The Night Mail

[Happy Hippo]

16 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Fifteen minutes with a denizen of TMN might do the trick?

A good flensing would bring them to their senses and make then understand the error of their ways.

 

After that, the probation service could do what they liked.

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Now that’s impressive.

 

Chapeau, mon ami, chapeau!
 

NOTE: I am not being facetious, I truly believe we need people who go into depth in researching the topics they love. Anyone can do a “close enough for government work” jobbie, but excellence requires a little bit more effort.

 

I really think that good research on a topic allows you to understand what you want to do better and that is a great guide to knowing what you must leave in and what you can take out to arrive at something worthwhile.

 

When I built the Georgian Terraced Houses (pictures posted earlier in this thread) before embarking on the build I extensively researched Georgian buildings and their histories - learning probably more than anyone sane would want to know about the buildings and that period (for example: most of the Georgian buildings still standing today were built as “speculators rubbish“ and weren’t designed to last more than 100 years or so; and investing in building property was one of the few avenues of investment open to successful Georgian Courtesans [who were generally very smart, very able and very ambitious women]).
 

Although I am not entirely happy with the result, I am partly assuaged by the fact that those parts which I think are a bit crappy are at least accurate in their crappiness - my abilities and not my knowledge being the weakness.

 

I may be wrong, you frequently are you cry u, but I think il Dottore just said that's he's crap.

 

If I'm correct I don't think things like this should be allowed. Yes we can state that something is crap but in no  w uncertain terms should someone be allowed to state that they are crap.

 

Saying someone is crap is a highly skilled and very responsible position and it is not one that should be assumed lightly nor with out years of being positively crapped upon by professional crappers.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Winslow Boy

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

hello from the Charente where the sky has not fallen down but much time has been wasted due to the impending day of inaction tomorrow.   Our ferry got cancelled putting paid to plan A, yesterday due to the supposed inaction so Plan D came into play. Thus was after spending two hours on the phone to Brittany ferries trying to sort out alternative Plan B.   They then closed the phone lines and told me in an email that I could apply for a refund.   Plan C was the tunnel but that would still leave us with a long drive in the UK on Friday.   Thus Plan D came into play which is Rotterdam hull via North Sea Ferries.  This leaves us with a long drive today and tomorrow but only an hours drive from Hull on Friday.   Tonight we are heading to Orleans for the night. Then up to Rotterdam on Thursday. Sorting all this out took 4 hours in total but was sorted.  

 

All part of life's rich pattern.

 

Jamie

 

 

Of course there is Plan E which is 'aquire' - no names no pack drill nudge nudge wink wink, an inflatable dinghy and motor across the channel and be greeted by Red Cross/Border Force/Assorted othe charities when half way across, receive free accommodation for the night and in the morning take a taxi, paid for by the home office to your chosen destination.

 

Or would that be too difficult.

[DenysW]

17 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

and in the morning take a taxi, paid for by the home office to your chosen destination.

Shortly to include Rwanda in the chosen destinations, reflecting the passive voice doesn't say who did the choosing.

 

On my re-arrival in the UK instead of being deported from Australia (visa no longer valid due to being made redundant) the UK authorities welcomed me by telling me I was no longer 'habitually resident' in the UK and could therefore not claim any Welfare State benefits. Expected duration for 'habitual' residency: 12 months+. Not a happy event.

[J. S. Bach]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 ...snip...

Chapeau, mon ami, chapeau!

...snip...

Those are among the very , VERY few French words that I know, so hat, my friend, hat???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[DenysW]

Bavarian rolling stock is also beautifully detailed (here by Roco and Trix/Marklin) although I suspect only the smaller coaches were pulled by either of these tank engines. The 0-4-0 is Bavaria's answer to under0used branchlines: a one-man-operated engine where the driver also was the guard, and the coal-feed was close to automatic. The long wheelbase 2-4-0 also wouldn't have been let loose on these coaches which are marked-up for expresses. Sadly the Bi-foudres seem to have passed out of use by 1951, so there's no chance of ordering a top-up of wine this way.

 

 

[br2975]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 

NOTE: I am not being facetious, I truly believe we need people who go into depth in researching the topics they love. Anyone can do a “close enough for government work” jobbie, but excellence requires a little bit more effort.

 

I really think that good research on a topic allows you to understand what you want to do better and that is a great guide to knowing what you must leave in and what you can take out to arrive at something worthwhile.

 

.

And this, my friends is what has diminished my interest in RMWeb of late.

.

I find more, and more simplistic posts requesting information on a subject, or subjects  that is easily identifiable, and accessible, with minimal research

BUT

More and more 'modellers' (term used loosely) are adopting the 'post a question on line - and get some other mug to find and upload the information for me' 

.

The reasoning behind some questions, is so predictable;

e.g.

"Hi - can anyone tell me whether a Freightliner Class 70 ever pulled a B.R. Mk.1 chocolate and cream buffet car ?"

.

Which translated equates to;

"I've made an impulse purchase of a B.R. Mk.1 buffet in chocolate and cream, and now need to justify its' presence on my Freightliner layout, if and when I'm challenged."

.

Were a modeller to post;

"Can anyone assist with the Pontypridd & Ynysybwl Light  Railway coaching stock liovery please ?

I've got the relevant books, but none make reference to the livery, and the Glamorgan Archives cannot help either"

It indicates he's done all he can, and is now at a loose end.

Now this, is an enquiry in which I'd help, if I could.

.

And as for the lack of thanks by many who pose the questions that irk me so much.........................

.

Steps down, and pushes soapbox into the corner; then exits stage left !

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

The first week had been too much for some, getting up at 5 am was a problem. 

 

Words fail me.......! When I joined the RAF in the stone age 1966 everyone just accepted that they had signed up to do whatever they were told to during initial training, such as being rudely woken at 3am and told that the lorry (not bus, lorry) would leave in half an hour to take us for a 'walk' in the Brecon Beacons. At the risk of being branded a crusty old fart dinosaur, what is going on with the yoof of today?

 

Dave 

[J. S. Bach]

I remember my first night morning at Great Lakes (USN boot camp north of Chicago) being awakened at 0 silly thirty by some sadistic old f@rt first class petty officer by banging two trashcan lids together!

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, DenysW said:

On my re-arrival in the UK instead of being deported from Australia (visa no longer valid due to being made redundant) the UK authorities welcomed me by telling me I was no longer 'habitually resident' in the UK and could therefore not claim any Welfare State benefits. Expected duration for 'habitual' residency: 12 months+. Not a happy event.

 

A great friend of ours was Dutch but had lived in England for over 40 years, was married to an Englishman and had adopted two children. When Brexit happened some civil servant wrote to her to say that she would have to apply for a resident's visa or some such to stay here; when her husband wrote back to say that she was being given end of life care with inoperable cancer guess what the reply was? "Sorry for disturbing you" or "Apologies, we offer our sympathies" or suchlike? Not exactly, just an acknowledgement stating that the matter was 'deferred'. Makes you weep sometimes.

 

Dave  

[J. S. Bach]

8 hours ago, DenysW said:

I would really like to find one of those wine tankers in affordable O scale! All I have is two of these:

Would you really want to drink any wine that was shipped in those?

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by J. S. Bach
To add a word

[Dave Hunt]

20 minutes ago, br2975 said:

More and more 'modellers' (term used loosely) are adopting the 'post a question on line - and get some other mug to find and upload the information for me' 

 

Were a modeller to post;

"Can anyone assist with the Pontypridd & Ynysybwl Light  Railway coaching stock liovery please ?

I've got the relevant books, but none make reference to the livery, and the Glamorgan Archives cannot help either"

It indicates he's done all he can, and is now at a loose end.

Now this, is an enquiry in which I'd help, if I could.

 

And as for the lack of thanks by many who pose the questions that irk me so much.........................

.

Steps down, and pushes soapbox into the corner; then exits stage left !

 

Allow me to share your soapbox. I have had several queries along the lines of, "I have seen your book on the XXX Class and would like to make a model/modify a RTR model of one. Could you supply me with a copy of the drawings that you used in the book?" I have usually replied saying that the drawings I used were borrowed from various sources (for a consideration) and have been returned to the owners but were the reproductions in the book not sufficient for model making purposes (great pains having been taken by the publishers to make them as clear as possible, even going to the extent of putting some in fold out sections) ? Some of the responses to this have actually been, "No, I don't have the book, I just want the drawings," which generally merit a reply along the lines of, "Sorry, I can't help you further." One tw person had the cheek to respond with, "I don't want to have to buy the book, I just want you to let me have some copies of the drawings." Don't get me wrong, the majority of queries are similar to those that br2975 quote above but the brass neck of some beggars belief.  

 

Dave

 

PS Bob Essery once showed me a query he had received saying (I paraphrase) "Can you tell me which locomotives, carriages and wagons would have passed through Water Orton on January 15th 1935?"

[br2975]

29 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Words fail me.......! When I joined the RAF in the stone age 1966 everyone just accepted that they had signed up to do whatever they were told to during initial training, such as being rudely woken at 3am and told that the lorry (not bus, lorry) would leave in half an hour to take us for a 'walk' in the Brecon Beacons. At the risk of being branded a crusty old fart dinosaur, what is going on with the yoof of today?

 

.

"Police UK" now want recruits to either hold a degree, or be prepared to study for a policing degree.

.

In addition, 'Police UK' now recruit 'direct entrants' to the rank of Inspector, and also to the role of 'Detective' - both of which require the candidate to hold a degree.

.

Only last week, a direct entry 'detective' candidate for my local force was being 'shown around' by a middle service officer; who was aghast to find that the applicant was under the impression she would only work 9-5 Monday - Friday, with weekends off and turned peuce when told she would also be expected work Christmas Day, New Years Eve and every other Bank Holiday and on cancelled rest days , if required.

The direct entrant had to sit down when then told she would need to 'book her annual summer leave' almost two years in advance, as Police Regulations require the annual leave rota to be published 'at least' one year hence.

.

NOW, if that naievty isn't bad enough.......

.

Remember my reference to university degrees above ?

.

The Cathays area of Cardiff is known as 'studentland' as it contains literally thousands of HMOs (Houses of Multi Occupancy) occupied by students, working towards their degrees or doctorates.

.

South Wales Police are currently running a high-vis operation in the Cathays area whereby PCSOs call on HMOs and speak with the student occuapnts, 'advising' ('warning' is to overbearing a term)  them to lock their windows and doors when they go out, in order to prevent their homes being burgled and their laptops, tablets, phones, digital cameras, printers and game consoles being stolen.

Yes PCSOs areadvising the potential senior police officers, and detectives of tomorrow on basic crime prevention !

.

Oh, and I have many, many more such stories.................................... 

.

 

[Dave Hunt]

I had to give br2975's post above a heart rating as I couldn't find a WTF!!!! button.

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

At the risk of being branded a crusty old fart dinosaur,

No need to get branded.  We only have to look at you...

 

Mind you being a meat eater, and allegedly with some good looks, to the ladies you'd obviously be an Allurosaurus.

[Happy Hippo]

17 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

I had to give br2975's post above a heart rating as I couldn't find a WTF!!!! button.

 

Dave

I agreed, as I have heard similar tales from my brother, who is so glad he is on terminal leave from the same police service as Brian.

 

(As a matter of interest, they did work together in the past.) 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Words fail me.......! When I joined the RAF in the stone age 1966 everyone just accepted that they had signed up to do whatever they were told to during initial training, such as being rudely woken at 3am and told that the lorry (not bus, lorry) would leave in half an hour to take us for a 'walk' in the Brecon Beacons. At the risk of being branded a crusty old fart dinosaur, what is going on with the yoof of today?

 

Dave 

 

Nowadays they'll all be bitchin' about there being nowhere on the Beacons to plug in their iphones....

 

49 minutes ago, br2975 said:

In addition, 'Police UK' now recruit 'direct entrants' to the rank of Inspector, and also to the role of 'Detective' - both of which require the candidate to hold a degree.

Only last week, a direct entry 'detective' candidate for my local force was being 'shown around' by a middle service officer; who was aghast to find that the applicant was under the impression she would only work 9-5 Monday - Friday, with weekends off and turned peuce when told she would also be expected work Christmas Day, New Years Eve and every other Bank Holiday and on cancelled rest days , if required.

The direct entrant had to sit down when then told she would need to 'book her annual summer leave' almost two years in advance, as Police Regulations require the annual leave rota to be published 'at least' one year hence.

 

 

I'd like to think that she'd fail the entrance interview, but somehow I don't think that'll happen.

The really scary thing is that the British Public will be relying on her, and those like her, to uphold the law and to solve crimes.  For some strange reason I don't hold out much hope of either.

[Happy Hippo]

3 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Nowadays they'll all be bitchin' about there being nowhere on the Beacons to plug in their iphones....

 

 

I'd like to think that she'd fail the entrance interview, but somehow I don't think that'll happen.

The really scary thing is that the British Public will be relying on her, and those like her, to uphold the law and to solve crimes.  For some strange reason I don't hold out much hope of either.

Look on the bright side. 

 

The vast majority of the criminal element in society will have been honing their  practical skills around the university rather than their mental agility in the university gymnasium.

 

On the downside, I wonder where they will be getting their firearms officers from, because I have met a lot of graduates who think that you look down the barrel of a gun to see if it's loaded!

 

A degree is a wonderful thing but it does not automatically bestow the holder with common sense or the ability to shoot, drive, be an underwater search team leader, a mounted (horse) officer or a dog handler.

 

In fact the only thing that most graduates would probably be any good, at is being on the drugs squad.

[polybear]

7 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

On the downside, I wonder where they will be getting their firearms officers from, because I have met a lot of graduates who think that you look down the barrel of a gun to see if it's loaded!

 

 

Bear once saw a Scientist-type do that with a Distress Flare....whilst they'd got the spring-loaded firing mechanism (a.k.a "The Trigger")  pulled back against the stop with their thumb.....😱

[Happy Hippo]

5 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Bear once saw a Scientist-type do that with a Distress Flare....whilst they'd got the spring-loaded firing mechanism (a.k.a "The Trigger")  pulled back against the stop with their thumb.....😱

Well it would certainly have brightened their day if they'd dropped the hammer🚀

[rockershovel]

22 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

We're all cheaper dead than alive...

Soldier's pay, shillin' a day, but a horse is a hundred pound....

 

The great problem with the death sentence was that it was so badly handled in its last years, leading to great public unease about it. The Craig and Bentley case, in which the actual killer received only a custodial sentence (because of his youth) but his accomplice (a young man of very limited mental range) went to the gallows on the strength of a contested and ambiguous testimony was the first such.

 

Then the Christie case, in which the man subsequently convicted of the murder of Mrs Christie, and the probable murderer if several other women, was the principal witness for the prosecution... again, Timothy Evans was a well-known fantasist, illiterate and probably not competent to be tried by modern standards. 

 

 

[The Johnster]

The last man to be hanged in Cardiff prison was a Somali immigrant, almost certainly not guilty of the murder he was tried for (I worked for Royal Mail with his younger brother).  One questions the fairness of a trial in which his defence lawyer referred to him as a 'half-civilised savage'.  I have my own views on who was or wasn't civilised in that courtroom...

 

I do not 'believe in'* capital punishment, and have no particular reason or justification for this other than my instinctive understanding that all killing is wrong at any level.  Sometimes necessary, I didn't want to be speaking German and doing Nazi salutes, but always wrong.  That said, there are some people I'd happily pull the trigger on, like people traffickers, war criminals, major drug barons, those sorts of scum.  I'll live with the guilt, thanks!

 

*which is odd, because it can be proved to exist...

Edited March 22, 2023 by The Johnster

[DenysW]

46 minutes ago, rockershovel said:

We're all cheaper dead than alive...

I am now, but when I was in work, SWMBO would have received a £250k 'Death in Service' payout if I'd popped my clogs. Not cheaper dead - at least, to my then employer.

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

A degree is a wonderful thing but it does not automatically bestow the holder with common sense or the ability to shoot, drive, be an underwater search team leader, a mounted (horse) officer or a dog handler….

… or a scientist or a physician.
 

In most disciplines I work in/with getting the degree is just the starting point (a bit like just getting your driving license: you’ve got the theory and a little bit of limited practice, and now you really have to start learning). A recently graduated shiny new PhD or MD with the ink still wet on their diploma definitely needs to be taken in hand and beaten into shape (not literally, although sometimes one is tempted, one is very tempted). And, to be quite frank (and I say this as someone with a few advanced degrees himself). I wouldn’t let a shiny new graduate anywhere near one of my very expensive and complex clinical trials, no matter where they got their piece of parchment, until they accept that when I say “frog“ their immediate response should be “how high do you want me to jump, sir?” 😁😆

 

One of the most scary developments recently coming out of universities that I have heard off (although it may be hearsay), is that some medical schools are doing away with cadaver dissection in favour of virtual reality anatomy lessons (despite more people than ever leaving their body to science and medical schools). And in one university in Scotland, a course on forensic pathology came with “trigger warnings” (for heaven’s sakes didn’t it occur to anyone that the words “forensic” and “pathology” may give a clue as to the content).

And to be a bit contentious: up until about 2010, when the first graduates post Tony Blair’s “educashun, educashun, educashun” experiments started to trickle through, British graduates that I interviewed for entry and mid-level positions were almost universally excellent. Post-2010? It became very hit and miss.

Edited March 22, 2023 by iL Dottore
Stupid auto punctuation

[pH]

2 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

PS Bob Essery once showed me a query he had received saying (I paraphrase) "Can you tell me which locomotives, carriages and wagons would have passed through Water Orton on January 15th 1935?"

Only a very quick and simple answer required to that - “No.”