Swallowman

That is for a twin engined powerboat, one lever for each engine.

I used to tease our old, rescued from the RAF Labradog with cardboard tubes; used to send him absolutely beresk - tear-arsing around the house like a mad thing. RIP Airdog Paddy.

Back to the original post topic I was the victim of a similar failure of the technology but in a different environment: I had "endowment-tyIe" investments which should have generated an automatic valuation on the anniversary of the original policy inception and a couple of years ago, i noticed that I hadn't had such a notification for some years. I therefore followed this up with the insurance company and was assured that a new valuation would be sent. Of course nothing happened so I chased it up. I was assured that the valuation had been sent but the very delightful sounding Scottish lady at the company concerned told me it would be sent again. You've guessed it - nothing, so I rang again only to be assured that the valuation had been sent as requested but this time, I insisted on speaking to someone higher up the food chain. She undertook to find out why it was that I had received nothing and promised to phone back with an answer. You've guessed it again, nothing happened so a further week later I phoned again and stayed on the line (at their expense because by this time it was a Freephone number). The individual then told me he had discovered that there was a broken link in their computer software which meant that even though the computer was telling the operator that my requests had been complied with, the printers never received the instructions to print the requested information. I was thanked for helping them discover a "system failure" that should have been found by their own people but wasn't because they couldn't be arsed!! Maybe C&RT have the same problem....... Can't be arsed!

Statins at night because they work better when the body is (hopefully) at rest. BP meds in the morning because they need to work when the body is active. Extending my previous post, i feel particularly narked about the type 2 diabetes because after I was prescribed simvastatin, my GP did not advise any monitoring whatever, apart from routine BP which I did myself with a machine I got from Lidl. It wasn't that accurate but did provide a guide and when the readings were compared with the accurate device in the surgery, the average did correlate quite well. If I had regular blood tests which are recommended when taking statins, the type 2 might have been avoided. The muscle loss might also have been noticed by a "professional" instead of being the figment of an "over-worked imagination". Is it any wonder that I am contemplating some sort of action?

I was on Simvastatin for about three years until I went into hospital last year for an operation on my foot. Simvastatin caused severe muscle pains and cramps which my GP effectively told me to live with because "there are side effects but the benefits outweigh any side effects"; not to mention the depression symptoms which in my case were fortunately quite mild. The anaesthetist at the hospital was horrified at the dose I was taking and suggested I came off it because the corrective foot surgery would be very severely compromised should I get cramp in the same leg. Later on I found that I had become borderline type 2 diabetic and after some research, I discovered there is a correlation between the taking of some types of statin and the onset of type 2 in people whose lifestyle and/or genetic make-up means there is a chance of development of diabetes. In the USA where the studies were done, it is now a requirement that a warning goes on the information leaflet for the types in question - atorvastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin. This is not required in UK but IT BLOODY WELL SHOULD BE and I have told my GP so. I now do not take statins of any sort except plant types in Benecol and as a supplement in tablet form if I run out of Benecol for any reason. My cholesterol level is now 5.1, down from a "dangerously high" (according to my GP) level of 5.9. At one time while on the simvastatin it was down to 3.9 so it does work on cholesterol - pity about the side effects! As an aside, I am also on low dose blood pressure med to keep my BP low enough to pass the medical for the PCV licence.

CO meters? My experience with a BG man and his meter some years ago is not good. He came to do a routine boiler service and told me that my 20 year old Potterton Netaheat was dangerous because the CO level around the casing where it was mounted on an outside garage wall was too high. Can't remember now what his figure actually was but it was below the level at which he told me he would condemn it and isolate it leaving us with no hot water or heating. I asked him when the meter was last calibrated and he just looked at me blankly. I then asked him what the ambient level was and again he looked at me blankly so we took his meter to the pavement and measured the CO level just after a local "hopper" bus went past. Lo and behold, the CO level was double the figure he measured in my garage so he went on his way with his employer £4,500 less well off! There is an incentive scheme for engineers (and I use the term loosely here) to persuade gullible customers they need a new boiler for which they get rewarded handsomely. This happened before the huge rise in gas prices and we did have a new much more efficient boiler fitted but not by British Gas. Paid for itself in four years but i doubt the aluminium heat exchanger will last 20 years like the cast iron Potterton one!

Yeahhh - that is interesting! I am a bit too young to remember London's trolleybuses as we lived outside the Central area where they were used and very rarely ventured into town. We seem to have three treads in one here: My original question which has been answered more than adequately for which thanks to all. All about Joshers and rudders. All about buses and trolleybuses. It's what makes this forum so good - anyone can contribute lots of useful stuff. I just wish I was on the cut a bit more often and could meet some of you. Having only a share in a boat because SWMBO isn't that keen is a bit of a bummer really.

Darren, my bus is an RT - pre-dates the Routemaster by 20 years. RT's were designed as a tram replacement in the 1930's but Adolf put paid to them coming into service until 1940's.First Routemasters (trolleybus replacement) came in from 1958 until late 1960's and outlasted their intended replacement the awful DMS based on the Daimler Fleetline which was totally unsuited to London's operating conditions. Which particular Mobil were they drinking? Mobil 1 has a particularly piquant aroma when added to petrol at around 0.5% - makes your engine smell like it's on "R"! (Castrol R for the uninitiated). Thanks for your interest in my bus, as you might guess, I just love talking about it - much more interesting than toilets!!!

When was that? Thanks to the good old EU, we don't need MOT's now just a declaration to our insurer that it is roadworthy.

Just looked in the help section and hopefully as if by magic RT 3183 should appear below: Taken at the former Warlingham Park Hospital a couple weeks ago at the public debut of the newly restored RT 4779. The one below shows 4779 blocking Anne Boleyns Walk in Cheam Village (where I used to live as a yoof until the old man kicked me out!) en route to Guildford on the 408 bus route which ran in the 1960's. I was joking!

If I knew how to post pics on here.................... I am sure someone will explain!

Blimey, no wonder the ellum's a bit heavy pushing against those hoses, they must be semi rigid when under pressure. Interesting concept and cleverly engineered - I wonder what the original builder would think? I am all for making life easier with old machinery and vehicles - my 1965 Volvo rally car has electric windows, my 1950 bus has modern-ish halogen headlights as the original 38W tocH glims were downright dangerous when driving along some of the unlit roads where we keep it. Wait till I find some 24v HID's at reasonble cost!!

COR - did I open a can of worms? Thanks for all the replies. The question was prompted when I was last out on Swallow (shared ownership boat) last summer when we moored up just below lock 3 beside the Admiral Nelson in Braunston. We managed to turn the 58' boat by nosing gently into a little culvert on the offside to save going through the tunnel and back and I found that she turned much better by only using about 45 - 60 degrees of rudder, much to the surprise of my crewman who had tried to get her round at the junction earlier using 90 degrees. One thing though, how is the prop in the rudder on koukouvagia's boat driven?

Is it just me or do others find their boat responds much better to having the tiller at no more than 60 degrees to the straight ahead position? If I hold the tiller over at 90 degrees, bugger all seems to happen except lots of water thrashing out from both sides and going nowhere fast. Lots of old film of working boats show the tiller at 90 degrees and I wonder if they know something I don't (!).