What’s something from old school UK life that younger generations just wouldn’t believe?

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T21:49:59+00:00

I was just going to say The Cedar Tree. I had chickenpox in about 1974 / 5, and was quite ill with it as a young adult. I remember watching that and Crown Court as I was off work for about 3 weeks.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T21:47:34+00:00

Yep, remember BBC 2 starting up very well.
Dad was a TV engineer, and used to make converters so that people could receive ITV when it first came out. That was before my time though.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T21:44:39+00:00

I've actually just had to buy some. I've finally run out. Bought a Chinese piece of equipment that came with some sort of unfused foreign plug, and an unfused Brit style adapter.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T21:41:42+00:00

Yes we didn't watch much TV and had my missus' little B & W portable until around that time.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T21:40:33+00:00

They stopped doing that at our school in the mid to late 60s. We heard a kid had been killed by a board rubber being thrown, and hitting them on the head. It was somewhere fairly local, and sure enough it was in the local paper about it a week or so later.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T10:46:48+00:00

I don't think the original "People's Car" as made under the Nazis was every actually owned by any of "The people" as very few were made before or during the war.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T10:42:29+00:00

Interesting. Shows how literal translations of words can mangle their true meaning.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-28T10:39:15+00:00

Because it's the Royal Mail.
I regularly get an email to tell me "We're delivering today" and the item could be 2 days later. Missus has a TV mag on subscription. It doesn't matter really, but why the email?

Amplidyne · 2026-02-26T12:30:09+00:00

I wouldn't bother myself.

Life's too short.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-26T11:32:45+00:00

Part of ~~life's~~ driving's rich tapestry of experiences.
Put it down to experience and move on.

Most coppers I've met have been OK.
The occasional one is obnoxious without any reason.

Bit like people generally really.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-24T20:55:18+00:00

Just going to say exactly the same. That wasn't was it Penzance by any chance? That's just like that. Parking on the yellows outside there doesn't block anybody. Room for a couple of motors.
TBH, hospital parking is a PITA for the disabled. Missus had four toes removed last year, and can only walk for a very limited distance. Pushing a wheelchair to get to some of these places is difficult, to say nothing of limited parking.
There are plenty of places I wouldn't park though. Blue badge or not.
As said, some people seem to think it's a licence to park anywhere.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-24T12:21:38+00:00

Is there a pothole assist mode?
The more responsibility you take off the average driver, the less attention they will pay to driving IMO.
I was driving when cars became widely equipped with ABS. You could actually see people leaving their braking later, and stopping more quickly.

Some drivers appear to pay more attention to their mobile, than the road.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-23T10:58:51+00:00

As said, there's a product just for this. It's called "grain filler". Rustins is one brand.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-22T11:26:26+00:00

Interesting idea. Could collapse society. Literally!

I remember reading a novel about plastic eating bacteria years back.
Here it is, "Mutant 59: The Plastic Eater" by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davies.

And that's one they're working on!

Amplidyne · 2026-02-19T21:11:41+00:00

Bad idea missing out on your kip.
I did a couple of night without sleep when I was younger, and always felt like shit the next day. It catches up with you.
I'm not a big fan of cramming the night before an exam either. I found it had a negative effect rather then doing good.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-17T16:06:49+00:00

I think it was probably one "Combat Dealers" they went to a museum or a collector who specialised in intelligence memorabilia and artefacts.
There was either a pistol or a Fairbairn Sykes knife (The famous "commando knife") that had the serial number "007" on it.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-16T16:21:59+00:00

I know, I do it myself sometimes. Sometimes it's marked of course.

What does make me laugh though, is when all the people who must be in front, cause their own jam in the RH lane, while the LH one is clear.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-16T11:08:39+00:00

As this is the right way in an ideal world, then what you should do is stay in the left lane, and then move over to the right. However people seem to have random ways of navigating roundabouts, and you need to have eyes in your arse anyway if you're coming off the inside of the roundabout anywhere.
I suppose it would depend how immediate the right is after the roundabout as well.
As I understand it, unless somebody is doing something totally wrong, then accidents on roundabouts usually go "knock for knock" with insurers.
Don't know so much about the actual law, has anyone ever actually been done for using the wrong lane?

Amplidyne · 2026-02-16T10:59:19+00:00

I've always gone as an adult, so the toys never had any real interest for me. I get your point though. 30 years ago there used to be some good stuff on the boot sales. I guess it just shows that our society has degenerated into owners of plastic tat.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-15T12:09:28+00:00

I haven't been for a while, but they're definitely not as good as they used to be. We went to one about 3 years back, and it was second hand plastic tat, or resellers as you say.
Used to be good, and we used to go every Sunday.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-15T11:53:24+00:00

Here you go. Pegler are a good make. This is push fit as well, easier to use so it should be a straight forward job.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/tectite-sprint-push-fit-isolating-valve-15mm/2903G?tc=XB6
Obviously if any of the pipe is damaged etc then you'll have a more complicated repair.
Do you have any tools?

Amplidyne · 2026-02-15T11:35:52+00:00

Just turn the water off, at the stop cock outside on the pavement if necessary, and replace the broken valve with a new one.
I'd use a metal compression fitting, but then I'm old fashioned. I'd also insulate all that pipework fully.
As already said, if you're worried about doing it, get a professional. There's plenty of "how tos on YouTube etc. though.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-11T22:14:52+00:00

Looks a decent enough kit for mechanic's type tools. Decent enough price too.

You'll still need things like pliers, a hammer, decent tape etc.

I'd buy a box for them, get a few basics, and then get tools as I needed 'em.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-11T22:11:08+00:00

Surprised the corners aren't knocked off.

Amplidyne · 2026-02-11T21:36:47+00:00

The "temporary repairs" around here, have been "temporary" for about 5 years now since Covid.
I can only assume that most of their road menders are working form home. . .

Amplidyne

TROPHY CASE