You know you’re getting older when……

[32475]

When you find yourself humming or whistling tunes which don’t even exist as in an utterly pointless and random combination of notes. Making a sort of nasal humming noise with your mouth closed is a more serious symptom as in ‘hmm hmmm hmm hmm’ etc

 

[D6130]

Making a sort of nasal humming noise with your mouth closed is a more serious symptom as in ‘hmm hmmm hmm hmm’ etc

Oh dear....I've been doing that for more years than I can remember!

 

[nw1]

I can remember all three, but only bus conductors were a familiar part of my life. I think this must depend on where you lived -- they were common in my London suburb until the mid-1980s, and of course in parts of London they lasted, with the Routemasters, into the 21st century.

True. Buses in the 80s for me were Alder Valley Nationals and VRs (plus occasional ventures on Southdown, and observations of London Country services) - and none had conductors.



And in a change of subject, another music related one.

Struggling to remember when the last time someone older than you (by birth, not by age at time of release) had a number one. In my case the last one I am sure of is now more than 10 years ago, though there are probably others since which I've missed as my attention to the music scene in the 2010s was decidedly patchy.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

You refer to a shop by a name it hasn't been known as for 30 years.

 

[nw1]

Have we had "Tiger Tokens" yet? Anyone remember them?

View attachment 114824

Think I vaguely remember the name.
From the style of that I would say it's not so old - maybe late 80s or 90s?

1920s for me -- I'm about the same age as @nw1, but was using trains a fair bit from a much earlier age.

On the subject of WWII, does anyone remember this children's television series filmed on the Severn Valley Railway? (If I remember rightly it was set there too, not on an unnamed branch line as Wikipedia says -- Highley and Arley are referred to by their real names in this set of clips). I was of an age to be in the target audience, and the WWII episodes were of particular interest to my family as my father knew the real SVR at that time (Arley was his aunt's local station). Its relevance to this thread is that it seems really weird to me that 1980 is now further in the past than 1940 was then.

Indeed, I can't get my head around that sort of thing at all. 1980 still seems "modern" (ish) to me, 1940 seems like the deep, deep past (perhaps just as well given what was going on then).

In a similar way it's hard to get my head round the fact that many of the 4SUBs, in their final months of service when I first started using the railways regularly (I think I saw one in service from a distance, and more going ECS to possibly Eastleigh on withdrawal) were less old then than the 455s or 150s are now!

If we move on another 10 years to 1990 (which really does seem modern - hey, the ECML was electrified!) it's equally strange to think that going back the same number of years gets us to 1958.

And of course, talking this way in itself is another sure sign of getting old.

 

[swt_passenger]

Most people I know can remember their parents' divi number. 1151369.

38847…

 

[Gloster]

Remembering when a telephone number was three or four digits and, if someone didn’t come from your town, you told them the name of the exchange. All because there wasn’t much STD in those days: I certainly didn’t have it. (Interpret as you will.)

 

[D6130]

Remembering when a telephone number was three or four digits and, if someone didn’t come from your town, you told them the name of the exchange. All because there wasn’t much STD in those days: I certainly didn’t have it. (Interpret as you will.)

Yes....ours was Rhu 512. At the same time (early 1970s) the railway station at Kyle of Lochalsh was Kyle 2. Presumably 'Kyle 1' would have been the post office?

 

[DarloRich]

People you went to university with have children finishing university

 

[Ashley Hill]

When you’ve been in your job longer than many of your colleagues have been alive!

 

[32475]

When I started this thread, I didn’t realise that it was such a channel for group therapy. I thought I’d better put that thought down quickly before I forgot it!

 

[Springs Branch]

A lifetime of birthday celebrations with your mates:-

"It's Dave's 30th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. Loads of hot women go in there after work"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 40th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They've got a big range of beers on tap - we can try them all"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 50th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They have a good happy hour. Half-price drinks"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 60th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They do a nice Senior's Lunch Deal"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 70th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They've got a big car park and it's not too hard to park the car"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 80th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. I don't think we've ever been there before"

 

[Paul Jones 88]

When you see toys that you owned as a child in an antique shop.

 

[duncanp]

....when fifty shades of grey is a more accurate reflection of what very little hair you have got left than your love life.

(As in my case )

 

[birchesgreen]

When you stop worrying about the grey and embrace being a silver fox

 

[Paul Jones 88]

....when fifty shades of grey is a more accurate reflection of what very little hair you have got left than your love life.

(As in my case )

When you think the Fifty Shades of Grey is a Paint Colour Chart.

 

[AM9]

When you can remember the Co-op divi number (177612) but not your PIN.

I can clearly remember both my parents' and my grandparents' co-op numbers. They seem to be hardwired into my brain which is useful as they can be used as pretty secure passwors/pins etc.. It would be quite difficult (even for the police) to get to that.

My first record player had 16 as well as 78. Never had or heard of anything that played at 16rpm. Probably ruined many singles as a kid by playing them faster or so lower than 45.

16 2/3 rpm actually! Yes, I remember those when autochangers had four speeds and a grotty crystal cartridge. How about reel to reel tape, 7 1/2 ips, 3 3/4 ips and 1 7/8 ips. I used the latter to record some Round The Horne/Beyond Our Ken and I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again programmes. Absolute classics.

 

[nw1]

38847…

I don't know what a divi number is... does that make me not old?

 

[swt_passenger]

I don't know what a divi number is... does that make me not old?

I think so, but I’m not sure if I remember now…

 

[AM9]

Yes....ours was Rhu 512. At the same time (early 1970s) the railway station at Kyle of Lochalsh was Kyle 2. Presumably 'Kyle 1' would have been the post office?

I grew up in Barkingside with a Hainault telephone number. It was the last manual switch board exchange in the London area. In those days, exchanges had quaint names link Reliant, Silverthorn, and London Transport was ABBey 1234.

 

[nw1]

A lifetime of birthday celebrations with your mates:-

"It's Dave's 30th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. Loads of hot women go in there after work"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 40th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They've got a big range of beers on tap - we can try them all"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 50th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They have a good happy hour. Half-price drinks"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 60th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They do a nice Senior's Lunch Deal"

Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 70th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. They've got a big car park and it's not too hard to park the car"

I get most of these, but struggling to see why you'd be less interested in a range of beers and more interested in half price drinks at your 50th compared to your 40th.

People you went to university with have children finishing university

Similarly, people younger than you having children who are adults.

Or, thinking that anyone born after 2000 must still be of primary-school age, or at oldest, pre-teen secondary school age.

The realisation that you could be a grandparent if you had children, and both you and your children had children early enough. Given I only remember one of my four grandparents, and she was well into her seventies at my earliest memory of her, that's particularly hard to get my head round.

 

[AM9]

Remember “Embassy” cigarette coupons?
Found one up in the loft recently amongst other stuff that hasn’t been touched for 40+ years!

The joke was that you could get an iron lung with enough cupons form their predecessors Kensitas.

 

[Ediswan]

How about reel to reel tape, 7 1/2 ips, 3 3/4 ips and 1 7/8 ips.

You can add 30 ips, 15 ips and 15/16 ips.

 

[AM9]

Don't remember that, and given the presenter, perhaps just as well!

However I do remember Alan "Fluff" Freeman do Pick of the Pops in the late 80s, early 90s. I distinctly remember him doing 1988 in 1989, and 1989 in 1990 - so just one year ago in both cases at the time.

At the age I was then, I was fine with that, but if they did 2021 nowadays I think I'd turn straight off!

Regrettably in a way, I remember what is now the pick of the pops programmes with charts from 2 years starting in the early '70s as the Double Top 10 show with 5 & 10 year old charts, presented by Savile. The 'Pick Of The Pops' name was originally broadcast at 4 or 5 o' clock on Sunday afternoon in the '50s and up to when the Light Programme turned into Radios 1 & 2 in 1967. Early presenters were Alan Freeman (of course), David Jacobs, (there were others before but I don't remember them). Given that it was the only straight record playing pop music programme on the BBC, it was a favourite with those who had tape recorders.

You can add 30 ips, 15 ips and 15/16 ips.

15/16 ips was pretty rare and 15 & 30 ips was for pros or the wealthy. I did have a neighbour in 1971 who had a Revox 736, it was a big beast but did it sound good on 15ips? Not Arf!

 

[Busaholic]

A lifetime of birthday celebrations with your mates:-



Ten years later . . .
"It's Dave's 80th next week. Where shall we take him to celebrate?"
"Let's try the Wagon & Horses. I don't think we've ever been there before"

''Loads of hot women in there too - might just jog his memory, if not, he can sit and drool.''

 

[AM9]

Well, the first week in July every year from 1952 to 1964 or so we went from St Pancras to Derby en route to Grandma at Castle Donington usually behind a Stanier Black Five and in LMS coaches, and every Saturday we went from Herne Hill to Orpington in suburban units, firstly SR types and then EPBs. Bank holidays to Margate first behind SR steam and then CEP/BEPs. I was mad about railways from about when I learned to speak. The Herne Hill - Tulse Hill spur was right over the fence from our back garden.

My earliest train types travelled on were the Shenfield electrics on the GEML, - that is whebn they were 1500VDC befopre they were converted to ac and given their 306 class No. Since then there have been the 315s and now the 345s.
On the Underground, Central line stock was the eponymous 'Standard' stock until around 1960 when the 1959 stock appeared, to be replaced with the 1992 stock in '93. Sioon it will be the NTFL stock running the line, - I can still hear the sound of the Standard stock with the clatter and vibration of the bogies and the clunky traction contactors.

 

[Devonian]

Remembering when a telephone number was three or four digits and, if someone didn’t come from your town, you told them the name of the exchange. All because there wasn’t much STD in those days: I certainly didn’t have it. (Interpret as you will.)

Even after STD you needed to state exchange and number, as in many parts of the country you had to use local dialling codes rather than the STD code for nearby exchanges. We still had three figure numbers and local dialling codes well into the '90s on our exchange. Brampton still has four figure numbers.

Yes....ours was Rhu 512. At the same time (early 1970s) the railway station at Kyle of Lochalsh was Kyle 2. Presumably 'Kyle 1' would have been the post office?

The last single digit telephone number was Rhenigidale 1, which was an attended public telephone in a remote hamlet on Harris. It was also the last that could only be called via the operator - you had to be connected by the Inverness auto-manual board over a radio link - and was finally connected to STD as late as 1990. If you ring Harris (01859) 598 001, you can hear a little about the history...

 

[Typhoon]

Regrettably in a way, I remember what is now the pick of the pops programmes with charts from 2 years starting in the early '70s as the Double Top 10 show with 5 & 10 year old charts, presented by Savile. The 'Pick Of The Pops' name was originally broadcast at 4 or 5 o' clock on Sunday afternoon in the '50s and up to when the Light Programme turned into Radios 1 & 2 in 1967. Early presenters were Alan Freeman (of course), David Jacobs, (there were others before but I don't remember them). Given that it was the only straight record playing pop music programme on the BBC, it was a favourite with those who had tape recorders.

With Fluff is was 'Unit 1 the chart newcomers; Unit 2 the new releases; Unit 3, the LP spot; Unit 4, the Top Ten.' I can't remember anyone else who made it so clear what you were going to get. It was also about the only opportunity you had to hear LP tracks. Don Moss used to present 'Pick of the Pops' sometimes. That was certainly not alright.

You know when you are getting very old when you mention Radio London (but every one assumes it must be some BBC station, not that they've heard it).

 

[Ediswan]

15/16 ips was pretty rare and 15 & 30 ips was for pros or the wealthy. I did have a neighbour in 1971 who had a Revox 736, it was a big beast but did it sound good on 15ips? Not Arf!

If I recall correctly, the only common use for 15/16 ips reel to reel was broadcast logging. I do occasionally toy with the idea of buying a Revox or TEAC.

 

[AM9]

If I recall correctly, the only common use for 15/16 ips reel to reel was broadcast logging. I do occasionally toy with the idea of buying a Revox or TEAC.

In the '60s there were two camps in high quality domestic reel to reel: Revox and Ferrograph. the Revox transport was precision but it could get complicated when things went wrong. The Wearite transport was quite agricultural in comparison and although its ruggedness could sometimes be heard on recordings, they did survive many years of use.
Electronics wise the Revox outshone the Ferrograph for noise performance and bandwidth.