The Night Mail

[Tony_S]

5 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Nyda is spheksophobic, wasps really freak her out.  We put the traps around the house rather than in the garden.

My neighbour is phobic about wasps and bees. Until her oldest child became big enough to help I was often first responder. I was in the front garden once when one of the children came out and asked if I could help her Mum with a bee in their conservatory. Before I had a chance to do my usual calm ushering out of the insect another neighbour insisted on helping. He jumped up on the sofa and sort of bounced landing on his back and staggered off having some sort of asthma attack. I still had to usher the bee out. 

[Dave Hunt]

8 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

......will also be the heaviest of the boards as it will be a ply top rather than foam... Which allows the cassettes to slid around; Something they would not do very well on a softer foam surface.

 

You could try covering a foam top with the shiny, self-adhesive vinyl sheet that is sold for covering itchen tables and the like. 

 

And if if you get some with daffodils on you could probably apply for a Welsh Arts Council grant.....

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

You could try covering a foam top with the shiny, self-adhesive vinyl sheet that is sold for covering itchen tables and the like. 

 

And if if you get some with daffodils on you could probably apply for a Welsh Arts Council grant.....

 

Dave

I did consider Formica over the ply, but my track record with sticky paper and vinyl (and screen protectors) is not good.  The cassette table will be a lot heavier than the scenic boards.  This is because I want something stable enough not to get blown away should I have a propeller moment.

[Happy Hippo]

A nice start to the day as it is sunny and bright.

 

Another task has been quietly dropped into my lap, as I am now required to make a rack for pots of herbs to stand outside Morgan and Charlotte's kitchen window.

 

They had been asking about how I would make it as they were concerned about a wooden bottom to the trough(s) eventually rotting.

 

The HH solution is to use plastic planting troughs and build a box structure around them that doesn't have a bottom!  You use the lip of the trough to rest on the box sides so it  doesn't fall through.

 

A leg at each end of the trough(s) completes the ensemble.

 

Herb troughs can be removed for servicing as required.

[Northroader]

A flawless plan.

[Dave Hunt]

Ah, the plan may be flawless but the product.......?

 

I state this with the benefit of bitter experience carrying out flawless plans.

 

Dave  (currently having several sticking plasters on one hand after carrying out such a plan).

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Morning all,

 

Yesterday was interesting. I was after 18 months to have my braces removed yesterday, however that didn’t completely go to plan. A gap had appeared on my upper set of teeth, which required the upper brackets to stay on for another month. The bottom set was removed though.

 

However it’s not all bad, as a large package from PM Research arrived yesterday, containing my various fittings. I have yet to buy any for plumbing the pump into a water tank, as a water tank needs designing first. The water gauge also isn’t fitted, as I discovered my bushing soldering job is just slightly out, and due to the age of the boiler I don’t want to try straightening them up, so the bottom fitting has been used for the boiler feed. The top one retains a pressure gauge. 
 

 

 

The pump will be painted black, and the cast in PMR outlined in the same green as the flywheel and lamp. The water tank will be behind the dynamo, and painted black. 
 

I also fitted a copper exhaust pipe on Saturday, as the engine simply exhaust straight out of the exhaust port. It’s basically a really long copper funnel. 
 

One may also see a lantern in the background, I believe this to be a BR western region lamp. It was given to me by my grandparents, who said it was from the Baltimore & Ohio, however B&O lamps looked nothing like this!

 

Douglas

Edited April 13, 2021 by Florence Locomotive Works

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Morning all,

 

Yesterday was interesting. I was after 18 months to have my braces removed yesterday, however that didn’t completely go to plan. A gap had appeared on my upper set of teeth, which required the upper brackets to stay on for another month. The bottom set was removed though.

 

However it’s not all bad, as a large package from PM Research arrived yesterday, containing my various fittings. I have yet to buy any for plumbing the pump into a water tank, as a water tank needs designing first. The water gauge also isn’t fitted, as I discovered my bushing soldering job is just slightly out, and due to the age of the boiler I don’t want to try straightening them up, so the bottom fitting has been used for the boiler feed. The top one retains a pressure gauge. 
 

 

 

One may also see a lantern in the background, I believe this to be a BR western region lamp. It was given to me by my grandparents, who said it was from the Baltimore & Ohio, however B&O lamps looked nothing like this!

 

Douglas

It's not BR(W), but could be an early guard's hand lamp.

 

The give away for a guard's hand lamp is the orientation of the carrying handle which is fore and aft to allow the lamp to light up where you are going, or where you have been.

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

Further to my last, here is a picture of my BR(W) lamp that was used on the tail end of freight trains.

 

 

You will notice it has two lamp iron brackets and a red filter.

 

There would be three of these lamps at the back of the train, all showing red.  The two side lamps showed white forward so the loco crew could look back and see that the train was complete.

 

If the train was placed into a loop or siding to allow a faster train to pass, the guard would remove the red filter of the lamp nearest the track on which the faster train would pass.  This meant that the following loco crew could see two reds and a white, which meant the preceding train was safe to pass.

 

You didn't want to be doing 60mph, come around a bend and see three reds!

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Morning all,

 

Yesterday was interesting. I was after 18 months to have my braces removed yesterday, however that didn’t completely go to plan. A gap had appeared on my upper set of teeth, which required the upper brackets to stay on for another month. The bottom set was removed though.

 

However it’s not all bad, as a large package from PM Research arrived yesterday, containing my various fittings. I have yet to buy any for plumbing the pump into a water tank, as a water tank needs designing first. The water gauge also isn’t fitted, as I discovered my bushing soldering job is just slightly out, and due to the age of the boiler I don’t want to try straightening them up, so the bottom fitting has been used for the boiler feed. The top one retains a pressure gauge. 
 

 

 

The pump will be painted black, and the cast in PMR outlined in the same green as the flywheel and lamp. The water tank will be almost certainly behind the dynamo, and aligned black. 

I wouldn't bother to paint that pump as it is designed to  be bolted to the bottom of a tender or side tank.  The actuating rod gets an extension bar fitted to it so you don't get your fingers wet!!

 

The exit pipe can then be carried out of the top of the tank and there is no need for any complex pipework (holes in the bottom of the tank that need sealing etc) to get from the tank to the pump.  you could make a drop on tank top (or bolt on if you are minded) with a slot cut in it for the extension rod to poke through

 

The plumbing becomes a little simpler, as all you need is a gauze filter over the bottom inlet port.

 

 

An example from www.becks-dampfseite.de

 

And another, courtesy of my old friend Marc Horowitz

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

17 hours ago, Mike Bellamy said:

 

I knew Tony from his visits to the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association exhibitions at Burton upon Trent where I was part of the organising team and also helped on EDM Models trade stand - he was usually with Ray Clasper and they both entered the modelling competitions each year and most years went home with a prize or two.

Tony was involved in so many things and was usually very good at whatever he turned his hand.  He had a great interest in the Welsh narrow gauge as well as slate mines, potholing, railways of all sorts, aero modelling, military modelling, the air cadets. He was a highly qualified professional gardener and became a judge for Britain in Bloom.  He and Ray Clasper were both good friends and rivals. Each year, Tony would scratchbuild a new model for our club show but never let on what he was building. Ray would build as well but would tell all and sundry. Invariably Tony would walk away with the cup and Ray would curse again.  The Welsh models were exquisite including Ffestiniog, Talyllyn, and above all the Snowdon Mountain Railway. He produced models of the steam locos, diesel locos, DMU's and coaches.  

 

Jamie

[Florence Locomotive Works]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Further to my last, here is a picture of my BR(W) lamp that was used on the tail end of freight trains.

 

 

You will notice it has two lamp iron brackets and a red filter.

 

There would be three of these lamps at the back of the train, all showing red.  The two side lamps showed white forward so the loco crew could look back and see that the train was complete.

 

If the train was placed into a loop or siding to allow a faster train to pass, the guard would remove the red filter of the lamp nearest the track on which the faster train would pass.  This meant that the following loco crew could see two reds and a white, which meant the preceding train was safe to pass.

 

You didn't want to be doing 60mph, come around a bend and see three reds!

Here's the one I was thinking of HH, it has the embossed BR and everything, except the bulge under the handle, which has gone missing.

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/greenslade-taylor-hunt/catalogue-id-srgr10060/lot-c22df192-56b4-4d07-88e4-a5b500b46e4f

[Happy Hippo]

Taking a sideways slide about lamps:

 

There is a great deal of work going on in the SW Valleys, especially that of the Taff to improve public transport and that involves a metro system.

 

A depot is being built at Taffs Well, and when clearing undergrowth and general detritis in the station area, the old corrugated Lamp Hut for the signal lamps was found.

 

It had been left there when the Walnut Tree Junction Signal Box was de-commissioned and demolished. 

 

Nature took over so it's discovery all these years later was quite a surprise.

[Happy Hippo]

Here's irony for you:

 

Foot Locker (A shoe company apparently) have donated $200M to the BLM organisation.

 

Last night during a disturbance, Foot Locker's Minneapolis store was looted by BLM supporters (allegedly).

[Dave Hunt]

Having a bad time with Dad at present. He is going stir crazy in hospital because he feels totally isolated and is starting to feel that he will never be discharged. We managed to get a Facetime link today courtesy of a very helpful ward clerk and although he was delighted to see us it was frustrating as his hearing isn't very good. He realises that he needs help and has asked to see a psychologist. I'm hoping that we can get another Facetime link tomorrow.

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

Dave,

 

If your father's hearing is not too good, is there any mileage in getting him a headset (with mic)?  The close proximity of the earphones to the ear and the ability to 'crank up the volume' might help.

 

I can sympathise about his feeling of isolation, and the apparent desperation.  I'm no phycologist, but it sounds as if he is subconsciously becoming bored.  That coupled to the whole situation around Covid restrictions , plus the continual chatter that goes on about the Duke of Edinburgh, which is a reminder of his own mortality as they are of similar age, and one can see why he's not happy.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Happy Hippo

[simontaylor484]

Had a bit of a bad day with the black dog syndrome so I haven't got round to doing the promised photos of the Lego Crocodile.

 

Footlocker in the UK is part of JD sports empire iirc from stuff we ordered for the kids.

 

Will foot locked be another firm that goes broke after going woke

Edited April 13, 2021 by simontaylor484
Autocorrect

[Happy Hippo]

This morning I can report that the batch of cranberry and apricot scones I made yesterday afternoon still number over a dozen.  This has involved a great deal of self control from both interested parties, but until they are gone, I cannot make anything else in the comfort department.  I'll do my best today!

 

On the weather front it appears a nice bright, sunny start to the day, with only birdsong for accompaniment outside.  I suspect this will soon change as the various builders and their contractors get about preparing ground and building mansions/houses/hovels/big sheds/little sheds with various types of powered machinery.

 

When they do start, I shall do my bit and use the cacophony as cover for my lawn mowing and timber cutting exploits.  I cunning am!

 

We have been given a dolls house for free.  It's really nice, but requires a bit of repair work. It's made mainly out of MDF with some timber window frames.  Two windows are missing, so one of the existing  windows will be used as a pattern to create a new set out of some  3 mm sheet. Some new window frames will be needed for the replacement windows.  Their profile  means some hardwood will need to be cut to size and then routed to create the complex shape.  This is one of those cases where the set up, between passes on the machine will take longer than the cutting operation.

 

The major repair is to the floor where one of the built in hinges (a hole in the mdf) had broken off.  My intention is to glue the damaged parts back together, and then use a milling cutter to create a recess in the underside of the floor around the hinge hole  with a router.  I can then cut an MDF plate out, and glue this into the recess.

 

Of course, If I had enough MDF of that same thickness, it would be much quicker to cut a new complete floor out.

 

But where's the fun in that?

[Winslow Boy]

You're obviously bored Big H if you'll got time enough to go to all that trouble.

 

I seem to recall ....... didn't you have somebody to kill.....oops Freudian slip there. What I meant to say was don't you have a layout to build?

 

Back to the pyschcarist chair I think.

[polybear]

38 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

This morning I can report that the batch of cranberry and apricot scones I made yesterday afternoon still number over a dozen.  This has involved a great deal of self control from both interested parties, but until they are gone, I cannot make anything else in the comfort department. 

 

 

Perhaps a poor, bereft Bear could help you out with such taxing task - then you'd be free to make something else.....

[Happy Hippo]

17 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Perhaps a poor, bereft Bear could help you out with such taxing task - then you'd be free to make something else.....

If you arrived at the correct time, not only could you help clear up the old stock, but also sample the new!

[bbishop]

On the killing front yesterday, the train doors opened but before I could step out a yoof, maskless,  tried to barge past me.  I dropped a shoulder and flattened him.  Bruised ribs or hopefully worse.  Richard and Dave know the technique, standard tackle in our day, now a red card!

 

I've had a haircut this morning, look human again.  Of course, fifty years ago it was thick, dark brown, shoulder length.  When I got up this morning it was tufty, grey, shoulder length.

 

Bill

[Dave Hunt]

Nice one Bill. Good to see that the old skills haven't deserted you. Some refs, even in the good old days, could get a bit shirty about it though and the standard excuse if he awarded a penalty was, "Sorry Sir, I slipped as I was about to contact him." Didn't often work though......

 

Dave

Edited April 14, 2021 by Dave Hunt

[Tony_S]

Bill could have said he was attempting to turn the other cheek but unfortunately...

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, bbishop said:

On the killing front yesterday, the train doors opened but before I could step out a yoof, maskless,  tried to barge past me.  I dropped a shoulder and flattened him.  Bruised ribs or hopefully worse. 

 

 

We need pictures.  Or even better, video....