Member postings for Bill Dawes

John the P&O you refer to are P&O Ferries, an entirely separate company from P&O cruises now. Never understood why reputable companies are wiliing to sell off part of their businesss together with their good name when they will have no control over how the company is run.

I do get the safety bit, the the way the cruise cancelled was just brutal, black or white so it was quite a shock.

Trying to wash my germs away with a shower this morning (ok I know it doesn't but it freshens you up for a while) it suddenly occurred to me that what if you suffer from hay fever, which I do, how do you answer then?

Bill D.

Part of our cruise insurance was pre-existing medical conditions, which we always declare and I can tell you are many although like many people of a certain age all the conditions are under control so we do live a fairly normal life.

On a cruise especially, the insurance is an eye watering amount for us so if you are thinking of your fist cruise do a check of this first. This would have been our fifth cruise, we love them, it enables you to visit many places whilst taking your hotel with you. True the places you visit will be a box tick as it is only a taster but over the years it has enabled us to rule in/out places to spend more time at in the future.

One recommendation I always make to people for their first cruise, spend the extra on a balcony cabin if you can.

As it's turned out I had a dreadful nights 'sleep' with my cough so feeling quite done in so in a way relieved we are not now going.

Bill D.

I think this could be classed as ME related as we all like a nice holiday don't we?

Booked a cruise with P&O 3 years ago, postponed due to Covid and finall settled on 8th October this year.

Did a health declaration today having first conducted a (negative) Covid test.

One of the questions was had I experienced one of the many symptons listed, probably covering every ailment know to man, being honest I ticked the yes box as developed a cold last week, on its way out now, assuming it would follow up with more specific questions, BAM no messing, refused boarding and cruise cancelled.

My wife phoned to plead our case but they wouldn't budge. It doesn'r always pay to be honest.

Bill D.

Thanks Micheal, timely reminder, as NT members my wife and I had this offer a few weeks ago, had forgotten about it, passing it on to son, daughter in law and lovely grandchildren.

Bill D.

Well a bit like being asked your favourite music of all time, as fast as you think of one someone will suggest one you had forgotten about but the model that made my jaw drop was the (unfinished) Napier Dagger engine, Norman Laurence I think.

Asked on here before without success but wonder if it was ever finished.

Bill D.

Hi Philip, this is not having a go at you, just as a matter of curiosity. You are presumably something of a model engineer as you have a lathe so why do you use cm rather than mm.

Model engineers frequently talk in imperial units but that's because most drawings, being of pre decimal age are in imperial, however most of us will be very used to the metric system, cm are not an SI preferred unit. (multiples of 1000)

I'm always having a go at my daughter in law for using cm, she is a teacher and she can't explain why they use cm in preference to mm in schools, i am sure I haver never seen an engineering drawing using cm.

Bill D

Thanks Jon, confirms what I thought really.

Bill D.

Taking this topic opportunity, for a 5" gauge loco what do you guys think is best option, displacement or pump type?

Having trouble visualising how much oil a displacement type holds, doesn't look much.

Bill D.

Sorry, there is only one of me!!!

Bill D.

Talking of shoes, went out to lunch with family last week, grabbed a pair of black shoes I had from M&S a few years ago, haven't worn them that much, arriving at destination and someting felt strange underfoot, no heels to be precise, they just fell apart. Wouldn't have minded so much if they were a cheapo pair but M&S are not the most expensive shoes you buy but neither are they cheap.

Still had a nice gluten free full english breakfast at Fosso Lounge Wells, any other Coeliacs amongst you guys?

The lounges bars have restauarants all over the country and they have really nailed the GF thing, comprehensive GF menu. Just need these venues like ME exhibitions and Goodwood Festival of speed I recently went to (otherwise fantastic day out) to offer something, usually have to take sandwiches.

Bill D.

Bill D.

Went into Primark my go to store for shirts, nothing fancy just casual everyday ones plain or small check usually, no fancy prices, used to have counters piled high with them, now nothing, wandered back and forth in vain.

Is this the end of the world as I know it I ask.

I'm gutted.

Bill D.

Hi guys, not rec'd latest mage yet, due 3rd June, anyone else had problem.

Bill D.

Although I have worked in engineering since I left school, 65 years ago!, I too hadn't touched a machine since my apprentice days, Bought my first lathe about 10 years ago and stuck a piece of bar in and started maching just as if it was last week not over 60 years since I had used one. Doing it properly of course is another thing, one thing I had to learn was getting the operations in the right order to ensure you don't machine one side and find you can't hold it properly to machine the other side.

Enjoy.

Bill D.

Think I got mine from Macc Models, they do a good range of wall thicknesses and diameter.

Bill D.

I had hoped that the pandemic would show us the folly of being so reliant on so much being made overseas to say nothing of the latest debacle going on in Europe. I realise that even in our pinnacle of serving the world we needed raw materials from abroad. I had hoped.......... but not optimistic that we will just return to the old ways where finnancial services is king.

The T pylons are substantially more noticeable than the old pylons, more of them, closer together, much thicker sections.

Bill D.

closertogether was not intentional!!!!!!!

Bill D.

Having had time now to consider these design as they stride across the levels near to where we live in Somerset, I have decided I don't like them.

When we were first told about these new designs they sounded better than the gargantuan lattice ones, however now changed my mind, true they are neater and smaller but it is because of that they seem more in your face probably because there are more of them, I assume this is because they are lower and need to spaced closertogether to keep the cable droop to a safe level. Too late now of course.

Bill D.

Yes got a length ready for making several wheels.

Bill D.

Having pondered for a suitable length of time, I decided I wasn't going to give up and buy one but to have another go.

When I made the ratchet wheel I tried an experiment (well it is model and experimental engineering after all) I did not have a suitable milling cutter so tried making the wheel with a small slot mill set off centre, it did the job after a fashion but obviously not good enough, now have a dovetail cutter to try.

I am also going to try to make wire springs for the pawls, I could not not get the flat brass shim springs specified to position properly to exert enough force onto the pawls.

Onward and hopefully upward.

Bill D.