Trivia Question of the Day

[Hydromet]

Sydney also has a Mortuary station. https://www.thnsw.com.au/post/mortuary- ... -150-years Coincidentally, I'll be visiting it with the camera club in a couple of weeks.

[talmacapt]

Correct jim, over to you.

The wiki entry is, in my opinion, well worth a read.

[talmacapt]

That was well worth a read Hydro.

I wonder whether is anything similar elsewhere.

[jimtherev]

OK, another sort-of-railway-related one but v. obscure: I'll close after 48 hours if no correct answer.
"Why was the Swing Bridge at the back of Poole Harbour opened and closed several times of the day in the '40s, even though there was no marine traffic wanting to move through the bridge?"

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

I don't know, so I hope you'll forgive the scattergun approach.

Stop the mechanism seizing up?
Union Rules?
Existing contract to do so?
To make the Germans think there was traffic?

[PHXPhlyer]

I don't know, so I hope you'll forgive the scattergun approach.

Stop the mechanism seizing up?
Union Rules?
Existing contract to do so?
To make the Germans think there was traffic?

Point one works for me.

PP

[Ex-Ascot]

Point one would seem too obvious. Something to do with marine life or tides.

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

Perhaps to let in seaplanes.

[jimtherev]

None of the above. You're cold so far.
A couple of clues:
The bridge operator got more and more cross
An engineer called Stanier had a certain responsibility here.

[talmacapt]

Stanier designed railway engines, perhaps he was testing the load it would take and keep operating.

The intention, perhaps, being to see if it would take the weight of his locomotives.

Maybe he had plans to run trains over it or a similar bridge in the future.

[jimtherev]

No, sorry everyone - too esoteric and anal.

Stanier designed a new locomotive - the famous Black 5 - which had a particular whistle, sounding just like the marine sirens fitted to local small coasters. The normal protocol was that the ships would sound the siren as they came towards the inner harbour still out of sight of the bridge operators. Five minutes to stop the traffic and swing the bridge. But the railway line was less that 1/2 a mile away, and the loco's whistle sounded louder than a ship's one.

Eventually, when the harbourmaster twigged what was going on, he spoke to the authorities of the S&D railway company, who issued commands to the engine drivers to stop blowing their whistles! Fun while it lasted, tho'

Sorry all, Best if it's OH now...

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

No apology necessary, I for one like these little quirks of life.

[Karearea]

Amusing anecdote, Rev.Jim

Q. What product was advertised as "will wear to the thinness of a sixpence"?

[Karearea]

Q. What product was advertised as "will wear to the thinness of a sixpence"?

This product was first produced in 1807, and is "transparent".
Still available: I use it myself...

[Mrs Ex-Ascot]

Pear's soap?

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Government press releases?

[Karearea]

Pear's soap?

Pears' transparent soap indeed.

Wikipedia: Pears soap

and an article about some of the associated art works:

Pears' Soap: Artworks For The Masses

- well done, Mrs Ex-A - over to you.

[G-CPTN]

We had 'Bubbles' on our wall.

[Opsboi]

We had 'Bubbles' on our wall.

Sack the decorator

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Must've been a West Ham fan