There's two words that can be used to describe Scania's range of luxury touring coaches: comfort and style. Some have one or the other while others have both - one such model which has both is the K480EB 6x2*4 pictured above!
This K480EB 6x2*4 started it's working life back in 2007 with Australia Wide Coaches wearing SA registration XNU346 then was re-registered TV5594 when based in Alexandria in Sydney - in early 2011, it was transferred to the fleet (as seen here) of Phil and Fiona Langley of Dubbo still registered as TV5594 and is the first 6x2*4 (6 wheels, 2 driven, 4 steering (front and tag axles)) to enter service in Australia.
This blog entry is a comparision between two coaches in the Langley's Coaches fleet, a Denning Decker (TV5580) and the above coach, a Scania K480EB 6x2*4 (TV5594)
Denning Decker TV5580
First things first: these are two totally different coaches.... the Scania has a 12 litre SCR Euro V engine and a 12 speed Opticruise AMT while the Denning has a Detroit Diesel Series 60 with a Eaton UltraShift Plus AMT.
Driveline:
The Series 60/UltraShift Plus is nowhere near as smooth or easy shifting as the 12 litre Scania/12 speed Opticruise - the UltraShift Plus would not let the Series 60 lug down to 1000rpm and would be changing down a lot higher than the Scania's Opticruise.... the Opticruise would let the Scania's engine lug down to 1000rpm before grabbing a lower gear.... smoothly!
On Tuesday February 14th, I was very lucky to be able to take part in a Big Cat Encounter (Tiger) at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.... I got to feed a tiger and meet the rest of the tiger family... here are some photos from the experience... now they're not the best but then again, these are memories for me!
Me feeding Isha, a 6 year old female Sumatran Tiger
Cast:
Harry Connick Jr. - Dr. Clay Haskett
Kris Kristofferson - Reed Haskett
Cozi Zuehlsdorff - Hazel Haskett
Nathan Gamble - Sawyer Nelson
Ashley Judd - Lorraine Nelson
Morgan Freeman - Dr. Cameron McCarthy
Austin Stowell - Kyle Connellan
Austin Highsmith - Phoebe
Winter the Dolphin - Herself
_____________________________________________________________________________________ Synopsis:
Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. But her fight for survival has just begun. Losing her tail may cost Winter her life. It will take the expertise of a dedicated marine biologist, the ingenuity of a brilliant prosthetics doctor, and the unwavering devotion of a young boy to bring about a groundbreaking miracle—amiracle that might not only save Winter but could also help thousands of people
around the world.
“Dolphin Tale” is a heartwarming, fun adventure about the healing bonds of family, both human and animal. The real Winter, who plays herself in “Dolphin Tale,” today serves as a symbol of courage and hope to millions of people—especially those facing their own physical challenges—who have been touched by her remarkable story of recovery and rehabilitation.
The film stars Harry Connick, Jr. as Dr. Clay Haskett, who runs the Clearwater Marine Hospital; Ashley Judd as Lorraine Nelson, a single mother; Nathan Gamble as her son, Sawyer, who frees Winter from the trap and forms a unique connection with the dolphin; Cozi Zuehlsdorff as Hazel, Clay’s daughter, who befriends Sawyer; Kris Kristofferson as Clay’s father, Reed; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) as Dr. Cameron McCarthy, who takes on the seemingly impossible task of crafting a prosthetic tail for Winter.
This movie is recommended to all, young and old, who love dolphins! Worth every cent of the ticket - one of the pre-requisites is a packet of tissues.... you will cry at the end!
Enjoy this little tune from Cal Cazerslit - the "Jesus nut" is the nut that holds the top rotor blade assembly to the shaft from the engine to the rotor blades!
One of many escapades from the abovementioned show - the vehicle in this video is a stock standard Toyota LandCruiser Prado 150 Series GXL turbo diesel auto...... check it out!
Here's my condensed random ramblings, the first of many
1. Tuesday's truck photography session netted me 11 reasonably brilliant photos - one truck in particular I was surprised to get - pic at bottom.
2. I have a truck photoshoot currently in the planning stages - a Scania P420 with a quad axle Steelbro MkIII SB361 sidelifter. Any assistance would be graciously accepted!!!
3. A lot of medical problems are preventing me from doing the things I really love! This is moreso evident with my back - 2 displaced vertebrae (L4 and L5 - L5 8mm forward and L4 9mm backward) and severe misalignment of the remaining vertebrae is causing pain.
Freightliner Argosy BJ52TC and Jackson Transport Bodies Tilt-Slide Semi W30549
Owned by Outback Recovery Service, Dubbo, NSW, Australia
See point 1 above for details of shoot this came from
I suppose there's first times for everything - this is a screenshot from my computer showing my modem signal strength! Four bars - never had that before!
I just had to post this - I have never had this amount of signal strength on my wireless service at home before.... I keep checking to see if it has changed! Well, I can say this is a bloody terrific surprise!
This is a wonderful singer from Newfoundland and Labrador named Kevin Collins - Irish by descent but Newfoundland born and raised! These 2 videos are of one of his biggest hits - written by Loyola Hearn, the current Canadian Ambassador to Ireland. It was originally written as The Green To The Green but Kevin titled it From An Island To An Island!
Lyrics:
My father left old Ireland, so many years ago
He left his home in Galway, where the green, green shamrocks grow
He met my darling mother on a boat to Newfoundland
And it didn't take him long before, he won her heart and hand
They both came to this island, as happy as could be
To settle down together, and raise a family
They built a little cottage, and started to combine
The green of the shamrock, with the green of the pine
From an island to an island, from the green to the green
They left their homes to settle in a place they never seen
They exchanged the hills of Newfoundland for the ones they left behind
And the green of the shamrock for the green of the pine
As their family grew around them, their eyes shone bright with pride
They'd go to church each Sunday morn' strolling side by side
Each evening 'round the turf-fire to heaven would ascend
The decades of the rosary for all in Ireland
Now the years passed by so quickly, and death we all must face
We laid our loving parents in their final resting place
Yet they taught me to be thankful for this heritage that's mine
The green of the shamrock for the green of the pine
From an island to an island, from the green to the green
They left their homes to settle in a place they never seen
They exchanged the hills of Newfoundland for the ones they left behind
And the green of the shamrock for the green of the pine
And the green of the shamrock for the green of the pine
The Honourable Loyola Hearn PC, MP - the 28th Canadian Ambassador to The People's Republic of Ireland and, like Kevin, a Newfoundland native and composer of this beautiful song
The new Amarok, Volkswagen's first foray into the 1 tonne ute market
This is the Trendline version
I had the opportunity to meet up with a mate on Facebook who happens to be a sales rep at Iverach Volkswagen in Dubbo today and was able to look at the Amarok in more detail.... this fine example of a ute is available now and will be available in four models: Amarok, Amarok Trendline, Amarok Highline and Amarok Ultimate! All standard with RWD or equipped with optional permanant or selectable 4Motion 4WD......
Base model Amarok - easily distinguishable by the steel wheels
The Amarok starts out with a base model - very well equipped, even for a base model.... TDI400 twin-turbocharged diesel (120kW/400Nm), 6 speed manual gearbox, 6 airbags and more. Cloth trim and airconditioning finish the Amarok off, as do steel wheels with 205R16C 110/108T Pirelli tyres. Similar Japs are the HiLux SR, Triton GL, Ranger XL and BT50 DX.
Amarok Trendline
Next up the line is the Amarok Trendline - easily identifiable by the Taruma 16" alloy wheels with Continental ContiContact 245/70R16 111T tyres. Basically the same as the base Amarok but with the alloy wheels and the TDI400 twin-turbo diesel engine (120kW/400Nm)! Specced similar to the GLX-R Triton.
Amarok Highline
The third model to come out at launch is the Amarok Highline - same specs as the Trendline but fitted with dual zone auto climate control, Durban alloy wheels with Continental ContiContact 255/60R18 112T tyres and many more options. This is the one to get if you want specs similar to the HiLux SR5, Triton GLS, Ranger XLT and BT50 SDX.
This is an advert for the finest online country music radio station in Ireland, Irish Country Music Radio! Feel free to have a listen at http://www.irishcountrymusicradio.com
What a way to spend about 22 minutes of a wonderfully sunny and cloud free Saturday morning!
This is the beautiful Robinson R44 helicopter, owned by Helicruz Orange, that I was previledged to be the very first passenger for the day in at the Golden Oldies Truck Club Truck & Tractor Show on Saturday August 7, 2010 - the first time in a piston engined helicopter after getting used to a Bell 206B-III JetRanger turbine helicopter. The pilot was really good - shared yarns and I showed him a few things around the town.... like my work, all the odd stuff around North Dubbo and more! Well worth the money if you can do it! Helicruz is a highly recommended company for scenic flights - contact the Orange branch on 0438272441 or go to http://www.helicruz.com.au/ohome.html
Today I thought I would share this photo - it is of a pair of ERF EC127 DDEC's owned by Cawley Brothers of Cludwyr, Ireland.
Both are powered by the extremely popular North American Detroit Diesel Series 60 rated at either 370hp or 430hp with 13 speed RoadRanger transmissions and Meritor drive axles and (in the case of T515 JCC) a midlift steer axle!
Thanks to Dave Gothard for the photo and reply on these wonderful trucks - just goes to show that not just American trucks do not get the S60 Detroit, but the best of the Brits can beat them at their own game!
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