The Night Mail

[Dave Hunt]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I hope you have a lovely time.

 

Nyda's away tomorrow, so I could have come and enjoyed the trip with you, but the 10 pack of bacon a couple of baguettes, cans of cider and an afternoon of 6 Nations rugby forces me to stay away.

 

I have to admit that the opening Saturday of the 6 Nations is a somewhat unfortunate day to travel to Derby for a meeting but at least I can watch the recorded games in the evening in the company of a glass or two of Tamnavulin.

 

Dave

[The Johnster]

20 minutes ago, pH said:

Any ideas how you might model this:
 

https://youtu.be/v9KbqaLpnDc

 

(Coal dust suppression.)

 

Now that is clever, and a delight to watch!  To model it, you'd have to replicate the prototype working, which I imagine switches the spray on and off at precise intervals in response to some sort of light-sensitive switch triggered by the passage of the hoppers, or perhaps a treadle on the railhead.  Very little water gets on to the ground, you can just make out a brief splash at the leading wheel of the next hopper as it goes under the spray frame.  I'm also guessing that very precise speed control is required from the locomotives, something like the mgr creep control. 

 

The jets of water could be represented by a very fine spray mist. but they'd have to be under a degree of pressure, which would make matters more difficult as everything has to be properly watertight.  And of course the surrounding ballast and scenery would have to be sealed waterproof, and some sort of drainage arranged.  It would look very effective for an exhibition layout, though!

Edited February 3, 2023 by The Johnster

[Happy Hippo]

21 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

I have to admit that the opening Saturday of the 6 Nations is a somewhat unfortunate day to travel to Derby for a meeting but at least I can watch the recorded games in the evening in the company of a glass or two of Tamnavulin.

 

Dave

Don't worry Dave, I'll text you the results as they are announced.

 

It'll save recording the matches, so you can just  get home flop into a chair and enjoy the drink(s) that Jill will bring you after your gruelling day.

 

After all that's what friends are for!

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

Water at exhibitions!

 

Seen it and done it.

 

Get an annoying individual or stand and the surreptitious use of a loco water fill bottle used by most of the live steam fraternity can produce endless fun.

 

Point up in the air and suitably angles away; a quick squeeze of the trigger and the slug of water arcs away like a silvery wet mortar round.

 

Sometimes you can hit someone who you can't even see.

 

They think it's either a bird loose in the exhibition hall or a dripping pipe.

 

Annoying viewers close in can be dealt with by direct fire and a faux apology.

[Dave Hunt]

7 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

Don't worry Dave, I'll text you the results as they are announced.

 

It'll save recording the matches, so you can just  get home flop into a chair and enjoy the drink(s) that Jill will bring you after your gruelling day.

 

After all that's what friends are for!

 

It is my sad duty to inform TNMers of the untimely demise of one Happy Hippo on Saturday February 4th 2023. The cause of death was a pannier tank wedged in a delicate orifice shortly after the deceased sent a text message. 

 

Dave

[polybear]

2 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

"Woke" is just another way of making a political statement without appearing to be political. IMHO it has no place on a forum such as this.

 

Kindly knock it off folks 😀

 

Every time a certain Bear reads the word "woke" I have to look it up to see what it means.  Not sure I'm any the wiser so gave up and scoffed cake instead.  Seemed the better option

[The Johnster]

Does this mean that there's a cheap pannier going spare that I can disinfect?

[Dave Hunt]

Retrieving the pannier would not be a job for the faint hearted and it would need a lot of very powerful disinfectant. 

 

Dave 

[Canal Digger]

5 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

14 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

Don't worry Dave, I'll text you the results as they are announced.

 

It'll save recording the matches, so you can just  get home flop into a chair and enjoy the drink(s) that Jill will bring you after your gruelling day.

 

After all that's what friends are for!

 

It is my sad duty to inform TNMers of the untimely demise of one Happy Hippo on Saturday February 4th 2023. The cause of death was a pannier tank wedged in a delicate orifice shortly after the deceased sent a text message. 

 

Dave

There's gratitude for you! You offer to help and ...

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

8 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Retrieving the pannier would not be a job for the faint hearted and it would need a lot of very powerful disinfectant. 

 

Dave 

You could always sent another two in to pull the first one back out.

[jamie92208]

47 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

You could always sent another two in to pull the first one back out.

As long as you don't send a hamster to find them.. oh dear we're back to felching.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

15 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

.. oh dear we're back to felching.

 

Jamie

 

 

Bear had to Google that back then - and regretted it.

And Bear has just had to Google it again .....and regretted it again....🤮

I'm actually rather glad I don't know what it means - and if any fellow ER'ers don't know what it means then trust me, don't go looking as you're sure to regret it.....

[SM42]

Myself and the goodly Mrs SM42 have returned from a visit to the local picture house. 

 

Thd film of choice was Puss in Boots.  (We do enjoy a good cartoon )

 

Nothing remarkable about this, however of the 14 people in the cinema, including us, there were 3 children, three parents and 6 youths. 

 

It didn't look good when 4 of the youths were still yapping as the film started and the other two seemed more interested in their phones. 

 

But, it all went quiet and other than the incessant checking of messages to the lower right, we had a good evening. 

 

The shocker at the end was the two message checking youths tidied up their rubbish and the father of the family of four apologised for the noise the kids didn't make. 

 

All other inhabitants of the room ( including us) acted with suitable decorum 

 

Just goes to show that you shouldn't judge a cinema audience by what comes through the door. 

 

We're going again tomorrow, different film, I hope it is a similar experience. 

 

Andy

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

Retrieving the pannier would not be a job for the faint hearted and it would need a lot of very powerful disinfectant. 

 

Dave 

 

And long arms...........

[Winslow Boy]

30 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

And long arms...........

 

I've got to things to say to that. The first is -urgh and the second is who would want to retrieve a pannier. Why not just bury, cremate it along with HH. Mind you if he was cremated you could at least dispose of it along with the rest of the stuff you get artificial joints, stainless steel surgical instruments etc if it was buried just think of the ground water contamination.

[The Johnster]

3 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Retrieving the pannier would not be a job for the faint hearted and it would need a lot of very powerful disinfectant. 

 

Dave 

 

But it’s a free pannier, what’s not to love?  Remember, a pannier never offends, even when it is in an offensive condition.

 

I mean, come on lads, it’s a free pannier, hold my beer I’m going in… or perhaps not.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[AndyID]

I have successfully changed the engine oil in my up-pick. These days I'd prefer not to do it myself but I'm tired of automotive service establishments (including the dealerships) putting too much expletive oil in the engine. Typically the ones around here lookup a chart and if it says six quarts that's what they put in.

 

That is not they way I was taught to do it. That was to drain the oil, replace the filter then fill with a lot less than the total capacity. Then check the dipstick and add small amounts of oil until the oil level is not much over half way between the high and low marks on the dipstick. The oil level should never be above the high mark. On some engines that will encourage oil to pass through the crankcase breather and contaminate the air filter. If yours has oil on it it's a sure sign the there is too much oil in the sump. Worst case excessive oil can be sucked into the combustion chambers and punch a hole in the top of a piston, or bend a connecting rod, neither of which are entirely desirable conditions 😀

 

So that I don't actually have to crawl underneath the vehicles I use a device that sucks the oil in the sump up through the dipstick hole and changing the oil filters on modern cars is a lot easier now because it can be done from above.

[iL Dottore]

8 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

It is my sad duty to inform TNMers of the untimely demise of one Happy Hippo on Saturday February 4th 2023. The cause of death was a pannier tank wedged in a delicate orifice shortly after the deceased sent a text message. 

 

Dave

Oh dearie me. Oh dearie, dearie, me.

They never learn, do they Officer @jamie92208?

 

If HH turns up dead (which is a distinct possibility on this thread, given the animosity shown to Pannier lovers), Inspector Brunel of The Yard isn’t going to have look hard to find the guilty culprit.

 

And with a full confession already in the files, the CPS will probably take the afternoon off. 

 

Then a quick trip to appear before “Hanging” Judge Hawksworth, the black cap comes out and justice will be done.

 

And all because of a trivial rugby score.

 

But there again, life is cheap to those Midland types….

[polybear]

6 hours ago, The Johnster said:

 

But it’s a free pannier, what’s not to love?  Remember, a pannier never offends, even when it is in an offensive condition.

 

I mean, come on lads, it’s a free pannier, hold my beer I’m going in… or perhaps not.

 

Hmm.....s'pose Bear could use it for playing Crash Test Dummies....

 

5 hours ago, AndyID said:

I have successfully changed the engine oil in my up-pick. These days I'd prefer not to do it myself but I'm tired of automotive service establishments (including the dealerships) putting too much expletive oil in the engine. Typically the ones around here lookup a chart and if it says six quarts that's what they put in.

 

That is not they way I was taught to do it. That was to drain the oil, replace the filter then fill with a lot less than the total capacity. Then check the dipstick and add small amounts of oil until the oil level is not much over half way between the high and low marks on the dipstick. The oil level should never be above the high mark. On some engines that will encourage oil to pass through the crankcase breather and contaminate the air filter. If yours has oil on it it's a sure sign the there is too much oil in the sump. Worst case excessive oil can be sucked into the combustion chambers and punch a hole in the top of a piston, or bend a connecting rod, neither of which are entirely desirable conditions 😀

 

So that I don't actually have to crawl underneath the vehicles I use a device that sucks the oil in the sump up through the dipstick hole and changing the oil filters on modern cars is a lot easier now because it can be done from above.

 

A fine Rant, though a certain Bear will always fill to the top level mark; I'm not a great fan of those oil sucker-outers though, as I'd much rather the oil had a chance to swill out any debris in the sump on it's way out thru' the drain hole.  They are rather useful for sucking out excess oil that some numpty garage has put in, however....

A work Buddy of Bear's was called to help a Neighbour who's car wouldn't start - and the Neighbour said "It was fine before I topped the oil up, now it won't even turn over".  After a brief investigation Buddy discovered that the oil had indeed been topped up....right to the very brim of the oil filler cap - the engine was literally FULL of oil....😱.

It seems the Neighbour was "a very clever man" yet had the I.Q of a Plant Pot whenever it came to anything remotely practical like checking oil levels.  "What's a Dipstick?" he said.....

Fortunately after draining the oil out and refilling it was fine, with no harm done.

 

20 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Oh dearie me. Oh dearie, dearie, me.

They never learn, do they Officer @jamie92208?

 

If HH turns up dead (which is a distinct possibility on this thread, given the animosity shown to Pannier lovers), Inspector Brunel of The Yard isn’t going to have look hard to find the guilty culprit.

 

And with a full confession already in the files, the CPS will probably take the afternoon off. 

 

Then a quick trip to appear before “Hanging” Judge Hawksworth, the black cap comes out and justice will be done.

 

And all because of a trivial rugby score.

 

But there again, life is cheap to those Midland types….

 

@Dave Hunt is innocent - his account was hacked.  He was with us all day.

[iL Dottore]

12 minutes ago, polybear said:

@Dave Hunt is innocent - his account was hacked.  He was with us all day.

Keep going, sunbeam, the list just keeps on growing...

• Possessing false food or materials to make false food. (TEW)

• Falsely describing or presenting food. (TEW)

• Possession of LDC with intent (Offences against the Person Act 1861, s.64).

• Disclosure, obstruction, false or misleading statements. (TEW)

• Intentionally encouraging or assisting commission of murder.

• and so on....

The Bear is gonna be in a world of hurt if he continues down this path. Even a serious and somber evaluation of the Bear's (ahem) considerably altered state of mind and psychological fragility by @iL Dottore (witness for the defence) won't save The Bear from a stretch in the choky with that little list.

 

Perhaps @Dave Hunt (whose alibi you provided) could visit you in the clink with LDC parcels????

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Oh dearie me. Oh dearie, dearie, me.

They never learn, do they Officer @jamie92208?

 

If HH turns up dead (which is a distinct possibility on this thread, given the animosity shown to Pannier lovers), Inspector Brunel of The Yard isn’t going to have look hard to find the guilty culprit.

 

And with a full confession already in the files, the CPS will probably take the afternoon off. 

 

Then a quick trip to appear before “Hanging” Judge Hawksworth, the black cap comes out and justice will be done.

 

And all because of a trivial rugby score.

 

But there again, life is cheap to those Midland types….

Inspector plod of the yard was happy to make a full report and submit a form 49 to HM Coroner regarding the sudden decease of Mr H H.  After a thorough investigation and full consideration of the curcumstances HM Coroner was happy to issue a death certificate listing the cause of death as justifiable homicide.  A Sq. Ldr, D Hunt, RAf (ret) was commended for his swift and public spirited actions.

 

J Guest  who also happens to be President of a red engine line society.

Edited February 4, 2023 by jamie92208

[iL Dottore]

3 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Inspector plod io the yard was happybto make a full report and submit a form 49 to HM Coroner regarding the sudden decease of Mr H H.  After a thorough investigation and full consider of the curcumstances HM Coroner was happy to issue a death certificate listing the cause of deathbas justifiable homicide.  A Sq. Ldr, D Hunt, RAf (ret) was commended for his swift and public spirited actions.

 

J Guest  who also happens to be President of a red engine line society.

Given the blatant conflict of interest, the Home Office has no hesitation in sending the Coroner's report for judicial review,

 

Officer Guest has been relieved of his duties and placed on permanent unpaid leave (a.k.a. "retirement") and the CPS is considering whether or not criminal proceedings should take place. The Right Hon D. Gooch KC at the CPS is examining the evidence to see if J Guest committed fraud by dishonestly abusing one’s position. (TEW) - amongst other charges.

 

Finally, the Home Office Internal Security Committee (C. Collett, Chair) is considering adding "The Midland Society" to the list of organisations proscribed under UK law - given the extremist statements made by its membership---

[Happy Hippo]

Just now, iL Dottore said:

Given the blatant conflict of interest, the Home Office has no hesitation in sending the Coroner's report for judicial review,

 

Officer Guest has been relieved of his duties and placed on permanent unpaid leave (a.k.a. "retirement") and the CPS is considering whether or not criminal proceedings should take place. The Right Hon D. Gooch KC at the CPS is examining the evidence to see if J Guest committed fraud by dishonestly abusing one’s position. (TEW) - amongst other charges.

 

Finally, the Home Office Internal Security Committee (C. Collett, Chair) is considering adding "The Midland Society" to the list of organisations proscribed under UK law - given the extremist statements made by its membership---

All this is very well, but I suspect all these cases will collapse as reports of my demise, actual or shortly forthcoming, have been greatly exaggerated by the gutter press.

 

PS None of my panniers (7mm scale TJ, so no good up Cwmtinbath) are missing, and are on standby to assist shoving Big Bertha up our dearly beloved Crab's Lickey incline should he so desire.

[jjb1970]

On televisions, I'm old enough to remember when buying a TV was like buying a care, a big ticket purchase that came around infrequently. And company's like Granada had a big high street presence for TV rental shops. Now they give them away. We got a 'free' 43" 4K Samsung TV as part of our two year broadband package (I say 'free' rather than free because the cost is obviously built into the package). We even got a five year warranty with it from Samsung. It's not a high end screen but picture quality is excellent.