Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms What are you reading?

In the smallest room in the house?

I am gradually working my way through Carbone Bianco, Lecco- Sondrio, la prima ferrovia elettrificata al mondo (White Coal, the first railway electrified in the world)



It is a great shame that it is not available in English as I know that there are a lot of railway buffs on here. About the only thing I can say is that it is a book chock full of historic photos of both the steam locomotives and the first tri-phase electric locomotives together with photos of stations and other works.

"White coal" is a term that is used for hydroelectric power. The thing that brought me to think about mentioning it on Talk Morgan was the mention that all coal used to power the steam locomotives was imported from England. The coal used was actually called "carbone Cardiff" probably to distinguish it from other forms of coal. Switching to hydroelectric power represented a saving despite the initial cost of the plant and equipment. It is this lack of coal and the availability of vast quantities of running water that led to the development of a large number of hydroectric schemes in Italy in the early days of electricity. Small plants were even installed to provide electricity for isolated villages. Moto Guzzi at one stage had 3 hydroelectric plants, one of which is still working though no longer owned by the company, to provide electricity for the factory.

There were other electrified systems before the Lecco Sondrio line (80 km) but they were predominantly over short distances or metropolitan systems using a third rail, such as the London Underground. The Lecco Sondrio was the first successful line to use overhead cables and high voltage of 3,000 volts judged necessary to carry the current over the long distance between substations. The power generated at the hydroelectric station was actually 20,000 volts.

The reason that the Lecco Sondrio line was chosen for the first implementation was that it was a secondary line and any eventual problems would be of less importance than on a main line, and that it offered variations in tight curves and gradients that would adequately test the functioning of plant and equipment. The first experiments were in 1901 and the first electric powered train to enter scheduled service was on the 15th October 1902. The tri-phase system was phased out (sorry about that ) for continuous current in 1952 / 53.

"Wilding" by Isabella Tree Wilding

If you believe in the real values of life and taking care of the Earth you will enjoy it, a nice positive read.

Lots of trashy thrillers but also Bede the Obscure in very small doses

Very well written biography of a narcissistic, self obsessed Italian early 20th century politician https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pike-Gabriele-dAnnunzio-Seducer-Preacher-ebook/dp/B008NZF90A/ref=sr_1_1?crid=82OH7O1NYTJI&dchild=1&keywords=the+pike+gabriele+d%27annunzio&qid=1592481489&sprefix=the+pike%2Caps%2C140&sr=8-1 . I find it very relevant to our world today.

Nigel

Dunkirk - From Disaster to Deliverance.

By Sinclair McKay

Terry Pratchett
Carpe Jugulum
Gradually working my way through Terry's books for a second time. Thoroughly enjoying re-visiting the things that I enjoyed the first time round as well as all those elements that I missed first time round.


And just finished:
Where the Hell Have You Been?
By Tom Carver
All about Monty's stepson, his experiences as a POW, escape and subsequent reuniting with Monty.

Trashy books - just finished a bumper package of Tess Gerritson`s books. But for each one I intersperse it with something more demanding - so working my way through theology books which I`ve been meaning to read for ages. At the moment reading Oliver Sacks - Seeing Voices which is about the Deaf world and the importance of sign-language for Deaf adults and children. It makes me feel that all the campaigning I did in the late 70s and early 80s to get British Sign Language accepted in schools for the Deaf was justified. The book is an interesting insight into the psychology of deafness. Sadly - I was never a native user of BSL and had to learn it as a second language. When I`ve finished that I may re-read my Gunnar Staalesen books about Varg Veum who is a PI in Bergen.

The whole Yes Minister/Prime Minister set as it made me laugh so much all those years ago and seem to be acting out on the TV again. I wanted to read ahead and find out how it all ends up next year?

Comics in the newspaper. That is where I get all the news that is worth anything.

Dave Simpson's attempt to track down all 40 former members of The Fall.