melmerby

Like this: http://www.hpmuseum.org/98xx/98253ql.jpg Actually a 16bit computer without a monitor in reality! Keith

I thought we are going for a stealth aircraft carrier as well, not only will the enemy not see any aircraft, we won't even know where the carrier is! Keith

He's lucky I have a PAYG mobile and I get nuisance texts. I assume they just call numbers at random. Keith

Anybody seen these "Tube" maps which have been on sale for a while. I bought a couple a while back. Tubular Fells: http://tubularfells.com/ Pub Stops: http://www.pubstops.co.uk/#/pub-stops-range/4552975116 Keith

Time for Mod to merge the posts Methinks! Keith

Other good replies are "This is a listed building" or "we live in a conservation area" Both of which are a no-no to the usual telephone sales double glazing type firms. Keith

Another source of irritation are the text calls from claims spivs lawyers telling you that you could recieve £3750 for that accident (what accident?!!!). You had with a choice of two responses "CLAIM" to XXXXX or STOP to XXXX. Needless to say the STOP text does nothing and youcontinue to get yet more irritating texts. I even tried contacting my service provider and they said there is nothing they can do to stop them. The originating number constantly changes although the text wording is identical. Keith

Pete, I think you will finf it was quite common usage in the UK. We used in the Midlands too. The Dollar was 4 (.03) to the pound in the period 1941-48 Keith

Normally they travel in passenger train formations but as they were vacuum brake fitted one would assume they should be in the portion of the train with brakes i.e. next to the loco, if they were ever used in freight only trains. The other post http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/42986-horse-boxes/page__pid__463525#entry463525 is my question about this type of use! Keith

It's actually 86 of 93 (it says so on the certificate) Keith

It just seems odd that they should use the same diagram (N16) and number (546) as the Lima and notwithstanding the Russell pictures get it wrong, livery wise! I wasn't suggesting that it was anything other than new tooling but it gives the impression otherwise. Personally I think Hornby should have done an earlier diagram, unless there were insufficient survivors for a BR version. Keith

Not only is it a also N16, in fact in GWR livery it is the very same number 546 as Hornby have picked for one of their GWR liveried versions! To me it suggests it is meant to be a re-tool rather than a completely new model, although it doesn't look like a re-work of the Lima one. Keith

The good thing about the circuit (I'm pretty sure we're talking the same one) was it wasn't fussy on components. I built my first ones with BC147 lockfit trannies (remember them?) and 1S920 diodes on 0.1" veroboard. The later ones used BC109 or BC182 with 1N4148 diodes on a home produced PCB and the performance was identical. I remember the cogging of the XO4 as that was the motor I used to test it with. I did away with the bulb in practice and used an electro-mecahnical current cut-out instead. I believe some people reported commutator pitting in extreme circumstances but I never noticed any. Keith

Is that the one called "better control of small DC motors" or something similar? It had the option of an accelerate/decelerate control or a variable potentiometer and a feedback adjustment trim. If so I still have a couple of those lying around. If I remember correctly it was recommended to put a lamp in series with the output as overload control. It's a good circuit but I wouldn't say it gives any better control than a modern DCC chip though. Keith

As mentioned earlier in this topic there are two photos in Russells GWR Coach Appendix Vol.2 showing full face and threequarter views of No. 546 (as modelled by Hornby) in ex-works GWR condition and the painting of the preserved example does not match it as regards end colour, some of the iron work and position of roundel. Therefore the preserved example should not have been used as a guide unless Hornby are showing it in preservation! AFAIK 546 is not preserved. Keith

The problem with Tatlow's NPCS volume is that there is no N16 diagram, no N16 picture (apart from a little of 641) and the number sequence is incomplete! Not a good starting point for a reference I would have thought. Also the restored example in the link: http://www.gwsr.com/gwr-175/on-the-running-line/gwr-rolling-stock.aspx does not match the photos in Russell as regards painting detail. (GWR condition only!) Keith

I still use Office 2000 (I also have Lotus Smartsuite for Windows XP as well!) After paying out lots of dosh I don't fancy repeating the process for Microsoft's benefit every couple of years! Keith

Problem is these days the kids have all the rights but no responsibilities and some of them know that and take advantage. Even the parents of said brats defend them to the hilt even when they are clearly in the wrong. Try telling them off for wrong doing and you are likely to get abused or worse by the parent. A while back my wife and myself were about to leave a coffee shop and as we got from the table up a woman with two in tow dived in and she told the kids to sit down. We hadn't completely left the table and my wife still had a bag on the floor which one of the brats stood all over. My wife was concerned about the bag as it contained a piece of crystal glass she had just paid £275 for and instinctively shouted to the kid "don't stand on that bag" to which she instantly got a tirade of abuse from the mother who told her "How dare you tell off my child" There then followed a tirade of abuse towards me when I tried to intervene, pointing out what the child had done. The woman looked quite respectable, not from one of the sink estates so we were rather shocked by what happened. It seems the current batch of brats are completely untouchable. Keith

Hi all. Next Wednesday on BBC1 at 19:30 there is the start of a new series called "National Treasures Live" hosted by Dan Snow and Sîan Williams. One of the experts on the series is the delightful Dr Lucy Worsley. Keith

Much of the pre-amble seems to have been lifted wholesale from RCTS, with the 2-8-0 being quoted as 28xx rather than 47xx as in RCTS! Keith

The main difference between Halls & Modified Halls were the frame extension at the front, different front bogie and crankpin* on driving wheel position. Plus 3 row superheater No. 1 boilers. As long as you stay with the 'mods' you should be OK. RCTS doesn't note any substantial variations apart from a a few experiments with the early ones 6959/65/67. 6974 was the first with a Hawksworth tender. However some 'mods' received earlier boilers after changes which had 2 row superheaters. EDIT *this mod started before Modified Halls! Keith

It seems the main relevance of FENSA is to self approve window installations, therefore removing the burden from planning authorities for what (many consider) is minor building work. As long as the installers work within certain guidelines and use approved materials/construction methods they can fit without recourse. Unfortunately, as you mention, it seems to be a one way street, they win you lose! There appears to be similar (dis)regulation in the general building trade where certain 'approved' outfits can do some works without referal to the authorities. Keith

A full survey was carried out. It was cash purchase so the surveyor (which we knew from a previous occasion) did a pretty thorough job. Following the survey the vendor had to have some drainage work done a new DPC and pay for liability insurance on a roof which had been changed without getting planning approval. The fault with the windows only shows up when you come to use them everyday. The solicitor (as I mentioned) checked for all relevant documentation. It was the fact that the FENSA "guarantee" on faulty workmanship does not work if the installer is a] gone bust or b] not a member anymore. These are the occasions when you want some recompense and can't get it. So what's the point? Keith

On BBC1's "Cowboy Trap" a property with badly fitted double glazing, amongst other woes, was featured and the presenter sais that to avoid problems with poorly fitted double glazing always use a FENSA registered installer. What tosh! My property, purchased 2008, had some recently fitted double glazing (previous 12 months before purchase) but after moving in I found that the double glazing had not been correctly installed, leaving a gap around the window when closed. My solicitor had ensured that we had copies of the FENSA certifictes at purchase. So I contacted them with the numbers and they said they couldn't find them. Further investigation revealed that the glazer had ceased trading shortly after the windows were installed. I recontacted them with the name of the installer and they said the membership had been terminated. I said what about the guarantee and the reply was "There isn't one". I was told that the only way I could have any recourse was if the owner had taken out seperate insurance, which they hadn't. Keith

You'll make a good president then! Keith