Things Ain't What They Used to Be.

[BigTone]

1 hour ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Tamiya, Italeri and Hasegawa were cheaper than Airfix, but perhaps not quite the moulding quality.

I had the lot. Planes, tanks, ships. A mini-spray gun to perfectly cover surfaces with Humbrol paint.  A clamp to hold them, so you wouldn't paint your hands. 

I also collected white metal military figures and painted them up. Had an entire battalion of the King's German Legion from Waterloo era, not to mention a decent platoon of Pulteney's Regiment (later the Somerset Light Infantry) in Battle of Culloden order.

Then, a few days after my 16th birthday, my girlfriend let me 'go all the way' and that was the end of my obsession with staying in my bedroom to paint miniature soldiers and military models.   

Where did you go ?

[BS2 Red]

1 minute ago, BigTone said:

Where did you go ?

Downend 

[Antman]

18 hours ago, Maesknoll Red said:

The younger guys in work just can’t fathom that we didn’t have computers at school, the most advanced thing at Ashton Park School was a reel to reel tape recorder the French teacher used in the ‘language lab’……

 

we had a 'language lab' too

state of the art, the teacher used to sit at the big desk and we all had little cubicle with reel to reel tape machines under the flap top desks. (did you have head sets and microphones? ) the teacher could shout directly at you if you were caught dicking about

Being a  little errant back in my school days, my favourite trick was to lean across and lift next doors desk lid and jam a pencil into the reel, causing much tape spooling and chaos.

I also fondly remember a girl who used to let me put my hand up her shirt in the language lab!! Gillian somebody (obv her surname wasn't Somebody, just can't recal dear Gillians name)

 

ecoutez et repetez indeed

[Antman]

2 hours ago, Maesknoll Red said:

I only ever took French for two years and I’ll never forget that phrase, and yes, I’d forgotten the big telly in a cupboard on a pole on wheels.

proud of my CSE grade 3 French

 

[Red-Robbo]

28 minutes ago, BigTone said:

Where did you go ?

 

If you don't know that by now, Tone, then there's a limit to how 'big' a Tone you can be....

[Port Said Red]

All the talk of paraffin and smoke reminded me of another idea that seems bizarre looking back. The idea that one side of a cinema auditorium could be designated as smokeless.

It's true, the left of the cinema looking towards the screen, was often a dedicated smoking area, this is because the smoke would of course have the good grace not to wander over into the non-smoking area of the same room. 

[Norn Iron]

1 hour ago, Port Said Red said:

All the talk of paraffin and smoke reminded me of another idea that seems bizarre looking back. The idea that one side of a cinema auditorium could be designated as smokeless.

It's true, the left of the cinema looking towards the screen, was often a dedicated smoking area, this is because the smoke would of course have the good grace not to wander over into the non-smoking area of the same room. 

And the Gaiety in Knowle where the projection room was sandwiched between the stalls and the front row of the circle. This meant sweet wrappers could be dropped from the circle. Everybody would see on the screen, the gradual descent of said wrappers!

[Lanterne Rouge]

11 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

And the Gaiety in Knowle where the projection room was sandwiched between the stalls and the front row of the circle. This meant sweet wrappers could be dropped from the circle. Everybody would see on the screen, the gradual descent of said wrappers!

At the old Classic in Taunton (now long gone and a block of flats) you would regularly have mice run across your feet. I well remember queuing round the block to see Jaws the day it premiered and also all the religious types protesting outside a showing of Life Of Brian.

[Norn Iron]

1 hour ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

At the old Classic in Taunton (now long gone and a block of flats) you would regularly have mice run across your feet. I well remember queuing round the block to see Jaws the day it premiered and also all the religious types protesting outside a showing of Life Of Brian.

As a 'religious type' myself, it is embarrassing to remember what went on when Life of Brian was released. I still think Python got bits of it right with the Sermon on the Mount scene!

Theologians have tried to correct this embarrassment. A few years ago, a church showed the Life Of Brian with a discussion afterwards as to what Python got right. John Cleese was invited and duly went. 

[Port Said Red]

4 minutes ago, Norn Iron said:

As a 'religious type' myself, it is embarrassing to remember what went on when Life of Brian was released. I still think Python got bits of it right with the Sermon on the Mount scene!

Theologians have tried to correct this embarrassment. A few years ago, a church showed the Life Of Brian with a discussion afterwards as to what Python got right. John Cleese was invited and duly went. 

The whole point of Life of Brian (my favourite film) is summed up in a line so throw away, it took me 3 or 4 watches to see it. When Brian is denying he is the Messiah, one of the John Cleese characters says "I say you are the Messiah, Lord, and I should know I have followed a few" 

It's the point where even the most one eyed viewers should see that the film was not a criticism of Jesus, but more shining a light on those who are looking for something/someone/anyone to explain "life" to them.

The worst thing about the "religious types" that were so critical of the movie, was that in many cases they had never seen it and were just going by what they were told, which actually emphasised the point of the film.

[Norn Iron]

57 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

The whole point of Life of Brian (my favourite film) is summed up in a line so throw away, it took me 3 or 4 watches to see it. When Brian is denying he is the Messiah, one of the John Cleese characters says "I say you are the Messiah, Lord, and I should know I have followed a few" 

It's the point where even the most one eyed viewers should see that the film was not a criticism of Jesus, but more shining a light on those who are looking for something/someone/anyone to explain "life" to them.

The worst thing about the "religious types" that were so critical of the movie, was that in many cases they had never seen it and were just going by what they were told, which actually emphasised the point of the film.

Superb summary. I wish I had written that! 

In fact, there are many Christians, now including me, who have been bullied and stabbed in the back by those Life Of Brian protesters you mentioned. 

Rather than just sulk (I could represent England in any sulking competition), I eventually started my own podcasts. They are released weekly. The Christmas Special released today (24th) features the UKs top worship leader and songwriter Noel Richards. Martin Scott, a respected theologian joins us as well and we're all drinking wine! There are plenty of silly questions plus ones on Christmas myths and what annoyed them about Christianity in 2022! 

If you have a glass of wine or two and fancy a laugh and a Carol or two, please have a listen. Here's the link. Btw I do mention BCFC when I'm asked what superhero would I like to be in order to bring goodwill to this world at Christmas! You'll find the free and non-subscription based Off Grid Christianity podcasts on all the major platforms (Amazon/Spotify/iTunes etc)

https://www.stitcher.com/show/off-grid-christianity

 

[southside]

3 hours ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

At the old Classic in Taunton (now long gone and a block of flats) you would regularly have mice run across your feet. I well remember queuing round the block to see Jaws the day it premiered and also all the religious types protesting outside a showing of Life Of Brian.

 

[Red-Robbo]

3 hours ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

At the old Classic in Taunton (now long gone and a block of flats) you would regularly have mice run across your feet. I well remember queuing round the block to see Jaws the day it premiered and also all the religious types protesting outside a showing of Life Of Brian.

 

The Maxime in Street had a cat who'd jump on your lap, particularly during terrifying bits of horror films. There was also a row of seats not bolted to the floor. All the locals knew its location, but occasionally a newbie would sit in one, resulting in the whole row falling over and the hapless cinema-goer having their feet in the air!

Kids films were always preceded by a Mint Imperial throwing fight. The trick was not to sit too near the front, or people in the balcony could ping the sweets off the back of your head.

The box office/usherette lady, Mrs Foley, was a large Irish woman of advanced years who was hilarious. "Dis filum is an X. Is it you or yer brother who's at university?"   "Er, it's me, Mrs Foley" (I was 14).  I remember watching the "chest-burster" scene from Alien, and my mate yelled out "It's a ***** with teeth!" as soon as the creature emerged. Gales of laughter swept the cinema and Mrs Foley emerged shining her torch on the audience. "Who said dat? Who said dat? I'll ban yer!"

 

[BigTone]

17 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

All the talk of paraffin and smoke reminded me of another idea that seems bizarre looking back. The idea that one side of a cinema auditorium could be designated as smokeless.

It's true, the left of the cinema looking towards the screen, was often a dedicated smoking area, this is because the smoke would of course have the good grace not to wander over into the non-smoking area of the same room. 

Same in Australia in the planes. I used to fly all the time with my job and always found it amusing that rows 10 - 15 were designated as smoking zones.

[BS2 Red]

I can remember the McDonald's in Broadmead had the smoking section downstairs, so everyone had to walk past it. 

[Lanterne Rouge]

6 minutes ago, BS2 Red said:

I can remember the McDonald's in Broadmead had the smoking section downstairs, so everyone had to walk past it. 

Smoking was allowed on the top decks of buses with stubbers fitted to the backs of the seats. It must have been a horrible job cleaning them at the end of the day. On coaches you had those ashtrays fitted that disgorged their contents into your lap if you so much as touched them. Either that or they`d take your fingers off like Arkwright`s till!

[Guest]

On 24/12/2022 at 20:21, Lanterne Rouge said:

Smoking was allowed on the top decks of buses with stubbers fitted to the backs of the seats. It must have been a horrible job cleaning them at the end of the day. On coaches you had those ashtrays fitted that disgorged their contents into your lap if you so much as touched them. Either that or they`d take your fingers off like Arkwright`s till!

Seem to remember the first and only time my dad took me and the family to Benidorm, smoking was allowed on the plane....madness really, Britannia Airways from Cardiff I believe

[Port Said Red]

Watching the Xmas music channels over the weekend, they showed a live version of Chris De Burgh playing  A Spaceman Came Travelling from 1975. Instead of today's trend of using mobile phone torches in the crowd, people had their lighters lit while some had sparklers. And you think how was there never a major fire incident at those events, with all that naked flame everywhere? 

[ScottishRed]

On 24/12/2022 at 12:35, BigTone said:

Same in Australia in the planes. I used to fly all the time with my job and always found it amusing that rows 10 - 15 were designated as smoking zones.

It was exactly the same in planes in Europe. The number of smoking seats - back of the plane - were gradually reduced, all this did was encourage the smokers who were not in those seats, to get up once the seatbelt sign went off, and head up the back to stand and smoke.

Cabin crew, in the main, only got hacked off when they had to get the food and drink trolley out of the galley, which, usually then was also at the back of the cabin, and negotiate a load of passengers standing in the aisle having a fag!

[italian dave]

I can remember when smoking was allowed on the Tube in London too. 

Only specific carriages I think: when the train came out of the tunnel and into the station those carriages looked like the ‘smoking booths’ you now get at some airports - just a glass bubble full of smoke wafting about! 

[Lanterne Rouge]

5 minutes ago, italian dave said:

I can remember when smoking was allowed on the Tube in London too. 

Only specific carriages I think: when the train came out of the tunnel and into the station those carriages looked like the ‘smoking booths’ you now get at some airports - just a glass bubble full of smoke wafting about! 

A lot of offices had a smoking room too after it stopped being allowed in the general work area and before smokers had to go outside. You couldn`t see the far wall most of the time.

[Northern Red]

2 minutes ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

A lot of offices had a smoking room too after it stopped being allowed in the general work area and before smokers had to go outside. You couldn`t see the far wall most of the time.

My school had a separate staff room for the smokers. Remember having to knock on the door for something and the plume of smoke would hit you as soon as it was opened.

[Port Said Red]

22 minutes ago, italian dave said:

I can remember when smoking was allowed on the Tube in London too. 

Only specific carriages I think: when the train came out of the tunnel and into the station those carriages looked like the ‘smoking booths’ you now get at some airports - just a glass bubble full of smoke wafting about! 

Spending quite a bit of time on the tubes going in out of London for work, I became fascinated by it. I found a great book on how it developed and how London developed around it.

I hadn't realised that the history went so far back that steam trains ran underground, so you can imagine the atmosphere was pretty toxic, and yet the carriages were non-smoking and it took a petition to Parliament for smoking carriages to be introduced. How attitudes change.

This is the book if you are interested. 

https://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/book/subterranean-railway/

Some amazing stories and facts in there. 

What really piqued my interest initially was being on the Central line going through Shepherds Bush during the period that Westfield was being built. In the working lights, you could see tunnel, but also the tunnels that apparently were no longer used. I read elsewhere that they estimate that anywhere up to 2000 people live in the disused tunnels, although how they come to that figure I am not sure.

[Red-Robbo]

6 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

 

What really piqued my interest initially was being on the Central line going through Shepherds Bush during the period that Westfield was being built. In the working lights, you could see tunnel, but also the tunnels that apparently were no longer used. I read elsewhere that they estimate that anywhere up to 2000 people live in the disused tunnels, although how they come to that figure I am not sure.

 

Yeah, the old Wood Lane station.  Still had the 1940s posters plastered up on the walls.  Was really quite eery. They built a new Wood Lane station further down the track about the same time as Westfield.

Three floors below Broadcasting House there was a hidden corridor that led to a door which opened on an old platform onto the Circle Line. Apparently, it was used during WWII to get Churchill to and from Downing Street to make transmissions. There's another 'secret station' under Whitehall. 

[Port Said Red]

50 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Yeah, the old Wood Lane station.  Still had the 1940s posters plastered up on the walls.  Was really quite eery. They built a new Wood Lane station further down the track about the same time as Westfield.

Three floors below Broadcasting House there was a hidden corridor that led to a door which opened on an old platform onto the Circle Line. Apparently, it was used during WWII to get Churchill to and from Downing Street to make transmissions. There's another 'secret station' under Whitehall. 

The Royal Mail had their own exclusive network right up until the end of the 80s too.

[Lanterne Rouge]

2 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

Spending quite a bit of time on the tubes going in out of London for work, I became fascinated by it. I found a great book on how it developed and how London developed around it.

I hadn't realised that the history went so far back that steam trains ran underground, so you can imagine the atmosphere was pretty toxic, and yet the carriages were non-smoking and it took a petition to Parliament for smoking carriages to be introduced. How attitudes change.

This is the book if you are interested. 

https://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/book/subterranean-railway/

Some amazing stories and facts in there. 

What really piqued my interest initially was being on the Central line going through Shepherds Bush during the period that Westfield was being built. In the working lights, you could see tunnel, but also the tunnels that apparently were no longer used. I read elsewhere that they estimate that anywhere up to 2000 people live in the disused tunnels, although how they come to that figure I am not sure.

Secrets Of The London Underground is worth watching if you like all this sort of stuff. It`s normally on on one of the documentary channels and covers all this.

[Open End Numb Legs]

Having reached an age where history has become more interesting I like looking around at this site linked below which allows old and new maps to be compared, works best on my mobile. It is a .Gov web site so hope it is ok to link from here.

The default map pre dates Ashton Gate. To remove layers tap on the layers icon top right and untick all boxes, slide the border to uncover the old map version compared to the new.

https://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?edition=bristol

 

[Erithacus]

2 hours ago, Open End Numb Legs said:

Having reached an age where history has become more interesting

I went to an evening hosted by the acclaimed broadcaster, Neil Oliver. He encouraged women to marry a historian - because they get more interesting as they get older. I think there's more than a hint of truth about that sort of thinking.

 

4 hours ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

Secrets Of The London Underground is worth watching

Find the series on UKTV hub. For a non-Londoner I found it very interesting.

 

2 hours ago, Open End Numb Legs said:

https://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?edition=bristol

A fantastic resource for all who have our past at heart and widely used here. Possibly the best thing Bristol council has ever had a hand in creating.

[italian dave]

On 26/12/2022 at 11:14, Port Said Red said:

Spending quite a bit of time on the tubes going in out of London for work, I became fascinated by it. I found a great book on how it developed and how London developed around it.

I hadn't realised that the history went so far back that steam trains ran underground, so you can imagine the atmosphere was pretty toxic, and yet the carriages were non-smoking and it took a petition to Parliament for smoking carriages to be introduced. How attitudes change.

This is the book if you are interested. 

https://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/book/subterranean-railway/

Some amazing stories and facts in there. 

What really piqued my interest initially was being on the Central line going through Shepherds Bush during the period that Westfield was being built. In the working lights, you could see tunnel, but also the tunnels that apparently were no longer used. I read elsewhere that they estimate that anywhere up to 2000 people live in the disused tunnels, although how they come to that figure I am not sure.

Thanks PR. I’ll definitely look that out. I think the Underground is fascinating. The history as you say, and what an integral part of London’s history it is too.

But also as a transport system today, it’s just amazing how it keeps going, not least given its age and lack of investment, and just how many people use it and rely on it. I love watching those TV programmes that run about it from time to time. 

Things like just how close to the wire it runs all the time: how one little delay backs up all the way down the line, and how rarely that happens. There was one story about one of the station staff at Holborn (one of the busiest stations) who reckoned that at busy times people hold get up the escalators faster if they stood on both sides (instead of the usual stand on the right and walk on the left). No-one believed him, but eventually he persuaded them to give it a trial - and it halved the queues! 

Have you ever come across the story of the widow of Oswald Laurence: he was the voice of the ‘mind the gap’ announcements until they were digitised. I heard her telling the story some years ago and it meant so much to her….in a world of big corporations and their ‘one size fits all’ approach to customer service it’s really touching

https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/blog/mind-gap-story-embankment-stations-announcement