The Night Mail

[Florence Locomotive Works]

A question for us all, where has Stu been?

[PhilJ W]

Talk of exploding toilets reminded me of what my dad told me. My dad had some older cousins who lived down in Bermondsey in an old large house split into apartments. There was only one outside toilet shared by all the tenants. Problem was one of the tenants was a bully and every Sunday morning would occupy the toilet whilst he smoked his five Woodbines and checked his copy of sporting life. If he found anyone in occupation he would turf them out irrespective of age or sex. This was about 1930-35 and in those days bicycle lamps and other lamps were acetylene for which carbide tablets were available. It was suggested to my dads cousins that a carbide tablet dropped into the WC would teach this chap a lesson. So the next Sunday morning one was armed with a handful of carbide tablets whilst the other kept watch. It just so happened that their target turned up a few minutes early so the one with the tablets was in danger of being caught so he threw the entire handful into the pan and they then hid themselves and waited. They didn't have to wait long before there was an enormous bang, the outhouse disintegrated and their target had to be stretchered off face down with a badly scorched backside. 

[simontaylor484]

We had a driver that wasnt particularly clued up the boss called him sprout as he didnt have the brain to be a cabbage 

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

There was one to use the modern term, “absolute madlad” who used to get a aerosol can of AXE Deodorant and set it off in the boys locker room every Thursday. However at some point he really did go mad, and made a shooter list. As I sat right next to him in a few classes, I got hauled in for questioning. My tale and that of other classmates told, we were thanked for our help. Obviously we never saw him again after that. That story could have been made much more exciting (and accurate), but going down that route helps nowt.

 

A certain Bear, when but a mere cub, *may* have set off a smartie tube full of sodium chlorate and sugar in the boys' changing rooms at a certain sailing base during Games Lesson....

The giveaway was the clouds of smoke exiting the windows and billowing upwards, straight past the teachers' office upstairs.

When questioned by the Gestapo ("right, what ya been burning?") one of a certain Bear's team had the wherewithal to reply "just some sugar stuff", leaving out the full chemical content.  Since there was a strong smell of burnt sugar they bought it.

To say they weren't happy was an understatement, though.....

[Happy Hippo]

Shropshire plus Telford and Wrekin goes to Tier 3.

 

It's their own fault if you could have seen the hordes that think that social distancing does not apply to them, you'd wonder why it wasn't straight to Tier 4.

 

Apart from click and collect and online shopping, I think I'm going to be retiring to a cake holding facility which has access to a Penderyn ICBM* silo.

 

(Inter Continental Bottles of Malt.*)

 

To answer Douglas's earlier query, I'm afraid I'm not party to the current whereabouts of Stu.

 

People come and go to the TNM and although there is a hardcore of regular contributors, we also have a fair number who are content just to sit and watch.

 

 

[Northroader]

Two incidents at school come to mind. The school was mixed, but separate girls and boys playgrounds, tarmac surfaced areas each end of the school, and the boys end, a grassy bank rose up behind the school, with a retaining wall to keep the bank sliding down into the playground.  We had some contractors doing a job, with a little shed they could take their breaks in, placed against the retaining wall. Complete with coal stove, and door which had an outside catch (oh yes! You’re getting in front now) so once the guys were in having their break, somebody put the catch on nice and quiet, and somebody else got a clod off the bank, which went on top of the smoking stovepipe.

Another time, the toilet block got used as a test range. One side of the playground, there was a toilet block, nice brick building with a row of cubicles off a passage, (there weren’t any toilets in the main building) and we thought it would be a good place to try the effects of some home made gunpowder. We just packed it in a cardboard carton, just as well we never used a metal container. I was in charge of making the fuse. Then place in one of the cubicles, light and retire. No bang, just a muffled whump, and an ginormous cloud of dense smoke poured out and drifted across the back of the school.

 

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Well I went out and did some live steamery today. For Christmas along with the Hudson, I was gifted by my dad as a complete surprise a almost brand new Mamod Te1a. Today, after a boiler inspection a few days ago, I finally decided to steam it. (I had been putting it off not wanting it to tear me away from Lionel) And the results were excellent except Seamus, as he was named, does not like the Oklahoma winter.
 

On the subject of winter we actually had a heavy dusting of snow this morning, however it burnt off by 1:00pm. 
 

 

Douglas

Edited December 30, 2020 by Florence Locomotive Works

[J. S. Bach]

What s that rod inserted into the stack?

[Florence Locomotive Works]

17 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

What s that rod inserted into the stack?

It is what one attempts to use to steer the engine. However it being threaded on makes it only work when turning right. 

[Erichill16]

On 29/12/2020 at 20:58, tomparryharry said:

Massive brownie points were accumulated today. The mirror was finally attached in the hallway.  Following that, I managed to hang Kim's commission scroll as a bit of a bonus.  Tomorrow is back to shed day:- Whoopee!  

If I earn any brownie points they’ve to be used within an hour or they are automatically forfeited!

[Happy Hippo]

Someone who shall remain nameless mentioned that since I have some spare boards available, and some spare point work as well, perhaps it would be a good idea to build a board or two that fitted onto the south cassette table of Torri Gwynt, thereby allowing the south end of Rhech Capel Junction to be built as well.

 

You would have to imagine something along the lines of the area around Coleford Junction signal box in the FoD.  Of course there would have to be another cassette table at the western end of Rhech Capel to allow onward traffic to Llandegla.  The question has to be where would it all end?  That would put the whole caboodle up to 28 feet in length and would require at least three operators.

 

I think someone was pulling my chain!

 

Of course this trauma was not helped by the purchase of two new PS 104 Hopper wagon kits.. As usual, they were bought on a whim to see if they could be diverted from coal to quarry traffic.  If they look good, then they will be joined by some more. However, for the meantime, they will have to join the rather large pile of kits that frequent the 'to do' cupboard in the workshop.

 

Come tomorrow I am having a new year's resolution, something I've never done in the past.  A specific day and time for kit building!

 

 

 

A low and fast flying pig just went past the window.......................

[tomparryharry]

10 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

If I earn any brownie points they’ve to be used within an hour or they are automatically forfeited!

 

I'm divided between liking and agreeing:  Both are with merit. Losing brownie points is like quicksilver through your fingers. That said, quicksilver ( mercury ) is nasty stuff to handle. 

 

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Someone who shall remain nameless mentioned that since I have some spare boards available, and some spare point work as well, perhaps it would be a good idea to build a board or two that fitted onto the south cassette table of Torri Gwynt, thereby allowing the south end of Rhech Capel Junction to be built as well.

 

You would have to imagine something along the lines of the area around Coleford Junction signal box in the FoD.  Of course there would have to be another cassette table at the western end of Rhech Capel to allow onward traffic to Llandegla.  The question has to be where would it all end?  That would put the whole caboodle up to 28 feet in length and would require at least three operators.

 

I think someone was pulling my chain!

 

Of course this trauma was not helped by the purchase of two new PS 104 Hopper wagon kits.. As usual, they were bought on a whim to see if they could be diverted from coal to quarry traffic.  If they look good, then they will be joined by some more. However, for the meantime, they will have to join the rather large pile of kits that frequent the 'to do' cupboard in the workshop.

 

Come tomorrow I am having a new year's resolution, something I've never done in the past.  A specific day and time for kit building!

 

 

 

A low and fast flying pig just went past the window.......................

Hmm Big H I'd start to worry if they begin to circle then it might be time to wheel out the ground to air anti-flying-pig or AFP's for short, missiles.

 

Good luck.

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Come tomorrow I am having a new year's resolution, something I've never done in the past.  A specific day and time for kit building!

 

 

 

A low and fast flying pig just went past the window.......................

Have you discused this plan with the obergrumpenfuhrer yet..................

 

The NHS is rather stretched at the moment it might be better to put it on the calendar for 2022.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

37 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Have you discused this plan with the obergrumpenfuhrer yet..................

 

The NHS is rather stretched at the moment it might be better to put it on the calendar for 2022.

 

Jamie

Or in GDB's case 2025.

[Happy Hippo]

41 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Have you discused this plan with the obergrumpenfuhrer yet..................

 

The NHS is rather stretched at the moment it might be better to put it on the calendar for 2022.

 

Jamie

Believe it or not it was her wot suggested it!

[jamie92208]

18 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

Believe it or not it was her wot suggested it!

What's she after.

 

Jamie

[Happy Hippo]

That has been my question too!

[PhilJ W]

5 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

That has been my question too!

Be afraid, be very afraid.

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Believe it or not it was her wot suggested it!

This specific day; was it weekly, monthly or just one day?

[tomparryharry]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

This specific day; was it weekly, monthly or just one day?

 

More importantly, has that day passed already?  "Oh!..... Too bad.... What a pity, never mind...."

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

If I post updates of progress you will know whether the productivity is based on a daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly output.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Just got back inside after a sub zero steam up. For my friends in Europe it was -2, in the USA it that would be 30 degrees. Made for fantastic steam clouds though. Quite a long run was had, and I’m now currently warming myself by the fire. Apologies for the chaotic filming and poor resolution on the video, the photos are much better.

 

 

 

 

Douglas

[Happy Hippo]

Seamus runs very well.

 

What fuel are you using? Have you got a spirit burner fitted or is it running on the dehydrated camel dung tablets?

[rockershovel]

19 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

It is what one attempts to use to steer the engine. However it being threaded on makes it only work when turning right. 

 

you need to fit a nut on the threaded rod, and run it up to the end of the thread. When fitting the rod, just "nip" it against the nut - this will hold it in place when turning the handle. 

 

otherwise yes, they tend to be a sort of mechanical Oozlem Bird.