For quite a while now , circa 2014, the Focus has had a 1 litre 3 cylinder Ecboost engine with different levels of power output. friends of ours are on their second Fiesta with such an engine, and it pulls like a train even with four passengers. I don't know if that one had cylinder cut out, but VW had ACT back in 2013 on petrol engines. TSI
Our Skoda has the dsg box so going down hills etc you can feel it holding back which suits me. Best car I have ever had for mpg.
The Vw 1.5 engine in the kodiaq etc has cylinder deactivation as did the 1.4 it succeeded. Clever stuff.
Made me smile!
As a student I worked for Harry Hodges, a demolition contractor, as a summer holiday job. Health & Safety was simply a matter of "common sense" and some had more of that than others!
I can look back now on some "hairy" times but one in particular sands out.
I acted as "mate" to a low loader driver who carried a Smith 21 crane to sites. Apart from putting out a couple of windows with the jib when negotiating a tight bend in Clowne his favorite "party trick" was to knock the truck out of gear on a long stretch of downhill road near Conisbrough.
I'm sure freewheeling on a bike is fun but freewheeling on a low loader was, shall we say, invigorating! In fairness he only did it when we had no load so it must have been safe!
My first Raleigh Runabout moped had a decompressor valve, yesterday’s cylinder deactivation😜😜😜🤪
My old Escort had cylinder deactivation - when it misfired due to HT lead breakdown!
I'm sure freewheeling on a bike is fun but freewheeling on a low loader was, shall we say, invigorating! In fairness he only did it when we had no load so it must have been safe!
When I was in the police we were issued with Yamaha 350cc bikes which replaced the old Matchless, BSA and Triumph motorbikes. One very early morning at about 3am on a gentle bend and at speed the bike jumped out of gear and went into neutral and started freewheeling at about 60mph.
Very hairy as did not want to try and engage a gear in case the wheel locked, but I was running out of roadway so a bit of a dilemna. Luckily the road which was a dual carriageway straightened up so made it around the bend only just.
In those days no crash helmets and fancy protection equipment so would have come off second best never mind the pages and pages of reports that would have needed to be filled in!
Just read this latest mad hat HMG idea🤬🤬
Downing Street is considering a network of toll roads as ministers search for new ways to tax drivers. No. 10 is concerned that income from motoring taxes will plummet in coming years as more people buy electric cars, said The Times. Currently, the only major toll road in Britain is on the M6 in the West Midlands. It costs £7.10 for cars and £12.90 for HGVs. However, there are fears that if the toll system affected roads in towns and cities, rather than only major routes, it would cause a backlash from MPs and the public.
Downing Street is considering a network of toll roads as ministers search for new ways to tax drivers. No. 10 is concerned that income from motoring taxes will plummet in coming years as more people buy electric cars, said The Times. Currently, the only major toll road in Britain is on the M6 in the West Midlands. It costs £7.10 for cars and £12.90 for HGVs. However, there are fears that if the toll system affected roads in towns and cities, rather than only major routes, it would cause a backlash from MPs and the public.
The take from VED has been going down for some years now as drivers were encouraged to buy more economical/lower emission vehicles. I have been at a loss to understand why any car used on public roads should pay zero VED. Notwithstanding the lower emissions there is still wear and tear on the roads, plus such cars render reduced amounts of tax through lower purchases of fuel. Electric I can understand as a way of encouraging take up, but subsidies/grants are being reduced on those vehicles now that the technology has momentum.
It is a difficult one but one where I don't think one size fits all is the solution. As cars are becoming more tech'd up they can be charged by remote sensing just like some insurers have been doing for a while. You pay based on where and when you drive. The older and existing stock of vehicles could just continue to pay similarly to VED. Im sure that EV charging will be able to know if its the car being charged or the Bosch washer being used, so perhaps a portion of the electric bill becomes the equivalent of VED.
Saying all that I cannot envisage the Government being able to get their minds around the conundrum. They failed to finish the electrification of GWR to Bath,Bristol and Swansea. Bring back Brunel.
The M6 Toll is a prime example how NOT to do it - few vehicles use it, preferring to use the original M6 despite it's congestion - the operating company is breaking even by high charges and minimal maintenance due to low traffic volumes.
HMG will do far better if they reduce the appalling man power wastage within their own corridors. Most of us remember the savage Beeching cuts. The beautiful Waverley line Edinburgh to Carlisle serving all the Border towns was closed. I saw last week it has been reopened as far as Galashiels. Eventually with some manipulation it will be recompleted. Just proves HMG always get things wrong😁😁
Agree - having some roads with tolls and some without simply moves congestion to the non-toll roads. But road charging per mile for all roads makes more sense. Charge more for those cars that drive a lot and less for those that drive a little. Continue to use existing VED and fuel duty to encourage the use of lower impact vehicles.
Hey careful now, my plans do not envisage going electric until 2025. Guess I could always use the 1.25litre Rio to mitigate your ideas !!
Albeit ones that I have supported in the past. Price is a good influence on behaviour.
Indeed - we have three cars, all are £0 VED. One full electric, one PHEV, and a Kia Picanto 1.0l petrol that he kids use. Only the Polestar is exempt from London Congestion charge (for now). The PHEV and Kia pay fuel duty when we fill them. The Polestar and Volvo enjoy free parking in Milton Keynes. The Polestar is exempt from ULEZ charges in Oxford. All three are ULEZ exempt in Birmingham.Hey careful now, my plans do not envisage going electric until 2025. Guess I could always use the 1.25litre Rio to mitigate your ideas !!
It would help if all these zones operated to the same rules so we all knew where we were.
The Border Railway along the old Waverley Route was reopened to Tweedbank in 2015 - there's talk of extending it but the reality is that there's no economic case to go any further as it doesn't serve any significant population between Tweedbank and Carlisle.
I take the population point, but it might be a better route from Edinburgh to Carlisle although the cost might be harder to justify.
Tobes, I think you must go into Milton Keynes more than I do, I am only 4 miles from the (city) center, I used to know three free multi storey car parks, and other free parking areas, but not so sure now.
A new place for lunch, The Warbler on the Wharf, at Cambell Park Marina, opens 6th April. And Gullivers land caravan Park a short walk away.
Gulliver's Meadow Campsite - Gulliver's Land, Milton Keynes | Milton Keynes
Gulliver's family friendly campsite in Milton Keynes - great access to our theme park and resort.
www.gulliverslandresort.co.uk
Strangely enough Roger beyond Galashiels, named Tweedbank, the line passed through , Melrose, the Borders Capital Hawick, direct branches to Kelso Coldstream Sedbugh and Jedburgh. As a direct route it was built to main line spec and served most of the Borders Towns. Week before last on a trip there it is evident it will be extended although there are limitations now due to building works and road realignments over the original track bed.
Another example of shortsightedness on HMG of the day!
Another example of shortsightedness on HMG of the day!
We'll never see it reopened - the Scottish Government would have to fund it in its entirety and the cost over Whitrope Summit including a rebuild of Whitrope Tunnel would be immense - besides there's a perfect good route from Edinburgh to Carlise via Carstairs.
Carstairs is where trainee shunters walloped the night sleeper when carriages were detached for Barrow in Furness or points north.
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