Early Risers.

[skipepsi]

Morning all, dull start to the day but nothing exciting planned. Sorry you didn't get the job Andy a near miss is never good you are left with 'what ifs'.

[beast66606]

Morning all.

 

Bad luck Andy.

 

I was up at 06:00 this morning and dashed out to get the first sugar stone working of the season, it was somewhat foggy but there's only one first working, well that was my excuse, it's a train which can bring 60s over my way and as I was awake and checking the loco I thought I might as well go and photograph it. Later I have the more normal stone, so that's two freights on "my" line today ! (well four if I also count the return workings)

 

Those who are vaguely awake may remember I was deliberating going on a 120mile round trip to photograph a ballast - well the decision was made for me, the train failed at Wigan and had already been diverted to Derby Chaddesden sidings because of the state of the track at Foxton - lorries will be used for a while, but at least it's railway coming back into use and I'm looking forward to the landfill trains running next year.

 

One of my nemesis managed to make some huge quantum leaps again which infuriates me - these "leapers" get quoted as authoritative sources of information, which then gets passed as fact and so becomes corrupted.

 

Have a good day all.

[Jock67B]

Morning all,

Visited by all the grandchildren and great grandchildren yesterday afternoon. What a lovely uplifting experience to have the whole group ringed around the bed that I had retired to after quite a few hours of catching up on RMweb!

Feel a bit second-hand today but, as this was the first time I've had a major op, I didn't know what to expect. I am told however that it is common to be swollen, aching, and very weary, accompanied by a bucket load of pharmaceuticals to munch through or inject! I guess John (CB), who has recently been through the mill himself, knows all about it as indeed no doubt do many others.

AndyB, terribly sorry to hear of the knock back but I'm sure your tenacity has to pay off soon. I'm with Pete, their loss!

Pete, loved the flight story but Robert is right, I can't see it happening that way now sadly. I strangely adore flying but much to my annoyance, travel insurance now prohibits it - guess my wings are clipped but only a miserable old g*t (?) would moan considering the many wonderful flights I've had starting with that first time taking the controls of a Tiger Moth 'xx' years ago. Can't help envying Ian's daughter nonetheless, she'll soon be mixing with John Travolta at this rate!

Debs, just love your post - it's quite wonderful when such engineering events spring from such a fertile mind. I guess that's what is called 'thinking outside the box' these days?

I now have to carefully introduce a convincing reason for Joanna to go into town and then mention collection of the GBL Class4 from Smiths (apologies Debs)! Then it's back to trawling through back posts again but I'll get the sack if I spend as much time as yesterday, especially on AndyP's 'Bitton' thread which is fascinating reading for anyone starting out on layout planning (oops sorry again Debs!).

Have a good hump day all, how can those seven days pass that quickly?

Kind regards,

Jack.

[Smiffy2]

Sorry to hear that, Andy.

I know another Andy in a similar position (librarian) and it's hard to swallow.

 

Good to hear from Jock, still trepidatious over Don.

 

A bit dull here, #1 son on the doorstep at 8am looking for his box of plumbing tools. Now I know our house isn't the tidiest in the street, but I think we'd have noticed a large Stanley toolbox left on the premises...

 

Lovely photo on Photostream of Blondie off to her 1st day in Year 1 (it's today, not yesterday as I believed). She looks well up for it.

 

Started the day with Political and it looks like going that way a lot of the day. New soldering iron ordered (and criticised by Julie as we are supposed to be having a 'quiet month') and personal development of a metallic nature work on hold until it arrives. As well as the tracing paper, which I ordered on the 26th August and for which today is the latest quoted delivery day. If Axminster tools can get a 3.75kg vice to me in 24 hours how come 50 sheets of tracing paper takes ten days?

 

Have a good day, y'all.

[Shedman5]

Morning, dry and sunny as per the forecast, taking it easy today as yesterdays exertions mysteriously had an effect overnight ie woke up as stiff as a board and struggled to get out of bed.

 

The stiffness is going thankfully but a good enough excuse to run some trains and  catch up on my  jobs lists rather than tackle the garden project again although its nearly completed.

 

Sorry to hear your news Andy, keep plugging away someone will see the light and snap you up Im sure.

 

Jock it will take time but you will be back on your feet soon enough, don't rush it.

 

Pete's tale brought back memories as the same happened to me, late inbound flight from New Orleans to Chicago,asked to go to the front, off first to be met by a very nice lady who took me down some steps and into a jeep like vehicle to be whizzed across the tarmac to another terminal and onto to a BA flight to Heathrow, last one on and door shut behind me.

 

Luggage arrived next flight and was delivered to the office that afternoon, I think as I was traveling first class ( work paying!) that might have had something to do with it.

 

Joyous times, well not really prefer to be retired and doing my own thing!

 

Enjoy your day folks!

[trisonic]

That’s their loss...................

 

###### up!

 

Best, Pete.

Sorry I can’t seem to type the word: “pe​cker”!

 

 And yes it still does make a difference if you fly 1st Class....

Best, Pete.

Edited September 3, 2014 by trisonic

[Tony_S]

pecker, Peter Piper picked a pecker pickled peppers.

 

PS I do know it is peck of not pecker, just trying out the censor!

Edited September 3, 2014 by Tony_S

[DDolfelin]

Just to add support for Andy.

It may yet be a door that will re-open but best of luck with the search.

[DDolfelin]

Budget Holiday, Episode 3:

Having paid for an upgrade from a 'Standard' Room, I asked what was the difference.

The reply: "It's not next to the lift".

Edited September 3, 2014 by DDolfelin

[trisonic]

That means it is quarter of a mile from the lift...overlooking the children’s jungle gym and disco.

 

Best, Pete. 

[trisonic]

pecker, Peter Piper picked a pecker pickled peppers.

 

PS I do know it is peck of not pecker, just trying out the censor!

picker

 

Test, Pete.

[Robert]

And yes it still does make a difference if you fly 1st Class....

Never have, probably never will!

 

I once managed to get an upgrade to business, and then the aircraft went tech - we ended up on a replacement (a rapidly chartered BAC 1-11) which was economy only.

 

Still, I got to sit in 1A and had a cracking view of.... the bulkhead in front of me.

[AndyB]

Thanks one and all for the supportive comments. Much appreciated. 

One thing I have noticed is that there are plenty of interesting jobs out there and as one opportunity slips away the next one along seems even better. 

 

To put a smile on your faces I saw one job at a company where I used to work where a requirement was "Relentless Collaborator". Perhaps they were trying to attract a French applicant. 

I'll get me coat. 

 

A lot of the recruiters seem sad about the pay that is being offered (I know they work on commission based on the end salary. LOL). I don't see it that way. My standard response now is. "That's fine. Not commuting to London is worth quite a bit to me!" 

 

Just been asked to put my CV forward for another job. Interestingly in the skills table they have weighted every characteristic at 10/10, apart from "Ability to handle criticism and rejection.", ranked at 7/10. I'm practicing weeping into my cuppa ready for any interview. 

 

  

[bbishop]

New D: drive fitted whilst I waited and PC is fired up again.  So back on line, but soon to be off line as I continue the preparation of Höchstädt for Telford.

 

Bill

[The Lurker]

Thanks one and all for the supportive comments. Much appreciated. 

One thing I have noticed is that there are plenty of interesting jobs out there and as one opportunity slips away the next one along seems even better. 

 

To put a smile on your faces I saw one job at a company where I used to work where a requirement was "Relentless Collaborator". Perhaps they were trying to attract a French applicant. 

I'll get me coat. 

 

A lot of the recruiters seem sad about the pay that is being offered (I know they work on commission based on the end salary. LOL). I don't see it that way. My standard response now is. "That's fine. Not commuting to London is worth quite a bit to me!" 

 

Just been asked to put my CV forward for another job. Interestingly in the skills table they have weighted every characteristic at 10/10, apart from "Ability to handle criticism and rejection.", ranked at 7/10. I'm practicing weeping into my cuppa ready for any interview. 

Surely that's the last thing you should practice? After all, it's lowest ranked of all the skills required. Perhaps you need to practice making the cuppa as I assume tea making got a 10/10 weighting?

Edited September 3, 2014 by The Lurker

[AndyB]

Surely that's the last thing you should practice? After all, it's lowest ranked of all the skills required. Perhaps you need to practice making the cuppa as I assume tea making got a 10/10 weighting?

 

You have a point! 

Tea making must be covered by "Personal Organisation" or "Priorities and Demands".

I did like the "Comfortable with ambiguity" requirement. Perhaps I should practice putting on my best "Sgt Wilson" voice.  

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

Not a great day so far but first having overlooked/missed Tony's birthday (I think) many happy returns of whenever it was.  And hard luck Andy - shame you're not in a large organisation as there a 'close miss' would sometimes alert the jungle telegraph with positive results the next time.

 

Anyway and so to today - herself had a 10.00 appointment at the RBH to have her Bluetooth hearing assist thing fitted - there in plenty of time, no trouble parking and off we go to audiology which is located in some nice 1950s concrete buildings and other bits of low level stuff - all rather human in scale.  First she's sent off for a hearing test - which struck me as odd as she was going for something to be fitted but we know from experience that they like to test your hearing every time you attend.  After quite a wait she's called to see the consultant, she sees the head honcho as her not so good ear is a rather special case and he starts off by saying 'well if I was looking at this now I might not have had you fitted with the Bluetooth system - that being the one with which she hasn't been fitted and which she went to be fitted with today.  However there appears to have been a c*ck up on the communication front because the consultant's letter to someone else to do the necessary fitting had never been acted on - he definitely wrote (she saw the copy on the file) but no command to go to be fitted ever reached her.

 

So it's start all over again with strong missive from consultant to various whoevers telling them to get on with it.  So the best part of 3 hrs spent to effectively get nowhere although looking on the bright side she did at least find out that she had got nowhere.  Next appointment March 2015.

 

Have a good day  - what's left of it.

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Now fully caught up, and delighted to hear that Jock is still on the road to recovery.  I can assure you that major surgery DOES have severe effects on one's constitution for quite a while - I was on pain killers for several weeks after my hip repair, and I think it took well over a week to fully recover from the effects of the anaesthetic - I was on the table for 3 1/2 hours - not quite as long as you, but close.  I can assure you that the human body is a remarkable device and will recover pretty quickly in the relative scale of things.

 

Andy, no more I can say, mate - keep on trying and you'll get there soon, I'm sure.

 

DInner duty calls,

Regards to All

Stewart

[Debs.]

Local precision engineering business have got an A-board outside:

 

"Head Turner Wanted - Apply Within"

 

............Phwarrrrrr!

 

......I`m not qualified (evidently!)

[Ian Abel]

Morning.

Rather misty and moist outside. 

Recycling bags have been placed outside, Robbie has checked out the garden, I have made tea and haven't received any other suggestions for how to spend the rest of the day yet.

Until last week I had never heard of the manufacturer of the plane that Ian's daughter will be flying in soon. But one of its  relations was identified as the one that Matthew flew in from Melbourne to Sydney.

Tony

Tony, most folks "miss" the Embraer family even though there are a lot of them out there, including several European carriers (sometimes they can be mistaken for Airbus A319s as they are almost a mini-Airbus in appearance). BA (CitiFlyer) fly them almost exclusively out of London City to various UK and European destinations. They're very state-of-the-art, hi-tech cockpits and all sorts of advanced features - I know this because one of my "other" hobbies/interests is flight simulation and there's an incredibly realistic add-on for the EMB 170-190 aircraft. The systems on the plane are very next-generation, see the photo from Embraer below;

 

 

Andy, as several have already noted, their loss... took me a while last time I went through the process, but even those that decided NOT to choose me, were NOT the better for it in the end. Hang in there and you'll find what you need and who truly needs you

 

A cool 17 here this morning with light rain. Expecting moderate/heavy rain later and remaining cool for the next few days it seems...

 

HUMP day even though we've only a 4-day week as Monday was a holiday.

As I left hte house we managed to get a power outage in the local area - soccer-moms in their SUVs all flustered because Starbucks was dark    I was afraid some of them would pass out due to lack of their "fix" - what a shame

[gordon s]

Message for Andy.  Short term, not getting a job can be really disappointing, but thinking back over 40 years, I didn't get loads of jobs and at the time I was gutted.  I thought it was the end of the world, but now thinking back, the no's were a blessing as something else turned up and became a 'yes'.  It's just part of life's challenge  and remember, the yes this time round may have been the first yes that guy may have had.  It may simply be his turn and your turn will come.  Invariably the job you will get is better than the one you nearly got….

 

Stay positive, stay upbeat and it will happen.  Trust me….

[PhilJ W]

Ian, most of the aircraft operating out of London City Airport seem to be Avro 146's, a bit long in the tooth now. HRH Charlie once managed to prang one of the Queens Flight ones.

[trisonic]

You can get a flight to New York from London City. It has to top up it’s tanks at Shannon. Airbus 318.

 

 

Best, Pete.

[AndyB]

Wise words, Gordon. These things happen for a reason and there will be something great round the corner. 

And many thanks to all including a very supportive PM from ER's finest. 

 

In current circumstances I probably won't be heading to RMLive.

However, by way of participation in some form I have a cunning plan which is brewing in my mind....

 

The round trip would be 5 hours, plus time at the show.

I'm wondering how much progress a chap could make on a layout in, say, 8 hours.

Rule 1 - no additional cost to be incurred and use only materials to hand. 

Rule 2 - get permission for a "Garage Day" from swmbo

Rule 3 - post pictures to a layout thread every couple of hours to show progress so those ERers attending the show could follow it from the bar you'll be in!  

Rule 4 - build the layout as I'd approach a manufacturing process. 

 

Meantime I believe I suggested, rashly, that tonight was the night to try the chili harvest. A curry is always guaranteed to cheer a chap up!  

[Barry O]

KLM Cityhopper started to use the Embraers' on the Leeds-Schiphol route... when i flew regularly to Bremen it was F27 to Schiphol and then a new F50 to Bremen.. happy days!!

 

AndyB - don't give up!  Despite my best efforts I am occasionally asked to submit my CV for jobs which "may be of interest to you" .. the last one being a Continuous Improvement Manager for a food processing firm. I know about CI but Food Processing - not a iota of knowledge other than eating/drinking the end product!

 

Strangely enough the order for FRES Scout makes interesting reading ... safeguarding 200 jobs in Wales... shame about the tank factories in Leeds, Newcastle, Coventry and Telford that have either closed or lost a lot of skilled engineering jobs... The hull will be made in Spain, the turret in Germany so all we do is glue it together in Wales or would that be Donnington?  To make it worse we, the taxpayer FUNDED an American Company to take on a factory in Wales.. when viewed from the outside the UK we are politically NUTS!!   sorry rant over ....but a real Tank Designer I do get miffed when I see political drivel ....

 

Grumpy Baz

 

ex Tank Designer, Challenger 1 and 2