Early Risers.

[cravensdmufan]

5 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

However at Paddington, obviously a place of greater importance and with a long history and GWR culture to maintain, 

Your comment just brought back a lovely memory for me.

 

In 1982 I was accommodated into a post on BR(W) at Paddington RHQ having been "displaced" from my position at British Transport Hotels due to privatisation.

 

I was warmly welcomed, and I clearly remember being shown around.  One of the things I thought absolutely wonderful was the GWR regalia, including locomotive nameplates, along the corridor above Platform 1 and in the boardroom.  I thought it was fascinating.  And there was I previously thinking nothing could beat the ambience of my previous location, St Pancras Chambers.

 

Very happy days indeed.

[tetsudofan]

4 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

In for a penny....

 

 

 

Neil,

At least you've got those black and red things out, nothing moving here as bridge replacement activity is taking place:

 

 

The original base was made of marine ply (which cost a mint) but has lasted for at least 12 years but has now delaminated and needs replacement:

 

 

Luckily its not going to cost me anything to make the replacements as at the time I bought the original marine ply I had to buy the entire sheet so next job is to cut out the new bases:

 

 

On the lookout now for some flexible waterproof stuff that I can wrap round the bases and nail them underneath to prolong their life - as the retired bases have lasted for at least 12 years the new ones should see me out..…...

 

Keith

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Went down to smiffs just after lunch to find them shut. Apparently someone decided instead of closing at four as last week they closed at 2.30, about 20 minutes before the time I got there. 

Time for a mug of tea, be back later.

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, AndrewC said:

Daktari: thanks for the pulled pork recipe....

My pleasure, and thank you for the promotion to Lion/Wildlife expert. Much as I admire (from a safe distance) the big cats, I am very much aware of their power... and their attitude: think p1ssed-off moggie writ a million times larger...

3 hours ago, polybear said:

....As they say, the only thing worse than no test is an unreliable test.

 

The best indicator is to go by symptoms IMHO....

Very true, but how come Germany and Switzerland aren't having the same problems with their testing as the NHS??? (I can think of various reasons, but they would place my comments firmly in the realm of "politics"). As for relying on symptoms for a diagnosis, not the best of ideas. There are quite a number of diseases whose symptomatology overlap with COVID-19, so I think that the best approach is to treat according to the symptom profile and when you get confirmatory diagnostics, treat according to what the diagnostics tell you.

9 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

I really didn't like Hiwatt amps and though Charlie Watkins was a lovely man, WEM made better pa speakers than guitar ones, alright until you put a mic in front of them and tried to put them through a pa mixer desk, white noise was pleasant by comparison...

Which is probably why Pete, Dave and Jimmy (they sound like a bunch of mates down the pub as opposed to true guitar pioneers) had HIWATT modify their amps to meet their needs (the HIWATT 100W Amp Head that was modified according to Pete Cornish's designs for Dave Gilmour is still available from HIWATT at a cool £2,500.00 plus)

Regarding the WEM Guitar Cab I think the original cabs had celestions (but I'm probably totally wrong), the Fane speakers are, I believe, replacements

[TheQ]

Afternoon awl,  cycling to school and finding an army tracked vehicle pull out behind you from the repair depot at Ludgershall was always a bit worrying. Stalwarts were also often among them. 

 

Well today started with taking a jigsaw to a layout board a bit aggressive, but it was built exceedingly strongly.. 

Then I started using lead flashing taped to seal the broken edging of the asbestos roof to the top of the wall also the surrounds of the new window. 

 

After that I took a plane to the keel spreading board,  carving it down to a rough shape,  tomorrow more sanding.

Once done it was up on to the roof and brush off all the now dried remains.  This revealed lots of old bolt holes,  a few bolts where the rubber seal had failed and a couple of cracks.  All were sealed up with more flashing tape.  All this while manoeuvring around on a couple of scaffolding boards it took nearly 3 hours. 

 

During that post man Kev turned up bearing gifts, a MacBraynes bus,  Morris minor,  RAF landrover  plus a box of artists materials for SWMBO. 

 

I was now somewhat knackered,  so I retired to the MhRC with the modified board to find Ben the comfortable collie snoring on the Sofa.. 

 

After a Muggacoffee the modified sub board was installed on the new main board,  much yellow snow was generated in the process.   As at one end a pre- stalwart/ scorpion  vintage station will be built.. A radar station... The mountain required will need at least another 3 inches of height.  It will dominate that end of the layout  as the dish in true 2mm scale is just short of 5 inches across. 

 

 

 

[TheQ]

13 minutes ago, tetsudofan said:

 

Neil,

At least you've got those black and red things out, nothing moving here as bridge replacement activity is taking place:

 

 

The original base was made of marine ply (which cost a mint) but has lasted for at least 12 years but has now delaminated and needs replacement:

 

 

Luckily its not going to cost me anything to make the replacements as at the time I bought the original marine ply I had to buy the entire sheet so next job is to cut out the new bases:

 

 

On the lookout now for some flexible waterproof stuff that I can wrap round the bases and nail them underneath to prolong their life - as the retired bases have lasted for at least 12 years the new ones should see me out..…...

 

Keith

Roofing felt comes pre gritted which looks good, or epdm aka pond liner.. 

[southern42]

' afternoon all.

 

 

Bike ride-on-the-spot accomplished with the intention of completing some m*d*ll*ing.

But, oh, it was so nice out there I did some G word stuff instead - I shall post something on the thread, anyway!

Essentially, some watering of plants in pots and transferring two into the garden.  One was an orange diy store reject from last year.  It was doing amazingly well with all the rain we have had but it is was in one of those light as a feather pots and dried out in the last few days despite watering.  I don't even know what it is!  Yet, anyway.  It came with no label.

 

Wishing you all a Happy Easter.

 

Best wishes

Polly

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by southern42

[pH]

4 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

 

There are a couple of armoured vehicles in a lockup about 200 yards from work.

 

View from Google streetmap in 2009 - they are still there!  (Much higher view than my car)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.0659249,-2.280971,3a,75y,326.39h,78.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s012dzu5B6O58EhgRS7d-VA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

 

 

2 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Thats got me thinking - here is the one we saw yesterday on street view

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2353899,-0.1740233,3a,32.5y,3.68h,96.13t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sMIkdl6qyHp_-ogIFlm4eew!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DMIkdl6qyHp_-ogIFlm4eew%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D51.36289%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

 

 

 

Helston: https://maps.app.goo.gl/eP8qGF7GzLLMzc5v8  The selection changes regularly.

 

As an aside - I love the street name! 

[AndyID]

Some encouraging news from California and New York. Hospital admissions of lurgi patients are well down. It would seem the distancing efforts are having an effect.

[Ozexpatriate]

12 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Not only that, it’s also far too sensationalistic. Things like 5 die in the sleepy village of Little Modelling as opposed to the less headline grabbing 195 of the 200 infected people of Little Modelling recover!

In the US, accurately reporting what is happening in New York City, New Orleans or Detroit is terrifying without being sensationalistic. Hospitals are way over capacity and patients are being housed in large conference centres and even in New York, the Episcopalian (what in other places would be Anglican) "Gothic" cathedral of St. John the Divine. The rector made an interview comment that to use a place of spiritual healing for physical healing was fit and proper.

 

My issue is with the wall-to-wall coverage. In addition to the normally scheduled news, networks have "What you need to know about COVID-19" shows - at least one of which is daily, and they (certainly at one point) have been broadcasting White House briefings (aka election rally proxies) which can easily last two hours.

[Ian Abel]

Afternoon all...

 

Yesterday, Jemma stopped by to collect Whitney, safe distance of course, and also exchange various items, including comestibles.

Great happy hour last evening once we got Zoom sorted - minor technical issue required the consumption of an additional glass of wine to correct

 

Today a lovely 2.5mile walk with the Mrs., we only saw about 10 people and 3 cars, and it was incredibly quiet, quite unusual, but refreshing.

Later a kerbside pickup from the liquor store to replenish vino and gin

 

That'll be "it".

 

The challenge here in the US, is the "federal" vs. "states" situation. If we didn't have the state autonomy the entire place could shut down under the same standards and maybe make more of a difference. Without that, some places, as noted by others "over here", choose stupid options or even NO options at all, so as well as some places are doing it doesn't prevent the arse-badgers from moving around freely and taking whatever they have with them to give to everyone else!

 

On the weather front;

Lovely day here 14 mostly sunny - THEN --> WINTER STORM WATCH from 7AM Sunday, heavy snow possible, accumulations of 5-9 inches in some areas, maybe 2-4 here, and wind gusts to 35mph!!

Overnight low zero and a high tomorrow of maybe +2!

We're supposed to expect plowable heavy snow much of tomorrow 

 

Happy Easter

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Another glorious day, if it was a normal Easter it would be snowing of course.

 

Garden works today, not railway.  Keith, I found rough sawn timber lasted longer than marine ply on the railway!  WBP ply lasted minutes.

 

More cooking on the wood burner, chicken this time, then had my ears lowered by Mrs NHN to No. 2 position, aka summer length.  Debs was shooting that scary bow in the garden again, having arranged a safe catch-net thing to catch any misses - not that she does miss. Ever.  This is about practicing technique apparently as obviously there is little range available.

 

 

I don't know anything about geetar amps, but hifi a little.  My deeply loved and rather expensive Musical Fidelity amp died last year, irreparable as the components are either unmarked (deliberately presumably) or unavailable, as well as being apparently very difficult to set up afterwards - so it went in the bin but it had served well for the best part of 30 years.  The Denon replacement is very crisp sounding but just not the same - but it cost about a quarter of the price to be fair to it.  A used Mission Cyrus 2 amp passed in between also, an odd sound, pin crisp but souless to me, too cold sounding. I too have an Arcam CD player, Stuart, and a Thorens deck, and Acoustic Energy floorstander loudspeakers.  My musical tastes range from pipe organ to Floyd via ELP, but no C&W please!    When the world settles and if I still have an income then a better amp will be on the cards.

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, AndyID said:

... both California and Washington seem happy to export the virus to Idaho while Idaho is too complacent or too afraid of certain factions to do anything about it.

 

The "stay at home" orders seem to be a complete joke. Our son in Tacoma is out of a job and asked that we bring him back here. We wanted to do that but decided it would breach the current orders if we did. Meanwhile so many are simply ignoring the orders, presumably because they think they know better.

Disappearing from a 'hot spot' like Washington or California to retreat to a second home with lower infection rates in say Idaho, is of course the kind of gratuitous selfishness one can expect from the wealthy who believe there are two sets of societal rules.

 

Academically, it presents a potential transmission vector into the community with the second homes. On the other hand if, once they retreat to their second home, they obey the distancing and stay at home guidelines, there *should* not be much impact. Of course, such academics are irrelevant to a family that suffers due to even a single, preventable outlier.

 

Early in the pandemic CNN was reporting stories of the very wealthy renting out entire resorts.

 

The following is unscientifically sourced recent data. I present it with the caveat that there are a couple of mixed sources and I haven't rigorously double checked it all, but orders of magnitude *should* be OK. (I found two mistakes already.)

 

Clearly there are differences across the US. Geography, density and the official response to the crisis all factor.

 

Reported speculation is that NY was seeded largely by cases travelling from Europe before people realized what was happening.

 

(Forum software automagically produced a .png of the pasted spreadsheet data. That's nice!)

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by Ozexpatriate
Fixed US population, death rate

[tigerburnie]

When I retired I upgraded most of my hi-fi, I'd had Technics for years and I still have their turntable and tape deck, but I bought a Marantz cd player, Rotel amp and Polk speakers, sounds a hotch potch set up, but the sounds are impressive.

[New Haven Neil]

Second covid death reported on Fraggle Rock, retired police Sergeant Richie Lloyd.  RIP Richie, one of the good ones, and was the FR Judo coach for the commonwealth games.

[JohnDMJ]

 

 

37 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Evening.

 

I don't know anything about geetar amps, but hifi a little.  My deeply loved and rather expensive Musical Fidelity amp died last year, irreparable as the components are either unmarked (deliberately presumably) or unavailable, as well as being apparently very difficult to set up afterwards - so it went in the bin but it had served well for the best part of 30 years.

 

Since moving to my current location, I have yet to resurrect my Music Fidelity PreAmp (customised!) and the ERA509 power amps!

 

<rant> I have just watched another in the series of 'Abandoned Engineering' and continue to be frustrated by the 'engineers' (and by this, I include not only Rob Bell but also Fred Dibnah) who have no idea as to the pronunciation of a major Engineering device. I refer to the Caisson which even Isambard Kingdom Brunel would have called a Kassoon. Even the Falkirk Wheel has two <kassoons>!</rant>

Edited April 11, 2020 by JohnDMJ

[PeterBB]

We have achieved quite a lot in the garden ... had some very satisfying iPad contact with family and will be 'sharing our Easter Sunday dinner tomorrow.

 

Most of the last few pages on guitars have been way beyond me - as too are most of the groups although I have heard of some of the names.  School wise Tubby Haynes was way before me and one of the later Shadows - John Rostill was in the same year and same house as me.  Me, play, or perhaps played at, brass with two practices a week for many years and did not listen to much 'pop' during my teens and twenties because I could never pick up the words and still can't.  The reason was eventually sorted, a hearing problem - not noticed because I could hear what I thought was 'normal'.  The first record purchased was the Halleljah Chorus from the Messiah and have sung the latter as part of the chorus.  Still enjoy both.  For some reason I do like Dire Straits, Abba from the days of Waterloo and have a collection of Buddy Holly records of which 'Peggy Sue' is my favourite.

 

If things were different we would have been racing around in preparation for our open weekend but life is as it is and this site has definitely keep me indoors with so many response to go through so , thank you guys.

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

would the speeder have been 'awarded' points on his license as well as the fine, is it the same system we have over here in Blighty...?

He might have had his license suspended for 90 days. We don't have the same points system.

 

The reporter detailed the following in the story I linked:

1-10 MPH over - $110
11-20 MPH over - $160
21-30 MPH over- $265
31+ MPH - $435
100+ MPH - $1,150 (+ potential license suspension of 90 days)

 

These would only apply in Oregon.

 

The ticket is essentially a summons. One can plead guilty, no contest, or not guilty in writing. Fines are payable (often have to be done in person) to the relevant jurisdiction. This violation was cited by Washington County Sheriffs, so fines would be paid to the county. Had it been ticketed by a local city police officer, fines would be paid to that city. Either way, if it went to trial, this would be at the County court house.

[New Haven Neil]

Didn't know about Cassoons, John.  I consider myself edumocacated.

 

It was an A1 by the way (good for toast....class A), I also had a B1 which I actually preferred, but it was a bit low on power for big speakers.  I still have the T1 tuner, which has had a power supply rebuild, it lives in the garage/den.

[Ozexpatriate]

5 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

a big Shure mic

I visited Shure Brothers in Chicago on a sales call once. Fascinating place - not posh digs at all. I didn't really get to know anyone there - they didn't buy anything.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, JohnDMJ said:

I refer to the Caisson which even Isambard Kingdom Brunel would have called a Kassoon. Even the Falkirk Wheel has two <kassoons>!

Much as I regard IKB in high esteem, there is nothing wrong with pronouncing a word of French origin in a similar way that the French might have pronounced it. Poor Anglicisations do not need to be perpetuated. (Claret, fillet (as fill-ette) etc, come to mind.)

 

In our global world, 'kay-sonn' is the generally accepted pronunciation elsewhere in engineering professions.

 

(late 17th century: from French, literally ‘large chest’, from Italian cassone, the spelling having been altered in French by association with caisse ‘case’.)

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, southern42 said:

Wishing you all a Happy Easter.

Happy Easter to you Polly and to all who celebrate the day.

Edited April 11, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[Gwiwer]

Evening all,

 

Another day of largely sitting in the sun in the garden reading and listening to music.  This time it was Billie Holiday.  Not too many people about other than the queue at the Thai restaurant tonight which was about ten customers long plus as many Deliveroo / Just Eat riders awaiting their next tasks.  

 

Two deliveries of note arrived.  A fruit and veg box from one of the catering suppliers-turned-retailer which includes a goodly supply of staples such as potatoes, courgettes, onions, apples, pears, oranges and tomatoes plus a bag of salad leaves and another of mixed herbs.  And the Ocado delivery which was secured recently at short notice and which arrived complete except for the non-essential guacamole.  That now allows us to enjoy sourdough toast with tomorrow's breakfast plus some small chocolate eggs for Later Ron and a chocolate bunny each. 

 

A further delivery of fruit, veg and fresh meat from another hotel / catering supplier is expected next Friday which, together with a few top-up purchases such as milk from the corner shop, should see us right until the end of the month.  

 

The Horse Chestnuts are coming into full leaf and flower which looks spectacular and is triggering the seasonal sneezing affliction.  I'm only mildly allergic to tree pollen with the exception of London Planes (highly allergic) but grass pollens are another matter.  It will be interesting to see whether the symptoms are as severe this year as normal given the significant reduction in atmospheric pollution we are now enjoying.  

 

Our Silver Wedding trip to Italy is well and truly off.  Not due until October but I have let it be known that there is no way I shall be visiting that country this year and SWMBO has reluctantly agreed.  I happened to check availability at our friend's farm holiday cottages near Pendeen, Cornwall, and found our favourite property is available for the week in question.  It isn't any more    I booked immediately and we now cross fingers that things have returned sufficiently to normality by then for us to get away and enjoy the time.  It's not as far to travel and means we can manage the Friday changeover they operate.  Plus I speak the language!  

 

On that note it is time to throw the Gwiwer into the bed.  Sleep well - or as well as you can.  

 

[newbryford]

One of Covid routines is to now atay over at wife's work on a couple of nights per week, whilst it is operating with virtually zero staff and zero guests.

It has also been decreed that the grass still needs cutting there. 

 

Quite proud of my efforts yesterday.

 

 

Reward was this nicely cooked medium steak, without any rabbit food.

 

 

Have a Happy Easter folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

[tigerburnie]

Well another nice enough day, bright, dry and breezy but not too cold, there's still snow on the hills to quite a low level, so still dodgy planting stuff out in the garden or even taking things like tomatoes out of the double glazed conservatory and into the greenhouse, SWMBO is being very understanding, there's plants everywhere.

We had a nice bike ride, this time towards the coast and south a bit, 8 miles on single track roads and only one vehicle and two  other cyclist encountered and all at a safe distance, ordered some more plants for the pond, hope the postie doesn't mind, he's been on 2 weeks self isolation after his wife was unwell, he's no idea if it was Covid or not as neither have been tested. Stay safe all.

G'night.