Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Doobs]

Desperately sad news this morning;


Mr Potato Head to lose "Mr" title in gender-neutral rebrand


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56200811

But they aren't though.  The toys are still Mr Potato Head and Mrs Potato Head.   

No great loss either way though.  Seconds of fun for my kids, a waste of good plastic. 

[Karabiner]

Desperately sad news this morning;


Mr Potato Head to lose "Mr" title in gender-neutral rebrand


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56200811

But they aren't though.  The toys are still Mr Potato Head and Mrs Potato Head.   

No great loss either way though.  Seconds of fun for my kids, a waste of good plastic. 

We had to use an actual potato when I was a kid - you just got the ears, noses, 'tache, etc. in the box.

[tikay]

What a 'photo;

Click to see full-size image.

https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1364627730822815748/photo/1

[RED-DOG]

What a 'photo;

Click to see full-size image.

https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1364627730822815748/photo/1

Hasn't he caught the light perfectly.

I wonder what that white conduit-looking thing is in the second arch, and why are those pigeon-roosting bricks sticking out?

[Rod Paradise]

What a 'photo;

Click to see full-size image.

https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1364627730822815748/photo/1

Hasn't he caught the light perfectly.

I wonder what that white conduit-looking thing is in the second arch, and why are those pigeon-roosting bricks sticking out?

I'm guessing Lightning protection & bases for arch formers for the arch then to be built onto, formers removed bases left sticking out just below the arch.

[RED-DOG]

Why would a lightning rod be under the arch and stop short of the top though?

[Rod Paradise]

What a 'photo;

Click to see full-size image.

https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1364627730822815748/photo/1

Hasn't he caught the light perfectly.

I wonder what that white conduit-looking thing is in the second arch, and why are those pigeon-roosting bricks sticking out?

I'm guessing Lightning protection & bases for arch formers for the arch then to be built onto, formers removed bases left sticking out just below the arch.

Guess No 2 seems right after some googling.

[RED-DOG]

Now I understand.

[Rod Paradise]

Why would a lightning rod be under the arch and stop short of the top though?

Good point. Connection to some kind of measuring device, for settlement or movement?

I guessed one right I'm happy and claiming a win

[tikay]

Why would a lightning rod be under the arch and stop short of the top though?

Track drainage downpipe?

[tikay]

What a 'photo;

Click to see full-size image.

https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1364627730822815748/photo/1

Hasn't he caught the light perfectly.

I wonder what that white conduit-looking thing is in the second arch, and why are those pigeon-roosting bricks sticking out?

I'm guessing Lightning protection & bases for arch formers for the arch then to be built onto, formers removed bases left sticking out just below the arch.

Obvious really, but I would never have guessed that if I had a thousand guesses.

[RED-DOG]

Why would a lightning rod be under the arch and stop short of the top though?

Track drainage downpipe?

Nope.

[Rod Paradise]

Now I understand.

You've started me down a rabbit hole now though. The Glenfinnan Viaduct (of Harry Potter film fame) doesn't have the blocks sticking out... how did they build it then?

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

I've decided the sticky-out bits are longitudinal stiffeners. Each of them is a single piece of concrete that goes through the full with of the buttress.

As a complete aside, I went googling, & the blocks are not stone, they are concrete. Quite surprising, given it was built over 110 years ago.



Calstock Viaduct;

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1138329

[tikay]

For me, one of the worst aspects of this COVID & all the associated impacts on our lives has been the COVID-deniers, the won't-wear-a-mask-ers, the Bill Gates is trying to insert a computer chip into us idiots, the Government means us great harm mob, the our rights are being infringed-ers.

A lot of that was balanced by the positivity shown by & to Captain Tom. The media were struggling for news, picked up the story & the rest is history. God knows we needed something to cling to, some positivity. Yes, it was all a bit schmaltzy, but some of us needed something positive to cling to.

The old boy is being buried today, and at noon, churches right across England (not sure about the subsidiary countries) will chime 100 times to mark his passing.

I reckon it's going to be quite emosh.

Click to see full-size image.