Early Risers.

[trisonic]

Can I be the first to write:

 

“Tha’s trouble be a brewing in the South China Seas....."

 

The USA (with the backing of Vietnam and the Phillippines) and China are at least loosening their sabre scabbards.

 

Best, Pete.

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

I think you misunderstood the situation, Mike.

Doctors' Receptionists, many Library assistants, some Social Workers, many Post Office Counter Clerks and others on application go to a special school to be trained in the complexities of rudeness and ignorance useful for devout Nazis.

Surely you didn't think they were born like that?

Of course, if ERs have friends or relatives in those posts, they are the ones that prove the rule.

 

It's not an excuse but it could be that there is a disconnection between the Practice Manager dealing with medical necessities and the reception staff.

 

.....we're labouring with NHS appointments just now having had the wife's MRI scan cancelled on Saturday. The combined assault from members of the family within the NHS and the two of us ringing each number that we had been given repeatedly until we were quickly given a new appointment for the next two stages of the process bore fruit and we are now being continually contacted by NHS staff to ensure that we're happy with the new progress.....not the technique that we had planned but we do respond vigourously to being messed around.

 

Dave

[NGT6 1315]

Aye, it's all that formation dancing that does it.

 

Curtsying has been determined to be a contributing factor, too.

[Coombe Barton]

Postcards from the Periphery 2015 number 5

 

Kerry.

 

What, Sandy?

 

Do you think we should tell them?

 

What?

 

That you’ve learnt to speak Shelf Donkese?

 

You mean they don’t know?

 

No, they don’t know their names.

 

Who, Onky and Oaty?

 

Now you’ve told them!!

 

Doesn’t hurt, they’re identical, they won’t know which is which.

 

True.

 

Anyway, why did you mention it now?

 

Well, he hasn’t posted for a couple of days, time we did something.

 

Go on then, Sandy. You’re better at the descriptive that I am.

 

So better say that we went to Torbryan to see the church, Buckfast to see the abbey, then Buckfastleigh for lunch and the museum, then out to Labrador Bay where we all had a run. And Onky and Oaty came out as well.

 

But you do know that those aren’t their full names, don’t you?

 

What do you mean, Kerry?

 

Well, Sandy, Onky is Onky Donk, and Oaty is Donkey Oaty, famous where they come from.

 

Donkey Oaty? Haven’t I heard that somewhere before?

 

Yes, Oaty is Spanish, and everyone’s heard of Donkey Oaty.

 

You haven’t made this up, have you?

 

Course not! Would I ever?

 

Hmmm. Anyway the pic is of them at Labrador Bay.

 

Notice you’re also posing.

 

Well someone had to – you were behind the camera.

 

Oops – he’s spotted us.

 

 

[EDIT] See that they’ve been at it again!

Edited May 28, 2015 by Coombe Barton

[bgman]

Good night all, I hope tomorrow brings what you hope for and its another good day in the Parish of RMWeb, I'm off to Torbay again on the early train to do battle with our great NHS for my son ! We're winning....just ! I think the Ann Robinson/Dom Littlewood type approach is slowly paying off (pity it has to be done) but when you love you're family.... I won't say any more

Sleep well everybody

I'd like to begin by thanking all of you that have pressed the friendly/supportive button it has meant more than I can express here

That said, yes, it is possible to beat "the system " if you are prepared to go all out and arrive unannounced at the doors of those who least expect it during a normal working day. Whilst I accept that certain areas of our NHS is suffering and facing reorganisation it has successfully been circumnavigated by me and tied up many loose ends and left some pretty awkward knots that will need undoing now!

The results of which have given my son all the help he now needs and I'm getting constant feedback which I've insisted upon.

Four long exhausting days of hard rewarding work and seeing two 6 o'clocks come and go each day has final paid off !

I hope it will make a difference to those in Torbay who need attention.

Once again thank you for your support by just taking the time to read and tick that box.

Grahame

Edited May 28, 2015 by bgman

[bgman]

And for those of you who are visiting, I took this earlier this morning at Exeter St.Davids.........

 

 

It was slightly overcast, but thought it might be appropriate during the holiday season

[AndyID]

Postcards from the Periphery 2015 number 5

 

Kerry.

 

What, Sandy?

 

I'm sure most of our esteemed readers will remember the popularity of green transparent sun visors attached to windscreens bearing the names of the occupants of the vehicle, e.g.;

 

FRED MABLE

KEV TRISH

etc.

 

I was always tempted to get one made up with JULIAN SANDY, but as I lived near Glasgow, I thought it might get me into a lot of trouble.

 

I wonder if anyone ever tried it?

[lightengine]

Pleasant weather in sarf debben today. Managed to get some goodies at Bekra models at Newton and then onto a look around Kingskerswell and on into Torquay for an obligatory large steak pasty at the Oggy Oggy pasty shop and a takeaway apple & blackcurrant pasty for laters.

Hope its nice tomorrow for a pint on the back beach!

[bgman]

Pleasant weather in sarf debben today. Managed to get some goodies at Bekra models at Newton and then onto a look around Kingskerswell and on into Torquay for an obligatory large steak pasty at the Oggy Oggy pasty shop and a takeaway apple & blackcurrant pasty for laters.

Hope its nice tomorrow for a pint on the back beach!

Not a bad day weather wise, I've started taking trips down to Bekra Models myself and it has an interesting array of useful items for us modellers, highly recommended by me certainly and especially if anyone is holidaying around the area. The owner and his good lady told me they aren't really a railway shop as such but there are many useful items to be had once you start to delve deeper into the shops contents. It's only a very short walk fro the station too.

[lightengine]

I think you misunderstood the situation, Mike.

Doctors' Receptionists, many Library assistants, some Social Workers, many Post Office Counter Clerks and others on application go to a special school to be trained in the complexities of rudeness and ignorance useful for devout.

Our local post office seems to have this training off to a t. The actual service is ok, but you join the queue reaching the door and it seems that after serving each customer the staff member then counts all their money and all their stock of stamps. The 'rottweiler' who appears to be in charge and who seems to have had a charisma bypass operation comes into view frequently and asks a counter service operative a question that seems to require checking how many parcels are left, how many stamps they have and any other question to delay the queue even longer.

As they already sell broadband, insurance and a plethora of other trivial things I think it is lucky they dont sell sharp knives!

[lightengine]

Not a bad day weather wise, I've started taking trips down to Bekra Models myself and it has an interesting array of useful items for us modellers, highly recommended by me certainly and especially if anyone is holidaying around the area. The owner and his good lady told me they aren't really a railway shop as such but there are many useful items to be had once you start to delve deeper into the shops contents. It's only a very short walk fro the station too.

Certainly the wood is cheaper than Hobbycraft at Bekra. I agree with your delving comment, there are some good finds there. On the plus side also, there is a good fabric shop next to the station to leave the missus in to peruse.

[Tony_S]

We seem to have really pleasant staff in our local post offices. Our GP receptionists are excellent and I have been very impressed on a couple of occasions when I have seen them dealing with difficult people.

I do recognise the type of person Dd meant from some of the school office admin staff I had to deal with in my time doing IT training in schools. Some of them scared the headteachers too!

Tony

Edited May 28, 2015 by Tony_S

[bbishop]

Cat,  have a good holiday.  Photographs, please, of all the wheelie bins that you have raided. 

 

Dom, congratulations on your change of career.  You are safe until 7 April 2016, when Keith (Tetsudofan) and I will descend to spend a day on the Leipzig public transport system.

 

For those interested in Spur Null, I have been posting piccies on the HOCHSTADT thread.

 

Bill

[New Haven Neil]

Funny you should mention wheelie bins - you wouldn't believe how many calls we get from Asian gentlemen wanting our very good price wheelie bins and chemical drums.  We have to explain they are 10mm tall and for models.....hence being so cheap!  Apparently scrolling to the top of the pages doesn't occur to them.  Always Asians too, very odd, I presume their culture doesn't really recognise model railways details.  Bachmann could make a fortune!

[Tony_S]

Funny you should mention wheelie bins - you wouldn't believe how many calls we get from Asian gentlemen wanting our very good price wheelie bins and chemical drums.  We have to explain they are 10mm tall and for models.....hence being so cheap!  Apparently scrolling to the top of the pages doesn't occur to them.  Always Asians too, very odd, I presume their culture doesn't really recognise model railways details.  Bachmann could make a fortune!

Aditi is very amused by this! Perhaps the callers run a small business?

[The Stationmaster]

And very nice pics they are too Bill - but unless they've appeared since early afternoon I am still awaiting the appearance in your batch of one of my favourite German engines, the 78 tank (ex Prussian T18) which I even had the pleasure of travelling behind in their swansong years on Stuttgart - Aalen locals.

 

As for the training school mentioned by DD the clearly have a number of customers locally - the PO counter staff obviously passed out with honours although they are much improved since they were named & shamed in the Letters Page of our local 'paper (no, it wasn't me).  The local station (part time) booking clerk who while of advancing years is clearly not a time served railway person also obviously went on a similar course if what I overheard recently is any guide -  young(ish) lady arrived at the window and asked for a ticket to Debden, it started badly because it appeared that he had never heard of the place although it helped once he managed to get the spelling correct, but then it got worse when he tried to find it on his computerised ticket machine and said that it didn't exist.  The lady remained remarkably calm through all this, considering that she'd had to spell out the name several times, and gently informed him that it was on the Central Line - that seemed to confuse him even more until she added 'the one on the Underground' which at last got him looking for the right thing.  Maybe they have a special school for booking clerks nowadays where they teach them non-geography?

[Tony_S]

Our station seems to be staffed by pleasant friendly but efficient ticket staff. Matthew encountered an odd one once but I think he was having a bad day as a colleague took over the ticket sale.

[Jock67B]

Evening all,

Very tired again tonight, so I haven't had a chance to catch up - I'll try to do so in the morning so meanwhile, the usual commiserations/congratulations as necessary. I did get good news at the hospital and, despite not being too well over the last month, my blood tests came back as good and so I'm back on the chemo for a further month! Result!!

Hope poet's day doesn't disappoint,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[bbishop]

And very nice pics they are too Bill - but unless they've appeared since early afternoon I am still awaiting the appearance in your batch of one of my favourite German engines, the 78 tank (ex Prussian T18) which I even had the pleasure of travelling behind in their swansong years on Stuttgart - Aalen locals.

 

 

Concurrent postings.  A lovely beast as it swings through the pointwork, although I had to modify the Lenz three way points.  Also, it has a non-Lenz chip, with a longer dwell time.  One operator, now sacked, habitually turned the wick up resulting in a debate between the BR 78 (not a lightweight) and a delicate Prellbock.  Only one winner, although the Prellbock has since been rebuilt.

 

Bill

[newbryford]

POETS day should work for me tomorrow.

 

Work for a couple of hours, then off to the club to start the PAT testing of extensions etc. At about 1pm, load up to go to the DEMU showcase at Burton on Trent (link below) to set up my modelling demonstration stand - no.27. Provided, I'm away on time, via Peak Forest for a few photos, then onto Burton.

 

If you're in the area, then come and have a look at the showcase. Even though it's diesel & electric themed (one member of the public did once complain that there weren't any steam layouts despite knowing it was a D&E show..), there are some fine layouts on show. Whatever era/area you model, good modelling is good modelling!

 

Cheers,

Mick

[PhilJ W]

Evening all, Neil might be referring to Asian gentlemen from a bit further east than India. This set me thinking, are their any railway modellers in countries such as India? It would be interesting to see some of the 'local' model products if any are produced.

[bbishop]

Evening all, Neil might be referring to Asian gentlemen from a bit further east than India. This set me thinking, are their any railway modellers in countries such as India? It would be interesting to see some of the 'local' model products if any are produced.

A while ago, an Indian gentleman posted photos of a German HO layout under construction.  Awesome.

 

Bill

[PhilJ W]

A while ago, an Indian gentleman posted photos of a German HO layout under construction.  Awesome.

 

Bill

I was thinking more in terms of models of the Indian Railways. There are some models of Chinese and South American prototypes, usually those derived from American or European railway equipment. As India has an extensive rail system it stands to reason that someone would attempt to model it.

[Barry O]

Evening all!

 

Absolutely cream crackered!

 

Leeds Bradford MCCU v Durham was a very close win to Durham , then after that a T20 which was won by New Rover in the 20th over. So I umpired a bit today!

 

Tomorrow is Test Match Friday followed by a trip to Rotherham on Saturday and Shepley Sunday..such is life when you are an umpire!!

 

Have a great Friday good people and sweet dreams!

 

Baz

[Two_sugars]

Pleased to here your news, Jock. . . . well done that man!

 

Bedtime for me, so Goodnight all . . . Sleep well.