Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
We are now settling into our new life in Sydney. We have a flat in an amazing location on the North Shore with some amazing views. We have the flat for a few more weeks then we need to find somewhere for ourselves, which is easier said than done in Sydney.
This is the view from the balcony of our flat.
I am working just up the road from here on Pacific Highway so only a ten minute walk to work for me! Sure beats an hour and three quarters on the train or in the car!
Unfortunately we cannot see the Opera House from the flat, but we have a great view of the bridge and over towards Balmain.
A view of the bridge at night with a Cruise ship passing under neath.
Tags: Australia, Steven Johnson
Posted in Australia, Personal | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 5th, 2010
I have got a start date for a job in Australia.
I am due to start on 22nd March, working in Sydney. I am going to work for a company called Transfield Services.
Transfield Services is a service provider to the industrial, resources and infrastructure industries.
Their web site is:
We are now busy trying to decide what to take, and what to leave. We also have to decide where we want to live in Sydney, it is all very expensive!
Tags: Steven Johnson
Posted in All, Personal | No Comments »
A little bit of a tribute to Brunel
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Nadine and I have recently been on holiday down in Cornwall.
On our journey around the bottom Left hand corner of the British Isles we visited several sites associated with Brunel.
Here are a few photos for those that like this sort of thing.
SS Great Britain
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Royal Albert Bridge in the rail!
All rather impressive, especially considering when and how they were built.
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East Midlands IMT comes to an end
Friday, July 24th, 2009
Today is the end of the East Midlands Integrated Management Team delivering track renewals for Network Rail.
Back in April 2004 GrantRail took over the contract to deliver track renewals as part of Network Rail’s new IMT renewals strategy. GrantRail lost the contract to Jarvis back in September/October 2007.
This IMT has now come to an end with Jarvis relocating some of the staff from Derby, whilst others have been made redundant. The relocations have been to Doncaster and Peterborough.
It appears that Network Rail have endorsed this move as they are reorganising their people to reflect this new Jarvis structure.
One cannot help but wonder if Derby and the East Midlands are once again going to become the forgotten back waters of the UK rail network, with energy focused on the East and West Coast lines. (Plus the Great Western Electrification.)
The redundancies have added to the already significant numbers of railway staff out of work. However, with major projects about to start or ramping up in London, news of the Electrification of the Great Western Main Line and a few tram projects looking likely to get going soon, I am sure there will be an up turn in six to eight months.
I also wonder how Network Rail will be able to meet the commitments they have made for Control Period 4.
Control Period 4 Delivery Plan 2009
Is High Output and Modular S&C really going to deliver the benefits and cost savings they are expecting, I am very sceptical.
Clay Cross North installation by Derby IMT
I can foresee that the demand for Platelayers, Technical and Management staff will rise dramatically when Network Rail realises it will have to use conventional methods to meet the renewal and improvement commitments it has signed up to.
Bedford South Junction, crossover installed by Derby IMT
How many of our key staff will have left for Australia, China, India, US or the Middle East by then. Rail investment is booming internationally and our experienced staff will be highly sought after. Does any of this have a sense of deja vu for anyone???
Tags: Derby IMT, Integrated Managament Team, Network Rail, track renewals
Posted in All, Ideas, Personal | No Comments »
Monday, July 13th, 2009
I have just got back from a week in Romania, I had a great time and it is a beautiful country.
It is amazing how ones preconceived ideas are so governed by what we see on TV. Romania has moved on a long way from the images of orphanages that were on our screens 10-15 years ago. It feels like a thoroughly modern country looking to play its part in Europe.
The country is rammed full of history with Transylvania seeming to have a castle or church on every hill. Unfortunately Dracula was not at home when we visited Bran Castle, although it is an amazing place to have a look around.
Bran Castle, the alleged home of Dracula
Sighisoara is the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, so called because he was partial to having his enemies impaled on stakes and then put on display. He sounds like a particularly pleasant chap, and is supposed to be the chap who inspired the character of Dracula for Bram Stoker’s stories.
Sighisoara
Brasov from the top of the cable car
One of the most surprising places we visited were the salt mines near Praid. The journey down was via a ‘Bendy Bus’ and a walk through a steeply inclined shaft. The door then opened out into a huge open cavern.
Salt Mines
The caverns were huge and interlinked, it is alleged that the air down there has medicinal qualities and the locals spend the whole day down there playing games and there is even a functioning chapel. All very strange but very interesting.
Targu Mures central station at rush hour!
Targu Mures station is not what one could call the busiest in the World. The single line through the town looks decidedly tired. The gauge here is 1520mm, for those that are interested.
Palace of Culture, Tagur Mures
Targu Mures was the base for our trip in Transylvania. This is a medium sized town with a pleasant town centre and all the stuff one would need in a modern city.
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