The Night Mail

[SM42]

Good morning on a beautiful sunny  day here in Czerwionka -Lesczyny. 

 

Visiting Rybnik ( model shop visit pencilled in)  this morning then off to Katowice for lunch with our birthday hosts followed by the planetarium. 

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

The grey fug seems to be lifting, although that is probably because I've opened a couple of windows.

 

I did see some blue sky earlier on, but as usual it has gone back to bed; To the east the sun is burning a hole through the overcast.

 

This morning I have to play host to the engineer who is carrying out the annual gas boiler and fire checks. Nyda has miraculously arranged to be out for most of the morning.

 

This afternoon I have been tasked with carpet cleaning.  Amazingly, Nyda is also out again after lunch.

 

Kraft Klubb* meets here tomorrow afternoon.  all my modelling kit will have to be removed from the table in the garden room.  I presume I will also be required to clean the room prior to the meeting starting.

 

I shall waste the rest of my time doing model railway related activities.  This will not be a long sustained period of time judging by the rest of my workload.

 

*Kraft Klubb is non railway related practical leisure activities for some of the local ladies.  I am not allowed to go near the event as it also involves the consumption of C**e.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Happy Hippo

[Compound2632]

On 29/07/2023 at 20:30, J. S. Bach said:

 785mm, just about right for On2½ at an actual 30.905511811in!

 

It does seem to be a most unusual gauge, almost confined to Silesia, where it was, I read, initially used for interurban steam-operated tramways, converted to standard gauge on electrification. The only other example would appear to be the Bröltalbahn in Rhineland-Palatinate. 

[Flying Fox 34F]

I’ve been following the aircraft comments and the mention of a Canberra triggered a memory!

 

When I was at College, there were three RAF technicians on the same course.  One guy, as a hobby, was creating a document that detailed the construction, allocation and ultimate fate of every single Meteor and Canberra that was ever built.  I wonder if any book was ever published?

 

Paul

[PhilJ W]

14 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

Thanks HH! I wasn't sure if I was imagining  the seating or not 😀

 

The Comets were all Dan Air by the time I flew on them bit remember very well the rate of climb. Literally like a rocket. I've never flown on anything else that could match it.

I too travelled on a Dan Air Comet in 1977 on a holiday to Corfu. The airport in Corfu was surrounded by hills and the rate of climb would have been very useful. Incidentally the Comet I flew on was one of the last in service and the flight out of Corfu was its last commercial flight. I understood it was earmarked for conversion to a Nimrod.

[Dave Hunt]

My one and only trip on a Comet was an RAF Transport Command one used for VIP flights. I was a wet behind the ears young Flying Officer stationed in Singapore at RAF Tengah and was trying to get back to UK to get married so I was hanging around Changi, which was the transport and marine patrol base, trying to get a lift west. I'd had no luck and was running short of time when I met a guy I had trained with who was the co-pilot of a VIP Comet that was leaving the next day to take C in C Transport Command to Muharraq (sp?) in the Middle East and although it wasn't going to UK it would at least get me  few thousand miles in the right direction. I asked if there was any chance of a lift and he told me to see the C in C's ADC, whom he pointed out. The ADC then asked the Boss, who called me over and wanted to know why I needed a lift. When I told him he said certainly I could go with them so next morning there I was in some comfort heading west. When we reached Muharraq there was a VIP reception headed by the base commander and the C in C surprised him by asking to see the Duty Air Movements Officer, who was duly wheeled out. "I want this young officer on the next flight to the UK," said the C in C pointing to me. "I'm afraid that is full, Sir," replied the DAMO. "I don't think you heard me," said the C in C, "I just said I want this officer on the next flight to the UK."  Recognising which side his bread was buttered the DAMO agreed that, yes, he probably could find a way to get me on the next flight heading west then gave me a look that could have killed. I ended up going as supernumary crew on the flight deck of a VC10 via Cyprus and the crew thought it splendid that the DAMO had been firmly put in his place as Movements Officers and transport crews were, shall we say, often not the closest of buddies.

 

Dave    

[Dave Hunt]

Having got rid of said goodbye to our weekend guests and cleared up and since it is raining and there is no chance of outdoor activities such as gardening, repointing the brickwork or any of the other pursuits beloved of SWMBOs , I am about to negotiate an afternoon in the shed. Wish me luck.

 

Dave

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

Having got rid of said goodbye to our weekend guests and cleared up and since it is raining and there is no chance of outdoor activities such as gardening, repointing the brickwork or any of the other pursuits beloved of SWMBOs , I am about to negotiate an afternoon in the shed. Wish me luck.

 

Dave

 

I have been instructed to get up and head for the shed (to get on with welding the bleeping deck railings 🤐)

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

My one and only trip on a Comet was an RAF Transport Command one used for VIP flights. I was a wet behind the ears young Flying Officer stationed in Singapore at RAF Tengah and was trying to get back to UK to get married so I was hanging around Changi, which was the transport and marine patrol base, trying to get a lift west. I'd had no luck and was running short of time when I met a guy I had trained with who was the co-pilot of a VIP Comet that was leaving the next day to take C in C Transport Command to Muharraq (sp?) in the Middle East and although it wasn't going to UK it would at least get me  few thousand miles in the right direction. I asked if there was any chance of a lift and he told me to see the C in C's ADC, whom he pointed out. The ADC then asked the Boss, who called me over and wanted to know why I needed a lift. When I told him he said certainly I could go with them so next morning there I was in some comfort heading west. When we reached Muharraq there was a VIP reception headed by the base commander and the C in C surprised him by asking to see the Duty Air Movements Officer, who was duly wheeled out. "I want this young officer on the next flight to the UK," said the C in C pointing to me. "I'm afraid that is full, Sir," replied the DAMO. "I don't think you heard me," said the C in C, "I just said I want this officer on the next flight to the UK."  Recognising which side his bread was buttered the DAMO agreed that, yes, he probably could find a way to get me on the next flight heading west then gave me a look that could have killed. I ended up going as supernumary crew on the flight deck of a VC10 via Cyprus and the crew thought it splendid that the DAMO had been firmly put in his place as Movements Officers and transport crews were, shall we say, often not the closest of buddies.

 

Dave    

Although those of a Pongo persuasion will always take the slightest reason to berate Crab Air, once their movements staff do get on side, they can move mountains.  Two incidents spring to mind.

 

The first (although second date wise) happened when I was in a HQ appointment in Preston, Lancashire.  Foolishly the District Commander ( Maj Gen) had decided I was competent enough to be the out of hours District Field Officer, so I was minding my own business when the phone went.  It was a hospital in Liverpool.

 

Could we help?

 

They had a critically ill person who needed urgent treatment at a specialist facility in London.  The casualty would probably not survive the road trip, and it was  a Friday evening and getting dark.  Although there are civilian air ambulances, they cannot cannot fly after dusk, and even if they did fly, fully loaded the helicopter would not have the range to make it down to London without refuelling.

 

I told them somebody would get back to them as quickly as possible.

 

I then rang the MoD and got through to the  Duty Crab.

 

Having outlined the situation, he asked for all the pertinent details and told me he would deal with it.

 

The next morning, I received a telephone call from the hospital, to thank me for getting things moving, and to let me know that the casualty was now recovering in London.

 

RAF Benson had been tasked and they had sent  a Puma fitted out  in an aero med configuration.

 

It was no mean feat to get a Puma converted and ready to go, fully crewed with an aero med compliment, fly up to Liverpool and the immediately return to London with the casualty and be back at Benson in time for an early breakfast.

 

The second slightly more tragic incident was way back when I was in Cyprus.

 

One of our team got a call to say his parent's had been involved in an RTC.  his father was killed at the scene and it was unlikely that his mother would survive much longer.

 

Again, the RAF came to the rescue:  They held the afternoon flight (VC10) from Akrotiri to Brize Norton for him. He was told just to pack a rucksack and go.

 

16 Flt AAC picked him up from the barracks in an Allouette II and flew him down to Akrotiri, landing on next to the VC10 which was starting up as they were landing.

 

As soon as he was boarded, the crew were winding everything up, and they were off pdq.

 

The usual procedure with compassionate flights is that once you land in the UK, you are responsible for your onward transport.

 

Not this time, on arrival he didn't even get into arrivals but was hurried over to an RAF Gazelle, which flew him directly to the hospital where his mother lay dying.

 

He did get there in time, and she passed away in the early hours of the following morning.

 

Mind you, with the current state of all three armed services,  I doubt whether they could muster a push bike between them for urgent transport.☹️

[br2975]

8 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

This morning I have to play host to the engineer who is carrying out the annual gas boiler and fire checks. Nyda has miraculously arranged to be out for most of the morning.

 

This afternoon I have been tasked with carpet cleaning.  Amazingly, Nyda is also out again after lunch.

 

Kraft Klubb* meets here tomorrow afternoon.  all my modelling kit will have to be removed from the table in the garden room.  I presume I will also be required to clean the room prior to the meeting starting.

 

.

In a similar vein, further south.......  I have just been advised by Mrs, 2975 - "WE'LL have a good clean through tomorrow"

.

Could this be anything to do with her subsequent statement - "I told Carol she could stay Friday night"  (whoever Carol may be, a former work colleague I suspect ?)

.

Silly me, I forgot Mrs. 2975 is "out with the girls Friday night" - I'd best put the fake Uber stickers on my car Friday afternoon then, and refrain from alcohol that evening.

.

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by br2975

[Happy Hippo]

3 minutes ago, br2975 said:

.

In a similar vein, further south.......  I have just been advised by Mrs, 2975 - "WE'LL have a good clean through tomorrow"

.

Could this be anything to do with her subsequent statement - "I told Carol she could stay Friday night"  (whoever Carol may be, a former work colleague I suspect ?)

.

Silly me, I forgot Mrs. 2975 is "out with the girls Friday night" - I'd best put the fake Uber stickers on my car Friday afternoon then, and refrain from alcohol that evening.

.

 

Did you mishear Gaynor?

 

 

(Carol I of Romania)

 

No wonder the place has to be spick and span

[br2975]

Just now, Happy Hippo said:

Did you mishear Gaynor?

 

 

(Carol I of Romania)

 

No wonder the place has to be spick and span

.

I never mishear her - but I often choose to misinterpret or ignore what she says !

.

Usually on pain of (near) death.

[polybear]

11 minutes ago, br2975 said:

.

In a similar vein, further south.......  I have just been advised by Mrs, 2975 - "WE'LL have a good clean through tomorrow"

.

Could this be anything to do with her subsequent statement - "I told Carol she could stay Friday night"  (whoever Carol may be, a former work colleague I suspect ?)

.

Silly me, I forgot Mrs. 2975 is "out with the girls Friday night" - I'd best put the fake Uber stickers on my car Friday afternoon then, and refrain from alcohol that evening.

.

 

 

And be prepared for one (or more....) of them to chonk up inside the BRmobile.....🤮

[Northmoor]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Although those of a Pongo persuasion will always take the slightest reason to berate Crab Air, once their movements staff do get on side, they can move mountains.  Two incidents spring to mind.

 

The first (although second date wise) happened when I was in a HQ appointment in Preston, Lancashire.  Foolishly the District Commander ( Maj Gen) had decided I was competent enough to be the out of hours District Field Officer, so I was minding my own business when the phone went.  It was a hospital in Liverpool.

 

Could we help?

 

They had a critically ill person who needed urgent treatment at a specialist facility in London.  The casualty would probably not survive the road trip, and it was  a Friday evening and getting dark.  Although there are civilian air ambulances, they cannot cannot fly after dusk, and even if they did fly, fully loaded the helicopter would not have the range to make it down to London without refuelling.

 

I told them somebody would get back to them as quickly as possible.

 

I then rang the MoD and got through to the  Duty Crab.

 

Having outlined the situation, he asked for all the pertinent details and told me he would deal with it.

 

The next morning, I received a telephone call from the hospital, to thank me for getting things moving, and to let me know that the casualty was now recovering in London.

 

RAF Benson had been tasked and they had sent  a Puma fitted out  in an aero med configuration.

 

It was no mean feat to get a Puma converted and ready to go, fully crewed with an aero med compliment, fly up to Liverpool and the immediately return to London with the casualty and be back at Benson in time for an early breakfast.

 

The second slightly more tragic incident was way back when I was in Cyprus.

 

One of our team got a call to say his parent's had been involved in an RTC.  his father was killed at the scene and it was unlikely that his mother would survive much longer.

 

Again, the RAF came to the rescue:  They held the afternoon flight (VC10) from Akrotiri to Brize Norton for him. He was told just to pack a rucksack and go.

 

16 Flt AAC picked him up from the barracks in an Allouette II and flew him down to Akrotiri, landing on next to the VC10 which was starting up as they were landing.

 

As soon as he was boarded, the crew were winding everything up, and they were off pdq.

 

The usual procedure with compassionate flights is that once you land in the UK, you are responsible for your onward transport.

 

Not this time, on arrival he didn't even get into arrivals but was hurried over to an RAF Gazelle, which flew him directly to the hospital where his mother lay dying.

 

He did get there in time, and she passed away in the early hours of the following morning.

 

Mind you, with the current state of all three armed services,  I doubt whether they could muster a push bike between them for urgent transport.☹️

I gave that a Round of Applause as despite the sadness of the second story, it shows what happens when people focus on Doing the Right Thing, less on Doing Things Right. 

 

It's 12 years since I worked in support of the Armed Services and am still mightily impressed by what they can do when minds are put to things, but I hope the influence of Senior people (both in the MoD and Military Officers) who seemed to be building their careers by creating new reasons why things couldn't be done, has slowed since then.  I worked primarily for people with 2/2.5/3 stripes in all three services and was left with the clear impression that these were the ones who actually made about 90% of things happen.

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

RAF Benson had been tasked and they had sent  a Puma fitted out  in an aero med configuration.

 

 

I heard a story about RAF Benson (around 2014-ish I think), as told by some FAA Pilots over din dins.

Apparently a Civvy Light Aircraft landed there after hours (and maybe a Friday evening?) - possibly because the Pilot didn't have a Night Rating.  He parked it up next to a Flight Hangar, then promptly walked out the Main Gate without mentioning this little detail.

Later that evening a Security Patrol discovered it and remarked "Oh, dear, jolly poor show, can't park it there etc. etc." (or words to that effect).

At which point rather a lot of people got very nervous, very quickly and started towing A/C out the Flight Hangar asap whilst trying to find out (a) who owned the light aircraft, and (b) what the **** was it doing parked on a RAF Base.

No idea what the final outcome was, but I suspect the Pilot received a new lower orifice as a minimum

[Happy Hippo]

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

I heard a story about RAF Benson (around 2014-ish I think), as told by some FAA Pilots over din dins.

Apparently a Civvy Light Aircraft landed there after hours (and maybe a Friday evening?) - possibly because the Pilot didn't have a Night Rating.  He parked it up next to a Flight Hangar, then promptly walked out the Main Gate without mentioning this little detail.

Later that evening a Security Patrol discovered it and remarked "Oh, dear, jolly poor show, can't park it there etc. etc." (or words to that effect).

At which point rather a lot of people got very nervous, very quickly and started towing A/C out the Flight Hangar asap whilst trying to find out (a) who owned the light aircraft, and (b) what the **** was it doing parked on a RAF Base.

No idea what the final outcome was, but I suspect the Pilot received a new lower orifice as a minimum

I think that they may have been winding you up.

 

Quite a few RAF bases have civilian light aircraft flying in and out of them on a regular basis.  Coningsby and Cosford being two that spring to mind, and funnily enough, DH is familiar with both!

 

As Benson is a very active 24/7 airfield, putting down at there, even 'after hours' would have required ATC clearance.  On landing the pilot would have been told where to park and where to report so as to fill out all the necessary paperwork for ATC and most importantly pay their landing fee and the departure fee for the next morning.  The RAF are sticklers for correct procedures when it comes to service funds!

 

Outside of the Airfield's Air Traffic Zone(ATZ), there is the Military Air Traffic Zone (MATZ)  This is a 3000' high by 10 NMiles diameter (with the potential of further stubs along main runway approaches) .  Although you don't need permission to transit through a MATZ, but you would the ATZ within it, good airmanship and common sense would require you to announce your presence in the area. If Benson could not have accepted the aircraft, as the pilot found he had a problem, then for whatever reason,  ATC would have helped the pilot to a suitable alternative landing site.

 

Just arriving at dusk, with no attempt at contact with ATC, knowing that there is the potential of low level helicopter operations going on around you is verging on the suicidal.

[SM42]

Back at the hotel after our day out. 

 

Model shop raided and being on the station there was entertainment outside too. 

The weekend freight logjam had broken and I missed at least 3 freights out of 4  whilst in the shop and taking photos of the locos on the depot approach. All in about 40 minutes. 

 

We head north tomorrow and got back after the hotel restaurant closed so we have been to the supermarket round the corner and are now having a hotel picnic in our room with the Best of the 80s music on TV ( groups I've heard of but not necessarily the track)

 

Andy

[SM42]

Bananarama,

Hot Line to Heaven. 

 

Never heard of it. 

 

One of today's highlights was visiting friends who live next to Kopalnia Wujek,  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacification_of_Wujek in what can only be described as traditional communist era workers blocks. 

 

Like walking into a time capsule.

 

Andy

[polybear]

23 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I think that they may have been winding you up.

 

 

Possibly, but Bear was overhearing the story (it was an Aircrew to Aircrew story) rather than being told directly.

[Dave Hunt]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

I think that they may have been winding you up.

 

Quite a few RAF bases have civilian light aircraft flying in and out of them on a regular basis.  Coningsby and Cosford being two that spring to mind, and funnily enough, DH is familiar with both!

 

As Benson is a very active 24/7 airfield, putting down at there, even 'after hours' would have required ATC clearance.  On landing the pilot would have been told where to park and where to report so as to fill out all the necessary paperwork for ATC and most importantly pay their landing fee and the departure fee for the next morning.  The RAF are sticklers for correct procedures when it comes to service funds!

 

Outside of the Airfield's Air Traffic Zone(ATZ), there is the Military Air Traffic Zone (MATZ)  This is a 3000' high by 10 NMiles diameter (with the potential of further stubs along main runway approaches) .  Although you don't need permission to transit through a MATZ, but you would the ATZ within it, good airmanship and common sense would require you to announce your presence in the area. If Benson could not have accepted the aircraft, as the pilot found he had a problem, then for whatever reason,  ATC would have helped the pilot to a suitable alternative landing site.

 

Just arriving at dusk, with no attempt at contact with ATC, knowing that there is the potential of low level helicopter operations going on around you is verging on the suicidal.

 

There was an occasion at Coningsby when we were in the middle of an exercise and a light aircraft appeared unannounced and landed, fortunately at a time when there were no Phantoms arriving or departing. It taxied up to ATC and shut down whereupon the police wagon that had been following it disgorged its heavily armed occupants and the pilot was taken into custody. It turned out that he was lost and being of the hard of thinking persuasion had spotted the airfield and decided to stop and ask for directions to his destination (I'm not making this up, honestly), The chief plod went to see the Station Commander and asked what he should do with the idiot whereupon he was told, "Lock him up, I'll deal with him at Endex." Thus the civvy pilot spent the night in Coningsby's luxurious detention suite, much to his chagrin and severe displeasure. When released he was livid and threatened allsorts of legal action but apparently was told by a CAA official that the best thing he could do was leave quietly and not make any more fuss.

 

This happened when the RAF still had some backbone. I'm not sure what would happen today.

 

Dave 

[Dave Hunt]

It worked! Negotiations were negotiated and I was granted leave to attend the shed for the afternoon followed by bacon, egg and chips and a small libation of Scottish water of life this evening. Hence we have a happy bunny DH who is about to go and get some shuteye ready for whatever the morrow brings.

 

Nighty night all.   

 

Dave😊

[Happy Hippo]

I am hoping for a full afternoon's working on the railway, as Kraft Klubb will be in full swing at the rear of the Hippodrome.

 

I have a lot of stone capping for the retaining wall to be finished off.

[J. S. Bach]

4 hours ago, SM42 said:

 ...snip... The weekend freight logjam had broken and I missed at least 3 freights out of 4  whilst in the shop and taking photos of the locos on the depot approach. All in about 40 minutes. ...snip...

Andy

That reminds me of a visit to Bay Tower after a friend had posted there. I went there (with pizza, of course) and we sat around eating. Bay was usually a busy interlocker as there were four mains and the drill track for Bayview yard in front of the tower. I had been there about an hour when the bell tapped and the tol came on. After that, it was as busy as a subway. There had been a major derailment near Philadelphia and that was the first to get through. At one point there were moving trains on all five tracks; two headed north, two headed south and the Bayview switcher (actually three road diesels known on the radio as the "triple-unit") was doing some shifting. No camera but it would not have mattered as it was quite late at night and not too well lit.

[AndyID]

Drove into town to pick up my blood pressure meds. The pharmacy was still waiting for approval from the doctor to refill the script. That's more than an expletive week and it's definitely not doing my blood pressure the slightest bit of good. If it's not ready tomorrow you might see some stuff on the news about an OAP wearing a kilt having to be restrained at his doctor's surgery.

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

Certain sectors of the sky around the Hippodrome look a bit murky this morning, but the sun is visible in the sky.

 

Where I a hardy beast, I would take my breakfast  and a cup of coffee outside and sit on the patio and cogitate.

 

However, I am not, so won't.