The Night Mail

[PhilJ W]

Happy birthday to Nyda and granddaughter. The little one is lucky, her birthday falls on half term so no school on her birthday.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

Not that he's done anything wrong anyway.. It's not illegal to be naked in the UK, a guy walked from lands end to John o'groats naked, they repeatedly arrested him every time someone complained ... and repeatedly had to release him as he had broken no law.

 

Well if he did the walk in December there wouldn't be much to see anyway.....

 

[Happy Hippo]

49 minutes ago, petethemole said:

Actually he spent a lot of time inside, mainly for contempt of court/disorderly conduct/breach of ASBO etc., rather than for nudity.  

https:/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Gough/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Gough

For a second there I thought you meant the AM!

 

Although as an AM he has probably spent more time behind a desk that in the cockpit.

[simontaylor484]

It seems to be half term all over this week apart from here. Half term is next week my Birthday often used to drop on February half term week.

Next week is mine and youngests trip to London.

 

We British as a Nation seem to be very prudish about nudity compared to our European neighbours I don't think the AM or the hiker would have raised any complaints. It's the same with nudity on tv the flash of an ar5e on a programme and there is a tsunami of complaints why? Everybody has an ar5e some better looking than others why does it cause offence

[New Haven Neil]

Yes, half term here next week too - we never seem to fit in with the UK.

 

We have Swedish friends - no thought whatsoever given to nudity, of any age or sex, they just wander around the house in the morning naked unless it's cold!  You kind of get used to it.

[Gwiwer]

Nudity prudity. 

 

I came into this world undressed.  I know what both sexes look like.  Obviously we differ in detail but fundamentally we have "innies" or "outies" amidships   and more or less hair of one colour or another.

 

I dress for warmth, comfort and decency.  I wouldn't dream of wandering around London or most parts of the UK starkers.  There are a few select beaches where "clothing is optional" to quote the signs and the sighting of those who choose to bare all doesn't bother me in the slightest.  I'm not suggesting I would necessarily join them but I adopt an open mind.  

 

A friend spent some years in Sweden and assures me that it is perfectly normal to be undressed there inside one's home and not at all unknown to answer the door likewise.  In Australia, where it gets really hot, clothing is scanty but almost always worn to cover at least the private bits.  "Cover" being a loose term in some cases, but topless females on beaches and overt nudity seemed very much the exception and somewhat frowned upon.  

 

In a professional capacity I am expected to maintain standards of common decency.  It's one thing for a lady to dress in translucent top-clothes partially displaying all.  It's quite another for a burly builder to wait for their train with a "bike rack" poking from their waistband and jeans flying at half-mast.  

40 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Everybody has an ar5e some better looking than others

And those of our East European construction workers are not among the best looking by any standards!!!  

 

As a workplace coach one of the lesser-known snippets I have to pass on is how to discreetly suggest someone "adjusts their dress".  It's surprising how often it happens.  Most days there's an undone shoelace which requires the wearer's attention.  But it's not an easy matter to approach a complete stranger in a crowded place and ask them to zip up.  It's even harder to do that without attracting attention to that which is sometimes exposed.  It was also a moment for thought before I sought the assistance of a female colleague when a young schoolgirl had clearly suffered a "costume malfunction" and was showing far more to the rear than she should.  One can't be too careful in such a situation no matter what is being displayed to the world.  

[jamie92208]

8 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Nyda and our first granddaughter both have a birthday today, the younger one is six.  I am not permitted to mention the older age, but it's older than the Beatles song and too young to draw a state pension.  That should give you a bracket to work with.

Soixante cing peut'etre

6 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

For a second there I thought you meant the AM!

 

Although as an AM he has probably spent more time behind a desk that in the cockpit.

In my old professi9n the phrase was "He/She hadn't met many angry men on a Saturday night".

Jamie

[Happy Hippo]

21 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Soixante cing peut'etre

In my old professi9n the phrase was "He/She hadn't met many angry men on a Saturday night".

Jamie

As I failed to mention earlier, according to one press report, in his whole flying career, he has racked up around 5100 hrs flying helicopters. Now although this might sound impressive, if you assume he started flying for the RAF when he was about 23 (post university plus officer and flying training), that's about 32 years as a pilot.  Bring that down to an annual total and it averages at a tad under 160 hours per year, or around 3 hours a week.  (He's probably spent more time playing golf).

 

Of course, these are just averages as when on an active Sqn, his hours would be considerably more, but all the desk work does leave a big hole in his flying.  He has to keep being de-rusted and requires working up to operational competence every time he took a break from flying. 

 

So compared to a Specialist Aircrew pilot who forgoes promotion above a certain rank, but flies on a much more regular basis, when the staff orientated officer's in the air, to my mind he he just gets in the way.

 

Certainly having to take some of the Army's desk jockeys for their reclassification of competence on the range was, let us say, 'entertaining'.

 

Not being 'current' with a rifle (big 7.62 mm SLR back in the day) led to a lot of ammunition failing to hit the target.

 

As far as skill levels were concerned, if you didn't use it, you'd lose it.

 

I know that my current standard of shooting, having not done any serious target work this year is not good enough to go out shooting pests.

 

 

[PhilJ W]

5 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

We British as a Nation seem to be very prudish about nudity compared to our European neighbours I don't think the AM or the hiker would have raised any complaints. It's the same with nudity on tv the flash of an ar5e on a programme and there is a tsunami of complaints why? Everybody has an ar5e some better looking than others why does it cause offence

When I visited Germany about 45 years ago we stayed with a German family. I was taking a bath one morning when one of our hosts daughters (about 16 years old) walked in stark naked. It was not uncommon for office workers to go to the local park to sunbath in their lunchbreak to strip off completely. The TV ads it was usual in soap and shampoo ads with a girl in the shower to show everything.

[Oldddudders]

4 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

When I visited Germany about 45 years ago we stayed with a German family. I was taking a bath one morning when one of our hosts daughters (about 16 years old) walked in stark naked. It was not uncommon for office workers to go to the local park to sunbath in their lunchbreak to strip off completely. The TV ads it was usual in soap and shampoo ads with a girl in the shower to show everything.

Wordsworth nearly had it nearly right

 

"Earth hath not anything to show more fair

Than a nineteen-year-old in her underwear."

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

As I failed to mention earlier, according to one press report, in his whole flying career, he has racked up around 5100 hrs flying helicopters. Now although this might sound impressive, if you assume he started flying for the RAF when he was about 23 (post university plus officer and flying training), that's about 32 years as a pilot.  Bring that down to an annual total and it averages at a tad under 160 hours per year, or around 3 hours a week.  (He's probably spent more time playing golf).

 

Of course, these are just averages as when on an active Sqn, his hours would be considerably more, but all the desk work does leave a big hole in his flying.  He has to keep being de-rusted and requires working up to operational competence every time he took a break from flying. 

 

So compared to a Specialist Aircrew pilot who forgoes promotion above a certain rank, but flies on a much more regular basis, when the staff orientated officer's in the air, to my mind he he just gets in the way.

 

Certainly having to take some of the Army's desk jockeys for their reclassification of competence on the range was, let us say, 'entertaining'.

 

Not being 'current' with a rifle (big 7.62 mm SLR back in the day) led to a lot of ammunition failing to hit the target.

 

As far as skill levels were concerned, if you didn't use it, you'd lose it.

 

I know that my current standard of shooting, having not done any serious target work this year is not good enough to go out shooting pests.

 

 

A certain mutual acquaintance of ours, was asked in a hurrybone evening to do a che k flight with an Air Marshall of some description.  IIRC the flight ended early and the AM was grounded.  The fertliser then hit the fan but our friend stood his ground.  As he was Specialist Aircrew it didn't effect his prospects.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

18 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

A certain mutual acquaintance of ours, was asked in a hurrybone evening to do a che k flight with an Air Marshall of some description.  IIRC the flight ended early and the AM was grounded.  The fertliser then hit the fan but our friend stood his ground.  As he was Specialist Aircrew it didn't effect his prospects.

 

Jamie

 

Let me guess....our "mutual acquaintance" discovered the AM was a GW Modeller....

[AndyID]

Exciting times here at the NIMRRI*

 

Here's a piece of track:

 

 

OK, it's not a very long piece of track but it solves a tricky problem. These flat-bottom rails look the same but there is difference of 0.1mm in the width of their bases. They are both "in spec". When I print clips/chairs, depending on the rail, they either grip the rails too well or not well enough.

 

Keen observers will have noted that the two panels of four sleepers are not quite the same. The panel on the left suffers from the too tight/too loose issue. The panel on the left does not. That's because half of each clip is missing on that panel.

 

In effect the rail "weaves" very slightly between the inside and outside clips and the amount of grip is the same on both rails. The alternating pressure can be incorporated into complete clips and chairs and the method will be entirely invisible.

 

It's an interesting example of how stuff does not scale. You wouldn't dare do something like this on a full size railway but it works great at a much smaller scale.

 

*North Idaho Model Railway Research Institute   (AKA Andy's shed.)

[AndyID]

Yippee! We finally got some new snow on the mountains. My ski pal and I were at Lookout Pass today. One side of the mountain was very foggy but visibility was fine on the other side. I think I managed about eight runs before my legs started to konk-out.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, AndyID said:

Exciting times here at the NIMRRI*

 

Here's a piece of track:

 

 

OK, it's not a very long piece of track but it solves a tricky problem. These flat-bottom rails look the same but there is difference of 0.1mm in the width of their bases. They are both "in spec". When I print clips/chairs, depending on the rail, they either grip the rails too well or not well enough.

 

Keen observers will have noted that the two panels of four sleepers are not quite the same. The panel on the left suffers from the too tight/too loose issue. The panel on the left does not. That's because half of each clip is missing on that panel.

 

In effect the rail "weaves" very slightly between the inside and outside clips and the amount of grip is the same on both rails. The alternating pressure can be incorporated into complete clips and chairs and the method will be entirely invisible.

 

It's an interesting example of how stuff does not scale. You wouldn't dare do something like this on a full size railway but it works great at a much smaller scale.

 

*North Idaho Model Railway Research Institute   (AKA Andy's shed.)

 

East fix, that one.  Dump the F/B rail (spawn of the Devil) and use proper B/H rail instead.  F/B rail marked the beginning of the end in this Bear's Book.....

 

Hat, Coat, Gone.....

[AndyID]

22 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

East fix, that one.  Dump the F/B rail (spawn of the Devil) and use proper B/H rail instead.  F/B rail marked the beginning of the end in this Bear's Book.....

 

Hat, Coat, Gone.....

 

I was using B/H rail when I first ran into the problem a few years ago. It was only when I was mucking around with F/B last week that the penny finally dropped

[rockershovel]

I first encountered the Scandinavian attitudes to public and social nudity on the 1970s. Scandinavian homes being what they are, much better insulated than ours and providing for a population density several orders of magnitude less  there are all sorts of options, I suppose. 

 

Germans seem to like naturism, have done for a long while. Results are... mixed, shall we say. 

 

 

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

I was using B/H rail when I first ran into the problem a few years ago. It was only when I was mucking around with F/B last week that the penny finally dropped

 

Do you know if the problem caused by slight dimension differences between rail brands, or can they vary with batches - or even within a batch?

Edited February 16, 2022 by polybear

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Do you know if the problem caused by slight dimension differences between rail brands, or can they vary with batches - or even within a batch?

Since  the rail we use is drawn wire, it would not surprise me if there are slight variations due to bits of hard metal getting trapped in the sharp corners of the die, or the die wearing. This would account for variations within a batch or a complete batch of a differing size.

[Oldddudders]

I see Storm Dudley is about to do horrid things to much of northern UK. It coincides with my blood-test result showing my testosterone levels to be above the upper norm..... Not so bad for 73!

[Happy Hippo]

12 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I see Storm Dudley is about to do horrid things to much of northern UK. It coincides with my blood-test result showing my testosterone levels to be above the upper norm..... Not so bad for 73!

[PhilJ W]

5 hours ago, AndyID said:

Exciting times here at the NIMRRI*

 

Here's a piece of track:

 

 

OK, it's not a very long piece of track but it solves a tricky problem. These flat-bottom rails look the same but there is difference of 0.1mm in the width of their bases. They are both "in spec". When I print clips/chairs, depending on the rail, they either grip the rails too well or not well enough.

 

Keen observers will have noted that the two panels of four sleepers are not quite the same. The panel on the left suffers from the too tight/too loose issue. The panel on the left does not. That's because half of each clip is missing on that panel.

 

In effect the rail "weaves" very slightly between the inside and outside clips and the amount of grip is the same on both rails. The alternating pressure can be incorporated into complete clips and chairs and the method will be entirely invisible.

 

It's an interesting example of how stuff does not scale. You wouldn't dare do something like this on a full size railway but it works great at a much smaller scale.

 

*North Idaho Model Railway Research Institute   (AKA Andy's shed.)

It might be useful in some ways such as in constructing curved track. By putting the wider track on the outside it will slightly widen the gauge and ease the curve.

Edited February 16, 2022 by PhilJ W

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

I see Storm Dudley is about to do horrid things to much of northern UK. It coincides with my blood-test result showing my testosterone levels to be above the upper norm..... Not so bad for 73!

 

It seems we may have lost some 8 million trees due to storms this winter - some 10,000 Football Pitches' worth.  Jeez

[Oldddudders]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

It seems we may have lost some 8 million trees due to storms this winter - some 10,000 Football Pitches' worth.  Jeez

I was unaware that the "Football Pitch" was now the official measure of anything. It never will be for me, because I never look at one. Another victory for dumbing down. 

[Northmoor]

27 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I was unaware that the "Football Pitch" was now the official measure of anything. It never will be for me, because I never look at one. Another victory for dumbing down. 

Only yesterday on "Wright Writes", I noted how the Football Pitch and Wales are standard measurements of area, in the media at least, along with the London Bus and the Nelson's Column.

 

Who's going to tell them that there aren't fixed, exact dimensions for a football pitch?  Some American former colleagues of mine thought this was hilarious.