Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

 

I checked my scenic glueing and decided that the hillside angle needed a bit of adjustment. Whacking the scenery with a hammer (no more nails and styrofoam is quite tough) adjusted it perfectly. I'm not sure that amount of geological activity is prototypically correct for South Warwickshire.

Not that far away

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Fauld_explosion

Of course if they start Fracking....

Edited April 12, 2014 by PhilJ W

[The Stationmaster]

Evening all,

 

Duly returned from Trainwest and a rather good show with a number of RMweb folk present and several taking the opportunity to watch me make a faux pas while spending a couple of hours 'operating' DLT's delectable Bridport Town layout with Mudmagnet of this parish sending me a series of increasingly complicated freight trains to shunt - all great fun and I didn't break anything (I think) as it's a lovely layout to work.  One big advantage of spending so long with a layout was that it meant I wasn't going round spending money, which leaves more scope when Railex comes along.

 

And yes Neil - you got it right about yellow 'arm' discs - not exactly the official wording but definitely the correct meaning.

[New Haven Neil]

Keas, Baz.  They'll nick anything.

 

As for cats, we have been owned by 4 over the years, but are cat free currently for the reasons Ian describes.

 

Looking forward to Groudle tomorrow, we're steaming up for the boiler inspector, I'll be working on the 'Steamplex' with it's owner (and my new boss!).  We will of course be forced to go for a chuff up the line - testing you know.  Slighly slower than Dominik's electric wonder machine though......

[grandadbob]

Bob, the cat, is absolutely of the mind that he is the only intelligent being in the household, and quickly points out any shortcomings of the "rest of us".

 

 

This actually applies to all Bobs whether feline or not!

[Happy Hippo]

Richard, as you have the full set can you tell me please if GW branch lines vol 2 has any material on the Didcot Newbury and Southampton line? I bought vol 1 on the off chance and was disappointed.

Colin,

 

I've looked but sadly not.

 

The DN&S is very unrepresented in a lot of GW books afair.

 

I  also checked the 3 volumes of 'GW Steam Miscellany' in the vague hope but came up with nothing there either.

 

Ditto 'Off the Beaten Track' although that was pleasantly Welsh and also of local(to me) pictures.

 

I'll trawl through the 7 volumes of 'In Action' and see if anything comes up.

 

I recall some pictures of the DN&S but I'm pretty sure they wereall taken when 'City of Truro' was on one of her jaunts from Swindon.

[New Haven Neil]

'Off the beaten track' is the only one I have - and it is surprisingly interesting!  Surprising because I don't 'do' GW......but it's a cracker.

[Sidecar Racer]

Evening all,

 

Duly returned from Trainwest and a rather good show with a number of RMweb folk present and several taking the opportunity to watch me make a faux pas while spending a couple of hours 'operating' DLT's delectable Bridport

 

 Now would we do that to you Mike .  

 

 We probably would'nt know if it was a mistake anyway , it just looks like a  series of train movements

using some super loco's and stock on a well crafted layout with no set timetable of movements .

 

 I though you did a sterling job while Mudmagnet stood there yawning and Dave was outside the barriers

chatting to the viewers .   

[Oldddudders]

Pete

 

The S&W is in safe hands, or was last night. Richard holds both shotgun and rifle licences, while Malcolm was a gun-club member back in the UK. And Sheena is a former soldier, has shot a Colt 45, among other guns, of course. The S&W is a revolver, surprisingly small. The bullets - none was in the chamber - have segmented noses, which probably means they're blanks. Richard's new (very old!) chateau seems to have come with an awful lot of shotgun cartridges, and not a few 9mm bullets. I did wonder whether these last might have been left behind by Adolf's lot, who left here 70 years ago in August. There are also lots of empty (not spent) cartridges - and a great container of "stuff",so you can fill your own!

[Happy Hippo]

Pete

 

The S&W is in safe hands, or was last night. Richard holds both shotgun and rifle licences, while Malcolm was a gun-club member back in the UK. And Sheena is a former soldier, has shot a Colt 45, among other guns, of course. The S&W is a revolver, surprisingly small. The bullets - none was in the chamber - have segmented noses, which probably means they're blanks. Richard's new (very old!) chateau seems to have come with an awful lot of shotgun cartridges, and not a few 9mm bullets. I did wonder whether these last might have been left behind by Adolf's lot, who left here 70 years ago in August. There are also lots of empty (not spent) cartridges - and a great container of "stuff",so you can fill your own!

When I was in Bielefeld back in the early 80's, they found five x MP 40 machine pistols plus a couple of hundred rounds of 9mm ammunitionall wrapped up in oiled paper, in a roof space at HQ 1 BR Corps. Obviously stashed there since 1945. Our barracks had a flat roof, but very interesting cellars. The lower levels being flooded, so we never got to find out whether there was any significant finds in them.

[Jock67B]

Thank you one and all for your very kind and supportive messages - they mean so much. I've been on domestic duty most of the afternoon but managed a couple of fascinating hours watching the incredible 'Balfour Beattie' track laying vehicle from the top of a decorators ladder, only a few feet from my garden fence! What an incredible device, laying almost complete track as it moves along!! The chap in the shuttle that flies back and forth to feed in the steel 'sleepers' seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. The FEAB wagons would take some modelling? Missed taking photos of the 66 as the camera battery was flat. Got quite a few of the track laying later however so I'll try to upload and transfer them if I can. I now look forward to being an early riser tomorrow in the hope that some more interesting engineering ( my subject at college albeit with a slide-rule! ) is on show. Goodnight and kind regards,

Jock67B.

[trisonic]

I was brought up in Shenfield. Caught many late night Clacton trains from Liverpool Street and sailed straight through - usually because I was asleep...

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

Pete

 

The S&W is in safe hands, or was last night. Richard holds both shotgun and rifle licences, while Malcolm was a gun-club member back in the UK. And Sheena is a former soldier, has shot a Colt 45, among other guns, of course. The S&W is a revolver, surprisingly small. The bullets - none was in the chamber - have segmented noses, which probably means they're blanks. Richard's new (very old!) chateau seems to have come with an awful lot of shotgun cartridges, and not a few 9mm bullets. I did wonder whether these last might have been left behind by Adolf's lot, who left here 70 years ago in August. There are also lots of empty (not spent) cartridges - and a great container of "stuff",so you can fill your own!

Ian,

 

Just as well;  I just found out that explaining something in writing  that comes naturally to my hands is infernally difficult.....It would have taken but moments to show it. (as I'm sure Richard [HH] would agree).

 

I had gun safety literally drilled into me at an early age plus the art of the "double - tap" but we will not go there.

 

Still interested to find out what model S & W it is - when you get a chance.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited April 13, 2014 by trisonic

[Motters]

Mornin' All,

 

A sunny day here in South Australia once again... must say the day always starts better when it's sunny... nothing worse than grey and wet!! Mind you it's sunny here most of the time.

 

Got a day off today after a bu###r of a week... fed far too many people... but at least they all went away happy.

 

Back into the kitchen tomorrow to do it all again!! Still if I had to do my time all over, I wouldn't change it.

 

They say there is no rest for the wicked... I just wish I knew what I had done!

 

 

Enjoy your Sunday whatever you are doing.

Motters

Edited April 13, 2014 by Motters

[Ian Abel]

Well, I was almost "first", Motters beat me to it, wanted to post for the morning since I'll be late tomorrow - but, time for a good night sleep here

 

SCORE today, got enough time to do some modelling and have now completed the second track of the mainline roundy-round. I can now run TWO trains at the same time - actually managed to run FOUR, wasn't too bad once I got the speeds synchronized, but I can now run two trains at a time whilst I do other work on the layout.

 

Also ran the taxi service for Mrs and two great-nieces, Mrs took them to see the Harlem Globetrotters but didn't want to drive into town with all the weekend traffic, so called the "local" taxi service - "oi you in the basement, quit playing trains and run us into town, oh and pick us up in aout 3 hours"...

 

Will be VERY late posting tomorrow, as the choir sings at both the 9 and 11am services for Palm Sunday - everyone have a great Sunday, ya hear...

 

Oh, before I forget, I concur with everyone regarding letting kids get places "on their own". I used to travel to Waterloo and Reading on the train to do all-day spotting. Also took the bus - total of three in reality - to Heathrow to plane-spot also. Never seemed that big a deal and I was doing that from about 11 onwards.

Don't think it hurt me much - he said as he builds a basement full of "toy trains" and "plays" Flight Simulator on his computer -  in response to those typical "labels" I simply respond "I'm never growing up, even though I'm growing old..."    

Edited April 13, 2014 by Ian Abel

[DonBradley]

I have just hit a key that cased my post to simply disappear! Appropriate expletive.

 

The air is still hot from yesterday's 35C. I nevertheless had a good night's sleep on top of the covers very scantily clad.

 

When I was 10 we moved from living within sight and sound of my school to a developing suburb 12 miles away. It was traditionally our family's school, so thereafter until the end of my schooling it was  a 10 minute walk to the bus stop, a twenty minute bus ride to the station, a 10 minute train ride to the city, another walk to the bus terminal and another 10 minute bus ride to school. At weekends transport anywhere was by bicycle along and across main roads. My class mates made similar epic journeys to and from school from far and wide, many over longer distances. It was of course safer than now. Doing the reverse took an hour and twenty minutes in the afternoon..I survived!

[iL Dottore]

Morning all

?.. "I'm never growing up, even though I'm growing old..."    

Perhaps not, but unless you have lucky genes, you WILL grow out... It's a rare and lucky individual that at 60 can wear the jeans they wore at 20! I wish I could.

 

Furthermore, at 20 everything worked - but one really hadn't a clue: a healthy liver - but one drank cheap booze instead of fine single malts; joints that worked - but one lazed around instead of cycling/walking/boating; a brain ready to absorb knowledge like a sponge - but one put it in "neutral" most of the time instead of studying and learning and finally - saddest of all - plenty of hormones, vim and vigour - but not a clue what to do, even when you had someone to do it with! Or at least it seems like it from barren steppes of middle age. Truly, youth is wasted on the young. If I only knew then, what I know now, there'd be a number of things I'd do differerently (but would I still be me?, for is it not how you live that makes you who you are?)

 

Quite honestly, at my age (late 50s) I'm only just starting to feel "grown up". I like to think that I am, often, child-like. Mrs iD says I'm just being childish... And on that philosophical note I bid you a pleasant Palm Sunday

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Somewhat overcast but not cold here this morning,

I'm off to Gatwick soon as today Matthew is going to Helsinki. I offered to take him as the bus takes a long time. He will be returning Monday week from Tallinn but that will be a flight in to Stansted. 

Later this morning I'll try and visit the model railway exhibition at the Castle Point Transport Museum. I've never visited it before although I always keep saying I really should. A bit like my never having been on the Southend pier train!

Tony

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all. Quite sunny at the moment, so if this holds, we might well be off on a bike trip some time later!

 

Have a good one, everyone!

[Barry O]

nwgdm.ll 

Later this morning I'll try and visit the model railway exhibition at the Castle Point Transport Museum. I've never visited it before although I always keep saying I really should. A bit like my never having been on the Southend pier train!

Tony

Tony

Even I have been on the soufend pier train!!!

 

Lovely morning here. Had a great night last night at a celebratory too for nicktoix and his good lady..

 

Off to find out all about the changes to the laws of cricket etc today int' Barnsley..

 

Have yourselves a peaceful day.

 

Baz

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

I seemed to be awake a little earlier than usual today, after a good night, making up for a short night Friday. Early starts will be me this week, at least from Tuesday, as Sheena will be in dock, so I need to be down at la Valaise before 8, liberating and feeding dogs, hopefully just feeding goats.

 

Flavio - at 65 I can just about get into jeans I bought at 41. The 30" waist is a bit tight, though. The 28" pair I wore in those days has had to be discarded, sadly. As for hormonal virility, I am pleased to report that some of that still checks in if I'm in the right company!

 

Another lovely morning, albeit chilly so far.

 

Lola yesterday rushed into my room and promptly threw up on the carpet. Great choice, eh - it's the only carpeted room in the house! I suspect she knows it won't splash, unlike the floor tiles elsewhere! She's not very well, but seems to have found her purr this morning, so isn't in distress, at least.

 

Not entirely sure what Palm Sunday represents, but hope it is serene for you all.

[Pete 75C]

Happily, at 46 I can probably get into the jeans I'm planning to buy when I'm 56... but working in reverse which is more sensible, fat chance (pardon the pun).

Eldest had a great day yesterday gliding silently over the heads of the unsuspecting folk of Bedfordshire, not Cambridgeshire as I had originally thought. The RAF's 616 Volunteer Gliding Squadron uses some rather bizarre motorized gliders these days which, to my mind, is cheating!

 

 

As I thought, having to collect him scuppered any plans I had to get to the Norwich show but according to another thread, there were rather too many "toy trains" this year. Proving beyond doubt that you can't please all of the punters all of the time! Would have been nice to see Rowlands Castle for sure.

Weather looks rather nice today so whatever you have planned, enjoy.

 

[Happy Hippo]

Well,

 

Micheal Hale's books lay un perused and I certainly wasn't an early riser at 0330, but slept remarkably well.

 

The choir assembled outside the window, which I keep open, and chirruped and twittered until I switched on Radio 4.

 

Contrary to popular belief, the birds in our garden do not perch on my back and pick ticks and grubs out of my hide!

 

Nice blue skies and a gentle breeze is currently blowing, so I suspect i might be allowed to sit in the conservatory today, although the ban on dust and  unnecessary vibration is still extant.

 

This is good for being excused domestic chores, but bad for my style of messy railway modelling.

 

A little boy was seen by his neighbour digging a hole in the flower bed.

 

'Brian?' she enquired. 'Why are you digging that hole?'

 

'My goldfish is dead' replied the little boy.

 

'Oh dear, that's ever so sad' she said. 'but why is the hole so big?'

 

'Because my fish is in your cat!'

 

Have a pleasant day

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,
Dry, sunny and 10^oC - looks like it will be a nice day.
 
I'm having a problem at the moment with posting. If I click on "Reply quoting this post" nothing happens but it does work if I right click & open. It also works if I switch off the BBCode button - click "Reply etc" then switch the BBCode back on. Has something changed or I have I inadvertently turned something off? Any help would be appreciated.

Have a good one,

 

Puzzled Technophobe of Sutton

[Coombe Barton]

Bright and sunny here. As the grass length is approaching the level of the top of the patio, some fifteen inches, must try to do something about that in conjunction with Sandy who is insisting that I don't overdo it. Getting the dogs lost in the grass may give an indication of how much it's grown.

Good morning all,
Dry, sunny and 10^oC - looks like it will be a nice day.
 
I'm having a problem at the moment with posting. If I click on "Reply quoting this post" nothing happens but it does work if I right click & open. It also works if I switch off the BBCode button - click "Reply etc" then switch the BBCode back on. Has something changed or I have I inadvertently turned something off? Any help would be appreciated.

Have a good one,

 

Puzzled Technophobe of Sutton

There's a thread on this - are you using Internet Explorer?

[PhilJ W]

Good morning all,

Dry, sunny and 10^oC - looks like it will be a nice day.

 

I'm having a problem at the moment with posting. If I click on "Reply quoting this post" nothing happens but it does work if I right click & open. It also works if I switch off the BBCode button - click "Reply etc" then switch the BBCode back on. Has something changed or I have I inadvertently turned something off? Any help would be appreciated.

Have a good one,

 

Puzzled Technophobe of Sutton

I don't have any problem with 'Reply quoting this post' but the 'Preview post' option seems to have disappeared, I like to check that URL's are working properly before I post.