SHMD

I found that being 3-0 up is worse ! Kev.

Yes, and all in black and white. I watched it in Melbourne and I was always up early for the start. The programme before it was always two "old blokes" talking the most boring stuff imaginable to a kid - probably politics. "Watch out, watch out - there's a Humphry about! Kev.

I thought the "country code" encourages you to "leave gates how you find them". (...with a very few exceptions of where the gate is obviously in the wrong position.) Kev.

I thought they had to abandoned the "square egg idea because someone said that if it went ahead, then all the other farm animals would complain about the noise! Kev.

Not AC "Traction" power/supply, or transmission, but simple interference rejection of the domestic 50Hz supplies when operating "sensors" remotely from the signalling system/network. I also wonder if it might just be a simple "spark gap" used to protect the occupancy circuits if AC traction supplies are present and fault to the rails. Kev.

Is it a "load" so that the occupancy detector can detect that the circuit is working even if a train is no "shorting" the rails together? Think of it as a resister and that the occupancy detector can detect 1/ an "open circuit" - a fault, 2/ an "unoccupied circuit" - line clear, and 3/ a "short circuit" - a train or line occupied. Of course, it makes more sense if it is actually a capacitor (providing impedance) so that it works with AC electric - of a frequency that does not correspond with "mains" frequencies (and their derivatives). Just my speculation as I don't work in the rail industry. Kev.

It's the "Bafta Games Awards" tonight. Info here... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72pjyl4w04o Kev.

Shrinkflation

"Special Branch" and "Flying Squad"! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-oxfordshire-68785461 Made me laugh. Kev.

I've found that not all things are available online forever. Can you still get a "Hattons" receipt online? Kev.

I was thinking that too, plus the fact that some receipt materials used just fade away - usually years before I even start the project that the receipt paid for! Kev.

The "resultant finish", of fake products, "may not be the same" because any defects/loss of fidelity does not matter to them as they fully intend not to support them in any way once sold - unlike a legit business which must factor in these costs. Kev.

They can. It's called "proof of purchase". This thread really does show why "proof of purchase" (a receipt) is so important now - and increasingly so in the future. All sympathies, and support, to Dapol and other victims of this type of crime. Kev.

I hope there is some serious sole searching after all these appalling puns! Kev.

What is the aircraft type? (Modified and unmodified.) Kev.

I loved the relaxed lifestyle there. Very tempting! ...but the "boating" was brill too. So effortless. I loved the super long Dip Stick, the bottle on the exhaust, and the efficient way they "seesawed" the motor bike off at the other end. The safety looked well catered for - at least there were life-jackets a plenty! The engine looked well maintained and tended. Clearing the Prop would be a doddle! Did you see how many "views" that video has!! Thanks Mike for posting that. Very therapeutic. Kev.

I think that "99.6% finished" figure has just changed down to 99.2%! Kev.

Very well said, sir, very well said. I was thinking along the same lines but resisted to respond due to my two over sized thumbs not being able to convey the clarity and succinctness required. Kev. (I too struggle with a few of the "double" meaning jokes on here.)

When the motors were removed did you try pushing the locos around to gauge (sorry) the rolling resistive forces opposing your hands pressure - especially at starting/stopping? On the steam locos, did you rotate the gearing to see if there were any 'tight' spots anywhere when the main drivers had completed a full 360 degrees of rotation? Do these (older) locos have a flywheel? Replacing the old (heavy) motor, with a coreless one, will reduce the rotational inertia - which is not a good thing. I still think there could be too much grease, and as you are 'ok' at replacing motors - have you tried removing all the wheels from the chassis - thus allowing inspection/cleaning of the bearings/journals? (I realise that the coupling rods are an added obstacle/complication to doing this.) Kev.

I have to say that I detest most graffiti (>%99.9) but this both made me smile and is brilliant... https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-68574689 Kev.

I really suspect that the 4F's running properties are nothing to do with the absolutely tiny value of the suppression capacitor. (It sounds more like "stiction" or too much grease.) If the PWM controller has feedback, then there is a small possibility that this could interfere but normally not. You can, of course, just remove the suppression capacitor, (they are hardly relevant today), and re-check the 4F's performance again. Kev.

When I go out for a walk with my son, on the way back at roughly the right place, I says to him... "Don't worry, we'll soon be home. Just another million millimetres to go!" Kev.

Lots of memories for me in that clip... I sailed on her sister ship - the SS America, but by the time I was on her it was renamed the SS Australis. It's such a shame but I think the scrapping of it is inevitable. Kev.

04:45 Woke up with start! Off to Nantes today (again)... Pack, (because I didn't last night), then the bins out followed by the school run - that's after I defrosted the car! 08:15 Taxi to the airport - a clear run on the M60, most unusual but very pleasing. (The driver was from Bangladesh, so we chatted about the food, weather and how things have changed there in the last 25 years.) 09:30 Into the "Escape lounge" for a plate of their excellent sausage and bacon - plus another coffee. 09:45 "Go to gate" for the 10:40 KL1074 MAN-AMS On the way I take this general view... The Tui jets just leaving but the Jet2 aircraft has been there all night, and so has been recently de-iced - just like my car! 13:10 (local) Land at AMS a few minutes late. There were some interesting planes passing, while we taxied to D12, but I was seated on the wrong side of the aircraft... 14:15 (local) My KL1459 15:10 AMS-NTE flight is delayed until 15:45. No worries, more time in the Crowne Lounge... 15:55 Take off and I fall asleep - as usual... 17 something or other (slept too long) starting descent. 17:20ish Descending through the (low) cloud. A bit rough with "turbulence" and lot of up/down//accel/decel movements - I wake up proper. Then another GA - that's #6 in 3 three years with none in the previous 30! 17:35 Land. Still a bit rough but this time the captain was happy as he could "see the runway". During Taxi-ing, I always keep an eye out for the old Lockheed Martin "constellation" permanently parked not far from the main terminal. (Pictures posted previously.) 17:40 This time, though, something more interesting was on the apron - an Airbus Beluga. (I call them Guppys for some reason!) With my Embraer 195 E2 in the foreground (no wonder we got thrown around - an A380 it ain't). You can see the weather is terrible - but clearing quickly. Here's a better view of #5... Not pretty, but it certainly makes a change from your usual airport aircraft. 18:15 Best of all - both items of luggage arrive on the carrousel! Kev.