Early Risers.

[trisonic]

Well, I do have a resource lined up, but like me, Malcolm doesn't like heights, so a Stihl with a long extension may help us both. Yes, Malcolm is English, from the NW, has a rather posher house than mine (not saying much) - but he and Norma will do gardening tasks for 15 euros an hour, which is darned cheap. They provide a garden maintenance service to several of the Anglais here, including Grant & Gillian, who now live in their native Scotland again, but have a large house here in several acres. it is Grant's long-reach Stihl that Malcolm has used and recommends - having bought a cheap copy and not been impressed.

 

One of this year's phenomena is the bounteous fruit crop. Never seen so many apples, and the elderly soft-fruit tree, which Alison thinks is greengage, has snapped a couple of big branches due to overload. If and when she can work for me again - relations with partner are now beyond awful, and the police say that if they are called again they'll take the kids into care - she will have loads of fruit for her pigs just lying about on the lawn.

I’ve never found a chain-saw as good as Stihl (or whatever kind), I’m looking at getting the extended reach very soon (if we get another hurricane this year, sooner). Stihl really know chain-saws - can you tell I’m a fan-boy?

 

By the way Al Reynolds (Barry Ten) of these parts has his marvelous “Gulf. Atlanta & Eastern RR” featured in September’s Model Railroader. A rare accolade for a “foreigner” and well deserved in my view.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited July 31, 2014 by trisonic

[New Haven Neil]

Did someone mention Stone  Donkhenge?

 

[bluebottle]

I am reminded of a cartoon in Meccano Magazine, circa 1958. Chap is sitting in a train, smoking. Railway chappie on platform points to "No Smoking" sign on window facing outwards, asks "Can you read?" "Yes, it says  gnikomS oN!"

 

I'm reminded in turn of a "Take It From Here" show on the radio wireless, also in the 50s, though Frank Muir and Denis Norden must have seen a different type of "no smoking" sign:

 

Mister Glum (Jimmy Edwards)  -   "Look out of the window and see where we are, Ron".

 

Ron Glum    (Dick Bentley)       -   "Yes, Dad. It's er... "ON GNIKOMS!"

 

One of these?

 

[Tony_S]

Afternoon.

We have returned to Droitwich after a day going from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth and back. We had a ride on the funicular railway , looked in the shops and visited a pub with its own brewery.

We also saw a baby elephant (before the pub and it wasn't pink) rhino and blackbuck from the train.

 

I think I can join the Stihl fan club too, my strimmer is the only one I have ever had that works properly. It isn't exactly lightweight but it gets used unlike the lesser brands that annoy me and end up lurking at the back of the shed.

 

I don't think you can ever remove Jeye's Fluid smell! I have been told that the only way to get rid of really nasty smells from one's dog is to wash them with ketchup but I think it is the weak vinegar ingredient that does the trick! I ran over a dead skunk once. That was interesting. Perhaps a pet skunk is the answer to bin smells.

 

Tony

[Oldddudders]

Frank Muir and Denis Norden must have seen a different type of "no smoking" sign:

 

 

 

I recall a sign with the two words in a line in a kinda frosted glass effect - no colour - which may have been etched. It certainly fits with both stories one way or another.

[Ian Hargrave]

Am I the only person who was amazed that Chris Evans' listening figures have increased - he just grates with me every time I see and hear him!

 

Oh and HELP - can anybody suggest a way of getting rid of the smell of Jeyes fluid from the two bins that I've treated - I've flushed and flushes with the hosepipe and the Karcher to no avail.

Buy a Stihl pressure washer..that'll take care of the smell.......the bin as well,I imagine.

[trisonic]

I recall a sign with the two words in a line in a kinda frosted glass effect - no colour - which may have been etched. It certainly fits with both stories one way or another.

I always wanted to get into a “Ladies Only” compartment on the suburban exGER. Only because I’d rather be surrounded by “swishing” nylons - I love that sound....

Dates me rather........

 

Were they on all regions out of London?

 

Best, Pete.

[Rugd1022]

This just in (it says 'ere)..... two very loud noises heard over our humble abode this afternoon - the almighty Avro Vulcan XH558 making sweet music while heading north, followed about half an hour later by an equally almighty thunder storm. With a bit of luck (and some deft wishful thinking on my part) that gorgeous aforementioned delta winged thingy may have been returning from a blanket bombing sortie over Neasden, which would mean my job would be cancelled tomorrow and I get a lie in. Fat chance!

 

Good 'ere innit?

[Steve Williams]

Morning all

 

Rach 2? Yes, one of my very fave bits of serious music, which indicates how lowbrow I am! But it's a bit above the stuff I'm listening to on YouTube most evenings just now. Bas Amro's "Huitieme Arondissement" may not be around in as many years as most of Rachmaninov's oeuvre! And if Rach 2 has an association it is with the LBSCR, specifically Eastbourne in far off steam days. Blame Vivien Thompson, who would never have seen herself as a fantasy lady - but her modelling put her on a big pedestal, all the same!

 

 

 

I have a copy of her book 'Period Railway Modelling - Buildings'

[New Haven Neil]

Another Stihl fan here, chainsaw and blower/vacuum - faultless, easy to start, always start.  Worth the price, simples.

[trisonic]

This just in (it says 'ere)..... two very loud noises heard over our humble abode this afternoon - the almighty Avro Vulcan XH558 making sweet music while heading north, followed about half an hour later by an equally almighty thunder storm. With a bit of luck (and some deft wishful thinking on my part) that gorgeous aforementioned delta winged thingy may have been returning from a blanket bombing sortie over Neasden, which would mean my job would be cancelled tomorrow and I get a lie in. Fat chance!

 

Good 'ere innit?

 

Best, Pete.

[Steve Williams]

Good morning all,

Dry and sunny to start with but may cloud over with some showers later.

 

 

yllautriv ylsuoenatnatsni -  Nah, can't do it Steve! I suppose you have to be Welsh to manage it?

 

Further to yesterday's post I got a bit of modelling time in doing a few minor modifications to rolling stock and some general tidying up. Then I realised that the gymnastics was on the telly box most of the afternoon & evening so I reverted to sitting down mode but it was a great competition. (Lads & lasses) What made it particularly special was the camaraderie between all the opposing teams and their mutual respect and applause for each other's efforts. Pity the overpaid prima donnas in some other sports can't emulate them.

 

Off to the railway room so have a good one,

Bob.

Well I do have some Welsh in me. The odd thing is that if someone were to say a word backwards, I would not, so easily, be able to recognise it and then say it forward. However, if the word is spoken normally, I can retain the information long enough to pronounce the letters backwards. The closest I have been able to come to explaining the process, is like a radar scanner which rotates and highlights a blip. Before the blip fades, I have recorded it in reverse. For example, if I heard the word 'electricity', I would say, phonetically 'yer tis ert keller'. Yes, my wife thinks I'm odd as well! ;-)

[PhilJ W]

 Perhaps a pet skunk is the answer to bin smells.

 

Tony

It will certainly get rid of any annoying neighbours.

[trisonic]

Well I do have some Welsh in me. The odd thing is that if someone were to say a word backwards, I would not, so easily, be able to recognise it and then say it forward. However, if the word is spoken normally, I can retain the information long enough to pronounce the letters backwards. The closest I have been able to come to explaining the process, is like a radar scanner which rotates and highlights a blip. Before the blip fades, I have recorded it in reverse. For example, if I heard the word 'electricity', I would say, phonetically 'yer tis ert keller'. Yes, my wife thinks I'm odd as well! ;-)

I can read upside down books as well as right side up.

 

I do find, however that talking about such things like that and what I get when listening to or performing music does tend to diminish them some how.

I’m not sure why it does but it does.

 

As an example I had another of what my Mother called “party tricks” when I was a youngster but I cannot remember it at all! My folks are all dead so I cannot ask any of them. Strange, really.

 

Best, Pete.

[Steve Williams]

I can read upside down books as well as right side up.

 

I do find, however that talking about such things like that and what I get when listening to or performing music does tend to diminish them some how.

I’m not sure why it does but it does.

 

As an example I had another of what my Mother called “party tricks” when I was a youngster but I cannot remember it at all! My folks are all dead so I cannot ask any of them. Strange, really.

 

Best, Pete.

 

I believe proof readers do / used to read upside down. It forces one to concentrate on what is being read.

[45156]

I always wanted to get into a “Ladies Only” compartment on the suburban exGER. Only because I’d rather be surrounded by “swishing” nylons - I love that sound....

Dates me rather........

 

Were they on all regions out of London?

 

Best, Pete.

There were some on the Southern - I remember them on some of the 4-SUB stock - they also were on some of the modified slam door stock which was made up of compartment stock.

 

Just checked Flightradar 24 and niece is now over Wyoming - that is some site - I've been able to track her flight on and off all day - it appears to be pretty accurate too as far as I can see.

Edited July 31, 2014 by 45156

[trisonic]

Interesting! Were they trained to do that, I wonder? I can’t remember a time before I could do it.

 

Cheers, Pete.

[station cat]

Any idea what - I'm at my wits end...

 

 

Jeyes fluid must be like Marmite; `folks either love it or hate it ...........................I quite like its scent (like the carbolic soap we had at Prep. School) and evidently it`s also very good for treating Dropsy!

 

 

How about marmite?

 

Or vinegar as mentioned by Tony?

 

In other words - no I don't know what you could use.

[trisonic]

But are you at your wits end, yet?

 

Best, Pete.

[45156]

How about marmite?

 

Or vinegar as mentioned by Tony?

 

In other words - no I don't know what you could use.

I'll try anything

[Happy Hippo]

Daughter gets married tomorrow.

 

All set for the big day, although it has been a tad hectic.

 

The groom's side is, let us say, not as organised as I would like.

 

My old CSM would have said:

 

"If that man's family tripped over, they wouldn't find the floor on the way down"

 

Still, once he is my son in law, he will receive a welcome addition to his (Oxbridge) education.

 

All done in a subtle and kindly manner....................and he was worried about a mother in law!

Edited July 31, 2014 by Happy Hippo

[southern42]

Jeyes fluid must be like Marmite; `folks either love it or hate it ...........................I quite like its scent (like the carbolic soap we had at Prep. School) and evidently it`s also very good for treating Dropsy!

 

Is that on toast or in cheese sarnies?

[NGT6 1315]

Happy anniversary, Ian! May there be many more years to follow.

 

Feet aching after another day on the streets of Londinium. None of the model railway outlets I checked so far had quite what might have convinced me, so another try is in my plans for tomorrow. Aside from the Science Museum.

[andyram]

Good evening all. Apologies for a lack of a posting yesterday - caused by Amber not sleeping until almost midnight thanks to an acute case of wind. Today will be my last posting until the weekend too. We return home tomorrow and that means no internet until the Virgin engineer comes to sort us out on Saturday (no mucky jokes please!!)

 

 Yesterday we went to the Bure Valley Railway and enjoyed a trip from Aylsham to Wroxham and back behind the tank engine "Mark Timothy". This took my summer steam miles to 55 in just one week. A photo of the loco shown below:

 

 We broke our journey in Wroxham as Sarah wanted to take Amber around the large "Roy's" toy shop. Whilst in there Amber made a beeline for the Biro display and started to play with the toy trains - that's my girl!!! Mind you she decided to spend her money on a Postman Pat toy instead of expanding her wooden train set. Both toys seem to be rivalling Peppa Pig for her favourite at the moment.

 I was interested to see a small display of Subbuteo products in the shop. I thought that this had long since died a death. I remember playing with this loads when I was young, in fact my old team sets are still in the loft at my parents. I never had a pitch, as I always borrowed my brother's. A pitch set was on sale for only £12 and I was so tempted!!

 

 Before our return journey we visited the new model railway display at Wroxham Miniature Worlds. This is a new attraction which features a number of permanent model railways, all on different world themes. There is a 00 gauge British outline, running a selection of steam and modern image. Lots of movement, but to be honest the model looks very clean and bland in my opinion. True it is built with off the shelf products, but it still looks too stark! Pictures below:

 

There was also a large Lego set, a Garden Railway display and a HO European display. The latter featured a Swiss scene and was the highlight of all the models.

 

There was also a large automated Skalectrix track with a glass case displaying many other slot cars. Other cabinet displays featured toys of the 60's, Sindy and Thomas although none had any sort of interpretation or information. The layouts did, and featured a number of "things to spot" lists which were good for the children.

 All in all a pretty good start for this attraction which certainly has the potential to better many other such attractions. However it does need a better retail outlet, probably stocking model railway stuff, its café needs to actually stock all of its advertised menu instead of 20% and at £7.95 for adults it is quite pricey for something which will last an hour at best!

 

 Mentioning retail outlets - the Aylsham gift shop is one of my favourites and always costs me money. The best model railway range I have seen for sometime. I came away with a three pack of fish wagons and Bachmann small goods shed, the latter is to replace my poor scratch built effort on Skaleby West.

 

 Today we have been to Wells and to the RSPB reserve at Titchwell Marshes. A pretty good day although Amber did struggle after her lack of sleep last night and Sarah has found it tough, she was quite emotional this evening and almost wanting to go home early. A quiet night in seems to have done the trick.

 Tomorrow's plan is to Norfolk Lavender before calling in at the shops in Hunstanton for gifts before we head for home.

 

Catch you again when the Virgin man has been!

Edited July 31, 2014 by andyram

[Barry O]

Polly ...Just try a cheese, ham and marmite toastie... scrumdacious!

 

Jock.. about to imbibe a tincture.... a drop of Old Poultney tonight!  Slainte!

 

Pete... Neasden,, when was the last time I heard that??? (and do I ever need to listen to it again???)

 

me I still prefer Cushie Butterfield, the Lambton WOrm  and the North Eastern Classic - Lavenders Blue...

 

Stay calm over night everyone..

 

Baz

Edited July 31, 2014 by Barry O