Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

11 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

That translates to an almost unmeasureable 0.001062992 in! Your tide-board is that accurate?? The meniscus would alone would make that hard to read.

As far as I can establish it is very definitely not a 'tide board' - in fact I don't think there's been a proper marker that side of the lock for years and it was in any case in proper measurements if feet when there was one.  The p[resent measuring method is some sort of electronic based gizmo and it no doubt works on some sort of averages but that was the number although it was probably of a metre and not a millimetre - so- in other words it measured just a change of just over one inch.

[The Stationmaster]

9 hours ago, polybear said:

 

I'd given some thought to that, but for me it seems very unfair to the kittie to effectively keep him prisoner all his life

Unfair indeed but a very simple question occurs to me - how on earth do you stop a caT getting out when it really, really wants to?   Do you hermetically seal your abode with every window closed and exits physically blocked in the faint hope that said cat still won't find a way out?  Or are we unique in having two cats who both answer to Houdini when called?

 

And G'day all,

 

Our cats over several past decades have come from a variety of sources - the two we had not long after moving to Tilehurst came from somebody seeking homes for a litter; following them Henry moved in on us after living under a car in our road for a while and Wesley who subsequently joined him was our first recruit from Thames Valley Animal Welfare.  Following the demise of Wesley who lived for several years after Henry we acquired a pair of ginger brothers from TVAW and after they had both gone - the final one having done an Elvis and then died on the bathroom floor - after a suitable interval the present mother and her adult son also came from TVAW.  We've always had an interval between cats to allow scents to dissipate and of course to get used to the idea that things will change and to get over the loss of our really close friends.  As ever their characters have varied enormously and while the two ginger chaps were unsurpassed when it came to being lap cats the present pair are both very friendly and love attention but are definitely not lap cats.  Their culinary tastes have also varied considerably although oddly our current mum cat is the first one we have come across who does not like almost every sort of of human food although her son will eat just anything which we eat, including pizza .

 

All of them have been good friends to us and I hope we have made them feel at home and welcome.

 

Wet morning here but a patch of sunshine before a return to less wild, but still wet, weather.

 

Have a good day one and all and stay safe

Edited October 8, 2020 by The Stationmaster
Thanks Rick ;)

[southern42]

' afternoon all from red dragon land.

Rain stopped. A few patches of blue sky.

 

Toot on the flute - much to be desired, this morning!

Try again later...

 

Click and collect from Tess Coe's later this afternoon so reordering of kitchen cupboards and some hoovering, etc  to do beforehand.  Not my favourite day!  We could do with a 'sigh' smiley...

 

My flying consisted of two return flights, one to Barcelona and the other to Rome, one of which was in a DC-9.  As I recollect, I built one Airfix plane (spitfire probably) and a similar one in balsa some 10 years or so earlier.  A favourite haunt was Heathrow Airport before and after the tunnel was built in the days when it was also a 'tourist attraction'!  Children's playground and cafe up in the Queens Building both appreciated at different times in my life, as well as the duty free shop for a couple of LPs bought with saved-up pocket money.  Next-door neighbour got me Columbia records on staff sales from the EMI (His Masters Voice) - the  view from the train of the fantastic building now marred by those hideous OHLEs out of Paddington*  and the construction of more industrial buildings in front, when we went past a few years ago, did not help!  

 

* Compare with photo in Hornby Mag August 2020, p74-75 of a pair of Class 117 DMUs passing the HMV factory in 1963.  https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/pressed-steel-class-117

It was always a delight to walk/cycle over the railway bridge (Dawley Road) and stop to admire the architecture.  And, in my time, I probably sat in a few of those 117s, as well!  Not quite the same as a large prairie on a suburban or a Mk1 on a puffer out of Paddington Station!

 

Time for a lunch.

 

Fitt  and  Elfie getting ready for the onslaught.

 

Take care and play safe. 

__________ 

Best wishes

Polly

'ER indoors.

[The Lurker]

On 06/10/2020 at 23:37, andyram said:

If anyone was in any doubt of the reason for my plea.....

 

this is the aftermath.

 

 

https://www.a2bmodelrailways.co.uk/product-page/fundraiser-help-ravensdale-school

My junior school burnt down a year or two after I left. The whole village turned up to watch and there was an audible cheer when the roof fell in. My sister who was still a pupil there was away for a few days and came back one evening asking if anything interesting had happened while she’d been away. When my Mum told her that her school had burned down she replied “Rubbish!” and went bed. The next morning she looked out of her bedroom window expecting to see the school and had quite a shock!

 

it was part of what at the time was supportive be the largest primary school in Kent. They got a load of mobile classrooms and stuck them in the orchard on the site. I guess rebuilding took another year or two.

 

they caught the guy who did it; he had been taken in locally by somewhere that rehabilitated criminals; not very successfully in his case; he had attended our church and so I knew who he was. All more than 40 years ago and even the rebuilt school has I think been rebuilt again, the orchards sold off and houses built on them!

[polybear]

Bear should've stayed in bed today.....

Undesirable plumbing removed without a fight; then onwards to try out Pipe Bender borrowed from mate yesterday on a bit of scrap pipe.  The resulting distortion and kinks in the pipe soon made me realise that said pipe bender was cr@p.  Closer inspection revealed that the two pipe mandrel options were marked 14mm and 16mm, so not ideal for 15mm pipe.  As to whether or not this is the cause of the problem is unknown, but I doubt it helps

So onto Google and much time spent researching Pipe Benders for 15mm and 22mm pipework; a candidate was identified and duly ordered, so another seventy quid out of the Beary piggy bank.  This week is proving very expensive.

 

Then a phone call from a neighbour to tell me that a friend (and ex-neighbour) I've known for probably fifty years has gone to the Great Never-Ending Cake Shop in the sky   She was 81 apparently, and not in the best of health - Diabetes had rendered her pretty much blind.  RIP "Auntie Bunch".

 

Then to cap it all I managed to throw part of my din dins across the kitchen floor.  Turdycurses

At least my Toolstation order turned up, so I may just get some plumbing done this afternoon - unless I decide to cut my losses until tomorrow and not tempt fate by bvggering today up any further.

[polybear]

I forgot to mention I also can't find my pipe bending spring, and a trip to the Co-op resulted (I think) in being overcharged for my Blueberry Muffins and forgetting to check for any special offers on Twix Multipacks

 

Send cake.....

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

how on earth do you stop a car getting out when it really, really wants to?

I find applying the handbrake usually works.

 

Cats, on the other hand .........   

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

Bear should've stayed in bed today.....

Undesirable plumbing removed without a fight; then onwards to try out Pipe Bender borrowed from mate yesterday on a bit of scrap pipe.  The resulting distortion and kinks in the pipe soon made me realise that said pipe bender was cr@p.  Closer inspection revealed that the two pipe mandrel options were marked 14mm and 16mm, so not ideal for 15mm pipe.  As to whether or not this is the cause of the problem is unknown, but I doubt it helps

 

 

He must have done work in France. 14 and 16 are common sizes over here plus 12 to confuse things the rows of adaptors in the DIY places have to be seen to be believed. To confuse it even further some places stock adaptors to 15mm to help expat Brits. No pre soldered Yorkshire fittings over here either.

 

Good luck.

 

Jamie

Edited October 8, 2020 by jamie92208

[simontaylor484]

Afternoon all

 

Never had a flight on a 747 seen plenty round Heathrow. 

Mr poly bear would a spring assist your pipe bending endeavours inside the pipe to prevent the pipe kinking?

On other fronts i retire on 31/10 on ill health 43 yrs old.

Back still agony waiting for dr to ring asked for an advice call at 0925.

Just caught up with the last episode of Mr 'erriot quite enjoyed it so far hope they commission further series. Its quite plesant to watch no swearing or violence 

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

8 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Unfair indeed but a very simple question occurs to me - how on earth do you stop a car getting out when it really, really wants to?

Handbrake and engine immobiliser usually work...

 

Just noticed that Rick noticed too!

Edited October 8, 2020 by Tony_S

[PeterBB]

17 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

. My Grandfather had brothers and sisters that his children didn't know about, odd lot.

That also seems to have been the case with both of mine and for one there may have been a reason ... and for that matter both my Grandmothers although I did once meet a great aunt at an aunts ... but Dad didn't seem to know when he heard.

[Barry O]

woo hoo! Transferred dat , apps etc to new phone and BT have got the nano sim to operate...a result...

 

Bas

[Tony_S]

I thought we may have to go on a diet as potatoes were “unavailable “ on our Waitrose delivery. The bag of chips was quite large so no problem as far as I am concerned. Aditi has put together an extra delivery for Sunday. I think potatoes may be the equivalent of a security blanket for her. Her replacement tablet arrived and has been charged. Easy to transfer stuff. I had a usb micro to usb c lead that I had bought when I upgraded my phone but I could have used wireless to do the transfer. 
Tony

[Tony_S]

3 minutes ago, Barry O said:

woo hoo! Transferred dat , apps etc to new phone and BT have got the nano sim to operate...a result...

 

Bas

I have a BT sim in my iPad. It works perfectly but I am convinced the sim authoriser on their website does not work. I used the “chat” service to get it done. Same for when I set up MiL’s smartphone. 

[Barry O]

Tony

 

I have to say I was amazed by BT getting it right first time

 

Baz

[TheQ]

10 bicycles  riding on pavements of which 7 also used pedestrian crossings,  

One car driver from the left hand lane straight lines  into the middle lane at a roundabout,  leaving the one from the middle lane,  nowhere to go, hence a large amount of horn blaring .

Not a bad Cockwomble score for one trip home ,

There were, I'll add, 3 bicycles correctly on the road,  and one using a cycleway and crossing correctly. 

 

A visit to the orange shed occurred,  the wood cutter was not in use again,  so there are 2 sheets of osb and a pack of battens on the landrover.  

 

Openreach have been so the next doors telephone cable is back in the sky. 

 

The man from the house of strong ladies has been,  4 items in 3 boxes,, all would have fitted into the largest box of the 3 with room to spare...

 

I've flown many times on jumbos and 777s to and from Saudi,  once on an airbus via Bahrain. Several times on viscounts to /from the hebridies,  Tristars to and from the Falklands,  one trip circuit and bumps in Herc, and back in 1961 in whatever the raf were flying to Cyprus from the UK. 

The jumbos and 777s were normally so empty you had a row to self.. After the meal , seat arms up, lay out on a row to sleep,  wake up for landing..

Oh and once in a chipmunk overtaking Concorde.. 

Most comfortable definitely 777...

[iL Dottore]

Evening all,

Congratulations and commiserations as appropriate. I haven’t been on RMweb much recently because the new format still grates a bit on me....

Been modestly busy this week and I am temporarily dog less (Mrs ID has gone to the Holiday Hovel with the Wolfpack and will be away for about two weeks. She is taking a much-needed holiday!). On Saturday, I will get a small canine “fix“ when a friend drops off her dog (Frida) for the morning while my friend runs around doing urgent errands.

On the subject of Boeing 747s, my first trip in a jumbo jet was on a Singapore Airlines 747-400 “Megatop“ and as it was a work related trip, I was in Business Class – which meant actually being on the top deck. The oldest jumbo jet I’ve ever flown on was a British Airways 747-100, which was relatively antique even back then when I flew in it. I’ve racked up quite a few jumbo jet flights, mostly with BA but also with Qantas, Swissair (back when it was Swissair), Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific. And to be honest both Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific in terms of comfort, service (on the ground and in the air) as well as in regards to food and drink far outshone theIr European competitors without breaking a sweat. And as for US carriers, let us be charitable and say “they did try“.

Although the 747-400 remains my aeronautical “true love“, I do have a soft spot for the Airbus A380. Sadly, I have only flown it once (Singapore to Melbourne in business class on Singapore Airways).

Much as I would like to return to both Singapore and to Japan, in the post CoVID-19 world it does seem quite unlikely, (Plus there is the financial aspect of a long haul holiday to consider, now that I am heading towards retirement) So it was a pretty good thing that Mrs iD and I used up our numerous air miles when we did with a few North American and a few Asian business class trips for pleasure.
As for cats, I quite enjoy them and would certainly do my best to ensure that none came to harm, but I am most certainly a dog person. One of these days, I might recount the anecdote of how Schotty, in all innocence on his part, met a bad tempered three legged cat....

Have a great Evening

Cheers

iD

Edited October 8, 2020 by iL Dottore

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Spent most of the day trying to sort out the mess that is Farcebook. Why do they have to make it so difficult to use? Time to get the dinner ready, be back later. 

[Sir TophamHatt]

I'm glad I got to sample a 747 before everyone stops using them, both downstairs and upstairs.

 

Having an okay day.  Still sad about the cat but that won't be a quick thing to disappear.

 

However, I have spent most of my work shift adding formulas to the timesheet spreadsheets.  The original creator did the whole "using excel because it has boxes already", despite it only being a text based document (so should have been done in Word).  However now I've got my hands on it properly, have added the calculations to add hours, add the "remarks" wording when adding the right code and protected all of that from changes (but not the whole sheet).  Now it saves a lot of typing.  Need to continue testing it though.

 

I think my Son is doing some more teething too.

Very red cheeks and very off today.  The bottom two are well out and proud so just waiting for the top two.  He's so desperate to crawl but his body is 2 months behind his mind so not quite strong enough yet.

Edited October 8, 2020 by Sir TophamHatt

[The Lurker]

747’s - first flight was in May 74 from Heathrow, stopping at Frankfurt, Abu Dhabi, and KL. it was a Qantas flight. We were moving to Singapore and the furthest I remember flying before that was Guernsey.

[polybear]

Bear's best 747 memory is getting a visit to the flight deck during a flight to Mumbai.  Sadly such visits are now a distant memory following 9-11.

[J. S. Bach]

44 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Spent most of the day trying to sort out the mess that is Farcebook. Why do they have to make it so difficult to use? Time to get the dinner ready, be back later. 

There is a third-party software program that replicates the old format. I use it and it works quite well. Unfortunately, I do not remember the source anymore.

[PhilJ W]

13 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

There is a third-party software program that replicates the old format. I use it and it works quite well. Unfortunately, I do not remember the source anymore.

Yes I'm using it, oldlayout.com . Apparently its not the only one, there are several others out there. I may have got this completely wrong but from what I understand is that many people as well as using redundant systems such as Windows XP they are also using older browsers. These browsers will not accept the new Facebook so Facebook have put something in (I think its called a patch) to enable people using these old browsers to carry on with the old Facebook. What these programs do is make Facebook think that you are using one of these old browsers when you are in fact using something like Chrome or Firefox. 

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Quite noisy here at the moment as India 99 is flying around us presumably looking for some perpetrators of crime.

Not flown much at all so the nearest I've been to a 747 is standing underneath at Hatton Cross when taking photos of planes landing at Heathrow many years ago.

I'm more of a dog man but do like cats however Herself doesn't want a pet. She's been scared of dogs ever since she was bitten as a child.  Strange thing is they seem to like her and make a beeline for her.  Son Steve and his next door neighbour have just been adopted by a stray cat.  He visits both of them and stays overnight with them, almost on an alternate basis. . They've tried unsuccessfully to find an owner and taken him to the vet for a check up and he's young, in excellent health and not chipped.  Steve is very particular about his flat and I'm amazed that he's allowed an animal in but he's gone the whole hog and bought him a bed and all sorts of other stuff.  When we visited today "Tigerpuss"  left as soon as we entered but returned when we left.

Edited October 8, 2020 by grandadbob

[grandadbob]

Further to my previous post Steve being Steve and into all things IT and technological  has two "Catcams" set up so he gets an alert when the cat wants to come in and another one pointing to the inside of the back door so he knows when it wants to go out!