Science never captured my imagination when I was at school, but I was given a physics lesson the other day by a teacher who had me hanging onto his every word.
It was the most basic, but to me, ingenious working example of physics I had ever seen, so I’ll share it with you now. My teacher was a train driver. Not a regular chuff chuff, a funicular railway.
Lynton is a small town perched high in the hills of North Devon in an area known as ‘Little Switzerland.’ A four mile drive down a winding mountain road leads to the scenic seaside town of Lynmouth. However, if you stand in Lynmouth and look WAY up to the top of the hills, you can make out the buildings of Lynton. There is a steep funicular railway connecting the two towns. I’d read that this was the world’s only water-powered funicular, and was very curious, as water makes steam-power not power under its own steam, so to speak! The driver explained:
“As you no-doubt know, a funicular railway has two cars connected by a steel cable, As one goes up the other goes down; they pass in the middle. They are of equal weight, balancing each other out, so you only need enough power to lift the difference in weight if there are more people going up than down. If there are more people in the one coming down, you don’t need any power at all, gravity will do the work. It’s just like a builder’s lift; a bucket each end and if the top one is full the bottom one will go up by itself.
Each car is fitted with a water tank with a four ton capacity. When the railway first ran, they filled the top one with water from the nearby river. Being four tons heavier than the empty car at the bottom the one at the top came down, sending the one at the bottom up to the top. When that one reached the summit, it too was filled with four tons of water, making them of equal weight. It was ready to roll. People now get in at the top and the bottom. If the people in the top one are heavier than those in the bottom car, their weight will send the cars moving as soon as they take the brakes off. If the people in the bottom one weigh more, they can take the brakes off all they like, nothing will move. So the driver at the bottom opens a tap and starts letting out some of his water. As soon as his car is lighter than the one at the top he’ll know it because the cars will start moving. That’s when he shuts the tap. When he gets to the top, he fills up from a pipe connected to the aforementioned river to get the car’s weight back up, and the car at the bottom might have to let some out.”
If only physic lessons at school could be that graphic. We’d be out of business!
Show time
I’m really pleased that so many of you choose to take advantage of our bi-monthly shows. We’ve been reaching audiences of over a hundred lately, and I really enjoy the opportunity to stop and chat with you after the shows. As you know, there is no entrance fee, you are welcome as my personal guests! Some people think it’s too good to be true and must be some kind of religious platform. While there’s nothing wrong with religion, Milton Keynes has plenty of excellent churches but One World Club is not one of them.
That doesn’t mean we’re a rubbish church! We’re no church at all! We’re simply a group of people who love live entertainment and want to bring people together.
So let’s tell you about the next show!
Monday 7th November.
Usual place, Cruck Barn, Milton Keynes Discovery Centre, Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes, MK13 9AP.
Doors open 6.30 p.m. for a 7.30 p.m. start.
As always, entrance and parking are free.
George Anthony & Ayo.
These two guys brought the house down in September when they gave us an open mic spot. They were the most lively act of the show and are in the running to be favourites this time too! Take a look at http://www.youtube.com/user/OneWorldClubMK#p/u/6/3ZYpMHeoVHA
Rachel and Sabina.
These two stunning young ladies performed their superb Bollywood dance on our opening night two years ago. Their return is long overdue!
Concrete Cowboys.
Milton Keynes’ premier country band last played for us a year ago. If you think you just sit and listen to this band you’re at the wrong gig! Everybody sits for a while but it’s not long before you can’t help but get up and dance!
Cathy Woodward Band.
Cathy has performed for us before fronting popular Blissworth Tunnel Rats and Meercats, but now we finally see her taking full glory as leader of her own band. If you think you just sit and listen to this band you’re at the wrong gig! (Do I sense déjà vu?) When you feel the passion and excitement she puts into favourites by singers such as Cher and Manfred Mann you’ll be singing along!
FRIDAY NIGHT FUSION
Trio Band is a band performing drum and bass fusion. With drums, bongos, bass and vocals we’re treated to a performance that highlights the diverse flavours of One World Club.
Lydia Singer
is a 9 year old who took MK theatre by storm at September’s Diverse Arts show. She captivated a 1000 strong audience with a voice and delivery rarely seen in adult performers. This act is one you won’t want to miss!
Yaw & Shania Asiyama
Yaw is one of this city’s biggest celebrities. As playwright and poet Yaw has written, produced, directed and performed in theatres across the UK and beyond. His daughter, Shania, joins him in this show; we’re all waiting with baited breath to see what surprises Yaw has in store for us this time!
Sing & Perform
knocked us out when we saw them top the bill at the World Picnic festival in summer. Some 30 strong, they closed the show with a performance proving that modern music can pack an even bigger punch when sung in perfect harmony by a large polished group than is usually seen by an individual performer.
See you on the night!
Have a good month,
Categories: Newsletters
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 4:30 pm.
