The Night Mail

[simontaylor484]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

All this discussion about burials has brought back memories about a terrible fight I had with Mrs iD recently. It got so ugly, that at one point she said to me that “I wish you’d drop dead” to which I replied “I just might do that, just to spite you“; “great“ she replied, “I’m going to dance on your grave“. I responded “fine by me……

….…. I’m being buried at sea”

 

Hat, coat, gone…

I once said very similar words to MIL except I added the words and you can't swim.

 

 

[rockershovel]

My 12-month-old grandson has learnt to make video calls, or at any rate that this is one possible outcome of swiping at the screen on mum's phone. 

 

I find this quite amusing, but this doesn't seem to be a consensus. 

[Happy Hippo]

Earlier this week I finished another of those small jobs that have been stacked up on the 'to do' shelf in the garage.

 

This time it's a short extension cable with the power controlled by a footswitch.

 

It is not perfect as machines with a NVR switch still need to be switched on from the machine, but it does mean that I can cut off power without removing one hand from a work piece to switch off.

 

It is particularly useful when using the table saw and the corded drill which lives in a vertical stand.

 

It will also be useful when working with any of the mains operated mini drill which have the most awkward of switches and you need three hands to operate it properly when used free hand.

 

Not at all original, I stole the idea from electric sewing machines and resistance soldering units.

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

I once said very similar words to MIL except I added the words and you can't swim.

 

 

It is not without due disrespect that the Dragon-in-Law is on the receiving end of some similar sentiments at times.  Never expressed in her presence however as there remains a chance that her estate, when the time comes, may benefit Dr. SWMBO and we don't wish to place that at risk.  Knowing her it would be were she to think for one moment that she were spoken of in such terms.  

[Dave Hunt]

There is something positive about my current labyrinthine dealings and niffnaff wrestling following Dad's departure, which is that Jill has taken pity on me to the extent that this morning I was treated to a bacon sarnie and a large muggocoffee in bed (and before you lot start, it was me that was in bed, the comestibles were served on a tray in a mug and on a plate so the bedclothes didn't get mucky). That I am getting organised is shown in the fact that I have now prepared a list of what still needs to be done rather than just winging it and with luck tomorrow may see me having some workshop time (the last time I predicted that a few days ago I was being overoptimistic). 

 

So, onward and upward. Tonight we are going out for a meal and I'm going to watch a programme I recorded last night about the history behind the old Lonnie Donegan song The Rock Island Line.

 

Have  good Saturday people.

 

Dave  

[Dave Hunt]

53 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

.....a short extension cable with the power controlled by a footswitch..... it does mean that I can cut off power without removing one hand....  particularly useful when using the table saw......

Removing one hand when using a table saw is always best avoided.

 

Dave

[Canal Digger]

WARNING LETTING THE NEXT POST VISIBLE TO THE DOMESTIC MANAGEMENT COULD BE DANGEROUS!

[Canal Digger]

You were warned, a She Shed

[Gwiwer]

31 minutes ago, Canal Digger said:

WARNING LETTING THE NEXT POST VISIBLE TO THE DOMESTIC MANAGEMENT COULD BE DANGEROUS!

 

No.

 

Quite safe.  

 

Mine collects tea-pots, baskets and packets of seeds!  

[SM42]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Today is likely to be a full on train day.

 

Maybe not. 

 

I've not seen a train all week.

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

39 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

Maybe not. 

 

I've not seen a train all week.

 

Andy

So far today, neither have I, and with a new urgent tasking just appearing on the horizon, it is unlikely that I will either.

 

I did manage to shift 14 large sacks of rubble to the recycling centre this morning, and the bacon was good.

[rockershovel]

I will admit at this point that though I find them tedious at times, irritating at others I've never seriously fallen out with MiL or the rest of her innumerable tribe (my good wife is the youngest of seven so her nephews, nieces and sundry successors are named Legion) 

[SM42]

13 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

So far today, neither have I,

 

Oh the irony!

 

Andy

Edited June 25, 2022 by SM42

[J. S. Bach]

8 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 ...snip... Do I put the board outside and work in the sunshine, or remain in the garage and benefit from my efforts earlier in the week under the LED batten lights? ...snip...

The sunlight is free!

[New Haven Neil]

4 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

Maybe not. 

 

I've not seen a train all week.

 

Andy

 

Thursday evening.....

 

[Happy Hippo]

The decision to remain in the garage was well thought out as we had a number of rather nasty rain squalls roll through this afternoon.

 

I saw a 95xx 'Teddy Bear' and a 14xx auto tank parked up on a siding, after being used on gauging duties.  Then I was able to cut my way through various bits of Kingspan to make up the carcass of the 'North End' bridge and embankment.

 

I've got one set of embossed  plastic sheet of dressed stone gluing up, and I'll try and get the other matched piece glued up this evening.  The donation of  the best part of a large pack of DAS clay by Dave a few weeks back will enable me to fill the join between the two pieces tomorrow morning.

 

Having measured everything up and ensured it fits, I'm building both sets of abutments and their respective embankments 'off board' and will install them just prior to fitting the bridge decking.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Happy Hippo

[Dave Hunt]

3 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Thursday evening.....

 

 

And at the other end of Douglas you can find steam trains. What a great place!

 

Dave

[Northmoor]

30 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

And at the other end of Douglas you can find steam trains. What a great place!

 

Dave

Any place that has fast motorcycles and heritage railways is good in my book.  Speaking of the IoM TT, I got to say hello and grab an autograph from a few TT riders yesterday, including the fastest of all, this chap:

[New Haven Neil]

34 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

And at the other end of Douglas you can find steam trains. What a great place!

 

Dave

 

For sure we have never had any regrets about moving here 20 years ago.

 

[PhilJ W]

Here's the hill climbing electric racing car I mentioned earlier.

https://www.motor1.com/news/594295/mcmurtry-automotive-goodwood-hill-climb/

[PhilJ W]

And this is the 'Beast' it competed against.

[Tony_S]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

And this is the 'Beast' it competed against.

Is it also electric?

[PhilJ W]

7 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Is it also electric?

No, here it is in action.

 

[Happy Hippo]

Time to fill up some more bags with clay/rubble and take them down to the tip.

 

I will reduce the pile to zero by the end of the week.

 

Of course, making best use of my time means I will go and do the filling of the joints on the bridge abutments with DAS before the shovelling and bag shifting, as it will need some time to dry off.

 

Whilst it's drying out, and after the tip run, I can temporarily place the abutments and measure up for the small plate girders I will need to fabricate from plastic card.

[Dave Hunt]

10 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

And this is the 'Beast' it competed against.

 

I'd terrified to risk damaging a valuable antique like that on a wet, slippery course with stone walls and other hazards.

 

Dave