Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

And another thing.

 

Just posted by my good friend, one-time colleague and one of Melbourne's best-known tram drivers.

 

This shows one of our busiest routes which runs from the popular cake shops beach-side suburb of St. Kilda through the City of Melbourne to the inner northern suburbs of Carlton and Fitzroy to East Brunswick.

 

The run, filmed today as it shows the brand-new arrangement at Port Junction just beyond the light rail section which only opened this morning, is filmed with full knowledge of and permission from Yarra Trams management on a normal passenger working and is filmed from one of the brand new E-class tram and shows more of those passing in the opposite direction.  The E-class are locally built Bombardier-designed trams with the large bulbous-ends.  Also seen are a D1 class (3-module Combino), all three restaurant cars (converted from W-class service cars and in maroon livery - two waiting to shunt and follow the service car and the third up ahead then seen shunting around the curve into Park Street only normally used by these trams), C1 class (3-module Citadis units with flat-sided bodies) C2 class trams (5-module Citadis units with curved profile), an A2 class locally-built single-car tram (stopped ahead on route 12 and another passing it), B2 class (locally-built 2-car trams, currently with 130 in the fleet our most numerous type) and a maroon W-class on the City Circle ahead just beyond Bourke Street.  

 

The mix of light rail, reserved track and shared street running can be appreciated as can a selection of our road traffic and tram-only signals and signs.

 

Edited January 21, 2016 by Gwiwer

[28XX]

Good Morning from Worcester Royal Hospital, where the hoar frost is slowly melting. Dad and I are here for yet another glaucoma consultation. We have been in an ongoing war to conserve his sight for five years.

 

Best wishes to those that ail, as always.

 

I picked up a new piece of my magnum opus Stourhampton yesterday. Ratio's new(ish) brick built GWR signal box. Further detail to follow in the relevant area of the forum.

 

Stevo

[bbishop]

Morning all. Back from a dental appointment in Lewisham. I took the opportunity to buy MRJ in Smiffs and looked for rubber bands (to hold together Wayoh resin bogies whilst the glue sets). En route, I came across "The Archers Archives" for a fiver - Chris, eat your heart out. The rubber bands cost £1-99 for a packet and I later bought them in Sainsbury's for 30p. Quite a difference!

 

Just had my toast, and I've chewed my numb tongue a few times.

 

Off to post on the 1 to 45 forum, then off to the charity and a diocesan meeting.

 

Bill

[laurenceb]

Have a good time Rick

[The Stationmaster]

G'day all,

 

Nice tram ride Rick - a great shame that Sydney didn't retain their network as I would have had a very interesting ride up the hill from the ferry on my way home from work in the evenings when I was out there (it had become a 'bus route).

Really miserable weather now - still coldish and some sunshine but the lovely hard frost has vanished although we had some more last night; I wonder if we had enough to kill off the various alien bugs etc which the warm winters have lumbered us with?

 

Good to hear Jock is still progressing.

 

Have a good day one & all - now what shall we use our remaining pair of cinema freebies for I wonder?

[brianthesnail96]

Boing!

 

Late today, didn't have time to post over my coffee this morning as the test rig I'm supposed to be taking over next month "did a broken" so coffee time was spend pondering the best plan of attack to get it stripped down and rebuilt. Definitely a few design foibles that have made it interesting at times, not sure the designer intended it to be taken apart. Good to be getting my hands dirty and be doing some actual engineering work though, not just paperwork and people wrangling.

 

Can't let esterday's conversation about university students seemingly not knowing anything about their subject pass without comment. I was lucky in that I went was it was still relatively cheap- £3k a year tuition fees (plus loan for accommodation etc, still not exactly cheap)- but even so there were plenty of people I encountered who hadn't managed to get the work/ life balance quite right. In my first year I was a in a house of 9 and mostly fairly dedicated and hard working (if allergic to washing up liquid and bin bags), except for two of the lads who were a great laugh but prioritised getting stoned and playing sports over working- one of them managed to fail his foundation year which I considered quite an achievement. I know he's now graduated with a decent degree (both in terms of grade and subject matter) but it took several extra years and therefore a fair bit of expenditure for both him & of course the state. Laura had a similar experience in halls, with the other five in her flat going out on 3 "school" nights every week, usually sitting in the communal kitchen drinking until about 11ish before heading out on the town giving her a chance to get some sleep before they all rolled back in about 3am and woke her up again. Of course they then slept most of the morning. One was on the same course as Laura and she very rarely made it to the morning lectures- 9am starts so not exactly early.

 

Laura got so sick of this that unofficially moving in to our house (my 2nd year by then) of four male engineers and rather more motorbikes was a vastly preferable option! No complaints from me obviously.

 

Anyway, given the dropout/ failure rate and general lack of interest shown, even on the waste of time courses (one chap in a friend's halls was doing something woolly to do with history and he had fewer contact hours in a week than I did in any given day; hardly value for money!) I was hardly surprised when they bumped up the tuition fees again. Not saying it was the right thing to do, the whole system needs a reform really as it's definitely far from fair at the moment (being able to afford the fees doesn't necessarily correlate with a good work ethic in my experience, but of course it costs the government less this way...) but I've no idea how you'd go about it.

 

As for cinemas, Laura loves films, I'm indifferent- we compromise and she only drags me along to see a few, but she does own an awful lot of DVDs. At least we generally like similar stuff. Except "Convoy", she doesn't seem to share my enthusiasm for that. 10-4...

 

Have a good afternoon all!     

[The Lurker]

An interesting problem. Often the problem arises when extensions are done and the new radiator is taken off the small feeds to an existing one so the pipes will not carry sufficient flow.

A really old place may has a single pipe system. Each radiator has both ends connected to the same single pipe. The pipe runs from the boiler round the house and back to the boiler. Hot water rises into the radiator displacing the cooler which returns to the pipe. So as you go round the pipe the water gets cooler which can mean those rads at the end get less heat.  At times of maximum demand such as first switch on or really cold days the last rad will be getting really cold water.

Most sytems now are two pipe where there is a feed pipe and a return pipe so the cold return from each rad doesn't affect the next one. However the feed starts with a 22mm pipe with branches of typically 15mm. I used to be able to work out the flow rates and pipe sizes needed but to be honest rule of thumb works ok. However when adding additional rads few people check that the 15mm pipe they are connecting to is sufficient to take an extra rad or two.

Microfbore systems usualy have a manifold from which each rad has a separate feed. so no real issue.

If the problem is not down to system design it may be due to sludge or air locks a quick trial is to shut all the other rads off except the troublesome one and see if that fixes it as the full force of the pump is on that rad.

Sticking valves is another problem if you have a thermostatic valve unscrew the big knurled ring and take the top off you can then see it the pin is free to move up and down.

Of course if it is not just one rad it could be someone has replaced a boiler and used one a bit on the small side to save money. The system will be ok except when you really need it.

 

If you have removed and replaced a rad and it fails to work there is the possibility that you have an air lock when refilling I always shut on side off and allow some through then shut off the other side and allow some through you can often hear bubbles coming through from each side. You can do the same with any rad taking out some water through the air vent from each valve in turn. Mind you the worst air lock I ever encountered would not flow from one side. In the end I had to cut the down pipe off before the valve to create enough flow to clear the airlock and then be pretty quick to reconnect it. Done over a bucket of course. After all that the customer said he would replace the foorboards to save costs. You've guessed it he put a nail straight through a pipe!

 

Anyway I hope you may find something to help in this lot.

 

Don

thanks that is very interesting.

 

Our house seems to have elements of all the above - single feed pipes, a bodged extension, an ageing boiler (> 20 years old ),probably the maximum viable number of rads and an odd layout and pipework which probably isn't these days of sufficient capacity When we moved in the upstairs extension rads ran off a feed from the hot water tank but were not thermostatically controlled - they like the bathroom rad ran hot when the hot water went on. We had the routing switched at the same time as we had the pumps moved from under the bathroom floor. When they were first moved the engineer (British Gas) managed to position them so that something that was supposed to vent air (?) instead took in air which immediately caused the boiler to shut down with an airlock. They then had to come out and build more pipework up into the loft to sort this out - they then charged me to correct this although I refused to pay.

 

We have it checked annually and will be looking to replace at some stage, probably with a combi boiler although we have heard different tales as to the effects on the water pressure  - we live in a low pressure area

[roundhouse]

talking of boilers, Mums combi boiler has been giving her grief with cool or cold water but the engineer couldn't find anything wrong. All of a sudden its started working near normal.

 

I have been considering a combi boiler as ti would give us more space in the airing cupboard for either clothes or other items with the hot water tank removed but I still like having a tank of hot water plus the back up immersion heater should the boiler fail. need to decide what to do before we have an internet style controller fitted either Nest or Hive.

 

A work colleagues mother who had recently come out of hospital had a call early hours of Wednesday morning (1am) from the hospital telling her that her potassium level was very high. Thats all they said and hung up. That kept her awake all night worrying. Why do they do those sort of things without advising of a plan of action if it was that important to tell her at 1am.

 

When her doctor found out the following morning, he sorted the situation and she is now back in hospital with the rest of the family now wound up over the situation.

Edited January 21, 2016 by roundhouse

[AndyB]

A work colleagues mother who had recently come out of hospital had a call early hours of Wednesday morning (1am) from the hospital telling her that her potassium level was very high. Thats all they said and hung up. That kept her awake all night worrying. Why do they do those sort of things without advising of a plan of action if it was that important to tell her at 1am.

 

When her doctor found out the following morning, he sorted the situation and she is now back in hospital with the rest of the family now wound up over the situation.

 

From (bitter) experience many people working in hospitals could do with a few lessons in how to pass on news. 

 

1. Daughter born, I head home. Phone goes at 01:00. "We have some urgent and serious information for you." Panic. "We gave you another patient's notes. Please bring them back NOW!"  "So, my daughter and wife are ok then? And you're phoning me in the middle of the night about this for what reason?"

 

2. "So, we'll phone you if your father takes a turn for the worse overnight." Phone rings in the middle of the night. "Your father dead. Want to see him now or wait till morning?" 

 

I wish it was just me that has had these experiences, but only yesterday we heard something similar from a family friend. 

 

At our children's school the first thing you hear when they phone is: "No need to panic, your child is fine, we' just wanted to know if they are attending x,y,z club."

It's not rocket science.  

[Ohmisterporter]

I worked at a university and students partying and missing lectures featured prominently, some of them even missed exams that had an early start i.e. before midday. On those occasions we were phoned by the administrators to wake the students and send them to their exam, not all of them went. I knew one girl who partied every night of the week and was the life and soul of her residence. She passed her final exams with a first. There were plenty of others who got a two-one and kicked themselves for not putting in that bit extra effort. 

 

Stay safe all.

[Barry O]

And another thing.

 

Just posted by my good friend, one-time colleague and one of Melbourne's best-known tram drivers.

 

This shows one of our busiest routes which runs from the popular cake shops beach-side suburb of St. Kilda through the City of Melbourne to the inner northern suburbs of Carlton and Fitzroy to East Brunswick.

 

The run, filmed today as it shows the brand-new arrangement at Port Junction just beyond the light rail section which only opened this morning, is filmed with full knowledge of and permission from Yarra Trams management on a normal passenger working and is filmed from one of the brand new E-class tram and shows more of those passing in the opposite direction.  The E-class are locally built Bombardier-designed trams with the large bulbous-ends.  Also seen are a D1 class (3-module Combino), all three restaurant cars (converted from W-class service cars and in maroon livery - two waiting to shunt and follow the service car and the third up ahead then seen shunting around the curve into Park Street only normally used by these trams), C1 class (3-module Citadis units with flat-sided bodies) C2 class trams (5-module Citadis units with curved profile), an A2 class locally-built single-car tram (stopped ahead on route 12 and another passing it), B2 class (locally-built 2-car trams, currently with 130 in the fleet our most numerous type) and a maroon W-class on the City Circle ahead just beyond Bourke Street.  

 

The mix of light rail, reserved track and shared street running can be appreciated as can a selection of our road traffic and tram-only signals and signs.

 

Rick,

 

Great video!

 

I'll just get my Myki card and come along - do like St Kilda although the cake shops were very nice to look at managed to obey Sister Drac and not indulge. 

 

Not sure about the newer trams - the Ws have something about them.(especially if you are having a meal and a glass or two of an evening on one!)

 

 

 

baz

[roundhouse]

Andy

 

i had similar experiences with mum when she was in hospital and herself when she had a letter confirming a subsequent check up at the hospital over 20 miles away in Guildford so for someone in her 80's that is quite a journey for her plus parking charges only to wait a long time then to find out no appointment had been registered at the hospital. Even more annoying when the hospital receptionist was rude to her.

 

My friend who died last summer also used to get very frustrated with some of the misery they put him under, one instance being told with no notice that they were moving him from Brighton hospital to Kings late at night only to sit in a chair in the early hours for many hours as there wasn't a room ready for him.

 

I suppose that with them dealing with death etc all the time they get a bit immune to caring in some ways. I once knew a nurse that was very hard regarding any ones woes /  illness but very sensitive to anything she didn't like. I suppose its just human nature.

 

On the other hand the hospital staff do get put under enormous pressure especially with the work load they get put under.

[bluebottle]

...

Tomorrow I have an appointment at the surgery at 08.10.  This is for the injection prescribed by Professor Oncologist which may or may not keep me out of the 69 Club.  It means having to rush in the morning, at which I do not excel!

...

 

Chris

 

I too dislike early starts, and, when offered an appointment at the Northern General at 08.30, hesitated before saying:

"Oh. Well, OK..."

The appointments lady then said that there was one available at 10.30, if I'd prefer that.

"Ah! Yes, that would make things easier for me."

"Yes, I thought you sounded a little reluctant."

Nice of her, and I didn't have to face the slight embarrassment of admitting that part of my preference for a later slot was an aversion to paying for being a pre-09.30 “twirly” on the bus.

On further reflection, I realised that I could justify myself by arguing that if the intention was to deter me from travelling at busy times, I'd be silly to pay good siller* to defeat that intention while inconveniencing myself.

In future, I'll proudly proclaim my public-spiritedness by mentioning my reasoning!

 

* Note hint of additional cultural prejudice.

[Ian Abel]

BIN day, dutifully observed.

 

Uneventful yesterday except for the fact the phone rang twice yesterday evening - junk calls, but the phone RANG nonetheless.

It's now appeared to be working since then every time we pick it up to check! Therefore no idea what the problem was the past 5 days, it's simply gone away!

 

-6 and overcast getting the paper, and some light snow falling, not expected to amount to what is referred to as "measurable" around these parts.-4 for a forecast high.

 

Carry on...

[Tony_S]

Ian, perhaps a squirrel that chewed a cable has decomposed now and is no longer conductive? I do know of someone that had squirrel damage to their wiring.

I had a blood test yesterday at a local clinic. The surgery rang today and my GP wants a repeat of one test and an additional one. The receptionist explained why. She said she could post the form but I went to collect it. I have booked the repeat test online at a convenient clinic.

Tony

[andyram]

Afternoon / evening all. Good to see Jock back and posting his usual length. I am envious of how he manages to remember so many people's posts and respond to them.

I hope today finds you well, the usual generic congrats and commiserations I am afraid - I have not managed to read all of the posts since my last entry.

The germs are still affecting us all. Amber was sent home from nursery with suspected conjunctivitis this morning - she is at the doctor's tomorrow morning for that. Sarah is there too tomorrow - probably for anti-biotics to try and shift her on-going problems.

 An early night all round last night, but it hasn't shifted my cold either so that was another dental appointment cancelled. They will be thinking I am avoiding them at this rate.

 Today was only a half day at work as I have planning time in the afternoon and I am allowed to go home for that. Usually Sarah and Amber are at Sarah's mum's on a Thursday so I get peace and quiet. Not so today so, although I shut myself away in the spare room, I did not get as much done as I had hoped. I was late getting back too due to some other work related issues - one of our trainee teachers has arrived with a few personal issues. As the person in charge of all of the trainees I have been indirectly dealing with the issues. A delicate matter really, and not one a young attractive female would really want to share with an older bloke like me.

 She has been off ill recently and needed a few items of paperwork to look over. As she lives only five minutes from my house I opted to drop them off on way home. No answer at the door - I telephoned to check I had the correct house. She apologised and said she had been in the shower when the door bell went. I therefore, politely, suggested I would post the paperwork through the letterbox to save her answering the door!!

 

 I hope rest of day goes well. I may try and give the J15 a run later - think I deserve some kind of down time!

[Ian Abel]

Tony,

 Squirrels don't seem to care for the phone cables (so far at least) but always play havoc with my exterior Christmas lights, chewing through pretty much every string before it gets warm enough to take them down. Just end up ripping them from the trees/bushes every spring and buying new ones every season

 

Spoke too soon anyway regarding the phone, the Mrs used it before she went to work with no problem but It's NOW back to non-working mode - beats me!

Edited January 21, 2016 by Ian Abel

[roundhouse]

Major delays thei evening on the Brighton lines. Southern website says signalling problem between Purley and Redgill but announcement say emergency engineering works.. Train wedged due to cancellations but luckily we have seats. Train was not gong to call at Coulsdon South and Merstham but they have just been reinstated at Purley. Now at least 10 late but could have been a lot worse if they were thinking of sending us down the quarry line to Earlswood then reverse us back to Redhill which they have done before.

 

EDIT

 

i believe the problem was / is (as still on going) a signalling problem on the Quarry line so trains are being diverted via Redhill thus missing out timetabled stops at Merstham and Coulsdon South on some services due to the increased number trains going this route.

Edited January 21, 2016 by roundhouse

[Tony_S]

Tony,

 Squirrels don't seem to care for the phone cables (so far at least) but always play havoc with my exterior Christmas lights, chewing through pretty much every string before it gets warm enough to take them down. Just end up ripping them from the trees/bushes every spring and buying new ones every season

 

Spoke too soon anyway regarding the phone, the Mrs used it before she went to work with no problem but It's NOW back to non-working mode - beats me!

Groundhogs?

[trisonic]

Groundhogs?

Could be Raccoons? They are devils.....

 

 

Best, Pete

[Donw]

A few thoughts on Combi boilers.  

All the major bits are in the one place so is a bit more complicated.  The hot water is at the same pressure as the cold taps so you can use 15mmm pipe. If you are replacing and old boiler the feed from a hot water cylinder will be 22mm pipe if you connect a combi to that it will work fine but if you can replace it with 15mm it will save money as each time you turn off a tap the hot water in the pipe will cool. Larger pipe more wastage. Do use decent pipe insulation. Ideally the boiler should be close to the kitchen and bathroom the shorter the run the less wastage.

If you currently have an airing cupboard in which the hot water cylinder is situated, consider having a small radiator (some are very small) fitted in the cupboard if the new boiler is elsewhere. This will enable the airing cupboard to be used as such when the heating is on. 

There is no need for any header tanks in the loft with a combi freeing up space for that loft layout (or of course the family junk) it also means no burst tanks or the like.

 

You do lose the stored hot water so it the electric fails you have no hot water. You will also have no heating the same as a normal boiler. Who wants a hot shower when there is no heating?

 

You do need to adjust. Typically us oldies that grew up with back boliers and the like were used to very hot water in the tank and would run both hot and cold in. A combi boiler should be set to deliver water slightly too hot so I advise running the hot into a bath or a sink then adding any cold necessary at the end. Some small combis don't deliver a lot of hot water and can fail to heat the water enough at full flow. If you have one like that slow the flow a little and the water will be hotter.

 

The cost of installing a modern combi boiler can be offset by the reduction in gas usage compared to an old one.  They may not last as long as some of the really old heavy weight boilers but you could be buying a new combi every few years on the gas used by some of these.

 

I would always advise having a room stat somewhere. I know most rads will have thermostatic vales but is you rely on these the boiler will keep trying to run all the time only switching off when the boiler water gets too hot. A simple room stat enables you to turn the heat down will you are asleep or out for the day and back up when you settle down in the armchair.

 

I have had decent service from Valliant Boilers

 

Don

[Sidecar Racer]

 

Spoke too soon anyway regarding the phone, the Mrs used it before she went to work with no problem but It's NOW back to non-working mode - beats me!

 

Ian , I think you mentioned a few days ago that your phone and alarm system are linked , is it

possible that there is an alarm problem causing the phone problem ?

[28XX]

So 2016 continues to be an utter bastard. The score so far:

1 funeral attended

1 funeral scheduled for 3 Feb

2 relations unlikely to see the year out due to known issues

1 Dad awaiting appointment for a 3rd attempt to control eyeball pressure by lazer.

1 friend's partner (48) airlifted to Liverpool hospital following two strokes in quick succession. Prognosis tba.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening, here's hoping those ill and having a rough time are getting a better deal today.

 

A big plus for Vaillant boilers from me to, Don, although I hear they aren't as good as they used to be.  A premium brand at one time, but I think they are having to reduce build quality to keep prices in the ballpark.

 

Oh, not a tax haven by the way - just a country with a lower tax rate, just as you wouldn't expect say, the USA to have the same tax rates as the UK.  You can't hide money here any more, but in times past......     ..I know a few tales about some, er, well known entertainment 'personalities'   that used to arrive off the boat with suitcases full of banknotes - really -  a friend used to have to count them - nowadays you have to live here to open a bank account here.

[New Haven Neil]

Spoke too soon - 28xx posted while I was typing. Sheesh.....tough time.