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Early Risers.


Mr.S.corn78
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We went down to the city centre around noon and had a look at the "Round Corner" museum, set up to preserve the former Leipzig office of the GDR's Ministry of State Security ("Stasi") as a memorial. Here's a couple of snapshots I took – though in my opinion, they don't quite do the place justice where the numerous exhibits, set up in what was essentially their natural environment, do leave a rather indelible impression:

 

 

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This was described as a typical office chamber for an agent at the former Stasi office.

 

 

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This was a machine for re-sealing letters which had been opened as part of the Stasi mail monitoring efforts.

 

 

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While there were no prison cells at the Dittrichring complex where the former Stasi office is located, the museum's initiative had one such cell replicated to give an impression of what a typical GDR prison cell looked like.

 

The museum's web site: http://www.runde-ecke-leipzig.de/

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Some days, simple things seem so complicated..........

My fridge is 120 volt version (an American import) running quite happily on a 230v-120v transformer.

I need an interior lamp for it: so, rang the usual specialist lamp supplier:

 

 

Me: Do you have a 120 volt, 40watt Edison screw (E27) appliance-lamp, please?

 

Lamp Man: What`s it for?

 

Me: My 120 volt fridge......it`s an E27 40 watt ,120 volt appliance lamp I`m after......I`ve bought one from you previously, so you should have them.

 

Lamp Man: What make of fridge is it?

 

Me: does that matter when I know which cap, form, voltage and wattage I need?

 

Lamp Man: Absolutely!

 

Me: Ok then; it`s a 'Maytag'.........

 

Lamp Man: Who makes those?

 

Me: Patience wavering but with irony intact; "Probably Chinese labour, assembling Korean components".....but you might say:  "Americans"

 

Lamp Man: We don`t do American lamps!

 

Me: Are you joking? :nono:

 

Lamp Man: Not at all Madam.........are you sure about the wattage?

 

Me: Surely you mean "am I sure about the voltage?"

 

Lamp Man: No, the wattage....it is a fridge you know; it`ll make it too warm if you get it wrong!

 

Me: Listen, I`ve bought these lamps from your company before; can you please just supply me with a E27 cap, 40 watt appliance-lamp for 120 volts?

 

Lamp man: Do you want it frosted?

 

Me: It`s for the fridge, not the freezer! :jester:  (that attempt at humour fell totally flat!).......Ok, whatever you have in stock; either pearl or clear would be OK as long as it`s a 120 volt version.

 

Lamp Man: Right, so it`s an ES, 40 watt appliance-lamp for 120 volt that you`re after?

 

Me: Yes that`s the one!......how much including P&P? :yahoo:

 

Lamp Man: Sorry, we don`t do 120 volt lamps. :no: Have you tried B & Q?

 

Me: :banghead: Arrrrrrggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh! :ireful:
 

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I bet you had a struggle to maintain your lady-like sang froid.....I would just have used Naval Anglo-Saxon!

 

I hate such incompetence, they don;t deserve to be in business - actually it sounds like they might not be soon!



Work computer doesn;t allow me to edit - that was @ Debs, not Ian!!!! :O



Yet an additional post appeared like an edit - odd!

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Pete.

The wood I use is about 1 1/4 inch by 3/4in It is not critical screwed and glued with Resin W PVA. The diagonals can be the same or 1inch sq. I usually add a thin ply profile board to the front and rear to protect the scenic stuff. If you want deeper board to protect turnout motors make the profile boards deeper.

Originally I tried wood from B&Q but it wasn't good quality so I tend to get it from Timber Merchants.

I also use the same wood for legs as I dont feel the need to lean or rest on the boards.

Having used Insulation board for building work I do not believe it has sufficient strength for baseboards unless held in a ply frame. Even the 100mm stuff would bow with any weight on it.

Don

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Hi. Not sure if this link will work think it needs a double click otherwise copy and paste into browser, worth a look.

 

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/10417214/Preserved-in-time-19th-century-railway-up-for-sale.html

 

 

Not often a preserved railway station comes up for sale. Video worth a look also

 

 

Alan

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Perhaps he lives in a world where the light stays on when the fridge door shuts!

 

Sounds more like his door is open but his light is out.

 

p.s.   bluddy trick or treats

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I think I missed a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dom - if so there it was, if I've already done it you owe me one when it's my birthday now.

 

Finally made Heathrow after spending some time on the M25 car park due to a crash - what joy.

 

Have a good evening all.

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Robbie is on patrol in the hallway! We have a very solid door with a small glass panel.  I don't normally let Robbie play in the hall as I worry he might frighten someone. He tends to be a bit enthusiastic and smashes into the door at high speed and all visitors can see is a lot of teeth. It is just enthusiasm that there might be someone new to play with him but it sounds fierce (to anyone who doesn't know him). I think there may be a convention developing that if you have a pumpkin you will welcome trick or treat callers. For a while it got nasty round here and was more like threat and menace than trick or treat. To be honest the children out tonight seemed to be quite short and accompanied by an adult.

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Evening all,  

 

Wara blruy day!    At one of the plants we've recently completed there is a problem with one of the HV (11,000v)  breakers....so I need to get the manufactures local agent in, also have to arrange total shut down of the plant, and get co-operation  of the power-takers (bit like herding cats!). 

 

Make arrangements with all parties to do this 9 am today, speaks to the agent yesterday afternoon, to make sure they had all special tools, drawings, etc available gets the assurance, gets a phone call this morning confirming their man is on way....turns up three ours late , no special tools, no drawing, after 45 minutes..decides he can do nothing......by which time I'm spitting blood.....customers customer (continuous process) has lost whole shifts production, clients lost best part of a days revenue, I've lost an ex-pat engineer for a day......and worse still we've had to pay these clowns up front!  Grrrrrrrr! 

 

 

Well to bright the mood, tonights sunset: 

 

 

Try and have a good night, 

 

Trev.

post-4282-0-89603100-1383242604.jpg

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As I wasn't very good at woodwork I used to overbuild my model railway boards and most of them could be walked on. Out of curiosity I wondered about what would happen if I walked on some Space Boards. I put two sheets on some bricks near the ends (the sheets are 120cm long) and stood in the middle. Not particularly rigorous methodology but 85 kg mass did make them bow a little but as I only model in HO, OO and ON30 none of my rolling stock is that heavy. I don't think other foams like that stuff that looks like foil covered cheese would be as effective for baseboards.

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What an exciting life you lead Tony.

Right on the edge.  ;)

Well if ever the only route to safety over a chasm is across a couple of pieces of SpaceBoard you can think of us brave pioneering types who took the first step onto styrene.

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I walked on some Space Boards. I put two sheets on some bricks near the ends (the sheets are 120cm long) and stood in the middle. Not particularly rigorous methodology but 85 kg mass did make them bow a little but as I only model in HO, OO and ON30 none of my rolling stock is that heavy.

 

Increasing the shear modulus by increasing the distance between the two planes (faces) in shear, will increase the rigidity greatly.

 

e.g: The foil-faced urethane-foam board that`s 5 inches thick, is much 'stiffer' than the 2 inch thickness variant.........not in terms of increased tensile strength or density, rather just 'stiffer'; the factor perhaps most useful in practical lightweight structures such as long, composite aircraft-wings (or model layout monocoque-baseboards).

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Evenin' all,

 

Happy birthday Dom.  Very pleasant day at Taunton talking about proper railway work with folk who knew how to do it plus a nice lunch and saved money by not buying anything in the model shop although they now do secondhand.  Evening is now a constant-ish procession of miniature ghouls and witches to the front door through a porch heavily decorated with plastic spiders and spiders webs and sundry illuminations plus a couple of pumpkins - yes Tony the convention is that if you display a carved pumpkin you welcome trick & treaters, and if you don't then then shouldn't bother.

 

Great fun for the tiny ones, some of them around are perhaps a bit too old for  this sort of thing but so then are Mrs Stationmaster and Dr Station Cat who lavish their skills on the decorations - silly idea Halloween but it does seem a bit more fun than Christmas - and as usual we are being commended by young and old for 'best decorations' - daft innit.

 

Some interesting news on the model railway front (sorry) which I'll keep under my hat until the wish-listing season at which juncture I can have great fun - oh and for once at our lunch there were no departures to announce, makes a pleasant change when mixing with older folk.

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Morning all,  cheer up it's FRIDAY!, (and a new month,   time certainly seems to fly as you progress in years?)  

 

All this talk of baseboard construction reminds me of  some base boards  I built from  6mm ply, including all the cross members. (3' x 18") but all the cross members where drilled with a cookie-cutter so they were more hole than wood.  But did make for very light boards.

 

Last nights thunderstorm was very appropriate for all hallows eve!

 

Well work beckons, so best get on,

 

Try and remember to smile today, 

 

Trev.

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Increasing the shear modulus by increasing the distance between the two planes (faces) in shear, will increase the rigidity greatly.

 

e.g: The foil-faced urethane-foam board that`s 5 inches thick, is much 'stiffer' than the 2 inch thickness variant.........not in terms of increased tensile strength or density, rather just 'stiffer'; the factor perhaps most useful in practical lightweight structures such as long, composite aircraft-wings (or model layout monocoque-baseboards).

 

That's a very sexy thing for you to say, Debs.

Going for a wet sponge.

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Good morning all,

 

Dry & 12oC at the moment, will probably be cloudy all day with possibility of some rain.

Tracklaying didn't happen yesterday due to me discovering that I'd damaged two of the points Iifted from the previous board. Ham fisted idiot! Order has been placed for replacements.

I surprisingly enjoyed the kid's Hallowe'en party last night. They all invited some friends & it was a pleasure to see such a nice bunch of children having a good time. Even the kids who knocked "trick or treating" were polite & well behaved.

Tomorrow I'm heading to the High Wycombe show so unusually for me I'll probably miss the England v Australia rugby match. I'll just have to make do with the highlights later.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

 

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