Early Risers.

[polybear]

Poo Tin descends to a new low:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68941220

 

🤬

 

....and......

 

Wotutterb'sterds:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3glddq7p37o

 

🤬

[Compound2632]

35 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I voted by post but I have seen various people getting upset on social media that they  have just noticed that the serial number of a ballot paper is recorded against your name. All kinds of conspiracy theory/ fear being suggested . I can’t believe people don’t know this happens. 

 

They may also have noticed that this is done manually, on paper, which makes it very secure against all kinds of data hacking etc.

[Tony_S]

3 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

They may also have noticed that this is done manually, on paper, which makes it very secure against all kinds of data hacking etc.

Some of the franticness today was because some local authorities had QR codes in the polling cards to save the effort of using a ruler on the printed one. The polling card isn’t actually needed but people do like a good conspiracy! 

[PhilJ W]

42 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I voted by post but I have seen various people getting upset on social media that they  have just noticed that the serial number of a ballot paper is recorded against your name. All kinds of conspiracy theory/ fear being suggested . I can’t believe people don’t know this happens. Voting is only secret when you make your mark. Every ballot can be tracked. This only happens in cases of suspected electoral fraud. The papers are kept for a year and a day in a big warehouse. 

Having worked on more polls than I care to remember I can assure anyone who has doubts the the ballot is entirely secret. The marked ballot papers are kept securely as Tony said above and then are incinerated still sealed. They can only be opened with permission of a high court judge.

[PhilJ W]

Staithes harbour, Yorkshire 1915.

[Hroth]

15 minutes ago, polybear said:

Poo Tin descends to a new low:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68941220

 

🤬

 

....and......

 

Wotutterb'sterds:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3glddq7p37o

 

🤬

 

Putin sees himself as the new Stalin, its to be expected.

 

As for the cats, I'm not a cat person, but it might be a good idea to find the b@stard(s) who thought it was a good idea and inflict the Roman punishment for parricide on them*.

 

* Naturally without the animal component...

 

[PhilJ W]

No comment necessary.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/boris-johnson-elections-polling-station-b2538777.html

[Dave Hunt]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Bonus points if you compile "Hunt The Wumpus"  ön it.

 

 

I could take exception to that Chimpy!

 

Dave

[Coombe Barton]

... those who hadn’t even started on week one (the assessment is due in ten days) and expected me to solve stuff for them. Nope, not going to happen. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/05/02/covid-sharply-up-support-and-finding-out-some-havent-started/

[The White Rabbit]

11 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

Someone needs to introduce the mighty Hokkaido cheese tart to blighty.

 

11 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

What a damn fine idea. I haven’t had one of those in many a year but my recollection is that they are yummy.

 

Dave

 

This probably came from ERs originally but it's worth repeating: https://zhangcatherine.com/hokkaido-cheese-tarts/ - saved as a bookmark, I haven't tried it yet but hope to one day soon!

 

 

Edited May 2 by The White Rabbit
afterthought - long day!

[The White Rabbit]

49 minutes ago, Hroth said:

... As for the cats, I'm not a cat person, but it might be a good idea to find the b@stard(s) who thought it was a good idea and inflict the Roman punishment for parricide on them*.

 

* Naturally without the animal component...

 

 

When it comes to animal cruelty, I find it easy to get a little vindictive. I'd like something in place to allow full reciprocity of whatever what was done to the animal(s) to be visited upon the perpetrator(s). 

[TheQ]

That cheese tart site isn't half a click bait site, pages and pages of carp before you get even to the ingredients..

And as it is, it includes loadsa sugar so that's not for me..

 

Evening Awl,

Just back from the Sailing Club where it was so nice, we had the meeting outside on the quay ..

The meeting went well, the only unfortunate thing is they'd like us by 08:00 on the Saturday, previous years it was 09:00..

 

Goodnight Awl, pint almost gone, I needed it.

 

 

 

Edited May 2 by TheQ

[Grizz]

Wotcha All….

 

Just lowering myself gently into a few single malts. A particularly delicious Bowmore,

 

Bin a hectic few weeks. Hope all well with er …..’Y’all’…..? …N….that…..😊
 

The wettest winter on record in the South East has really taken its toll on the rail network generally. Sooooo continuing track geometry issues are cropping up at an irritating regular intervals . Run off from neighbouring land has dragged ‘fines’ of soil into the track ballast making it less than free draining. Which in turn has lead to movement in the surrounding and underlying ground.

All this has been leading to bouts of localised declining track geometry and the knock on decline in general track quality / ride quality. 
 

Which is somewhat tiresome. It has to be said. As someone’s gotta fix it. Because to quote an old friend…”Unlike fine wine, it does not improve with age”.
 

However….

……gonna to be out with this kit next week. 
 

It is known locally as a ‘Noo Noo’ or more accurately a ‘Tin Bin’…or a rail vac. Except not from / with this firm. 
 

Loads of fun…..well it is for me as I won’t actually be..like …’doing it’…or anything…not the actual work n that. 

No not these days, or actually for nearly three decades…no… as these days words like shovel bring me out in a sweat.

 

Ta Da….

 

 

Just think, years ago all this digging out used to be done by hand by loads and loads of blokes…..blokes like me actually….

 

And do you know what…..B@ll@x to that. Because all that digging out of ballast by hand has done is produced premature worn out joints in generations of railwaymen. 
 

Long live “The Noo Noo”..

 

ATB Grizz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The White Rabbit]

15 minutes ago, TheQ said:

That cheese tart site isn't half a click bait site, pages and pages of carp before you get even to the ingredients....

 

Not for me but I do use an ad-blocker, so maybe I'm shielded from the worst of it. Not being familiar with the dish, I found the background/ 'asides' useful to increase my understanding but I guess they are not for everyone.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Not much fuss from Arthur Itis but the joints tend to stiffen up if I stay in the same position for too long. So I'm going to stretch my legs and then tackle Farcebook.

[Tony_S]

30 minutes ago, Grizz said:

Long live “The Noo Noo”..

Is it named after the one in Tellytubbies?

[Winslow Boy]

40 minutes ago, Grizz said:

Wotcha All….

 

Just lowering myself gently into a few single malts. A particularly delicious Bowmore,

 

Bin a hectic few weeks. Hope all well with er …..’Y’all’…..? …N….that…..😊
 

The wettest winter on record in the South East has really taken its toll on the rail network generally. Sooooo continuing track geometry issues are cropping up at an irritating regular intervals . Run off from neighbouring land has dragged ‘fines’ of soil into the track ballast making it less than free draining. Which in turn has lead to movement in the surrounding and underlying ground.

All this has been leading to bouts of localised declining track geometry and the knock on decline in general track quality / ride quality. 
 

Which is somewhat tiresome. It has to be said. As someone’s gotta fix it. Because to quote an old friend…”Unlike fine wine, it does not improve with age”.
 

However….

……gonna to be out with this kit next week. 
 

It is known locally as a ‘Noo Noo’ or more accurately a ‘Tin Bin’…or a rail vac. Except not from / with this firm. 
 

Loads of fun…..well it is for me as I won’t actually be..like …’doing it’…or anything…not the actual work n that. 

No not these days, or actually for nearly three decades…no… as these days words like shovel bring me out in a sweat.

 

Ta Da….

 

 

Just think, years ago all this digging out used to be done by hand by loads and loads of blokes…..blokes like me actually….

 

And do you know what…..B@ll@x to that. Because all that digging out of ballast by hand has done is produced premature worn out joints in generations of railwaymen. 
 

Long live “The Noo Noo”..

 

ATB Grizz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've seen a similar machine being used to remove spoil from excavations for gas pipes. This was a couple of years ago mind you and I was amazed how quick it was. Passing of time I suppose but as you say many a railway man will not suffer from worn out joints.

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, Grizz said:

However….

……gonna to be out with this kit next week. 
 

It is known locally as a ‘Noo Noo’ or more accurately a ‘Tin Bin’…or a rail vac. Except not from / with this firm. 
 

Loads of fun…..well it is for me as I won’t actually be..like …’doing it’…or anything…not the actual work n that. 

No not these days, or actually for nearly three decades…no… as these days words like shovel bring me out in a sweat.

 

Ta Da….

 

 

How close to the active trains and presumably live conductor rail were they!

 

They need more danger money!

 

Night All!

 

 

 

[Winslow Boy]

2 minutes ago, PupCam said:

 

How close to the active trains and presumably live conductor rail were they!

 

They need more danger money!

 

Night All!

 

 

 

'E & Safety my dear Puppers 'E & Safety.

 

Probably shut the entire network down.

[Sidecar Racer]

43 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Probably shut the entire network down.

 

 Nope , trains passing can  be seen .

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well I had partial success setup the new digibox recorder thingy, it works and I was able to set up recordings and play them back. What I’ve not been able to do is set up the Chromecast element of it. After about 30 minutes of trying to set it up, I gave up and made myself a muggertea, I’ll try again in the next day or so. 

 

Once my tea was made, I carried on making the buildings for my micro layout. After dinner Charlie came round and he and I then spent the afternoon in the workshop. He brought a new kit with him to make, whilst I continued working on the industrial loco for my micro layout. Today I completed the brake rigging and I was able to fit and remove the brake shoes as a complete unit. I then fitted the coupling rods and connector rods and found that they foul up when rotated. So, after a bit of head scratching, I decided to dismantle one of joints where the connecting rod meets the cross head. I then gradually reduced the size of the both parts of the joint and then re soldering it up again. It took a couple of try’s, but I eventually got one side done and working, I just need to do the other side now. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  Lots of clouds visible so it may well rain.  The boss has a doctors appointment this morning g the a quick visit to make.  

 

Ttfn. 

 

Jamie

[Grizz]

8 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

How close to the active trains and presumably live conductor rail were they!

 

They need more danger money!

 

Night All!

 

 

 

Back then they didn’t get paid anything like they should have. But things have changed.
 

We used to work with the juice on up until fairly recently. Had a tingle or two from the con rail over the years. On one memorable occasion I tripped over whilst doing switch and crossing inspection and fell across the live juice. Luckily it was a hot dry summer and my new boots and just issued new batch of hi viz overalls saved me from cooking out. I remember just laying there thinking (a) wow I’m not dead….and (b) how the fudge do I get up without earthing out. But my clothing was new and dry so I just rolled off into the Cess. 

Got a belt from a neg return bond terminal once, outside a substation, that chuffing hurt, although luckily there was only one 4 car on the section at the time. And I’ve had numerous belts off of the 150v AC high voltage track circuits in the wet. But those are low amps.  

 

Nowadays work is all done in possessions or line blocks, so apart from the actual engineering trains or other rail mounted plant and machines within those, no one is allowed to work (supposed to) with trains running and the juice on.

Not like back in the day when I was at Clapham Junction, Red Zone working, changing juice pots on live juice, kango packing joints and changing sleepers, all on live juice, where your position of safety was another road open to traffic at line speed.  Now that was fun, such an adrenaline rush…..so much so that it made most other places seem very boring. 
 

 

Edited May 3 by Grizz
Do not to