Early Risers.

[jjb1970]

57 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

My ride for today: the JR East N700 Shinkansen “Kodama”

 

Note the amount of space between the platform barrier and the edge of the platform on the Shinkansen tracks

And how is HST2 progressing?

 

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Kato model, this is the newer N700S but they do the older N700 and the original 700 which looked significantly different (and to my eyes, nicer). Tomix also do excellent models of all of the 700 family. And they're crazily cheap compared to European N.

 

[jjb1970]

Fishermens Friend are a British success story in much of Asia, very popular across SE Asia. Other big success stories are Carr's water biscuits (rightfully so, I wouldn't live in a place which didn't have those), McVities digestive biscuits and Heinz baked beans. The beans may seem false as Heinz isn't British, but the cans they sell over here often have Union flags and a proud text box telling consumers that it is the British recipe.

 

The one you see everywhere which isn't a British success is Cadbury's chocolate. The Cadbury products in Asia (apart from shops which sell British imported stuff at higher prices) is from Australia and tastes completely different from British equivalents. I find Australian Cadbury's milk chocolate much creamier and sweeter. That said, I'm not a huge fan of Cadbury's chocolate anyway except for Old Jamaica (oddly, the Australian version of the darker chocolate tastes like the British version). M&S sell the same chocolate as they do in the UK which is very good (though expensive).

[jjb1970]

On prawns and sea food, I'm not a big sea food eater, though living here it's difficult to avoid and I don't mind it. Something about fish in SE Asia and China is many dishes are not 'fishy', I don't want to generalize as some dishes have almost weaponized fishiness but depending on the tradition some cooking styles view fish dishes that are fishy as a sign of inept cooking. One of the attributes of flavours like ginger is it apparently offsets fishiness, or at least that's what I'm told.

 

This may resonate with New Haven Neil but one reason I am not a lover of seafood goes back to my sea going days. I worked on a steam turbine container ship, and once a trip we had to clean the condenser (condenser performance is absolutely critical to steam cycle efficiency) and as soon as the doors were cracked open the whole engine room stank, it was rank. After going in the condenser and spending all day cleaning the thing it put me off sea food.

[iL Dottore]

I’m currently on a N700S (“Supreme”), they are running bot N700 and N700S on this particular line.

Green Class interior is like an airliner and most comfortable as well:

I’m on a slow stopping service to Osaka (well, slow by Shinkansen standards)

[iL Dottore]

Some more interesting “factoids” about the Shinkansen:

> it’s narrow gauge

> every seat lines up with a window

> the seats are turned to face the direction of travel

> it’s the safest railways system in the world

> there’s a total absence of scrotes vandalising stations, bridges and other infrastructure 

> there’s a total absence of scrotes nicking copper cable and other important railway parts…

[jjb1970]

23 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Some more interesting “factoids” about the Shinkansen:

> it’s narrow gauge

> every seat lines up with a window

> the seats are turned to face the direction of travel

> it’s the safest railways system in the world

> there’s a total absence of scrotes vandalising stations, bridges and other infrastructure 

> there’s a total absence of scrotes nicking copper cable and other important railway parts…

 The Shinkansen is standard gauge, and the loading gauge is generous (hence why they can have generous 3+2 seating in standard class and double deck trains) for the purpose built Shinkansen lines.

 

JR East have so called 'mini-Shinkansen' routes which were converted from existing 3'6" routes (in some cases dual gauged) to extend the route network at lower cost. The rolling stock for those services (eg. 400 Series, E3, E6) is standard gauge but built to a significantly tighter loading gauge. If you look at the E5 and E6, they look quite similar (apart from the livery) but the E6 is noticeably narrower.

 

Agree with the rest though, it's a wonderful system, and probably says as much if not more about Japanese society as it does railway engineering.

[iL Dottore]

27 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 The Shinkansen is standard gauge, and the loading gauge is generous (hence why they can have generous 3+2 seating in standard class and double deck trains) for the purpose built Shinkansen lines.

 

JR East have so called 'mini-Shinkansen' routes which were converted from existing 3'6" routes (in some cases dual gauged) to extend the route network at lower cost. The rolling stock for those services (eg. 400 Series, E3, E6) is standard gauge but built to a significantly tighter loading gauge. If you look at the E5 and E6, they look quite similar (apart from the livery) but the E6 is noticeably narrower.

 

Agree with the rest though, it's a wonderful system, and probably says as much if not more about Japanese society as it does railway engineering.

The route I’m on looks narrow gauge to me (to my Mk1 eyeball looks about the same as the MGB track, which I know is narrow gauge - but I’n probabky totally wrong) and the train - though fast - is not as fast as the Shinkansen I took many years ago (Hokkaido Main Line),

On the current route (Atami-Shin Osaka) there are quite a few “old” tunnels and curves - so might be the upgrade of existing lines!

Edited June 17, 2023 by iL Dottore

[Ozexpatriate]

The choice of the British 3'6" (Colonial) gauge (1,067 mm) in Japan (aka kyōki) is an interesting one - without very clear online references as to why, though this one is interesting.

 

Certainly British colonies in Queensland, New Zealand, Cape Colony and India were building Colonial Gauge lines in the latter half of the 19th century. Charles Fox and Edmund Morel seem to have influenced many decisions. Morel in particular was a consultant in Japan (the first foreign Engineer-in-Chief appointed by the Japanese government) and died (very young) in Yokohama.

 

The 'gauge war' in the UK would not be finally resolved until 1892 when the last Brunel broad gauge was removed.

 

The weirdest gauge has to be the Hejaz Railway - 1,050 mm / 3 ft 5 11⁄32 in.

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

 Got away to sleep very quickly for a change....

So....

23:57 SWMBO leaps out of bed, and charges down stairs.. Ben had made a noise of pain... Then a thump as he hit the floor.. it was probably Ben complaining of his old joints, he does make a thump on floor these days as he lies down.. he was OK.

 

So total sleep about 6.5 hours and fairly solid.

 

Ben wanted an early patrol, and was comparatively sprightly.  light dew,  blue welkin, no wind.

 

Due to MRC show, 3 Rivers Race, Worsted Woolley weekend, all in beautiful sunshine, I've not sailed for nearly 4 weeks. So what is the forecast tomorrow?    Rain.

 

The forecast for the week being warm sunshine and showers, the grass will grow like mad, 

 

Chatting to one of the Museum guides yesterday, discovered he played hockey with the RAF exiles in Cyprus in the very early 1960s, Dad was posted to Cyprus in the early 1960s.... And he played hockey...

 

The local tide time tables for the broads for next year, have just been published, low tide 4 hours after the start. So the boats will get away quickly. The fast boats will go for the lower Bure buoy first the slow boats will come up to the Hickling Broad buoy first. Hopefully that means yours truly will get a good night , as most boats will get to us before midnight.

 

Plans for today

More brick wall demolishing.

 

Breakfast calls and a first muggacoffee.

 

Time to head for the kitchen.

 

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Sunny with some high cloud here.

 

Off to a local cricket ground today. Could be an interesting match ..hopefully it will go well.

 

New manufacturer has supplied my latest batch of metformin.. not good.. causing me a lot of not nice side affects.. pah! I shall endeavour to speak to the Marie Celeste on Monday about changing my medication ASAP. I am due a review anyway.. they just haven't sent my email yet (which is normally sent automatically.. but someone has put an incorrect date in it.. err 2024(!)).

 

Mugatea time,brekkies then.. writing up interview notes before cricket.

 

Enjoy your time today!

Baz

 

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

The sun appeared a bit later than usual and it's a bit hazy.  There is a chance of some showers today, hope so.   Phone apps claim it's 16°C outside and could reach 27°C. (bedroom thermometer was reading 24.2°C when I got up at 6.30)

More time spent in The Shed yesterday with only one or two or several mishaps.  Head bumped under layout 4 times, when I cut the track bridging the drop down flap I butchered it and had to relay that piece and minor burn from the soldering iron however I did avoid severing my thumb and even spilling blood when the Stanley knife slipped.  Just.

I'll try to do better later.  

Boiled eggs and soldiers for brekkie today.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[polybear]

5 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Those are very blue. With the strawberry(?) garnish it's hard to guess what it might be.

 

Screenwash

 

[polybear]

BH

TBB

BG

[Erichill16]

Morning All, 

Been absent for some time, work, contemplation, dealing with the dark one and preparing for walk about.
Certainly no Shinkansen here, but can anyone guess where? 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, 18c again......and rain!  First rain of any significance for 5 weeks.  Oh yeah, friends from Kent coming on Monday, that'll be why!

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

It’s dull and cloudy here at the moment, but with a temperature of 18C it’s still warm out there. I will shortly be setting off to collect Ava who will as is the norm for a Saturday be spending the day here with us. We will then finish making the fruit tea loaf I left soaking overnight and then make a batch of flapjacks afterwards, which should take up most of the morning. After dinner Ava will no doubt watch a DVD, I’ve no idea what here choice is today though. 
 

Back later

 

Brian 

[DaveF]

Nothing of note yet this morning.  It was sunny but the sun has given up and allowed the cloud to take it over.  Perhaps it got tired having been shining constantly for so long.

 

I got a bit sidetracked doing a survey which involved listening to a long series of nice music clips.  I thnk the rest of the morning will be sorting out yesterday's photos and watching bits of Trooping the Colour.  At some time I may go out for a walk, some weeding and dead heading also needs doing.

 

The forecast suggests cloud but dry all day.  I will not be going out in the car today becasue of the likely traffic I mentioned yesterday.

 

My road is incredibly quiet today, so far I have seen one person walking a dog and one car has gone by.  Perhaps everyone is having a restful day at home for a change.

 

David

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. No sign of arthritis or sciatica this morning but nose is stuffed up and eyes are watering, hay fever! so I won't be going out much today. I will have to do some shopping, bread, eggs and milk later but other than that not much doing today.

[PupCam]

Morning All!

 

2 hours ago, polybear said:

BH

TBB

BG

 

Boosey & Hawkes (Musical instruments)

Threading Building Blocks (C++ template library)

Bear Gone

 

No, too cryptic for Puppers!  🤔

 

2 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Certainly no Shinkansen here, but can anyone guess where?

 

Not Puppers but as long as it is free from black tinted canines the job's a goodun! 🤞

 

In Other News

 

Washing machine tops have been removed to enable the correct type of inlet solenoid to be ordered.  It's a two port device and one of the ports weeps and slowly fills the machine when left unattended.      Weeping under the influence of mains water pressure is not that desirable ....

 

A brief run on the Beeza around the lanes on a rather dull day could be on the cards.    My little "witness pads" of folded kitchen roll wedged between the mag and the timing case should finally confirm if the great oil leak is coming from the mag drive or not.

 

More code furtling might also be on the cards and/or a bit of aluminium turning to make that collimation cap I mentioned a while back.        

 

Thinking about the slack handful of NodeMCU and small displays I ordered last night just goes to confirm what a crazy world we live in ..... All that computing power, 4M RAM, WiFi capability, multiple input and output capability all for ~£3.80.      Cost of a small plain old bottle of, say, Gorilla glue (just as a random example)  ~£6.       No wonder the world is screwed up!

 

There's been a lot of military helicopter activity overhead this morning.    First two Westland Wildcats went over followed 5 minutes later by two Apaches and then 30 minutes after that two more Wildcats.   All heading ENE and from the look of Flight Radar, Wattisham was their destination which is perhaps not a surprise!       Something I've never noticed (well, even thought about) before is that only one of each pair were squawking  and therefore visible to Flight Radar.

 

Over and Out.

 

 

 

[Gwiwer]

9 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

The Cadbury products in Asia (apart from shops which sell British imported stuff at higher prices) is from Australia and tastes completely different from British equivalents. I find Australian Cadbury's milk chocolate much creamier and sweeter

Chocolate which may have to sit on Australian shelves in much warmer conditions than would be expected in the UK and much of the US is formulated differently to raise its melt-point. 
 

I noticed it straight away when I first visited. It is slightly crisper when bitten and snaps rather than bends. I’m not sure how it differs in detail as that would be covered by commercial confidence. 
 

But it is still sold as Cadbury’s in the same wrappers and with the same advertising as in the UK. Albeit with an Aussie-accented voice-over rather than British. 

[Gwiwer]

9 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Kato model

Which may indeed be a very good model of a very good train but it still generates the thought in this mind of a very high speed platypus 

[Hroth]

22 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Which may indeed be a very good model of a very good train but it still generates the thought in this mind of a very high speed platypus 

 

Or a dying duck...

 

[jjb1970]

36 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Chocolate which may have to sit on Australian shelves in much warmer conditions than would be expected in the UK and much of the US is formulated differently to raise its melt-point. 
 

I noticed it straight away when I first visited. It is slightly crisper when bitten and snaps rather than bends. I’m not sure how it differs in detail as that would be covered by commercial confidence. 
 

But it is still sold as Cadbury’s in the same wrappers and with the same advertising as in the UK. Albeit with an Aussie-accented voice-over rather than British. 

 

I think many parts of Australia are hotter than Singapore, but the only way to enjoy chocolate here is to cool it, at ambient temperature it is much too soft and a soft mess. No snap or texture. I like to put it in the fridge, but a room well cooled with aircon works. Some good shops have cool rooms for chocolate, and convenience stores often put kitkats and such like in the soft drink chillers (also common in the UK in the warmer months). Chocolate is a lot less popular than in Europe but still quite popular and there are some artisan chocolatiers which make very good chocolate.

[jjb1970]

7 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The choice of the British 3'6" (Colonial) gauge (1,067 mm) in Japan (aka kyōki) is an interesting one - without very clear online references as to why, though this one is interesting.

 

Certainly British colonies in Queensland, New Zealand, Cape Colony and India were building Colonial Gauge lines in the latter half of the 19th century. Charles Fox and Edmund Morel seem to have influenced many decisions. Morel in particular was a consultant in Japan (the first foreign Engineer-in-Chief appointed by the Japanese government) and died (very young) in Yokohama.

 

The 'gauge war' in the UK would not be finally resolved until 1892 when the last Brunel broad gauge was removed.

 

The weirdest gauge has to be the Hejaz Railway - 1,050 mm / 3 ft 5 11⁄32 in.

 

 

The gauge issue in Japan is more complicated than it initially appears. JR was a 3'6" railway until development of the Shinkansen network from the early 60's which was standard gauge. There are a lot of non-JR railway companies, traditionally these were called private railways, a term often still used even though JR was privatized decades ago. A few of these were and are standard gauge, such as the Keikyu, Keisei and Kintetsu railways. It gets more complicated as there is also 4'6" gauge such as the Keio railway. Although much smaller than the major JR companies some of the private railways are large operations with quite large networks and high intensity services. 

[The Johnster]

6 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Morning All, 

Been absent for some time, work, contemplation, dealing with the dark one and preparing for walk about.
Certainly no Shinkansen here, but can anyone guess where? 

Pyrenees?  Not the French side as they spell cable car ‘telepherique’.   Possibly the Balkans.