Early Risers.

[AndyB]

Afternoon all.

First and foremost many thanks for all the "heart" supports last night. Meant a lot to me as the feeling that I let dad down surfaces from time to time. 

Thanks also to my next door neighbour for coming round and supervising me as I wielded a hammer and pliers to get the oven door to fit. The new handle worked fine, but somewhere the compatibility chart that matched the new inner door to my existing oven didn't quite work. Oops. So, had to use force and a "mix and match" approach. Will be celebrating by doing some baking later! 

 

Just a last bit of shopping to do and put mum's Christmas tree and decorations up for her.

Best, Andy

[NGT6 1315]

I now managed to post a profile about the class 171 25 kV electric as operated on the Rübeland Railway in the past:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/599/entry-12994-insular-electrics-deutsche-bahn-class-171-25-kv-electric-locomotive-for-the-rübeland-railway-from-rivarossi/

 

 

...and now there's some tidying up to be done...

Edited December 22, 2013 by 1216 025

[Rugd1022]

 

Nidge, you have been afflicted by PSS (pre-sweeny syndrome) brought on by exposure to TGBBCTR (The Great BBC Train Robbery). The only cure is at least two episodes of Thaw / Waterman spinning Granadas Guv - accompanied by the Harry South Big Band.

 

 

Gruff you are so right, it's an affliction I can't seem to shake off! In fact I've got it so bad that first choice for listening entetainment everytime I get in the car consists of various soundtrack CDs, including this one...

 

 

Edit : I don't think there is a cure...  

Edited December 22, 2013 by Rugd1022

[Donw]

Went up onto North Hill and it started to rain which then started freezing as it fell with the wind driving it horizontally at you. Normall Holly will wait to be lifted back into the car not today jumped straight in.

 

I must ask Debs about some gauges for my loft layout. I think I will try 31.5mm gauge

 

Don

[southern42]

Morning all,

 

Good to see Debs is back and turning her hand to useful things.  We currently have some quite pleasant weather with sunshine (honest) and a few clouds so not bad for our jaunt to Pangbourne on the meat and pie collecting mission and maybe I'll even get to the shops later as tomorrow is promised to be continuous heavy rain.

 

Have a good day folks.

 

 

You're catching up - ours has been visible since Friday

 

  OK. So I'm lagging behind somewhat...no need to rub it in.

 

Went up onto North Hill and it started to rain which then started freezing as it fell with the wind driving it horizontally at you. Normall Holly will wait to be lifted back into the car not today jumped straight in.

 

I must ask Debs about some gauges for my loft layout. I think I will try 31.5mm gauge

 

Don

 

Ah ha, you've caught Holly out.  No more lifting then, eh, Don?

 

Off to marzipan the cake before I have to dodge tomatoes.

Polly

Edited December 22, 2013 by southern42

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

This supermarket car park gridlock thing is a very odd phenomenon.  As we returned from Pangbourne (complete, in addition to our order, with a pork pie that should suit a couple of snacks at least and a goodly piece of black pudding) we decided to pop in to Waitrose in the Oxford Road in Reading.  But there was a queue of cars right out onto the main road so we drove on by - and could see plenty of empty spaces in the car park.  So we duly turned back at the next roundabout assuming the queue would have made it way unto said spaces - only to find it was even longer!

 

So I drove along to a nearby layby and parked while Mrs Stationmaster sallied forth on foot to do battle with the hordes - only to find that all was running smoothly through the checkouts, there were no fights over brussel sprouts taking place, and there were at least 20 empty spaces in the car park from her viewpoint at one end of it.  

 

So what causes the car park queues? My only conclusion has to be that there was at least one member of Waitrose staff out in the car park 'directing traffic' - and obviously making a right fist of it!

[Danemouth]

So what causes the car park queues? My only conclusion has to be that there was at least one member of Waitrose staff out in the car park 'directing traffic' - and obviously making a right fist of it!

Mike,

 

Like you I suspect traffic would flow easier without this sort of "assistance"!

 

I've avoided this problem - when I retired we kept two small cars - SWMBO tends to go shopping first thing and Christmas provisions are now almost completely stocked at Chez Danemouth with limited involvement from moi!

 

Regards,

 

Dave

[BoD]

I usually find that the queues to park at supermarkets are caused by people looking to park as close to the entrance as possible. I'm sure that if some of them had their way, they would drive up and down the aisles.

 

......and as for those who create chaos for others by parking on double yellow lines outside the local newsagent instead of parking just off the main road, simply to save themselves a few seconds and a 40yd walk, don't get me started.

[Sidecar Racer]

 

So what causes the car park queues?

 

Mostly people who just have to park as near the doors as possible , because they are usually to idle

to walk and not because they have mobility problems . So while  they are trying  to shuffle a small car

into a bus size space everyone else is held up .

 

 Its the same in multi story car parks , why not just drive up till you find the most spaces , not crawl along

stopping to look down every line . Then repeat of the supermarket shuffle .

 

 Annoyed , moi .   

[Tony_S]

I went to Sainsbury this morning and the shop was fine but as others have reported, strange behaviour in the car park.

[AndyB]

Afternoon all.

 

Back from S'burys where it was quite busy, but with everyone apologising to each other anytime their trolleys bumped.

I noticed the shelves were being cleared of Christmas stuff and, on behalf of iD, enquired about the possibilities of purchasing an Easter Bunny. Easter Bunnies are now "out back in the warehouse" apparently awaiting their debut on Boxing Day.

 

Our local S'burys has a mini roundabout controlling the entrance and exit, with incoming (with right of way) cars partially concealed by a low hedge. It is quite common for cars exiting to simply sally forth and to hell with the consequences. Pretty much every other visit involves me applying emergency brakes as someone in a rush to get home nearly ploughs into my car, resulting in much muttering on both sides.  

 

Didn't have the will power to go and purchase a present for myself. I'll leave that until Christmas Eve!   

Sitting down now with a restorative sherry.  

Andy

[The Stationmaster]

The odd thing about that Waitrose was that there were 5 empty spaces near the shop doors when Mrs Stationmaster did her count - and several of them had been empty the first time I drove by.

 

Parking on double yellow lines is a sort of local sport round here, accompanied by the dumbos who seem to try to park as close as possible as they can to road junctions or who park opposite gateways or vehicles already parked on the opposite side of a narrow road leaving room only for a single lane of traffic (and then write to the local 'paper when someone clobbers their car).

Edited December 22, 2013 by The Stationmaster

[Coombe Barton]

Text from Sainsbury's to Mrs CB's phone informing us that out turkey will be available to pick up from midnight.

[Tony_S]

We'll be off to the cinema later, hopefully the parking won't be too bad. The cinema is a large, multiscreen venue located in Basildon's  Festival Leisure Park or as it is known locally Bas Vegas. 

[Gruffalo]

The odd thing about that Waitrose was that there were 5 empty spaces near the shop doors when Mrs Stationmaster did her count - and several of them had been empty the first time I drove by.

 

Parking on double yellow lines is a sort of local sport round here, accompanied by the dumbos who seem to try to park as close as possible as they can to road junctions or who park opposite gateways or vehicles already parked on the opposite side of a narrow road leaving room only for a single lane of traffic (and then write to the local 'paper when someone clobbers their car).

Our local Waitrose shares a car park with a number of smaller and more local shops / charity outlets. This private area has a one-way system with probably around 120 spaces. It used to have 150 spaces but we had to lose around 20% to make way for disabled parking and "parent & child" slots. People now block the road outside as they pull into the car park, only to find their way forward is blocked whilst someone waits for a vacant slot (there are rarely many of those). Given a lack of parking spaces for the traffic generated by these shops, one would hope that the queuing motorists would circulate but that seems beyond mosts' comprehension. Similarly it seems beyond the wit of some to move to the side whilst waiting for a presently parked vehicle to load and leave.

 

'Tis the season to be grumpy, sha la la la la, it's Christmas time!

[skipepsi]

I would be glad to be at home but the number of jobs outstanding seems to be multiplied by the number of children at home.

[Tony_S]

 . Similarly it seems beyond the wit of some to move to the side whilst waiting for a presently parked vehicle to load and leave.

 

'Tis the season to be grumpy, sha la la la la, it's Christmas time!

 

The inability of some to understand that others were trying to leave seemed to be the problem at Sainsbury today. Even to the extent of someone blocking my progress by moving into my path to stop me proceeding to the exit! I smiled sweetly (while thinking that if someone gave him a brain for Christmas it would be lonely) as I squeezed through the gap. I know how wide my car is. Everyone (customers and staff) in the store was very jolly, it was just the parking that was bizarre. Not dangerous like B&Q on diamond discount day. I have found another place outside the holiday period that has some odd parking. Waitrose in Leigh on Sea has a roof car park and that seems to attract some clients with suspect reversing awareness. 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, oops.

 

Had a busy, busy day at Groudle, piccies later.  Well over a thousand visitors, final figures hopefully will allow us to progress withour new build, as well as pay the exprtionate insurance costs for the railway and of course the boilers of the locos.  Only one grumpy passenger detected, who told me where to go when I wouldn't let him stand on the track by the buffer stop to smoke....the fact that should a train have a brake failure or difficulty stopping he would not be needing a smoke ever again seemed to escape him.  Maybe the supermarket car park was too much for him.

 

sp as usual.

Edited December 22, 2013 by New Haven Neil

[trisonic]

Absolutely no parking problems in Supermarket parking lots over here!  Perhaps because each "bay" is the size of Brentwood.....even tiny tony women (with a dozen kids) driving a Chevy Suburban seem, to have few difficulties.

My Wife baked a gazillion cookies last night until 2:00am - Joy!

 

Best, Pete.

[BoD]

I would be glad to be at home but the number of jobs outstanding seems to be multiplied by the number of children at home.

 

I found that it was an exponential rather than linear increase.

[New Haven Neil]

Ooh, I got a dislike for my non-denominational Christmas card photo in the card thread - can't win with some folk.

[colin penfold]

Ooh, I got a dislike for my non-denominational Christmas card photo in the card thread - can't win with some folk.

it's hard to imagine what he disagreed with. Does he disagree that it is Christmas, or that people should enjoy it? Equally, he seems not to be disagreeing with anyone else on the matter. I'm sure you have successfully done this already without my help, but I'd ignore it if I were you. It's a jolly nice pic by the way.

[NGT6 1315]

The folks of the good starship Enterprise would most certainly begin an investigation concerning temporal anomalies upon seeing this:

 

[Gruffalo]

The inability of some to understand that others were trying to leave seemed to be the problem at Sainsbury today. Even to the extent of someone blocking my progress by moving into my path to stop me proceeding to the exit! I smiled sweetly (while thinking that if someone gave him a brain for Christmas it would be lonely) as I squeezed through the gap. I know how wide my car is. Everyone (customers and staff) in the store was very jolly, it was just the parking that was bizarre. Not dangerous like B&Q on diamond discount day. I have found another place outside the holiday period that has some odd parking. Waitrose in Leigh on Sea has a roof car park and that seems to attract some clients with suspect reversing awareness. 

I believe it is about time for the real Darwin Awards, perhaps one of your elevated parkers may be amongst them Tony. 

[New Haven Neil]

it's hard to imagine what he disagreed with. Does he disagree that it is Christmas, or that people should enjoy it? Equally, he seems not to be disagreeing with anyone else on the matter. I'm sure you have successfully done this already without my help, but I'd ignore it if I were you. It's a jolly nice pic by the way.

Thanks Colin.  I have a very thick skin, you need it in my job!  I just thought it was funny more than anything, that someone would feel that affronted that I don't believe but don't mind wishing people good will on their celebration!  I don't mind anyone else believing in anything they want.

 

The photo is real, the loco was doing it's own ploughing - I have an action shot somewhere.  It was bloomin cold though!