April 2008

Belgium 7/4/08

This was my third trip to Belgium, and like the last two it was for work. I went to install one of our instruments at a new customer’s premises near Seneffe, south-west of Brussels. As I have said before I am not overly inspired by the low-lying country here, but the slightly more terraced nature of the local area necessitated the invention of a couple of impressive structures that are unique to Belgium. The canals often change levels, and boat passage is normally done as they are in the UK through gated locks with a height difference not a lot more than 3 metres. Where there is a greater height difference the job is normally done by a series of “staircase” locks stepping down a section of hillside. Belgium has two very impressive boat lifting structures in the Seneffe area, which deal with height differences of 68 and 73m.
The first is the Ronquiers inclined plane, roughly a mile long which shuttles huge tubs of canal water up and down. At both ends the tub is able to mate with the canals, allowing coal barges to motor right into them. Each of the two operating tubs are lifted by counterweights traveling in a channel under each tub. The tubs straddle the channels on two rows of 59 rail-axle sets each side. Impressive
The second is the Strepy-Thieu boat lift, which moves tubs of water vertically on both sides of a central structure using counterweights and hydraulics. This boat-lift currently has the greatest height difference in the world at 73m, but will soon be dwarfed by the ship lifter on the three-gorges dam in China…

See photos at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=106719&l=28e48&id=882525575

Kalman, Kate and Claire in Warrington

Weekend of the 19th April, had a visit from Kate and Claire from Warrington and Kalman from London. This was nothing more than an excuse for a party! Kalman cooked a fabulous Chinese meal and we all headed out to the new Warrington club Synergy. Sunday morning the girls headed home and I took Kalman to our local gem which is Chester.

London Weekend 26,27/4/08

This was my second real weekend in London, and the highlights were going with Sarah Moore to see both the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Fat Freddy’s drop on two different nights, The former is a brilliant latin band with brass, singers, percussion, piano, sax, flute, the lot. The latter a dubby New Zealand band on tour. Both were great nights. On the days Sarah and I walked, ferried, tubed and trained our way around London. We toured the Tower bridge, visited the Royal observatory, markets, Hyde Park and Harrods. Kalman was stuck working for most of the weekend, so I paid him a visit at his work in an apartment block.
I had not taken the train before, but I did this time from Warrington to London. The Virgin trains were a bit of a novelty for me as they tilt their way around the twisty sections of track. I watched the carriages from my seat in the rear, up through the centre of the train. It was almost like a rollercoaster seeing the leading carriages cant and veer away in anticipation of mine doing the same. Why was nobody else as interested as me I wonder?

See photos at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=112989&l=7b4a8&id=882525575

A new toy

Just this week I spotted and bought a motorbike on ebay. It is something I have wanted since arriving in the UK, but a mixture of things like travel, money and a miserable winter have prevented it thus far. I already had an unassembled shed, so with help from my mate Rich we had it up in about a day. Thankfully the bike fits in – just.
Spoke to my brother Matt in Aus yesterday, and uncannily he bought an identical model bike about 2 weeks ago, a Honda VFR750FS. Now, off to the Isle of Man!

See photos at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=112998&l=604f2&id=882525575