MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Gloria]

Is it for twisting the wire which holds picket fencing together?

[Cathy]

Does it somehow put a separation barrier in place?

[PanBiker]

Is it a scraper for use in cheese making, separating the curds?

[Marilyn]

A cooper's tool in barrel making?
Oh...sorry...just read summat to do with sheep. Silly me.
No idea!

[Stanley]

The picket fence is very close but you need to think of an older technology using natural materials.

[Gloria]

Willow fencing?

[Wendyf]

Following on from Gloria's comment ....are we talking hurdles? Is it a tool for splitting or shaving willow or hazel?

[Stanley]

You have both got there! It's a hurdle maker's axe for cutting the mortice holes in the thicker uprights.
Next one?

[Bodger]

If you were sat downstairs on a double decker bus , in front of you could be a sign, "Mind your head when rising " Why ?

[Gloria]

Were you sat under the stairs?

[Tizer]

Or you were sat on the sideways bench seat which was over the wheel and had a step up to it, so it was higher than other seats.

[Tripps]

Some North Western buses had 4 across bench seats upstairs, and the access was via a sort of lowered 'trench' on the right hand side. Thus the head room downstairs was reduced on that side?

[Stanley]

I think David is right, they were low headroom designs and the height of the upstairs cabin was reduced by making the walk way lower and along the off side. The only ones I have seen were the North Western Road Car Company.

[Bodger]

Tripps & Stanley correct, i didn't know that it was only Northwestern that had them, for a while i lived in the corner of Cheshire, Derbyshire, % Lancs, and they serviced that area

[Stanley]

Bodge, I'm not saying that only North Western had them but they certainly operated out of Stockport.
I have my thinking cap on for the next one.



Can anyone tell me what this is?
(And if you can tell me what's unique about the material it's made out of you will gain brownie points.)

[Gloria]

I think I know. Is it some sort of old plough?

[Stanley]

She's too good! Yes it's a ploughshare but to complete the answer tell me what it's made of and why it is special!

[Gloria]

It doesn't look like its been used much, no chips in it, looks like bronze??

[Stanley]

It's brand new Gloria and no, it's not bronze. Concentrate on what it has to do and the attrition on it.

[Gloria]

Does it turn something other than soil?

[Stanley]

No Gloria, a standard Ransome plough. But think of the wear!!

[Gloria]

Cast iron?

[Tizer]

Mushett's steel?

[Stanley]

Cast Iron yes Gloria. But CI is soft, what makes it harder and better able to withstand wear?

[Gloria]

Spheroidal graphite?? Cast iron.