The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is to be the new home of American author Robert M. Pirsig’s 1966 Honda Super Hawk motorcycle featured in his book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values. Pirsig’s book, originally published by William Morrow in...
British Airways are looking at ways that 3D printing technology could improve punctuality and reduce carbon emissions by bypassing the need to fly spare parts out to its fleet around the world. The thinking is that 3D printers located at airports around the world, could be used...
The Old Town Model Railroad Depot, a small model railway museum based in San Diego’s historic Old Town district, will remain open under new ownership. I can’t resist either a model railway or a good news story, so this is a welcome piece of news. The Depot,...
The museum ship SS John W. Brown, one of only two World War II ‘Liberty’ ships preserved and still operational*, is looking for a new home. The Liberty ships were the cargo-carrying workhorses of the Allied war effort. They were produced with conveyor belt efficiency in huge...
Hertz are offering a spectacular car rental option at some of its airport locations in the USA. Auto racing fans and car enthusiasts can rev up their ride with the 2020 Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 and 2020 Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports Camaro SS in the signature Hertz yellow and...
Aurora Expeditions, who specialise in expeditions to the polar regions, yesterday named their new ship, the Greg Mortimer, in a ceremony set against the snow-capped mountains of Ushuaia, Argentina. The new ship has a striking profile because she is the first passenger vessel in the world to...
From tomorrow there’s a new way to travel to the Grand Canyon in style. The Rail Baron Charter, a private luxury train comprised of three 1940s and 1950s railcars, will be operating on the Grand Canyon Railway. The train set comprises The Kansas – a rear open-aired...
One of Hamburg’s World War Two giant flak towers (Flakturm) is to have a 136-room hotel built on the top three floors. The NH Hotel Group has won the tender to operate the NHow hotel, which will have a bar, cafe and a spectacular roof-top garden with...
Boeing and Porsche have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the premium urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace. The plan is, to start by studying the future of premium personal urban air vehicles. The companies will create an international team...
Electric safari vehicles are a bit of a no-brainer really. Not only does the pristine bush wilderness and wildlife cry out for a low-to-zero carbon footprint, but silent electric safari vehicles are perfect for sneaking up on, and observing, animals in the wild. Makanyi Lodge in South...
Energy Observer will be the first hydrogen vessel to sail around the world when she completes her 6-year mission to test a range of eco-friendly, zero-emission, marine power technologies, and at the same time, inspire people in the 101 stopovers in 50 counties along the way. Energy...
Here’s an interesting concept for eco-friendly, adventure tourism accommodation – a floating igloo houseboat. A Finnish company, AuroraHut, is producing a self-contained igloo boat™ that can be used as a houseboat on water in summer, and as an igloo on top of ice in winter. The 12-sided...
P&O Ferries has signed a €260 million contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International for two new 230-metre super-ferries – the largest ever to sail between Dover and Calais. The new ferries will incorporate a number of technologies and features that will boost efficiency and reduce their environmental impact…...
Restrictions on domestic coal burning proposed in the UK Government’s consultation on Clean Air Strategy published in January this year, pose a problem for heritage railways. Everybody* recognises the urgent need to reduce our use of fossil fuels, but, as the Heritage Railway Association (HRA) Board Member, Chris...
This is a niche blog about technically-minded travel. It reflects my own interests in the mechanical, technical, historical, engineering, transport and military world.
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