogue mile counters … (View Post)

Exquisite maybe but is Dickens really the great writer we crack on about ? This section is the one often quoted because perhaps it is a parody of itself. Sorry but I prefer the Brontes, Thackery, wel… (View Post)