The Night Mail

[Philou]

Just thought I would chip in with 'I'll see your 31° and raise you 34° (in the shade)'. Temp in sunlight was nearing 45° today. I have an appointment with some scaffolding tomorrow at 7am to continue with some repointing work that was held over from last year. 37° is quite likely . As I'm not quite an Englishman, I shall be back indoors by the time the noonday sun arrives!!

 

Reading between the lines (as it were), does everyone have more stock than they would readily admit to the other half? I'm awaiting some stock to arrive from the UK that hopefully will be intercepted whilst I'm on the scaffolding during the week .

 

Cheers and keep safe,

 

Philip

 

.

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Philou said:

Reading between the lines (as it were), does everyone have more stock than they would readily admit to the other half?

Funnily enough I was talking about future rolling stock requirements with the Obergrumpenfuhrer a few days ago.

 

I was trying to justify getting some of the Ellis Clark 7mm scale Presflo cement wagons when they become available.

 

We've agreed that three would probably sufficient for my needs, which is three more than I'd hoped for!

 

I also need more vans, plus other various opens for a more balanced stock of freight wagons.  At present I am very mineral wagon heavy, which is probably appropriate for the Valleys.

 

I really want a Macaw G when I can justify another order to Taff Vale Models.

 

Time for bed.

[Dave Hunt]

Re your earlier post about Chieftain engines Richard, I think that you were served by 7 Sqn, not 17. At the time I was on 17 and I'm fairly sure I wasn't anything to do with Chinooks and lifting stuff; as far as I can recall we had Phantoms and were more involved with dropping things. I think I would have noticed the big fan thingies if we'd had Chinooks.

 

I do remember being on holiday by the Mosel in the early 70s and watching huge double-headed coal trains climbing up out of Luxembourg assisted by bankers. The drivers communicated using walkie  talkies and on one occasion the train came to a halt with the banker just in front of where I was sitting. The driver was talking to, I presume, the driver of the pilot engine and laconically asked whether it was likely that they would ever get started again. I didn't hear the answer but a minute or so later they did actually get moving with a fine display of pyrotechnics.

 

It's our 51st anniversary today (Sunday) so we're going to try to find an unspoilt and cockwomble free bit of beach somewhere for a day out and a picnic.

 

Goodnight everyone. Stay safe.

 

Dave

Edited August 8, 2020 by Dave Hunt

[Happy Hippo]

28 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Re your earlier post about Chieftain engines Richard, I think that you were served by 7 Sqn.

That only goes to show how age messes with the brain! All the Sqns I seemed to work with had a 7 in them somewhere!

[jamie92208]

Happy Anniversary Dave and Jill, a remarkable record, 10 ahead of us. I hope you have a good day.

 

Jamie

[Happy Hippo]

I'll second Jamie's good wishes.

 

Is anyone planning to break anything today?

[Northroader]

Top marks to Dave, remembering it, that is. Couple of weeks ago, theres me, come downstairs to breakfast, happily into my iPad, ten minutes goes by: “cough, cough, do you know what date it is today??” whoops!

[Stubby47]

"...but every day with you, dear, is a day to celebrate..."

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Is anyone planning to break anything today?

 

Does Wind count?  In that case, most likely.....

 

On the subject of Chinooks (aka Wokka Wokkas, as opposed to a simple Wokka)  I recall working on Lynx at D-Sqdn (Rotary Wing Test @ Boscombe Down) in the 90's (after the Mull of Kintyre Crash); I was strongly advised by one of the Lynx Aircrew that "If you're ever offered a flight in one of those things, stay well clear".  I think the advice was based not on the aircraft in general, but the mods. being introduced (which I believe played a large part in the MoK crash)

 

[Happy Hippo]

6 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Does Wind count?  In that case, most likely.....

 

On the subject of Chinooks (aka Wokka Wokkas, as opposed to a simple Wokka)  I recall working on Lynx at D-Sqdn (Rotary Wing Test @ Boscombe Down) in the 90's (after the Mull of Kintyre Crash); I was strongly advised by one of the Lynx Aircrew that "If you're ever offered a flight in one of those things, stay well clear".  I think the advice was based not on the aircraft in general, but the mods. being introduced (which I believe played a large part in the MoK crash)

 

The mods were all to do with the electronic side, and when you have a navigation system that tells the pilot it is at point A when in fact he is probably nearer point R, is a recipe for disaster. I think it was all down to buying the airframes, but not the electronic side so the aircraft were not flying to it's design capability. Typical of the MoD procurement system.

 

The fact that two senior officers from the RAF were quite happy to blame pilots Jonathan Tapper and David Cook  for 'negligence to a gross degree' as the cause rather than get to the root of the problem only sums up my opinion of many senior officers from all three services.  Fortunately, after many years, the 2011 inquiry removed that slur on their memories.

 

I lost a friend, Maj Tony Hornby, that day.

[Philou]

Good morning to you all,

 

Happy thirded anniversary to Dave and Mrs Dave.

 

I have returned from the scaffold alive and well .... well, hot anyway. I decided to call it day at 1030hrs (CEST) having done two loads of lime/sand mix (only small loads, mind you) as it was announced that we are due 38/39° locally 40° today. The sun was starting to 'sting' so time to go.

 

It was shown on the French news this morning, pictures of Bournemouth and Blackpool beaches crowded between seawalls and the sea and seemingly not many masks in sight!

 

Mr Hippo did well in his negotiations!!

 

Cheers everyone, hope you all have a good day wherever you are!

 

Philip

[New Haven Neil]

Theft of the diesel shunter bring a memory, of an incident in, um, 'a port in another country' along time ago,'79 at a guess, with a bulldozer and a couple of drunk officers returning from rather too many bevvies up the road.  They got it going, along the quayside, but stopping it proved more problematic.  So they jumped off.  In the morning the po-lice (clue to location) came on board, asking if anyone had seen a big bulldozer.....which was later recovered from the water further along the quay.  And no, it wasn't me.  Still in touch with the guy it was though!  

[Dave Hunt]

Without wishing to start an argument, I want to respond to HH's post concerning the Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash. Irrespective of any electronic glitches, anyone who flies into IMC (instrument meteorological conditions, I.e., cloud or just very poor visibility) below safety height (which is the height of the highest object within the accepted error margin of planned track plus a safety factor) IS guilty of extremely poor airmanship. And whether you like it or not, that is exactly what they did. Even if they believed themselves to have been several miles from where they actually were, the safety height in that area is well above the height they were at. So, in my opinion, the findings of the board of inquiry were justified. And as for senior officers 'happily' blaming the crew, I can assure you that such was very far from the case. I know Bill Wratten, who at the time was C in C Strike Command, very well having worked with and for him since 1970 and I know that it was one of the hardest decisions he ever made. Whilst he was a hard taskmaster, Bill was always a very fair man as well as being one of the best pilots I ever flew with and was always fully supportive of those whom he commanded. The accident and its aftermath caused him a deal of distress as I know from having spoken to him about it. As for the later enquiry effectively overturning the board's findings, it was conducted by people who knew little or nothing if aviation and airmanship and did nothing to change my opinion. I won't go into discussions I have had with some Chinook operators and others over the years as I don't want to turn this into a rerun of the board and all the arguments surrounding it.

 

Sorry to have got so serious on this forum but it is something about which I have strong feelings. Apologies to HH and anyone else who has opposing views but I felt that a response was appropriate. I won't post anything further on the subject and I hope I haven't offended anyone.

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

3 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Without wishing to start an argument, I want to respond to HH's post concerning the Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash. Irrespective of any electronic glitches, anyone who flies into IMC (instrument meteorological conditions, I.e., cloud or just very poor visibility) below safety height (which is the height of the highest object within the accepted error margin of planned track plus a safety factor) IS guilty of extremely poor airmanship. And whether you like it or not, that is exactly what they did. Even if they believed themselves to have been several miles from where they actually were, the safety height in that area is well above the height they were at. So, in my opinion, the findings of the board of inquiry were justified. And as for senior officers 'happily' blaming the crew, I can assure you that such was very far from the case. I know Bill Wratten, who at the time was C in C Strike Command, very well having worked with and for him since 1970 and I know that it was one of the hardest decisions he ever made. Whilst he was a hard taskmaster, Bill was always a very fair man as well as being one of the best pilots I ever flew with and was always fully supportive of those whom he commanded. The accident and its aftermath caused him a deal of distress as I know from having spoken to him about it. As for the later enquiry effectively overturning the board's findings, it was conducted by people who knew little or nothing if aviation and airmanship and did nothing to change my opinion. I won't go into discussions I have had with some Chinook operators and others over the years as I don't want to turn this into a rerun of the board and all the arguments surrounding it.

 

Sorry to have got so serious on this forum but it is something about which I have strong feelings. Apologies to HH and anyone else who has opposing views but I felt that a response was appropriate. I won't post anything further on the subject and I hope I haven't offended anyone.

 

Dave

Dave,

 

No apologies required by me, I'm always prepared to be put back on the straight and narrow when I'm wrong.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[Oldddudders]

You guys made a career in the defence of Her Maj's realm. Of course you all care. 

[Happy Hippo]

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

You guys made a career in the defence of Her Maj's realm. Of course you all care. 

Dave may have undertaken his occupation for a period of some considerable time with opportunities for progress, but I, on the other hand merely moved swiftly in an uncontrolled manner.

 

But each and every one of us care.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Dave may have undertaken his occupation for a period of some considerable time with opportunities for progress, but I, on the other hand merely moved swiftly in an uncontrolled manner.

 

But each and every one of us care.

And I, in a different branch, but still having taken an oath of office to HM, managed to prove that it was possible to move both ways on the greasy pole but enjoyed almost all of the journey.

 

Jamie

[TheQ]

7 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Does Wind count?  In that case, most likely.....

 

On the subject of Chinooks (aka Wokka Wokkas, as opposed to a simple Wokka)  I recall working on Lynx at D-Sqdn (Rotary Wing Test @ Boscombe Down) in the 90's (after the Mull of Kintyre Crash); I was strongly advised by one of the Lynx Aircrew that "If you're ever offered a flight in one of those things, stay well clear".  I think the advice was based not on the aircraft in general, but the mods. being introduced (which I believe played a large part in the MoK crash)

 

Oh dear,    another near miss,  I spent 6  months in the mid 90s working At Boscombe, doing a series of up grades to test equipment...  Very handy for me as I had a lot of relatives in the area.. 

 

Only one flight in a wokka-wokka, 1992 in the Falklands. 

[Dave Hunt]

I've had several Wocca rides in the Falklands, the most exhilarating bits being sitting on the lowered tail ramp with my feet dangling over the edge whilst the guys in the front went steeplechasing at about thirty feet - I was secured to the aeroplane by what is known as a monkey strop by the way so it wasn't actually as raving dangerous as it sounds. Doing the same thing in a C130 is also good fun.

 

Just back home from an outing to Formby beach for a picnic as an anniversary treat (we both lived in Formby as teenagers, it's where we met and where we got married) and although we did manage social distancing I've never seen it so crowded. Not as bad as the pictures of Brighton etc. that have been in the media recently but still crowded. All the car parks within walking distance were full and the roads for miles around (slight exaggeration but not that far off the mark) were full of parked cars wherever there weren't double yellow lines. However, just as we were about to give up we saw someone leaving a slot and snuck in about a mile from the beach and walked down. Although we enjoyed having our picnic while watching the tide near the full from the top of a sand dune it wasn't quite the tranquil scene we knew of old. I suppose that the passage of 51 years has had something to do with it.

 

Tomorrow we are going to animal sit for a couple of days for some friends who have gone to their French second home for a few weeks and need their two horses,several cats, pond full of goldfish and some things I've probably forgotten looking after. The job is being shared by a near-ish neighbour (there is no really near neighbour as the place is down a very quiet country lane), us, and some other friends on a sort of rota basis. We will also be there next weekend and probably on another occasion after that before they return but the heated outdoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna and home cinema mean it is hardly an unpleasant way of spending some time. If I don't post for a couple of days you'll know why.

 

TTFN

 

Dave

[Steamport Southport]

You can blame TV for that!

 

They started hyping up Formby a few years ago as a quiet place that only locals know about, so everyone started going there....

 

 

 

Jason

[Happy Hippo]

They have gone.

 

Peace reigns.

 

Now the clear up begins!

[Happy Hippo]

As a matter of interest, do you need to be able to play a Ukelele to go to Formby?

[Erichill16]

Where’s the ‘dunno‘ button.

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

You can blame TV for that!

 

They started hyping up Formby a few years ago as a quiet place that only locals know about

I wonder if they should try doing that to Horton?

[Tony_S]

I don’t really know much about the coast around Formby and in my ignorance for some reason thought until I looked it up today that it was part of Liverpool.