A trip to Essendon.

[red750]

Yesterday I drove my son to Tullamarine to catch a flight overseas, and called back via Essendon. Not many aircraft around.Needing to visit the rest room, I went into the terminal. Airside, where there used to be 727's, DC9's, Friendships etc. many years ago, there were two aircraft, a Sharp Airlines Fairchild SA-227DC Metro 23, and a Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante of AMSA. The other surprise was that what used to be the passenger lounge is now a collection of business offices and conference rooms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[facthunter]

Very much a shadow of its former self.  Nev

[FrankPilot]

Yep, a bit sad, not what it used to be. Cheers.

 

 

[red750]

Just a slight aside to my posts on my trip to Tulla and Essendon. I couldn't believe how blatently motorists ignore the speed limits on the Tulla Freeway. Every 100 metres or so there is a large overhead gantry with illuminated speed signs for each lane of the freeway. Most were showing 80, which is the speed I was travelling. But just about every other motorist was tearing past me (and most likely cursing me) at speeds likely up to 100 kph or even more. Cameras on the gantries must have been having a ball.

 

 

The red arrow indicates the next gantry.

[FrankPilot]

Hi Peter, no speed cameras on Tulla freeway yet. Cheers, Frank.

[spacesailor]

Hi Peter 

When was your speedo checked .

GPS is available to see if your actually driving under the limit. One car I owned was driving under by 10 ks + 

According to gps . ( maker said it was to comply with government wishes ). 

spacesailor

[red750]

2 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

 

When was your speedo checked .

It passed a roadworthy check when I bought it less than 3 months ago.

[RossK]

16 hours ago, red750 said:

Just a slight aside to my posts on my trip to Tulla and Essendon. I couldn't believe how blatently motorists ignore the speed limits on the Tulla Freeway. Every 100 metres or so there is a large overhead gantry with illuminated speed signs for each lane of the freeway. Most were showing 80, which is the speed I was travelling. But just about every other motorist was tearing past me (and most likely cursing me) at speeds likely up to 100 kph or even more. Cameras on the gantries must have been having a ball.

The red arrow indicates the next gantry.

That stretch of the Tulla is terrible.

If you're doing 80 (which I do because I'm tight and dislike paying fines) you're the slowest one on the road by far.

[facthunter]

yeah there's some wild driving there between Mt Alexander Rd turnoff and the turnoff to the Aerodrome with people in the wrong lane as well.  Nev

[CT9000]

13 hours ago, red750 said:

It passed a roadworthy check when I bought it less than 3 months ago.

Roadworthy check has nothing to do with speedo accuracy. If you drive a Toyota you can almost guarantee the error will be about 10%. They are deliberately made that way.

[facthunter]

Bugger. Oh what a feeling. Nev

[red750]

It's a Holden Astra.

[facthunter]

Why did you BUY it?  Nev

[CT9000]

I was not picking on Toyota, I just know for a fact that Toyota's are set with a 10% error built in. Fords are set with 4%, I don't know about other makes but the Aus. rules require the speedo to not under read at all but can over read. Another part of the Aus. design rules require an accuracy of 10%.

[facthunter]

I use GPS based indications. Tire diameter affects indic. speed also.  Nev

[CT9000]

2 minutes ago, facthunter said:

I use GPS based indications. Tire diameter affects indic. speed also.  Nev

I agree Nev, most people believe what their speedo says but it rarely accurate.   

[BurnieM]

It is not usual for a speedo to read 5-10% higher than actual but... .... the odo on the same device will be + or - 3%.

 

[red750]

7 hours ago, facthunter said:

Why did you BUY it?  Nev

Because it was cheap, low kms, and more comfortable than a mobility scooter. From the end of this month, I'll normally only drive 4 km each way per day, 3 days a week. Could walk it if I wasn't 80. Longer trips once in a blue moon.

[facthunter]

Short trips like that will Kill it pretty quick. rego and insurance is high for that amount of usage. Good luck.  Nev

[red750]

Another view of the solar panels, from Google Streetview.

 

[facthunter]

Safest form of NUCLEAR..  and by  far the cheapest.  source of Electricity.  Nev

[Siso]

Good for domestic, has large limitations for industry, jobs for our kids etc

[onetrack]

Quote

...has large limitations for industry...

Not so, as evidenced by the substantial number of West Australian mines in remote regions with huge solar installations.

 

https://arena.gov.au/news/port-gregory-wind-solar-and-battery-hybrid-plant-to-power-mine/

 

https://www.cefc.com.au/case-studies/remote-wa-mine-pioneers-solar-and-storage-potential/

 

https://www.apa.com.au/operations-and-projects/renewables/solar-farms/chichester-solar-farm

 

https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2024/10/31/pacific-energy-delivers-3-8-mw-solar-farm-and-bess-to-pilbara-iron-ore-mine-site/

 

https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2024/11/01/24-mw-solar-farm-and-13-mw-bess-powers-up-western-australia-gold-mine/

 

https://arena.gov.au/projects/degrussa-solar-project/

 

https://www.stantec.com/en/projects/australia-projects/t/the-northern-goldfields-solar-project

 

The above is just a selected number of renewable energy projects amongst the W.A. miners, there are a lot more, it would take up too much space in one post, to list them all.