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Alcazar

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Everything posted by Alcazar

  1. Yep, a recent, (April) conversation with a French electrician elicited the reponse that ANY colour will do for live, so long as it's not green/yellow, or blue. I've used red for feeds to switches, sockets, etc, and brown for switch to fitting, with orange and purple used in a two-way, and also in a telerupteur circuit. Alcazar
  2. [quote user="Ziggy Stardust"] Many thanks! That's a bit frightening, wish we had installed a gas hob now! [blink] Lou. [/quote] What?[blink] With the price of GAS as it is? It's what we did though. It's a lose-lose situation, really.[:(] Alcazar
  3. When we were first married, many years ago, if we were on an outing and there was somewhere railway nearby, we often made a detour. I even found that shed foremen would let us look around if Rosie asked, whereas if I asked on my own, I would be summarily thrown out. Can't THINK why[:D] Anyway, it all came to an end. Rosie hasn't been since the day she insisted that the majority of spotters were ESN, (Educationally sub-normal, as was, now SEN), and I insisted they weren't. We went to Paddington to see the last few of a special class that used to work out of there, "Westerns", since all 73 were named, and each name began with the word, "Western". Guess who we were approached by? Yup........you got it in one. Took us ages to shake him off, and she's refused to go since. Oh well, I've lost interest in the UK scene now anyway, except in very general terms. At least those who work on FRENCH railways seem to LIKE their jobs and be proud of what they do. Alcazar
  4. [quote user="KatieKopyKat"] I can understand what Alcazar is saying when he questions golf and fishermen.  Also I get a little bit tantrummy when I have played golf.  I don't understand how people can say it is relaxing.  Fishing... I quite like getting dragged along on fishing outings.  Your vision changes and after a while you can easily see below the water for quite a distance.  It is like as if the water comes out to meet you.  But I don't get train spotting. As I have said I love trains in fact I get birthday cards with trains on.  But what I would like to know is what do you do with all the numbers?  Oh, and how do you find out if someone is fibbing?  Please will someone sell this sport to me? [/quote] Sport??? LOL, it's not a sport Katie, it's a hobby, a calling, a passion.[:-))] The numbers are noted in little notebooks on the days out, then, when you're back home, you look each up in your published book, and, if not seen before, underline it. That's called a "cop". If you've seen it before, you've not copped it. Simple. Some modern spotters use dictaphones to note numbers, and yes, I've seen people noting WAGON numbers off long trains.  Even wagon numbers are published with where they normally stay, etc all in the book. Modern spotters are equipped with binoculars, for distances, and even high-powered halogen torches to carry on in the dark. When I was REALLY interested, I went on a day excursion to the Isle of Wight, just to see the ONLY class 05 shunter in existance, which happened to be stationed there. No other way to see it, you see?  How can you tell who's cribbing, (fibbing)? Can't really, except by talking to them about WHEN and WHERE they saw certain locos. There's so much info about rare sightings these days in the UK that anyone cribbing is soon undone. Alcazar
  5. [quote user="Llantony"] But do they have mobile phone free carriages?  And if so do people take any notice?  (They don't in the UK)  I seldom travel by train but used to look forward to it as a bit of peace and a chance to read, now it's spoiled by people yelling into their phones all the time. Maz   [/quote] They do on GNER in this country, but I'm not sure about France. A friend went to London recently on GNER, sat in a Mobile-free carriage, and was annoyed when a lady used one for almost the whole journey. When he finally approached her about it, guess who she worked for? Only GNER! He wrote to complain, and received a free first class return to London, for his trouble. Alcazar
  6. [quote user="KatieKopyKat"]Regarding trainspotting,  how does it work?  Do you take the number of all the trains that you see or something?[/quote] Apparently "invented" as a hobby by one Ian Allen in the late '40's, round about when "British Railways" came into being, and diesels were but a distant dream. Each loco carried a unique cabside number. All you did was note the ones you'd seen, then underline them in the books of number lists that...........wait for it...............Ian Allen [:D] published. In those days, locos were still very regional, still were, right up to 1970 or so, and therefore it was a great day if you spotted one from far away, maybe on an excursion or something. A day out to a distant place was something to be dreamed about for weeks before you went! And we always went by train, of course. The hobby had it's slang, (to sneak round an engine shed without permission was called "bunking the shed", and carried a possible penalty of a fine, but more likely a kicked behind from the shed foreman if you were caught). It also had it's insults[:D] A "cribber" was a spotter who underlined stuff he hadn't seen, and a "summeronly" was a spotter who only went in fair weather! To use either insult to anyone but a good friend meant instant fisticuffs, usually resuting in being thrown off the platform. I still remember HORDES of spotters on the ends of platforms at Doncaster, (our local mecca), Crewe, the London stations, etc, and almost every station carried a chalked notice: "Trainspotters are not allowed on the platforms unless in possession of a valid ticket for travel". It was widely ignored. We couldn't afford the tickets, the station staff had little time to check, so long as no rowdyism erupted, and the transport police were notable for their absence..........a bit like now, really[:D] Regards, Alcazar
  7. [quote user="davieszak"]Aah, that was a lovely story, KKK.  Made me think of the times when I used to visit my granny and grandpa, going on a steam train (I'm not joking - they still had them in Poland in the 1960's!)...[/quote] So did we, in the UK......until mid 1968! [quote user="davieszak"]P.S. So what is "train spotting" in French?  My dictionary doesn't have it! [/quote] It doesn't exist. I once tried to EXPLAIN it to some French people, but they just aked, "So when you've seen ALL the locos, what do you get? Or win?". There ARE rail entusiasts, though, may of them employed by SNCF, and not having the silly adverse publicity of the small minded few who mock enthusiasts in the UK, they aren't afraid to admit it. It NEVER fails to amaze me how sitting watching/photographing trains is regarded as somehow subnormal, but hitting a small white ball into a hole you can't even SEE with a huge oddly shaped expensive stick, isn't! Nor is sitting with a hooked baited line in water where there may, or may not be, fish, for hours, in all weathers, and then chucking any fish you catch BACK! Oh well, it takes all sorts. Sorry Russethouse, I've gone off topic. Better give me a b*llocking and threaten to lock the thread[:D] Alcazar  
  8. [quote user="Cat7139"] Thanks Chris, That's the one! I can now look the species up and see if they will survive the slaughter. However the rhyme 'ding dong bell' sprang to mind and I've just sung it to the cats whilst sitting by the well. [6] Catherine www.pictureburgundy.com [/quote] That made me laugh out loud. I had visions of cats lined up listening intently[:D] What did they do? Alcazar
  9. [quote user="Richard-R"]Elastic band on the sun visor works for me when swapping it between our cars. Make sure you keep it out of view when parked up.[/quote] Wish I'd thought of that when mine refused to stick[:(] I HAD a roll of black tape in the car for emergency headlight dippers, too Eventually got it to stick by warming it over one of the car's vents, while hot air blew on the screen[;-)] Alcazar
  10. Tried an e-mail/phone call to Ariston UK, who MAY be able to advise, send/sell you a manual, or help you download one? Or visit their website http://www.mtsgroup.com/uk/ariston/ They are part of the MERLONI group, so EC wide........ Alcazar
  11. Dormice? Or do a search on here, as someone else had a sort of Chipmunk on their property, and ChrisP seemed to think it might be a colony of escapees. Can you fit the cats with a bell? If it worries you, that is? Alcazar PS: a nice bronze bell, weighing about 25kg would do the trick[:D] And before anyone accuses me of being a cat-hater, IT WAS A JOKE! Alcazar
  12. Is that for France, the UK, or both? My UK cooker hood point is over 1.8m high, and was installed by an NIC-EIC electrician.......... Alcazar
  13. I bought one of the cheaper, no-name ones for my lad's shower. it ran noisily, for about 2 goes, then packed up. Screwfix replaced it, but the replacement packed up after 6 weeks[:(] I've now replaced it by paying a little extra for this: http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=100593&ts=81441&id=61858 Xpelair are fairly well known. It gets used daily, and has been in place over a year now. There is also this: http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=100593&ts=81691&id=36071 Some cheaper Screwfix stuff is OK, some............well, it's best to buy branded, pay that little bit extra, and get peace of mind, especially if it's to be used abroad. Alcazar  
  14. [quote user="Croixblanches"]Don't disagree, but I'm not sure the hire car company will thank you when you can't get the sticky stuff off the windscreen!![/quote] [:D] Alcazar
  15. I've just put one in. It goes into a junction box high up on the wall above it. It vents into an unused, but open at the top, chimney, via a purpose built hole which seems to have been for the last householder's Aga, (or similar), flue. Alcazar
  16. [quote user="BJSLIV"]The site was designed to handle 1000 simultaneous hits and is receiving millions. It will apparently be next year before it can be upgraded.[/quote] 1000 simultaneous hits? Wow! As many as that?????? (Rolls eyes heavenwards) What technological planet are the French ON? It certainly isn't Krypton![;-)] Alcazar  
  17. Last time I did it, I went to Cartagena, towing a caravan. We went via Perigueux, Bergerac, Marmande, Aire sur l'Adour, Pau, Oloron St Marie, Somport pass, Jaca, Huesca, picked up the Spanish autoroute at or near Lerida, then Tarragona, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia. It was a pain in Spain[:D], as the Spaniards seemed to do the opposite of the French, and build all the OUT OF CITY sections of the autoroute first, THEN put in the "ring roads" to avoid the city. We queued for hours to get through Valencia, and Alicante, to name but two. The coastal motorway is finished now, though, so no probs, other than holiday traffic. If you don't fancy the bit in France, you might be as quick going Bordeaux, Biarritz, then picking up the Spanish autoroute and heading for Pamplona, then as above. Cost more in tolls, and a bit further though. The French route I suggested is not that bad really, used to be a "Route Bis". Alcazar
  18. [quote user="Croixblanches"]Yes! Can't really think of any more to add![/quote] I can: Take it with you, and ask for a new support for it at the first offices you see. Pointing it at the receiver works, but is a pain if you're on your own and have to change down too. Alcazar
  19. Question: Russethouse, are you/were you ever a teacher? Alcazar
  20. I had an experience with racism in paris, a bit like Bart Simson's, when in the episode where he's working in France for winegrowers, he tries to tell a gendarme all the awful things they have done to him, but the gendarme is disinterested, until Bart mentions they had put anti-freeze in the wine![:D] My experience was in trying to help a pair of Aussies who had been ripped off in a currency outlet near to Sacre Coeur. I intervened with their blessing as they were getting the runaround from the female currency seller as they had little or no French, she just pretended she spoke NO English. Yeah, right![:@] Anyway, I got very little out of her until I mentioned gendarmes. She promptly insulted both me AND the Aussies AND any gendarmes I cared to tell.[:D] I went and told the ones usually found at the top of the steps, who weren't interested in the Aussies getting ripped off, but were very interested in the insults. They promptly arrested her and closed the place. The Aussies wrote off their money, but had the last laugh. Alcazar
  21. [quote user="storeysinfrance"]   Questions: Any wiring that’s being chased into walls will obviously need to be encased in gaine but… with some of the wiring to be hidden in the ceiling void – ie above where we’re about to plasterboard – can someone clarify whether that, too, has to be in gaine or not – given that this is simply replacing / renovating what was (more or less) there in the first instance.[/quote]   It's my understanding that ANY wiring that isn't surface mounted, should be in a gaine. That also includes wherever cables pass through walls, and, I believe, voids.     [quote user="storeysinfrance"]Next… we’re a bit confused as to precisely which box we’ll need to get when we link back to the mains. Single rangee or double… can someone help out here? Pretty sure it’ll be single rangee and from under the selection marked renovee in the brico-depot handbook but… clarity / advice would assist here![/quote]   Box? As in "Fusebox", which is a misnomer, as I assume you'll be using circuit breakers, (mcb's)? If that's what we are talking about, simply work out how many circuit brakers, and RCD's you need. A circuit breaker uses one "way" in a box, an RCD uses two. Buy whichever box fits best. Don't forget there are TWO types of RCD, type A and type AC. You MAY need both. Also, there are guidelines as to how many mcb's to put on each RCD. If it's only a small property, you could get away with ONE row of RCD's and mcb's, but you might be better with two rows, one for the type A RCD and another for the type AC. Blank off any unused ways, they may be of use later.     [quote user="storesysinfrance"]And… lastly… the incoming main has been tested and it’s a live inward feed & entirely separate from the main house. Thus, (besides the inevitable meter which EDF would supply / fit etc) what else is required twixt live inward feed and the box of tricks into which the cabling runs? If this last is a really daft question – apologies but we’d rather ask the gurus on here instead of being blinded by science or confused by gobbledygook & paying artisan rates when the vast majority of renovation work here has been & can be done by ourselves! Thanks N & N (24). [/quote] On my installation we have the meter, and another large white box which I have NO idea what it does, it doesn't feature in any publication I've ever seen. After that we have the EDF Disjoncteur differentielle, a 500mA RCD belonging to EDF, to which you connect YOUR live and neutral feeds to the "fusebox". Hope this is of help. Alcazar
  22. ali@ards: what an utter twonk you are! WHERE in any of my posts do I say that I have no regard for other road users? I GO OUT OF MY WAY to point out that I am NOT ENCOURAGING, NOR CONDONING speeding, (I've said it twice now), what I AM against is the..........................oh fek it, I can't be bothered. You and your like p*ss me off because you don't read posts properly, then start slagging. Go away you silly person.[:@] Keyboard warriors....don't you just love 'em? My last post on this subject. if you can't be ar sed to READ posts before slagging someone off, why should I bother trying to educate you?   Alcazar
  23. [quote user="Richard-R"]I thought Moneo was long dead. There used to be a top-p machine in my local CA but it vanished a year of so ago and you no longer see the signs for it in shop windows.[/quote] It's certainly dead as far as I'm concerned[:D] When I joined, it seemed a good idea, some tolls accepted it, especially those that you come across and pay a fixed sum, no ticket taken beforehand. You live and learn, as they say. Alcazar
  24. Sunday driver:  in response to your first point, I refer you once again to my statement thast I am NOT condoning speeding, nor am I encouraging others so to do. I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment over slowing outside schools etc etc However, I am certainly NOT going to join the "speed kills brigade", either now, or in the future.[;-)] In response to your point from the Highway Code..........have you EVER known anyone face a successful prosecution while driving within the speed limit? No? Nor have I. Not unless there was some OTHER evidence that he/she was driving erratically, eg: drink, eating at the wheel, mobile phone use etc.Not when a man found to be 3 times over the limit, couldn't be prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving, as there was, and I quote, "no evidence that he was actually driving dangerously"! He WAS within the speed limit! He killed an 8 year old boy, and then ran off. I reiterate: what I am against is the blind following of the "speed kills mantra", and it's use to criminalise drivers, and mainly, to make the collection of fines for speeding, a good thing in the public's eyes. I am against the cynical siting of SOME, in fact quite a few, speed cameras both in the UK and in France. I am against the LACK of speed cameras outside most schools etc. I am against the way speeding fines are pursued to the very limit of the law, while other, PERHAPS more serious? crimes aren't. I am against the way that the provision of speed cameras, and their lauding as the answer by Scamera partnerships, the police, the local authorities and the governemnt, has led to a lessening of other, more worthwhile policing on our roads. I am against the lies told about speed cameras: a surpressed report has recently found that many scamera sites actually see a RISE in accidents, due to people braking.........often people already within the limit, scared of being criminalised Go on, tell me YOU'VE never done it? I am against the way scamera partnerships are investing the money collected from speeding fines, not in road safety IMPROVEMENTS, but in more cameras, to collect even more money. At the same time, they trot out their tame police officer after every accident to state that "there are no such things as dangerous roads, only dangerous drivers". Yep, a road never killed anyone, but isn't that rather splitting hairs? In order to make it OK to do nowt? Even the French recognise that SOME roads are dangerous, and either post them as such, or do something about it. And in the UK????? I could go on, but I'm boring myself, so you scamera worshippers probably turned off a few paragraphs back.[:D] Alcazar
  25. [quote user="Russethouse"]Alcazar - ever heard that saying 'Better to arrive late, than dead on time' ?[:)][/quote] Yep: another mantra isn't it?[:D] Seriously, the "speed kills brigade" are full of 'em. Easy to remember, easy to recite. I've just read Quillan's post too, "12% of deaths directly caused by speeding". Says who? It wasn't so long ago that the DfT, (isn't that pronounced "daft"?), were telling us 38%. Now they've been LEGALLY forced to lower that quite a ways on their website. And the bit about German motorways? OK, but what are the fastest and most heavily populated roads in the UK? Motorways. And where, in the UK are accidents at their lowest level, especially fatalities? You guessed it. So if speed kills, why aren't all motorway users dead? Because THEIR speed is APPROPRIATE, that's why.  See the next but one paragraph. However, DON'T get the idea I'm condoning speeding, nor am I encouraging others to speed. What I AM about is exploding the myth that speeding is the "Bete noir", they all say it is; trying to stop people from blindly reciting the anti-speeding lobby's mantras, and falling for government spin. I ask again: WHY is it legally OK to drive at 30 mph past a school where the kids are coming out, but NOT OK to do 80 mph on a dry, deserted well lit motorway? Yes, I know, a RESPONSIBLE driver would NOT drive at 30mph past said school, but NO-ONE could be prosecuted for so doing, should they hit a child who ran out. The law is the law, as many of you on here keep reminding me. And WHY is the preferred, (ACPO guidelines), camera the forward facing one, when it can't catch the one group of speeders that are largely involved in fatalities? Ah yes, it helps to rake in fines from the 96% of motorists it can catch.....despite the fact that THEY have a MUCH lower poulation : accident ratio. "Safety Cameras"? I think NOT[:@]  I give up. Seriously, I give up. You are all brainwashed. "Speed kills". Long live the scamera partnerships. Alcazar[:(]
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