Walking Thoughts

  While at Brooklands, I visited the stratosphere chamber. As an engineer I was fascinated by it. And the expense and trust in the engineer that allowed that expense. I’d like to write a piece for LinkedIn about the stratosphere chamber the engineering behind it; the safety requirements needed for it; there was a large bank of CO2 cylinders for fire extinguishing as there is methanol and vulcanised rubber involved What it was for what was tested in it How the atmosphere inside was achieved and sealed Id also like to comment on the process of funding, funding approval and gaining trust to spend such a huge amount of money on such a huge project. Could you help me with a piece that summarises the stratosphere chamber, It’s engineering, its health and safety aspects and the relationship between engineers, the people funding the work and how that might have changed since Barnes Wallace‘s days. Absolutely. I think there is a very good LinkedIn piece here because the chamber gives you a ...

  It’s amazing what history comes up when you visit both Croydon and Brooklands in one day Roberta Cowell (1918–2011) was a racing driver, engineer and Second World War fighter pilot  — a remarkable combination of talents in an era when women were rarely seen in either the cockpit or the racing paddock. She was educated at Whitgift School in Croydon , where she became an enthusiastic member of the school’s Motor Club — an early indication of her lifelong fascination with cars and engineering. Brooklands was part of her early racing story.  She would sneak into the Brooklands paddock dressed in mechanic’s overalls, offering to help drivers and mechanics so that she could learn about racing from the inside. She began competitive motor racing in the 1930s , winning her class in the 1936 Land’s End Speed Trial and going on to compete in the 1939 Antwerp Grand Prix. During the Second World War, she became an RAF fighter pilot.  Flying Spitfires, she was shot down over Ger...

  Can Engineers have cake AND eat it?  good environmental outcomes require us to understand and manage the consequences of achieving them. slide carousel Slide 1 Cleaner bathing waters don't happen by themselves. They require infrastructure, engineering and investment. Slide 2 A storm tank can prevent sewage reaching the sea. But it doesn't make the consequences of that infrastructure disappear. Slide 3 The tank needs cleaning. That means tankers, traffic, noise, odour and operational activity. Slide 4 The people who benefit from cleaner bathing waters may also experience the disruption. That's the uncomfortable reality of environmental infrastructure. Slide 5 Capital delivery is about much more than process engineering. Civil, mechanical, electrical, environmental, construction and operational expertise all have to come together. Slide 6 And the solution has to work in the real world. It has to be buildable, operable, maintainable — and capable of being lived alongside. Sl...

  You can’t have your cake and eat it. One of the things I increasingly appreciate about delivering environmental capital projects is that the engineering solution is only part of the story. Take storm tanks. Large storm tanks are an important part of protecting our bathing waters. During periods of heavy rainfall, they provide somewhere for excess flows to be held, reducing the likelihood of sewage spills into rivers and coastal waters. That is a good thing. Cleaner bathing waters are good for swimmers. Good for tourism. Good for local businesses. Good for people who live near the coast. And good for the environment. But there is a less attractive side to the solution. Storm tanks need to be cleaned. If they aren't, accumulated solids can become a source of unpleasant odours. Cleaning them requires operational activity — tanker movements, equipment, pumps, access and people. And because these tanks are often located close to the very coastal communities and recreational areas they...

  Why you can’t have your cake and eat it. One of the things I find interesting about engineering solutions to environmental problems is that solving one problem can create another. Take storm tanks. Large storm tanks are an important part of protecting our bathing waters. During periods of heavy rainfall, they provide somewhere for excess flows to be held, reducing the likelihood of sewage spills into rivers and coastal waters. That is a good thing. Cleaner bathing waters are good for swimmers. Good for tourism. Good for local businesses. Good for people who live near the coast. And good for the environment. But there is a less attractive side to the solution. Storm tanks need to be constructed. And once in use they need to be cleaned. If they aren't, accumulated solids can become a source of unpleasant odours. Cleaning them requires operational activity, including tanker movements, pumps, equipment and people. And because these tanks are often located close to the same coastal co...

  Victor has lived with  Type 1 diabetes for over six decades . Diagnosed at age 12 in 1962, he has managed his condition throughout his prolific stage and screen career while becoming a prominent advocate for diabetes awareness. During early stage performances like  Godspell , he kept honey, orange juice, or sugar packets on or near the stage to manage the unexpected blood sugar drops of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (T1 diabetes) is an autoimmune disease. It can affect anyone at any age. It is not caused by diet or lifestyle. Undiagnosed T1 diabetes results in DKA, which is quickly fatal if not treated. There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes. It cannot be reversed. It is not caused by eating sweets and diabetics need to keep sweets and high sugar items nearby at all times, often eating sweets several times a day. Renowned Canadian actor Victor Garber, famous for roles in  Titanic  and  Alias , has lived with  Type 1 diabetes for over six decades . Diagnose...