General Knowledge Quiz

[Calthrop]

I think I have the second and third, not first and fourth alas.

i was going to say Finland for 2. I thought 3 was New Zealand. Part of what I said there made no sense, if I intend to submit an answer I won't Google. Never googled 2. I would still guess at Finland.

Lauhanvuori N.P. is indeed in Finland - in the south of the country, not very far from Tampere.

One down, three still to get.

 

[Calthrop]

Hint -- specialities of the three parks "outstanding":


No. 1 -- Asiatic lion

No.3 -- giraffe

No. 4 -- capybara, jaguar, red-faced guan

 

[fowler9]

Hint -- specialities of the three parks "outstanding":


No. 1 -- Asiatic lion

No.3 -- giraffe

No. 4 -- capybara, jaguar, red-faced guan

Is 4 Brasil near the Amazon delta?

 

[Calthrop]

Right continent, wrong country and river.

 

[Calthrop]

Trying for a hint: the countries in which are located Nos. 1, 3 and 4, ceased to use steam locos in regular commercial (non-"tourist") service on their public railways, at or around the following dates --

1: 2000

3: late 1970s

4: mid / late 1990s

 

[Calthrop]

Only fowler9 has come up with any answer -- unless a correct answer shows up from any other source by late tonight (Sat.), the floor will be his.

 

[Calthrop]

fowler9 -- your floor !

[Locations of the other three parks: Gir Forest -- India (Gujarat State). Murchison Falls -- Uganda. Predelta -- Argentina (River Parana delta, heading toward Rio de la Plata).]

 

[fowler9]

Was on the right continent for the fourth one. Ha ha. I only got Finland because the name looked.... Well.... Finnish. Ha ha. Let me have a think.

 

[fowler9]

Probably too easy but there is a pub in Liverpool City Centre who's name relates to a man who was hugely involved in the introduction of social/council housing in the UK. What is the pub called?

 

[martinsh]

Well the only pub I know of in Liverpool that could be named after a person is the Richard John Blackler ...

 

[fowler9]

Well the only pub I know of in Liverpool that could be named after a person is the Richard John Blackler ...

Incorrect I'm afraid mate. Richard John Blackler was the founder of Blacklers department store, that entire building that the Wetherspoons you mention is in used to be the department store.

 

[deltic1989]

I know of a pub called The Addison Arms. The Addison Act (Housing and Town Planning Act 1919), named after the then Housing Minister Dr Christopher Addison, allowed the building of housing after the First World War. That was pretty much the start of social housing in the UK as I understand it.

 

[fowler9]

The person in question has the title Doctor. if no one gets it in the next 24 hours I'll give you the answer. It is very close to Lime Street.

 

[martinsh]

Doctor Duncans ?

 

[fowler9]

Doctor Duncans ?

Sorry about the late reply, long day. Correct, the surgery is yours.

 

[martinsh]

What unusual feature is shared by the following English roads ? A12, A14, A55, A483

 

[krus_aragon]

What unusual feature is shared by the following English roads ? A12, A14, A55, A483

The A55 and A483 both follow railway lines (current or disused) for much of their route: in fact portions of the modern A55 around Colwyn Bay are built on the NWCL's old alignment, and it runs above the NWCL across Britannia Bridge.

(I presume you're not limiting the scope of the question to the small bits of the A55 and A483 that are outside of Wales.)

 

[martinsh]

No. Not even close I'm afraid. Nothing to do with railway trackbeds

 

[martinsh]

Time for a clue ...

These A roads all have a feature which is more normally associated with motorways

 

[Warwick]

None of them have roundabouts.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Do they all have hard shoulders?

 

[Jona26]

Are they covered by regulations allowing civillian Traffic Officers to operate along their length?

 

[krus_aragon]

None of them have roundabouts.

On the contrary, the A55 has two, at Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr.

The A55 has portions around the Conwy tunnel and Colwyn Bay that are legally "Special Roads" where pedestrians, horse-drawn vehicles and learner drivers are not permitted to use the road.

By default any road is a public highway, with all the associated rights to walk it, drive cattle and sheep along the road, etc. When the first plans for motorways were envisaged, it was seen that there'd be a need to restrict access for the likes of horse-drawn carts. Thus a special road starts with no legal right of way, but then selectively grants access to particular classes of vehicle.

Subsequently the legal concept of a motorway was developed, and a road designated a motorway is also a special road. The aforementioned part of the A55 is one of a few roads that is a special road without also being a motorway.

(I've no idea if any of the other three have special road portions.)

 

[martinsh]

None of the above are correct.

Clue 2 : this feature can (probably) be seen in any Road Atlas

 

[krus_aragon]

Hmm. I'm starting to run out of ideas here...

After the A55 was extended across Anglesey, it was decided to number all the junctions, which is usually only done for motorways. I can't remember noticing any junction numbers on the A483 around Wrexham/Chester though.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Do they all have service areas in the same form as on motorways?

 

[GusB]

Do they all have three lane carriageways in places?

 

[martinsh]

After the A55 was extended across Anglesey, it was decided to number all the junctions, which is usually only done for motorways. I can't remember noticing any junction numbers on the A483 around Wrexham/Chester though.

Correct. All these roads have numbered junctions for all or part of their length. Your speed camera free zone

 

[krus_aragon]

Correct. All these roads have numbered junctions for all or part of their length. Your speed camera free zone

I guess there were junction numbers on the A483, but I ignored them!

Next question:

When you combine a pint of beer, some potatoes, bells on a chain, a bit of money and someone's head, what do you get?

 

[Calthrop]

krus_aragon: no answers for nearly two days: may I submit a silly one?

I think the answer is Sir Walter Raleigh.


potatoes: he's famous for introducing those, to Britain from the New World

a bit of money: one would like to think that Queen Elizabeth gave him at least a small amount of remuneration for his ruined cloak

bells on a chain: he was an animal-lover, so "alarmed" his cat (belled neck-chain) to give the mice a sporting chance

someone's head: James I was not a fan, and finally had him executed

beer: about which sentence as above, Sir W. understandably felt a little bitter