Where is this?

[H2]

1 hour ago, FWJ said:

Madurodam, The Hague

That is correct Point to FWJ

[Dunks]

Where's this?

 

[Boof]

Skaw

[Dunks]

4 minutes ago, Boof said:

Skaw

 

That was quick.

 

Have you been? Could be a good spot for rocket watching

 

[Dunks]

Oh and a million points for Boof

[redjambo]

Just now, Dunks said:

Oh and a million points for Boof

 

Glad to see the points system's still working well.

[Dunks]

Just now, redjambo said:

 

Glad to see the points system's still working well.

 

How is the spreadsheet? 

[Boof]

2 minutes ago, Dunks said:

 

That was quick.

 

Have you been? Could be a good spot for rocket watching

 

 

I think I was last there in about 1976. Probably hasn't changed much...

 

Would love to do some rocket watching.

[Dunks]

 

[gjcc]

8 minutes ago, Dunks said:

 

That was quick.

 

Have you been? Could be a good spot for rocket watching

 

Is that a euphemism for dogging?

[redjambo]

10 minutes ago, Dunks said:

 

How is the spreadsheet? 

 

Begone, knave!

[Boof]

1 hour ago, gjcc said:

Is that a euphemism for dogging?

 

Indeed not... https://shetlandspacecentre.com/

[Boof]

On 26/01/2021 at 15:07, SUTOL said:

You are right about the spelling. It should of course be Loch of Harray. 

 

And nearby you could find a small craft industry working in clay, mostly...

 

[redjambo]

2 hours ago, Boof said:

 

Indeed not... https://shetlandspacecentre.com/

 

Won't they have to schedule all the rocket launches for the one day a year it's not windy though?

 

From shetland.org: "The average wind speed of Force 4 is part of the reason that Shetland is such an attractive place for wind turbines."

Edited February 18, 2021 by redjambo

[Finbar Saunders]

2 hours ago, redjambo said:

 

Won't they have to schedule all the rocket launches for the one day a year it's not windy though?

 

From shetland.org: "The average wind speed of Force 4 is part of the reason that Shetland is such an attractive place for wind turbines."

 

The wind certainly makes it fun to errect a tent in June.

[Harry Potter]

[¼½¾]

Lamash on Arran.

[Harry Potter]

5 minutes ago, Lemongrab said:

Lamash on Arran.

Correct.

[gjcc]

Anyone looking for a bit of a “where is this?” kick when there’s no new posts: download a game called GeoGuessr. 

[Dunks]

Where's this?

 

[¼½¾]

Loch Quoich?

[redjambo]

6 hours ago, Lemongrab said:

Loch Quoich?

 

Damn!

[Dunks]

6 hours ago, Lemongrab said:

Loch Quoich?

 

That was quicker than expected - nice find. Local knowledge?

 

989,456 points go to Lemongrab

[Dunks]

41 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Damn!

 

 I used to work for the then North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in the wonderfully named "Dam Surveillance Team". One of the most enjoyable jobs I've ever had

 

[redjambo]

1 minute ago, Dunks said:

 

 I used to work for the then North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in the wonderfully named "Dam Surveillance Team". One of the most enjoyable jobs I've ever had

 

 

Sounds like a great job.

 

How are our dams doing, generally? Are we developing any new ones, is upkeep becoming more difficult as infrastructure becomes older, or are we just ticking along fairly statically with minimal maintenance and only the occasional firefight?

 

[Dunks]

39 minutes ago, redjambo said:

 

Sounds like a great job.

 

How are our dams doing, generally? Are we developing any new ones, is upkeep becoming more difficult as infrastructure becomes older, or are we just ticking along fairly statically with minimal maintenance and only the occasional firefight?

 

 

Been away for a while now, but at the time of privatisation, there was a move to remove the team as they never made any money. There was an ** almost ** catastrophic failure in one of the biggest dams - disaster averted thanks to the ongoing surveillance of the team. Funnily enough, kept on after that.

 

The mass concrete dams were generally checked for movement - they heat up in summer and move down the valley, then cool in winter and move back up again. Surveillance was to a tenth of a millimeter to ensure movement was as expected. We also had monitoring inside the dam - mainly looking for movement and checking cracks to see if they were superficial or a sign of something bigger. Despite all the fancy technology available, we also used the trusted method of sticking a piece of glass across any cracks - if it got bigger, the glass breaks.

 

The newer dams tend to be earth or rockfill - Quoich above is rockfill - and the monitoring is more around the shape of the dam - looking for bulges and such like. We had specialist laser equipment for checking those. We also had vertical checkers in the membrane (the solid bit in the middle to hold the water back) - basically a very deep hole that we checked to ensure it was the right depth and still vertical.

 

The Perthshire area sees a lot of seismic activity, so we also monitored the surrounding ground, valley floor and hillsides for movement. There were a couple where the valley was moving all over the place, so it was a case of ensuring the dam was moving with, rather than against that movement.

 

As I said - a great job  

[¼½¾]

1 hour ago, Dunks said:

 

That was quicker than expected - nice find. Local knowledge?

 

989,456 points go to Lemongrab

I've seen the dams in the Galloway hydro scheme( my dad worked for the old SSEB)so knew it wasn't there. I just googled for those further north.

[Dunks]

This was a favourite of mine - any ideas?

 

[Dunks]

1 minute ago, Lemongrab said:

I've seen the dams in the Galloway hydro scheme( my dad worked for the old SSEB)so knew it wasn't there. I just googled for those further north.

 

Well found - there are loads of them  

[redjambo]

3 hours ago, Dunks said:

 

Been away for a while now, but at the time of privatisation, there was a move to remove the team as they never made any money. There was an ** almost ** catastrophic failure in one of the biggest dams - disaster averted thanks to the ongoing surveillance of the team. Funnily enough, kept on after that.

 

The mass concrete dams were generally checked for movement - they heat up in summer and move down the valley, then cool in winter and move back up again. Surveillance was to a tenth of a millimeter to ensure movement was as expected. We also had monitoring inside the dam - mainly looking for movement and checking cracks to see if they were superficial or a sign of something bigger. Despite all the fancy technology available, we also used the trusted method of sticking a piece of glass across any cracks - if it got bigger, the glass breaks.

 

The newer dams tend to be earth or rockfill - Quoich above is rockfill - and the monitoring is more around the shape of the dam - looking for bulges and such like. We had specialist laser equipment for checking those. We also had vertical checkers in the membrane (the solid bit in the middle to hold the water back) - basically a very deep hole that we checked to ensure it was the right depth and still vertical.

 

The Perthshire area sees a lot of seismic activity, so we also monitored the surrounding ground, valley floor and hillsides for movement. There were a couple where the valley was moving all over the place, so it was a case of ensuring the dam was moving with, rather than against that movement.

 

As I said - a great job  

 

I would never have thought that dams move seasonally - more the fool me. What scale of movement are we talking? A few millimetres or even more than that? Is it gravity that moves them, the force of water behind them or something else?

 

I'll refrain from commenting on the stupidity of those who wanted away with the team because it didn't make any money.

[Dunks]

1 hour ago, redjambo said:

 

I would never have thought that dams move seasonally - more the fool me. What scale of movement are we talking? A few millimetres or even more than that? Is it gravity that moves them, the force of water behind them or something else?

 

I'll refrain from commenting on the stupidity of those who wanted away with the team because it didn't make any money.

 

A few millimeters. Slight variations from gravity dams to buttress dams. In effect, the concrete heats up and expands - that forces the structure downstream (wider valley). It then contracts when it cools.

 

Newer dams are similar to bridge decks with expansion joints. On bridges, they are usually in sections with an expansion joint between sections - this is for the deck expanding and contracting due to heat. Bit more complicated for a dam as they are also points of failure.

 

This thermal displacement often leads to cracks - as above, it's then important to monitor to ensure it's a surface rather than structural one. The failure I referred to above saw a rapid increase in water through one of these cracks. Thankfully the water level was already low in the loch and it was further reduced to get the water below the level of the crack.

 

Usually it was the movement of the valley around the dams that caused the bigger concern.

[redjambo]

8 minutes ago, Dunks said:

 

A few millimeters. Slight variations from gravity dams to buttress dams. In effect, the concrete heats up and expands - that forces the structure downstream (wider valley). It then contracts when it cools.

 

Newer dams are similar to bridge decks with expansion joints. On bridges, they are usually in sections with an expansion joint between sections - this is for the deck expanding and contracting due to heat. Bit more complicated for a dam as they are also points of failure.

 

This thermal displacement often leads to cracks - as above, it's then important to monitor to ensure it's a surface rather than structural one. The failure I referred to above saw a rapid increase in water through one of these cracks. Thankfully the water level was already low in the loch and it was further reduced to get the water below the level of the crack.

 

Usually it was the movement of the valley around the dams that caused the bigger concern.

 

[Nookie Bear]

Dam(n), that’s interesting*
 

*and it actually is very interesting 👍🏻
 

 

[Shanks said no]

On 23/02/2021 at 10:30, Dunks said:

This was a favourite of mine - any ideas?

 

Has this been guessed?

[Dunks]

1 hour ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Has this been guessed?

 

Not yet

 

[Boof]

I've got a 'Where is this?' but don't know the answer.

 

Looks like it could be Edinburgh...but where?

 

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

7 minutes ago, Boof said:

I've got a 'Where is this?' but don't know the answer.

 

Looks like it could be Edinburgh...but where?

 

It could be Leith Street before the St James Centre was contructed. Sailors heading towards the docks possibly?

[Boof]

1 minute ago, All roads lead to Gorgie said:

It could be Leith Street before the St James Centre was contructed. Sailors heading towards the docks possibly?

 

It really probably could be any city!

 

I thought it had a bit of a Shandwick Place vibe to it and my Mrs reckoned Tollcross was a possibility...it might not even be Edinburgh 🤷‍♂️

 

Would be handy if we could see the bus number - was Edinburgh bus, tram or a mixture?

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

2 minutes ago, Boof said:

 

It really probably could be any city!

 

I thought it had a bit of a Shandwick Place vibe to it and my Mrs reckoned Tollcross was a possibility...it might not even be Edinburgh 🤷‍♂️

 

Would be handy if we could see the bus number - was Edinburgh bus, tram or a mixture?

It is hard to tell if there is a slope to the street or not as Leith St is all down hill from Princes St. The way the street turns looks a bit like it though but I can't see the clock tower of Balmoral Hotel which you normally see coming up that street. 

Tollcross is possible right enough, Earl Grey St maybe?

[Ribble]

1 hour ago, All roads lead to Gorgie said:

It is hard to tell if there is a slope to the street or not as Leith St is all down hill from Princes St. The way the street turns looks a bit like it though but I can't see the clock tower of Balmoral Hotel which you normally see coming up that street. 

Tollcross is possible right enough, Earl Grey St maybe?

 

Think you could be close with that, if the photo is slightly misleading in that the left border is making it look that the building continues where it actually ends pretty much at the border then it could be looking towards tollcross on Lothian road before the turn to fountainbridge so photographer standing almost where Ali's cave is?

[¼½¾]

14 hours ago, Boof said:

I've got a 'Where is this?' but don't know the answer.

 

Looks like it could be Edinburgh...but where?

 

Just thinking, could that possibly be a promo for some show?  It seems a little funny that there's what looks like a naval officer there too. Not much help, but if it was a promo, it could be taken in the vicinity of a theatre.

[Sharpie]

2 hours ago, Lemongrab said:

Just thinking, could that possibly be a promo for some show?  It seems a little funny that there's what looks like a naval officer there too. Not much help, but if it was a promo, it could be taken in the vicinity of a theatre.

 

My guess is Tollcross area, the sailors are WW2 with their gas masks over their shoulder, and I suspect the sailor at the back with the peaked cap is a Petty Officer as opposed to com missioned officer.  I am not sure but to counter my own point  I seemed to remember that at least for a time during the war the sailors just had HMS on their hat band, and did not include the name of their ship. But again from a long time ago they sure look like sailors of the day. Jeez I really am getting old when I see that period of my life and recall it.

[Boof]

8 hours ago, Lemongrab said:

Just thinking, could that possibly be a promo for some show?  It seems a little funny that there's what looks like a naval officer there too. Not much help, but if it was a promo, it could be taken in the vicinity of a theatre.

 

Someone had posted the pic on a Shetland Family History site on Facebook so they are genuine servicemen. There weren't any other details that I can remember - I'll maybe see if I can find the post again.

[¼½¾]

21 hours ago, Sharpie said:

 

My guess is Tollcross area, the sailors are WW2 with their gas masks over their shoulder, and I suspect the sailor at the back with the peaked cap is a Petty Officer as opposed to com missioned officer.  I am not sure but to counter my own point  I seemed to remember that at least for a time during the war the sailors just had HMS on their hat band, and did not include the name of their ship. But again from a long time ago they sure look like sailors of the day. Jeez I really am getting old when I see that period of my life and recall it.

 

14 hours ago, Boof said:

 

Someone had posted the pic on a Shetland Family History site on Facebook so they are genuine servicemen. There weren't any other details that I can remember - I'll maybe see if I can find the post again.

 

I've seen the photo somewhere before, but can't for the life of me remember where. 

[Boof]

23 hours ago, Boof said:

 

Someone had posted the pic on a Shetland Family History site on Facebook so they are genuine servicemen. There weren't any other details that I can remember - I'll maybe see if I can find the post again.

 

Facebook comments.

"Fairly sure this is Portsmouth. It’s WW2 because they are still carrying gas masks . The cap tally on the left is HMS Victory which is Portsmouth barracks. Can’t read the middle tally but it looks a bit like HMS Grenville. He’s a Leading Seaman with one good conduct badge indicating 4 years service from age 18. There is a Chief Petty Officer just behind them which suggests a Naval town."

 

"Yes, likely Portsmouth. My husband spent several years at HMS Victory. Amused me that a shore station still called HMS when I thought the S stood for ship."

 

 

[indianajones]

On 03/03/2021 at 01:59, Dunks said:

 

Not yet

 

 

Cruachan?

[Dunks]

31 minutes ago, indianajones said:

 

Cruachan?

 

Bit smaller than Cruachan.

 

Right direction though - if you started in Glasgow, just keep going

[Sharpie]

Just took another look at the picture, the bus makes we wonder the roof seems to be white but the white roofs were painted over in Edinburgh during the war. If it is the Tollcross area or even a busy main street a tram or the tracks or power lines may have shown, the bus actually seems more modern that something in the forties, where they generally had prominent engine compartments, and no rounded off appearance in general as I see this bus having. To be precise I have no bloody idea, who,what,where or when the bloody  picture was taken.

[Boof]

4 hours ago, Sharpie said:

To be precise I have no bloody idea, who,what,where or when the bloody  picture was taken.

 

 

I could tell you the 'who' but don't think it would make any difference to finding out anything else.

 

The photo has NO information on it.

 

As for Bob's other suggestions I am even cluelesser.

[Fxxx the SPFL]

@John Findlay might know he was based in Portsmouth