Early Risers.

[Sidecar Racer]

5 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 Further to the video above about Betchworth if you open it on the

Youtube site there is a lot more info on the site with dates and more detail.

 

 

 Sorry but I've been at it again , found an OS map of about 1950 that shows a very extensive

internal rail system . I thought remembered reading about it on one of the info sheets , when

the map opens go to the left side and middle and zoon in to get the detail .

   

A link to the map here .     https://maps.nls.uk/view/101725352

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, Sidecar Racer said:

... found an OS map of about 1950 that shows a very extensive internal rail system

At some point last night I did a cursory internet search that provided more information on the industrial railway than on the kiln. I had surmised that the brick monolith was a lime kiln of some description at that point.

 

I think it was this link (Brockham rather than Betchworth) which intriguingly lists:

Quote

... a stationary steam winding engine operating a standard gauge rail link to the South Eastern Railway

I take that to be this little branchy bit (from your linked map):

 

Which is interestingly incongruous with photographs of locomotives.

 

There's a "lime burning" page but no pictures of kilns.

 

Thanks to everyone who dug into this curiosity.

 

 

Edited March 27 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

7 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

More news on the Baltimore bridge disaster. Apparently the ship sent out a Mayday call four minutes before the collision stating that they were out of control due to engine failure.

Vessel: Dali (Singapore owned) chartered by Maersk.

Quote

Dali is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk.

 

Obviously it is important to wait until this is investigated. (NTSB owns the investigation. USCG the rescue/recovery.)

 

CNN (link is here temporary) provided a superimposition of vessel locations (Automatic Identification System / AIS) in the harbour/channel for the last 90 days of 2023 with (an impression of) the Dali's course.

 

Perhaps @jjb1970 can illuminate. Do these things have bow thrusters?  Not that it matters - if reports of "total power failure" are accurate. Vessel was under control of harbour pilots - pilot ordered rudder hard to port and (an) anchor dropped.

Quote

“Just minutes before the bridge, there was a total blackout on the ship, meaning that the ship lost engine power and electrical power, it was a complete blackout,” Diamond told CNN.

...

The pilot quickly gave a string of orders, calling for a hard rudder to port — as far left as possible — and for the anchor to be dropped.

Additionally, Diamond said, the pilot was the one who contacted the pilot dispatch office to shut down traffic to the bridge. 

 

I had been wondering if there had been the opportunity to drop a stern anchor and use maximum thrust on bow thrusters to avoid allision - but presuming a total power failure as reported this would not have helped at all, irrespective of the massive momentum of these things. The investigation will reveal the details.

 

Edited March 27 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

Haven't heard from @monkeysarefun today, but the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster has echoes the bulk carrier Lake Illawarra and the Tasman Bridge over the Derwent River in Hobart (which has posted before) from 1975, where five motorists and seven crew died, though this was a navigation* failure.

 

* Inattention and failure to handle a vessel in a seamanlike manner

 

Edited March 27 by Ozexpatriate

[BR60103]

Dayle is trying to figure out if we took the motorhome over the Key bridge once. We drove from New York to Florida.  We probably tried to avoid long bridges, but she thinks we had a view of Baltimore.

The routes are either through the city or a 24 km diameter ring road. (avoiding the bridge takes you more than 3/4 the way around.)  This would shortly have been followed by trying to avoid the Washington ring road.

 

[jjb1970]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Vessel: Dali (Singapore owned) chartered by Maersk.

 

Obviously it is important to wait until this is investigated. (NTSB owns the investigation. USCG the rescue/recovery.)

 

CNN (link is here temporary) provided a superimposition of vessel locations (Automatic Identification System / AIS) in the harbour/channel for the last 90 days of 2023 with (an impression of) the Dali's course.

 

Perhaps @jjb1970 can illuminate. Do these things have bow thrusters?  Not that it matters - if reports of "total power failure" are accurate. Vessel was under control of harbour pilots - pilot ordered rudder hard to port and (an) anchor dropped.

 

I had been wondering if there had been the opportunity to drop a stern anchor and use maximum thrust on bow thrusters to avoid allision - but presuming a total power failure as reported this would not have helped at all, irrespective of the massive momentum of these things. The investigation will reveal the details.

 

 

I don't know anything about this particular ship, but looking at the size and configuration (it's quite a big one) it is almost certainly single screw with bow thruster(s). Highly unlikely to have a stern anchor, only lakers or ships built to go into the great lakes tend to have stern anchors and I have never seen a large container ship fitted with one. Given it's owned by a tonnage provider it'll be a standard yard design so it's most likely one of a series.

 

At the moment it looks like the proximate cause was blackout, which could be for any number of reasons but it'd be interesting to know how many generators were running prior to losing power. If you lose electrical power you lose the main engine, thrusters etc but can still drop anchor. However the anchor won't do much within the time available when the ship is underway.

 

The ship is owned by Grace Ocean, managed by Synergy (who will be the company under the ISM Code) and chartered by Maersk. Maersk will probably be namechecked a lot as they are the only one people might have heard of but really they will have nothing to do with the ship other than being the commercial operator. The company on the ISM documentation is legally responsible for safety management and technical operation. 

[jjb1970]

16 hours ago, Flanged Wheel said:

I am intrigued as to the justification given, if any, for people being stopped from using DSLR cameras on stations. Have I missed a rule/culture change or have you simply been unlucky?

 

This is also an issue at airports. Singapore defines airports as protected places so photography is forbidden (including from outside into the airport). It's not practical to enforce it on smartphones but they do take it seriously with respect to interchangeable lens cameras. Seoul Incheon prohibits use of DSLR cameras but not smartphones. However,  perhaps contrary to what might be expected,  I have never had a problem in China. I generally ask first and have always been told to go ahead (given how closely airports in China are monitored it wouldn't take long to be told if they weren't happy).

 

I  see no point to it as modern smartphone cameras are superb and if used within their limits produce images equivalent to a decent DSLR. I have a Samsung S23 Ultra which has a 230mm full frame equivalent optical telephoto lens which is genuine good reach. The 230mm is not as good as my big camera but the ultra wide, wide, standard and short tele lens performance is superb and in reasonable light as good as my other camera unless cropping or pixel peeping.

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Haven't heard from @monkeysarefun today, but the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster has echoes the bulk carrier Lake Illawarra and the Tasman Bridge over the Derwent River in Hobart (which has posted before) from 1975, where five motorists and seven crew died, though this was a navigation* failure.

 

* Inattention and failure to handle a vessel in a seamanlike manner

 

 

I wasn't going to mention it for fear of it being seen as a  "Thats not a bridge disaster, THIS is a bridge disaster!" situation, but it's worth a mention if only to reflect on two of the luckiest motorists alive.

 

 

The bridge section collapsed at night time and   it was not apparent to those driving up to it that there was anything wrong - the driver in the Monaro only hit the brakes because his wife beside him screamed out when she saw the tail lights of a car ahead just vanish. The bloke driving the FB wagon  stopped in time but a few seconds later a car behind ran into him and almost knocked him over the edge.

 

Edited March 27 by monkeysarefun

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a damp Charente.  Beth had her bloods taken yesterday and got the results by email last night.  The car got taken for it's service. Then we got to the podiatrist aka podologue.  That went OK.  Her friend took her to the hairdressers and I had a quiet afternoon.  Today herself is going mosaicing while I go shopping.  All being well the car will be dropped off after lunch.  Not a lot else to report. 

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Strange sort of day yesterday. A defective fuse holder was fettled,  various bits of wire were strangled (somebof which did actually then work as a circuit) and bits of plastic were glued together using a butanone.

 

A deployment of the shark will take place shortly, then some emails to send after which.. Time for a jaunt out in Beast.

 

Stay safe!

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

4 hours sleep, 1 hours sleep, 2 hours sleep.

Ben the unhappy Collie, got up this morning, but when I offered him his morning head polish he turned away and laid down again. Then when we'd gone a few feet outside, he turned and ran back to the house. It took a lot of persuasion to get him to do just half his normal patrol.. he's gone back to bed now.

 

Plans for today... 

MRC accounts, it's almost the end of the financial year.

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a very damp rock, persisting down, 5c and yeuch - a technical term used by meteorologists.

 

As JJB has said, it will be interesting to find how how the accident vessel's engineroom stand-by was being handled in terms of generators on line, were they taking a gamble with a failure that left them with only one? - there's a LOT of pressure on container vessel officers to depart on time, regardless of what 'the office' see as minor issues and the law and sensible engineer officers see as a disaster waiting to happen.  Seen it..... MV Dart Atlantic #cough#. 

 

Hell we once moved a general cargo vessel down river on a quayside by warping (using ropes and winches) with the main engine dismantled - the pilot thought we were on telegraphs ready to start if needed. No, it wasn't my responsibility I was too junior!  Well known alcoholic Captain.....he over-rode the Chief Engineer's 'advice'.  Oh what a  (verbal) scrap that turned out to be. There were repercussions, as you may imagine.  Long time ago now, but my point is risks are taken, even by 'reputable' companies.

 

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The sun is shining and the skies are blue, but according to the weather forecast app, it should be raining! Not a lot going to get done today, as we’re out to meet up with my cousin and his wife for dinner. Well, to be honest he’s my mother’s cousin, so that makes him my first cousin once removed, however I’m his second cousin! His father was my grandfather’s brother, but we always called him uncle, I remember him very well. But as he’s only 6 months older than me, he’s feels more my cousin really. We’re meeting up at a pub in Stretton, which is about halfway between their house and ours. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian

Edited March 27 by BSW01

[PupCam]

Morning

 

Some time was spent yesterday morning wire brushing the old paint off of the second RD silencer.     Tough moving it to start with but made easier of course when frustration sets in and you press much harder with the rotary brush!    Once that was done the said item was mounted vertically on a suitable wooden pole mounted in the workmate.   Thoroughly heated with my monster blow torch (a relatively new acquisition to aid bigger silver soldering jobs and "persuading" rusty, corroded together objects that they really do want to come apart) until it was too hot to touch, the first coat of VHT black was applied.   This of course dried off immediately due to the elevated temperature  which enabled more coats to be put on as a continuous process.      Once done and touch dry the trusty old Black and Decker hot air gun (circa 1984 according to the label) was used to blow hot air through it to accelerate the curing.     Later that same morning it was back on the bike looking very smart  😀

 

The monthly meds run down to the GPs was planned for the afternoon.     It would have been rude not to try out the RD with it's new rear brake shoes and restored silencers.  I don't like to be rude 🤣

 

It might get another thrash today while the weather holds as I was planning to take a run over to see a former work colleague this morning but I'm still waiting to hear if it's convenient.   Otherwise it might be weather vane refurbishment or I might have a go at screwcutting a  1" - 32tpi UN female screw thread to make a mounting for a C mount video zoom lens that's a potential candidate for the telecine machine.

 

Just to echo @Barry O previous sentiments about missing ERs.    There seems to be quite a few at the moment and I hope all is well with them 🤞

 

TTFN

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27 by PupCam

[jjb1970]

One of the problems with modern shipping is pressure to reduce emissions is leading to all sorts of undesirable consequences. Downsizing engines has resulted in many ships which are fine at cruising speed but engines with chronically deficient torque when accelerating and manoeuvring (taking over a minute to get through the barred speed range) and which are awful to handle. A large cruise company nearly rammed a very famous bridge going into port on a single generator because it looked good in an environmental management plan. Alas when people highlight such designs and operational practices are a disaster waiting to happen the usual crowd dismisses it as old way thinking (do a risk assessment....) and tells us all we need to get with the program.  

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not a bad night, woke up about five and preempted bladder control and then went back to bed for a couple more hours sleep. Not sure what to do today, no shopping needs to be done and with rain predicted soon it won't be the G word.

[Grizz]

Morning All.

 

It has been a busy time recently. Track inspections, tunnel inspections, together with machine / crane controller and conductor duties have had me covering some mileage. 
Unfortunately it looks like I have managed to pop the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my right knee, climbing on and off ‘rail mounted plant and tampers’. Fudging hell it hurts. Especially after having done it I had to carry out a two mile track inspection yesterday. 
Luckily I’m off shift today but I’m back in on a ballasting turn tomorrow, with more bleedin well climbing on and off. 
 

Despite my left knee being knee capped by a rail 15 years ago in a trip and fall incident at work, I’ve luckily never really suffered with knee pain, which is unusual for a carrer railwayman on Pway. 

With this new injury I actually felt it go pop as the bottom of my leg and knee bent in and sideways. 
 

Due to my lung disease I can’t take a lot of ibuprofen and due to my safety critical job I can’t take strong pain killers whilst on shift, so my options are limited. 
 

Does anyone have any advice or has anyone had this type of injury before. It does look like I’m going to get time to visit a doctor  and it’s too late and probs not serious enough for A&E. 

 

Some kind of knee brace? 

Have a great day all.

 

ATB Grizz

I can at least rest it on Friday - Tuesday as I’m on rest shifts. 

 

[DaveF]

The rain has stopped, I have had breakfast, cleaned the kitchen and just about caught up with internet things.  In a couple of minutes (literally) I am going to the dentist to see  the the hygienist and need to make an appointment for a check up.

 

After that It will depend on the wether but I still feel tired, though less so than yesterday.

 

David

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, Grizz said:

Some kind of knee brace? 

When I fell over in the French Alps last year, sprained everything from the knee down on my left leg. I managed to find various supports and straps that helped, and for me, paracetamol worked nicely. However it wasn’t a knee joint just ankle. Something made a horrible noise as I went over!

Edited March 27 by Tony_S

[iL Dottore]

@New Haven Neil made some interesting references to risk and taking risks, which got me thinking.

 

It seems to me that those professionals who do have a lot of the appropriate experience know when and how to take risks - because they know what to do when things go pear-shaped! 

I think that italicised part of the sentence above is critical and something quite ignored by the chair-polishers, bureaucrats and arm-chair pundits who tell the professionals to take the risks (on whatever spurious grounds the “suits” can think of).

 

Experience is, obviously, the key. Unfortunately, nowadays experience and expertise is undervalued because (I would argue) experience costs money (both in the form of higher salaries and in the form of “push back” on unrealistic [and potentially dangerous] plans).

[Tony_S]

5 minutes ago, DaveF said:

I am going to the dentist

I should have been going to the dentist this morning but cancelled as my cold/cough would make a dental check up difficult. I reckon I am ok to take Aditi to  the clinic on Canvey so she can have a biopsy done. I won’t go into the clinic though. Aditi has been given the “should not drive afterwards “ advice. 

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

because they know what to do when things go pear-shaped! 

True and also learn from that pear shaped event.

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, Grizz said:

Morning All.

 

It has been a busy time recently. Track inspections, tunnel inspections, together with machine / crane controller and conductor duties have had me covering some mileage. 
Unfortunately it looks like I have managed to pop the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my right knee, climbing on and off ‘rail mounted plant and tampers’. Fudging hell it hurts. Especially after having done it I had to carry out a two mile track inspection yesterday. 
Luckily I’m off shift today but I’m back in on a ballasting turn tomorrow, with more bleedin well climbing on and off. 
 

Despite my left knee being knee capped by a rail 15 years ago in a trip and fall incident at work, I’ve luckily never really suffered with knee pain, which is unusual for a carrer railwayman on Pway. 

With this new injury I actually felt it go pop as the bottom of my leg and knee bent in and sideways. 
 

Due to my lung disease I can’t take a lot of ibuprofen and due to my safety critical job I can’t take strong pain killers whilst on shift, so my options are limited. 
 

Does anyone have any advice or has anyone had this type of injury before. It does look like I’m going to get time to visit a doctor  and it’s too late and probs not serious enough for A&E. 

 

Some kind of knee brace? 

Have a great day all.

 

ATB Grizz

I can at least rest it on Friday - Tuesday as I’m on rest shifts. 

 

 

 

As a  veteran of knee injuries (left knee ACL  tear and tib and  fib fractures due to a car running into me on a pedestrian crossing I was selfishly using when they wanted to drive on it, then a few years later  a  right knee  injury from over-keen marathon running,)  I'd say get a referral for an MRI first thing tomorrow and go from there. 

 

 I cant speak for there but here  as a workplace related injury it'd all be covered by workers compensation insurance and your employer would  legally have to ensure you get seen and treated as a priority  due to it being work related, and would have to pick up the tab for all  medical and recuperation expenses  as well as be compelled to pay compensation  if shown to be negligent, and pay for all the time off that you need to recuperate.

 

Hopefully  its the same there because from what you've written that would be a no-brainer for a workers  compensation claim. For instance, because I got run over on my way home from work the state swung into action and I got the best of everything healthcare wise, , plus full pay for 4 months off -  and  a generous compo payout for pain and  suffering and extra  for clothing and personal items that got damaged when the car went over me. 

 

Dont let them f&*k around with you, or spend months mucking around with braces and other cr@p,  it doesnt help the pain and knee pain REALLY messes with your quality of life  -  just demand they get it sorted and send them the bill.

 

If its work related they should pay up.

Edited March 27 by monkeysarefun

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, Grizz said:

…..Unfortunately it looks like I have managed to pop the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my right knee, climbing on and off ‘rail mounted plant and tampers’. Fudging hell it hurts. Especially after having done it I had to carry out a two mile track inspection yesterday….

Does anyone have any advice or has anyone had this type of injury before. It does look like I’m going to get time to visit a doctor  and it’s too late and probs not serious enough for A&E. 

 

Some kind of knee brace? 

 

It’s been quite a while since I’ve thought about this sort of thing (so my knowledge is probably considerably out of date), but a knee brace can provide some relief - which type I could not say, but any place that specialises in providing braces and limb supports can make an appropriate recommendation. However, a recent review publication noted that “The use of knee braces remains a highly controversial topic; braces are well accepted by patients, but most biomechanical studies do not support their use. Studies have shown that functional bracing can limit anterior translation of the tibia at low loads. Furthermore, most braces have been found to decrease the reaction time of the hamstring muscles”.

 

Therefore, it is imperative that you get a proper work up of the injury ASAP to assess the extent and type of the injury - which in turn will drive the management of the injury. Whilst you may think you have an ACL injury, for the Differential Diagnosis you will also need to be assessed for the possibility of a Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Injury or a Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

 

When properly diagnosed a number of options are on the table. Whilst non-surgical management may be an adequate approach, surgical intervention may be necessary and will be one of three types: primary repair, extra-articular repair, and intra-articular repair. Whatever management route is taken, physiotherapy will be a critical and major part of your post-injury management.

 

p.s. Although the injury may be older - limitations of movement, swelling and pain are indications that you need medical intervention and if you can’t see your GP in the next day or so then a trip to A&E (or a medical centre) beckons - in which case some (believable) exaggeration of the ROM limitation, the amount of swelling and degree of pain should assist in getting you seen. 

Edited March 27 by iL Dottore
Spelling

[PhilJ W]

Fine upstanding citizens NOT!

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/two-british-traitors-fighting-vladimir-32448485