The Night Mail

[jamie92208]

We had a good laugh one day coming south on the M40. There had been an accident just ahead and the two slow lanes jammed up. The overtaking lane was being used by the emergency services. Everything went quiet for a while then 5 cars came past quite fast. Two Audis, a Merc A BMW, and a  VW .  Then our lanes started to move. Sure enough we came across all 5 cars stuck behind an overturned car in the overtaking lane.  Strangely  enough no one was letting them back into the flowing traffic.

 

Jamie

Edited January 31, 2022 by jamie92208

[polybear]

3 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

I know what you mean about the strain of high speed driving. I drove "off the clock" in Montana before they had a daytime speed limit and I could only do it for about 20 minutes. I think I was doing about 105 mph.

 

 

This guy sure as hell wasn't messin' about.......

https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/millionaire-drives-his-high-powered-3m-bugatti-supercar-along-a-public-highway-at-257mph-in-speed-stunt/articleshow/89061016.cms

[simontaylor484]

I used to avoid the M40 at all costs coming home from Abingdon I used to cut off the A34 near Family Farm services through Weston on the Green over the top of the M40 and on to the A43.

MRS have a centre at Knottingley where they do things like Confined Spaces rescue training and stuff for those working on wind turbines.

At the Coal mining museum they have a display of some rescue vehicles including an emergency winder and a fully kitted out Mk2 Transit rescue tender 

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Afternoon all,

 

Re driving fast. I don’t have any experience actually piloting a a car at anything over 25, but I’ve been a passenger at 110 mph.

 

However when I’m karting we are regularly hitting +45 with no suspension and a searing hot engine next to you, and when geared up we can do upwards of 70 mph* on a proper track. (My karts theoretical top speed is 105, most I’ve known it to be clocked at is 98) Its somewhat hair raising especially when the seat bottom scrapes on the track, but after a while you settle into a groove and your mind more or less drifts away from what your doing. That’s typically when you set your best laps oddly enough. 
 

Douglas

 

*for anyone concerned, we have to wear full protective gear. I e, abrasion/fire resistant race suit, chest pad (to stop rib separation  from seat pressure), neck braces, SNELL rated helmets and special gloves. Most people wear special karting shoes as well which have a rounded and strengthened heel to stop some the pain from your ankles. Here’s what it all looks like:

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Florence Locomotive Works

[iL Dottore]

11 hours ago, rockershovel said:

The "Imaginary Locos" thread seemed to be straying into Discworld territory - so before it could develop into hypothetical casting, I thought I'd bring it over here...

 

It's a fun subject, though. Pterry said that he envisaged Sam Vimes as Pete Postelthwaite, but Nick Kirby produced a series of covers of Vimes as Clint Eastwood and it stuck. Personally I'd always seen Vimes as Warren Clarke.. Kenneth Cranham or Tim Healy as alternatives.

 

Fred Colon has to be Nick Frost. On that basis, and from their work on films together, Simon Pegg as Nobby Nobbs (because Colon and Nobbs are basically a double act) 

 

Ruth Jones as Nessa always seems to me, to have walked out of a Pratchett book... but who? Agnes Nitt, from Masquerade  I think. Following the "double act" theme, Joanne Page (Stacey) as Christine. 

 

Rob Brydon as The Bursar. 

What wonderful post to start my Tuesday with. Always great to find another Pterry fan (who remains much missed by me [& I have a much treasured letter from him ])

I’m not sure about the alternatives for Vimes, I reckon Clint Eastwood is the closest to how I imagine the commander.

Vetenari? There’s only one choice for me - the (late) great Alan Rickman. John Candy I reckon would have made a good Sargent Colon as well as Nick Frost. Simon Pegg isn’t weasely enough for Nobby. Timothy Spal might be a better choice.

Casting the women in Pterry’s books is a challenge, given that TP wrote such strong and memorable female characters. Granny Weatherwax would be a toss up between two dames: Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren (I think Ms Smith), Nanny Ogg would have to be played by Miriam Margolyes. Magrat would be the difficult one to cast. As for Lady Sybil - possibly Celia Imrie

13 hours ago, AndyID said:

….When I drive my little Fiat I'm so close to the road I often think I'm going faster than I really am 

The fastest I’ve driven has been about 160kph (roughly 100mph) on a German Autobahn for about 20 minutes (although I’m used to comfortably pottering along at 120kph [75mph]), the fastest I’ve ever been driven was about 110mph in an ambulance under emergency conditions (not for nothing was my driver nicknamed “Smokey”) - rushing an incredibly sick child from a doctor’s office to the teaching hospital. Working in the back of the ambulance I saw little of the journey,  but through the window I noted that our Police escorts were driving ahead and blocking all the side roads, I also noted (with amazement and consternation) when Smokey took the Ambulance through a motorway toll booth at about 60mph (later he said he had “slowed down for safety”). We got to the hospital safely and the child was treated successfully (we got a thank you not afterwards from either the doctor or a parent, I forget which). So, in all, a successful call.

 

The fastest I’ve ever felt I was travelling was in a (for the beginning amateur) go-kart. I reckon I topped about 20-25kph, but it felt like a zillion miles-per-hour. Travelling at the speeds that Douglas manages in his go-kart is way out of my league (not to mention driving/cycling/flying at speed is definitely a young man’s game)

[jamie92208]

I have some memories of fast driving.  One driving course with 3 students and an instructor in an unmarked 2.3 Cortina.  We all were encouraged to get it into 3 figures speed wise.  The instructor said to 9ne student, "is it you or the car that won't go". On my end of course test I did get it above the ton whilst doing a commentary.  That was interesting.  I think that the fastest U've ever driven was in a V6 Rover 800 one night on an empty M6.when I wound it up to 120 then thought better of it.  

 

Jamie

[rockershovel]

Vimes could be any number of actors... the late John Thaw (in his Sweeney incarnation) would run away with it. 

 

I suggested Simon Pegg on the basis of his double act with Nick Frost in Worlds End and Paul. Nobby is the smarter of the two, although I admit that isn't saying much. 

 

I can't see Colon as John Candy, John Goodman or any of the American plus-size leading men. They are too ebullient and, well leading and whatever Fred is, it isn't that. John Goodman as Mustrum Ridcully, though... Ridcully is basically James Robertson Justice. James Corden doesn't have the menacing quality that Ridcully exhibits at times. 

 

There HAS to be a part for Timothy West, a Pratchett natural if ever there was one. 

 

I'd always seen Magrat as Jane Horrocks, in the (much expanded from the TV series) film version of her Bubbles character; that, or Olivia Colman

 

Angua was written for Julie Walters.

[New Haven Neil]

Well, having raced the odd motorbike in my time, the best of those would only do about 135-140, but no speedo on racers.  Douglas is spot on with what he says, you go into a sort of tunnel vision of sheer concentration that locks in, you almost feel like it is slow motion, you see all sorts of detail you wouldn't expect - that's when you're going well, not thinking about it, just doing it - 'in the zone' as it can be described.  Brain turned up to 11 basically.  Coming back down is the hard bit. 

 

On the road - hmm - not at liberty to say where or when - about 130....ish....#cough#...... Honda 1000. A bit naughty really, given it wasn't here (no speed limit at all here out of town). I can say it was on a completely empty motorway, putting no-one else at risk.  Talking of police...... In my old job we had use of an unmarked police car so had to do a basic (IoM version - very basic!) driving course, but as civs we weren't allowed to use the sirens or blues on pain of having to buy the pasties. The course was both fun and scary, as Jamie says actually trying to talk to describe your thoughts, observations and actions while driving quickly is very difficult indeed.  Doing IAM some years later was a laugh - same bloke, retired bobby by then!  Got a  'where did you learn that' moment from him - 'off you.....'  LOL

[Happy Hippo]

Today is my dedicated model railway day.

 

With the fine, but slightly chilly start to the day, I can get outside and finish off the cassette tables.  The tops and the legs are all done:  They just need connecting together with hinges.

 

After that I can start on the cassettes themselves:  Again the bases and sides have already just a case of making sure everything is lined up properly before their final assembly.

 

More importantly, I need to be outside to accept the large box from the postman containing the Class 14 from Minerva.

 

I expect after it arrives, it will need to be put though it's paces on the rolling road:  I may be some time on that one.

[New Haven Neil]

Jealous emoji - current reduced financial circumstance mean I can't have a Swindon 1, although there was some doubt about it negotiating the Peco Setrack points.  I had a chat with the late Chris K about it a couple of times, but by the time the EP's arrived I wasn't in a position to proceed anyway so haven't picked it up with Chris B.

 

Maybe we might win a suitable sum on the lottery....pah.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I think that the fastest U've ever driven was in a V6 Rover 800 one night on an empty M6.when I wound it up to 120 then thought better of it.  

 

Jamie

 

I did hear of a "certain Bear" that managed 126 on a downhill stretch of a *nameless* road (Ford Orion 1.6 injection IIRC) back in the 80's.  All of a sudden it felt very unstable so that was a good point to ease off.....

On a bike I do recall mention of the same Bear hitting 108.....

No silliness like that for many moons now, especially as anything over the ton is an auto ban now....

[Oldddudders]

I admit to an indicated 130 on the A21, about 30 years ago. Fine Saturday morning, dual carriageway, no traffic in sight, no intersections ahead, and the Citroen BX16v had decent brakes, too. Deb had a similar experience on the new-ish M40 - but was racing a Golf 16v!

 

Any time I am on a high-speed road I find it helps to wind up slowly, to get the attention levels as required. We certainly had some legal 100 mph+ speeds on autobahnen in 2018, not least when trying to get out of the way of someone faster behind! My Clio feels very sure-footed at such speeds, and 195/55 tyres on 16" rims help. 

[Compound2632]

16 hours ago, Northmoor said:

I have driven the M40 from the M42 to A404(M) at a steady 70-75 and overtaken almost no-one.

 

Excepting HGVs and the occasional middle-lane 68 mph cruiser. 

 

That's a stretch I've been doing too often recently.

[Tony_S]

Last time we went on the autobahns I did notice some changes.  In the past no matter how fast you went there was always a big black Mercedes or a Porsche coming up quickly and zooming past. Last time it seemed to be hot Golfs. 

[Northroader]

You can get these up to a ton.

[J. S. Bach]

11 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 ...snip... I wound it up to 120 ...snip...

Jamie

That little snippet reminded me of this song:

EDIT: I have that record, it is loaded with great toe-tapping songs. The git-picker work  in "Lincoln" is quite lively!

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by J. S. Bach
To add some information.

[jamie92208]

4 hours ago, Northroader said:

You can get these up to a ton.

I thought that it was plumbets in white Astra vans that could pass anything.

 

Jamie

[J. S. Bach]

Pennsylvania railroad E-44 electric (posted here in response to an ER  Italian E.444 post):

 

[Happy Hippo]

I'm finally readmitted to the fold.

 

I was unable to gain access to RMWeb yet again, although all seems settled now.

 

I once got a Fv101 Scorpion (the original version with the Jag 4.2 litre petrol engine and the small 76 mm gun)up to in excess of 60 mph along the A1.

 

Overtaking the Durham constabulary traffic car who was pootling along in Lane 1 was probably a mistake.

 

The negotiated settlement in lieu of a speeding ticket, was for them to come and play with the Scorpion(s)  at a later date.

 

In those far off days, police officers were human and allowed to use their discretion when dealing with certain matters.

 

For Neil:

 

Un-numbered and resting awaiting the baseboard to be finished.

 

 

And yes they do negotiate Peco Radius 2 track and points.

 

It would look very good (and prototypical) on your FoD line.

 

 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

I have a lottery ticket, Richard!  Pah.....

[simontaylor484]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I thought that it was plumbets in white Astra vans that could pass anything.

 

Jamie

The old astramax van was like greased weasel poo for acceleration I remember Top Gear before May and Hammond  doing a race between a Tornado (ground attack variant not the steam loco) a Lotus cant remember which one the Astramax beat them all off the line till the Tornado spoolled up properly 

 

It was the Turbo diesel model

Edited February 1, 2022 by simontaylor484
Missing information

[PhilJ W]

There has been two times that I have driven over the ton (indicated), both legally. Once just before the 70 MPH limit came in and once on an unrestricted German Autobahn. The first time was on the M6, 5 hefty passengers in a 1600 Vauxhall Victor FD (coke bottle shape). The road was virtually empty at the time and it took some distance to get up to that speed. Only to come round a sweeping bend to find two lanes blocked by an accident. A quick left/right with the steering wheel and I slotted through the gap. I didn't lift off during the manoeuvre, just as well as I could have lost control. After that I eased off back to eighty. The second time was in the early 70's in a rented VW Passat (RHD and speedo in MPH) travelling through Germany. We had just entered the country via Aachen and not long after I realised that we were doing the ton, there were still a lot of cars overtaking us. We had decided to swap drivers at a rest area after about an hours journey. The rest area was approached by a long right hand curve. I had slowed to about 65-70 on the slip road when the surface changed from smooth concrete to pave. I kept control but a couple of days later I had a filling fall out.

[Oldddudders]

22 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

In those far off days, police officers were human

Sadly it appears some still are. Enough to make decent coppers weep. 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-60215575

 

[Tony_S]

8 hours ago, Northroader said:

You can get these up to a ton.

We were in Germany and Aditi didn’t think she was driving too fast as she had just been overtaken by a couple of vans (going a bit faster than that Bedford van’s ton in the photo. 

[Canal Digger]

On 30/01/2022 at 21:21, polybear said:

Bear recalls going round a corner (RD250....) on a country lane, only to be faced with the ar5es of two bl00dy great horses side by side whilst the riders were having a chat...

A few days late ...

Not a Yamaha RD 250 like this one