When buses had conductors with ticket machines, “Hold very tight, please”, “Move further down the bus, please” and, at the end of the route, “All change, please” were familiar messages. Ding, ding. Do you remember the nickname of conductors? Clippies. Memories. Now it is “Tap your plastic card!”
Well, we have a few changes affecting us all.
The weather has certainly changed. After some high temperatures over the past few months, there is a chill in the air and for those Shedders who are mainly sedentary there are clear signals that we will need to turn up (or turn on!) the heating. In the Stables Annexe and the Railway Room there is no heating to turn on!
Well, after some enquiries and our landlord consulting an electrician, we’ve invested in wall mounted infrared heaters (3Kw max) or the cabin and Railway Room, a 1.5kw stand lamp for all round heating and two supplementary small format 800w floor standing infrared heaters (for any cold spots in the various locations and the digital room).
Electricity is expensive but the insurer’s preference is that electric heating is used and not the diesel heaters). We had understood that the power supply to our neck of the woods was limited but the electrician explored and deduced it was not the case. Maybe a minor consumer unit u
pgrade for the cabin. So electric heating was the best option. But cost of electricity is also a big factor for us!
Infrared heating passes through air without directly heating it until it hits a solid object – a person is a solid object! The warmth is immediate to anything in its path. It is cheaper to run than other forms of electric heating.
So all change to electric.
Expensive? Turned out not because two items little used were donated and a second 3Kw long heater costing £114 was secured “good as new” through Amazon for £30. We need extension leads for them and heavy duty ones were purchased rated at 3.2Kw.
Fitted first in the Portacabin on Saturday morning.
Change of Track
Dennis came up with a very good change of plan early this week. Why not focus on a table top Garden Gauge model railway first while Dennis works up the details for a second oo gauge table top and then onto the long (7m) layout.
Walter and Paul loved the idea because they are into making both the track and the rolling stock and engines. Lots of 3D printing of things and model people. We returned to the idea of the layout being supported off the wall of the Portakabin and hinging up to be flat against the wall when not in use.
This will be very visible and a centre of interest to newcomers and old lags! Boys and their toys.
Here is a video of the train at Preston Hall Museum
Change of Season for Hedgehogs and Us
Hedgehogs this time of year need safe, cosy homes to curl up in. Having made 12 last year we have been commissioned to make another 4.
Oddities?
Steve has started work on his first art work at the Shed
Tony is stripping his shoe cleaning box to restore it.
Whitby Shed’s digital enclosure nearing completion
Aidan and Graham
Visit to Preston Park new building
Wow. Giant Meccano at the Engineer’s Yard. Why should kids have all the fun?!
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There’s a Community Curated display area presently featuring Mary Butterwick who founded Butterwick Hospice. What a legacy of vision she left. There was a sign that if any other organisation was interested in curating a display to speak to a member of staff. So Graham did! There’s history and tradition behind what we do. No shortage of curios either. And the Shed is another form of hospice care really!
Loneliness and Isolation impact youth too
Norton Shed’s Vision for More Sheds on Teesside
This was written for awareness of ourselves as Shedders. It looks at the ambition to help others start Sheds in areas that might benefit from a Shed.
The Shed PillAiming to please the Norton Archers
There are 4 replacement target stands to be made. Mick made a start today.
This is a dismantled original. Why replace? Because not all arrows hit the target! They find the stand instead.
