Miscellany

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This page contains links to a miscellany of blog posts that give my thoughts and ideas on subjects and events that interest me in one way or other. Whilst some are quite well researched and complete, others are very provisional and preliminary but may, to some extent, interest and perhaps enthuse readers.

Blog posts – cricket and football

A new blog post “Dudley Sports Centre – a memory” – when Worcestershire won the John Player 40 over competition in 1971 (14^th July 2023)

The World Test Championship – some thoughts on how a cricket world test championship could be structured to make it accessible and understandable to followers of the game (February 8^th 2022)

Football leagues – development sides and lower divisions. A discussion of how development sides could be incorporated into standard league systems without damaging the integrity of the competition (February 8^th 2022)

The English domestic cricket schedule. A reflection on how the English domestic cricket season might be reorganised in the light of the abysmally poor performance by the Test team to give greater emphasis to the red ball, two innings game. (January 3rd 2022)

The oldest world record – Robert Percival’s 1881 cricket ball throw This post describes what is possibly the oldest world record in sport, from both a historical and a technical perspective. (May 18th 2020)

Blog posts – railways and roads

An election manifesto for Transport – an attempt to tease out the transport issues in the Labour Parties “Five missions” and develop a possible transport policy  (June 27^th 2023)

The 292 bus route from Kidderminster to Ludlow – an important transport link? A reflection on an inter-urban bus service and its wider role. (June 14^th 2023)

“Train services on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways” in which I argue that the preservation of the railways “social capital” is as important as a business plan for the railways’ sustainability (March 31^st 2022)

A new rail connection for Blaenau Ffestiniog? A blog post suggesting ways in which the FR Dinas branch might be re-opened to provide a link between the town centre and the Llechwedd tourist complex (10^th January 2022)

The calculation of Covid-19 infection rates on GB trains. A post in which, using the work of Jimenez at Colorado, I present the results of some quantitative, if approximate, calculations of Covid-19 infection risk on trains in Britain. (June 16^th 2021).

Covid-19 and train ventilation  – a blog in which I look at the ventilation rate of window ventilated rather than air conditioned trains, and conclude that such trains when all windows are shut (ie in the winter) may well be the critical case for pathogen transmission (May 9th 2021)

A (half hearted) defence of Autonomous Vehicles and other transport innovations. My third provocative post of the week, where I argue that some of the much-derided recent transport innovations may actually be useful in some situations. (January 1st 2021)

The NIC report on “Rail needs assessment for the Midlands and the North”  – common sense or betrayal? Another provocative post, in which I express support for the much derided National Infrastructure Commission report. ((December 31st 2020)

Engineers, roads and ethical standards. An intentionally provocative post in which I suggest an arguable case can be made that by designing and building environmentally and socially damaging road schemes, engineers could be in violation of their own ethical code of conduct. (December 30th 2020)

Some thoughts on ventilation and pathogen concentration build up. Some simple analysis of the build up of the concentration of pathogens in enclosed spaces (November 13th 2020)

Pollution, Covid and Trains. Some preliminary thoughts on the issues of air quality and pathogen removal from the passenger cabins of train. (November 11th 2020)

Leisure travel by rail after the pandemic – some thoughts on how the GB rail network may structure itself after the current pandemic (October 1st 2020)

Journeys by rail and coach – a reflection on a recent long distance multi-modal journey and how it could have been improved. (September 28th 2020)

Blog posts – miscellaneous

Reflections on “The whole world a Black Country” by Matt Stallard. An article published in the Spring 2023 edition of the Blackcountryman reflecting on the influence of Black Country history on current climate change concerns. (February 24^th 2023)

Measurements of carbon dioxide concentrations in a church. A post describing some measurements of Carbon Dioxide concentrations in St. Michael’s church in Lichfield on May 15^th 2022 (May 24th 2022)

The Midland Tornado of 1545 – a discussion of a major historical storm in the UK. What were the likely windspeeds involved, and was it really a tornado? (14th April 2021)

The legacy of slavery on the railways. A contribution to an ongoing debate concerning the use of slave-compensation money as railway capital in the early days of the network. (July 8th 2020)

 Some thoughts on Family Tree studies The joys and frustrations of family history. (March 29th 2020)

Presentations