The Night Mail

[Philou]

WUT, I thought then read to the end of the sentence ..... doh!

 

[Happy Hippo]

11 minutes ago, tomparryharry said:

Aaaarg! I just couldn't get going today.

I have days like that.

 

Can't be bothered is the polite way of putting it.

 

Yet once I'm up and going and getting stuck into something, I'm loathe to stop.

 

Both states of mind get me into trouble.

 

Being idle gets a good telling off for being so.

 

Being hyper productive also draws criticism, especially if I lose track of time and miss doing something else, like preparing the evening meal.

 

'I'll do it when I'm finished and hungry' does not go down well with someone who is very hungry and wants to eat 45 minutes before.

 

I've just mooched around today and I think the highlight was fixing the hose on the pressure washer and removing the track from board No 6 of SG.

 

Tonight''s excitement will be when I take the recycling out to the kerbside.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[tomparryharry]

We have the same problem here. I don't feel hungry right now, but we've got to eat tea. Note here, the Royal 'we' ....  I'm determined not to do any railway modelling until the project is completed. With that, I'm withholding any comments upon  things like Hornby Prairies or such, as I don't think it's fair to have an opinion until the Moolah has passed my greasy mitts. The same will apply to the Dapol mogul, although I'm awaiting. I'll be awaiting a bit longer. 

[Happy Hippo]

The recycling gone out and I now need to recover from the excitement.

 

I see that the thoughts of non members on the Gauge O Guild have now morphed into a discussion on what to call any replacement organisation, and who would want to join it.

 

For a lot of modellers it would seem the main want points are a 7 mm dedicated forum and a magazine, then would come some form of shop where  specialised goodies could be bought.

 

I've looked at this and tried to be both supportive and objective, and although I'm quite prepared to support a 7 mm scale society which will have alot less baggage than the G0G, what would I really get out of it?

 

A new Society magazine?  Honestly, it's already covered by John Emerson's Lineside Look.

 

A forum?  Well, tbh I only look at the G0G forum for chatter.  Very occasionally do I look at the other sub forums over there. There is enough inspiration, and expertise available both on RMWeb and Western Thunder when I need it.

 

I suppose the one area that I would personally benefit would be a dedicated 7mm live steam thread, although once you've built a successful steamer in 7 mm the next one is so much easier.  (The live steam thread in the G0G forum is pretty dead.)

 

But as with all scales, gauges and technical information, a lot of what we need is transferable information from one scale to another.

 

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[Steamport Southport]

3 hours ago, tomparryharry said:

 

 

Talking about expensive cars, I remember my first Aston Martin. I felt very pleased with myself. If you pressed the button, a miniature James Bond got ejected from the roof.... 

 

I hope your little 007 stayed put.

 

It was the little Chinese man that gets ejected...

 

 

And if you've got one with the little man then they are worth quite a bit as that is what is usually missing.

 

[Stubby47]

SWMBO likes writing letters to various pen friends. So she has been searching for a replacement pad.

None in the local Co-op, Spar or Post Office (all in the village). 

None in The Range ( walkable in 15 mins).

So this evening I manfully offered to drive us to Sainsbury's.  Nope.

So on to Tesco's.  Still nope.

So she will be going to the city tomorrow to visit Wilko & WHS.

 

And you thought putting out the recycling was boring...

[Happy Hippo]

Another grey start to the day.

 

I'm hoping to get another round of SG deconstruction started later on, but progress will be slower as the boards need to be fully cleared before they can be stored.

 

Of course any such action has to be tied in with duties of a nature required to promote domestic harmony.

 

Although it is not much help to Stu, if I need to write a hand written letter, then I just take a sheet of A4 out of the paper tray of the printer.

 

It is also a good source of ready use paper for layout doodles and various other sketches or notes for harebrained schemes I generate.

 

However, believe it or not, this does not contribute to domestic harmony as it 'wastes paper', even though it is much cheaper that the fancy stuff required by ladies for their billet-doux.

 

Personally, I find it quicker to write and easier to read if one uses the style the military describe as a demi-official letter.  All typed out, but personalised by hand writing the top and tail in ink.

[Dave Hunt]

The use of the handwritten letter can have its drawbacks. Many years ago  - in pre-computer days - there were some extracts from RAF officers' confidential reports published (without naming the recipients, of course), one of which read, "This officer has a pronounced Tyneside accent and his handwriting is illegible; we have no effective means of communication."

 

Dave

[jamie92208]

One of my school reports had a sentence in my housemaster's comments which ran, "Guest's writing is ***********".  I couldn't read the word and so had to rake it to the headmsster for him to decipher.  When he read it he threatened  to flog me. It turned out that the word was 'illegible'.  I did eventually convince the head of my innocence.

 

As to handwritten letters, I am involved in a round robin letter with my many first cousins. My mother was one of 9 who were orpaned in 1927. They brought each other up and as yhe eldesy left home they started a letter which became known ss 'the budget'.  One would write a letter adressed Dear Family, and send it on to the next one, eventually it got round all of them and the originator would then take out her letter, read the 8 new ones, write a new leter and post it on. The letter is still going nearly a century later and I've been contributing since 1987.  You are supposed to post it within a couple of days of receipt and letters should be hadwritten.  The only exceptions are the two cousins in Canada who are sent scans of the new crop of letters then reply be email and another cousin inserts their replies. It comes round about every 10 weeks and does get to France.  It is actually a real pleasure  to read 10 or more handwritten letters.

 

Jamie

[tomparryharry]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Another grey start to the day.

 

I'm hoping to get another round of SG deconstruction started later on, but progress will be slower as the boards need to be fully cleared before they can be stored.

 

Of course any such action has to be tied in with duties of a nature required to promote domestic harmony.

 

Although it is not much help to Stu, if I need to write a hand written letter, then I just take a sheet of A4 out of the paper tray of the printer.

 

It is also a good source of ready use paper for layout doodles and various other sketches or notes for harebrained schemes I generate.

 

However, believe it or not, this does not contribute to domestic harmony as it 'wastes paper', even though it is much cheaper that the fancy stuff required by ladies for their billet-doux.

 

Personally, I find it quicker to write and easier to read if one uses the style the military describe as a demi-official letter.  All typed out, but personalised by hand writing the top and tail in ink.

 

I also type my letters. I make it quite plain to the recipient that my handwriting is rubbish, and as such, I'd much rather the reader can understand what I'm writing, than trying to decipher the official language of 'Uste-Gumph' or whatever.  As long as the important bits, such as Grammar, punctuation, etc are in there, I consider it fine in this day & age.

 

With the rise of computers and application, I fink fings loike schpellinge, granmer, punKteration shudnt be alowwed. 

 

... And missin owt ful stopz.....

[Happy Hippo]

50 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

The use of the handwritten letter can have its drawbacks. Many years ago  - in pre-computer days - there were some extracts from RAF officers' confidential reports published (without naming the recipients, of course), one of which read, "This officer has a pronounced Tyneside accent and his handwriting is illegible; we have no effective means of communication."

 

Dave

One would hesitate to attempt breeding from such a creature!

 

[Dave Hunt]

Further to reports and such, a friend of mine received as part of his end of course report on completion of his basic flying training that, "During his time at Acklington Xxxxx has made a smooth transition from rough diamond to social acceptability." He was quite proud of that.

 

Dave

 

[bbishop]

My sister and I were not the only members of the family given freedom to roam.  Most Saturdays we would open the gate from our garden into the recreation ground.  This meant the dog could spend his day playing with the local children.  At the end of the day the last child would push Toddy through the gate and close it behind him.  Sometimes he would disappear after a bitch on heat, in which case we would get a phone call "your dog is sitting in our front garden".  Then on Sunday children would turn up and borrow him for an afternoon.  We would watch a seven year old staggering down the front path with the lead wrapped round his wrist and Toddy in his arms, washing his face.

 

The cat had his own social circle, going round the neighbourhood and cadging "nice hot cups of tea".  Harvey would spend an hour in each household in front of the fire, drinking his tea and purring very loudly.  He would get home by four o'clock, sit on the porch roof and watch the people going home.  He would get down ( a bit difficult for a large, very unco-ordinated tabby cat) and chat with his particular friends.

 

And they were the best of mates: sleeping together, going for walks together.    Bill

[Happy Hippo]

Somebody has just made Cranberry cookies.

 

I keep being sent away from the kitchen.

 

I can't understand this at all.

 

Why?

 

 

[Philou]

@Happy Hippo Cake-hungry Hippo?

 

Mrs Philou is about to start her cake here in a few minutes - I await.

 

Nothing much to report my end other that I managed to construct another unit of scaffolding and then hack the render and rake out another section my stone wall yesterday. Restarted the in-filling between the rafters and jointing this morning at 6.45am of your Eengleesh hours before it got too hot. 27° at 1 o'clock post-meridian!

 

Cheers everyone and hope you have a good day, whatever your doing,

 

Philip

 

PS: I always type my letters and I wish I had so done years ago - with the top and tail (and date) done by hand IN BLACK INK.

Edited September 4, 2020 by Philou
Camel in one sentence.

[Happy Hippo]

Excitement abounds here at the Hippodrome.

 

I've just brought the recycling bins in and then hammered three galavanized nails into the bottom half of the garden gate to keep a plank from falling off.

 

To cool off from such exertion, I'm making a pot of Lady Grey tea, which I shall drink both black and unsweetened.  This will be accompanied by one (or hopefully more) of the batch of cookies that were made at lunchtime.

 

I've negotiated a Fish and Chip supper for this evening.  With any luck we can wash it down with some White Grenache.

 

I've been re reading David Wright's books on building model buildings:  I really need to think about building some of the buildings for Aberflyarff, not least, the infamous Golden Dap public house.

 

Looking at the sketch that I produced from Brian Rolley's original concept diagram, I also need to make various bridges to cross the River Efflew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[TheQ]

4 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Further to reports and such, a friend of mine received as part of his end of course report on completion of his basic flying training that, "During his time at Acklington Xxxxx has made a smooth transition from rough diamond to social acceptability." He was quite proud of that.

 

Dave

 

I wonder whether the current inmates of Acklington, get such reports. I doubt many could read them if they did... 

[Happy Hippo]

MY Weller 75 W soldering Iron, after many years of faithful service, has given up. Having run a couple of electrical tests on it, I suspect the element has given up the ghost.

 

Of course, Weller don't make such a beast any more, and the quoted price for the newer 80 W which would be the direct replacement is a bit on the steep side.

 

I have other irons, including a 100 W Antex, but the Weller was a trusty old old friend and shall be missed.

 

Initially, I did look on Amazon to price a replacement but a lot of the stuff seems to come as a complete kit with various tools and voltmeters.  I don't object to all this stuff, but for the price I'm a bit wary as much of it originates from the far east.

 

I want to be certain that any tool I buy that involves lots of electrickery, but is very cheap, might not be quite as safe as I'd wish.

 

Still, I've called it a day outside, and will now consider whether to open the white Grenache, or have a large Pimms.

 

It is Friday, and by my reckoning it's well past drink o'clock.

[jamie92208]

4 hours ago, TheQ said:

I wonder whether the current inmates of Acklington, get such reports. I doubt many could read them if they did... 

I once had to interview a semi illiterate inmate at Acklington about an arson. However the day was not wasted as my colleague was also intersted in trains so we visited Blyth Cambois shed. The most godforsaken shed I have ever visited on a windblown sandspit between the North Sea and the harbour.

 

Anyway we are about to have tea so I have just had the terrible job of having a glass of last years crop of home made cherry brandy. It's a hard life.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by jamie92208

[Stubby47]

A writing pad has been purchased.

 

It may well be well past drinks'o'clock, but some of us employed chappies are still hard at it, even if we're wfh.

 

 

You enjoy yourselves, don't worry about us...

[tomparryharry]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Excitement abounds here at the Hippodrome.

 

I've just brought the recycling bins in and then hammered three galavanized nails into the bottom half of the garden gate to keep a plank from falling off.

 

To cool off from such exertion, I'm making a pot of Lady Grey tea, which I shall drink both black and unsweetened.  This will be accompanied by one (or hopefully more) of the batch of cookies that were made at lunchtime.

 

I've negotiated a Fish and Chip supper for this evening.  With any luck we can wash it down with some White Grenache.

 

I've been re reading David Wright's books on building model buildings:  I really need to think about building some of the buildings for Aberflyarff, not least, the infamous Golden Dap public house.

 

Looking at the sketch that I produced from Brian Rolley's original concept diagram, I also need to make various bridges to cross the River Efflew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would like to see the original concept. As a younger person, I frequented many of the pubs within staggering distance  of Aberflyarff. 

[TheQ]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I once had to interview a semi illiterate inmate at Acklington about an arson. However the day was not wasted as my colleague was also intersted in trains so we visited Blyth Cambous shed. The mist godforsaken shed I have ever visited on a windblown sandspit between the North Sea and the harbour.

 

Anyway we are about to have tea so I have just had the terrible job of having a glass of last years crop of home made cherry brandy. It's a hard life.

 

Jamie

 

 

That's a pretty good description of Blyth, from the one trip I've been through there.  We had to cut short a sailing trip and put in there,  we had  been making for Grimsby , but had been held up by a force 10. 

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

My luck has held, I found a bottle of Shiraz in the back of the cupboard so we drank that instead.

[Stubby47]

I have just about finished for the evening, a can of Magners certainly helped.

 

[jamie92208]

10 hours ago, TheQ said:

That's a pretty good description of Blyth, from the one trip I've been through there.  We had to cut short a sailing trip and put in there,  we had  been making for Grimsby , but had been held up by a force 10. 

 

 

At least I didn't describe it as a boil on the ar*ehole of the world as I did with the town of Fearnley Nevada last year.

but it certainly came close.

 

Jamie

Edited September 5, 2020 by jamie92208