The most recent updates from my various webpages. To keep up-to-date on the topics covered, follow @andrew_grantham on Twitter for railways (and other things which interest me), and @ConcreteEar for sound mirrors and suchlike.
Railways of Afghanistan
If you thought Afghanistan was bereft of railroads, read on for a story of international intrigue, invasion plans, the Great Game, and powers imperial and hydro-electric.
- 29 October 2019Wolesi Jirga approves presidential decree on draft railway law
A draft railway law was approved by the Wolesi Jirga on 28 October 2019. The Lower House of Parliament on Monday’s plenary session confirmed president’s legislative decrees regarding to law of railway … - 15 October 2019Fame at last?
Andrew Grantham’s (@andrew_grantham) blog (with excellent photos) on Amanullah’s railway line, the great symbol of progress, from Kabul to Darulaman.https://t.co/uduPFW3Ste (LlM) — Afghan Historians ( … - 10 September 2019First Afghanistan to China rail freight service
The first rail shipment from Afghanistan to China via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan was dispatched earlier today during a high-level ceremony attended by officials and diplomats from four countries in the … - 4 September 2019Khyber Pass Railway in 2019
By the way, I took a stroll through a few tunnels of the Khyber Railways between Landi Kotal and Landi Khana. Will post about it in the thread. pic.twitter.com/cZrrlAX2tM — Nafees Ur Rehman (@NafeesRe … - 29 August 2019Train on the Friendship Bridge
Train crossing over the Hayratan bridge Afghan – Uzbik #border pic.twitter.com/SgjuayvX5x — M. Nazir Qasemi (@nazir_qasemi) December 31, 2018
Sound mirrors
Follow @ConcreteEar on Twitter for sound mirror news and updates.
- 4 September 2019Re)collecting (f)ears sound mirror art events
re)collecting (f)ears is a series of site-specific performances at fallen sound mirrors across the Kent coast. The project will culminate with a publication produced by Well Projects and an exhibition … - 3 September 2019Sound mirror poem
Sound Mirror, a Denge sound mirror inspired poem by Derek Adams at Places of Poetry: “It does not stand on the marsh. It does not sit in the landscape. [more]” Places of Poetry “aims to use creative w … - 2 September 2019“Bombing the Channel Ports” by Eric Ravilious, then and now
A comparison of the 1941 watercolour painting “Bombing the Channel Ports” by war artist Eric Ravilious, and the same view of the Abbott’s Cliff sound mirror on 13 August 2017. Bombing the Channel Port … - 17 June 2019Selsey sound mirror
The Selsey sound mirror in August 2018. - 7 January 2019Sound mirror photos on the BBC website
Black and white photos of the sound mirrors by Joe Pettet-Smith on the BBC News website. More than 100 years ago acoustic mirrors along the coast of England were used to detect the sound of approachin …
Railways of Iraq
- 25 June 2018PC class streamlined loco photo
- 29 November 2016Pictures of Baghdad Central station
BBC report In pictures: The crown jewel of Iraq’s railway. See if you can spot the steam loco in the second and the last photos. - 13 April 2015Mobile friendly
I have changed this website’s WordPress theme, so hopefully it should now be more mobile device friendly. Let me know if anything doesn’t work. Meanwhile, I would recommend following “Historical Railw … - 16 January 2015New coaches for Iraqi Republic Railways
Tüvasaş has built 14 coaches for Iraqi Republic Railways, including 2 sleeping, 4 couchette and 2 restaurant cars pic.twitter.com/CM4IdLrKvC — Railway Gazette (@railwaygazette) January 14, 2015 - 29 September 2014Derailment response vehicle for IRR
One of 7 Zagro derailment response vehicles ordered by Iraqi Republic Railways, on show at #InnoTrans pic.twitter.com/J0HmL5iUER — Railway Gazette (@railwaygazette) September 26, 2014
Other – travel and similar
If God had intended us to fly, He would never have given us the railways.
- 3 November 2019LOOP footpath 11 – Borehamwood to Cockfosters
Walking the London Outer Orbital Path from Elstree & Borehamwood station to Cockfosters – Section 16 – on 3 November 2019. Another okay but not especially exciting section of the route, with a div … - 27 October 2019LOOP footpath 10 – Hatch End to Borehamwood
Walking the London Outer Orbital Path from Hatch End to Borehamwood – Section 15 – on 27 October 2019. An okay but not especially exciting section of the route. Guides to the path talk up passing Bent … - 22 September 2019A ride on the JHMD narrow gauge railway
A trip on the southern section of the 760 mm gauge JMHD railway in the Czech Republic, filmed badly on a cheap phone. Here is the section of 1435/760 mm dual-gauge track in full: - 2 September 2019Dual gauge railway track
Dual gauge railway track at Jindřichův Hradec in the Czech Republic, where 760 mm gauge JHMD services and 1435 mm gauge ČD trains share the route. - 11 August 2019The world’s shortest international railway
What is claimed to be the “shortest international railway” runs for a few metres between Nové Údolí in the Czech Republic and the other side of the now-open border with Germany. The standard gauge lin …