Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

... power in joules ...

That would be watts, but yes the stored energy of a compound bow is ferocious. Locally, I know bow hunters. It's hard to imagine that you could bring down a deer or elk with any kind of air pellet.

 

I personally do not see any distinction (from a safety standpoint) between a crossbow and a firearm. Britain and the US are of course vastly different in this area, but I presume the air-powered rifle restrictions are as much about the appearance of the air-powered rifle causing alarm due to its visual similarity to a more powerful firearm. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong there.

 

There are lethality differences between arrows and bullets. Bullets cause trauma and the ballistic energy of the projectile is important. Arrowheads are essentially knives, Frankly just looking at hunting arrowheads gives me the creeps. Their lethality is related to the bleeding they cause and projectile speed is more relevant.

 

Statistics are hard to come by without extensive research but it seems that (at least in the US) substantially more people are killed (usually by police) when holding an air-gun than are killed by air powered projectiles, either accidentally or deliberately. Here, replica air-guns are supposed to have a brightly coloured muzzle.

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[Barry O]

17 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Baz, is that the Christchurch steam tram. I was aware of one but didn't know what it's current state was.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Yes it is. Replacement boilue due to be tested Rest of tram shouldn't take long to fix. Trailer car ready to go.

 

The driver took us round the workshop. Well maintained and fully equipped. They are just doing the rebuild of the 3rd cable car tram for Dunedin. Very nice!

They do have a horsetram as well.

 

I could have had a drive but the brakes were fierce!

Baz

[Barry O]

Our train trip from Christchurch to Blenheim was very good.. and we arrived early !

People in our coach were really nice but totally nuts!

Watched the dolphins, whales and Seals in the seas and beaches alo g the coast near Kaikoura. Why pay for a trip to see them when they come to visit of their own accord.

Baz

[AndyID]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I would like to know the power in joules that such a bow can generate?

 

 

I think what you want to know is the potential energy stored in a bow before it is converted into kinetic energy by accelerating the arrow. (Power on it's own does nothing unless it's applied over time to do work.)

 

From what I can find out after extensive research (about ten minutes on Google) a conventional bow stores about 68 Joules before it goes twang and a compound bow can store about 99 Joules. The conversion from potential to kinetic energy seems to be between 85 and 92 percent efficient.

 

The muzzle energy of your average air rifle seems to be about 35 Joules although there seem to be fancy ones that can do a bit better than that.

 

So I'd say there isn't a lot in it but bows do seem to be potentially more destructive. It's complicated a lot because pellets and arrows are very different.

 

For comparison the muzzle energy from a 9 mm heater can be something like 520 Joules.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

For yours truly the week ahead looks not too demanding but that may be because I have not put everything in the diary.  I'm at Bletchley on Wednesday evening for the HMRS and in Stevenage the next day to cook stir-fried prawns for me and Poorly Pal, enjoy a talk by John Hunt at Stevenage Locomotive Society and attempt some m*d*ll*ng.  Other jobs that need doing include finding a new meeting place for the Bedford meetings of Area Group.  There now follow some famous last words.  With any luck it will be sorted tonight.  We have to move from our otherwise ideal venue because you cannot have a serious meeting while a woman with a roving mic is conducting a quiz.  It is too great a distraction, especially when certain people take great delight in dreaming up impossibly wrong answers to the questions.  Excuse me a moment, something is wrong with my fingers.  They typed "dressing" instead of "dreaming" just now.

 

I went to the 11 am showing of '1917' yesterday at the multiplex.  It is my favourite time for going to the cnema.  Few others joined me, but it's their loss.  George Mackay gave a superb performance as Lance Corporal Will Schofield.  There were many well known names in the cast.  I spotted Benedict Cumberbatch but not Andrew Scott.  If you cannot place George Mackay, he played Joe aka Bromley in 'Pride'.

 

As the corona virus proliferates you may think it selfish of me to proclaim that the lurgi which has afflicted me for far too long is finally showing signs of packing up and leaving my poor beleagured body.  Good riddance - or are those famous last words too?

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[BoD]

Good Morning all.

 

Congratulations to the TophamHatt clan.

 

White stuff is falling from the sky here.

Gridlock will no doubt ensue.

Today will be spent sorting and in some cases testing purchases made in Glasgow. 
 

Have a good day peoples.

 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare, 1014/633.

I had a reasonable amount of sleep unfortunately broken by many wake ups and turn overs.

 

The above was not helped by some backache, I think caused by reaching above my head to install the light fitting in the garage.

 

Ben the no Chance Collie refused to go out into the drizzle this morning, it was overcast and very dark out there. Though by the time I got to work the skies were getting lighter..

 

With the corona virus, I wonder when it will hit Africa, once it does I can't see it going uncontrollable..

 

Time to.. I think to see what spam has arrive, then set out to work on one major system, there is another but it's not high priority but may well get done by the end of the week..

[Barry O]

Sat on our balcony eating a late tea in Blenheim.

 

 

Brown trout in the river, 2ft gauge tourist railway (only runs at the weekend unfortunately).

Bliss!

Baz

[jamie92208]

5 hours ago, Barry O said:

They do have a horsetram as well.

 

I could have had a drive but the brakes were fierce!

Baz

Thanks for that Baz. Yes horse tram brakes. Interesting system. Wind them on with the brake wheel then kick the ratchet to release and big springs take them off. They are probably a bit less fierce when the tram is loaded. Some interesting design and manufacturing.

 

Anyway good morning all from a rather grey Charente.  No white stuff here and the house is well warmed by the log burner.  A good day yesterday.  Today I should finish the next set of shutters and might even do some muddling.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited February 24, 2020 by jamie92208

[AndrewC]

Greetings all from a now (briefly) quieter boring borough. 

Lovely weekend spent with the Offspring & his lady in Carlisle. The drive up was painless, despite the wind on the A66 which was closed to high sided vehicles. The drive back on the other hand was filled with cockwombles that I wouldn't let drive a Dinky Toy, including one asshat on the A1 south of Peterborough that decided he deserved both lanes for a couple of miles. Oh well. 

 

Endless meetings with useless tw@waffles is my fate for next 5 days. Enjoy your week. 

[polybear]

6 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Locally, I know bow hunters. It's hard to imagine that you could bring down a deer or elk with any kind of air pellet.

 

Bambi....

[polybear]

20 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

From this:

 

 

 

 

I'm sure I know the Big Fluffy Guy - we were at school together.

I trust he's still a part of the family.....

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Rather dull and breezy here with rain expected later.

The big fluffy guy is still a treasured member of the family and is in much the same condition as he is above. He was actually a display item in a shop at Land's End but I managed to persuade them to sell him to me!

Rugby watched and enjoyed yesterday. Didn't we do well. Unlike Northampton who met their Little Big Horn down in Exeter.

Today there is nothing planned so I may try and wire up a few more pieces of track. I know it's taking far too long but the various aches and pains (especially The Knee)  only allow me to spend a couple of hours at most when crawling under the layout.

Tomorrow is Abbie's actual birthday and more celebrations are planned with a breakfast at 7.00am before they all go to work or school and then a visit to London town in the evening for a meal out.  Joe's 18th is on Friday so we have more celebrations then but his big party is in a couple of weeks time as it would have been too close to Abbie's and many of the same people will have to travel and stay overnight for it.

I'm getting worn out thinking about all the eating and drinking that will be happening.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Windy and a bit damp this morning, but predicted to dry up later. If its dry I might hobble into town as I have things to do. Yesterday afternoon I flaked out but today I feel OK, The previous couple of days exertions must have caught up with me. Thats it for now, be back later.

[Tony_S]

Morning all. 
It was raining earlier when I went out to move the cars ready for mine to be collected for its annual service (and software upgrade).  It isn’t raining now though. The collection driver said he didn’t need to step inside with the paperwork as it had stopped raining. 
The only other excitement today is a blood test. This is a check to make sure my kidneys haven’t been over stressed by the diuretics prescribed last week. I looked last night and noticed that the medication prescribed by the clinic in Leigh on Sea had already been added by my GP to my regular medication list. Everything seems so well integrated here.  
Have a good day. 
Tony

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Guess what, it’s raining again, has been for most of the night! Breakfast has now been consumed and I’m about to make a start on the 2 faulty circuit boards, I may be some time. 

 

I forgot to congratulate Sir Tophamhat yesterday. 

 

Back later. 

[45156]

Morning All

 

Sorry about the absence, but jobs domestic and pressure on the PC have meant that I have only just managed to catch up.  The winds are finally catching up with the fences, which are about 20 years old, and one is now shored up with the green wheelie bins, pending the winds abating, and getting some new posts and trellis delivered - since putting the originals in, as fence panels, the hedges planted at the time have now all grown up so that the panels are no longer needed,

 

As usual, greetings of the generic variety are on offer to all.  And congrats to Sir Topham and Bob's family.

 

LASAR this morning, then an attempt to get a bank printout.

 

Hoing to try to get Lily walked while the rain is slightly less.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Happy Hippo]

7 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

That would be watts, but yes the stored energy of a compound bow is ferocious. Locally, I know bow hunters. It's hard to imagine that you could bring down a deer or elk with any kind of air pellet.

 

I personally do not see any distinction (from a safety standpoint) between a crossbow and a firearm. Britain and the US are of course vastly different in this area, but I presume the air-powered rifle restrictions are as much about the appearance of the air-powered rifle causing alarm due to its visual similarity to a more powerful firearm. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong there.

Compared to the USA, UK gun laws are much more stringent, some might say draconian.

 

As far as the UK gun law is concerned, airguns are classified as firearms, they  have been since fire arms licencing commenced,  but they then sub divide into two groups:

 

Those which have an absolute muzzle velocity of 12 ft lbs/16.2 joules.  These rifles are not required to have any form of licence, but they can only be bought by adults.  The owner is responsible for ensuring that the requirements of Crime and Security Act 2010 are met.

 

Any air rifles in which the muzzle velocity exceeds those stated above are required to have an FAC.  you cannot buy such a rifle unless you are in possession of an FAC.  To gain an FAC requires  increased security measures and for the your local Police force to carry out a full background check and be satisfied that you have a legitimate reason to require an FAC.

 

Those figures only apply to air rifles, an air pistol  must  never exceed 6 ft lbs/ 8 joules.  Any air pistol with a higher than 6 ft lbs muzzle velocity is illegal.

 

Pistols (hand guns) are illegal in the UK (there are a very small number of exceptions).

 

However the lunacy continues because in Scotland you have to register all air guns and also have a police issued Air Weapons Certificate.

 

In northern Ireland, you need a full FAC to own an air pistol or air rifle, but wait for it.... In what was the most troubled area of the UK, it is still legal to possess hand guns!

 

 Going back to the appearance issue, it's not really an issue in the UK, because we do not have the same carry permits that you enjoy in the USA .

 

Therefore any person seen wandering around in the street with a rifle or pistol, including those with the bright orange ends will get the attention of an armed response unit.

 

ie To comply with the law. I have to bag my rifle up in order to cross the 16 foot wide road outside my property and then take it out of the bag when I get to the private land the other side of the public highway.

 

If we are conducting any pest control at night on local farm land, we not only inform the farmer (we already have permission, so it's a courtesy call) but also call the police on the non urgent number to let them know we are out and about.  If the police do  then get a call, the result is more likely to be:

 

'Good evening gents, sorry to bother you but you've been reported by a member of the public, How's the shooting tonight?'

 

Rather than a rather more hard line approach of being laid face down in a cow pat whilst your identity is checked and verified.

 

Police forces also vary in their attitude.  

 

Rural forces have a much more open and realistic approach to gun users, as they are seen as part and parcel of living and working in the country.

 

Those forces who cover large cities tend to have the attitude that any one with a gun is automatically a gangster or up to no good. ( I do see their point and don't blame them.)

 

 

 

 

[petethemole]

Mornin' awl from a dull and dismal Southampton awaiting the forecast rain.

 

Congratulations to Sir & Mrs Topham Hatt.

 

After observing detachments of the Orange Army hard at work on Saturday, I, and SWR, are pleased to announce normal running and stopping at Eastleigh. Also, SWR have now started running a Romsey - Romsey circular shuttle service, with buses serving Southampton - Salisbury. GWR are running Cardiff - Salisbury only.

 

Yesterday afternoon I accompanied Mrs mole to the new venue for the long-running Sunday afternoon Irish music session. However a newly-opened "Irish Sports Bar" doesn't seem very suitable. It certainly wasn't yesterday with the Ireland game on 5 screens and the bar packed.  After the rugby ended it got a little quieter but not much, with footy on 4 screens and boxing on the other, and the three musicians fought a losing battle against the noise. I left early to cook the evening meal but herself was well grumpy when she got in.

 

Have a good day, stay warm and dry.

 

Pete

[PhilJ W]

Ironically the British and American gun laws came about for the same reason. That was the American war of Independence. The Americans allowed their citizens to carry arms to fight off the British. The British establishment on the other hand, fearful of an armed uprising at home sought to restrict guns, more so after the French revolution. This is why the first police force, the Metropolitan was expressly forbidden to carry guns and had to make do with swords instead.

[Compound2632]

So I'll add that to my list of groups for whom the independence of the United States had unfortunate consequences:

• native North Americans
• enslaved African Americans
• British sporting gentlemen

[jamie92208]

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

So I'll add that to my list of groups for whom the independence of the United States had unfortunate consequences:

• native North Americans
• enslaved African Americans
• British sporting gentlemen

Don't feel too sorry for the sporting gentlemen.  The gun laws, particularly for shotguns used to be full of exceptions and exemptions  for the landed gentry. It may have changed since I retired.

 

Jamie

Edited February 24, 2020 by jamie92208

[tigerburnie]

Morning from a very soggy NE Scotland, rumours of snaw, but canae see it round here, the hills were covered with it when we drove home from Perth yesterday, now watching the Yorkshire weather forecasts, seems there's snow in Scarborough just now.

I had to get a licence for my air rifle, went to the cop shop to get a form, "not a clue, it's all political, we don't know what's going on" was the reply, I did get a form from the gun shop and I had to report back how it went as I was the first person he knew of to apply for one(most already had shot gun or rifle licences and just added air rifles to them).

[Gwiwer]

Welcome to Moan-day where the Hill of Strawberries is wet, soggy and windy.  I am about to trouble the frying pan and enjoy some lunch to warm myself through after the morning's debacles.  

 

Debacles - the Greek god of something or other  - certainly described the morning's proceedings.  When thousands of complaints are lodged, posted and emailed to the snooze-media about yet more late running and cancellations I wonder if the originators of those complaints have any inkling as to the cause.  One person.  That was the cause this morning.  Just one person.  Who caused several hours of disruption across the rail network within my area of influence.

 

At 08.00 an Up West of England service came to an abrupt halt just on the London side of Clapham Junction.  It was not booked to call (no morning peak main line trains call there) and was not stopped by a signal.  It came to a very abrupt stop as I watched.  And it sat there for ten minutes blocking the Up Main into Waterloo during the height of the morning peak.  Trains quickly banked up behind.  Some were switched to the Up Slow line by the signaller but that had an impact on the suburban network where the previously punctual service was held up and rapidly degenerated into 15 - 20 minutes late as the domino-effect occurred.  

 

We learned that a passenger on the West of England had expected to alight at Clapham (despite there being no indication at any stage of the journey that the train called there) and when the train sped through the emergency alarm - "passcom" in today's jargon - was activated.  

 

Delays and consequent cancellations continued until after 11.00.  Because of one person.  Welcome to the railway.  Where it is all in a day's work.  

 

And now that part of the day is over it is indeed Lunday Munchtime and I must attend the kitchen.  

 

 

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from LBG where it was hailing earlier.

 

Congratulations to Sir Topham and Lady Hat and also to Grandad Bob (or at least to his granddaughter) and Tigerburnie.

 

Elder Lurker was a luminous shade of yellow when he arrived, and spent the best part of a week in a "biliblanket" at Queen Mary's. That July was very hot and Mrs Lurker was stir crazy before we were allowed to bring him home.

 

The weekend was suitably quiet with not a lot to report. Have a good day all