Early Risers.

[edcayton]

Good morning all. Mick Skipepsi, Ms Joplin had a Porsche painted in a psychedelic style, it was sold recently.

 

Tram crashes. From what I have learned on here lately I gather they have brakes that clamp magnetically to the rails? In that case, then when it has left the rails such a device is useless. I appreciate that the Croydon tram was a multi-vehicle one, but surely a single or even a twin-car tram would be affected?

 

Also concerned about the train crash in Bavaria.

 

Ed

[roundhouse]

Morning

 

A poor nights sleep with too much on my mind. Main PC crashed (Might end up being a good excuse to buy a new one!) whilst I was using it just after 2am so tried ot get back to sleep but didnt work.

 

Train on time this morning.

 

The Tramlink crash is an area I know well although its many years since I drove through there. Dopes look like the silver car jumped the lights undertaking the car stopped at them then decided to out run the tram but I am sure we will find out the exact details in time.

 

More seriously though is the train crash in Germany. lets hope that they get the rmeianing people out safely.

[edcayton]

Wood burners etc. Back in the 50's we introduced smokeless zones and the Clean Air Act, and we all had gas fires in the lounge until the recent fashion for log burners. How does that work? As my Dad always said:"what if everyone did it?".

 

Of course that came from a man who smoked 40 a day and drank too much. I still miss him though.

 

Ed

[roundhouse]

has anyone flown West Jet across the pond?

 

Looks like a good way to save money and get a night in St Johns Newfoundland. Its a 737 to there and on to Troronto but they do use 767s for the longer haul flights which we like as they have 2-3-2 seating.

Edited February 9, 2016 by roundhouse

[Smiffy2]

Morning all. Grey and a bit wet here.

The driver of the Croydon tram-crash car has been arrested for excess alcohol...

 

Waiting on deliveries today, Julie wants me to collect a display cabinet for the gallery. I don't think it'll fit in the car...

 

Have a good day, all.

[AndyB]

Morning all,

 

A damp, cool day here. 

Yesterday's spring cleaning went down well, potentially earning brownie points for a trip to the pub later in the week.

 

As the message from the "office" is to hurry up and wait I shall "carpe diem" and do a bit more on the layout today. 

Our internet connection has now been re-strung from the current sisal to a clear material. Results suggest the new speed is about 22Mbps compared to the 100kbps. Upload times of 7Mbps achieved. 

 

Seems to make Youtube work without buffering, although I note BT email still doesn't operate very well I suspect this has little to do with the communication means and more to do with the quality of the email service itself!

 

Somewhat nostalgic though. The Croydon horror video previously took about 5 minutes to download, inching towards disaster; Hitchcock couldn't have made the suspense any greater. 

 

Anyway, have a nice day everyone. Andy

[bbishop]

I travelled on the Bavarian line last summer.

 

Bill

[Tony_S]

has nayone flown West Jet across the pond?

 

Looks like a good wya to save money and get a night in ST Johns newfoundland. Its a 737 to there and on to Troronto but htye do use 767s for the longer haul flights which we like as they have 2-3-2 seating.

When we went to Canada the cheapest then was Air Transat. We did get food and drink and the seats were comfortable. I think Matthew flew on a West Jet internal flight and that was the usual standard of Canadian air travel, which seemed to be pay for everything!

[Robert]

Wood burners etc. Back in the 50's we introduced smokeless zones and the Clean Air Act, and we all had gas fires in the lounge until the recent fashion for log burners. How does that work? As my Dad always said:"what if everyone did it?".

I wouldn't say everyone does it here - but certainly a very large proportion of people have a woodburner.

 

Modern woodburners produce very little in the way of smoke/pollutants because the combustion is very effective - my woodburner has three different air circuits to optimise the combustion from startup through to normal use.  The regulations are very strict here, and the chimney sweep comes yearly to check the installation and twice yearly to sweep the chimney.

 

Of course, unlike coal (and even smokeless coal), wood is carbon neutral.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Robert

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

My visits are a little more occasional these days, not least due to ongoing domestic disruption. I do try to take in all posts, but may be guilty of some skim-reading here and there.

 

The disruption is due to my room still being worked on. The floor tiles have been laid, and Jon is currently finishing grouting. Skirting boards will be interesting, due to the uneven floor, despite his efforts at levelling. An 1850 stable did not need a billiard-table floor, and raising the floor more would mean I'd have to duck even further under the beams!

 

Alison was in melt-down on the phone just now. Her ex has the three boys in Aberystwyth right now, and she fears he may not bring them back on Sunday as agreed. The French lawyer she spoke to last year said not much could be done in that situation. As the youngest is a French citizen, I'm not so sure. The ex still smarts at having been cuckolded - a word that seems to be back in the common lexicon - and will not even confirm that the boys all got safely in his car to Aber. He is a geek and prize to**er.

 

Sherry's daughter, 37, married with two youngsters, has a health issue. Several serious tests being programmed. When the GP can feel an abdominal lump there is cause for concern at least until it has been identified. I've told Sherry Caroline deserves priority over nursing me in my forthcoming minor op. Others here will rally round if needed.

 

French meteo pages don't seem to identify storms by name - it's just a tempest here. Today we are in the minority by being a Departement not identified for particularly bad weather. Gusts to 85kph don't measure up!

 

Best wishes to those who ail.

 

May your week be serene and less breezy!

Edited February 9, 2016 by Oldddudders

[Robert]

Latest news on the Bavarian train crash is eight dead, 90 injured (40 serious and 15 critical).

 

Apparently, it was a head on collision on a single track section

[NGT6 1315]

Tram crashes. From what I have learned on here lately I gather they have brakes that clamp magnetically to the rails? In that case, then when it has left the rails such a device is useless. I appreciate that the Croydon tram was a multi-vehicle one, but surely a single or even a twin-car tram would be affected?

 

Ed, I'm not familiar with legal requirements for trams in the UK, but in Germany they need to be equipped with a sufficient number of magnetic track brakes – usually one pair per bogie – and nowadays are fed from the low voltage circuitry, generally 24 V DC, rather than the traction power supply as was common on pre-WW2 tram stock, according to my information.

 

Look at the space between the wheelsets in these two photos:

 

 

 

 

 

I figure that if I came into a situation like the Croydon colleague, I'd pull an emergency stop regardless as I would thus attempt to make use of those bogies – and track brakes – still in alignment with the rails. I  concur that any derailed bogie would, however, not be able to offer much in adhesion usable for deceleration, as Rick pointed out. Though I also concur that any resistance it might be able to offer would come from the wheelsets scraping across the road surface.

[Killybegs]

When I had to visit the Bedford office from the Forest of Dean I would take the cross Country route. Gloucester,Stow, Deddington, Buckingham, MK.

Don

 

That's a lovely route that I used to travel a lot in the 'old days'.

 

We followed the same route from Ledbury last year when travelling to Cambridge in the motor home, although we went via Tewksbury and Toddington to Stow.

 

Pleasantly sunny here between showers and NOT TOO MUCH WIND!

 

Have a good day.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Neil, the ex Southend pier machine went to the Brecon Mountain Railway, there is a photograph of it being used in the rebuilding of the railway http://www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk/gallery page down to 'History of rebuilding the line' and its the pic second from the right top row. Bit overcast here at the moment but the wind and rain has stopped so I might venture into town.

EDIT The pic top right also shows the machine in action, in the first pic you can see it lowered onto the rails.

Edited February 9, 2016 by PhilJ W

[Tony_S]

Matthew needs to rest and take paracetamol. I am glad that his Dutch physician agrees with me. Aditi's brother fell out of the roof space in his garage last year, and was given similar instructions. He was a bit confused for a week so was off work as not many people would want a concussed GP!

We are waiting for the charity van to remove the furniture and then I believe we are going to Canvey Island to dispose of some recyclables at the centre formerly known as the tip.

Tony

[Gwiwer]

Trams : Almost all now have electro-magnetic track brakes.  Some can be dropped at any speed, some only at a pre-set lower speed to avoid standing the thing on its nose and decanting passengers via the windscreen.  Of our Melbourne trams even the 75 year-old W-class vehicles still in use ( of which there are now only a dozen or so) are so fitted.  The French Citadis trams (C-class) will only drop the track brake at 15kmh but have excellent electronic braking down to that speed.  The newest Bombardier trams (E-class) are set up likewise AFAIK and the Combino types (D-class) will stop on a small silver coin with the track brake operating at any speed.  Older Melbourne-built types of classes Z, A and B will also drop the magnet at any speed but in these cases it is controlled differently via sudden application of more pressure to the foot-pedal controller.  Newer types have all braking controlled vie the electronics linked to the hand-operated power-brake slider control.  In most cases the track brake only operates on the leading truck.  The rest of the tram tends to push it forwards in compression.  That is, I understand, considered safer than having all wheels suddenly stop or only a rear set if the front has left the track.

 

Trains : Nasty business in Germany.  Waiting for confirmation that brother-in-law is nowhere near.  He is known to be in a train-come-football watching trip in the region this week.  It's far more likely that he is in a bar somewhere, or has located the best local chilli, or has been "adopted" by the local Cambodian community.  All of which are almost as dear to his heart as kicking an inflated bladder between two rectangular nets

 

Best wishes to all, notably those enduring health and family issues.  I may not be able to read every post nor reply personally but you are not forgotten.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Gwiwer

[NGT6 1315]

Trams : Almost all now have electro-magnetic track brakes.  Some can be dropped at any speed, some only at a pre-set lower speed to avoid standing the thing on its nose and decanting passengers via the windscreen.  Of our Melbourne trams even the 75 year-old W-class vehicles still in use ( of which there are now only a dozen or so) are so fitted.  The French Citadis trams (C-class) will only drop the track brake at 15kmh but have excellent electronic braking down to that speed.  The newest Bombardier trams (E-class) are set up likewise AFAIK and the Combino types (D-class) will stop on a small silver coin with the track brake operating at any speed.  Older Melbourne-built types of classes Z, A and B will also drop the magnet at any speed but in these cases it is controlled differently via sudden application of more pressure to the foot-pedal controller.  Newer types have all braking controlled vie the electronics linked to the hand-operated power-brake slider control.  In most cases the track brake only operates on the leading truck.  The rest of the tram tends to push it forwards in compression.  That is, I understand, considered safer than having all wheels suddenly stop or only a rear set if the front has left the track.

 

Track brakes here are automatically dropped when you pull an emergency stop, when your tram begins to slip beyond a certain degree during braking, or at the push of a button (with our Tatras excepted from the latter) to support regular braking if required – as in the event of unexpected wheelslip. Though if you do the latter, it is advisable to only "pulse" the track brake to avoid having passengers fall over. Likewise, if you do need to pull an emergency stop, you need to check for casualties aboard as in this case – with full dynamic and track brake – the braking force is enormous.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Good Doctor duly delivered to the dentist - almost on time as the traffic was even worse than I expected (where on earth are all these people going on country roads I wonder?  While she was there I went electrification works spotting - if the present rate of progress in that vicinity is applied elsewhere I think electric trains should be able to reach Didcot by about 2020 - with a bit of luck, I'm amazed that it takes the best part of a month to dig a hole and fill it in (and I've got the photos to prove it).

 

Anyway the return trip was much less harassing and a lot quicker so now I shall spend some time wandering round here - no Victorian colour samples to delve out today although there is another research effort needed on something else where i might well be asking that nice helpful Mr ChrisF for his views.  And to follow this afternoon we have our diabetes eye tests so more walking round in dark glasses.

 

BTW magnetic track brakes are also used on German railway passenger rolling stock and were (and might still be?) a requirement on any foreign stock running on DB tracks although that might only apply above a certain speed.  The testing used to be interesting as it consisted of a 'slip test' with the air brake isolated and just using the magnetic track brake to halt the vehicle - the slipping speed being 100kph.

 

Have a good day one & all.

Edited February 9, 2016 by The Stationmaster

[NGT6 1315]

BTW magnetic track brakes are also used on German railway passenger rolling stock and were (and might still be?) a requirement on any foreign stock running on DB tracks although that might only apply above a certain speed.  The testing used to be interesting as it consisted of a 'slip test' with the air brake isolated and just using the magnetic track brake to halt the vehicle - the slipping speed being 100kph.

 

I understand that legal requirements do not actually call for track brakes specifically to be installed on any stock capable of speeds higher than 140 kph without LZB guidance, but these brakes are actually the only suitable means for providing the braking force required above said speed. So, I guess you could say they are, in fact, required, even if indirectly!

[NGT6 1315]

Just looked what the Light Rail and Tram Construction and Operating Regulations (BOStrab) actually say about brake systems to be provided on trams. If you can read German and aren't afraid of legalese, have a look at: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/strabbo_1987/__36.html

 

This section states the following:

 

1. Vehicles must be equipped with at least two brake systems. These must be independent of each other in a manner that in the event of a malfunction affecting either system, the other system remains operational. Operation must also be ensured in the event of traction power supply failure.

 

2. The brakes must be designed and, including control interfaces, be adjusted to each other in such a manner that

• vehicles and formations can be decelerated with a minimum of jolting to a standstill (service brake application),
• adhesion between wheel and rail can be exploited to the necessary degree,
• the brakes, acting together, provide a duration braking force sufficient for the gradients and general operating parameters on the individual system.

3. In the event of one braking system having failed completely, the remaining systems must be able to ensure deceleration in compliance with Appendix 2, Table 1.

 

4. One of the braking systems must be able to keep a maximally loaded, stationary vehicle from rolling away on the greatest gradient in existence on the relevant network. This specific brake must be of a spring-loaded design and its braking force must be generated and transmitted solely through mechanical means.

 

5. Vehicles intended for road-bound operation, except service vehicles as outlined in paragraph 6, must have

 

• one brake independent of adhesion between wheels and rails,
• sanders to support the other brake systems,
• brakes designed such that they generate at least the mean deceleration according to Appendix 2, Table 2 (emergency stop)

6. In contrast to paragraph 1, service vehicles capable of speeds not higher than 40 kph on grade separated track and 30 kph on all other bodies of track may be outfitted with only one braking system. This brake must be capable of achieving at least the mean deceleration according to Appendix 2, Table 1.

 

7. Brakes of vehicles which can be formed into consists need to be controlled in such a way that the consist achieves the deceleration prescribed in paragraphs 2 to 6.

8. In the event of accidental separation of consists, it is mandatory that as a minimum, those vehicles not manned with driving staff stop automatically. The separation must be indicated either to the driver or the control centre.

9. Vehicles carrying passengers must be outfitted with means for passengers to effect a stop in an emergency. On routes without safety clearance or in tunnels, these emergency brake circuits must be designed such that a stop will occur only at the next suitable platform.

 

Appendix 2 is here: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/strabbo_1987/anlage_2.html

 

…and says that, for example, at 50 kph, the deceleration required for an emergency stop must be at least 2.47 m/s², and yield a stopping distance no longer than 39 metres.

[chrisf]

... although there is another research effort needed on something else where i might well be asking that nice helpful Mr ChrisF for his views.  

 

Thanks for the warning ...

 

Chris

[The Lurker]

Greetings all, there are blue skies with grey clouds today and it is cold outside.

 

South Eastern seem to have been outdoing themselves recently. Friday was appalling getting home and Monday was no better.

 

Best wishes to those who are struggling with various issues. Let's hope you are able to share good news with is. Not a lot to report personally, although I am pleased to say I have remembered it's Valentine's day on Sunday! I've also remembered Mrs Lurker said no chocolates. Oh well, champagne it is!

[Gwiwer]

I have just learned of the recent passing of former school friend and bus enthusiast Julian Osborne.  Despite he was five years my senior we shared common interests and would chat briefly if we met in his later role as bus conductor.  As a champion of bus-user's rights and customer service excellence he will be sorely missed.  Some here may know or have crossed paths with him also.

 

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/14260253.Tributes_paid_to__quot_hugely_respected_quot__bus_enthusiast_who_dedicated_his_life_to_making_travel_better_for_passengers/?ref=fbshr

 

It seems January was a seriously bad month for the passing of notable figures and not just in the entertainment world.  

[Tony_S]

Being married to a Hobbit forgetting pancake day would be unforgiveable not ignoring Valentine's Day.

[Happy Hippo]

The Curio cutter was delivered this afternoon.

 

Will I be able to generate a birthday card and a Valentine's card by next week, or will the learning process be too much for me?

 

The other party has tried not to look at it, but I would suggest that curiosity is beginning to take hold, especially when I was asked when I was going to install the software!