I'm off to watch telly now...

[Benchwayze]

Because at last, those frenetic three stooges on 'Winter-watch' have finished being 'amazed', thrilled, and overawed by Great Crested Grebes, and other kinds of dickey-bird.

I wouldn't be without wildlife, but I am heartily sick of these three people fawning over the same things, over and over again!

Although the one fellow does a great impression of 'Muttley'... :mrgreen:

 

[knappers]

One of greatest handovers ever was when Kate Humble passed to her colleague, whose opening line was.. "Thanks Kate. **** like coconuts..."

Si

 

[Lons]

One of greatest handovers ever was when Kate Humble passed to her colleague, whose opening line was.. "Thanks Kate. **** like coconuts..." Si

:lol: :lol: Proves that birdwatchers are indeed observant fellows :lol: :lol:

 

[Richard T]

John wrote: "Although the one fellow does a great impression of 'Muttley'... "

I think I know which one you mean John,- those medals he wears on his moth eaten chest, should be there for bungling it's what he does best.
Maybe they employ him to "stop the pigeon" when nessaccerry.

Going back to Bill Oddie's time on the programme, we once listened in awe as he suggested we "go over to look at Kate's ****" ... ever since, Mrs. Doyle and I have been quick to suggest any other vaguely rude possible links: especially when they have featured such subjects as the reintroduction of the Beaver, or the habits of the Chuff.
Poor Kate ....

 

[woodbloke]

I know what you mean John...I used to quite like Katy Humble in a lecherous sort of way :mrgreen: but she just irritates the hell out of me now :evil:
On t'other hand, did anyone see the prog on BBC4 (I think) the other night on RR...'How to build a jumbo jet engine'? Now that was brilliant telly! - Rob

 

[Benchwayze]

Well Katy is OK. In a lecherous and non-lecherous kind of way! She does a fair amount for animal welfare, but it's the earnest, hushed tones, and breathy over-enthusiasm that annoys me.

As for one of them wearing medal ribbons, I can't say I've noticed. I just hear the dialogue, from my 'corner', and I hear 'Muttley' every time he laughs! However, if I do see him wearing medal ribbons he's not entitled to wear, I'll be firing off a nasty email and ask him to take them off; or if he wears them for a relative, then put them on the other side of his jacket.

The Beaver? Well they were once native, but they went the way, for whatever reason. I think they are making a mistake by reintroducing them. Beaver are a landscape changing animal. Despite all of the benefits the environmentalists mention, there must also be other forms of wildlife that won't be able to live alongside beaver, and will be pushed out. Insects especially, which in turn will deprive other higher forms of their food. and so it goes on. Don't they ever learn; from the wild boar for instance?

Right! Off the soapbox... and into the shop!

TTFN

 

[woodbloke]

... but it's the earnest, hushed tones, and breathy over-enthusiasm that annoys me.

TTFN

Exactltly John - Rob

 

[knappers]

I know what you mean John...I used to quite like Katy Humble in a lecherous sort of way :mrgreen: but she just irritates the hell out of me now :evil:
On t'other hand, did anyone see the prog on BBC4 (I think) the other night on RR...'How to build a jumbo jet engine'? Now that was brilliant telly! - Rob

An excellent program on the history of a great company, and the technology involved in a great British product - if dumbed down a little...

The technology used in making some of the parts is breathtaking - such as inflating the titanium sandwich fan blades and "growing" the turbine blades as a single crystal.

And the firm I work for makes big grinding machines specifically used for grinding the fir tree profiles on the turbine blades!!

It's still on iplayer if anybody wants to watch...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00t0yx9/How_to_Build..._Series_1_A_Jumbo_Jet_Engine/

Si.

 

[Benchwayze]

Cheers Si...

You're doin' me 'ead in though with all this talk of Titanium sandwiches, and 'growing' blades!
I'd have thought the only way to knock out little Crystals was to hire Billy!

I think I saw the programme. Was it one of the, 'How it's made' series? If I recall, the apprentice was a young woman who seemed to know her onions, for sure!

 

[Harbo]

The Engine one was a repeat and part of a series - well worth keeping an eye out for the others.
We do still make things over here!

Rod

 

[Jonzjob]

Thinking about the RB211. They knicked one of our VC10s when I was stationed at Brize Norton to do a load of the testing of that engine. They took 2 of the RR Conways off one side and fitted an RB211. The VC10 would fly quite happily all day on the one engine and when they tried to run it at full power it bent the mountings! They onlydid that once. The test was very sucessful!

If our wonderful government hadn't scrapped the development there would have been a Mk 2 VC10, much bigger and fitted with 2 RB211s. The VC10 is both wonderful to work on and to fly in and the Mk2 would have been even better. A very similar story for Concord as well. They got as far as designing it and building several scale models before scrapping it. Well, we couldn't upset our trans Atlantic cousins by us having viable SST and them not now could we? Boeing?

 

[woodbloke]

The VC10 is both wonderful to work on and to fly in...

I had tour round the Falklands in an RAF VC10 cargo aircraft and after handing out the 'bimble' bags (not what you think :wink: ) the duty aircrew bod actually went through the safety procedure that's done on commercial aircraft ('...in the event of ditching, your emergency exits are here, here and up front at the pointy end' etc, with hand and arm motions to accompany) but in that relaxed, nonchalant stlyle that only the RAF seem to know how to do...a real hoot! - Rob

 

[Digit]

Unfortunately government involvement in any form of science tends to be negative. Remember our space programme anyone?

Roy.

 

[Harbo]

We are a market leader in Satillite production - another programme in the TV series.

Rod

 

[Digit]

Yes Rod, private enterprise.

Roy.