Early Risers.

[TheQ]

I see Fraggle rock is about to be cut off from the UK..

Royal mail is scrapping that air route.

If Track Shack had still been around, that would have stuffed a lot of their great delivery service.

[jjb1970]

On ships and fuel, LNG carriers use boil off gas. In older ships the gas is combusted in boilers to generate steam for steam turbines, in newer ships it is combusted in gas Diesel or gas Otto engines. Other ships which may use cargo as fuel are LPG carriers and methanol tankers.

 

Oil tankers don't for several reasons. The most important one is legal. The SOLAS Convention mandates marine fuels have a flash point of 60C or higher. Because crude still has all of the lighter phases the flash point is above 60C. The Eagle eyed may have noted that methane, petroleum gases and methanol have flash points way below 60C and ask how they can be used as fuel. Good question. LNG tankers are designed and constructed in accordance with the IGC Code, other ships using such fuels the IGF Code. Both have onerous demands for fuel handling, engine room arrangements, machinery and operation. Which adds an awful lot to the cost. IMO is developing rules for low flash point oils now.

 

The second is economic. If a ship operates on HFO or VLSFO (as most tankers do) then the cargo is worth more than marine fuel. This one doesn't matter if a naughty crew has a magic pipe and isn't worried about safety.

 

On coal, there have been bulkers designed to use coal cargo but the costs didn't stack up, they were very maintenance intensive (I.e. they broke down a lot) and even ranking cycle steam turbine plants aren't very efficient. For LNG tankers you can't avoid cargo boil off, and re-liquefaction systems are expensive and use a lot of energy so the case for using it as fuel is much stronger.

[southern42]

1 hour ago, southern42 said:

My only commute to London was...

 

We don't commute to London from here but we have used the Bangor-Euston service since the late 70s in which time the service has gone from pretty good to pretty awful which is the primary reason we went to the SVR 0 Gauge Get Together (by car) two weekends ago, rather than (by train) to the Milton Keynes Show (this, just gone, weekend).

 

Lil Sis ("no interest in things that run on parallel bits of metal," she keeps telling me) wotsapp'd me with this. A well known personality, with a long expanse of parallel bits of metal, interviewed live from the Show, yesterday, on BBC Three Counties Radio* @3:07:28 in, at the end of "Our House."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0ggq4r3

 

Sis is devastated by the changes, with some of her favourite Presenters gone already.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by southern42
For some reason some words got separated onto two lines. It's happened before but I've not worked out why, yet!

[New Haven Neil]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

I see Fraggle rock is about to be cut off from the UK..

Royal mail is scrapping that air route.

If Track Shack had still been around, that would have stuffed a lot of their great delivery service.

 

The UK cut off.....Just been having that very conversation, Q.  It was a pain in some ways as folk got so used to next-day delivery - that we managed 99% of the time - that if something didn't arrive by return, we got flak for it. 

 

If the mail plane didn't go, due to weather (rare) or breakdown (much less rare!), all hell was let loose.  I'd spend my entire day fending calls to help poor Jane who manned the front line.  Considering we would send out 100 to 200 parcels a day, you can imagine.....pah.  The mail will now go on the ferry, which with two round trips a day isn't too bad, but it will delay post an extra day at least.  

 

Sometimes the mail would go on the ferry if the plane was indisposed for more than a few hours, which always resulted in delayed and lost parcels, I suspect it will be a bit shaky now for a few weeks until they get used to the new processes.

 

While I miss the crack with the staff ( we were 8) and, err the money (I'm retired now), there are other aspects of the business I don't miss!

[polybear]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I don’t think my alter ego has ever been that flamboyant. “Extremely Expensive and Extremely Understated” is more his sort of thing. Something more along the lines of a discreet tie-pin made from the crystallised tears of a thousand baby orangutans* is more in character.

 

* He is, after all, a supervillain

 

And just HOW is CC intending to make a thousand baby Orangutans cry??

Bear would just like to point out that I - and I suspect several other fellow ER'ers - rather like baby O's......so think carefully....

 

5 hours ago, grandadbob said:

I'm probably the only real rugby fan amongst all the guests (although both offspring do like rugby)  and I will happily miss it (the final that is), some things are more important.....he said through gritted teeth. 😂

 

 

Does the presence of oodles of drink n' cake help soften the blow by any chance?

 

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Rick @Gwiwer mentioned his SWMBO not liking solo travel so much. I have to say I couldn’t be more opposite to that - I infinitely prefer being a solo traveller as one can travel at one’s own pace - never having to hurry to catch up or slow down to be caught up with.

 

 

And no bitchin' n' moanin' SWMBO to tolerate either.  Ask a Bear how he knows.....

[iL Dottore]

A HISTORIC EXPOSE!

THE TRUTH REVEALED!

AND IT ISN'T PRETTY!!!

 

Intrepid reporters from the ERI (The Early Risers Inquirer) went undercover to find out the truth about the infamous Polybear - Captain Cynical "conflict". The truth is: there is no conflict! PB and CC are working together to carve up the world between them.

 

At great personal risk, our fearless seekers after truth managed to take incriminating photos of the latest summit between PB and CC.

 

Captain Cynical arriving in one of his infamous "black helicopters"

 

Whilst PB arrived after a leisurely drive through the beautiful Swiss town below the meeting venue:

 

Security was extremely tight:

PB and CC posed for photos before negotiations began:

 

After many hours of "open and frank discussions" new arrangements had been made for collaboration between PB plc and CCI GmbH and a triumphant Bear and Captain posed for celebratory photos.

 

CC apologised for the frequent outfit changes - saying that his new PR person insisted on "trying out new looks" (The Early Risers Inquirer fears for the safety of that PR Person, who hasn't been seen or heard from since the PB-CC Summit)

 

Following the celebrations both PB and CC departed for "destinations unknown" and the ERI reporters lost their trail:

 

 

[iL Dottore]

22 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

And just HOW is CC intending to make a thousand baby Orangutans cry??

Bear would just like to point out that I - and I suspect several other fellow ER'ers - rather like baby O's......so think carefully....

Sadly all CC would have to do (not that he'd do it, he too has a soft spot for Orangutans) is point out that they're gonna loose their home in order for humans to plant palm-oil trees so that totally synthetic meat and dairy substitutes can be made with the harvested palm oil....

 

(and, tragically, the above ain't a joke....)

Edited October 16, 2023 by iL Dottore

[PhilJ W]

42 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

A HISTORIC EXPOSE!

THE TRUTH REVEALED!

AND IT ISN'T PRETTY!!!

 

Intrepid reporters from the ERI (The Early Risers Inquirer) went undercover to find out the truth about the infamous Polybear - Captain Cynical "conflict". The truth is: there is no conflict! PB and CC are working together to carve up the world between them.

 

At great personal risk, our fearless seekers after truth managed to take incriminating photos of the latest summit between PB and CC.

 

Captain Cynical arriving in one of his infamous "black helicopters"

 

Whilst PB arrived after a leisurely drive through the beautiful Swiss town below the meeting venue:

 

Security was extremely tight:

PB and CC posed for photos before negotiations began:

 

After many hours of "open and frank discussions" new arrangements had been made for collaboration between PB plc and CCI GmbH and a triumphant Bear and Captain posed for celebratory photos.

 

CC apologised for the frequent outfit changes - saying that his new PR person insisted on "trying out new looks" (The Early Risers Inquirer fears for the safety of that PR Person, who hasn't been seen or heard from since the PB-CC Summit)

 

Following the celebrations both PB and CC departed for "destinations unknown" and the ERI reporters lost their trail:

 

 

PB ought to take care with those cakes in case a certain cake loving Hippo is about.

[Hroth]

So PB has TWO Bentleys???

 

 

 

I think I'd have the second if he's done with it, can't be doin' with LHD.....

Also, the LHD one seems to have an "adapted" windscreen for his nose, and something seems to have happened to the wingmirrors...!

 

 

[Andy Hayter]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I was talking of the legitimate use of gases given off by the cargo. Gases that would otherwise be vented off.

 

And I was making the point that an engine designed for fuel oil will not (or would not then) run on gas without extreme risk.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. A bit chilly today, the central heating has just come on for the first time during the day, it has been coming on during the evening for the last couple of weeks. There is a heap of stuff to go through the shredder to be turned into mulch. There's shopping to be done, be back later.

[TheQ]

mooring Awl,

3 hours sleep, pink pills due to headache caused by head at wrong angle, 3 hours sleep, Ben The I want out Collie appeared, and he was most insistent, so we went for a short patrol, after adding to the water level he wanted back to the house..

 

You may have noticed no report yesterday, I late getting up due to a poor night, Then had to go to the moorings. It was the end of season regatta, I didn't go on the Saturday due to SWMBO being at her weaving groups AGM,

 

Sunday

3 races, wind from the North which is the most awkward direction as that's through the houses, many wind shadows, and changes of direction. BM didn't do well, the boats with much taller rigs did, also various things that quite happily worked all season decided to undo themselves, such as the main sheet quick released shackle.. that undid itself no less than 3 times.. Ill replace it with something different for the next season.

 

We had a roast dinner for lunch at the SC very good it was too..

 

This computer went into full windows upgrade mode his morning, So I went onto other things and left it to it.

 

Today 

3 hours sleep , pink pills , 3 hours sleep, due to a neck / head ache, which has returned this afternoon so more pink pills have been deployed.

 

Ben the I'd like to go out now Collie, was quite insistent this morning, though he didn't stay out long..

 

landrover  was emptied of sails which I brought back yesterday at Endex,  also took out a load of other stuff that had been accumulating

 

First task today was a drive across to the garage that looks after the Landrover, IT's MOT and service time, I was lucky to get it booked in for 2nd November.. i Think Had I not been a regular customer of theirs, I wouldn't have got her booked in till the end of November They are that busy...

 

On the way back it was Tes and Coe time,  mostly for A big bag of Collie Food...

 

The boat lift out has been organised for 25th Oct, so , I've spent the rest of the day moving all the working bits of a broken trailer lighting board onto a new board.. I need four 8mm Lock nuts , which I've ordered , and to resolder some connections I had to break.

 

I need another eyelid inspection..

 

time to...zzzzzzz

[Tony_S]

37 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

bit chilly today

Aditi just mentioned that she has put the one Tog duvet away as she doesn’t think it will be needed until next year. 

[The Lurker]

I thought a one tog duvet might be the same as a sheet - until I looked it up just now!

[Tony_S]

20 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

I thought a one tog duvet might be the same as a sheet - until I looked it up just now!

I thought similarly until Aditi bought one. We seem to have missed out the next Tog up and gone straight to the 10Tog duvet. It is very light though being stuffed with some  avian down.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

So PB has TWO Bentleys???

 

 

One for the UK, one for the Continent - I find that driving a right hooker overseas is just such a drag....

[polybear]

7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

LOL

 

 

 

 

You're on The List.  Right at the very top.

[DaveF]

I am still using my 4.5Tog duvet, it will be replaced by a 10.5Tog version when the nights become reliably cold, usually about the time of the first air frost.

 

The postlady and the Evri courier came together at 11.50 which was handy as it meant a magazine didn't get battered in the letterbox.  The sweater from Cotton Traders was in one piece, so the part shipment had become a complete package.  It is generously sized which means it will be comfortable when I am wearing a vest and a thick shirt as it gets colder.

 

The resting has continued, while I had coffee I watched Homes under the Hammer, then did some ironing and put the second load of stuff on to dry.  Lunch was just bacon and egg after which I watched Eisenbahn Romantik on German TV about railways and ships in Sachsen, then I decided to rest properly, lay down on my bed and fell asleep for a while.

 

Since waking up I have put things in the bin ready for tomorow, it is now on the drive to go onto the pavement later on after a few more things have been added to it.

 

Soon it will time for tea, the local news and then book and TV.  Resting is pleasant but I think I could get bored in time.  Despite not going out for a walk today I have walked 2 miles so far , a bit of that was taking the sample from where I parked to the surgery and back, the rest has been moving about the house as I rarely sit for more than about 15 minutes or I start to seize up - even whan I am "resting".

 

David

[polybear]

7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Just wait for the "Boys and Girls of  ER"   calender!

 

(as suggested by a certain @polybear.....)

 

I'm regretting that already........

[Ian Abel]

Monday rolls around again...

 

Fairly quiet weekend, Saturday errands then a nice evening with friends, music and dinner at a supper club.

Sunday, tired but managed to get some house chores accomplished, walk the dog and fit in a nap 😀

Jemma and Brendan picked up Whitney in the evening and we relaxed for what was left of the weekend.

 

6c first thing, sunny and expected to reach 14c later. Sun predicted all day no precipitation until the weekend!

 

Carry on.

[polybear]

56 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

The thing you wear around your neck to a funeral.

 

If you wear one to the workshop then you'll possibly be attending your own funeral next.

 

Bear once googled "lathe accidents".  If that doesn't teach you to respect lathes etc. you'd be better off with lego.

 

Definitely not for the squeamish, by the way....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[polybear]

Bear here.....

The day started reasonably well as I carried on playing with Templot (it'll be a long slog.... not helped by the fact that Bear has a cr@p memory); later in the morning I carried out a recce to the Co-op for essential supplies before din dins.

 

I then took delivery of three items I'd ordered, one of which was damaged 🤬.  Now was it:

 

(a) a pack of five easily replaceable 0.8mm dia. Centre Drills?

or:

(b) five various MDF Jigs from EBMA Hobby - again easily replaceable?

or:

(c) a much awaited purchase off the 'bay, namely an extremely well constructed and finished (and very rarely seen example of) a kitbuilt Loco ?  

 

Fuggin' Rattin' Piggin' Turdycurses  😭

 

BG.

[TheQ]

Lego...Lego? one of the most dangerous things known to man foot...

[Hroth]

11 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Lego...Lego? one of the most dangerous things known to man foot...

 

Lego? Shuffle, don't tread!

 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I've just been watching the first of a new series of "Help, we bought a village". Very interesting like the last series including one from the last series but the others are new to the program. FYI Channel 4 at 5pm every weekday. Tonights dinner is toad in the hole followed by bread and butter pudding.