The Night Mail

[iL Dottore]

20 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

A bit of Internet anonymity is always a good idea. For example my email address has nothing to do with my name. I have another address that does include my surname but I'm forever getting messages that are supposed to go to other people.

 

One Australian gent who worked for a bank in Singapore kept giving out my email address to hotels and clubs. I was only able to stop him doing that by contacting his boss at the bank 🤣

I wonder if some people tend to view internet anonymity, using a nom du internet (to coin a phrase), as primarily a mask for potentially nefarious/abusive/trolling activities?

 

I view it differently: there are certainly many good reasons to keep one's identity guarded on the WWW (scams. phishing, ID theft etc) and sometimes there are other reasons (non-security) - quite innocent ones - for choosing to use a web-name. To illustrate (and I hope that @jamie92208 will forgive for "taking his name in vain" 🙂 for this illustration [all imaginary]): we all know that Jamie is passionately partisan about the LMS and it could potentially be quite embarrassing for him for other RMWeb members to learn that his full name is Jamie Churchward, who lives in Brunel Cottage on Great Western Railway Avenue 🤣

 

Additionally, quite a few RMWeb members tend to meet up at Warley and hang out in other places and thus you get to know whom is who. Quite a number of TNM and ER posters know who I am in real life (some have also had the unfortunate experience of meeting me).

 

I'm quite relaxed about noms-du-web on RMWeb, I think the personality (and thus part of the identity) of a regular poster does tend to emerge: whether you call yourself Graf Stephan Christof von Thierstein und Homberg or iL Dottore.

[Dave Hunt]

Currently at the beach in Formby where it is quite warm but not so much for me to bother taking off my jacket and carrying it. Anyway, with my walking pole and stoop I’m obviously a worn out old git so it goes with the image. Just to prove I actually made it as far as dipping my toes in the Irish Sea, here’s the evidence.

 

Well, I only said I was going for a paddle, not wading or anything strenuous like that. 

 

Right, time for an ice cream. It’s only about 200 yards to the ice cream van so I should be there by nightfall.

 

Dave

[AndyID]

12 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

I wonder if some people tend to view internet anonymity, using a nom du internet (to coin a phrase), as primarily a mask for potentially nefarious/abusive/trolling activities?

 

I view it differently: there are certainly many good reasons to keep one's identity guarded on the WWW (scams. phishing, ID theft etc) and sometimes there are other reasons (non-security) - quite innocent ones - for choosing to use a web-name. To illustrate (and I hope that @jamie92208 will forgive for "taking his name in vain" 🙂 for this illustration [all imaginary]): we all know that Jamie is passionately partisan about the LMS and it could potentially be quite embarrassing for him for other RMWeb members to learn that his full name is Jamie Churchward, who lives in Brunel Cottage on Great Western Railway Avenue 🤣 call yourself Graf Stephan Christof von Thierstein und Homberg or iL Dottore.

 

I think you just accidentally revealed your real name.

 

Of course anyone can get quite a lot of info from my RM handle. First name is likely to be Andrew and ID might imply "identity" or for those familiar with the US it could be Idaho (despite the fact that many in the US have no idea where Idaho actually is 😀)

 

So Andrew in Idaho narrows it down a lot. There are only two million people in Idaho and how many of them are Andrews?

 

 

[AndyID]

To answer my own question I think it's around 3,000.

 

[Hroth]

24 minutes ago, AndyID said:

many in the US have no idea where Idaho actually is

 

Many outside the US don't have an idea either.....

 

All I can guess is that its one of those states in the middle of the US up towards Canada.  🤔

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

I've actually been to Idaho on my honeymoon, driving along US2.  Fortunately surname is not a word connected with that railway that had lots of panneers and made all trains stop at Swindon.     I believe that it too film company to paint it's Locos in a decent colour.  However my moniker includes the only mailine steam loco that I had a cab ride on and fired for a short time. 

 

Jamie

[polybear]

31 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Just to prove I actually made it as far as dipping my toes in the Irish Sea, here’s the evidence.

 

 

 

Hate to say it, but there's a distinct lack of Toes in that photo....

 

But VHBAW's to Dave & Mrs. H anyway - despite no Toes....🍰🍰

[John Isherwood]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

...... Jamie is passionately partisan about the LMS and it could potentially be quite embarrassing for him for other RMWeb members to learn that his full name is Jamie Churchward, who lives in Brunel Cottage on Great Western Railway Avenue 🤣

 

Is ANYONE so sensitive, and so lacking in the appreciation of the irony of his situation?

 

In fact, if Jamie IS so sensitive, he should not have bought / rented such an odiously-addressed property in the first place!

 

I have read many so-called justifications for hiding one's identity on the internet - none have been convincing, but this one beats the lot!

 

John Isherwood.

[Oldddudders]

3 hours ago, cctransuk said:

.... and my decision for or against paying a membership fee is mine, and mine alone!

Of course. But your typically unambiguous postings generate a higher profile than that of many other members, which, allied to the cottage industry you quote in your signature - that I am sure, merely covers its costs and maybe a bit more, a 'beer and baccy' sort of profitability - means that you derive some minor financial benefit from RMweb. 

[John Isherwood]

1 minute ago, Oldddudders said:

Of course. But your typically unambiguous postings generate a higher profile than that of many other members, which, allied to the cottage industry you quote in your signature - that I am sure, merely covers its costs and maybe a bit more, a 'beer and baccy' sort of profitability - means that you derive some minor financial benefit from RMweb. 

 

I pride myself on avoiding ambiguity - correct use of English, good grammar and careful construction of sentences and paragraphs help enormously.

 

My sole purpose in mentioning my new transfer sheets on RMweb is to assist others in their modelling.

 

Increasingly, the producers of new etched kits and 3D printer designs are asking me to produce new transfer sheets to improve the appeal of their output. In fact, all of my recent introductions come within that category.

 

I have said this on several previous occasions but - since some members clearly have missed it - the principal effect of my never ever receiving another order for transfers would be an overnight doubling of my modelling time.

 

The financial return is minimal, and would not be missed. In fact, I could sell my sheets at cost-only; but that would be unfair to commercial producers as it would make their products appear over-priced.

 

So, no, I am not a leach on the lifeblood of RMweb - which was acquired, after all, for the raised profile and financial potential it offered to its current proprietors.

 

John Isherwood.

[BoD]

2 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Currently at the beach in Formby where it is quite warm but not so much for me to bother taking off my jacket and carrying it. Anyway, with my walking pole and stoop I’m obviously a worn out old git so it goes with the image. Just to prove I actually made it as far as dipping my toes in the Irish Sea, here’s the evidence.

 

Well, I only said I was going for a paddle, not wading or anything strenuous like that. 

 

Right, time for an ice cream. It’s only about 200 yards to the ice cream van so I should be there by nightfall.

 

Dave

Ah, the joys of the British seaside.

 

Look on the bright side though… at least the rain will wash all that sewerage off you.

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by BoD

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Currently at the beach in Formby where it is quite warm but not so much for me to bother taking off my jacket and carrying it. Anyway, with my walking pole and stoop I’m obviously a worn out old git so it goes with the image. Just to prove I actually made it as far as dipping my toes in the Irish Sea, here’s the evidence.

 

Well, I only said I was going for a paddle, not wading or anything strenuous like that. 

 

Right, time for an ice cream. It’s only about 200 yards to the ice cream van so I should be there by nightfall.

 

Dave

 

See any red squiggles?

Or spot the blitz rubble and tobacco waste in the dunes?

 

Its the place to be!

 

[iL Dottore]

51 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Is ANYONE so sensitive, and so lacking in the appreciation of the irony of his situation?

 

In fact, if Jamie IS so sensitive, he should not have bought / rented such an odiously-addressed property in the first place!

 

I have read many so-called justifications for hiding one's identity on the internet - none have been convincing, but this one beats the lot!

 

John Isherwood.

I guess you’re not a fan of the GWR either….

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

 

Many outside the US don't have an idea either.....

 

All I can guess is that its one of those states in the middle of the US up towards Canada.  🤔

 

 

 

 

Can't really blame them for that. It's quite far West. This part of Idaho, referred to as the panhandle, is in the Pacific Time Zone - eight hours behind the UK. It's a beautiful state with not too many people but that number is going up quite fast. There is still a large wilderness in the middle of the state - second only to Akaska I believe.

 

We ended up here as a result of some happy accidents.

[SM42]

A pleasant day has been had in Gdansk. 

 

The trains on the way back were all over the place. Ours was 30 down, so we got an earlier, one hour late train to Tczew so a bit of train  watching could be done away from the crowds at Gdansk Glowny. 

 

Mrs SM42 was sat patiently awaiting me to get bored ( no chance) when I heard her calling me, a Nurek* was arriving 

 

Mrs SM42 has a soft spot for these ( it's why I was allowed to buy an H0 one) 

 

And here it is in all its glory

 

 

Just 3 coaches on the hook. 

 

Made her day it did 

 

As an example of the chaos on PKP this evening, the 1435 train to Kolobrzeg had still not arrived at 1830hrs and this was  another less extreme example at Malbork  ( the place with the castle and not much else) 

 

 

Andy

 

*Nurek is Polish for diver

Edited August 9, 2023 by SM42

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule! 🤣

 

I knew I’d rattle somebody’s feather’s by naming the makes of car most likely to invade my “stopping space” when driving!

 

I should add that I use radar-informed cruise control 95% of the time, and it is that which determines the necessary gap depending upon speed and driving conditions! (Clever stuff they have as standard in cars these days, ain’t it!)

 

Mind you, in terms of driving styles …

 

BMW … pushy, always nipping in and out of spaces, exhumes an air of “I need to be somewhere else NOW and YOU are in the way!

 

AUDI … new boy on the block, also pushy, will agitate to move ONE car in front of you rather than be one car BEHIND, likely to make sudden cutting in manoeuvres at slow speeds on motorways

 

RANGE ROVER … arrogant, out of my way PEASANTS! Suspected drug dealers tend to have blackened out windows together with strangely spaced numbers on their registration plates in order to spell out names or nicknames making use of “strategically placed” black screw fixings to create alternate letters, such as turning “SP11 FFS” to “SPLIFFS”! Most likely to cut you up at speed using their sheer size.

Have I managed to not offend anyone yet?! 

 

Mind you, I could start a tsunami of comments by mentioning taxi drivers and white van drivers! 
 

The very worst driving I have personally witnessed was seeing a Toyota people-carrier coming towards me on the opposite side of the road suddenly cut across and mount the pavement outside a primary school as children were leaving at the end of the day, and proceeding to drive down it at speed (scattering mothers and children) as the female driver apparently could not wait for the traffic to clear in front of her! More horrifying was the fact she had three or four children in the vehicle with her!! How nobody was hit, injured or killed was a miracle!!

 

Steve S

 

PS

All the above a bit of fun, except the people carrier story!

Two comments, Steve.

1) In my neck of the woods the Tesla drivers are now regarded (by some [many?]) as being the amalgamation of the worst of the Audi/BMW/Range Rover Driver. “Entitled W*****” is ne of the kinder soubriquets hurled at them…

 

2) With the people carrier incident did anyone call the police or take details of the car (including smart phone photos)? Try anything like that around here and the people carrier driver would become a permanent pedestrian (perhaps after doing some time)

 

p.s. in the 80s an acquaintance of mine, a London Fire Brigade officer, had a great way of dealing with such things: as a car pushed past he would hit a rear panel with his soft sports bag - this caused a resounding THUD to echo through the car (but doing no damage - not even a scratch). He reckons he caused quite a few “brown trousers” moments…🤣

[New Haven Neil]

My oh my those Nurekii are fugly!  In the eye of the beholder no doubt, but i personally fail to derive any aesthetic pleasure from them whatsoever. Horses for courses I suppose.

[AndyID]

Was the Nurek design inspired by this guy?

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bender_(Futurama)

[SM42]

24 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

My oh my those Nurekii are fugly!  In the eye of the beholder no doubt, but i personally fail to derive any aesthetic pleasure from them whatsoever. Horses for courses I suppose.

 

I can only report Mrs SM42's common refrain " aww sweet man"

 

I got a free pass on a model loco based on that

 

Andy

[New Haven Neil]

5 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

I can only report Mrs SM42's common refrain " aww sweet man"

 

I got a free pass on a model loco based on that

 

Andy

 

Well there's an upside anyway!  The opposite would happen here, although Mrs NHN's main hate is 'stupid little wheels and long spindly chimneys'.  aka Quarry Hunslets and the ilk.  Purchase of another Spam Can or Pannier is OK though, they're 'proper engines' apparently.

[AndyID]

Yesterday was the inaugural meeting of the North Idaho Fiat Spider Owners Club. It was well attended. Both of us were there.

 

To mark the occasion I wore a Spyder rash guard shirt which is good for preventing sunburn. As you can see it also enhanced certain aspects of my anatomy. Lorna claims "the camera does not lie". 😅

 

 

 

[Erichill16]

15 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Or a drug dealer......

No, I’ve got a  knacker old MB Vito.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Erichill16

[AndyID]

10 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Our first date was on Jill’s 16th birthday.

 

Dave

 

Happy anniversary!

 

Lorna was much older when we started dating. She was 17 😁 Our 51st is coming up in a couple of weeks.

[AndyID]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

and it could potentially be quite embarrassing for him for other RMWeb members to learn that his full name is Jamie Churchward, who lives in Brunel Cottage on Great Western Railway Avenue

 

 

Oddly enough there is a Great Western Road in Glasgow but I don't think the GW ever went that far North 😁

[Dave Hunt]

Back home now from our day out. It was actually mostly a nice sunny day at the beach - the clouds in the photograph were out over the water and broke up as soon as they reached the coast. 

 

Thanks for all the good wishes.

 

So starts the 55th orbit.

 

Dave