The Night Mail

[SM42]

8 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

BHS were famous for lighting. The Range may be a good substitute.

 

That's where we are going at it's almost next door to breakfast. 

 

Amdy

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, Flying Fox 34F said:

In Romania at the moment, there is a big Hoo-Ha about the cost of 3rd Party car insurance.  The population are struggling with the concept that a car in a minor prang, can be written off due to the cost of repairs.
Bad driving is endemic across all age groups apart from the majority of new drivers.

Ironically, major accidents end up on the TV news, but there has been no attempt to clampdown on bad driving.  It appears to my British eyes, the local Police are as bad.  So, not a good place to start from.  Perhaps the big Insurers will have to influence things?

 

Paul

My car was written off in an accident last week. The principle reason being that the airbags went off and the cost of replacing them was more than the book value of the car.

 

[SM42]

18 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Certainly in French and British society, since  Georgian times (and whatever the French equivalent was) and well into Victorian times, a Courtesan was much, much more than just a bed partner. The very best were not only beautiful, but intelligent, erudite, business savvy and a lot more besides. Many became long-term lovers to various members of the aristocracy and the political classes. And whilst shunned by "polite society" such was their pervasiveness that they became a de-facto "alternate" society. The majority of Courtesans plied their trade with the upper middle class and the aristocracy as the cost of maintaining a Courtesan was prohibitively high.

 

It is claimed that one of the reasons a good Courtesan was highly prized, was because they could hold forth intelligently and eruditely on topics that "a well bred lady" was not supposed to have opinions on (or even know about). This forthright female insight was much  valued by many members of the aristocracy who were also politicians, given that – for various reasons – they were unable or unwilling to discuss such topics with their spouses.

 

An interesting factoid: much of London's Georgian and early Victorian housing stock (the really nice properties in the West End) is due to the fact that at that time one of the few things a Courtesan could invest her money in (and successful Courtesans could make a lot of money) was property.

 

 

My paternal great grandfather,( a royal household coachman,)   made a handsome additional income in hush money from a certain royal whilst he visited his favourite companion.

 

My grandmother's place of birth is listed as Kensington Palace Mews. 

 

I'll let you work it out. My lips are sealed. 

 

Amdy

Edited January 21 by SM42

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

The neural stimulator debate misses one important point - for the average male, a picture of a pretty girl nude generally will get his instant attention...

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

and then you whack him with the hammer? Could work.

Depends on what you hit with the hammer.😬

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, SM42 said:

My grandmother's place of birth is listed as Kensington Palace Mews. 

My grandmother was born in Winson Green Prison 

[Tony_S]

14 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

That's where we are going at it's almost next door to breakfast. 

 

Amdy

Do watch out for the deer and the antelope playing. 

[PhilJ W]

2 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

My grandmother was born in Winson Green Prison 

I once attended a 'do' in Wormwood Scrubs prison. It was in the prison offices club that was actually within the outer walls. 

[Oldddudders]

4 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I once attended a 'do' in Wormwood Scrubs prison. It was in the prison offices club that was actually within the outer walls. 

I was once joined on the train home by Sara, a senior BR lawyer, who told me that that very afternoon her husband was on his way to the Scrubs. Andrew was a senior commercial lawyer in the City, involved in very big deals, many of them International, so must have been interviewing someone about dark past-deeds! 

[Northmoor]

41 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

It is claimed that one of the reasons a good Courtesan was highly prized, was because they could hold forth intelligently and eruditely on topics that "a well bred lady" was not supposed to have opinions on (or even know about).

There are short informative films available about the dangers of women expressing their opinions:

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

13 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

One alternative to either of the above are clear plastic/plexiglass display tubes mounted on a rack which in

13 hours ago, Canal Digger said:

Anyway, some of this collection is in glass, wall-mounted cabinets in the Dining Room,

turn is mounted on the wall.

 

Oh that came out odd - iD, they're great, at the best part of a grand perhaps a bit spendy for me.  Canal Digger, yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for, did you make them or can you say where they came from please?

12 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

I bought a display cabinet from the above for my mother's cousin so he could display his collection of kit built racing cars.

 

I had found that site, but the 'POA' always worries me!  I'm thinking more Ikea than custom made prices!

 

 

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Is that the Pentagon/Government issue hammer? If so have you filled your  QR/ZDF 13-106AC form? Don't forget it needs to be in triplicate and signed by your immediate supervisor and head of department. I believe there's also an average three month turn around time for standard items. Non standard items can take a bit longer- sometimes up to six months I understand. This of course assumes that there's not a moratorium on new orders due to savings and restrictions on spending anything over £5. In which case you'll need form QR/ZDF 13-106AC/A - note the 'A' as if you use form QR/ZDF 13-106AC Accountancy will reject it and notify your head of Service and you'll be asked to explain why you used the incorrect form to them, which will need to be in quadruple and signed by your immediate supervisor, Head of Department, Head of Service and Accountancy.

 

Somewhere on the Internet is a very. funny but true story about a U S Navy submarine comi g

Back from patrol during WW2 and having to go through such nonsense to get a proper supply of IIRC toilet rolls. To the extent that it was delayed setting off  for it's next patrol.  I believe that the Impasse was broken whesome admiral at the pentagon got to know about it. 

 

 

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

 

That's where we are going at it's almost next door to breakfast. 

 

Amdy

They also sell a lot of modelling products such as paints, brushes and DAS. 

 

Jamie

[iL Dottore]

@New Haven Neil the Ikea display cabinets are OK-ish.

 

They're definitely not airtight and certainly not dust tight. In fact the one I had (now relegated to a spare room) seemed to attract dust like free cash attracts MPs 🤣.

 

Furthermore, when I looked at the Ikea display cabinets (admittedly quite a while ago) most had very little flexibility when it came to placing shelves (and some had none).

 

Is making your own a possibility? A display cabinet is basically a box, and can be assembled using basic tools. Another alternative would be to adapt a suitably sized picture frame (but beware, some of the "wood" frames are actually chipboard surfaced with a wood veneer printed on paper! As I found out to my cost on a recent project)

[SM42]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

 

 

They also sell a lot of modelling products such as paints, brushes and DAS. 

 

Jamie

 

Indeed they do  but with Mrs SM42 in tow, it's best  not to linger. 

 

The whole process was remarkably pain free. 

 

After breakfast I headed to Halfords for a new rear wiper blade, she headed for The Range. 

 

Risky tactic,leaving her to unsupervised shopping.

 

By the time I'd caught up she had already snagged a kitchen roll holder I didn't know we needed and was looking at tacky Easter decorations. 

 

I managed to get her over to the lighting department and a decision made in 10 minutes  

 

Having said that, I've not put it together yet and she always buys with the proviso that " we can always bring it back". 

 

Fingers crossed we won't have to.

 

Andy

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, SM42 said:

we can always bring it back

I noticed that The Range has 36 pages of outdoor lights on their website. Adit thinks we need a new outdoor light near the front door. I don’t like the one Aditi bought over thirty years ago  as it is a lantern type that points down. It gets near my head. This is not a problem for Aditi. Anyway I suggested when we replace it, at least we should get one that doesn’t endanger my skull. The old one’s metalwork could do with re spraying black again and some spider eviction. I suggested it was a weathered look and biologically diverse. Aditi found a nice lantern on the John Lewis website. I am sure it is very well made and the designer has a nice factory but it did seem a little pricey to me. I shall point out a few I found on The Range website. 
Tony

[GMKAT7]

Good afternoon folks,

 

Sorry, one more central heating story from me.

 

Once we had the central heating at home converted from solid fuel to gas the house usually had plenty of hot water but if there had been a run on baths there was an immersion heater to fall back on in the airing cupboard (remember those?)

 

I made the mistake once of putting it on and then forgetting to switch it off again.

The Baxi Bermuda did its stuff when the hot water and heating cycle started.

 

Soon my bedroom, which housed said airing cupboard and hot water tank, resembled a tropical house at Kew.

Shortly to be followed by moisture dripping down the walls and an 'interview without coffee ' from my mother.

 

Only did it the once 😂

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

I had found that site, but the 'POA' always worries me!  I'm thinking more Ikea than custom made prices!

 

Its a pity that Lidl don't apparently have an IoM presence.  Their "craft" item cycle regularly has wall-mounted display cabinets at reasonable prices. 

[Northmoor]

2 hours ago, SM42 said:

I had a similar double glazing experience. Started at 20k and over the next few months they kept calling and the price kept coming down. I finally gave in at 3k. 

There is something quite unpleasant about a person trying to charge you £20k for something they know they can make a profit on at £3k, based purely on how they have sized you up and guessed how much you're worth.

 

The business principle of "Charge what the market will bear" I have no problem with in most markets (certainly not in model railways, which no-one is forced to buy anything), but double-glazing installation is probably the industry that tests the model to the very limits.  In fact it would seem that their salesmen are trained specifically to assess customers in that way.

 

[SM42]

I spoke too soon

 

I'm ( note I'm)  taking it back.  Mrs SM42 is too busy now. 

 

Too short, too wide.

 

Fortunately I unpacked carefully, half expecting to have to repack. ( years of experience is that)

 

Second choice lamp to be picked up instead

 

 

Andy

 

 

[SM42]

5 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

There is something quite unpleasant about a person trying to charge you £20k for something they know they can make a profit on at £3k, based purely on how they have sized you up and guessed how much you're worth.

 

The business principle of "Charge what the market will bear" I have no problem with in most markets (certainly not in model railways, which no-one is forced to buy anything), but double-glazing installation is probably the industry that tests the model to the very limits.  In fact it would seem that their salesmen are trained specifically to assess customers in that way.

 

 

I'd add kitchens to that 

 

Was once quoted 12k for a small kitchen ( 5 base units, 4 wall units, worktops, (laminted chipboard ) sink and cooker) 

 

Units in the fitted for you range were upwards of £300 pounds not including fitting ( in those days) but the same build anf fit yourself is around a sixth the price. 

 

Andy

[petethemole]

3 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

There is something quite unpleasant about a person trying to charge you £20k for something they know they can make a profit on at £3k, based purely on how they have sized you up and guessed how much you're worth.

 

The business principle of "Charge what the market will bear" I have no problem with in most markets (certainly not in model railways, which no-one is forced to buy anything), but double-glazing installation is probably the industry that tests the model to the very limits.  In fact it would seem that their salesmen are trained specifically to assess customers in that way.

 

Also, they ask for the full sum, or a substantial deposit, up front in order to get a "discount".  If said sum isn't immediately available they sign you up to their credit scheme*, which commits you to 10 years of repayments**, with interest, which nearly doubles the already inflated price.  This applies to smaller local firms as well as the big names.

 

*Used to be GEMoney

**You can't pay it all off early without a fee.  What you can do, if you get the money later, is pay off almost all the loan and carry on paying back on a small sum.

[Tony_S]

We were in the market for double glazing and replacing soffits and fascia’s with upvc nearly 20 years ago. I told all of the salesmen (they were all men) not to do the huge starting price and then offer huge discounts for things like having a board outside or similar trivial things. So I didn’t order from the one who quoted over £30000 initially. I said I thought they got excited by the shock intake of breath when the customer heard the amount, a bit like obscene phone callers are alleged to do. That firm was best described as “regional” whereas the firm who supplied and fitted had a workshop on a local estate. Also they had been trading under the same name for many years. They still do.

Tony

Edited January 21 by Tony_S

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

Too short, too wide.

I don’t usually get accused of being too short but I am afraid I can be described as too wide now.

 

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

I spoke too soon

 

I'm ( note I'm)  taking it back.  Mrs SM42 is too busy now. 

 

Too short, too wide.

 

Fortunately I unpacked carefully, half expecting to have to repack. ( years of experience is that)

 

Second choice lamp to be picked up instead

 

 

Andy

 

 

Ah, but look at the positives, you will be on your own in the store unsupervised. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

 

I'd add kitchens to that 

 

Was once quoted 12k for a small kitchen ( 5 base units, 4 wall units, worktops, (laminted chipboard ) sink and cooker) 

 

Units in the fitted for you range were upwards of £300 pounds not including fitting ( in those days) but the same build anf fit yourself is around a sixth the price. 

 

Andy

They have nothing on disability aids salesmen.  I once had to throw a bed salesman's samples out of the front door followed by him.  What he proposed charging £5K for we bought from a local firm for £1200.  Stair lift salesmen are equally venal.  I had several tell me all sorts of porkies.  All preying on vulnerable clients Fortunately I wasn't in that category.  

 

Jamie

 

[jamie92208]

I also had fun with a double glazing salesman by tying his maths up in knots.  When he offered me a 15% discount. I insisted that he take the 15% off the price of the goods and then rework the Vat. It  made quite a difference. This was on the grounds that the Vat went to hmrc and not the firm

 

I loved it. 

 

Jamie

Edited January 21 by jamie92208

[iL Dottore]

I don't think that we paid over the odds for our double glazing, possibly due to the fact that Switzerland is a small but competitive market - so anyone playing silly bu99ers will soon find themselves without customers.

 

Having said that, when I was a younger, foolish and less worldly wise iD, when we replaced the venerable 1960s kitchen I was persuaded I (ahem) "needed" an all singing all dancing kitchen with touch screen controls. With Mrs iD's opinion ("look at these features to help your cooking") tipping the balance. The kitchen was duly acquired.

 

Big Mistake. I never used ANY of the bells and whistles even as my culinary skills went from rank amateur to halfway competent cook.

 

A wiser (and chastened) iD eventually arrived at the conclusion that "when you gotta go, go pro" - which has served me well ever since.

 

In other words: if a feature doesn't appear on the professional equivalent, it's superfluous.