Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, Kingzance said:

I fear you will incur the wrath of those who don’t appreciate things of the Swindon persuasion there Tony! 

 

Further wrath will be incurred with the incorrect spelling of the Swindon version......

 

[AndyID]

I thought I might not need to put the wood-stove in the shop/shed on again till October, but I was a bit previous. A cold-front just blew in. We probably won't see frost again but it's likely to be not that far above freezing. I'll have to take a look at the Hawthorn  to see what it's saying - at least I think it's a Hawthorn. From memory it looks just like those in Scotland but as MrsID will be happy to confirm my memory is pretty dodgy.

 

The good news is, when properly seasoned, Ponderosa Pine is highly combustible and it doesn't take long for the stove to crank out 12kW or possibly quite a bit more. I know this because I have 8kW of fan heat in the shop and the wood stove heats the shop much more quickly. I point a box fan at the stove to circulate the heat.

 

Ah, that's more like it. It's 18C now on my bilingual thermometer. The snag is it might get a bit too warm but I can always open the big door if it does.

 

I'm typing this drivel because I'm procrastinating. I should continue with my task of creating a kit-o-bits (in CAD) that lets me quickly assemble a 3D model of practically any turnout. The goal is to get it down to under one hour which I think should be quite possible. Most of the design work is fairly straightforward but some bits require a bit of head-scratching to make the assembly process efficient and error free.

 

Once I have a turnout model I can send it to my printer at which point I can go and have a beer   Unfortunately the printer isn't capable of filing the rail for the points and threading the rails into the chairs, but the turnouts are dirt cheap, and you can't have everything.

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, AndyID said:

A cold-front just blew in.

We had rain this morning but the sun was out by mid-afternoon and temperatures flirted with 20°C. Rain again later tonight and on and off showers through the week, but we could see more 20°Cs.

 

It feels like Spring and we really need the rain. At one point we were headed to our driest April on record and while we don't have to worry about that we're still 9" behind on the 'rain year' beginning in October. At least snow pack was normal at the peak of winter - we're at 75% in my drainage area now.

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Ozexpatriate
Not rain tonight apparently.

[TheQ]

Certainly most of the UK is very short of rain this April,  though most of us had an excess earlier in the year ( when we still mobile of course) .  But a small amount  is due this week, ETA depending exactly on where you live. 

 

Mooring Awl,  inner Temple Hare, 

4 hours sleep so far, I need more. 

 

I'm currently burning some fallen Scots pine, when we need a extra heat boost from the stove.

 

Due to the forecast, a mow of the more important areas of the garden is on the plans today. 

 

But first additional sleep is required. 

 

Time to turn this gadget  off.. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BR60103]

I was set down to do our income tax today. We owe $1 and a bit more than last year. The deadline has been extended, but we can do it anyways.

 

I've had a beard since we had a long holiday in 1979. I never saw the point of shaving. I do get mistaken for some of the other chaps in the village, but "All us old guys with white beards look alike."

 

I've unwrapped a plastic kit of something that carries people which is mostly in clear plastic and needs painting, partly in a shade of blue I've never heard of (Marlborough Blue?).

 

[J. S. Bach]

A somewhat late good night owl from the Piedmont.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, BR60103 said:

in a shade of blue I've never heard of (Marlborough Blue?)

Google suggests this.

 

Quote

Marlborough Blue, a soft blue of the color of forget-me-not.

 

LNER Coronation coach set - window stripe?

 

Bottom half in Garter blue?

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[TheQ]

Precision paints stock it. 

https://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/products/14p58

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Today we visit the parallel universe in which there is no ruddy virus and we all have lots to do.  Yesterday I would have been at the NESCOT show, fuelled with a ’Spoons breakfast at Victoria.  Today would have seen me and quite a multitude at Staplegrove village hall for the SWAG members’ day, followed by a visit to Aunt Gladys at her care home in Shirehampton.  On Wednesday there would have been a meeting of the Bletchley area of the HMRS and Thursday a visit to Poorly Pal followed by a meeting of Stevenage Locomotive Society.  Friday is of course May Day, hardly the same without morris dancers, pubs and good friends.  Saturday was the date set for Exeter Pride until it was postponed.

 

Back in the all too real world, technology is being used to bring the Staplegrove event to a different kind of life.  It’s an inspired idea and I am supporting it as best I can.  Some time today I will cook myself a steak for lunch.  That’s not something I get at the real event.  I might even open the bottle of wine that didn’t get broken on Thursday.  I do have a pasty in the fridge but it’s by G*nst*rs and gentle readers would not approve.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[AndyID]

9 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Back when we came here such fancy numbers were £60 so all our bikes have something appropriate, and the camper has an interesting number, 'MAN' numbers are now at a premium as new ones are in the 'XMN' series.  Numbers like ours are now at least several hundred quid, and if it's a 'good' one, thousands.  The cars have 'as it comes' numbers, they're just tools to us. 

 

 

They are pretty cheap here and you keep them when you sell a vehicle. Hence:

 

 

Despite the fact that MrsID is a former biker (she had a Honda 50) I'm not allowed any motorized transport with fewer than four wheels. Mind you, this is probably just about as much fun although at the mo it's languishing in the garage far too much.

 

Like you my truck and MrsID's Wrangler are strictly transport. They are lucky if they get washed once a year

 

[polybear]

8 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Sorting through some papers just now I came across last years car insurance renewal. A couple of years ago I had made enquiries about adding my mate onto the insurance just in case we were out and I for some reason became unable to drive. When I enquired the extra cost was such that I dropped the idea. When I read the renewal notice I saw that they'd added his name. I will have to check on that on Monday.

 

Does your mate have his own car & insurance policy?  If so it is very likely that policy will cover him (probably 3rd Party only) to drive other vehicles*.  You'll need to read that policy to check though, as not all do.

(* Note that the "other vehicle" does need to be insured under it's own policy though - i.e. your policy.  This stops people pulling a fast one by driving everything and anything on a Reliant Robin Policy, such as the "wifes" Ferrari....).

 

23 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

 

They are pretty cheap here and you keep them when you sell a vehicle. Hence:

 

 

Despite the fact that MrsID is a former biker (she had a Honda 50) I'm not allowed any motorized transport with fewer than four wheels. Mind you, this is probably just about as much fun although at the mo it's languishing in the garage far too much.

 

Like you my truck and MrsID's Wrangler are strictly transport. They are lucky if they get washed once a year

 

 

So Quad Bikes are fine then..... 

 

[AndyID]

Those of you skilled in the art will immediately recognize this as the jaws of a "B" chair. That's the chair that's one along from the pointy bit in a frog. (Don't be confused by the apparent height - the base automatically sinks to the bottom of the timber.)

 

"So what?" I just heard many people say.

 

 

Well, if you get this one wrong you can be pretty sure there will be derailments and unfortunately the angle between the two inner jaws is different for every flippin' size of turnout crossing (frog) and there are a great many of them. To make matters worse on a B chair the wing rails are not parallel with the running rails.

 

Rather than generate all possible variants (there are something like 20 "standard angles" I cheated. This one is made from two extra-wide halves. Each half is aligned with its running rail to get the angle right then the excess bits are sliced off the sides    It takes but a few mouse clicks.

 

I realize it looks a bit crude but at OO scale on a filament printer it's still pretty convincing.

[TheQ]

Morning Awl,  again, 

Two more hours sleep later.. 

 

There's an unforecast heavy frost out there,  so the stove has been encouraged with a pine log.. 

 

Our car gets washed once a year,  it's done free by the garage as part of a full service & MOT.  It's normally muddy by the end of the week due to the farm traffic on our road. 

The landrover has been washed once in nearly 20 years, and that was after I used moss and lichen killer on the roof... 

 

Unusually SWMBO is up,  I'm informed we have to use the remaining salads,  so BLTs for two it is.. 

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Apparently it is going to rain all day here..even now..but it is sunny this morning and the birds are cranking up the volume. (@6% chance of rain why has the nnc got a cloud with chuckinitdarn under it on their app?)

 

Her indoors wants a little rain as I need to apply feednweed to our grass then remove the moss afterwards (we will then have patchy grass....pah!).

 

Chris, Iam sure you will enjoy the SWAG virtual meetup. I have a few tickets but due to a cunning plan hatched by her indoors I doubt I will be able to join in.

 

Time for my mugatea then I need to wrestle Sunday into submission.

 

Have as great a day as you can everyone! 

 

Baz

[AndyID]

19 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Does your mate have his own car & insurance policy?  If so it is very likely that policy will cover him (probably 3rd Party only) to drive other vehicles*.  You'll need to read that policy to check though, as not all do.

(* Note that the "other vehicle" does need to be insured under it's own policy though - i.e. your policy.  This stops people pulling a fast one by driving everything and anything on a Reliant Robin Policy, such as the "wifes" Ferrari....).

 

 

So Quad Bikes are fine then..... 

 

 

Arr! Oi got a traaktor.

[AndyID]

And now to bed. Mustn't forget to take my Clorox Chewables.

[leopardml2341]

Mornin'

 

Slightly later, 07:00, this morning, but still too early.

Doggo did not stir, even when I went to make tea.

 

 

Yes, there is a dog under there, nesting is his favourite pastime and often totally buries himself often after considerable effort.

 

Quickly caught up on here, weather is better than forecast so might get more done outside.

 

 

Best wishes and hopes to all.

Edited April 26, 2020 by leopardml2341
Added weather forecast screenshot

[jamie92208]

Morning all it's sunny here but rain is forecast for tomorrow. It was warm enough for us to go out forca walk after tea last night and not needs coats, shirt sleeves for me.  Lots of negatives scanned over the past few days. I'm gradually getting to grips with the Epson software and don't get too many the wrong way round now. I boughtca second mask for 35mm strips of film and that speedscup the process as I can be unloading/loading one whilst the other is scanning. If I want a particular shot I try to do the whole film and it's quite random what the other shots on the film are. One of my Brother in laws asked forca particular photo yesterday that I took at his wedding in 1984. The shot before the wedding ones was a class 56 on MGR's. The shot before my first photo of our eldestcwhen he was born is a 47 on the Trans Pennine route. I think there's a theme emerging here.  I also scanned and posted some shots of my former colleagues  taken in 1975.  They're on a retired plod site and have generated a lot of interest. One comment is that they loom like Life on Mars. Some of the taches need to be seen to be believed.

 

It's market day today then in the afternoon  my task is to try and get the lawn tractorcstarted. I think there's a solenoid  problem as it's clicking but not starting. The battery is new and fully charged so I will be investigating  and cleaning contacts. 

 

All the best to everyone.

 

 

Jamie

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Another lovely start to the day here although it's only about 7°C. Should warm up to 20ish later.

It's nice and quiet at the moment, even more than is usual for a Sunday. I suspect that we'll soon steadily hear an increase in sound as power tools, mowers and jet washers get cranked up. I may even join in, or not as the case may be.

A great time was had "Zooming" for a couple of hours last night. The Boss had a nice surprise as her youngest sister and niece joined in.

I have been informed that there is cooked breakfast available as we need to use up some bacon and mushrooms. We've even got some eggs to go with it! Good Oh.

I may visit The Shed again today as I need to start tidying things up in readiness for transferring my stock from the old layout room. The Shed is twice the size of the old room but I'm still trying to work out where to put everything.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Just had a news flash, Kim Jong-un has died.

There is a report from "38 North" that the special train used by Kim Jong-un has showed up at Wonsan (a executive "resort" compound on the North Korean coast of the Sea of Japan) sometime between April 15 and the 21st. Kim Jong-un is suspected to be at the Wonsan compound.

 

Local US TV stations have picked up the satellite pictures shared by 38 North. Analysis by CNN observed that Kim Jong-il died on the train and was brought back to Pyongyang on the train. 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

39 minutes ago, AndyID said:

Mustn't forget to take my Clorox Chewables.

American teenagers prefer Tide Pods.

 

/ Begin legal disclaimer /

Joking of course

/ End legal disclaimer /

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

Am currently watching "Saturday Night Live at Home" at home. 

 

Miley Cyrus is singing Pink Floyd (Wish you were here) in front of a back yard fire pit with a red filter. It's a bit incongruous, but actually she's not doing a bad job.

 

Of course it's on You Tube already. (Three hours after broadcast on the East Coast.)

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[Kingzance]

As a died in the wool Floyd fan, I think that Miley Cyrus and her backing aren’t quite up to the original but, as you say Michael, a reasonable effort. She seems to be cranking out a significant number of cover versions at the moment if my YouTube side bar is anything to go by. Here in KZ towers, Zoom last night worked for two hours solid without a hitch or interruption. Seven locations around the country joined in my general knowledge quiz and SWMBO - participating without me telling her the answers, didn’t take the strain of supporting the rest! It is a challenge setting a suitable level when there are people in their twenties taking on some who are fifty years older and whose education certainly doesn’t include many of the things that I think I knew before I left full time education, things like geography, basic meteorology and tides! Of course I know nothing about celebrity culture so didn’t include any such questions. Last night’s winners are tasked with creating next Saturday’s quiz. I wonder how I will get on in a quiz set by a fifty-something woman?

 

It has dawned sunny and still in my little corner of the world, in fact ideal to bring out my electrically powered and therefore quiet drone! I have not yet received the coloured electric string so energising sections of parallel nickel silver guides has to wait. Yesterday we popped over to the farm and picked up a half shoulder of fresh lamb (blade end), some bacon, jumbo pre-chickens and a couple of chump steaks. These, alongside various bits in the freezer, will keep us going for the coming week and more. I have to say that, looking at the suggestions by seaweed twirlers (do they wear bells on their legs, bash sticks and rattle tambourines for Chrisf’s benefit this coming week?), I may be tempted to power up the barby this evening, although I have no prawns to chuck on it and certainly none of that atrocious amber nectar favoured by Mick Dundee. I certainly wouldn’t give you a four-exes for it. The predictions of twirlers is for less clement weather in the coming week.

 

Must away now, I have not got a long journey to make to not Taunton to not socialise with real Webbers of the non-barbecue and non-carburettor kind. £5000 and rising so far!

[roundhouse]

Good morning form another Sunny one.

 

After doing tow gardens worth of lawn cutting and bramble / Ivy clearance on Friday my lower back has bene quite sore made worse after the 5 mile or so walk yesterday and this dint help my mood either.

 

This morning my other half had the news on the bedroom TV as soon as she stirred at 5am but I have  been up and about avoiding all the depressive lockdown news, the only good thing is that number 45 has now decided not to do daily briefings because the press ask him difficult questions.

 

Talking of noise in the garden, I have ordered a garden shredder that I can collect today now that Screwfix now allow non essential collections. I often have bonfires on cooler days when everyone has their windows shut but the new tenant of the lower flat next to the shed doesn't like the smoke when he goes out by the fence (wait for it)  for a smoke! So despite doing the bonfires for 26 years, I don't particularly want ot upset the neighbours, but he will have to put up with the noise of the shredder instead. I will continue with the chimnea as that wont create much smoke with the 2 year old dried logs now in the log store.

 

The modelling commissions that were slowly building up have now dried up completely with the virus, the last decoder install completed during the week and the owner doesn't want it posted so will have to wait till we are allowed out again. However I did post out a resin casting of the L & B lamp room yesterday, that was casting number 5 to be posted. I will have to start advertising at some point . I just don't want to suddenly be overwhelmed as the gradual build up through those in the know was good. I will just have to start weathering  / improving weathering of my own stock in the meantime.