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Joseph_Pestell

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Everything posted by Joseph_Pestell

  1. So right, Andy. Yes, while feeling sorry for those who lose their jobs at Hatton's, it also represents perhaps an opportunity for more local retailers. Likewise Warley. It's demise may result in better-supported regional shows.
  2. In our French village, the11 November ceremony took place late afternoon. I think that the timing is based round the aperitif at the Mairie afterwards. Attendance was always good. This is mainly because of a large number of veterans of the war in Algeria (ended 1962) who have a very well- organised association (FNACA). But they must be declining in numbers now.
  3. I have only just come across this interesting thread. MidEssex MRC had a lovely circular layout (Blackwell Brewery). I can't quite date it - failing memory - but it may have predated Glen Douglas.
  4. Symmetrical 3-way points limited to slow-speed locations (eg goods yards) as both wheels on an axle will tend to drop into the crossing - causing rough running.
  5. Maybe here in the UK (although I doubt it). Faller do (or did) a kit and I have certainly seen some of those on layouts.
  6. The ritual around a driver's retirement is a dearly held tradition on SNCF. Huge effort is made to change rosters around so that the driver's day will conclude at the right time and place for a suitable celebration with colleagues. Most depots seem to have a semi-official restaurant. Look those out if you can - usually very good and cheap. Y class locotracteurs have indeed been known as Yoyo for many decades. The Y8400 at Narbonne used to go up and down at great speed. Hit the buffers more than once at speed, enough to move the buffers.
  7. Whole place looks rather "abandoned". Amazing to think that it is nearly 50 years since I last visited it (1974).
  8. Very true. I would not leave my stand with the hall totally unattended. But my father went for lunch with the other exhibitors. He had to rest for the afternoon after being given rather too much wine. But his French was, unusually, quite fluent.
  9. Mountainous can be done in a small space with a tilted baseboard. Barrow MRC did it years ago with a SBB layout in HO, But your Art Deco theme would match well with the CFD du Calvados, one of the few 60cm lines in France.
  10. No, you don't need electrical connections between the boards on a layout of this size. You put in a dropper for each part of the same section and take that back to the switch on the control panel.
  11. I suspect that much of this conversation is redundant. The Tory press and other media have been briefed about the possible abandonment of HS2 so that Rishi Sunak can make some news next week at the Tory conference next week with a "good news" announcement. Total coincidence, of course, that the conference takes place at Manchester Central station.
  12. It's a basic tenet of layout wiring that section breaks should never be at a baseboard joint. Any movement of rails (usually heat expansion) will lead to short circuits.
  13. Newcastle United replica shirts seem to work well in all climates. Many years ago, I travelled on a delayed Palma to Gatwick in mid-December. Still above 18C when we left, -3C when we landed at 01.00.
  14. One of my cousins is younger than his niece (eldest daughter of his eldest brother). They were in the same class at primary school. She, in turn had her first child quite young, so John was a great-uncle before he was 20. I am not sure at what age he became a great-great uncle but it was some years ago and he is still only 50 now.
  15. Cleaner. I have my doubts. A good few years ago, I was on the footplate of 141R1126 when the fireman decided that the boiler tubes needed cleaning out. This is done by chucking a shovel full of sand into the firebox. The effect is quite spectacular as a thick black "smoke" ejected through the chimney. Certainly not appreciated by any householders nearby with washing on the line.
  16. I think that we may be in danger of breaching RMWeb rujes.
  17. Tony, I am glad that things are going well within your local authority area. I really am. But that does not invalidate my original comment, which was not "wrong or inaccurate". Like you, I have worked in and with local government and I have seen so many instances of perverse decisions.
  18. When living in the 5th arrondissement in Paris, I had two flatmates from the USA. Much of their was diverted via Paris, Texas. My mum, who was a very studious child, consumed reading biscuits (Huntley & Palmer's) with her books.
  19. I am sorry if I have offended some engineering professionals. But some of those who have objected to my comment have then gone on to reinforce my point. The decision makers in Government (national and government) are bean-counters and politicians, not technically competent in building.
  20. Thinking a bit further, there is perhaps a solution to this without complete rebuilding of structures. A modern equivalent of RAAC exists. But instead of having air bubbles, it has beads of expanded polystyrene, so water would not soak into it. Not easy stuff to use (static electricity?) and you have to be very aware about any loads put onto it. But it would impose minimal extra weight on other structural elements as compared to RAAC. I recall a local case, when I lived in France, where a vineyard owner asked the local builder to put in a floor using the stuff, supported initially by the existing timber floor. Some months later, the whole thing collapsed and the two, previously good friends who had been at school together, have not spoken since. They blame each other. I suspect that they are both to blame for not getting in a structural engineer to offer advice.
  21. This is indeed good news. A lot of reporting recently about Oxford St having become shabby recently. The south side of the street has been like that for about 50 years.
  22. Flat does not need to be boring. But I do endorse Robin's advice to avoid gradients. They will too steep in such a small space and not work well. Cyril (CJ) Freezer drew up a very satisfactory layout for 8' x 4', basically three simple oval tracks with pointwork to allow trains to change between them. The station platforms are down one of the long sides and the pointwork down the other. Agree with others that DC is much better to start with. If you later want DCC, you can just turn all the switches to ON.
  23. The amphitheatre in Pula, Croatia is good example of Roman concrete. Well worth a visit.
  24. No, stick with the old ones until a better method was found.
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