Thanks for sharing this. Great memories. I was a programmer on TOPS between 1982 and 1986 initially fixing bugs (ahem "discrepancies") and then moving on to projects such as TRUST, POIS (aka PRS) which added passenger operations to TOPS, and integration with the timetabling system. Some of the most interesting and challenging software projects I've worked on and it's great to hear it's still in use. Happy to share more if anyone is still researching the history.

I disagree that small scale forges were the same across the 14th, 16th, and 20th centuries. Across that 700 year stretch, the introduction of the great bellows, the adoption of first coal, then coke as fuels, the developments of the water tuyere, bottom blast firepot, side draft chimney, and the standardization of the leg vise in small shops; all impacted the evolution of the smithy and sets the centuries cited into subtly different technological eras.

Did you know he was also the major proponent of the early version of the Kiewa hydro electric scheme in North East Victoria. Ironically his bearings feature in all machines actually installed many years later. Many large hydro machines use oil injection to reduce friction and wear on start up before the wedge is established. Bearing metals are usually white 'Babbit' metal.

I've been a millwright/industrial construction and maintenance technician for over thirty years here in the states. Ive worked in pulp and paper mills, grain mills, lumber mills, power generating facilities, refineries, chemical plants, and about any other type of industrial facility over the years and have installed, replaced, inspected, and troubleshot more of these thrust bearings than I could ever count. It's a wonderful design, irreplaceable even today ! That is as long as they are installed correctly, and supplied with the proper amount of lubrication, for the installed application. I have, more than once, spent several days pulling my hair out trying to figure out why a particular peice of equipment keeps wiping the active or inactive thrust bearing. But, once you get them squared away you don't have to worry much about them. Here in the states we refer to this style of bearing specifically as a "Kingsbury style thrust bearing". I kinda feel bad for not knowing the actual history of the bearings. But that's alright, from now on I will be sure to refer to them as a "Michell style thrust bearing" from now on ! I don't believe for a minute that Kingsbury thought up the design at the same time, he was just first to patent it. It makes me sick to think of some person that is already wealthy enough to travel, but for someone like that to see a new design while abroad (as I'm sure he did) then run home and immediately check to see if it's patented in the US yet, and then immediately patent the design upon learning it hadn't.

Lost traffic: there's a great story by the Marine Architects (Don Ripley and Tony Rogan) who worked for British Rail in the book "Designing Ships for Sealink". Two ferries for the Isle Of Wight service were built to the then British Transport Commissions rules (6). The yard announced the ferries would be late. Of course the British Rail / BTC team protested with the yard about late delivery and warned of the penalty payments for late delivery. They protested, until the shipyard told them that the diesel alternators needed to complete the ships, were on a wagon somewhere on the rail network, as per the contract imposed by BTC on the yard to use rail wherever possible. They found them in 24 hours.

Oh the echo! There has got to be a way to ensure these are started in everyone but presenter is muted.

I somehow have this a thumbs down last week. I'm glad i noticed it and corrected this. It was an excellent presentation.

This is a good overview! It really is a shame that the ZMC-2’s parent company foundered with the onset of the Great Depression-their metal skin was revolutionary, and an unqualified success. Excellent gas-retention and durability by comparison to fabric, and even saving on weight when compared against typical Zeppelin construction. The ZMC-2 was in practice difficult to fly due to its low aspect ratio and stubby fins, but that’s no knock against its construction materials, and indeed it was faster than the contract asked for. It was only ever intended to be the smallest practical manned demonstrator anyway, not a viable design in and of itself.

I have enjoyed every episode y'all put out

i would fall asleep during this

Thank you for answering my question concerning the use of the Chaffery Hearth.

I don't know if these comments are monitored. If they are, I'd love some information. I recently found Messrs. Bailey and Davidson's excellent report on Locomotion No.1 on t'internet. Is this one (and the reports on Bluecher, and Invicta, and Lyon, and any others that I've missed hearing about) available in written form, please?

Thanks, absolutely fascinating. Was browsing thru a copy of "theory of machines" from 1927 wherein the author spoke about the modern invention of the michell thrust block. Could not find a better explanation of it online than your video.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oZipZ5ihxNDaoI0.html still going strong

*Promosm*

A very interesting talk from Mark. Thank you for hosting it.

Shame about the impossible sound. Love the topic and the speaker. But you cannot hear. I am a member and would like to listen as I cannot attend meetings.

Cort didn't have a clue. He stole the process from Jamaican iron workers

Too many people coughing. It’s upsetting Other than that , interesting lecture.

I got promoted to Senior Computer Operator in 1971 at the Blandford House Computer Centre where TOPS was going to be. Four or five weeks later a computer was installed. They sent me to the Railway Technical Centre for four weeks to be "IBM orientated" as I was used to ICL machines. Up to that point BR had to buy British. All the ICL kit would have a label inside stating "made in the USA". IBM kit had labels inside saying it was made in Britain, France, Germany, all over Europe. I stayed at that computer centre for 20 years with nine of them being in the computer room.

😂 "promosm"

Hi. At around 42:15 the slide introduces a Unidata 2200 terminal. It is actually a Datapoint (formerly CTC) 2200 programmable computer. Every TOPS office had at least 2, along with a 96 column card punch and 132 column dot matrix printer. I spent a fair amount of time travelling around repairing these things back in the day.

Great presentation!!!, greetings from Florida!

Superb presentation with excellent audio quality.

The two part wheel was designed by Robert Wilson, Hackworth adopted it when he modified the Chittypratt to become the Royal George.

I do make setal locmotive 7 1/4" gauge, loooking for INVICTA set of drawings

Excellent, thank you very much.

Interesting talk - good explanation of the flight economics. A surprise to me, and it's opened my eyes a bit! No thoughts about what economics the XB-70 would have shown?

oh, i wish the audio was so much the better on this; i'd have loved to listened to this fascinating topic. but, as it is, it is a no-go for listening. can some technical whiz-kid do some-op surgery?

Sickening that there is not 1 person under 30 there.

I used wrought iron in plumbing fittings a very mysterfyingl metal it is strong a tapered British pipe thread puts enormus strain on the metal fittings are molded and they do weld most times but what is rought iron and there is the. mysterious melting point of steel rough iron must be a half way metal yet it is cast out of a crucipal as a liquid it must be a carbon thing soft steel oxy welding rods are such soft steel there must be no carbon in this steel I have seen cast iron engine blocks so thin in the cylinder walls no joke four mills and old blocks with chrome alloy moulded on the side there is to much black at art in all of this

As an american rail enthusiast, even though there are so many great steam locos in the world, Killingworth billy will always be my favorite steam engine!

any information on the picture of the engines in the scrap yard photo

so Invicta had a very interesting working life which ended when she was used as a stationary boiler. engines who where used for that purpose seem to be very lucky indeed

I made an error in my presentation - Zaha Hadid was not appointed an RDI

Did anybody notice that the tender has no springs in the 1880s photos?

Can you make your content accessible by formatting the auto captioning into closed captioning? It is extremely hard to enjoy your content having to keep concentration on the auto captioning and not be able to see your content properly sadly, it’s also why most of us don’t subscribed.

Wonderful talk, thank you. What a fascinating person he was, with so many interests.

so after her days as a locomtive was over they then used her as a stationay boiler to supply steam to power belt driven workshop tools?

I represented Mitchell Bearings and joined Vickers Japan in 1992, and then took over by Rolls-Royce and worked at Rolls-Royce Japan until I retired in 2014. I saw a lot of topics very nostalgic while enjoying and inspiring Just now I have started You tube channel and explaining sliding bearing and tribology. I would like to introduce your channel and use some photos in your site to introduce. If you can accept me to use your photos, it is very much appreciated. Best regards,

Back in the mid 1970s I was a fireman on the "Lady Hopetoun". One of the engineers, an older man then, described how as a junior engineer on the RMS "Olympic", his task was watchkeeper on one of the multi collar thrust blocks. He said that these required constant supervision and frequent adjustments of the thrust collars. He said that these older style thrust block often ran hot and smoked, and often were kept cool by a jet of sea water. Would have been interesting work tending the engines on these three steamships.

Internal continal

What a fascinating tale. Invicta is a very special old girl

excellent and informative

Thank you for this - very interesting.

Excellent talk

Nicely done. The siphon recorder is really nifty

Congratulations on getting WITCH working again. When I started work at Birmingham MSI, the chief Technician had recently left and John Burns, who had been the person trying to rebuild it for the Museum had been promoted and was unable to continue with the work. Congratulations too on finding all the spares! I never did so I suspect they only saw the light of day again when MSI was being cleared. Although I also worked at the Collections Centre for a short time I do remember several visits from BCS and the Newcomen Society looking at the computers.

Excellent level of detail