The Engineer

Some new poles have appeared on the Wells Road, either side just north of Donkey Hill and again further up near Astley Drive. Steel, painted grey, about 100mm square section and about 4m tall. I am just curious. Any ideas?

While applauding outside this is the second week that I have noticed a flock of birds swirling around, presumably spooked by the noise! Are they starlings?

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Did I miss an announcement? Judging by the volume of traffic I saw on Mapperley Top yesterday morning around 10am while out walking, the lockdown is over! Far too many just to be doing the essential shopping or fetching prescriptions. Wrong time of day for most people's commute to work if they can't work from home. It seemed like a normal Friday morning. Then there was the motorcyclist who must have been on an errand of mercy as his speed was easily 60mph going down Porchester Road, overtaking several cars. Who was it who said this morning we shouldn't treat the public like children?

I think the media is being careful with the language and reporting that people have died with the virus rather than from the virus as it is difficult at present to pin COVID-19 down as the primary cause of death. It is a notifiable disease so it's reported if detected during post mortems.

At some point we have to reverse all the measures and the exit strategy is just a plan of what, where and when. I am sure they have a draft plan but it's not ready for sharing yet. Obviously it can't be all at once so we need the science to help shape the plan. That comes from analysis of infection and death rates (have we peaked out yet? - we should know soon) and testing (have you got it and have you had it? - still a few weeks or months away from mass testing). Vaccines are too far away to be factored in just yet but if found in time, they will help us avoid a repeat pandemic next year.

It ran between Alfred Street Central and Peas Hill Road at the St Ann's Well Road end of those two roads. It was around the back of the former Cavendish cinema that is now IC Discounts. Cooper Street was demolished during the regeneration of St Ann's. The nearest road nowadays would be Thomas Close.

https://thebfd.co.nz/2020/03/26/the-bfd-video-coronavirus-quarantine-choice-a-with-your-wife-and-kids-or-b/

Just found a PDF by Chris Matthews (graphic designer and historian based in Nottingham) on the history of Nottingham's council houses. Lots of interesting content including photos. http://www.christopherpaulmatthews.co.uk

They had been working until at least 1st April clearing trees, scrub, etc. at top end and creating a flattish area of what looks like compacted clay. I saw no activity yesterday so perhaps they've knocked it on the head for now.

During my daily constitutional I am still surprised at the amount of traffic on the main roads (Westdale, Mapperley Top, Porchester) in the middle of the morning - not usual time for starting/ending a work shift so are they all going (essential) shopping? Also loads of BT OpenReach workers dotted around, some clearly installing new cables (so not just fixing someone's broadband) and Severn Trent installing new pipes. As for playing dodgems on the pavements, some folk obviously can't fathom the distance of six foot.

Is the 'cremation rather than burial' approach due to sheer numbers, time to dig graves, lack of space, etc. rather than persistence of the virus? I don't think we are in the realms of a dormant threat as we were with the anthrax bacterium.

Just heard that fuel pumps are a point of transmission. Not sure about the new rules but if you are allowed to get petrol/diesel, they suggest wearing disposable gloves (I always wore gloves for diesel anyway as it's nasty stuff).

I think considered medical opinion is that masks do next to nothing with regard to protecting you and may lure you into a false sense of security. If you happen to enter an area where an infected person has recently coughed (hence into airbourne particles before they settle onto surfaces), chances are that they will get into your system via your eyes (a mucus membrane). On the other hand, if you are infected, a mask might stop you spreading it around when you cough. However, a tissue over the mouth would probably be as good if not better at catching the particles. You'd need an exp

So Boris addressing the country just now, flanked by two experts about a metre away each side, nowhere near the two metres separation of which he reminds us. Maybe we need something more easily learned and remembered such as: "If you and another can touch fingertips at arm's length you are too close." They could design a simple graphic to depict this and plaster it all over the place. EDIT: Obviously don't actually touch another person's finger to test this gap!

I was passing yesterday so stopped to check at midday. The bell rang and the music played. However the petals (a few of which now look bent) cycled down-up-down-up throughout the performance and the 'orchestra' (three birds and three squirrels) were not spinning. Looking back in this thread it appears that these faults I observed may have been present for over a year. The cobweb water wheel was turning but several butterflies were not tumbling. All butterflies look tarnished/verdigris. One of the 12 water jets looked a bit blocked. I agree with the sentiment of mos

Masks provide negligible protection - if you are in vicinity of a carrier who has coughed or sneezed, the airborne particles can get in through your eyes (mucus membrane). Of course a mask might stop you spreading it if you already have it.

Stamps don't have a 'use by' date so you can still use old ones on letters and parcels, provided of course they have not been used already. Not sure about any with values ending in 1/2p or 'd' though! The £1.50 ones are quite suitable for sending parcels.

They started work earlier this week at the top end of GAR where it will join Mapperley Plains. Tree fellers (might have been four) clearing the area at the side of the road. Can now see clearly down to Gedling Church and a wind turbine in the distance to the left.

Yes, ring road going north and east, Clifton Boulevard as far as Derby Road then Middleton Boulevard up to Ilkeston Road, Western Boulevard after that round to Radford Road then Valley Road to meet Mansfield Road. So, back to dating, Clifton Bridge opened 1958 and is there on the 6th Edition. Cliff Ton's 7th Edition is dated 1961. That narrows it down sufficiently to 1959/60 for 6th Edition.

Thank you. I was minded to check when the temporary Dunkirk flyover (up ramp, flat top, down ramp) was built and see that was around 1968/9.

There's a 6th ed Burrow's Pointer Guide street map of the City available at NottsHistory.org but it just says 1960s (Taxi Ray posted a link a few years ago). Can anyone narrow the date down a bit, based on what is there or not there? For instance a dotted line for the part of Clifton Boulevard that runs down by Lenton Lane so that must have been in planning.

The building in the foreground (between Bath St and Brook St) was the Nottingham automated Parcel Sorting Office - PSO, built late 1960s, later re-badged Parcel Concentration Office - PCO. It had a big issue with blue asbestos used to insulate its steel girder framework (one engineering manager later died from asbestosis). Cost a fortune to remove or make safe. It closed after Royal Mail rationalised its parcels business (it never really recovered after a strike led the Government to remove its monopoly on parcel handling). Now some sort of self-storage facility. The darker bui

Thought I would pop back to the forum to see what's occurring. Must say I don't visit the clock for fear of seeing it not in fine fettle. I am saddened to hear that it might not be getting the attention it needs. Those of you who followed the journey will know that I put a lot of hours into it over several years. I would have liked an on going arrangement to fettle it as necessary but it wasn't to be. If 'The Management' ask, I would happily sort it out at any time. Pete (The Engineer)