Civil, Structural and Electrical (Widwed100523)

We took the train (Nene Valley Railway) into Peterborough this morning, largely so I could have a look at the cathedral.  It is really quite impressive and has some significant historical connections with Mary Queen of Scots and Katherine  of Aragon. 

My blip is the ceiling at the Eastern end, behind the high altar, the oldest part of the building.  In the extras,  a view of the pillars supporting the roof here. 

If these two count as C12th civil and structural engineering, my other extra is C20th electrical engineering.

When I was first at secondary school, I went on a trip to see Eric Laithwaite in Birmingham Town Hall.  He gave a great presentation on his work, titled The Engineer in Wonderland.
Part of that was about linear electric motors. 

The other extra is all that remains of a development project from the early 70s looking at how one of these might be used to run a train at speeds high enough to compete with domestic flying.  There were too many competing ideas and this one lost out to what became the ATP/HST/Pendolino.

If you are still reading - well done :-)