Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
July 6, 1926 The first test flight of the racing seaplane Macchi M.39 took place in Italy. This seaplane had been designed by engineer Mario Castoldi, and it was built by the aircraft company Aeronautica Macchi (based in the city and comune of Varese in northwestern Italy). The first M.39 to take to the skies... Continue Reading →
June 23, 2007 A dedication ceremony was held for the Sitina Tunnel in Bratislava, the capital and largest city of the country of Slovakia in central Europe. This tunnel carries the D2 motorway underneath a section of the mountain range known as the Little Carpathians (a part of the Carpathian Mountains). The Sitina Tunnel was... Continue Reading →
June 22, 1870 A railway station in Cheshire County in northwest England first went into service. This facility is 9.5 miles (15 kilometers) east of the city of Chester, and it is specifically situated in the village of Delamere. That village, which owes its name to the French phrase “de la mere” (“of the sea”),... Continue Reading →
June 8, 1724 Engineer and physicist John Smeaton, who is widely regarded as the “Father of Civil Engineering,” was born in the English civil parish of Austhorpe. During his prolific career, Smeaton designed numerous lighthouses, bridges, canals, and harbors. One of Smeaton’s more notable achievements was a lighthouse that became known as Smeaton’s Tower. This 72-foot... Continue Reading →
June 4, 1784 A pioneering ascent of a hot-air balloon took place just outside the city of Lyon in southeastern France. This balloon was named the Gustave in honor of King Gustav III of Sweden. The king was visiting Lyon at that time, and he was among those on hand to watch the aircraft take... Continue Reading →
June 3, 2003 A new version of the Djupfjord Bridge in Nordland county in Norway’s northern region made its debut. This structure, which carries European route E10 over a section of the Djupfjorden (a deep and narrow inlet of the sea) within the municipality of Moskenes, replaced a bridge that had been in service at... Continue Reading →
May 24, 1914 The sixth annual Italian bicycle race known as the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy) began in the city of Milan. The multi-day competition was organized by the Milan-based La Gazzetta dello Sport (The Sports Gazette); that newspaper initiated the annual race in 1909 and served as its sponsor. A total of 81 bicyclists... Continue Reading →
May 13, 1933 A trolleybus system made its debut in the resort town of Bournemouth on England’s southern coast. The new system was formally inaugurated by John Robert Edgecombe, the lord mayor of Bournemouth. The first of those trolleybuses to go into service was driven by William Biddlecombe. Over the next few years, this trolleybus... Continue Reading →
May 3, 2017 At 3:30 p.m., a pivotal moment in the construction of the Mӕlefjell Tunnel between the municipalities of Seljord and Hjartdal in southeastern Norway took place when both halves of the structure were joined together. This breakthrough occurred four years after the construction company NCC had begun building the road tunnel. “I’ve been... Continue Reading →
April 22, 1921 The ocean liner RMS Arundel Castle, under the command of Captain T.J. Bremner, departed the city of Southampton in southern England for her maiden voyage. This vessel, which had been built for the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company Limited (Union Castle Line), made her way to Cape Town, South Africa, on that inaugural... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 