HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ufe@dlva.dl.ac.uk
Newsgroups: uk.transport
Subject: Re: Let me into the asylum please!
Date: 18 Dec 92 08:52:09 GMT
Reply-To: ufe@dlva.dl.ac.uk ()
Organization: SERC Daresbury Lab, Warrington, U.K.
NNTP-Posting-Host: vxstn2.dl.ac.uk

Certainly another reason for not transporting by rail has been 
mentioned before. ie where a loco is damaged (bodywork, suspension etc)
in such a way that it's "envelope" exceeds the BR loading gauge.
Cheers,
	Mark
========================================================================
Mark Enderby			   JANET - ENDERBY@UK.AC.DARESBURY
Systems Manager		  	   EARN/Bitnet - ENDERBY@DARESBURY.AC.UK
SERC Daresbury Laboratory
Keckwick Lane						
Daresbury
Warrington	tel:   0925-603353
WA4 4AD		Int:+44-925-603353
UK		fax:   0925-603174
From: wilcox@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: uk.transport
Subject: Re: getting to Oxford
Date: 16 Dec 92 14:56:42 GMT
Distribution: uk
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620

In article <Bz39Gt.4LB@ccsun.strath.ac.uk>, craa79@ccsun.strath.ac.uk ("R.B.Rodger") writes:
> 
> What's the best way to get to Oxford from Heathrow by public transport ?
> 
> I've heard horror stories about having to go by train and bus via Reading....

The quickest (if you arrive at the right time) is probably to get the 
city-link buses which go direct from Heathrow to Oxford on the M25/M40.
Unfortunately, they're only about once an hour.

Less frequently (but probably cheaper) are the Oxford Tube 390 services which
go via Henley and Abingdon (and places in between).

Most reliable (but very expensive) is probably to go to Victoria on the tube
and get a city-link or Oxford Tube bus from there.

If you're mad (and have got a lot of money) you can get a pre-booked train from
Heathrow to Reading and change for Oxford.

There is also a National Express service between Victoria and Oxford which
stops at Heathrow. It is cheaper than the city-link service but even less
frequent (once every two hours).
-- 

Stephen Wilcox             |   For Sale: Posts in British Government. Suit
wilcox@vax.oxford.ac.uk    |   outgoing American. Highest bids accepted.
Newsgroups: uk.transport,rec.railroad
From: leveret@warren.demon.co.uk (Nick Leverton)
Subject: Re: Let me into the asylum please!
Reply-To: leveret@warren.demon.co.uk
Distribution: world
X-Mailer: cppnews $Revision: 1.20 $
Organization: Indexed; Access: Random.
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 20:11:54 +0000

In article <1gnb3nINN3vf@bnsgd245.bnr.co.uk> rap@nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com (Richard Porter) writes:
>In article <29629@castle.ed.ac.uk> fofp@castle.ed.ac.uk (M Holmes) writes:
>
>>Way back when British Nuclear Fuels wanted to start shunting reprocessed
>>waste around by train (unfortunately just past my back garden) they set
>>up a test to "prove" to the public that this was safe.

>I know it wasn't the main point of your posting, but just to put the record
>straight, the flask was placed at an angle across the track at Old Dalby,
>and the train (a withdrawn Class 45 and a coach or two with instrumentation
>on board) was run into it.

And pretty substantial rumours suggested that the test was rigged, in
that a) the flask was positioned to be hit on its diagonal, its
strongest aspect, and b) the engine mounting bolts on the 45 were
loosened to reduce the momentum with which it'd hit the flask. On the
film of the crash you clearly see the engine and generator come flying
through the loco roof.

RIP :-( :-(

Nick.
Newsgroups: uk.transport
From: A.J.Robinson@lut.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Cameras on roads/motorways
Reply-To: A.J.Robinson@lut.ac.uk (Alan Robinson)
Organization: Loughborough University, UK.
Distribution: uk
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 16:08:04 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.144751.12576@mfltd.co.uk> jfid@mfltd.co.uk (James Fidell (x5320)) writes:
>
>In article <20730@acorn.co.uk>, steve@acorn.co.uk (Steve "daffy" Hunt) writes:
>
>> Do they really use visible flash?  I would have thought infra-red
>> would be more sensible - but perhaps that's not possible because
>> of the material number plates are made from, or because they
>> want to use the same film stock during the day.
>> 
>> Anyway, the temptation to build a flashback device is enormous...!
>> 
>> -- Steve
>> -- 
>> 				Steve Hunt	steve@acorn.co.uk
>
>The idea is sound, but the GATSO machines take 2 pictures, 0.5 sec. apart,
>so you need some way of coping with this - charging one flash in that sort of
>time period might not be on, so you probably need two flash lamps.
>
>So far, the best solution I have seen is a number plate which has the numbers
>made out of the same material as the backing, so that they reflect far more of
>the light than a standard one.  There's an interesting test in Fast Bikes
>Jan 93 issue.  I've heard that this sort of number plate is illegal, but I
>don't imagine that the chances of getting caught are high.  If you get caught
>on film and the picture shows that you were attempting to avoid being
>photographed, then you face as possible charge of "attempting to pervert the
>course of justice", anyway.
>
>How about some mechanism to blank out or remove the number plate, driven
>by a radar detector ?
>
>James.
>-- 
> "Yield to temptation --             |
>  it may not pass your way again"    |     jfid@mfltd.co.uk
>                                     |
>        - Lazarus Long               |              James Fidell


How about using the sort of technology seen on the screens of cash
machines (hole-in-the-wall) which restricts viewing to narrow angles.
A fine mesh of suitable material over the plate would mean it
could be seen OK by other drivers but not from high angles, such as on
a bridge. 
I wonder what sort of angle from the horizontal the camera is at
(as seen from the car) when it fires ?

Alan.
Newsgroups: uk.transport
From: agc@bmdhh286.bnr.ca (Alan Carter)
Subject: Re: Let me into the asylum please!
Organization: BNR-Europe-Limited, Maidenhead, England
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 14:41:03 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.121218.2524@dct.ac.uk>, mcramm@dct.ac.uk (McRamm) writes:
|> Well it's finally happened - I've seen what has to be the *stupidest* use
|> of road transport yet.
|> 
|> Travelling back to Dundee from Malvern I passed a wide HGV on the Motorway,
|> nothing unusual there, except for its load. 
|> 
|> The damn thing was carrying a BR loco. So musch for the statement in the
|> House of Clowns yesterday that the government is committed to getting
|> heavy loads back onto rail. How do they hope to manage it when even BR use
|> road transport to shift their loco's around?

There was an article about this phenomenon in the Observer (so happens 
I can deduce the date - Sunday July 19th 1992). I got the impression 
that now that BR has been broken up into many bits, they have to 
cross-charge each other for 'services'. Thus the gross distortions 
of transport costs set up by the government apply even *within* BR. 

After all, more than one person in a carriage is communism, isn't it? Much 
better if we all compete, compete, compete for the available road space.

   Alan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"They're unfriendly, which is fortunate, really. They'd be difficult to like."

   Kerr Avon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: bspahh@gdr.bath.ac.uk (Andrew Henry)
Newsgroups: uk.transport
Subject: Re: National Speed Limit Applies
Date: 10 Dec 92 15:03:02 GMT
Organization: School of Biological Sciences, University of Bath, UK

In the referenced article, A.J.Robinson@lut.ac.uk (Alan Robinson) writes:
>
>
>Rather than discussing what the speed limit SHOULD be, why
>dont we discuss what it IS for a change ?
>
>You know the round white sign with a diagonal black bar ?
>
>What does it mean when its seen on a dual carriageway?

I normally take it as meaning 70ish.  However, a couple of 
years ago a Friend of a Friend got nicked for doing 70 mph
on the A74 on the way up to Glasgow.  He was driving a 
minibus and that meant that the limit was 60 mph instead.  
I'd never heard of this, but then I don't drive minibuses 
very often. Is this an urban legend or a Scottish 
interpretation of the law ?


Andrew  Henry
From: mj_brewe@tofu.uwe.ac.uk (M Brewer)
Newsgroups: uk.transport
Subject: Re: Cameras on roads/motorways
Date: 13 Dec 92 13:16:20 GMT
Distribution: uk
Organization: The University of the West of England (The Magic Roundabout)

In article <1992Dec09.093457.21172@dircon.co.uk>, uad1221@dircon.co.uk (David Lomax) writes:
|> 
|> Can anyone tell me where these new speed trap cameras are? Of 
|> particluar interest are the motorways (M1, M3, M4, M6). What 
|> do they look like; how do they work; what happens at night; 
|> what does the law say about it?
|> 
 
my solution is simple

1 drive with no rear numberplate.

2 WARNING reflective numberplates do not blank out as certian adverts claim 
  unless you are driving in switzerland where they sometimes work.

3 Drive a car registered pre 1973 which has the OLD black plates 
  (the modern ones are reflective).

Some police units have portable cameras which can be attached to the rear 
of road signs!!!!!

The best thing to do is remain inside the limit if you are the only one otherwise follow a car travelling faster than you and wait for the flash!

Happy Speeding !
Happy Christmas 

BUT REMEMBER dont have to merry a new year and drive , because you might 
destroy someone elses.

Mark (Wrecker) Brewer
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
   ^    ^                                               |  C:S:D:I: (GB)
  / \  / \      ^    |`\  | /                           |  UWE @ Bristol GB
 /   -    \    /_\   |_/  ||    BREWER@DXCERN.CERN.CH   |  Tel+44/0209 713056
/          \  /   \  | \  | \   MJ_BREWE@CSD.UWE.AC.UK  |  Tel+44/0454 250003
=============================================================================
From: mj_brewe@nutmeg.uwe.ac.uk (M Brewer)
Newsgroups: uk.transport
Subject: Re: Cameras on roads/motorways
Keywords: Traffic Master
Date: 17 Dec 92 17:06:17 GMT
Distribution: uk
Organization: The University of the West of England (The Magic Roundabout)


Hi
In article <Bz5H6M.C63@tecc.co.uk>, pete@tecc.co.uk (Pete Bentley) writes:
|> Steve daffy Hunt (steve@acorn.co.uk) wrote:
|>  >> Pete Bentley (pete@tecc.co.uk) wrote:
|> Frightening.  I saw one in an office the other day.  I have good, uncorrected
|> eyesight and I had to virtually stick my nose against the glass to
|> figure out what was displayed.  F*** knows what it would be like in
|> a car in bright sunlight.
|> 
The LCD Melts in Bright sunlight (lost mine in central france last year) due to
the heat build up in a car. (35 degrees!))

It does return to normal eventually in the cold and well I know we dont
often get 36degrees in england but remember the car is the best green house ever invented


Mark
-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
   ^    ^                                               |  C:S:D:I: (GB)
  / \  / \      ^    |`\  | /                           |  UWE @ Bristol GB
 /   -    \    /_\   |_/  ||    BREWER@DXCERN.CERN.CH   |  Tel+44/0209 713056
/          \  /   \  | \  | \   MJ_BREWE@CSD.UWE.AC.UK  |  Tel+44/0454 250003
=============================================================================
From: wbg@festival.ed.ac.uk (W Geake)
Newsgroups: uk.transport
Subject: Re: Motorway lane closures
Date: 17 Dec 92 13:01:53 GMT

rap@nnsgs50.lon40.nt.com (Richard Porter) writes:

>Let's look at two scenarios: Lane A is open, Lane B is closed ahead.

>1. Drivers in lane B try to join lane A a long way before the closure;
>   this slows down lane A and speeds up lane B; some drivers continue
>   in lane B right up to the obstruction where the two lanes merge.
>   Further back drivers in lane A see that lane B is moving faster,
>   so they cut across into lane B.

>2. Drivers join whichever queue is the shorter and stay in lane right up
>   to the closure, at which point the traffic in the two lanes merges 1:1
>   (or two cars to one HGV). Both queues therefore move at the same speed,
>   so there is no need or incentive to change lanes, and the queues remain
>   about the same length as each other.

>Don't you agree that scenario 2 is far better for everyone concerned?


Surely the problem here is the assumption of equal priority at the
obstruction for lanes A and B.  This doesn't happen.  If all drivers get
into A, no one need stop at the closure unless the traffic is very
heavy, because no one loses right of way.  The reduction in lanes occurs
smoothly and with minimal speed reduction to all concerned.  This, IMHO,
more than balances the loss of use of the last few hundred metres of
lane B.  Any queuing theorist care to comment?

Oh, and another thing:  if you all had motorbikes, little of this
discussion would be needed.  Anyone else get 70 mpg at 70 mph, pay 15
quid for road tax, 45 quid for insurance, under 1000 for the vehicle new
and take a fifth of the space needed for a car?

Yours on 2 wheels, Bill @ Edinburgh Univ.
From: cc@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Chris Cooke)
Newsgroups: uk.misc
Subject: Re: Libertarian philosophy (was Re: Transport...)
Date: 16 Dec 92 11:18:10 GMT
	<29612@castle.ed.ac.uk>
Distribution: uk
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

In article <29612@castle.ed.ac.uk> fofp@castle.ed.ac.uk (M Holmes) writes:

   There are a few things you can do without the help of government:

   Buy one share in Nestle and ask difficult questions at shareholder
   meetings.

   Buy lots of shares in nestle and get the directors, and therefore
   policy, changed.

Nestle is Swiss: are we even *allowed* by the Swiss government to buy shares
in it?  When they bought Rowntree Mackintosh, or maybe it was when another
Swiss chocolate company threatened to buy another British one, there were a
lot of discontented mutterings in the papers that it was impossible, illegal
even, for British chocolate companies to buy Swiss ones.
--
	-- Chris. 	cc@dcs.ed.ac.uk   (on Janet, cc@uk.ac.ed.dcs)
From: hdavies@rx.xerox.com (Hugh J.E. Davies)
Subject: Re: Mailing lists from hell
Reply-To: hdavies@rx.xerox.com
Organization: Rank Xerox Ltd.
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 16:16:43 GMT

I have personally used the following techniques to stop junk mail;

1) Write "Deceased" on the envelope and return to sender. I guess this ain't too effective in this case, since the addressee really *is* deceased. (My sympathy, BTW).

2) Mail a large box of domestic refuse to the originator with a cover note that says; "You persist in sending me your rubbish - here's some of mine".

3) If a reply paid envelope is enclosed, return the entire mailing in it. And no, I don't care if they know who I am.


I would imagine the following techniques would be effective;

1) Go to your local library, and look up the directors of the company concerned (I don't remember the name of the reference, but Welwyn Garden City library has one.) Then look up their addresses in Who's Who. Then write, recorded delivery if you like, to them, complaining (politely) about this behaviour. I would expect to get an apology by return (and the warm feeling that the administrators of the Direct Mail campaign are probably going to get a rocket.)

2) Issue a summons in Small Claims Court for harassment. Having used SCC several times now, I wouldn't hesitate to use it again!
 
---


Regards,

Hugh.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't speak for Xerox, nor they for me.

Rank Xerox European Systems Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Herts., UK.
Mail to; Huge.wgc1@rx.xerox.com, whatever it says in the header.

Newsgroups: uk.misc
From: gdg019@cch.coventry.ac.uk (Ridley McIntyre)
Subject: Re: Glad I Don't Drive
Organization: Communication Piglet Department, Coventry, UK
Distribution: uk
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 15:49:03 GMT

In article <1ghmhuINN8nr@clover.csv.warwick.ac.uk> ceram@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr J W Bottomley) writes:
>In article <Bz1v05.HJK@cck.coventry.ac.uk> gdg019@cch.coventry.ac.uk (Ridley McIntyre) writes:
>>I'm glad I don't drive. If I did, this newsgroup would be worth reading.
>
>You have trn at your site. Ever heard of threads?

Yep. Ever had a list of threads that involve nothing but motorised transport?

>I'm glad yo don't post here more often. Is the group worth reading.

Nope. Lost me there, Jim. Is the group worth reading? I don't know, do you
find it worth reading? I've managed to read two threads on this group in
the last three weeks, not including this one. You could say that I shouldn't
post, but that would fascistic, and I could say you shouldn't reply to my
drivel... I mean, ever heard of threads? No one else replied. It was just
a little joke of mine to point out that the newsgroup had become a little
stale. A bit like the old speeding routine, when the whole of the country
seemed to have an opinion, but after a while it just got dull.

As it happens, Jim, you ought to be glad I don't drive, too. If I did,
then I'd have something to say about the state of motorised transport in
the UK, and you'd NEVER shut me up... Ha ha ha!

-- 
                  Ridley McIntyre - Ronin Ironpig
*On a Flowery	     gdg019@cck.coventry.ac.uk          Space Trip!*
		 ---------------------------------
"KANEDAAAA!"/"TETSUOOOO!" - Script for the last ten minutes of AKIRA
From: fofp@castle.ed.ac.uk (M Holmes)
Newsgroups: uk.misc
Subject: Re: Libertarian philosophy (was Re: Transport...)
Date: 16 Dec 92 11:52:42 GMT
Distribution: uk
Organization: Edinburgh University

cc@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Chris Cooke) writes:

>Nestle is Swiss: are we even *allowed* by the Swiss government to buy shares
>in it?  When they bought Rowntree Mackintosh, or maybe it was when another
>Swiss chocolate company threatened to buy another British one, there were a
>lot of discontented mutterings in the papers that it was impossible, illegal
>even, for British chocolate companies to buy Swiss ones.

Aha! So the problem here *is* government interference in the free
market. It's just the Swiss government that's at fault this time.

ObAnecdote: My best pal married a woman out there. When I was out
visiting I ran into a strange item of culture shock.

The scene: A swiss restaurant

My Favourite Pudding: Hot Apple Pie and cold Ice cream.

Main Problem: My franglaise isn't great :-)

Anyway, comes time for pudding I figure out that there's apple pie and
something (it wasn't custard) and there's ice cream. So I figure I'll
have apple pie and ice cream. Now occasionally in the uk, I come across
a waiter who gets difficult, but they can usually be won over with a
little persuasion, argument, or sheer bolshiness.

Not a swiss waiter though. We get into it and I'm told that I can have
apple pie OR ice cream. I point out that they *have* both back in the
kitchen, what's the problem? The problem is that apple pie and ice cream
is not on the menu. It transpires that it is also impossible to get the
apple pie without whatever swiss delight it's smothered in so I can't
even have both.

My pal advises me to give up, it just can't be done there.

Over the visit, I discovered that this attitude is pretty pervasive
there. There's no "the customer is always right", it's "Authority is
always right." Somewhat disconcerting to me really.

The killer though was that when we got to discussing the swiss
government, Madeleine was very proud of the democratic system there. She
described tha Canton system and it all seemed very devolved and
democratic. I was quite impressed by it all until she said that she had
to move out of her old Canton when she met Mike. "Why?" I asked. "Well,
it's illegal there to live with someone if you're not married. They had
a vote."

So even with the most devolved and democractic form of government, it
can all come to grief if that government has the power to stick its nose
into your private business.

Just as here it only takes 51% support to allow the government to take
your money for some hairbrained project or other, there it only takes
51% support for them to decide who you can live with.

Just another reason to be a libertarian I guess -)


>	-- Chris. 	cc@dcs.ed.ac.uk   (on Janet, cc@uk.ac.ed.dcs)

FoFP

Newsgroups: uk.misc
From: lsg001@cck.coventry.ac.uk (Graham Wilson)
Subject: Re: Mailing lists from hell
Organization: Legal Department - Coventry University
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 17:43:47 GMT

In article <Bz948z.Fxs@fulcrum.co.uk> igb@fulcrum.co.uk (Ian G Batten) writes:
>In article <29507@castle.ed.ac.uk> benha@castle.ed.ac.uk (Ben Hambidge) writes:
>> Well, no, not very helpful, but I think I'm right in saying these
>> companies are breaking the law. A stern official letter mentioning the


** Ring the main number of the company concerned. Insist to speak to the 
   Managing Director. If the telephonist asks who you are say your Mr.
   (make up name) eg. Mr. Miles Kingston from the Prime Minister's Private
   office at Downing Street. They will always put you through. I have never
   known it not to work.

   When you are put through tell them your real name and the nature of 
   your complaint. Hopefully they will get the message.


   
-- 
         *********************************************************
         *      Graham Wilson      *  lsg001@cck.coventry.ac.uk  *
         *     LL.B.  Law  III     *     Coventry  University    *
         *********************************************************
Newsgroups: uk.misc
From: crb11@cus.cam.ac.uk (Colin Bell)
Subject: Re: Mailing lists from hell
Organization: U of Cambridge, England
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 01:17:06 GMT

In article <1992Dec18.203142.12630@cs.hw.ac.uk>, adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk 
                                                       (Adrian Hurt) writes:
|> 
|> Here are a couple of techniques suggested by someone else here:
|> 
|> a) When filling in a coupon, form etc., alter your name a little or give
|>    yourself an extra middle initial.  Use a different version for each
|>    firm to which you write.  This at least means that when you get junk
|>    mail from someone else, you know how they got your address.

I use this one (I'm up to J in the spurious initial list now). The trouble is,
the only junk mail I've received recently was caused by my College here passing
on my address: they passed it to a new journal called the 'Cambridge Alumni
Magazine' (basically a way of trying to make the rich and/or famous Cambridge
graduate feel guilty enough to give a donation), and they've passed on my address
to all sorts of people. How do I know? Well: firstly it's got no extra initial,
and secondly, it's got my home (London) address on it: I always use my Cambridge
address for correspondence I hope to receive.

-- 
-
Colin Bell, CRB11@CUS.CAM.AC.UK
Department of Pure Mathematics, University of Cambridge.
From: fofp@castle.ed.ac.uk (M Holmes)
Newsgroups: uk.misc
Subject: Re: Transport subsidies - Was: Car Parking
Date: 15 Dec 92 15:23:58 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

pho@mserv1.dl.ac.uk (P.Owens,C20,3492) writes:

>If your going to start talking about efficiency now then it must
>be cheaper for the government bureacracy to collect a pound in
>taxes than it is to collect a pound from a toll booth.

Maybe, but we now have the technology to do much of the collection
electronically while the cars are moving.

If they can photograph your license plate to give you a fine for
speeding, they can do it to charge you for using the road.

FoFP
Newsgroups: uk.misc
From: tjo@its.bt.co.uk (Tim Oldham)
Subject: Re: Transport subsidies - Was: Car Parking
Organization: BT Group Computing Services, Birmingham, UK
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 13:29:21 GMT

Olympia is awful to get to. I hate the place. God only knows why anybody
puts on exhibitions there.

	Tim.
-- 
Tim Oldham, BT Group Computing Services.       tjo@its.bt.co.uk
``Sounds good to me''