The Night Mail

[Tony_S]

47 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

Attention span of a goldfish. 

 

If you don't pick up, they can't remember why they called, so can't leave a message because they've forgotten who you are and why they were ringing in the first place!

Perhaps the surgery isn’t paperless. For instance our surgery receptionist will ring to tell you what the doctor has requested on their computer  to do list. If you are out, when you later reply, it just seems to take very little time to access the information. 
If anyone is having terrible access problems it might be worth a look at the practice CQC report. Communication difficulty and what they propose to,do about it often gets a mention. 

Edited February 3, 2021 by Tony_S

[Happy Hippo]

We seem to have goty a bit of sideways drift here, as it's not really the fault of the surgery.

 

Blood tests for Shropshire and mid Wales are centrally managed so you have to ring the centre in Shrewsbury for a time and place convenient to yourself.

 

So you have to deal with a central hub dealing with requirements from over a very large area.

[Winslow Boy]

Our surgery consistently receive very poor marks for communication which is such a shame as the doctors are good. A couple of years back they rearranged the reception area so that the admin team couldn't be seen. Prior to that they could be given the 'evil-eye' as the patients queued. It was really annoying though to watch as they ignored ringing phones to go and brew themselves a coffee. Having worked in large offices with public access I know how difficult it can get so I do have a degree of symphony, not much I admit because I was in the queue.

 

On a slightly different vain isn't it amusing to watch someone's attitude change when they realise your 'one of them'. I always remember being in a queue in a council office and listening to the clerk being quite brusque with person in front. When it was my turn she must have seen my i.d card and even though I was from another council her whole manner changed.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Morning all,

 

Been away for a while building my Kirtley goods and generally improving my MIdland pre grouping micro layout.

 

As progress has slowed down a bit I have returned, only for a very short time as I've got a Social Studies zoom in 3 minutes. (online school day)

 

 

Douglas

[SM42]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

We seem to have goty a bit of sideways drift here, as it's not really the fault of the surgery.

 

Blood tests for Shropshire and mid Wales are centrally managed so you have to ring the centre in Shrewsbury for a time and place convenient to yourself.

 

So you have to deal with a central hub dealing with requirements from over a very large area.

 

It's far more civilised in nextdoorshire.

 

You get a letter telling you a test is required, or are told by the doctor and then you just roll up at the local hospital on any weekday morning and wait in the queue, or you can book at the doctor by calling the guard room  receptionist

 

Mind you, it's a bit more restricted now.

 

I was supposed to go around March last year for my  annual oil check but still waiting for obvious reasons. Not that I mind too much. The thought of them sticking a needle in my elbow gives me the willies.

 

Andy

[Tony_S]

7 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

Blood tests for Shropshire and mid Wales

I have a couple of cousins who are paramedics with the West Midlands Ambulance Service. They seem to cover a huge area too.  

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Evening all,

 

Big new and really only news today is I don't have school tomorrow, apparently the water main broke. I can't say I'm complaining. Now I'd better go and find something to feed myself with.

 

Douglas

[J. S. Bach]

On 02/02/2021 at 11:25, Compound2632 said:

 

But unlike you I'm sort on engines; or at least. appropriate engines. I can rustle up Midland Division goods engines in 1950s livery, thanks to Messrs. Bachmann.

I have a friend who is definitely NOT short on road power:

 

 

Edited February 4, 2021 by J. S. Bach

[jamie92208]

Bonjour to you all.  Up early and no breakfast allowed.  Off to the hospital shortly for a scan to see if I have a brain.  I will report results in due course.

 

Jamie

Edited February 4, 2021 by jamie92208

[Compound2632]

5 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

I have a friend who is definitely NOT short on road power:

 

He's got the right idea - lots of near-identical goods engines. Half-a-dozen Johnson 0-6-0s would set me up nicely!

[jamie92208]

19 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

He's got the right idea - lots of near-identical goods engines. Half-a-dozen Johnson 0-6-0s would set me up nicely!

I've got two complete Johnson's and a third in building plus two fake ones converted from Lima 4F's, will that do.

 

Jamie

[Compound2632]

6 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I've got two complete Johnson's and a third in building plus two fake ones converted from Lima 4F's, will that do.

 

You know you can have Johnson 0-6-0s in any colour you like: dark green, light green, red, blue, yellow, brown, or even black!

[Oldddudders]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

He's got the right idea - lots of near-identical goods engines.

Exactly. Real railways, wherever they can, invest in multiple copies of locos, thus making spares- holdings and maintenance procedures simpler. Far too many of us have a half-Noah principle, of wanting and justifying one of every loco our chosen company used. 

 

Sherry has forwarded a most odd and unsavoury story of a boy who filmed himself abusing Prof Chris Whitty in the street - and then posted it on YouTube. Prof Whitty, in shirtsleeves, is waiting to buy a lunchtime sandwich - so a most humble thing to be doing - and m'laddo, who does not seem to have a London accent, calls him a liar about Covid. I understand his mother is mortified and has taken away his playstation. Cutting his nuts off, without benefit of anaesthetic, of course, would seem a minimum to me. Pass me the rusty scissors....

[NHY 581]

27 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Exactly. Real railways, wherever they can, invest in multiple copies of locos, thus making spares- holdings and maintenance procedures simpler. Far too many of us have a half-Noah principle, of wanting and justifying one of every loco our chosen company used. 

 

Sherry has forwarded a most odd and unsavoury story of a boy who filmed himself abusing Prof Chris Whitty in the street - and then posted it on YouTube. Prof Whitty, in shirtsleeves, is waiting to buy a lunchtime sandwich - so a most humble thing to be doing - and m'laddo, who does not seem to have a London accent, calls him a liar about Covid. I understand his mother is mortified and has taken away his playstation. Cutting his nuts off, without benefit of anaesthetic, of course, would seem a minimum to me. Pass me the rusty scissors....

 

Prof Witty was asked to comment on this on yesterday's press conference. 

 

He was extremely magnanimous towards the young man and played down what must have been a particularly unpleasant and unwarranted incident. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

26 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Sherry has forwarded a most odd and unsavoury story of a boy who filmed himself abusing Prof Chris Whitty in the street - and then posted it on YouTube. Prof Whitty, in shirtsleeves, is waiting to buy a lunchtime sandwich - so a most humble thing to be doing - and m'laddo, who does not seem to have a London accent, calls him a liar about Covid. I understand his mother is mortified and has taken away his playstation. 

I hope they take a serious look at this to find out the people behind this 'Covid is a sham' thing. The participants all seem to have too few brain cells to think it up themselves.

[Happy Hippo]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I've got two complete Johnson's

I've seen Tee shirts in Florida that proclaim  'Happiness is a large Johnson'.

 

Having more than one in just plain boasting!

[Oldddudders]

6 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

Prof Witty was asked to comment on this on yesterday's press conference. 

 

He was extremely magnanimous towards the young man and played down what must have been a particularly unpleasant and unwarranted incident. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

I am so pleased - but not surprised - to read that, Rob. He and others like JVT etc, are people at the top of their profession/vocation/calling who have been propelled into an unwelcome limelight by Covid. They are used to addressing gatherings of like-minded scientists and others who share their passion, to the benefit of us all. Now they are bogged down with the press, and, worst of all, politicians with their inevitable wish to spin news this way or that. When Covid has receded a little from the daily news, I hope all these people will be recognised with suitable honours for their contributions to decision-making and our understanding. 

[Oldddudders]

Just now, Happy Hippo said:

I've seen Tee shirts in Florida that proclaim  'Happiness is a large Johnson'.

Do I not recall that in that continent a steam loco throttle is called a Johnson lever?

[Happy Hippo]

1 minute ago, Oldddudders said:

Do I not recall that in that continent a steam loco throttle is called a Johnson lever?

I've heard that  too, although I thought it referred to the reversing lever.

 

Strange things American steam locos as the majority were built with bar frames rather than the more conventional plate frame.

 

Again, I've been told that this system was used as it allowed the frames to flex a little more when running over track whose foundations were not quite as well laid as they should be.

[bbishop]

Just to let you know that I am training to become a Vaccination Care Volunteer.  Presently doing on line training and I failed the Fire Marshall module, my answer for dealing with a fire (which did not require a mechanical extinguisher) was deemed unacceptable.  On line training and interview at the end of the month.  Bill

[bbishop]

Deleted

Edited February 4, 2021 by bbishop
Can't be associated with my previous post

[Ashcombe]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

 

.........Sherry has forwarded a most odd and unsavoury story of a boy who filmed himself abusing Prof Chris Whitty in the street - and then posted it on You Tube....

 In contrast, this is a story to restore faith in the younger generation:-

 

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/towie-star-bobby-norris-becomes-4950554

 

Having appeared in “The Only Way is Essex”, Bobby Norris is an excellent rôle model for the young in his willingness to train to administer injections, having  had experience in doing so for a relative with cancer. He himself suffered from Covid at Christmas and vowed he'd try to help with the vaccination programme as a result. 

[SM42]

5 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

He's got the right idea - lots of near-identical engines

 

I have the same "problem" with SM42s.

 

 

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

I am so pleased - but not surprised - to read that, Rob. He and others like JVT etc, are people at the top of their profession/vocation/calling who have been propelled into an unwelcome limelight by Covid. They are used to addressing gatherings of like-minded scientists and others who share their passion, to the benefit of us all. Now they are bogged down with the press, and, worst of all, politicians with their inevitable wish to spin news this way or that. When Covid has receded a little from the daily news, I hope all these people will be recognised with suitable honours for their contributions to decision-making and our understanding. 

 

I've found that when they are interviewed away from the government briefings and don't have a policy line to toe they are far more convincing and pragmatic than they appear behind those lecturns 

 

Perhaps such professionals should be removed from the political arena when addressing the public. 

 

 I  think their words would have a bigger impact

 

 

Andy

Edited February 4, 2021 by SM42
Predictive text nightmares

[Northroader]

1 hour ago, bbishop said:

 my answer for dealing with a fire (which did not require a mechanical extinguisher) was deemed unacceptable.  Bill

 

Hope you don’t give the same answer for how to give a jab. Good luck with it.

[PhilJ W]

I recently found this on E-bay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/An-225-Mriya-Superheavy-transporter-Limited-Edition-1-72-Modelsvit-7206/254819786657?_trkparms=aid%3D1110009%26algo%3DSPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20201210111452%26meid%3D8ca01ec739a048dca93b3923c0f9ecbd%26pid%3D101196%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dlo%26sd%3D264925079341%26itm%3D254819786657%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DItemStripV101HighAdFee%26brand%3DModelsvit&_trksid=p2047675.c101196.m2219

Yes its a model kit of the An-225 Mriya Superheavy transport, the largest aircraft ever to fly in 1/72 scale as a plastic kit. When finished it would have a wingspan of almost five feet! I won't be buying one (at £450 a time) but I'd like to see the finished article.