RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 Happy Anniversary Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) Morning all from the epicentre of dullsville. Orilley Men. < Used to love Flowery tw*ts, but just can't watch it any more. Seen it far too many times. Still, the odd Basil quote slips in from time to time. Any miserable old rat bag we come across is referred to as "Mrs Richards". I did have a rather surreal moment a few months back. Turns out there is an O'reilly construction nearby. I spotted their van outside the local café. Didn't see if the driver was a hideous orangutan. They did miss a trick by not having a garden gnome as their logo. Ed, we lived with a stupid little fridge for the first 2 years we were in the UK. Never again. We've got a reasonable "American" sized Samsung that has done the job for the past 7 years. Then again we still haven't broken the Canadian habit of shopping for several weeks in one shot. We get most of our meat bulk ordered every 2 months, so need a decent sized freezer. The one thing we didn't do was get the ice maker / water chiller option. Those things basically take up half the freezer space. Mike, SWMBO is rather fussy that way. Getting a used one may be a good idea for you and me but not her. Apart from the dishwasher all the appliances in the house were replaced within the first year. The fridge went out the door the day we moved in, as did the microwave. The only reason the dishwasher wasn't is that it was almost brand new. Didn't stop her from scrubbing the life out of it. I think she is holding out for a Smeg. Then again I think she is holding out for a complete Smeg kitchen next year. (hope my bonus next summer will cover that lot) Gordon, yea for Archie. That is good news. No doubt he will be wearing the cone of shame for a while after he gets home. Andy, no room for 2 dishwashers but I like your thinking. Hmmm Maybe we should just replace the shelves with a row of dishwashers. Dom, enjoying the tram pics. May have to visit those parts one day. BTW, why the Canadian, eh in your sig? Or did I miss the explanation. Ian (the Viking) glad you enjoyed the Laines beers. Had a few of those in Brighton last time we were down there on a crawl. Sunny but cool here this morning. Time for more coffee. Have a good one y'all. edit: posted while I was triping, err typing. Happy Anniversary Andy & Mrs Andy. Edited September 17, 2015 by AndrewC 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbishop Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) Later I drove to Harpenden and back for the monthly Area Group meeting. Sadly this is not a conclave of RMwebbers but the Chilterns chapter of the EM Gauge Society. The pub where we meet is about to change hands and is due to undergo refurbishment. Our organiser, who is a bit unwell at the moment, will have fun finding a new meeting place. The motorway was very wet in both directions and congested southbound. I do hate lorries and the spray which they generate. Chris, car back to it's normal colour? Bill Chris Edited September 17, 2015 by bbishop Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 17, 2015 Happy Anniversary Andy Second that! Andrew, my sig has to do with a CN themed setting I've been contemplating for a longer while and which I have now begun obtaining some stock for. Just sniped myself an SD70M-2 earlier this week, actually! 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 I think she is holding out for a Smeg kitchen. I'm sure that Red Dwarf would oblige 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 17, 2015 Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bright and sunny this morning so a walk into town later. No news from Jock yet? just hoping that no news is good news. Have a good day all. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 Looks like our planet is on the move. ISTR it revolves around the sun? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixoh8sixoh Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Morning all from a sunny Scottish HQ. (it hasn't seemed that sunny a summer, but it seems to be improving now the summer's over...) Happy anniversary Andy & MrsAndy! Last night was, for the most part uneventful, which is what I needed! The legs are almost recovered after the half marathon at the weekend. I'm actually starting to get the urge to go out for a run again now. Well, not right now... Mike, SWMBO is rather fussy that way. Getting a used one may be a good idea for you and me but not her. Apart from the dishwasher all the appliances in the house were replaced within the first year. The fridge went out the door the day we moved in, as did the microwave. The only reason the dishwasher wasn't is that it was almost brand new. Didn't stop her from scrubbing the life out of it. I think she is holding out for a Smeg. Then again I think she is holding out for a complete Smeg kitchen next year. (hope my bonus next summer will cover that lot) I was thinking more of if you bought a cheap brand new one now, then sold it on next year when the kitchen needs re-doing - and it would be a little cash boost towards your new kitchen at that point. I'm also awaiting a parcel coming from overseas, though I'm not sitting at home in anticipation... If and when it turns up I'll head to the sorting office and collect it. I succumbed to a really pretty SNCF railcar that I saw the prototype of near Carcassonne a fortnight ago and ordered an HO Jouef model of it from a shop in Normandy last Thursday. I had no plans whatsoever to build any French railway layout, but might be tempted at some point to build a small plank... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium eldavo Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 17, 2015 Morning All, Commizs, congrats and positive vibes as appropriate. Gordon, glad to hear Archie is progressing. It's going to be a long job getting him back to fitness but I have no doubt you'll do it. I fear that even with insurance you won't be hiring any more fancy motors for a while! With our Archie (otherwise known as the black and tan titanium legged terrier) we blew our annual insurance budget in the first two days when his legs were broken after being hit by a car. Good job you've got deep pockets. :-) Great photos Dom. Very fancy rigs. I had no idea there was so much involved in this tramming lark. Have a good one all. Cheers Dave 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 Morning all. Sunny here so I have been directed to wash stuff. Not by hand we have a washing machine! Andrew mentioned the sterilising of kitchens. My mother moved into sheltered accommodation and from her description it sounded as if she was moving into some Victorian novel. It was quite nice actually, modern well designed etc. I don't think she was happy until everything had been wiped with bleach. The fridge went immediately but it had dodgy door seals. However Mum would not use the oven even after my brother had stripped it down and cleaned everything. So we said if you hate it thatnmuch, get a new one. That wasn't acceptable as it would have been wasteful! I think Mum had every worktop gadget/mini oven from Lakeland as an oven substitute. We don't have any SMEG in our kitchen, though we have probably helped the German economy over the years. I only found out recently that SMEG is an Italian company. I think the only Italian kitchen device we have is an espresso machine. Robbie seems totally recovered from the sock incident, apart from not being that enthusiastic about his normal breakfast. Tony 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 Morning all, Looks like a sunny and crisp one here, just as it was 10 years ago when I crawled out of a hotel bed, made a cup of coffee and wandered down to the hotel's outdoor swimming pool with my Best Man, contemplating the day ahead. Congratulations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 17, 2015 Dom, enjoying the tram pics. May have to visit those parts one day. Do let me know so that I could chauffeur you around! Just to pick up on this cue a bit further, perhaps one bit of additional explanation as to how powered tram points work. There may be major and minor differences in other cities, so what I'll be outlining is the configuration for Leipzig. There are three general categories of point motors – electric motors, electro-hydraulic setting mechanisms, and electromagnets. Except for one electro-hydraulic point at the Miltitz loop, we have electromagnetic point motors, provided by Hanning & Kahl. Here are a few detail photos as to what these point motors look like, as well as some key characteristics: http://www.hanning-kahl.de/produkte-services/nahverkehrstechnik/weichenstellsysteme/weichenantriebe-strecke.html The setting circuit for our adaptation of this decentralised route setting principle, meanwhile, is configured as follows: The command receiver loop is what picks up the route and destination information from the approaching trams. It is located at a sufficient distance – usually about 15 to 30 metres or more, depending on location – ahead of the point blades, and thus the primary reason why tram points should be approached at moderate speeds of approximately 20 kph only to prevent false routings due to incorrectly set points, and to allow you as the driver to stop ahead of the point if necessary. While the point motors generally are fast-acting, the point control systems and motors do need about 1 to 2 seconds to complete a setting cycle. Of course, the point will set itself only if it was not in the proper position already. Upon receiving the setting command and, if necessary, setting itself, the point locks itself electronically, which means the command receiver loop will not accept any further setting commands until the approaching tram has cleared the point. This is why, unless you follow the same path, you should keep some distance from a preceding tram as the point needs to electronically unlock itself before it can accept any new setting commands. The blocking circuit is, fundamentally, a safety measure as it can both uphold an electronic lock or establish it in the first place if, for any reason, the setting command should not have been processed correctly. The reason for this is to prevent a point from remaining electronically unlocked while a tram passes. This is an isolated track circuit fed with 4.5 V AC which essentially checks for track occupation. The detection transmitter can – depending on location and point radius – be set more or less immediately behind the point motor or behind the diverging branch itself and emits an EM field which detects metallic objects above the point. It serves to unlock the point electronically approximately 2 to 3 seconds after the tram has passed and cleared the EM field. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 17, 2015 ISTR it revolves around the sun? Eppur si muove! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) Morning all, Oddly I keep the USGS bookmarked and it is one of my first calls everyday - but yesterday the bookmark vanished for some reason so the first I heard about the Chilean 'quake was on here. In fact there have been a number of fairly small quakes in Chile recently (and some, including a magnitude 6, further up the west coast of the Americas so there is a bit of above normal movement going on. Happy anniversary Andy & Mrs Andy - at least you remembered the date to it. Interesting that Dom's employers seem to allow a choice of shift pattern - over the years I found that all shifts have their advantages and disadvantages although I never could stand (and fortunately never had much of) early turns starting c06.00 - 07.00. I must admit that every time you use the term 'splitting points' my mind fills with memories of sorting out the consequences of such events - when to split a pair of points literally meant what it said and one end of vehicle went one way and the other end went the other, but it could be very interesting getting to the bottom of why such a thing had happened. Have a good day one and all and hopefully recoveries, various, are continuing. Oh and PS - Andrew it wasn't a secondhand fridge as such - it had been delivered ti site and the customer told the fitter he didn't want doors that colour so it went back to the kitchen fitting company, uninstalled and unused. No way would herself countenance a secondhand device and in fact she was in some ways surprised that when we moved the woman who bought the house wanted to buy our cooker (it was of course shining inside and out) and the equally clean fridge/freezer. Edited September 17, 2015 by The Stationmaster 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railsquid Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 4.8 magnitude quake 180km east of main land Australia and 35km deep in the Southern Ocean, scientists say no threat! Unless you happen to be 180km east of main land Australia and 35km deep... By coincidence I was talking to a colleague in Chile on Skype when he said "got to go, just had a tsunami warning". The last big earthquake near Chile brought a 50cm tsunami to the fair shores of Japan - not a problem with sufficient forewarning, and not anything like the 1960 Chile earthquake (M9.5) which killed over 130 people here alone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 When Tony talks of his mum having "every possible kitchen-top gadget from Lakeland" I'm not sure who is talking about - his mum, or mine! The new washing machine is working fine although the fact that the old one was only about 15 years old did mean she "hadn't had much wear out of it". Her kitchen gadget oversupply reads more like the Christmas song... "Two remoskas, three slow cookers, four apple corers,....and a cartridge in water filllll-terrrr." But frugality will always win out. Last week I offered to cook her an omelette for lunch. I've learnt to check the eggs before cooking them and the box said they were 3 months past their use by date. Finding 3 that still were ok I binned the rest. That earned me (???) a ticking off for wasting them, but no thanks for saving her from food poisoning. I hoiked them out of the bin and told her to crack them open after I'd left. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 As well as the Lakeland items Mum discovered the special purchase items at Aldi. My brother likes gadgets too so I should imagine the management at Aldi liked it when my brother took Mum shopping. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixoh8sixoh Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 A4 chime whistle and whoosh of steam audible at work just now. Clouds of steam, but sadly the building is in the way for seeing Union of South Africa. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Tony, I love the idea of putting your Mum in a Victorian novel Ed 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railsquid Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Tsunami expected to arrive around 6am local time tomorrow (so in about 11 hours), estimated height between 20cm and 1m. We'll get better data when it passes Hawaii. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) Mike, an excellent idea of getting a cheapie to flog off later. However, SWMBO has just overruled that idea by reminding me of the number of time wasters we had the last time we used Gumtree. (this includes a gent that wanted to turn up at 9pm with a small car to take the garage away. Long story, but rather than pay £300 to have the garage hauled to the tip we gave it away. Eventually a man came with a mate and large van, dismantled it, and it now resides as a storage building on a farm in Herts. Still took 2 trips to haul it away) Dom: Friends don't let friends model CN. (at least that's what my old t-shirt used to say) Good luck with it. We also have far too many kitchen gadgets and stuff. Some of which came with us from Canada, so we have a 1kw voltage converter in the kitchen for those 110vac items. Edited September 17, 2015 by AndrewC 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 17, 2015 Morning All Much to catch up on again, and good news on the surgery on Arch, Gordon. I hope the rehab also continues and that he comes home soon. I know what is being said about the insurance limits. There used to be an unlimited policy with the leading provider, but they pulled that about four years ago, and now the maximum payout is £7k. As Arch is an older dog, hopefully you have the older version, but I also recall that on some of these, the excess was a fixed sum, plus an age related percentage. Whatever you have to pay yourself, it is worth it. Of course the main reason for pulling these unlimited policies was the cost of some of the more advanced procedures. When Pawnee had her ear problems, we easily used up our claim limit which was £4k, in more than one year. A CAT scan alone was over a grand. Happy anniversary, Andy. Keep the info coming on the Leipzig tramway system Dom. Fascinating stuff. As for me, another poor night's sleep, and I was doing some idle reading of the data sheets for a couple of the drugs that I'm on, and two of them have disturbed sleep patterns as a possible side effect - luckily one of these finished yesterday. The leg is starting to show signs of mobility, and I am having to exercise quite hard, but that's the price of having an op of this sort, and is imperative if a good outcome is to result. One revelation yesterday was when the online shopping experience started, and I had ordered a small shopping with the yellow supermarket's new online service. All the stuff I wanted was on the web pages, and a delivery was promised for last night between 7 and 8. E-mail from them about 4.30 to say that Raymond would be with us by 8. Raymond duly arrived at 7.20 with our usual weekly shop all neatly bagged up and as 30747 said it was the same shopping without having to go out - why have I waited so long? Well, probably because I like the yellow shop better than green, blue, or orange, and they've only just got into online, and they use Ocado for their fulfilment. Now then, Mr Aldi, what about it? Regards to All Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 Morning all (well it is your side) Very heavy showers and blustery rain melted away last evening, and the sky was clear for much of it. Overcast but mild today. Congrats to Andy on his anniversary. Sherry is seeing a physiotherapist for treatment on her ailing knees today. Let's hope it leads to a more comfortable period. Alison is here with the usual tales of her neighbour/lover. Apparently his father-in-law took a photo of tractor tyre-tracks in Alison's gateway (not a euphemism!) and gave the photo to his daughter, suggesting she tried to match them to a tractor near her. Alison has read that the suicide rate in la Sarthe is the highest in France, 25% above the national average, with St Calais a particularly sad place, apparently. Microwaves have a limited repertoire. Much more useful is a micro-air, aka combi-oven. With that, a single person or couple can cook by most means - grill, roast, bake etc, using rather less power to do so than a conventional oven. Marvellous for pies and pizzas. Would love to hear something nice from Jock. Hope all are coping. 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightengine Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Ian, I think I know what you were trying to say about Sherry's ailing knees. However the 'more comfortable period' is beyond me! ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted September 17, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2015 Tony, I love the idea of putting your Mum in a Victorian novel Ed I noticed after posting that hovel had been changed to novel but I didn't alter it, Mum was prone to a bit of melodrama. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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