News Archives - Mechtraveller

Coins Discovered Under HMS Victory‘s Foremast

Alastair — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:28:41 +0000

When HMS Victory‘s masts were removed at the end of April*, six 19th century coins and tokens were discovered under the foremast. Placing coins on the mast step before the mast is lowered, was a long-time maritime tradition intended to bring good fortune**. So it might have been expected that there would be a coin […]

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“Hey Google, can I park here?”

Alastair — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:41:21 +0000

At this week’s Google I/O conference, Volvo Cars and Google have been demonstrating ‘contextually aware driving experiences’ using the latest advancements in AI in Volvo’s EX60 SUV. Making use of the Google Gemini vehicle camera integrated in the EX60, Gemini can (with the driver’s permission) see and understand its surroundings from the perspective of the […]

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Rare MiG-17 booked for Hampshire Air Festival

Alastair — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:16:17 +0000

The new Hampshire Air Festival has confirmed the appearance of a rare MiG-17F in the festival’s opening year flying display. Taking place at Thruxton Aerodrome on 12–13 September 2026, Hampshire Air Festival is a new two-day aviation weekend created to celebrate “The Age of Flight” through flying displays, static aircraft and a Saturday evening extravaganza […]

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HMS Victory’s remaining masts are coming down

Alastair — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:38:43 +0000

HMS Victory’s team of conservators, shipwrights and riggers have started taking down her remaining masts as part of The Big Repair – the ten-year, £42m project to conserve Nelson’s flagship for future generations. As Stuart Sheldon, Lead Rigger at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, puts it: “HMS Victory matters to people in a […]

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Air New Zealand launch Economy Class Bunk Beds

Alastair — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:57:07 +0000

Air New Zealand (ANZ) have unveiled their new economy class ‘Skynest’ mini dormitories, featuring six bunks that will be available to book on flights from 18 May 2026. Each Skynest bunk (“pod”) provides a quiet, private space with a full-length mattress, bedding, ambient lighting, ventilation and charging ports (USB C & A). The six-bunk Skynest […]

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The annual 1000 Miglia classic car rally is both a motorsport and tourism event

Alastair — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:40:13 +0000

This year’s ‘1000 Miglia Experience Italy’ classic car rally is almost upon us*. For the first time, the 1000 Miglia will take place entirely in Puglia. From 9 to 12 April, the crews will embark on a journey that combines a passion for driving with the exploration of iconic landscapes and villages steeped in history, […]

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Will USS Kidd be playing Greyhound again?

Alastair — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:54:01 +0000

Tom Hanks’ successful war movie Greyhound (2020), shot principally on the WW2 Fletcher-class destroyer USS Kidd, now a museum ship in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is to have a sequel. The movie industry news media are talking about ‘Greyhound 2’ although very little has been confirmed. We know that Hanks will once again play Commander Ernst […]

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National Motor Museum Exhibition Now Open

Alastair — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:46:11 +0000

The National Motor Museum has opened its new exhibition gallery, Driven: Britain’s Motoring Story. The exhibition focuses on how Britain has changed over the decades, delving into the social and cultural impact of motoring. It features stories, artefacts and images to surprise, engage and inspire visitors, plus of course, vehicles from five eras of UK […]

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Škoda Museum opens Concept Car Gallery

Alastair — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:45:44 +0000

The Škoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav, Czechia, has opened a new gallery in the former car plant buildings, featuring 31 ‘concept cars’, design studies and prototypes from the late 1950s to the present day. The museum, which opened in 1995 in the original factory building and underwent a complete refurbishment in 2012, is now expanding […]

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Great Central Railway is to host a classic diesel locomotive this year

Alastair — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:18:56 +0000

The Great Central Railway (GCR) has confirmed that Class 55 Deltic D9015 Tulyar will be based at the heritage railway during 2026* and that it will hopefully mark a major milestone for diesel preservation when it hauls its first passenger train in 29 years. Owned by the Deltic Preservation Society (DPS), D9015 is one of […]

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