Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
April 16, 2013 A newly built railway terminus in Kurla, a suburb of western India’s city of Mumbai, was officially opened. (Along with being the most populous city of India, Mumbai is the capital of the country’s state of Maharashtra.) This terminus was the replacement for a smaller and dilapidated station complex that had long... Continue Reading →
April 15, 1914 Maughold Head Lighthouse on the eastern coast of the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, first went into service. This lighthouse, which overlooks Ramsey Bay, is named for the headland upon which it was built. (Maughold Head marks the closest point -- a distance of only 31... Continue Reading →
April 12, 1997 A new and larger terminal for the international airport on the Spanish island of Mallorca (also known as Majorca) was officially inaugurated. Mallorca is the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, an archipelago in the western region of the Mediterranean Sea. The Mallorcan city of Palma is the capital of those islands, which... Continue Reading →
April 11, 1895 A letter from California that was sent to General Roy Stone (1836-1905), director of the U.S. Office of Road Inquiry (forerunner of the Federal Highway Administration), shared news about a significant milestone in highways development within that state. This letter was from state highway officials in California and read in part: “It... Continue Reading →
April 10, 1990 After more than a century of being staffed by keepers on a regular basis, Ar Men lighthouse in the part of the Atlantic Ocean marking the western end of France’s Brittany region was fully automated. This lighthouse is specifically situated within a vast area of reefs known as the Chaussée de Sein.... Continue Reading →
April 9, 1930 Edward Sycamore, described in the Guardian as "a well-known skipper of racing yachts,” died at his home in the English coastal town of Brightlingsea. He was 74. The next day’s edition of the Guardian noted, “He had few rivals in the art of handling and maneuvering racing craft.” Sycamore was born on... Continue Reading →
April 8, 2017 A replacement railway station on Monte Generoso in southeastern Switzerland was opened. This station is specifically located in Ticino, which has the distinction of being the only Swiss canton where Italian is the sole official language. The current version of Generoso Vetta railway station was designed by Ticino-born architect Mario Botta (born... Continue Reading →
April 5, 1878 Albert Champion, who made notable contributions to various modes of transportation, was born in Paris. By the end of the 19th century, he had established himself as a formidable track bicycle racer in his native France. In 1899, Champion surprised nearly everyone by beating out quite a few seasoned cyclists to win... Continue Reading →
April 4, 1993 A long-distance walking trail in the Australian state of South Australia (SA) was officially opened in its entirety. Lynn Arnold (born in 1949), who was premier of SA from September 1992 to December 1993, presided at this event. The trail was named after artist Hans Heysen (1877-1968). The German-born Heysen spent most... Continue Reading →
April 3, 2016 A bus rapid transit (BRT) system in England’s ceremonial county of Greater Manchester was inaugurated. A section of this system has the distinction of being the first guided busway – a dedicated, buses-only route – to operate in northwestern England. There is a multi-user path alongside this guided section for bicyclists, pedestrians,... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 