Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Another dull, but dry start to the day here in the northwest corner of England. The temperature is currently 3C, so warmer than yesterday, but still cool. I’ll shortly be setting off for my walk to the butchers for the weekly meat rations and a pork pie for my dinner. After that I’ll go to the Trafford Centre for a few more bits and pieces that can’t be acquired locally. 
 

After dinner we have James calling round for his model making session, he’s also stopping here for his tea as well. 
 

Best get going, back later. 
 

Brian

[Hroth]

3 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Totally true - this is my old school, with a real genuine Pegasus.  The lady was the lab technician who made it all keep working, somehow.  She was truly formidable.  

 

Ferranti Pegasus.  One of my mates in that photo, Tommy Turner.

 

LEO was probably the first computer for the commercial environment, developed as a stock control and branch ordering system by Lyons, a bakery chain, hence Lyons Electronic Office.  After Leo 1 and Leo2, Ferranti took it over and marketed LEO as Pegasus*.

 

I have no idea why an electric clock mounted on the front of the CPU was considered a useful feature...

 

* But please see correction below...

Edited March 3, 2023 by Hroth

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the volcanic rock.  Our last full day here.  Very little bei g done.

 

Ttfn.

 

Jamie

[PupCam]

Morning All!

 

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

He did, yes.  Replaced a couple of capacitors that were blown, it's a known fault on the Panasonic DVR's of that era. The thing is to get to the board they are on, involved dismantling the entire device, the boards are stacked above one another.  It was hard going for him with just hooves, but he got there in the end.

 

 

It still works, but is the number 2 machine now, a newer and more clever one is in the main lounge.

 

 

Well Donk looks well pleased with himself having brought another one back from the brink!

 

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

 

I take it that's the Recycle Bin .......

 

2 hours ago, polybear said:

I wonder if the costs of inviting a "Big Name" (and often very large) layout from far afield (requiring numerous "helpers" and Van Hire - hence big costs) is actually value for money?  Does the appearance mean that those costs would be fully recouped by attracting extra visitors who otherwise wouldn't come?

 

Well that depends entirely on the raison d'etre of an exhibition.  

 

Is it to put on a good if not excellent model railway exhibition to showcase the hobby (as indeed was the primary point of the CMRA exhibition), is it to collect together as many models of monorail lines as possible, is it to collect together models of ECML stations in one place to assemble a miniature ECML, is it to display model railway layouts from within a 5 mile radius of the venue etc etc?       Each case is of course unique and will have it's own trade-offs to balance the books but those trades are entirely dependent on the constraints applicable at  the time.   An obvious current one is Covid.  If it was decided that we all still had to maintain social distance and gangways had to be at least 20' wide that would rule out many existing venues BUT would also make the larger ones untenable because the trader/stand density would make the venue economically completely unviable.

 

As I said, and just like nature, a tricky and very delicate balance allows things to thrive.  Change the balance and it does anything but ....

 

2 hours ago, polybear said:

Should've sold it years ago.  Turdycurses.

 

Yes 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing but .....

 

2 hours ago, polybear said:

Now then, when did the RD last appear on Her Maj's Highway.......?

 

Hmmm,  Oh I don't remember   🙄    1978

 

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

E18 error.....

Washing machine filter blocked...

It of course is fully loaded and the water level is at max...

 

I'm guessing E18 is the "Drain pump buxxered" error?

 

42 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear has gone from about 12K/year to 1K....

 

And that's just his salary!

 

5 minutes ago, Hroth said:

I have no idea why an electric clock mounted on the front of the CPU was considered a useful feature...

 

So it can be over-clocked of course.

 

In Other News

 

It seems that common sense will be returning to a small airfield at Old Warden in Bedfordshire 😃  

 

Free entry to the airfield and cafe (and presumably the shop)  via the original main gate is to be re-instated on non-event days meaning the 6 mile diversion (3 on arrival, 3 on departure) to get in from some directions will be ditched.     Payment to get into the Collection and/or the Swiss Gardens will remain and is of course perfectly reasonable.     It appears that motorcyclists and classic car owners might well be most welcome to make use of the cafe on, say, a Sunday morning without having to cough up £19 (or whatever it finally was) just to drive on-site.   Lets' hope the cafe can now come up with some reasonably priced, good quality fare that will attract a high-level of custom to provide much needed funds for the place.

 

I also understand that the New Broom that swept in a few years back has moved on to yet more new pastures.   I'll not comment further on that .....

 

TTFNQ

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, PupCam said:

I also understand that the New Broom that swept in a few years back has moved on to yet more new pastures.   I'll not comment further on that .....

 

TTFNQ

 

...and now the damage that particular tw@t introduced can start to be undone......

[Gwiwer]

For @iL Dottore and the legions of adoring young ladies 😂

 

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

LEO was probably the first computer for the commercial environment, developed as a stock control and branch ordering system by Lyons, a bakery chain, hence Lyons Electronic Office.  After Leo 1 and Leo2, Ferranti took it over and marketed LEO as Pegasus.

 

I have no idea why an electric clock mounted on the front of the CPU was considered a useful feature...

 

 

You know, I am probably completely wrong, though the ownership and development of LEO is correct! 🤔

 

I associated the monolith with the clock, etc with LEO from what I remembered from a very old book on computing*, which I will look for as I'm sure I still have it...  The association with Ferranti is probably completely spurious too...  😟

 

But it sounds good!  🤪

 

* Probably Marchant & Pegg, Digital Computers: A Practical Approach.

Its not in the house, probably in one of the stack of boxes in the garage, so I won't be able to retrieve it for ages...

 

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Hroth

[polybear]

I hope they aren't thinking of having another go - not sure we could do 1982 all over again:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64835605

[The White Rabbit]

38 minutes ago, polybear said:

I hope they aren't thinking of having another go - not sure we could do 1982 all over again:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64835605

 

We couldn't. There are insufficient resources, whether hulls, planes or people. The current policy of putting 'sufficient' forces into theatre to make an invasion 'too' costly and act as a deterrent and enable rapid reinforcement is fine in theory. Until the other side starts thinking differently, whether with 'a cunning plan' or different values or priorities. And has anyone asked the servicemen/women who would have to fight (and in many cases die) to make that policy work? Glorious last stands are fine for Hollywood. Not as amusing for the PBI with mud on their boots, facing the prospect of a choice between a bullet, willie pete or napalm. 

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

...and now the damage that particular tw@t introduced can start to be undone......

Sounds a similar story to other museums I have known.

 

Jamie

[Adam88]

5 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

... my old school, with a real genuine Pegasus ...

 

Similarly my at dad's and my old school where one of the masters was nick-named Peg, that was short for Pegasus - the eternal nag.

[TheQ]

 

E18 error..... Filter blocked error.

Was entirely correct.

It turned out to be a small 2inch by 3 inches plastic bag. Washing machine now back at work.

I bought for someone.... A big packet of those for wool samples.. now who is it who does weaving?

 

It's an interesting exercise selecting layouts for shows, most of us here, I Think, would put the emphasis on quality modelling and for the enthusiast visitor to a show that would apply. But for granddad and grand children they just want to something pretty with things going round and round.

 

Costs are an interesting problem, we need to raise money for the club, but  we have lost our big show venue, so moved to village halls.  We seem to make as much at a village hall as at our big show due to vastly reduced costs. Part of that is the much smaller size of a village hall, it means no huge multi- operator layouts, as you do need to get several layouts in a small space. There are a lot more small single or two operator layouts in any area therefore less accommodation and transport costs..

 

Ben has taken me for a full length walk. Daffs, primroses, daisies. Dandelion, celandine all in flower in sheltered spaces.

 

Just enough drizzle to not allow varnishing, so the centre console was fitted, that went well. I was going to make a insert of wood to hold my drinking bottle. But that bottle may be replaced at some point. So now I'm going to carve a foam insert, as the can be modified or easily replaced.

Yesterday's pads varnish hadn't set so they are now sitting by the fire . I also made the two foot rests, they too are by the fire.

 

Eyelid inspection time...

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Da boys went out, but it was a bit chilly, a two-coffee-stop run! 6c 'feels like' 3c and they're not wrong!

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by New Haven Neil
attach photo d'oh

[The White Rabbit]

9 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

That’s all very well and good, but it only holds true if it doesn’t violate the laws of physics (or the laws of the universe, if you will). Much of what the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and The Tooth Fairy (allegedly) get up to violates countless laws of physics.

As we are waxing philosophic, the other thing to consider is probability: for example there is nothing in the laws of physics that would prevent all the oxygen molecules in your shed from suddenly aggregating in one small corner - leaving you gasping for air (according to one physics textbook I read). But the probability is infinitely small (I’d say incalculable) 

Of course, complicating matters is QUANTUM (to borrow from T. Pratchett). Which (roughly) states that, as long as it doesn’t violate the laws of the universe, can/has happen/happened somewhere. 

 

So by using quantum mechanics to analyse recent posts, one could prove that @polybear, @Ozexpatriate and @The White Rabbit are actually wave forms in Hilbert Space (or some such thing).

 

The laws of physics - as interpreted by humanity - have changed quite a bit over time. To quote a simple example, in the Middle Ages, many humans thought the earth was flat and the stars revolved around it. Some ancient civilisations knew this was incorrect and there's evidence to suggest their astronomical knowledge was equivalent to that of the late twentieth century. Then scientific belief turned towards the earth being a sphere orbiting the sun. That was later amended to earth being a spheroid. This is commonly accepted as fact but who is to say that there will not be another change of opinion (fact?) when new information/evidence comes to light? Whatever that may be. 

 

I agree that much of the legend of the Easter Bunny, Santa etc. owes more to humanity's desires to seek meaning and mystery than proven scientific fact. But there are some things out there we cannot explain, I have seen a little myself. I accept some of my inability to provide an explanation which fits the current scientific orthodoxy may be due to my ignorance or deliberate 'misinformation' by a third party - but I confess that I couldn't find any possible plausible alternative and that sent shivers down my spine. Whilst I wouldn't call myself a scientist, I like to think I am at least reasonably logical and smart enough to distinguish between beyond reasonable doubt, probabilities and possibilities. I did at least do a sufficiently passable imitation to my employer to justify a couple of promotions and a high performance award over the last few years. 

 

The power of quantum calculations and mechanics could revolutionise life as we know it, not just for the spooks and financial security with issues such as cryptography and online transactions. If someone (who would probably get an extravagant expenses paid trip to Stockholm) could link the potential of AI and quantum calculations then I suspect that would represent one of the most significant steps forward since the 'invention' of fire or the wheel. However, I fear that that last paragraph of yours should really have included the phrase 'in one timeline/version of events'. As to selecting which of these is reality, alternative reality or mere fantasy, I don't know how that decision's reached. Best leave it to individual ERs to decide - or reach for the whisky bottle. 

[The White Rabbit]

18 minutes ago, TheQ said:

... It's an interesting exercise selecting layouts for shows, most of us here, I Think, would put the emphasis on quality modelling and for the enthusiast visitor to a show that would apply. But for granddad and grand children they just want to something pretty with things going round and round....

 

For me, I'd try and strike a balance and show a cross section of the hobby. Whether it's re scales, standard/narrow gauge, roundy-roundy or detail vs impressionism. Big layouts can be very impressive - but (certain ERs aside...) how many of us have half an aircraft hangar to devote to a layout? If I had 20 layouts to invite, I might try for two big 'flagship, crowd-pulling' layouts, with another four - six club layouts, then the rest made up of smaller layouts. Whether single operators or 'one man and a friend'.

 

Exhibitions are a PR opportunity and while it's good to be able to fly the flag for the hobby and a club, you can put people off by projecting an image of the hobby as too demanding of space, time or skill. If a manager can show a variety of layouts, including some by those of more modest talents, then there's more chance of something 'floating the visitor's boat', whether it's a Mr Rice or Fred Jones from half a mile away, taking the kids out for a couple of hours on Sunday to avoid them 'getting under SWMBO's feet'. I think it's important to show some exhibits which make visitors think 'I could do that'. If the standard is too high or you only show huge layouts, then too many folk go away with the thought that that was very impressive but it's not for me. Or 'only if I win t' lottery'. 

 

Many years ago I was co-owner of a OO layout which was very popular at shows - the modelling standard was OK, with a few cute touches but two things appealed to people - it was mostly built from kits/readily available items and we made an active effort to engage with the visitors. 

[NGT6 1315]

ZWEIKRAFTLOK:

 

 

Actually the third Class 159 or Stadler Eurodual model I have, the other being a pair of HVLE locomotives! It's a Sudexpress model and gorgeous in every respect.

 

159 227 here is operated by Erfurter Bahnservice, so, broadly speaking, a regional prototype. As the HVLE 159s are, for that matter!

[DaveF]

Somewhat late reporting here today but I was up quite early then other things got in the way.

 

Yesterday involved the usual visit to church followed by coffee.  Then I went to the cemetery to see if the headstone really had been put back, that it was on the correct grave and the inscription was correct.  All was fine, as good as I had hoped so that is another job ticked off.  As usual it was very quiet, there was no one else about so I was able to stand and peacefully reflect on things for a little while before coming home.  Now I just have to wait for the grass to grow over the bare soil - neither Mum nor Dad wanted anything fancy, no edging, no gravel, no flowers etc.  Oficially that is how all the graves are supposed to be but unofficially some are ornamented in various ways.

 

After that I came home and cooked some lunch and then did more tidying in the loft, followed by a sit down with a Sudoku for half an hour.

 

Just before an afternoon cuppa I pruned a dogwood and did some weeding.  Then after a sandwich tea I watched the news followed by music and reading again.

 

All in all a peaceful and uneventful day.

 

David

Edited March 3, 2023 by DaveF
To remove superfluous letters in a few words.

[Winslow Boy]

24 minutes ago, DaveF said:

Somewhat late reporting here today but I was up quite early then other things got in the way.

 

Yesterday involved the usual visit to church followed by coffee.  Then I went to the cemetery to see if the headstone really had been put back, that it was on the correct grave and the inscription was correct.  All was fine, as good as I had hoped so that is another job ticked off.  As usual it was very quiet, there was no one else about so I was able to stand and peacefulyl reflect on things for a little while before coming home.  Now I just have to wait for the grass to grow over the bare soil - neither Mum nor Dad wanted anything fancy, no edging, no gravel, no flowers etc.  Oficially that is how all the graves are supposed to be but unofficially some are ornamented in various ways.

 

After that I came home and cooked some lunch and then did more tidying in the loft, followed buy a sit down with a Sudoku for half an hour.

 

Just before an afternoon cuppa I pruned a dog wood and did some weeding.  Then after a sandwich tea I watched the news followed by music and reading again.

 

All in all a peaceful and uneventful day.

 

David

 

Yes I'm afraid that people do take liberties with areas around headstones David. What they  seem to find very difficult to accept is that the more stuff whether it be vegetative or other, they place around the headstone then the more likely it is to get damaged no matter how careful the maintenance team are.

 

I've had some very difficult conversations with relatives saying memorabilia hadn't been put back correctly or had been damaged. We even had one instance where somebody put a chicken wire cage at the base of the headstone to stop items being moved.

 

What was very saddening was when the grave had just been left to fall into a poor state, because there was no left alive to remember the person interned.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Just had just ordered a new washing machine, my old one had seemed to stop working. Seeing as it is almost forty years old it owed me nothing so I ordered a new machine. I checked it again and it started working. What had happened was the rotary switch was sticking and it only needed a little wiggle to get it going. I now will have to cancel the order. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by PhilJ W

[Barry O]

A less than the promised lazy day has been had.. pah!

A six mile route March was undertaken with no coffee stops. Pah!

 

I organised our local show for about 10 years. Getting the right balance of layouts right was difficult but a clockwork o gauge train set always helped..as did the odd 3 rail layout, lego layout etc. Include other layouts which looked good and WORKED was also a plus point. But the cost of hall hire is going upwards, accommodation costs are beyond ridiculous (trying to make up for loss of earnings in the Covid years) and some layout owners do demand far more than they used to. Glad not to do it anymore.

 

Baz

Edited March 3, 2023 by Barry O
Spellung

[Ozexpatriate]

24 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Include other layouts which looked good and WORKED was also a plus point.

I attended a "train show" a few weeks ago. (These are not in the same league as a British exhibition - mostly trading stalls with old Lionel and assorted dusty H0 stuff from donkey's years ago.)

 

There was a German H0 club layout - multi-level, roundy-roundy but well executed, except for the desperate looks when they had to break out the multimeter. They got it running eventually but it took a long time.

[Ian Abel]

Afternoon...

 

Yesterday/birthday came and went with minimal fuss, we get together as a family Sunday since Jemma is on an out-and-back to Frankfurt, returning tomorrow.

Good choir rehearsal, kept thankfully shorter than expected, appropriate congratulatory singing for my birthday recognition, then even better, the post-rehearsal happy-hour I was rewarded with not having to pay for my drinks 😀

 

Today rather quiet, will POET as the Long Island client seems asleep. Mrs still suffering some respiratory lurgy so will be a slow evening also.

 

Re: Ferranti Pegasus - blimey, the first machine I programmed on a technical course. Donated to the local technical college by BAC Weybridge, took up half the blqqdy room the newly formed computer department had as a classroom. Interesting seeing ferrite core memory on a large circuit board about 15" square. probably held  a stupidly small amount of data, and I actually don't remember the capacity. Also, using punched paper tape for input AND output was bizarre by todays standards/methods.

 

-5c and partly cloudy first thing, 3c the expected high.

 

Weekend will depend somewhat on the Mrs health... tally ho.

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

I agree that much of the legend of the Easter Bunny, Santa etc. owes more to humanity's desires to seek meaning and mystery than proven scientific fact.

The Easter Bunny confounds me - not how Latin Christianity coopted pagan holidays intentionally but how there's not even a tissue of Christianizing this one - like trying to redefine holly as a Christmas symbol with the red berries and thorns being 'drops of blood' as harbingers of the torture and death of Christ.

 

I find it interesting that in the 'romance language' countries the name of the religious holiday is related to Passover* but in Germanic languages the name of the goddess Ēostre / Ôstara is retained for what is the holiest of Christian holidays - Ostara being the vernal equinox.

 

* Paschal /  Pascha / Pascua / Pasqua / Pâques etc.

 

Though there's a specific correspondence between the Spring timing of Passover and symbols of (re)birth and sacrifice (like Spring lambs**) quite how the ultimate animist Spring fertility symbols (bunnies and eggs) got interwoven into popular celebration of the Christian holiday - other than the obvious reason, being that they predated any Christian tradition and were stubbornly persistent - continues to mystify me.

 

** קרבן פסח, Qorban Pesaḥ / Paschal lamb

 

It is interesting to see renaissance religious art incorporate bunnies with the virgin Mary. (Titian et al)

 

Of course there were attempts to stamp out the paganism, but as usual they failed. The seasonal confectionary aisles here offer chocolate crosses, presumably marketed to religious people who don't want to buy eggs. That's even weirder to me.

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[New Haven Neil]

19 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

Re: Ferranti Pegasus - blimey, the first machine I programmed on a technical course. Donated to the local technical college by BAC Weybridge, took up half the blqqdy room the newly formed computer department had as a classroom. Interesting seeing ferrite core memory on a large circuit board about 15" square. probably held  a stupidly small amount of data, and I actually don't remember the capacity. Also, using punched paper tape for input AND output was bizarre by todays standards/methods.

 

 

Yes, it took all that room, plus another that had power supply in it - rotary converters?. It was dismantled shortly afterwards, those of us in the school science club were free to take anything we wanted from the 'boards' - huge things with handles and three valves (vacuum tubes) at the end and lots of encapsulated widgets.  Our five hole tapes had to go to the Town Hall to be printed.....they had a better computer.  IIRC the Ferranti came from a large local business where it did payroll, I think.  It didn't lead me to a career in IT (quite the opposite) but of my classmates one is a high level nuclear physicist and one worked for IBM.  I'm just a greasy engineer.

[New Haven Neil]

Was just looking at Pegasus board photos on the web, and had a flashback - they had a smell, a really particular old-time-electronics smell.  Funny that a photo could put a smell into my brain.