Early Risers.

[emt_911]

Another later start and earlier finish, surely this can't last.

 

I spied another cockwomble cyclist today who decided that he had right of way across a duel carriageway of fast flowing traffic. He then had the audacity to abuse the vehicle drivers.

 

Jamie - I'd definitely order one of those T-shirts.

 

Tony - The better sauerkraut that I've had over here was from Lidl (other stores are available). I've certainly not tried the one mentioned by JD

[BoD]

The sky is grey and cloudy, no breaks,  so there is no sunset as such but the clouds, the light, everywhere has a strange pink tinge.

I've never see anything like it before. It's weird.

 

Edit: It only lasted for a few moments too. Not long enough to get the camera out although I doubt if the camera would have captured just how strange it was.

Edited December 1, 2015 by BoD

[45156]

Back again while waiting for the weekly shop to arrive - still very blustery here, but at least the rain has held off since this morning.

 

Well, many of you predicted that I'd be mithered by callers about the recent accident, and they've started - what a waste of a divert to mobile as the land line is still goosed.  Had a call from Openreach saying that they'd done some remote diagnostics, and was my line now working - NO - made me go through the whole fault locating process which resulted in much crawling around, as they insisted that I disconnect eveything back to the master socket - which I'd already done before logging a fault.

 

I'm off now, hopefully back tomorrow.

[jamie92208]

That's an interesting example of professional black humour, Jamie. It made me wince, though of course I understand the psychological value of this to people who have to deal with such stressful circumstances. 

It was well into the investigation a new senior officer decided to try and engage the people who were outside the team so in batches we all had to attend a lecture that lasted about an hour and a half.  We saw photos of all the crime scenes and victims including PM shots.  They obviously realised the potential impact and there were several bits of humour including a couple of playboy centrefold type photos half way through.  It certainly had an impact and was I believe a genuine attempt to engage the wider force in the enquiry.

 

Jamie

[The Stationmaster]

The wonders of modern shopping - into Tesco for various plus one or two additional items purchased because they happened to be reduced or multi-buys and were all stuff we'd buy anyway at some time.  On the checkout the total came to £63 and a few pence, then knock off the reduced amounts and multi-buys, and knock off the matching of branded prices with other retailers - the price dropped to £54 and a number of pence; knock off the Privilege Card discount, then the Tesco cash vouchers, and we finished up actually paying £43.  Great for us; possibly no wonder that Tesco are no longer reaping in huge profits!

 

Family history for me is relatively straight forward - mother's family firmly centred in the Vale of The White Horse for a very long time (including a great grandfather who fairly certainly took part in the GWR gauge conversion of 1892), father's lot basically in Yorkshire for at least 780 years (and reputedly since 1068, full history trace incomplete) plus a more remotely related branch in Gloucester, and currently a branch in Scotland.  Overall the family includes two Archbishops with the first being in the 13th century and a fairly strong link to a pope in the 9th century.  A number of my father's side also worked on the railway - on the NER in Pre-Group times.

[NGT6 1315]

Dom,

 

What is your take on your new career after a good few months? The tramway in its entirety?

 

There’s probably some good and some not so.

 

Best, Pete.

 

Hi Pete,

 

I'd say definite "plus" items are the varied and interesting rolling stock inventory and extensive network where you can see rather a lot of different corners and people of this city. The majority of colleagues I've had to do with thus far are all right to great, too, though I admit my ties to the others from my training course and to our instructor and my second ops trainer in particular, who are all particularly good people, are still the closest – which I guess may be logical!

Shift patterns and working hours are usually A.O.K., too. Things which I'm not alone in thinking that they could be better are public transport priority routines at intersections – which I should add is not within LVB's sole authority but depends heavily on the willingness of the Municipal Road Traffic Authority, too – and track conditions in various locations, though one particularly annoying restricted speed zone is now scheduled to be addressed next spring. It had been earmarked for engineering work this year but scheduling conflicts with the Regional Road Traffic Authority had prevented that.

[The Stationmaster]

It was well into the investigation a new senior officer decided to try and engage the people who were outside the team so in batches we all had to attend a lecture that lasted about an hour and a half.  We saw photos of all the crime scenes and victims including PM shots.  They obviously realised the potential impact and there were several bits of humour including a couple of playboy centrefold type photos half way through.  It certainly had an impact and was I believe a genuine attempt to engage the wider force in the enquiry.

 

Jamie

I think that in such serious circumstances a touch of humour - often of the black kind - can be tremendously important in making the whole thing bearable understandable (acceptable isn't quite the right word but it's all part of coming to terms with the enormity of what you are dealing with or have dealt with).   I have no time at all for those who seem to think this sort of approach has no place because they are either soulless and/or they have never had to go there - any involvement in dealing with the physical remnants of a human life or those criminally responsible for it can have considerable mental impact which has to be coped with.  

 

Unfortunately one good coping mechanism - talking to and banter with your mates in the pub - is now more difficult due to changes in the way our remaining hostelries have to conduct their business and have moved away from their traditional form.

[laurenceb]

It was well into the investigation a new senior officer decided to try and engage the people who were outside the team so in batches we all had to attend a lecture that lasted about an hour and a half.  We saw photos of all the crime scenes and victims including PM shots.  They obviously realised the potential impact and there were several bits of humour including a couple of playboy centrefold type photos half way through.  It certainly had an impact and was I believe a genuine attempt to engage the wider force in the enquiry.

 

Jamie

One of those times where you have to walk a while in the other persons boots

[NGT6 1315]

I think that in such serious circumstances a touch of humour - often of the black kind - can be tremendously important in making the whole thing bearable understandable (acceptable isn't quite the right word but it's all part of coming to terms with the enormity of what you are dealing with or have dealt with).   I have no time at all for those who seem to think this sort of approach has no place because they are either soulless and/or they have never had to go there - any involvement in dealing with the physical remnants of a human life or those criminally responsible for it can have considerable mental impact which has to be coped with.  

 

Unfortunately one good coping mechanism - talking to and banter with your mates in the pub - is now more difficult due to changes in the way our remaining hostelries have to conduct their business and have moved away from their traditional form.

While not really from the same line of work as Jamie's (assuming I didn't miss anything), I concur that deeply black humour can indeed be a coping mechanism. I admit I've come to better understand the variety of it that's going on among us driving staff since I joined the tram, given the seemingly uncountable ways of how people in traffic may put themselves in danger I've been able to observe thus far. Of course, crime scene investigation is certainly tougher still, but as I said, I think I know what you mean. And, I admit I've found myself thinking along quite similar lines when I observed such abysmal recklessness in traffic.

[Jock67B]

Afternoon folks,

Ref. the dark humour discussion, I recall the leader of the gang who had to enter the tunnel and tube carriages to clear them (he was a customer of mine at the garage!) after the London bomb atrocities, saying that black humour was all that kept them going. Some are apparently still traumatised!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[bluebottle]

I think that in such serious circumstances a touch of humour - often of the black kind - can be tremendously important in making the whole thing bearable understandable (acceptable isn't quite the right word but it's all part of coming to terms with the enormity of what you are dealing with or have dealt with).   I have no time at all for those who seem to think this sort of approach has no place because they are either soulless and/or they have never had to go there - any involvement in dealing with the physical remnants of a human life or those criminally responsible for it can have considerable mental impact which has to be coped with.  

 

Unfortunately one good coping mechanism - talking to and banter with your mates in the pub - is now more difficult due to changes in the way our remaining hostelries have to conduct their business and have moved away from their traditional form.

 

Agree 100%, Mike.

I once had to soothe and reassure a young chap who had recently started work as a trainee operating department assistant. One of his "friends" had told him that he "must have something wrong with him, otherwise he wouldn't be able to bear the sight of people being cut open". I told him to simply tell the "friend" that he should be grateful that there were people like himself in the world. Of course, we were working in a controlled environment. So much harder to deal with death and injury in the world outside.

And I'm glad to see  the word "enormity" used properly; it's depressing that so many people think it means "hugeness" rather than "monstrous wickedness" as exemplified by the crimes of Peter Sutcliffe.

Edited December 1, 2015 by bluebottle

[Ohmisterporter]

Afternoon all. Dentist this morning for an annual check up. Surprised to learn that I need a filling, it is probably ten years since the last one. At £51.30 you don't need too many! Made up for that with a meal at a pub in Morecambe that we like, mainly because it is a Marston's pub that does two for one meals. They were short staffed so we had to wait twenty minutes for our order to be taken. Waitress very apologetic and offered us free drinks. After another lengthy wait the meal arrived and the waitress offered us free desserts. After eating the meal she came back with a voucher for ten pounds off! We don't usually eat desserts but they have a doggy bag service so we could take the desserts home. Altogether we had two drinks, two mains, two desserts all for two pounds twenty!  Smart thinking by the waitress who turned around a situation of "We won't come here again", into "That was all right, we'll go back". 

Stay safe all.

[Ian Abel]

Here's a good reminder for me of how lovely winter in Minnesota can be - taken by the Mrs earlier, a Cardinal at the bird feeder;

 

 

Seems the storm wimped out some, so we only got about 4+ inches of snow, some places a little more.

 

[AndyID]

I suppose a real benefit of 'printing' your own is that you can choose 00, EM or P4 to suit. Are the tolerances tight enough to avoid any running problems? As a matter of interest, how did you go about soldering the frog without affecting the plastic? I look forward to your first double slip now!

 

Hi Jock,

 

Yes, you can print them to any old scale or gauge you like. That one is actually 16.2 mm gauge and it's compatible with modern 00 equipment and the older "finescale" wheels from the likes of Romford, Jackson etc. The timbers are not to 4mm/foot (1:76.2) scale. They are scaled at 1:82, about half way between 00 and H0. I happen to like the appearance, but not everyone agrees with me

 

Soldering is not a big problem. Clean everything well, apply a little flux and a quick touch with a clean, hot  iron. I use a chunk of aluminium as a heatsink on the top surface of the rails.

 

The double slip will have to wait. I don't have any on the Dudgeon High track plan, but I do have a few crossings.

 

Cheers!

Andy

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Odd to see Sutcliffe mentioned - a friend of mine who was in W.Yorks police interviewed him at a much earlier stage in the investigation when the net was being cast wide, and after it all came out agreed that he was manipulative in the extreme, but they couldn't work out what was behind it at that point.  Their boss didn't think he was worth watching too closely at that time......but I suppose it was picked up later when things narrowed down. 

 

To nicer things - HB Bob!  Hope we sent you something from work!

[Ian Abel]

Hi Jock,

 

Yes, you can print them to any old scale or gauge you like. That one is actually 16.2 mm gauge and it's compatible with modern 00 equipment and the older "finescale" wheels from the likes of Romford, Jackson etc. The timbers are not to 4mm/foot (1:76.2) scale. They are scaled at 1:82, about half way between 00 and H0. I happen to like the appearance, but not everyone agrees with me

 

Soldering is not a big problem. Clean everything well, apply a little flux and a quick touch with a clean, hot  iron. I use a chunk of aluminium as a heatsink on the top surface of the rails.

 

The double slip will have to wait. I don't have any on the Dudgeon High track plan, but I do have a few crossings.

 

Cheers!

Andy

So are you going to be selling these??

[Barry O]

Evening all. Tablets being taken (I think I now rattle!) eye drops administered and I have to thank everyone who has contacted me to ask how I am.

 

Must admit i feel pretty carp and overdid it to day by finishing some weathering to be collected this Friday. Don't I just know it!

 

May have to share a night cap with Jock. A wee dram of something from the Orkneys I feel may do teh trick.

 

Sleep well everyone!

 

Baz

[NGT6 1315]

Take it easy, Baz. I'm sure a nightcap will be beneficial, too!

[BoD]

I see that you are a tram now Dom rather than a loco.

I have always wanted to be a tank engine.

[Coombe Barton]

Late, but Happy Birthday, Bob.

[Tony_S]

I see that you are a tram now Dom rather than a loco.

I have always wanted to be a tank engine.

If I chose a number for my user name I think 10100 would be my favourite. Edited December 1, 2015 by Tony_S

[petethemole]

Evenin' all. I got side-tracked earlier and didn't get round to posting. However, a belated Happy Birthday to grandadbob.

 

I was amused to read on the local rag's website that due to local commuters' complaints about overcrowding on peak trains (class 444), they are to get more seats (class 450) on one of the morning up trains. They (well, the MP for Winchester) are now complaining that they will have 3+2 seating with no tables instead of 2+2 with some tables. Apparently they won't be able to use their laptops (uh?). The people who regularly travel on 450s don't seem to have a problem. Actually these might be the apparently hard working commuters staring intently at their screens but who are actually watching DVDs or downloaded movies. They also seem to resent the use of tables for consuming food and drink.

 

I trust everyone's day went reasonably well.

 

Pete

[bbishop]

Tony,

 

I couldn't spot sauerkraut in my Lidl's this afternoon.  However there is a German grocer in Borough Market.

 

Bill

[BoD]

Is it just me or is the site running slow and throwing an occasional wobbler again tonight?

[NGT6 1315]

I see that you are a tram now Dom rather than a loco.

I have always wanted to be a tank engine.

Shall we find a number for you, then?