The Night Mail

[Happy Hippo]

2 hours ago, bbishop said:

TNM is well represented in MRJ 288.  Our Squadron Leader has penned an obituary of Bob Essery.  Also our constabularic representative has written an article on Modelling Overhead Line Equipment for Lancaster Green Ayre in 7mm.    Well worth an acquisition.  Bill

I'm afraid that if I penned an article for that august publication it would bring it down to the level of the Beano.

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, bbishop said:

TNM is well represented in MRJ 288.  Our Squadron Leader has penned an obituary of Bob Essery.   Bill

Also in Railway Modeller.

[Compound2632]

8 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

 it would bring it down to the level of the Beano.

 

For several years my boys took The Beano. I would say that that's still a very high standard.

[Mike Bellamy]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

Anyway, today I had a good day out at the Museum of Making in Derby where they had a theme day titled Full Steam Ahead that was, as can well be imagined, all about railways in and around Derby and which was very well attended. I was there as part of the Midland Railway Study Centre team and thoroughly enjoyed myself, not least because of meeting and chatting with friends, two of which I hadn't seen for over ten years.

 

I went to the Museum of Making today with my grandson and had the pleasure of a quick chat with Dave and I would estimate that there were about 20 members of the local club there as exhibitors, visitors and demonstrators. A very well attended event and my first visit since the whole building was stripped clean and fully refurbished - I will definitely be back again when it isn't so busy - there were so many fascinating exhibits that I would say it's now one of the best museums of its kind.  Jacob's favourite was the Toyota car built about 10 miles down the road which was displayed in kit form hanging from the ceiling - I bet they didn't use B&Q plastic plugs to hold up that weight !!

 

https://www.derbymuseums.org/collection/railways-revealed/

.

 

[PhilJ W]

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

My woodworking teacher said I made the best firewood.

 

Did you take it up professionally though? That's what we won't to know.

[AndyID]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

For several years my boys took The Beano. I would say that that's still a very high standard.

 

Maybe they should keep taking it? It works for bears and hippos too.

 

https://www.beanogas.com/

[BR60103]

22 hours ago, pH said:

But there is a small-scale prototype:

 

https://railpictures.net/photo/361108/

I had a tour of Toronto's subway shops.  There is a small metal angle with a hole in it (painted yellow) on the bogie/truck.  I was told that this took the end of a large cable that hung from the roof for moving the cars in the shop where there is no third rail.

 

[polybear]

7 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

Maybe they should keep taking it? It works for bears and hippos too.

 

https://www.beanogas.com/

 

What, and spoil the fun?? 

[Happy Hippo]

Apparently, today is National Pie Day.

 

Thus, it is my intention to gorge all pleasantly edible pies that I come into contact with. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by Happy Hippo

[iL Dottore]

Well, I have been a busy little bee…

 

Yesterday I baked a batch of chocolate bourbon biscuits and with the leftover dough made jam rings (with blackberry jam). I baked the biscuit yesterday, so now they are nice and crisp, and today I made and piped in the fillings.

 

I used a Gary Rhodes recipe - and like all his recipes - foolproof if followed to the letter. As I am a passable cook, I substituted dark chocolate cocoa powder for the milk chocolate cocoa powder - which gives a very dark biscuit which contrasts nicely with the white of the vanilla buttercream.

 

Below is a photo of “work in progress”…

Below are the jam rings…

Both are now outside chilling (in a biscuit tin) to firm up the filling.

 

Does anyone know if they make white chocolate cocoa powder? (probably not). It would be fun to make three different types of chocolate bourbon biscuits: black chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.
 

In the absence of white chocolate cocoa powder, the next time I make bourbon biscuits, I think I will make two batches: the first will be - like this time – with dark chocolate cocoa powder and filled with either a white vanilla buttercream or a white chocolate ganache; whilst the second batch will be made with milk chocolate cocoa powder and filled with either a bitter black chocolate ganache or a milk chocolate buttercream (or even, maybe, a coffee buttercream).

 

The only reason I didn’t make a ganache this time was I really couldn’t be faffed with melting chocolate over a double boiler and whipping it in to the butter; next time (perhaps) definitely!

 

p.s. I baked the holes I removed from the jam ring biscuits and Mrs iD tried them out: she pronounced them excellent and scoffed the lot.

[Happy Hippo]

Something like this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisf]

14 hours ago, bbishop said:

TNM is well represented in MRJ 288.  

I think you wil find it is issue 287.

 

Chris

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

I think you wil find it is issue 287.

 

Perhaps Bill knows something about the contents of MRJ 288 we don't! For my parts, the contents of MRJ 287 are still a delight to come...

[Happy Hippo]

5 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Perhaps Bill knows something about the contents of MRJ 288 we don't! For my parts, the contents of MRJ 287 are still a delight to come...

Meanwhile is a sought after limited edition commando comic,  a PB and a Hippo team up to steal cake, which has the potential to change the course of the war, from a heavily fortified facility deep behind enemy lines somewhere in occupied Europe.

 

They were told that if they were in danger of being captured, they were to eat the evidence.

 

Guess what happened next?

[Compound2632]

5 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

if they were in danger of being captured

 

It's a question of risk assessment. 

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Apparently, today is National Pie Day.

 

Thus, it is my intention to gorge all pleasantly edible pies that I come into contact with. 

I was debating what to have for lunch, that settles it, one of Tess Coes finest pork pies sat in the fridge. (But not for much longer).

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

I was debating what to have for lunch, that settles it, one of Tess Coes finest pork pies sat in the fridge. (But not for much longer).

And we are going to have the remaing third of last nights fish pie.  I believe that there is also somevplum crumble left.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

I was debating what to have for lunch, that settles it, one of Tess Coes finest pork pies sat in the fridge. (But not for much longer).

Oh dear, it seems to have been eaten already. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by PhilJ W

[Tony_S]

31 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Oh dear, it seems to have been eaten already. 

Did the foxes break in?

[PhilJ W]

I remember now it was yesterday's lunch.

[SM42]

11 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Well, I have been a busy little bee…

 

Yesterday I baked a batch of chocolate bourbon biscuits and with the leftover dough made jam rings (with blackberry jam). I baked the biscuit yesterday, so now they are nice and crisp, and today I made and piped in the fillings.

 

I used a Gary Rhodes recipe - and like all his recipes - foolproof if followed to the letter. As I am a passable cook, I substituted dark chocolate cocoa powder for the milk chocolate cocoa powder - which gives a very dark biscuit which contrasts nicely with the white of the vanilla buttercream.

 

Below is a photo of “work in progress”…

Below are the jam rings…

Both are now outside chilling (in a biscuit tin) to firm up the filling.

 

Does anyone know if they make white chocolate cocoa powder? (probably not). It would be fun to make three different types of chocolate bourbon biscuits: black chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.
 

In the absence of white chocolate cocoa powder, the next time I make bourbon biscuits, I think I will make two batches: the first will be - like this time – with dark chocolate cocoa powder and filled with either a white vanilla buttercream or a white chocolate ganache; whilst the second batch will be made with milk chocolate cocoa powder and filled with either a bitter black chocolate ganache or a milk chocolate buttercream (or even, maybe, a coffee buttercream).

 

The only reason I didn’t make a ganache this time was I really couldn’t be faffed with melting chocolate over a double boiler and whipping it in to the butter; next time (perhaps) definitely!

 

p.s. I baked the holes I removed from the jam ring biscuits and Mrs iD tried them out: she pronounced them excellent and scoffed the lot.

 

I hope you brought enough for the whole class. 

 

I really must make some time to try some baking.  

 

Mrs SM42 went off piste earlier this week with chocolate brownies. 

In the absence of anything else she used dark, mint chocolate and used a round tin 

 

Result. Lovely chocolate minty cake. 

 

It didn't last long

 

Andy

Edited January 23, 2022 by SM42

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Afternoon all,

 

Today was a very momentous day in the history of the Florence Ave  Locomotive Works, for our first engine constructed in house made its first run on a piece of track, vindicating 8 months and 1,178 hours of work. Although the run was only a few inches (nearly dead batteries) the proprietor is most pleased. 
 

This is also the first time in the 21st century where a new build gauge 2 engine has run on new gauge 2 track. 
 

Here are some photos.

 

Ironically the permanent way is sitting atop several ancient Frisco or Santa Fe sleepers. Old soldiers never die they say. 

 

 

 

The PW is constructed from 1/2 x 1 inch aluminum angle screwed to wooden sleepers. 

 

I also bought a 1/4 inch thick steel plate on which to do my soldering and other heat related things, rather than using the top of the wood burning stove when my parents are out, which is how the splashers got made…
 

Douglas

[Happy Hippo]

47 minutes ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Afternoon all,

 

Today was a very momentous day in the history of the Florence Ave  Locomotive Works, for our first engine constructed in house made its first run on a piece of track, vindicating 8 months and 1,178 hours of work. Although the run was only a few inches (nearly dead batteries) the proprietor is most pleased. 
 

This is also the first time in the 21st century where a new build gauge 2 engine has run on new gauge 2 track. 
 

Here are some photos.

 

Ironically the permanent way is sitting atop several ancient Frisco or Santa Fe sleepers. Old soldiers never die they say. 

 

 

 

The PW is constructed from 1/2 x 1 inch aluminum angle screwed to wooden sleepers. 

 

I also bought a 1/4 inch thick steel plate on which to do my soldering and other heat related things, rather than using the top of the wood burning stove when my parents are out, which is how the splashers got made…
 

Douglas

Almost a storage cassette

 

 

Courtesy of MetalSmith Ltd

[Happy Hippo]

Is anyone else getting problems with RMWeb loading?

 

I am getting lots of 'time outs' when using my PC, yet working from the tablet and phone I seem to get reasonable connection times.

 

I don't have problems loading any of the other sites I frequent, so I'm beginning to wonder if there is something in my PC software that is reacting with the RMWeb server in a non helpful way.

 

When I do get access from the PC, submitting replies seems to take forever.