Early Risers.

[shortliner]

I’m afraid that the news about my wife is not good. Sandy saw the oncologist on Friday and was told that her cancer had spread and was inoperable, but they’re organising chemotherapy which is the only thing they can do. They warned her it would be unpleasant. We’re trying to find out a start for this, but were told that it would be before Christmas. At the moment she’s not able to eat much at all and her weight loss continues.

 

 

Seriously sorry to hear this.  I hope a cure will be found for this filthy disease sooner, rather than later.

[81C]

I’m afraid that the news about my wife is not good. Sandy saw the oncologist on Friday and was told that her cancer had spread and was inoperable, but they’re organising chemotherapy which is the only thing they can do. They warned her it would be unpleasant. We’re trying to find out a start for this, but were told that it would be before Christmas. At the moment she’s not able to eat much at all and her weight loss continues.

 

Sorry to hear of your news my daughter worked in a hospital dealing with cancer patients appointments here they get pushed to the front of the queue lets hope 

your dear wife is treated ASAP.

May you gods go with you both. 

Bob

[Tony_S]

I’m afraid that the news about my wife is not good. Sandy saw the oncologist on Friday and was told that her cancer had spread and was inoperable, but they’re organising chemotherapy which is the only thing they can do. They warned her it would be unpleasant. We’re trying to find out a start for this, but were told that it would be before Christmas. At the moment she’s not able to eat much at all and her weight loss continues.[/size]

I saw your post earlier this morning on Facebook.

Aditi and I are so sorry that the news about Sandy isn’t good. Thinking of you both.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. What terrible news John, You and Sandy are in my thoughts. I think I can imagine what Mrs. Baz's hat rack looks like. My maternal grandfather was a cabinet maker and made much of his own furniture. As a child I remember two such items in my grandparents house. One was a large decorated wooden board with a mirror and hooks either side for the hats and a small shelf underneath. The other was a high backed chair with coathooks attached to the back on the sideframes. This had a lift up wooden seat with a box underneath were things like gloves were kept. His father had his own furniture making business in Hoxton beaneath the arches of the Broad Street line. Most of his work was commissions for the west end stores. When such items appear on Antiques Roadshow I wonder sometimes if he had a hand in their manufacture.

[Robert]

Oh John - I'm really sorry to hear that.

 

Wishing you and Sandy all the best.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

John I'm so sorry to hear the news about Sandy - what else can I see but wish you both all the best in such awful circumstances.

 

Here at Stationmaster Towers today is a day of movement - the lad's flight duly touched down in Geneva around 25 minutes ago and he will be working there until Friday while this afternoon the Good Doctor is due to return from her weekend in Riga and should be home in time for some warmed up lasagne left over from yesterday evening, I shall no doubt get as far as Tesco all being well.  Mrs Stationmaster will spend some time shackled to the stove making leek and potato soup as the leeks currently in stock don't seem to be finding any other use and her homemade soup is good very good. 

 

Now to wander the byways of RMweb.

[grandadbob]

John, I'm very sorry to hear your news about Sandy.

[BSW01]

John. So sorry to read about Sandy’s diagnosis, my thoughts are with you both.

[Purley Oaks]

John

 

As others have expressed, I'm so sorry to read about Sandy's diagnosis and am sending you both my love and thoughts.

 

Mal

Edited December 10, 2018 by Purley Oaks

[laurenceb]

Terrible news John, wishing Sandy sucessful treatment

[Purley Oaks]

Good morning all

 

Have been away for a few days - I woke on Wednesday with horrendous stomach pains/contractions and was told to go to the Western. They decided to keep me in, put me on NBM with a drip and waited. Took X-rays and had my planned CT scan on Friday. Pain had subsided by Friday, and they let me start on small portions of puréed food on Saturday lunchtime. Allowed home yesterday teatime. Apparently I have a looped bowel, which is 'quite common' after the type of stomach surgery I've had.

 

So I have to change my diet to smaller portions and am having 'sloppy' food at the mo.

 

Stomach pain like that is just debilitating. Glad it's eased off.

 

CT results this Thursday.

 

It's a lovely sunny and bright day here this morning, but chilly. Hope your days are light and bright.

 

Mal

[BSW01]

I’ve found a photo of the 6.6kV motors I used to work on, I may have posted this photo before, but anyway, here it is again. I’ll now describe what’s in the photo.

 

 

The large rectangular boxes in the foreground are starter capacitors, (one for each motor) these were just short of 6ft tall.

The small red box on a plinth is the starter/stop panel.

The domed box behind this, is a water resistance starter.

The 6.6kV motor is to its left, behind that is the motor/gearbox coupling, then the gearbox, with No 1 painted on it.

At the front of the motor are the starting slip rings, these are engaged only during the start up procedure and are lifted, via the red handle on the top, once the motor had reached top speed.

In the photo this is in the run position, so pump No 1 must be running.

Finally, the large object behind No 1 gearbox is one of the main pumps, of which there were 2. No 2 is to the right.

Out of sight and to the left of No 1 is a smaller auxiliary pump.

 

The two main pumps powered the 8,500 ton main press, the punch press and the dishing press. In theory the auxiliary pump and either of the 2 main pumps could do all the work, but in reality, due to water leakage etc, the 2 main pumps were always used. During maintenance work either the auxiliary pump or one of the main pumps were all that was needed to move the presses. Also out of shot (a glimpse of which can be seen bottom right is the very top of the motor) is an metadyne set. The metadyne set, when to into layman’s terms is basically a high power motor/generator system. This was used to power the rolling mills “Ward Leonard” system that controlled both the top and bottom rolling motors. These motors had to run at the exact same speed, but in opposing directions. The tall green cylindrical vessels at the rear (top left) are the pressure accumulator vessels, of which there were 12 in total.

 

The drive motors for both main pumps, the auxiliary pump and the metadyne set were all 6.6kV. The switchgear, 4 oil filled starters and 2 isolators, for all the motors was located on the platform on which I’m stood where I took the photo.

Edited December 10, 2018 by BSW01

[Gwiwer]

John and Sandy

 

There is never a good time to receive such news but right now it must be harder than it could have been.

 

Please be assured our thoughts and best wishes are with you both and I am always happy to talk here, in Jock67B’’s Cancer Ward or via PM

[Gwiwer]

Anyone want a cold?

I do not want a cold. I want a warm

 

Barely a solitary degree of Celsius was to be found outside at 05.15. A few more have been marshalled together since but we are still running short-formation on the personal comfort scale.

[BSW01]

Now for some more photos of the wheel making process. The colour photos are mine, the black and white with captions are from the Paul Wardle collection. Paul was manager of the training centre, when I started at British Steel.

 

 

The rotary furnace was ring shaped, approximately 100ft in diameter and stored the billets in rows of 6 or 7 depending upon there size (diameter). The loading door and unloading door were about 90 degrees apart and the furnace could hold about 400 billets. The furnace had different temperature zones, each one getting hotter as it neared the unloading door. The billets were in the furnace for around 15 hours.

 

 

 

Part of the punch press can just be seen in the bottom left of the photo.

 

 

 

But the whole process, once they left the furnace, to being lifted off the dishing press took about 3 minutes

Edited December 10, 2018 by BSW01

[Barry O]

John and Sandy...our thoughts are with you.

 

Baz

[81C]

Back again I had to rush off earlier "her" called, I saved mself a few shillings last night being rushed off my feet yesterday I only noticed just in time

Modelmasters name plates were doing a deal, the new King and it's stablemate out of the Bristolian set will be adorn with nice brass plates, I found

over the years by the time you have added name plates, foot plate crew, lamps, fire irons and a host of other goodies it adds up to a tidy penny I think

this new one will have to be wrapped for Christmas day as I have already started to use the original present "Her" has bought me a few weeks ago.

 

I'm cutting polystyrene today for creating the hills on the Indian railway got a proper hot cutter it saves on the mess I will post a photo later when there

is something worthwhile to show.  

 

                                                      E Lutyens 

[BSW01]

Managed it!

Edited December 10, 2018 by BSW01

[Coombe Barton]

Thanks, everyone.

[jamie92208]

I’ve found a photo of the 6.6kV motors I used to work on, I may have posted this photo before, but anyway, here it is again. I’ll now describe what’s in the photo.

 

005BC2BD-1CA7-4EDD-9EDD-938B3851E40D.jpeg

 

The large rectangular boxes in the foreground are starter capacitors, (one for each motor) these were just short of 6ft tall.

The small red box on a plinth is the starter/stop panel.

The domed box behind this, is a water resistance starter.

The 6.6kV motor is to its left, behind that is the motor/gearbox coupling, then the gearbox, with No 1 painted on it.

At the front of the motor are the starting slip rings, these are engaged only during the start up procedure and are lifted, via the red handle on the top, once the motor had reached top speed.

In the photo this is in the run position, so pump No 1 must be running.

Finally, the large object behind No 1 gearbox is one of the main pumps, of which there were 2. No 2 is to the right.

Out of sight and to the left of No 1 is a smaller auxiliary pump.

 

The two main pumps powered the 8,500 ton main press, the punch press and the dishing press. In theory the auxiliary pump and either of the 2 main pumps could do all the work, but in reality, due to water leakage etc, the 2 main pumps were always used. During maintenance work either the auxiliary pump or one of the main pumps were all that was needed to move the presses. Also out of shot (a glimpse of which can be seen bottom right is the very top of the motor) is an metadyne set. The metadyne set, when to into layman’s terms is basically a high power motor/generator system. This was used to power the rolling mills “Ward Leonard” system that controlled both the top and bottom rolling motors. These motors had to run at the exact same speed, but in opposing directions. The tall green cylindrical vessels at the rear (top left) are the pressure accumulator vessels, of which there were 12 in total.

 

The drive motors for both main pumps, the auxiliary pump and the metadyne set were all 6.6kV. The switchgear, 4 oil filled starters and 2 isolators, for all the motors was located on the platform on which I’m stood where I took the photo.

 

Those look to be some rather large motors Brian.   There used to be rather large ones in the winding engine house at the pits in my section when I started.   I sometimes used to drop in to Saville Colliery on nights and chat to the winder.   They were winding 10tons at a time from about 800 yards and doing 72 ropes per hour.  The rope drum used to have chalk marks on it that aligned with a pointer so that they knew where to stop.  The drum and motors would be going flat out and were just shorted out to stop the cage with a huge shower of sparks coming out of the motor.  Usually the cage slowed right down within a couple of feet of the target and the winder then eased it into the final position in seconds using the brake.   It was absolutely fascinating to watch and of course the whole pit's bonus system relied on the winding engine man's skill.   They were in a separate union and many of them were the sons and grandsons of winders.   All that's gone now sadly.

 

On another note, John and Sandy, what terrible news, my thoughts and prayers are with you both.

 

Jamie

[The Lurker]

Greetings all.

 

I have a bad back which meant sleep was broken last night. It was very difficult getting dressed this morning. However, this is nothing compared to the news that John has had to break to us and to Mal's hospital trip. Best wishes to them and to others in distress or missing

 

The weekend was relatively full; our car lease is coming to the stage where we make a balloon payment or give it back so we spent most of Saturday afternoon doing that.

 

Younger Lurker finally wrote a Christmas list - he's not very good at coming up with anything, lack of imagination being an effect of his ASD. So we were pleased. Then we read it:

 

" Dear Father Christmas,

 

for Christmas I would like

 

A Surprise...."

Edited December 10, 2018 by The Lurker

[laurenceb]

Ta Chris f.

 

Anyone want a cold? Free! Needs to go as current owner has no need of it.

 

Apply in person to Baz

A cold; the only thing you can give away and still keep

[laurenceb]

Good morning all

 

Have been away for a few days - I woke on Wednesday with horrendous stomach pains/contractions and was told to go to the Western. They decided to keep me in, put me on NBM with a drip and waited. Took X-rays and had my planned CT scan on Friday. Pain had subsided by Friday, and they let me start on small portions of puréed food on Saturday lunchtime. Allowed home yesterday teatime. Apparently I have a looped bowel, which is 'quite common' after the type of stomach surgery I've had.

 

So I have to change my diet to smaller portions and am having 'sloppy' food at the mo.

 

Stomach pain like that is just debilitating. Glad it's eased off.

 

CT results this Thursday.

 

It's a lovely sunny and bright day here this morning, but chilly. Hope your days are light and bright.

 

Mal

Fingers & thumbs crossed Mal

 

Greetings all.

 

I have a bad back which meant sleep was broken last night. It was very difficult getting dressed this morning. However, this is nothing compared to the news that John has had to break to us and to Mal's hospital trip. Best wishes to them and to others in distress or missing

 

The weekend was relatively full; our car lease is coming to the stage where we make a balloon payment or give it back so we spent most of Saturday afternoon doing that.

 

Younger Lurker finally wrote a Christmas list - he's not very good at coming up with anything, lack of imagination being an effect of his ASD. So we were pleased. Then we read it:

 

" Dear Father Christmas,

 

for Christmas I would like

 

A Surprise...."

Sensible young man!

[AndrewC]

Greetings all.

 

I have a bad back which meant sleep was broken last night. It was very difficult getting dressed this morning. However, this is nothing compared to the news that John has had to break to us and to Mal's hospital trip. Best wishes to them and to others in distress or missing

 

The weekend was relatively full; our car lease is coming to the stage where we make a balloon payment or give it back so we spent most of Saturday afternoon doing that.

 

Younger Lurker finally wrote a Christmas list - he's not very good at coming up with anything, lack of imagination being an effect of his ASD. So we were pleased. Then we read it:

 

" Dear Father Christmas,

 

for Christmas I would like

 

A Surprise...."

A Brussels sprout tree it is. 

[Ian Abel]

John,

  Joining others in expressing my sorrow at hearing about Sandy. Our thoughts are with you...