The Hidden Glasgow Forums

How about a monorail

Indeed, I did refer to hordes, but only in the respect that a few dozen well-heeled travellers aren't going to put much of a dent in a muti-million pound industry (tourism), but will enjoy it with a little less inconvenience.

As I noted, I'm not against it, quite the opposite, but it's still going to be a relatively privileged few that will enjoy the service. It (a couple of planes) will make little difference to the ports where it calls.

For example, there are quite a few marinas under construction on the Clyde coast now, and discussion with locals involved in hotels/bars/restaurants etc. has been interesting. While they largely welcome their arrival from the point of view of visitor numbers and the raising of the area's profile, other than the fees that the marina owner will be getting, they're not counting on any significant income as a result of the new arrivals. Their opinion is based on their colleagues experience, where they've found that marina users tend to travel with stocked up larders in their boats, entertain on board, and sleep on board overnight if they have the facility. Tourist boards and councillors won't admit this, and always talk up' these developments, and the local businesses don't contradict them in public, lest they lose any money that may be going.

Now, if they have a fleet of 25 to 50 aircraft operating around the coast, and catching from further away than Glasgow...



Ekranoplans on the Clyde!

JayKay wrote:Seaplane?

Why not get one of these bad boys operating in the clyde?



(Although perhaps we could remove the rocket launchers as a concession to passenger comfort and safety...)

That's a Flying Boat. Sea planes sit on the water on pontoons. A flying boat the fuselage is the hull as well. The Evening Times got it wrong too and it bloody annoyed me for some inexplicable reason. I nearly wrote a letter telling them to sort it out with a full-page apology!

As for removing the rockets. I would like to see it taking off down-river and passengers being allowed to play "Lob a rocket into G12". A direct hit on Dowanhill and your flight is free. Onto "The Chip" and it's a lifetime of free flights. Just a thought!

PK

PK

Most definitely not a flying boat...

The Ekranoplan flies a few metres above the water and depends on Ground Effect for its lift from the air trapped between the surface of the water and the wing. A toy of the Cold War, they were designed as highly efficient transports, carrying hundreds of tonnes of cargo (troops?) at high speed, 250 mph+, across the sea.

The ever pervasive Google mapping has these on view, at the Kaspiysk Naval Shipyard, after they were spotted a few months back. Even I was impressed when this pic turned up

See the Caspian Sea Monster in action in this mpg.

I've never seen, or even heard, of those things before. Does/Did team capitalist have anything like it?

PK

yeah, it's an ekranoplan. Heard about them years ago, but seeing them on Google Earth amazed me.

If you want one you can order one here http://www.volga-shipyard.com/ although it's the smaller Orlyonyok model (also visible on Google earth at Kaspiyysk) rather than the Lun.


Some nice Ekranoplan video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSYmSnpQ360

The closest that there is in the west is the (in development apparently) Boeing Pelican



It's not exactly the same in that over land it flies at 20,000 feet at just under 400 knots and has a range of 6,000 miles, but over sea it uses the WIG effect and flies at a few metres at around 250 knots, and has a range of 10,000 miles.

Didn't they used to build seaplanes at Dumbarton?? Seem to remember a story about the Blackburn seaplanes, and after the war the surplus aluminium was turned into corrugated sheets and used throughout western Scotland for an alternative roofing material for houses.

From this page'sreport about the seaplane service

The new service will mark a welcome return of seaplanes to the Clyde where almost 300 Short Sunderland flying boats were built at Dumbarton Rock during the Second World War. The last left the factory slipway of Blackburn Aircraft Works in 1945.

here's a Short Sunderland Flying Boat

Thetre's a couple of these sitting in the Clyde, and a few more up the West coast;

Catalina Flying boats. They were used for anti-sub patrols (amongst other things) If you're ever on the ferry going to Cumbrae if you look to your left as you're coming in to the Island there's a white can marker with one beneath. Not much left though! Apprently at the end of WW2 it would have cost too much to transport them back to America so the just holed them where they were.

PK

Blackburn Aircraft at Dumbarton produced the famous Sunderland flying boat which saw service in WWII between 1939 and 1945.

Found this documentary (in Russian, and NO translation) about the Ekranoplan, which ends with the monster being shown firing its weapons:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6HQSNERadQ

I'm sure there was also an English programme about them years ago, not long after they were 'discovered'. Probably done by Horizon or Equinox.

If you read the design theory, Ekranoplans have one basic flaw, shown by the number of engines (8, and more sometimes) bolted on to them. The reason is not to be able to transport the huge cargo masses they can carry, in flight, relatively little of the full engine power is used. The problem arises from the power needed to lift the craft out of the water, and make the transition to ground effect flight. Until it leaves the water, the power demands are huge, and remain until contact with the water's surface is broken. After that, much of the engine weight is just excess baggage.

That's probably the main reason for the changes incorporated in the development of the Boeing Pelican, to overcome this, but retain the GE advantages.

Apollo wrote:I'm sure there was also an English programme about them years ago, not long after they were 'discovered'. Probably done by Horizon or Equinox.

There was indeed, made for C4's EQUINOX series in 2000, called THE CASPIAN SEA MONSTER.

Yeah, it was Equinox. Remember it well.

Incidentally, the ekranoplan in the picture isn't the actual Caspian Sea Monster. The one in the pic is a LUN ekranoplan, which is actuallty smaller that the KM ekranoplan which was the original Caspian Sea Monster.

There is a LUN at Kaspiysk as well as a Orlyonok, (possibly the hull of a second dismantled one as well) but only one KM was built, it crashed and broke on recovery.

Peekay wrote:I've never seen, or even heard, of those things before. Does/Did team capitalist have anything like it?PK

You might want to have a look at this thread from last year, another "Do we/they have anything like it?" expose.

Daily Record

WATER WAY TO FLY

New city seaplane route from Glasgow to Oban offers stunning views of Scotland's beautiful west coast

THERE is no better way to see the scenic west coast of Scotland than from the air.

And when you swap the typical judder along the runway for a thrilling take-off that feels like a high-octane boat ride along the River Clyde, you're truly travelling in style.

Ahead of the official launch on Monday of the Cessna Seaplane's Glasgow to Oban route, the Daily Record was among a handful of specially-invited guests to take to the skies - and water - on the maiden flight.

Flying below the clouds on the £500,000 aircraft over some of the most picturesque countryside in the world was an unforgettable experience and makes you proud to be Scottish.

The new route is a dream come true for David West, a commercial airline pilot and founder of the UK's only commercial flying boat service - Loch Lomond Seaplanes.

Continues.....


http://www.lochlomondseaplanes.com/