Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
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 →
April 19, 1928 Theodorus “Dorus” Rijkers, who was credited with saving hundreds of lives from shipwrecks along the coast of the Netherlands, died at the age of 81 in Den Helder. Rijkers had been born in that Dutch city in 1847. Rijkers’ lifesaving career began in 1872. While out at sea in his boat one... Continue Reading →
April 12, 1911 A new aviation milestone was achieved when Pierre Prier undertook a non-stop flight in a monoplane between England and France. He specifically flew from the community of Hendon, which is six miles (9.7 kilometers) from the center of London, to the Paris suburb of Issy-les-Molineaux. Prier, who is shown in the above... Continue Reading →
March 26, 2006 The Tunnel Tiergarten Spreebogen in the central area of Berlin was opened to vehicular traffic. This structure is part of the federal highway designated as the Bundesstraße 96, and it serves as a link between Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the main railway station in Germany’s capital city; and the locality (neighborhood) of Tiergarten in the... Continue Reading →
March 23, 2013 A station of the Paris Métro rapid transit system made its debut near the town hall of Montrouge, a commune in the southern suburbs of France’s capital city. This station is formally known as Mairie de Montrouge (Town Hall of Montrouge), and it was the 302nd station of the Paris Métro to... Continue Reading →
March 2, 1863 A new railway bridge crossing the River Thames in London was officially opened. This 754.6-foot (230-meter)-long bridge connects the areas of Battersea and Fulham in England’s capital city. Now commonly known as the Battersea Railway Bridge, this structure had early on been named the Cremorne Bridge after public gardens that were once... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 