Guius

British and French Men-of-War as long ago as the 18th c were fitted with lightening protection, the French included a loop at the top which under modern testing has proved to be more efficient than the straight ended variety. So by extension it's fair to say the benefits of fitting lightening conductors would be understood and be common place in architecture at this time. Best Guy

Doesn't he now own the late Rev Teddy Boston's 0-4-0ST 'Teddy' ? Best Guy

You do the NW of England a dis service Sir, get past Preston on the M6 and look toward the fells of the Lake District (clearly visible two or three times a year when there's a gap in the rain clouds) for some of the finest views this country has to offer. July is the monsoon season of course, so be prepared to put up with a little dampness on the odd occasion. August can also be a little wet. As can September. But on the plus side, a yard of rainfall per annum does make the place very green. Best Guy

Vaguely remember a TV documentary about this enterprise, from memory he was producing light oil products. Think he started off in Scotland but went bust. Best Guy

You could all ways make a jig to reproduce the handles, easily done out of brass plate/rod. Would ensure uniformity and once you've made up the jig quite quick and simple to batch produce. Best Guy

Foxfield Railway got a good write up in 'Heritage Railway' last month Nigel, Best Guy

As with suicide bombers, I think some, mostly young people 'don't get' the finality of death. I'm sure these tragic individuals have a notion of sitting on a cloud whilst perusing their Face Book accounts soaking up the approval of their peers. Best Guy

Very strong opinion opinions there on the nature of our socio-economic woes in post industrial Britain. The "feral" untermensch class you describe are just people, I'll expand a little if I may, but for the intervening years these are exactly the people who fought and died for our freedom in two World Wars. Further back still these are the self same people who where worked into early graves in appalling conditions to create the first industrial economy in the world. The people you are so quick to denigrate are a product of our society and they to be found in greater or lesser numbers in all countries.Quiet frankly the idea that you could "entirely predict" the course of an individuals life events at an early age is laughable in its pomposity. At any given gathering of City bankers, brokers, traders, lawyers etc. I would suggest you'll find the same proportion of drug users and criminals as in your "underclass" just better dressed. Guy

The bottom just dropped out of the market. Guy

It's been my experience with fire doors in industry, though not to the point of vandalism, that having the 'bother' of opening several fire doors against the force of automatic closing devices many times a day in the normal course of moving around a given area results in in fire doors being wedged or propped open. With irony verging on cynicism, 9 times out of 10 propped open by a fire extinguisher! Best Guy

Can I ask what you use the tin of WD40 for in the kitchen? I suppose you could add it to Bubble and Squeak but then it would just be..... Best Guy

It seems very odd to remove fire doors I agree, I think it's simply a cost cutting exercise - if the fire door isn't there it doesn't cost anything to maintain it. My local council removed security gates fitted to the back ginnels of some terraced streets (made and fitted at not inconsiderable cost) in order to save the relatively small cost of ongoing maintenance. Baths and babies come to mind. Guy

I don't think fire doors would have made much difference in the Grenfell Tower conflagration anyway. Guy

I've been in your situation more than once mate, I've walked away from good jobs in the past, the same as you have just done, my emotions took a sine wave like career. First the up-swell of elation for a while, full of new possibilities then down to awful realisation of what I'd done and left behind, passing 0 and into the negative half of the cycle at this point. After acceptance of the situation and though in the cold light of day I passed 0 again and into the positive half cycle (my take some time this bit) reaching roughly where I was prior to my decision to walk. I had to 'cut my cloth' a little tighter but the benefits of not having to go to a job that I resented profoundly along side people who's attitude towards others I found irreconcilable where many, and I have not regretted my actions for a moment in later life. My sincere best wishes to you, and I have confidence you will be a happier and healthier individual if a little poorer. Though you are a little young for a mid life crisis. You'll be joining us in the Gauge O Guild next ! Best Wishes Guy

Yes, use it up in the concrete. I've used out of date stuff in the past, wishing for the best only to regret my parsimony later. Once bitten twice shy on this one. Best Guy

Should have gone to Specsavers... Best guy

Rolling 24h news has the effect of focusing our attention onto one dominant topic, sometimes I think this gives a false impression, attributing far more gravity or seriousness to a news item than is proportionate. I don't want to down play tragedy of the last few months happenings in any way, but in comparison with world events our little corner is blessed indeed. Regards Guy

I can tell you what it wasn't---- Beethoven's 9th Guy

The usual routine is to delay a public enquiry as long as possible and once started continue to hear evidence for a couple more years until those responsible have had time to cover their tracks or retire. The shredding machines in Kensington Town Hall will require their own sprinkler system to cool them down after constant use over the last week I suspect. A very similar incident happened in Barrow-in-Furness some years ago, on that that occasion it was an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in a civic amenity centre caused by neglect regarding the maintenance of the air con system (failure to dose the coolant). Tracks, once suitably covered, the main focus of the local executive was to selecting a suitable scape goat. While the death toll was less than Grenfell Tower I fear the same 'survival instinct' will protect those who's decisions lead to this catastrophe. Guy

Looks like it's coming together nicely John, thanks for the photos. The only other thing I'd add to the soldering 'dos' is make sure everything is cleaned well prior to applying the iron. Also after to get rid of the remnants of potentially corrosive flux Best Guy

Just watched Windy on the larrup, spot on. I couldn't even start to imagine consternation this would cause if it was ever shown to children again. So I can now claim my own drinking habits were caused as a result BBC indoctrination at a impressionable age and thus failing in their duty of care. I can feel a claim coming on. Best Guy

We also have responsibilities to others in society, if we fail to care for those who, for one reason or another find them selves at 'the bottom of the heap' we become uncivilised. I fear we are a few foot steps down that particular path at the moment. Guy

Thanks for that info. Still amazes me that I've got to mid 50's and still not seen such a lot of this genre of film. BTW it is 'grim up north' (that's the myth we pedal to keep the place to our selves). Best Guy

It seems strange to me that allot of people are quite willing to put on Facebook all manner of personal data quite freely, yet baulk at the idea of ID cards. We accept our whereabouts being filmed and recorded by CCT at almost every juncture as 'just one of those things', yet carrying proof of identity is thought to be intrusive. I've never heard a cogent, reasoned argument against its inception, yet there's still such resistance to the notion, even when viewed against the current terrorist atrocities. Guy

Nice work Dave, you've certainly got cracked on with this part of your project.