The Night Mail

[Dave Hunt]

Since I will be up to my ears in jobs for the next day or so and may not have time to visit here, I just want to take this opportunity to wish all TNMers a very happy Christmas, winterval or whatever you call this time of year and may all your problems be merely of the spoilt for choice variety. I therefore raise my glass of Lagavuin and say Cheers to you all.

 

Dave

[5 C]

Blue jobs and pink jobs get done by me regardless. I managed some today but not others, not that anyone else sees my efforts. Besides, the fine weather encouraged me to get outside and do some walking, even if that did include a supermarket trip. Aldi was surprisingly quiet though and not a dressing gown, fluffy mule wearing smoker in sight.

 

Tomorrow begins a three day expedition northwards where I am staying perilously close to the Staffs/North Hipposhire border. Although this risks attack from marauding pachyderms, I think I'm reasonably safe. The only cake likely to be on offer will be the Staffordshire Oat variety.

 

Merry Christmas to all TNM'ers.

[SM42]

As we are about to start the cake courses may we take this opportunity to  wish you all

 

Wesolych swiat 

 

Merry Christmas 

 

May the season bring you all peace and happiness 

 

Andy i Mrs SM42 ❤ 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by SM42

[newbryford]

I have little taste when it comes to alcoholic beverages - my normal tipple is vodka and Coke, sometimes extending to Baileys, or Baileys and vodka on a good night and Baileys, vodka and Tia Maria on a very good night (and following bad morning).

And none of this flavoured stuff either - unless......

 

A bottle of Kin Toffee Vodka was acquired earlier today.

It's like like drinking quid caramel

No time was wasted in wrestling with the hordes shopping for it - I sent one of my work colleagues to get it when he went to pick up his Xmas food.

 

A small (well - maybe slightly larger than small) glass of it is about to be imbibed.

 

Merry Christmas to all TNMers and even though I may have a tendency to a particular colour, my tip is don't eat yellow snow.

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Christmas wishes           to all NM's

Edited December 25, 2022 by PhilJ W

[SM42]

Christmas part one complete. 

 

Did someone say cake?

 

Count em

 

One, two

 

Three, four, five

 

Andy

Who is still quite full. 

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[SteveyDee68]

3 hours ago, newbryford said:

Baileys, vodka and Tia Maria on a very good night

Separate drinks, or mixed?

 

I was introduced to a “Gorilla” many years ago, and introduced it to a lovely lady at her sister’s funeral earlier this year… She (the remaining sister) is adding it to her “must drink at Christmas” list!

 

1 measure* Bailey’s

1 measure* Tia Maria

1 measure* Cointreau 

2 or 3 cubes of ice

 

Then the important bit…

 

1 measure of Cognac* added and the whole lot stirred up

 

I was told that if purchased in a pub that they can only legally sell you a “triple” measure of spirits, so you have to add the forth one yourself!

 

To cut a long story sideways…

 

Leave out the Cognac and it is a sickly concoction, but add the Cognac and it is like drinking the famed Ambrosia of the Gods!

 

Thoroughly recommended!

 

Drink two and the results are pretty much the same as drinking a PanGalactic Gargleblaster**
 

A Very Merry Christmas to all NightMailers!

 

* A “measure” could be the official UK drinks measure, or anything you like (cup, mug, bottle, bucket etc etc)

** Look it up in Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy

[AndyID]

The station throat is getting a bit complicated. A couple of trailing single-slips on the curve and five turnouts. Still needs work and I'll probably make a few more revisions but it's not difficult to do that with Templot.

 

 

[SM42]

During yesterday's goings on, I made an earth shattering discovery. 

 

Even during Christmas, the SM42 mega brain is still noting things of scientific interest 

 

The batteries on one set of fairy lights were obviously struggling at the end of the night having seen their third Christmas and all the LEDs had given up except for the green that were still shining brightly.

 

Could it be that green is less power hungry than red,yellow and blue?

 

I think I need a large grant to enable further research. 

 

Can't hold back inportant scientific research  you know. 

 

Andy

Engaged in that Christmas tradition of trying to find some more batteries 

Edited December 25, 2022 by SM42

[Happy Hippo]

I have been banned from the computer today, so have gone to one of my back up devices, in this case, the phone. I was most refined last evening and refrained from over indulgence.

 

Today will be quiet, and I intend to spend some of it indulging in some modelling therapy.  A new layout plan emerged yesterday, and I need to check some theoretical clearances.

 

Now you may all eat, drink and be merry.

 

Nadolig Llawen

[jamie92208]

7 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Separate drinks, or mixed?

 

I was introduced to a “Gorilla” many years ago, and introduced it to a lovely lady at her sister’s funeral earlier this year… She (the remaining sister) is adding it to her “must drink at Christmas” list!

 

1 measure* Bailey’s

1 measure* Tia Maria

1 measure* Cointreau 

2 or 3 cubes of ice

 

Then the important bit…

 

1 measure of Cognac* added and the whole lot stirred up

 

I was told that if purchased in a pub that they can only legally sell you a “triple” measure of spirits, so you have to add the forth one yourself!

 

To cut a long story sideways…

 

Leave out the Cognac and it is a sickly concoction, but add the Cognac and it is like drinking the famed Ambrosia of the Gods!

 

Thoroughly recommended!

 

Drink two and the results are pretty much the same as drinking a PanGalactic Gargleblaster**
 

A Very Merry Christmas to all NightMailers!

 

* A “measure” could be the official UK drinks measure, or anything you like (cup, mug, bottle, bucket etc etc)

** Look it up in Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy

Living in the Cognac region therevis no shortagevof the 4th ingredient here, including thecartisan stuff that beatscthe usual suspects hands down.  Also the unlabelled bottles that appear now and then that atevoften a lot stronger than 40%.

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Joyeux Noël from the Chatente which is quite warm and sunny today.  We have talked to our excited  3 yr old granddaughter  and her mums and are now sipping locally produced bubbly.  Santa has visited and left a very thoughtful present. It's a long out of pfoduction kit in 7mm for a metre gauge flat wagon that ran on the Chemin de fer departmentaux, (CFD) that ran through our village.  This is the first thing for a proposed small layout based on the station that still exists.  Simple single track with passing loop and small enough to fold up and go in the car.

 

Jamie

[coastalview]

The first glass of bubbles has been consumed, the turkey is burbling away, biscuits have been opened and my sense of taste is returning after three weeks.

 

Merry Xmas to one and all and let's hope for a great 2023.

 

 

 

Edited December 25, 2022 by coastalview

[Happy Hippo]

The great Christmas lunch was a turkey and cranberry sandwich and a slice of mincemeat flapjack, washed down with a cup of tea.

 

I know how to live the high life!

 

I have spent a useful half an hour working out the relative positions of detector bars, facing point lock rodding and considering the possibility of whether or not I need to fit a fouling bar to the facing point.  These were usually fitted when the point in question was some distance away from the signal box, but since the signal box is within 10 yards of the facing point, I'm minded not to bother.  Certainly, I have a few pictures of signal boxes with facing points right next to them where the fouling bar is conspicuous by it's absence...Yet the various signalling books I have are not too descriptive on the matter.

 

I also did some work on my shunting plank plan, which according to Anyrail 6, will fit in the space I have available.  I'm now contemplating a few tweaks to the plan before making a full size drawing.

 

For those wondering, I use Anyrail to quickly draft up a plan using the Peco 7mm templates, working on the principle that the Peco point templates will allow the vast majority of 7 mm locos to traverse through a point of the same profile.  I can then draw everything out full size and use Templot to draft any slightly special points or crossings.

 

The biggest problem for me is trying to fit in some sensible scenery into the areas between the track and the edges of the baseboard.

 

Next on the cards is another cup of tea, followed by a bit of research into small MacKenzie and Holland signal boxes: One of which being required for Pantmawr North.  There is a drawing of small Saxby and Farmer box in MRJ No 2, but there are certain design differences. 

 

I have a partially built Dutton box that might fit the bill, but it is not brilliant, so it might be worth starting afresh. 

 

 

[Winslow Boy]

4 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

The great Christmas lunch was a turkey and cranberry sandwich and a slice of mincemeat flapjack, washed down with a cup of tea.

 

I know how to live the high life!

 

I have spent a useful half an hour working out the relative positions of detector bars, facing point lock rodding and considering the possibility of whether or not I need to fit a fouling bar to the facing point.  These were usually fitted when the point in question was some distance away from the signal box, but since the signal box is within 10 yards of the facing point, I'm minded not to bother.  Certainly, I have a few pictures of signal boxes with facing points right next to them where the fouling bar is conspicuous by it's absence...Yet the various signalling books I have are not too descriptive on the matter.

 

I also did some work on my shunting plank plan, which according to Anyrail 6, will fit in the space I have available.  I'm now contemplating a few tweaks to the plan before making a full size drawing.

 

For those wondering, I use Anyrail to quickly draft up a plan using the Peco 7mm templates, working on the principle that the Peco point templates will allow the vast majority of 7 mm locos to traverse through a point of the same profile.  I can then draw everything out full size and use Templot to draft any slightly special points or crossings.

 

The biggest problem for me is trying to fit in some sensible scenery into the areas between the track and the edges of the baseboard.

 

Next on the cards is another cup of tea, followed by a bit of research into small MacKenzie and Holland signal boxes: One of which being required for Pantmawr North.  There is a drawing of small Saxby and Farmer box in MRJ No 2, but there are certain design differences. 

 

I have a partially built Dutton box that might fit the bill, but it is not brilliant, so it might be worth starting afresh. 

 

 

 

I know hippos have a 'considerable' appetite but don't you think you should leave more than 80 seconds between your sandwiches Big H. Don't want you getting indigestion because you've been rushing your food do we. Not today of all days. Especially after Mrs Big H has gone to all that effort of making you a turkey and cranberry sandwich.

[SM42]

13 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

Next on the cards is another cup of tea, followed by a bit of research into small MacKenzie and Holland signal boxes: One of which being required for Pantmawr North.  There is a drawing of small Saxby and Farmer box in MRJ No 2, but there are certain design differences. 

 

I have a partially built Dutton box that might fit the bill, but it is not brilliant, so it might be worth starting afresh. 

 

 

 

How small?

 

Would a type 2 fit the bill?

 

May I suggest Hartlebury Station Box as an example. 

 

Andy

[Winslow Boy]

1 minute ago, SM42 said:

 

How small?

 

Would a type 2 fit the bill?

 

May I suggest Hartlebury Station Box as an example. 

 

Andy

 

Don't distract him whilst he's eating his turkey & cranberry sandwich.

 

Haven't you got some cakes to eat anyway.

[SM42]

10 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Don't distract him whilst he's eating his turkey & cranberry sandwich.

 

Haven't you got some cakes to eat anyway.

 

Yes but just finished off the barszcz and pierogi first. 

 

Cake will have to wait till after dinner. 

 

Plenty of time to cause mischief in the meamtime

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

 

How small?

 

Would a type 2 fit the bill?

 

May I suggest Hartlebury Station Box as an example. 

 

Andy

Thanks Andy,

 

I've been looking a the slightly later type 3 box, which, in it's smallest form was 10' x 10'*.  Of course there will be a bit of an overhang for the roof and a bit more on the length if I decide to put a covered porch onto it. 

 

The Dutton Box already fits the bill, as would the S&F box I mentioned earlier.

 

I'd prefer to build the type 3 over the type two style of box, as I'm not a great fan of the hipped roof whereas the type three M&H boxes has the more common gable roof.

 

*Most contractors built their boxes to a standard format when it came to floor sizes, and 10' x 10' appears to be the smallest of the kits! 

 

[SM42]

There's always the type 4 as in Churchill and Blakdeown. 

 

The beauty of the latter is it still exists but not in its original trackside location and hence is accessible for field study

 

Andy

 

Edited December 25, 2022 by SM42

[newbryford]

16 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Separate drinks, or mixed?

 

 

All at once, with a bit of ice. It causes a warm and fuzzy feeling on it's way downwards . And just a fuzzy feeling the day after .

[Happy Hippo]

2 hours ago, SM42 said:

There's always the type 4 as in Churchill and Blakdeown. 

 

The beauty of the latter is it still exists but not in its original trackside location and hence is accessible for field study

 

Andy

 

The box will only have a 10 lever frame, and of those three will be spare. With the bracket signal balanced and interlocked through the detectors, I could have one lever operate either signal depending on which route was set.

 

Of course all this is hypothetical, as everything really runs off five switches which operate three servos and three Cobalt motors.   So I only need the box with a small footprint, hence the search for a 10' x 10'.

 

 

[newbryford]

Mrs and Junior NB watching Matilda the musical on Netflix, so it's off to the shed for me to complete the special day.

 

Only 365 sleeps until the next one.

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

19 hours ago, SM42 said:

Count em

One, two

Three, four, five

Andy

Who is still quite full.

I gave that the "heart" rating because those munchies are in front of you, not me! 😺