RMweb Gold BoD Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 20, 2011 Morning all Clear blue skies here again. It has been the same all week. Strange sitting here listening to Dave and TonyG talking about constant heavy rain not that far away. Looks similar for the weekend which is a pity as I fancied popping over to see the steam specials tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 20, 2011 Morning all, sunny morning I am worn out for some reason think I will go stand in the sunlight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 ? Sad to see that the ever decreasing Boeing 707 fleet has been reduced by one more airframe today, having crashed on take off from Point Mugu Naval Air Station. Thankfully, the crew got out alive - which is very good news. BBC News I loved the 707 too. I seem to recall a video of one performing a barrel roll (in the hands of a test pilot)! I expect it is on YouTube somewhere but I'm feeling lazy... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 That's right Pete. In the hands of the late great Tex Johnston http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vHiYA6Dmws Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Don't try that in an Airbus....................................................................... Thanks for finding that! Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony graham Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Morning all, Halfway through my shift, roll on 1pm and then the weekend can start. Sitting in Preston for my train to Glasgow and Pleased that the day has started of dry again. The Minister of War & Finance is joining me at Carlisle with her mum for the journey to Glasgow as they are off shopping which reminds me that I must report the credit card as lost or stolen before she gets chance to use them. So when I get home and she is away I can bring the toys in that are in the boot of the car without her noticing. Have a good day all, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Don't try that in an Airbus. Absolutely! The 707 first flew in 1954, the KC-135 (Tanker) jockeys in the States joke that the last KC-135 pilot hasn't even been born yet. I can't see many early Airbuses still flying in half a Century. B) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Don't try that in an Airbus....................................................................... Thanks for finding that! Pete. As they say at the end of the tour of the Boeing plant in Everett WA. "If it ain't Boeing, I'm not going. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Dare we suggest that the 707 might even surpass the DC3s record longevity? Or will there still be a Dak at work somewhere in South America in 2035? B) Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 20, 2011 When did the B52 first fly? I think it has had 50 years of service so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 20, 2011 The trip to the doctor's turned out a bit more exciting than predicted. I left my wife there so she would be able to go to work straight after the appointment and I walked home. Just as I got there they phone rang and she said the car was making a terrible rattling screeching noise and the alternator light had come on. I drove over in my car and after a quick look, noticed that the alternator drive belt was shredded and suggested she drove the short distance to the very nice garage on our local industrial estate. They had a quick look and confirmed the belt had gone and they will find out why and let us know. It is the sort of reliable garage that can be totally trusted. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 When did the B52 first fly? 1952 IIRC I am sure that there'll be Dakotas flying around for ever! As far as I know, there aren't any passenger 707s left in service - but there are a surprising number of freight, military and private examples. Of course, the KC-135s have been re-engined, which is a bit of a shame. There's nothing quite like the sound, smell and sight of four P&W JT3's on takeoff power! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 20, 2011 At what point does an airframe reach the end of its life? could a Dakota be like the proverbial shovel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 The critical part of it is the condition of the main wing spar as I understand it, Mick. As you say though, there is a constant cycle of repair and renewal with aircraft that does indeed remind you of the mythical broom! At some point, Avgas will become either prohibitively rare or expensive, thereby grounding the last ones or forcing their conversion to turboprop power as has in fact been done, even as early as 1953! Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 20, 2011 Here's one question which somebody with knowledge of car mechanics might be able to answer... What exactly happens when you set an automatic transmission to "N"? I would guess the torque converter's drained on this setting, and filled only when you select R, D or any other drive setting... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 20, 2011 Here's one question which somebody with knowledge of car mechanics might be able to answer... What exactly happens when you set an automatic transmission to "N"? I would guess the torque converter's drained on this setting, and filled only when you select R, D or any other drive setting... I don't know what happens on mine but I think the torque converter stays fluid filled and the N selector disconnects any drive between the gearbox and torque converter. Mine is a six speed automatic but you can select individual gears if you want but I've never bothered. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 20, 2011 Is a torque converter a bit like a Babel fish? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 20, 2011 Is a torque converter a bit like a Babel fish? rather more like a herring aid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 20, 2011 Is a torque converter a bit like a Babel fish? Hope it works better... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted May 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 20, 2011 AFAIK the brake bands are all released which means the drive isn't carried through the box. Draining and refilling the converter would take far too long. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixoh8sixoh Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Evening all! Excuse absence, been fencing (the wooden variety) all day then Freemasons. Bit miffed as it looks like I didn't even get an interview for an internal job I went for. What's annoying is that I know I absolutely nailed the application, best one I've ever written and it covered all the bases. Frustrating... I used to fly Air Experience Flights with the RAF when I was at school, we were still flying De Havilland Chipmunks 49 years after they were introduced. They were great fun little planes, I would love to own one of them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 I remember the AEF Chipmunks, Mick. I'm not sure if there was one at Glasgow Airport but I remember seeing a couple sitting outside the hangars at RAF Turnhouse. They looked rather natty in their red and white trainer livery. I also like them in the earlier livery of overall silver with yellow bands. Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 This evening, I decided to take a drive up to Whitrope and give Abi a walk over Sandy Edge, the hill through which the tunnel passes. In the first couple of photos, you can see the two cottages so often seen in photos taken during the route's more active days. Photo 4 shows some of the sizeable earthworks above the south portal. Photo 5 is more less at the top of Sandy edge and in the centre, you can see the route snaking round from Langburnshiels, itself just round a curve from Shankend. Number 6 shows the distant Rubers Law which will lend its name to my new project and the photo below shows Leap Hill and the Maiden Paps, both to the west of the line. Coming down off the hill I paid a visit to the southern portal, stopping at Summit on the way. You might just be able to make out the nasty drop-in just inside the tunnel mouth which occurred in 2003 I believe, during a particularly unpleasant wet spell. Hopefully, this will be put right one day. There's also a big pile of blue brick waiting for repairs to be carried out to the massive retaining walls which need to be kept in top condition for when the trains return... Finally, the obligatory Shanked Viaduct shot and looking particularly beautiful on a sunny May evening. I hope these photos convey some of the atmosphere of the place. Obviously there are masses of coniferous trees in place of the largely bare hills of fifty years ago, but with luck you may well start to 'get' something of what this wonderful railway and landscape is about. It's a place and a subject that stirs powerful emotions in those who do 'get it'! Dave. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixoh8sixoh Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 I remember the AEF Chipmunks, Mick. I'm not sure if there was one at Glasgow Airport but I remember seeing a couple sitting outside the hangars at RAF Turnhouse. They looked rather natty in their red and white trainer livery. I also like them in the earlier livery of overall silver with yellow bands. Dave. They were cracking little planes, light as a feather as they had canvas wings. I used to fly them at RAF Leeming, got a few hours of flying in them, including a fair bit of aerobatics. Great photos Dave, lets hope eventually we get the line fully reopened at some point... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted May 21, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2011 Sure looks like the Waverley Route was an awesome place – thanks for sharing those photos, Dave! Morning all – 16° and somewhat humid at the moment, so I wonder how the weather will turn out later on. I believe I'll be spending the day with some tidying up as I got a couple of storage boxes from Ikea yesterday, and some revision as well – probably. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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