The Night Mail

[Florence Locomotive Works]

7 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

There are roads like that but slightly narrower in Benfleet. Paved roads come to an end in Thundersley woods and continue as a track to small clusters of houses. There used to be a sign stating “unsuitable for motor vehicles” but I don’t think it is there now. I know pedestrians use the route as a short cut to the sixth form college on the A13. Where I used to work in Stanford le Hope had some similar roads. Often one side was paved and the other wasn’t. 

I know in I think it was Northern Rhodesia they used a system of paving two parallel strips down the center of 2 lane road (creating a single lane road) which the vehicle was supposed to follow. When an oncoming object was met the procedure was to wait as long as possible and then violently swerve to the side.

[AndyID]

I just saw a really funny short video someone captured on their cellphone. A "big shot" was refused service in a diner because he would not wear a mask. Then he made threats and shoved the older manager when he asked him to leave. A younger guy suddenly appeared, punched the big shot in the face and completely floored him.

 

PM if you want a link.

[tetsudofan]

6 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

Plant the bulbs whilst you have the weather and daylight

 

Andy

 

Managed to get both things done this afternoon . Started by planting quite a few bulbs and then broke off for tea (which for me down here in the south east corner means a mug of caramel latte together with some carrot cake slices or something similar ) and then set up the Gas Turbine Loco on my Z21. Looks and sounds good, runs quite smoothly as well. One happy bunny here!

 

Upper arm starting to feel a bit sore so think a shower, a couple of paracetamol tablets and then bed is called for.....

 

Keith

[figworthy]

22 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

In Egypt they drive without headlights on to save petrol then switch them on if they thi k a car is coming towards them.  

 

Jamie

 

30 mumble years ago, a colleague had been on holiday in Egypt.  I asked him which side of the road they drove on, and after giving it a bit of thought, his reply was "the side with least traffic"

 

Adrian 

[figworthy]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

As I cross the A2, that I have just left, I look to my right and think, "in 2 minutes I'll be going over that bridge over the road I have just left."

 

It is not dissimilar to cruising  the Chesterfield Canal

 

 

Andy

 

Unlike the Southern Oxford where it is a case of "in an hour I'll be going under that bridge".

 

At least the scenery is good during that hour's cruise.

 

Adrian

Edited October 26, 2021 by figworthy
spilling

[SM42]

2 minutes ago, figworthy said:

 

30 mumble years ago, a colleague had been on holiday in Egypt.  I asked him which side of the road they drove on, and after giving it a bit of thought, his reply was "the side with least traffic"

 

Adrian 

 

Here in The Motherland it is often the practice to drive down the middle, AKA driving on the smooth. 

 

Another favourite road  building material are concrete slabs about 8 x 4, laid to make a surface. If you are lucky they may have filled the 1 inch gaps between them. Kerdunk kerdunk kerdunk. 

 

 

Andy

[Florence Locomotive Works]

13 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

Check out "The Repair Shop" if you can get it. There's a guy on it who really loves to repair old clocks, even apparent basket cases

 

I think he might be willing to help anyone who has a similar passion.

Yes I’ve watched the whole series on Netflix, and would highly recommend it to anyone.

 

Steve Fletcher is probably one of the best horologists out there, and certainly the most publicly known. I believe he has 285,000 followers on Instagram. 

[DenysW]

Two brief notes to Douglas ...

 

1 English universities have a residence requirement to get "home" fees instead of "overseas" that is irrespective of citizenship. The Boss (aka SWHBO) tells me this was 6 years 'way back. It now appears to be 3 years but this 'fact' is not fully reliable and checked

2 English universities range from world class to fairly rubbish, many in the same city as each other. Do not confuse Oxford with Oxford Brookes, Nottingham with Nottingham Trent, or Leicester with De Montford . Scots Universities on a different system that accepts 'Highers' aged 17 and A-levels aged 18, but the reason the Scottish government picks up the fees is that it has restricted the number of  places. More scope for confusion

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

There are roads like that but slightly narrower in Benfleet. Paved roads come to an end in Thundersley woods and continue as a track to small clusters of houses. There used to be a sign stating “unsuitable for motor vehicles” but I don’t think it is there now. I know pedestrians use the route as a short cut to the sixth form college on the A13. Where I used to work in Stanford le Hope had some similar roads. Often one side was paved and the other wasn’t. 

They're still like that, and very narrow as well. What with all the roadworks down that end the diversions lead down some rather unsuitable roads. Some no more than 12 feet wide and crowded with parked cars, and they directed buses down some of them. 

[Northmoor]

57 minutes ago, DenysW said:

Two brief notes to Douglas ...

 

1 English universities have a residence requirement to get "home" fees instead of "overseas" that is irrespective of citizenship. The Boss (aka SWHBO) tells me this was 6 years 'way back. It now appears to be 3 years but this 'fact' is not fully reliable and checked

2 English universities range from world class to fairly rubbish, many in the same city as each other. Do not confuse Oxford with Oxford Brookes, Nottingham with Nottingham Trent, or Leicester with De Montford . Scots Universities on a different system that accepts 'Highers' aged 17 and A-levels aged 18, but the reason the Scottish government picks up the fees is that it has restricted the number of  places. More scope for confusion

Oi, I went to one of those ex-Polytechnics (well it was one when I arrived, a Uni when I left).........!

To be fair, every University trades on its reputation to some degree but remember that just because they had a great reputation for a subject 20 years ago, doesn't mean they still provide the same standard of teaching; a department may have been led by a charismatic professor who's now retired, replaced by a bunch of businessmen good at bringing in industry funding based on that old reputation.  Consider that the former Polys have been Universities for nearly 30 years.

At the end of the day, it depends what you want to get from your time at Universities.  

[AndyID]

18 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Spot the errors!

 

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/walnut-tree-viaduct-richard-picton.html

 

Looking at the background this picture was painted to represent 5611 just about to enter Garth Tunnel.

 

So where is WTW Signal Box and the lineside hut, the crossover and the entrance to the Dolomite works and all the signalling?

 

Knowing the way they ran trains down the line, almost invariably the loco should also be running bunker first.

 

Artistic licence or poor research?

 

You decide!

 

Seems to be running on 00 gauge track too

 

Edit: I know Wales has a lot of narrow gauge but that's just silly.

 

 

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by AndyID
more impertinence

[AndyID]

5 hours ago, SM42 said:

Just to bring some balance back to railways from  roads, here is EU07 302  passing Gadki. Another favourite spot I visited today.

 

 

Looking closely I may have caught an arc off the pan

 

Andy

 

Now I know how to say "intercity" in Polish.

[BR60103]

22 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Work was interesting if a bit frustrating today. (I’ve switched my hours so I now go in on Mondays and Wednesdays after school) I’m beginning my first movement overhaul (German made movement, Howard Miller clock) and it’s a three barrel chime and strike mechanism. So not exactly the simplest of things.

 

Douglas

I have a Howard Miller chiming on my wall. It my award for 20 years service. It was seviced once, after it changed from a 7-days wind to 2-days. I think it may need one again. (Are you planning a Canada trip anytime?)

"three barrel"  Does that mean 3 keyholes? That's what mine has.

 

I posted soemwhere else that Westminster chimes have 5 4-note sequences (2x5=1+2+3+4). They are designed so that the half-hour and the hour end on the tonic; the others just hang in the air.

 

Had the car serviced today and winter tires put on.

 

[BR60103]

duplicate

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by BR60103
duplicate

[AndyID]

44 minutes ago, BR60103 said:

I have a Howard Miller chiming on my wall. It my award for 20 years service. It was seviced once, after it changed from a 7-days wind to 2-days. I think it may need one again. (Are you planning a Canada trip anytime?)

"three barrel"  Does that mean 3 keyholes? That's what mine has.

 

I posted soemwhere else that Westminster chimes have 5 4-note sequences (2x5=1+2+3+4). They are designed so that the half-hour and the hour end on the tonic; the others just hang in the air.

 

Had the car serviced today and winter tires put on.

 

 

My dad gave us a Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos as a wedding present. Small changes in atmospheric pressure keep it fully wound. It has a one minute pendulum (30 seconds in each direction).

 

Unfortunately it is lousy at keeping time so you have to keep adjusting it  

 

These days it's parked at ten-to-two.

 

[AndyID]

9 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

Wasn't there a similar problem with the Erskine Bridge across the Clyde?

 

It was actually a serious question (or about as serious as you would ever expect from me.) IIRC something went slightly wrong during its construction and the two sides didn't quite line-up where they were supposed to meet in the middle. I can't find anything about it now but I remember making jokes about the "kink" when we drove over it (shortly after we passed Jackie Stewart's garage )

 

 

[Florence Locomotive Works]

1 hour ago, BR60103 said:

I have a Howard Miller chiming on my wall. It my award for 20 years service. It was seviced once, after it changed from a 7-days wind to 2-days. I think it may need one again. (Are you planning a Canada trip anytime?)

"three barrel"  Does that mean 3 keyholes? That's what mine has.

 

I posted soemwhere else that Westminster chimes have 5 4-note sequences (2x5=1+2+3+4). They are designed so that the half-hour and the hour end on the tonic; the others just hang in the air.

 

Had the car serviced today and winter tires put on.

 

Yes, three barrels = three key holes. Barrels are the brass cylinders that contain the springs on almost all European and a few American clocks. (Most American clocks have exposed springs)

 

When was the last service? We recommend ours come back after about 15-20 years of work if a full overhaul was carried out previously. If it’s a modern Howard Miller they may have just switched out the movement for a brand new one, which aren’t always the most amazing. 
 

A good indicator of when it’s needs bringing in is the shininess of the plates on the movement. If they are pretty dull it may be time. Howard Miller orders lacquer on all their movements now so that may not work for yours.

(No Canada trip being planned at the moment, although plans were afoot to go to Nova Scotia in summer of 2020 but that fell through)

 

Douglas

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

My dad gave us a Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos as a wedding present. Small changes in atmospheric pressure keep it fully wound. It has a one minute pendulum (30 seconds in each direction).

 

Unfortunately it is lousy at keeping time so you have to keep adjusting it  

 

These days it's parked at ten-to-two.

 

At leastbit's accurate twice evrry 24 hours.  

 

1 hour ago, AndyID said:

 

It was actually a serious question (or about as serious as you would ever expect from me.) IIRC something went slightly wrong during its construction and the two sides didn't quite line-up where they were supposed to meet in the middle. I can't find anything about it now but I remember making jokes about the "kink" when we drove over it (shortly after we passed Jackie Stewart's garage )

 

 

IIRC Preston Brook Tunnel on the canals in Cheshire has a very distinct wiggle towards one end where two headings met. On a related note I remember  reading that they had to wait for a day of the correct temperature to connect up the cantilevers on the Forth Bridge.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Northmoor said:

At the end of the day, it depends what you want to get from your time at Universities.  

 

Cynical Bear says that for a fair few that'll be...

Away from home - and parents

Wild parties

Getting rat-ar$sed

Getting l......er, you get the idea....

 

And at the end of it you hopefully have a degree in something like an ology, or art, or history, or.....

And then go work in a Bank.

Incoming....

[Happy Hippo]

11 hours ago, SM42 said:

Just to bring some balance back to railways from  roads, here is EU07 302  passing Gadki. Another favourite spot I visited today.

 

 

Looking closely I may have caught an arc off the pan

 

Andy

I am told that such an occurrence can be a right pain in the posterior.

 

Always best to make sure that the seat is earthed before you sit on it, otherwise you might not be able to sit down for about a week!

[AndyID]

2 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Cynical Bear says that for a fair few that'll be...

Away from home - and parents

Wild parties

Getting rat-ar$sed

Getting l......er, you get the idea....

 

And at the end of it you hopefully have a degree in something like an ology, or art, or history, or.....

And then go work in a Bank.

Incoming....

 

That's a very bear assessment (see what I etc) but dumb luck might have a lot to do with it too. The only reason I'm posting the following is because it might encourage others to hang in there:

 

I made it into uni, bearly, but got kicked out at the end of the first year. It was supposed to be engineering but it was almost all math, physics and chemistry. After that I dorked around for quite a bit and finally got a HNC and an HNS from Glasgow Tech in Digital Electronics.

 

In 2006 I decided to retire. By then I was a Sr VP at an electronics outfit in California. I'd had more than enough by then but I really have no reason to complain.

 

All I can say is stick to the stuff that you really know.

[Dave Hunt]

14 minutes ago, AndyID said:

All I can say is stick to the stuff that you really know.

 

To quote Eccles in the Goon Show, "I can't live on nothin'."

 

Dave

[jamie92208]

I went o Uni (Nottingham) for a year to do Chemical Engineering but out of 32lectures per week, only one was actually related to the subject. I didn't pass and then did a year at Huddersfield Poly, now University, doing Chemistry but at the end of the year passed enough exams but not the right combination. I got a temporary job in a foundry and one drunken Saturday night decided to change career path and join the Police.  The upshot of that is that I retired on a good pension in 2002. My contemporaries at Nottingham, that I was still in touch with still had well over 10 years to go before they could retire.  At least one of those has had heart problems due to stress.   It's strange what paths life throws at you bt seize the opportunities.

 

Now it's time to go and get a couple of barrow loads of logs from the woodshed.  I really must try and progress the idea of a 7 1/4 gauge line down the 1 in 40 gradient to the house.

 

Jamie

 

PS.  I did finally use some of my chemical engineering knowledge in 1998 when I had to attend the scene of an explosion in a chemical works in Castleford in the early hours of one morning.   The duty manager, who was the finance controller, told me that Hydrogen didn't explode.  I was able to work out exactly what had happened in about 5 minutes after talking to the rather shocked plant operator.  Fortunately no one was injured apart from two poachers on the riverbank who got some cuts and bruises.

 

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by jamie92208

[SM42]

6 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

Now I know how to say "intercity" in Polish.

 

Don't forget to put the emphasis on the last but one syllable and roll the r slightly 

 

 

Actually an awful lot of words are quite easy. 

If an English word ends ...tion, replace the end with ...cja (pronounced "cee-ya", a soft c)

 

So station becomes stacja and so on

 

 

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

I am told that such an occurrence can be a right pain in the posterior.

 

Always best to make sure that the seat is earthed before you sit on it, otherwise you might not be able to sit down for about a week!

 

I suppose it doesn't matter which phase it is connected to does it?

 

Andy

Edited October 27, 2021 by SM42

[Dave Hunt]

I don't suppose it would faze you whichever phase was connected........

 

(see what I..........)

 

 

Well, it's been a slow morning so far.

 

Dave