Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:
> Ken <ken@birchanger.com> wrote:
>> On 13 Dec 2023 20:28:54 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>
>>> How busy is the system after the evening peak?
>>> Compared to many systems it is quite a simple layout and it only takes
>>> about 25-30 minutes to do a complete circuit. One circle could be kept in
>>> public service while the other is used for testing.
>>> Some people would have longer journeys but not by too much.
>>>
>>> GH
>> How does the system cope with a failure on one rail? Can it handle
>> everybody having to travel widdershins?
>>
>
> I haven’t heard that expression outside of use by a couple of my mates
> and myself who use it occasionally since it was introduced to us by another
> friend, he lives in the Shetlands so is in the right part of Britain to be
> aware of it.
>
> Can only be applied to the inner circle mind, the other would have to be
> Deosil which doesn’t sound as much fun.

It’s a word that I thought everyone knew, but clearly not. Wikipedia
references Lord Peter Wimsey which may well be where I got it from.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widdershins#Superstition_and_religion>

Sam

--
The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
Spit the dummy to reply

On 14/12/2023 18:29, Charles Ellson wrote:
> On 14 Dec 2023 12:52:49 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>> Ken <ken@birchanger.com> wrote:
>>> On 13 Dec 2023 20:28:54 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk>
>>> wrote:
>>
>>>> How busy is the system after the evening peak?
>>>> Compared to many systems it is quite a simple layout and it only takes
>>>> about 25-30 minutes to do a complete circuit. One circle could be kept in
>>>> public service while the other is used for testing.
>>>> Some people would have longer journeys but not by too much.
>>>>
>>>> GH
>>> How does the system cope with a failure on one rail? Can it handle
>>> everybody having to travel widdershins?
>>>
>>
>> I haven’t heard that expression outside of use by a couple of my mates
>> and myself who use it occasionally since it was introduced to us by another
>> friend, he lives in the Shetlands so is in the right part of Britain to be
>> aware of it.
>>
>> Can only be applied to the inner circle mind, the other would have to be
>> Deosil which doesn’t sound as much fun.
>>
> Deiseil (Deosil is Gaeilge) = southward, sunward, right/clockwise.

Deiseil? I thought they were electric! (I'll get my coat)
--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

On 14/12/2023 17:55, JMB99 wrote:
> On 14/12/2023 16:27, ColinR wrote:
>> The Shetland dialect is Norn. However, Norn is a germanic based
>> language so there may be a connection, but is not a word I have heard
>> in use in my many years living here.
>
>
> When I went on a trip to Shetland with a couple of others some years
> ago, one fancied himself as a good mimic and kept ding something like
> Rab C Nesbitt on the ferry.  It was some time after we got to Shetland
> before we could persuade him that they do not speak that.
>
>

;-)

ColinR <rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk> wrote:
> On 14/12/2023 12:52, Marland wrote:
>> Ken <ken@birchanger.com> wrote:
>>> On 13 Dec 2023 20:28:54 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk>
>>> wrote:
>>
>>>> How busy is the system after the evening peak?
>>>> Compared to many systems it is quite a simple layout and it only takes
>>>> about 25-30 minutes to do a complete circuit. One circle could be kept in
>>>> public service while the other is used for testing.
>>>> Some people would have longer journeys but not by too much.
>>>>
>>>> GH
>>> How does the system cope with a failure on one rail? Can it handle
>>> everybody having to travel widdershins?
>>>
>>
>> I haven’t heard that expression outside of use by a couple of my mates
>> and myself who use it occasionally since it was introduced to us by another
>> friend, he lives in the Shetlands so is in the right part of Britain to be
>> aware of it.
>>
>> Can only be applied to the inner circle mind, the other would have to be
>> Deosil which doesn’t sound as much fun.
>>
>> GH
>
> Whilst Wikipedia is not a definitive source it does say "Widdershins
> comes from Middle Low German weddersinnes, literally "against the way"
> (i.e. "in the opposite direction"), from widersinnen "to go against",
> from Old High German elements widar "against" and sinnen "to travel,
> go", related to sind "journey""
>
> The Shetland dialect is Norn. However, Norn is a germanic based language
> so there may be a connection, but is not a word I have heard in use in
> my many years living here.
>

To be honest I don’t know if he is a native of Shetland or has just lived
there for a long time.
Lives on a diet of Stella and rollups but is remarkably healthy for his age
despite or maybe because of that.

GH