Adam88

That sort of thing got out of hand at the A&M University in Texas as what started as a simple bonfire ended up over the years as a serious bit of civil engineering. Of course one year it all went very horribly wrong.

This was in the news yesterday: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cape-cod-lobster-diver-was-swallowed-whale-and-then-spat-back-out-180977998/ of course it's not the first or even the second time something like this has happened. Jonah and the Grampus

This Zoom talk later today might be of interest to one or two folk here. Last night I attended an hour's talk on the various Manx tramways, part 2 covers the steam railways. Wednesday, July 7, 2021: The Reverend W. Awdry based his series of books on actual operating narrow gauge lines, many of which are still in seasonal service. One of these lines is the Isle of Man Railways, a part of which is still with us and still mostly steam powered. The Isle of Man Steam Railways is the crown jewel of the railways remaining on the island. This thirty minute electronic slide show includes both the current operating line and views of the now abandoned lines to Peel and Ramsey. We will then go on to view the MINOR RAILWAYS OF THE ISLE OF MAN: This short presentation explores the ‘other railways’ located on this small island include two steam powered railways that have been re-instated, one a 19 inch gauge line that served a lead mine; the other a two foot gauge line that actually goes ‘Uphill to the Sea!” Finally there are the shadows of the standard gauge trolley line that was once owned by a subsidiary of the Baltimore Transit Company. 3:00 PM eastern US time 8:00 PM London time: TYNWALD DAY, THE ISLE OF MAN STEAM RAILWAYS: and the MINOR RAILWAYS OF THE ISLE OF MAN: This timing is aimed for the United Kingdom community. To attend this Event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81561843222?pwd=TU5MbnpCakdreUwySHdhY29kQXJOdz09 Meeting ID: 815 6184 3222 Passcode: 954882 8:00 PM eastern US time 1:00 AM on July 8, 2021 London time: TYNWALD DAY and THE ISLE OF MAN STEAM RAILWAYS: The normal time for this event in the United States. To attend this Event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87959327355?pwd=dTZMOUw4US9vcVM0YnFTQVR2endaQT09 Meeting ID: 879 5932 7355 Passcode: 934312

I didn't know that super 8 film could ever be as good as this. Until the closing credits I thought it must have been 16mm. In quality it certainly beats so much UK film from the same era. Excellent content too.

Reminds me of travelling from Grinton to Richmond courtesy of Percival's many many years ago probably in something like a Bedford OB. Happy days!

I knew an old aviator who would partake of a decoction known as an RFC Special to ameliiorate any such fragility.

https://www.psbooks.co.uk/All-Aboard This book is worth looking up if you want to go a bit more into the Disney connection. It could set me going on a tangent but I'd better desist.

i wonder if there's now a bubble in the oven.

I always thought this photograph was brilliant: well exposed, good lighting and contrast, you couldn't have asked for better composition, the timing was exactly right, if you had asked the tractor driver to pose then please and look round this way, not that other way, and hang on the the steering wheel for good effect. However, the best thing about it is that it shows a man's life being saved. I remember looking for it on the internet. This led me to this article: the story behind an unbelievable photograph and a blog called Fear of Landing written by an American lady called Sylvia Wrigley. Each week she posts an aviation article, usually safety-related but not always, covering the bold, safe, stupid, lucky, unlucky, skillful, contemporary, historic, etc. I find her writing very interesting and objective.

In that case, I think that at some point you may have to go and update the famous on-line encyclopædia.

Here's a bit of a digression. A late friend of mine wrote of his experiences during the war including serving with REME in India and Burma. These extracts cover the use of Jeeps as ambulances and maintenance, converting them to run on rails and using them with multiple unbraked trailers. Fascinating insights for which I am very grateful. "We were put to work as soon as we arrived first of all designing and then modifying some jeeps for use as ambulances. They were made to carry two stretcher cases and four walking wounded. Jeeps were the only vehicles which could use the tracks through the forests and over the hilly terrain. Many of the wounded had to be carried pick-a-back as vehicles could not get too them. Much of the work done by the jeeps was in 4 wheel drive and in the low gear box, this meant that the engines soon required replacing or lots of maintenance. To get the job done as quickly as possible we ran two 12 hour shifts with no days off. Whilst we were working in Dimapur the fighting troops of the division were in combat in the area of Kohima about 25 miles further up the road. I can’t remember whether if I ever felt in danger, I suppose we were so busy and tired that we hadn’t time to worry. It was whilst we were working a night shift that there was a radio broadcast by the Commander of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, to which we now belonged having been split from RAOC some time before, exhorting members of REME to work hard etc. The broadcast was transmitted at a time in the middle of the night when our spirits are at their lowest ebb, the suggestions made by some of the men were unprintable suggesting that instead of him talking on the wireless he should get his coat off and give us a hand." ... "The railways had been badly damaged by the RAF whilst in the occupation of the Japanese, particularly the engines. There were plenty of wagons which were able to move but nothing to move them. We were given some apparatus, which had been developed by the Americans, to fix to the underside of a jeep which would enable the jeep to run on the rails. I helped to fix these circular discs to the vehicle and then went to a length of railway track where we tried the thing out. It was very successful, the tyres gave enough grip and the plates kept the tyres on the rails. We reported the successful test to the CO and next day we told to demonstrate the vehicle. As usual there were a large number of top brass came to see the demo. And they all seemed satisfied that the modified jeep could be used to move equipment, until someone suggested that we pulled some trucks. A small train of about five trucks was assembled and connected to the jeep which had no difficulty in pulling the trucks. The trouble began when the driver tried to stop. The trucks were far too heavy for jeep and pushed the jeep along tearing the plates from under the vehicle and pushing it off the track. The problem was overcome, after more trials, by having another jeep at the back of the train to act as a brake truck. We modified a number of jeeps but I can’t remember ever seeing a jeep train in use after they left our shops." ... "Our transport was mainly Jeep based with trailers for our equipment and whilst it may have been suitable for the workshop side of our lives it was a disaster for us and our personal equipment. The answer so far as the powers that be was concerned was to issue us with more trailers. When the time came for us to leave Kanchrapara and move into Calcutta, to prepare the Brigade transport for the invasion of Burma from the sea, the convoy was organised and it was found that the last three Jeeps were trying to pull four trailers each. The Jeep was strong enough to pull the trailers but when the brakes were applied the trailers tried to whiplash and the last trailer tried to overtake the towing vehicle. The drivers of these vehicles were rather unhappy at this state of affairs and made their complaints known in no uncertain terms. By the time things were sorted out and remedied it was too late to move that day and so the move into Calcutta was held over until the following day. That meant the trailers being unpacked to get what was needed for the night’s stay and then repacked the following morning. I think the experiment was a failure and we gradually got rid of most of the Jeeps by exchanging them for more suitable trucks."

That confused me twice over. I was expecting to read horology but read homology, then I was expecting a mathematical reference so was confused by the biological context. In fact one well-known fount of sometimes reliable information provides several other options for homology.

Those lumps of coal look to be broad gauge too. They're huge.

It looks as though I wasn't the only person to be tempted by Early Japanese Railways, 1853-1914 in the PostScript catalogue recently.

It is usually said that snakes are only poisonous if they are not prepared and cooked properly before being eaten.

In our family this was an accurate meteorological prediction rather than a journey in prospect. Gamps and the like would be needed.

Have we had this crime yet? https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/north-yorkshire-police-video-captures-stunning-moment-nine-people-emerge-from-boot-of-stopped-skoda-near-malton-3251663

My problem's not cutting brass, it's making it.

I think that the dome and chimney have assumed somewhat harsher profiles in recent years too. I imagine that you must be very skillful to make a dome cover or chimney flare.

Indeed.

Could use this sort of system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0hlm6-gnaM

Reminds me of an interesting conversation I had on a train once with a complete stranger. His firm had a contract to replace the paving and steps outside St Paul's. They wanted to save money by turning the steps over but found out that the Victorians had already beaten them to it. I guess that it was worth trying though.

I needed a set of new blades for mine, not Bosch, so went to buy a set. When I came to replace them I found that the ones I was replacing were double-sided and only needed turning round and so would be good for several more years at the rate I get through them. When they need replacing I will no doubt have forgotten where the new replacements have been put.

The "Go-On" Show can be heard this Tuesday (and most others too) on R4Ex.

... followed four days later by Empire Day (or Commonwealth Day in more recent times) being Queen Victoria's birthday.