Broithe

That's so I get down to the pub before closing, when I've had a nap after me tea - they're a bit strange about closing times over here.... Phone-wise, I still have one of these - I dial out every now and then, in case they've turned it off....

I used to use a pocket watch at work, as wristwatches were vulnerable to knocks and accidental submerging. Picked up a few nice stopwatches over the years, too.

Nice. I believe that is now compulsory under an EU directive that every model railway must have a Norstand wagon.

I do like the old Soviet watches, I have quite a few- I still want one of the 24 hour submarine watches - handy when there's no daylight to give you a clue - but, I don't think I would ever get the hang of it. It's difficult enough dealing with the fact that I refuse to change to GMT in the winter - but, everybody will catch up with me again soon...

I suppose it's a space consideration, possibly - and maybe the sheer amount of energy required may be a lot more than a mere watch needs. I only really wear a watch on the ferry these days, so that I have the time when the phone is off (to stop it hunting for a connection endlessly). I like the idea of the kinetic watch, but wonder how long it would run, if I didn't wear it much. There was a solar-powered, radio controlled watch that took my fancy. Always right, and it would stay going when you weren't wearing it. I do have a mechanical watch with an alarm, which is handy. The top winder charges and controls the alarm, the bottom does the watch, as normal. The alarm is set at around twenty to six here.

That's what happens in A4 Mallard's bathroom, when you pull the plug out.

I've never owned a watch with a battery in it. I have several watches, but they all function on renewable energy. They can be recharged without having to remove them. This is my favourite - it tells you the time quite effectively. All this "wearable technology" makes you wonder what nefarious possibilities there might be - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24608435 .

Having smugly said that I'd had no problem at all, it vanished for me at 2200 hours last night, and was still gone at midnight - back now, obviously.

I never noticed anything - and, if any changes are happening, is there any chance of something better than 'normality'...?

Crossing in Sandymount struck about three hours ago - delays ongoing...

That was about the time of the beginning of a transition in UK business culture, when people who had been called clerks, and came to work on a bike, started being called Directors of Finance, and arrived in Jags that they'd bought for themselves with other people's money.

Of course, the Irish Mk 4s are not the same as British Mk 4s..... ..just in case..

Same here - questionnaires, especially multiple choice ones, are notoriously difficult, if not impossible to get absolutely correct. I regularly get professional YouGov ones to do, and frequently have to comment that I've had to give that least wrong answer...

Always remembering the warnings about magnifying glasses and sunlight..... http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/3672-Sunlight-and-magnifying-lamps?highlight=magnifying

Level crossing at Castlerea struck today - half-hour delays.

And, taking off with a bit of slush isn't much of a problem... [video=youtube;SnS-C_oyEd0] They might have had to re-trim with all the extra weight stuck to the back....

Probably didn't serve many coffees during that interlude - just as well that they're built for hard landings. Delivering an Il 62 to a museum with a field nearby? Do it the efficient way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCZRwv_568Y Lovely example of aerodynamic braking - not the sort of thing to do with passengers on, though...

Great stuff on here.... The puppy teaches the old dogs new tricks.

We had the Flying Banana through here today, don't often see a 125 on the WCML. http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/7/5/4/5754.1173582000.jpg http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42129 Heirflick likes yellow things....

You're not safe anywhere....

And some others, like this MiG 19, didn't need any runway at all to take off.. I do like the Soviet fashion for pulling the brake-chute whilst still in the air - a lot of their airliners could often be seen with the thrust-reversers out as soon as the pilot was committed to touch down.

The Il 76 is always good to watch..

Some "vodka-burners" make full use of the tarmac.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLxEHIbHUlY

The drogues do have shearing components in to allow for this sort of event - and in case the drogue won't unhitch.. It's not easy - the old wingtip-to-wingtip method must have been a bit difficult, too. The Soviets kept up with that system up until when the Badger arrived.. ..the Americans and others used this in the early days, too.. I presume that it was felt less likely to result in damage to the receiving aircraft.

As always. When the MiG 29s were coming to Farnborough, they were asked for drawings to make adaptors, in case they needed to be towed around, etc. "No need. Your stuff'll fit", they were told... ..handy if you might end up using somebody else's airfields.. On the refuelling front, India uses stuff from both "sides".