The Night Mail

[iL Dottore]

Interestingly, although “bog standard” today means <Utterly basic, ordinary, or standard; unremarkable, unexceptional> originally it meant being built to highest possible standard. Apparently, it derives from Victorian/Edwardian time when manufacturers making items for export would indicate that the item should be made to the highest standards of the day and the annotation “British or German Standard” (the highest standards of quality at that time) would appear somewhere in the documentation (order form? plans?) 

[jamie92208]

5 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

I think a bit of experimentation is required. All we need is an ice rink, a chieftain tank, a supply of 120 mm ammunition and some volunteers. We could set it to music and post it on youtube

 

I'm making a list of all of the persons who think making fun of a shedless person. Vhat is your name?

I am sure that the Ukranian army would conduct the experiment for you as long as they only had to fire eastwards or southeastwards.  They have a lot of ammunition that has been gifted to them by Russia that they feel obliged to return.

 

Jamie

Edited December 10, 2022 by jamie92208

[DaveF]

14 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Discovered today that the heating in Dad's house wasn't on and the hot taps wouldn't run. Friendly plumber/heating man came round and it looks as though something had tripped the main CB so the boiler hadn't been on, possibly for a few days. The boiler won't start and the water in it may have frozen so we drained down all the water system and left the loft hatch open with a couple of electric radiators and a fan heater on to warm the place up (the boiler, stupidly IMHO, is mounted on an external wall in the loft). We'll see in the morning whether that has helped. Next week a surveyor is due to look at the house for some prospective purchasers. Bu**er.

 

Dave

 

I don't often post much the same thing in 2 places I will do this time.

 

When I turned the heating on in Mum's flat I encountered a problem - the boiler fired up, made a series of loud bangs and stopped.  The temperature shot up to 90C.  When I looked at the fault code I realised that the hot water system had an airlock, once I had run the tap for a few minutes I was able to restart the boiler and all was well - but I did visit the flat almost every day to check it.  Thank goodness the sale completed yesterday.

 

I agree about having boilers in the loft.  About 14 years ago I installed gas central heating to replace storage heaters.  Several installers wanted to put the boiler in the loft or garage.  

 

The one I chose to do the work said either have the boiler in the kitchen or the old airing cupboard where the hot water cylinder used to be.  I chose the airing cupboard as it was more convenient to route the gas and water pipes.  Incidentally he also refused to put radiators under the windows so as to avoid heat loss and insisted on fitting radiators  quite a bit bigger than normally  needed to make sure the house would never be cold - especially the spare room with the railway in it.  He is a railway modeller so he knows how important that is.  It also means I can run the boiler at a lower temperature so saving a bit of gas.  Even though I am on the coast I have known it to get down to -13C outside.

 

David

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by DaveF

[newbryford]

Very picturesque at work today.

 

[Happy Hippo]

56 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I am sure that the Ukranian army would conduct the experiment for you as long as they only had to fire eastwards or southeaswards.  They have a lot of ammunition that has been gifted to them by Russia that feel obliged to return.

 

Jamie

There might be a slightly different reaction as Russian tank ammn is smooth bore fin stabilised and not the more traditional rifled bore ammn where the round stability starts as soon as the gun is fired rather than after the round has left the barrel.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Happy Hippo

[Happy Hippo]

As a matter of interest, are there others here who are still waiting, no doubt with bated breath, the video on 4 mm loco and train lamp changing, promised on another thread?

 

Steve, Mick, Andy?

 

Alright fellahs, let's go!

 

Sorry suddenly got a Ballroom Blitz flashback which is now an earworm.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Happy Hippo

[newbryford]

On 10/12/2022 at 11:13, Happy Hippo said:

As a matter of interest, are there others here who are still waiting, no doubt with bated breath, the video on 4 mm loco and train lamp changing, promised on another thread?

 

Steve, Mick, Andy?

 

Alright fellahs, let's go!

 

Sorry suddenly got a Ballroom Blitz flashback which is now an earworm.

 

I feel the need for a reminder, but apparently I'm "tiresome" according to the K****ter.

Edited December 11, 2022 by newbryford

[Adam88]

12 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Sadly 55 tons of Chieftain going one way doesn't overcome the recoil off the 120 mm main armament. Nothing really scientific evidence to prove it except a Chief can fire on the move from any angle without any perceptible change in speed or direction.

 

 

I've often wondered about the recoil on this Norwegian piece.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Adam88

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, Canal Digger said:

the helicopter! You mean that you don't have a fleet?

Of course not! That would be ostentatious (and very nouveau riche).

 

Besides, with more than one helicopter where would I stable the Learjet?

[iL Dottore]

23 minutes ago, Adam88 said:

 

I've often wondered about the recoil on this Norwegian piece.

 

 

Presumably it was tethered to something (probably several somethings) by a system of guy ropes and pulleys. Otherwise the hapless gun crew would face the prospect of the cannon shooting off into the nearest fjord every time they used it.

[Happy Hippo]

28 minutes ago, Adam88 said:

I like Norwegians

content://com.android.chrome.FileProvider/images/screenshot/1670673637913357520209.jpg

Edited December 10, 2022 by Happy Hippo

[Tony_S]

24 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I like Norwegians

When we went down for dinner the first night we had arrived at our hotel in Austria a few years ago , the waiter asked would we prefer our menu in German or English. I said it didn’t matter. He said “Are you Norwegian?”  
After a few interesting translations we did say please don’t do the English menu just for us, we were quite happy with German or Italian. This was after we had spent a while trying to determine what “propositioned chicken” actually was. The head waiter spoke German, Italian and English fluently. They didn’t get too many (only us while we were there) British guests so the most junior waiter was very keen to chat to us to improve his English. 

[newbryford]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

As a matter of interest, are there others here who are still waiting, no doubt with bated breath, the video on 4 mm loco and train lamp changing, promised on another thread?

 

 

Someone else has stepped in.....

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

I like Norwegians

content://com.android.chrome.FileProvider/images/screenshot/1670673637913357520209.jpg

So does my nephew. He married one. Now lives in Oslo and as well as the day job has an after hors job as head brewer in a micro brewery making English style ales.

 

Jamie

[Dave Hunt]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

.....the waiter asked would we prefer our menu in German or English. I said it didn’t matter. He said “Are you Norwegian?”  

 

The first time I was in Norway I was looking for somewhere in Oslo and stopped a chap to ask directions. “Do you speak English?” I asked. “Oh yes, how can I help you? “ he replied. I told him where I wanted to go and he gave me directions in faultless, unaccented English. I thanked him and said, “I didn't realise you were English.” “ Oh, I’m not, I’m Norwegian,” he replied, “But you’ll find that most of us speak English fairly well.” 

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

As a matter of interest, are there others here who are still waiting, no doubt with bated breath, the video on 4 mm loco and train lamp changing, promised on another thread?

 

Is that the same thread that has a tutorial on working water troughs and pickup gear in 2mm scale?

 

Dave

[SM42]

I know where we can get a functioning Centurion and it would probably not be an offence under the Firearms Act to fire it. 

Ice under the tracks not a problem either. 

 

Need to be quick though as Mrs SM42 can pop round this afternoon. 

 

Therein is another problem. 

 

Mrs SM42 returns to the estate at My! Isn't it early? tomorrow and is rather expecting more decorating to be completed than has actually been done. 

 

I will therfore need to make some effort tonight to show a modicum of progress towards the expected outcomes. 

I've already done the ground work on the excuses when she called earlier today. 

 

It's all about managing expectations. 

 

Andy

[SM42]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Of course not! That would be ostentatious (and very nouveau riche).

 

Besides, with more than one helicopter where would I stable the Learjet?

 

Surely it would fit under one of the 747 wings.

 

Andy

[polybear]

I recall a programme showing various rather nice houses (in the UK); one in particular was owned & designed by an Architect who also had his own private Helicopter.  I was rather taken by the Garage sorry, Hangar at the back of the house that opened (leccy doors, naturally) to reveal the Heli.  Another button started up some sort of "moving walkway" that transferred the Heli from the Hangar to the centre of the garden and the Helipad.  Very, very smart indeed.

[Canal Digger]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

As a matter of interest, are there others here who are still waiting, no doubt with bated breath, the video on 4 mm loco and train lamp changing, promised on another thread?

 

Is that the same thread that has a tutorial on working water troughs and pickup gear in 2mm scale?

No, HH is thinking about the thread describing how to get carriage doors to open automatically as the train comes to a stop in T Scale

[New Haven Neil]

I spent some time in Stavanger on a ship that was laid up, and thus met many Norwegians.  They explained that most of their TV was in English with Norsk subtitles, therefore they learned English without really trying!  To a person, they were polite, helpful and just nice folk.  There was an English bar on the quayside, where we were made very welcome as we added to the atmosphere! Lord (pick your own) it was expensive though.

 

Wandering through the town I found the railway station ('train station' if you are under 30) and was mighty surprised to find a Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T there, as in Manx stylee.  Turns out ours were after theirs, but to an almost identical design.

 

Happy memories of a friendly country.  And the women....ooohhrrrrr

Edited December 10, 2022 by New Haven Neil

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

I recall a programme showing various rather nice houses (in the UK); one in particular was owned & designed by an Architect who also had his own private Helicopter.  I was rather taken by the Garage sorry, Hangar at the back of the house that opened (leccy doors, naturally) to reveal the Heli.  Another button started up some sort of "moving walkway" that transferred the Heli from the Hangar to the centre of the garden and the Helipad.  Very, very smart indeed.

 

Don't give him ideas. You know who i mean 

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, SM42 said:

I know where we can get a functioning Centurion and it would probably not be an offence under the Firearms Act to fire it. 

Ice under the tracks not a problem either. 

 

Need to be quick though as Mrs SM42 can pop round this afternoon. 

 

Therein is another problem. 

 

Mrs SM42 returns to the estate at My! Isn't it early? tomorrow and is rather expecting more decorating to be completed than has actually been done. 

 

I will therfore need to make some effort tonight to show a modicum of progress towards the expected outcomes. 

I've already done the ground work on the excuses when she called earlier today. 

 

It's all about managing expectations. 

 

Andy

 

Ok so that's the tank sorted - tick. That just leaves the ammo and crew. Any suggestions Big H?

 

Oh and don't look at me for the painting I'm to far away/washing my hair/building a fence panel well you get the idea. What about someone nearer Big H or the Squadron leader?

[AndyID]

7 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

There might be a slightly different reaction as Russian tank ammn is smooth bore fin stabilised and not the more traditional rifled bore ammn where the round stability starts as soon as the gun is fired rather than after the round has left the barrel.

 

The rifled bore would result in torque being transmitted to the barrel and ultimately result in a temporary load transfer from one track to the other. Whether it was right to left or left to right would depend on the "hand" of the rifling. But I think the effect wound amount to pretty much burglar all.

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

I recall a programme showing various rather nice houses (in the UK); one in particular was owned & designed by an Architect who also had his own private Helicopter.  I was rather taken by the Garage sorry, Hangar at the back of the house that opened (leccy doors, naturally) to reveal the Heli.  Another button started up some sort of "moving walkway" that transferred the Heli from the Hangar to the centre of the garden and the Helipad.  Very, very smart indeed.

There was an even better house in a suburb of Morley. I was loomi g for a house one day and found an isolated bu galow in a wood. The garage had rails coming out of it and contained a quarry Hunslet.  The Bruntcliffe Light Railway. Sadly no longer there.  My good lady was friendly with the owners daughter in her yoof and used to have rides on it.  Sadly long gone.

 

Jamie