Early Risers.

[Rugd1022]

Yet another day 'control orders' due to the logs not running, might go and have a look at gresty lane later for something to do, its been resignalled so would be handy to see

 

Annual leave from today until the 27th december but working my rest days next week, refreshing the cambrian to machynlleth

 

Got my new years eve roster, 23:00ish from greenford to bescot, arriving 03:30, i dont go out new years eve so that suits me nicely

 

Commiserations Jim, you know how it is at Bescot.... if you go in there on New Year's Eve the shunter won't appear from the cabin until Easter Sunday...!

 

Just received my 'text of doom' from our roster clerk (a fellow RMWebber by the way), looks like I've only got one day's work next week then I'm rest days / annual leave till 2/1/16! Sounds great doesn't it.... the other half read the text and realises she can now put me to work on yet more DIY until the New Year arrives!

Edited December 11, 2015 by Rugd1022

[edcayton]

Snozzle and, closer to home, Snotballs. (clue-forthcoming model railway show)

 

Ed

[brianthesnail96]

Afternoon all.

 

Sorry to hear that Jock has been "shunted".

 

I'm enjoying these "spoonerism" and similar anecdotes. We have a tendency to mash words together, it started as a bit of a joke (I think it came from the spoof science show "Look Around You" originally) but has become a slightly unfortunate habit. I did once go into a Subway and order a football roll in lieu of a footlong meatball roll, much to the bafflement of the lass serving- took me a few seconds to register why everyone started laughing. I think that was more as a result of a long journey in a ropey old Transit van than anything else though.

 

Ahh, haircuts, that's the other thing. Much like baths, I have one once a year whether I need it or not. Generally in spring- the winter coat is coming on nicely. It then gets clippered all over so it stays reasonably short during the warmer weather. A friend normally does the honours in exchange for a beer or two. 

 

As Laura generally has hers fairly short (and interesting colours, although less so these days due to having to at least give the impression of being an adult while at work), mine is quite often longer than hers at this time of year. Her haircuts are rather more regular and I suspect more expensive, I've never dared ask in case she starts questioning my spending habits...

Edited December 11, 2015 by brianthesnail96

[southern42]

' Afternoon all. Sunny and chill wind.

More seasonal stuff to sort this afternoon with a bit of online shopping.
 

Shopping completed and  a moreasons breakfast consumed (they do a mean scrambled eggs on toast).
 
Her indoors taking eldest Herbert (all 6' 4" and 9st 4lb of him) to  collect a Christmas tree - if its taller than him it won't fit! and then she too is off to the dresser of hair. This costs 4.5 times my hair cutting costs so to make up for this might just buy some railway bits.
 
Baz

 

Now you know why I have long hair.     

 

Mixing words up?  Uh, uh!  I just swap them around.
Right then, with that issue cleared up, I'm off to put the pot in the tea.
 

[chrisf]

... such 'silly' terms as St Pancreas (which is what I have also long called that station)

 

Many years ago I was saddled with the task of setting and presenting a railway-based quiz.  The final round invited contestants to suggest station names with body parts in them.  I disallowed St Pancreas, of course, and was surprised at how long it took them to suggest Penistone.

 

Sorry for interrupting and see you in the morning

 

Chris

[big jim]

Commiserations Jim, you know how it is at Bescot.... if you go in there on New Year's Eve the shunter won't appear from the cabin until Easter Sunday...!

 

Just received my 'text of doom' from our roster clerk (a fellow RMWebber by the way), looks like I've only got one day's work next week then I'm rest days / annual leave till 2/1/16! Sounds great doesn't it.... the other half read the text and realises she can now put me to work on yet more DIY until the New Year arrives!

To be honest i dont mind, we dont go out on new years eve anyway coz of the kids so i offered to work, a tasty little bonus too which should help towards some new rolling stock!

 

The main thing is im off christmas eve and christmas day, i did offer to do boxing day but nothing happening, the job on the 27th is a simple one too, fire up a loco in greenford and work it and the train to bescot, job done

[The Stationmaster]

Commiserations Jim, you know how it is at Bescot.... if you go in there on New Year's Eve the shunter won't appear from the cabin until Easter Sunday...!

 

Just received my 'text of doom' from our roster clerk (a fellow RMWebber by the way), looks like I've only got one day's work next week then I'm rest days / annual leave till 2/1/16! Sounds great doesn't it.... the other half read the text and realises she can now put me to work on yet more DIY until the New Year arrives!

Some folk have all the luck - we always used to work Enginemen on a volunteer list for Christmas Day then roster Boxing Day and New Year's Day so they were guaranteed one or the other off (if we could manage it) and the staff side of the LDC kept a record of days worked for all Bank Holidays so it was easy to spread the load fairly.

 

With our On Call rosters it was luck of the draw and you were either on or off although if you were on call at Christmas that automatically meant New Year off call.  Until my last big railway job where being on a 1 in 4 rotation it meant if used missed either Christmas or New Year you would miss one or other (or both) for the next couple of years - until some git decided to make it fairer we should rotate all 4 of us through either Christmas and New Year every other year simply by changing the roster positions, bloomin' cheek as I therefore missed two years clear of both (er just like you're getting).

[roundhouse]

The event I mentioned earlier was the naming of the Southern 73 to GRAHAM STENNING our long time friend and crew member at shows till he took I'll. Photo taken today at Brighton depot where his family unveiled the name plate.

Graham trained many people to maintain trains both here and Selhurst so quite fitting that Southerns rescue loco now carries his name.

 

Soon we will be heading off to one of his favourite watering holes, The Evening Star.

[Ian Abel]

I was listening to the discussion re Heathrow expansion on the news and they were talking about the relocation of BA headquarters and other buildings to make way for the runway.  

 

Almost as an aside at the end of the report they also said "the M25 would need to be moved".....

 

That'll be fine then......

Gordon, seems simple enough, do they want to move it a bit to the left or a bit to the right?

 

So POETS day arrives, and I WILL be participating

Two reasons;

i) Have to pick up Jemma from work mid-afternoon, back here to retrieve her belongings and then onto a 5:30PM plane home to Billings

ii) MORE IMPORTANTLY - there seems to be a continuing gathering of cockwombles from various clients managing to break everything in sight! I'm bailing out before I decide to shut down all their systems for the weekend so they can re-group and think about the lunacy they are self-imposing <sigh>

 

Still waiting for a parcel, might end up NOT showing by the weekend, therefore meaning I'll have to wait a WEEK before playing running it - back to Long Island Sunday-Thurs

 

2 and overcast this morning, expecting a high of 6, same weather all weekend supposedly, with the addition of rain both days!

[lightengine]

My sister once came home from Girls Brigade singing about '..... the father, the son and the hairy ghost'.

Prior to marrying in Belgium my wife told me that we had to go and see the 'nutter'. I looked amazed and queried it. I then understood the notaire.

A guy I worked with on the ferries, Geoff, always responded to a comment pointed at him by saying 'I resemble that remark'.

A down's syndrome lad I worked with suddenly came out with 'pissy arse', it took several more repeats until we understood he was saying 'peace at last'.

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Hooray - broadband back, but what a nightmare getting it sorted - I know exactly what was wrong, but conveying it to the phone and the online staff was a real uphill struggle.  I told then numerous times that the problem was at the exchange, and that no access to the property was needed at all, as all relevant tests were performed last Wednesday, but despite that an Openreach engineer arrived today and promptly repeated the tests, despite my saying that it wasn't needed, after which he agreed with my assessment of the fault.  Now I know why I took early retirement from BT as I used to have to try to resolve just that sort of issue.  I won't rant, as it has no great benefit now - it's just the way the world appears to have gone.

 

As I said, we did get away quite lightly out here just outside Lancaster, and Geoff and I were really stuck between two areas with problems, but somehow the worst of the flooding and the power cuts passed us by.  However, looking at parts of Lancaster today, it does appear that the city did get more of a pasting than I'd realised, as many of the businesses at the bottom end of town are closed until further notice - including the Wetherspoons near the bus station.

 

All I can really do is to offer generic greetings, as I have no hope at all of catching up with ten days' of posts - if some kindly soul could update me if there's anything at all that I need to know about then I'd be most grateful.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Rugd1022]

Some folk have all the luck - we always used to work Enginemen on a volunteer list for Christmas Day then roster Boxing Day and New Year's Day so they were guaranteed one or the other off (if we could manage it) and the staff side of the LDC kept a record of days worked for all Bank Holidays so it was easy to spread the load fairly.

 

With our On Call rosters it was luck of the draw and you were either on or off although if you were on call at Christmas that automatically meant New Year off call.  Until my last big railway job where being on a 1 in 4 rotation it meant if used missed either Christmas or New Year you would miss one or other (or both) for the next couple of years - until some git decided to make it fairer we should rotate all 4 of us through either Christmas and New Year every other year simply by changing the roster positions, bloomin' cheek as I therefore missed two years clear of both (er just like you're getting).

 

Trick is to get in early these days - I booked this December's annual leave way back in January Mike!

 

More DIY accomplished today (somehow, it was all just a blur!), more to come no doubt...  

[jamie92208]

Afternoon all.   Amazon have excelled themselves.   2 phone calls, the 2nd from Zuzanna in Slovakia, and 2 emails from different departments.  Of course this is nothing to do with me blogging in Facebook.   I call that success.   The rest of the day has gone OK.  2 Ebay parcels posted, the piggybank is being rebuilt.  Shortly off to the chippy to get our tea then off to the clubrooms.  Life is going well.

 

Jamie

[edcayton]

Fairy (for ferry), Cadana (Canada), gabloon (balloon) all from No.1 son. My favourite is dekkit (breakfast), modified to McDekkit if a certain "restaurant" is used. Loads of others, I'll try to remember some.

 

Ed

[newbryford]

POE happened (and the TS&S is sorted). I spoke to my pupil with the cancelled driving test and his new date is on the 5th January, so not too big a delay (the quoted waiting time for my local test centre is 6 weeks)

 

So I fired up the steam stripper for some more wallpaper removal. Now about halfway around the hallway/stairs/landing. The difficult bit around the front door is done, so the second half should actually be easier apart from the long reach directly above the stairwell. A suitable work platform is on hand.

 

Then I got roped in to fixing an errant deep fryer at wife's work. Couldn't do anymore than order a spare control thermostat, so no need to get greasy with that yet - probably Tuesday.

 

Tomorrow sees a train trip darn sarf to visit the London Area DEMU gang for their Christmas get-together, before heading out to Chelmsford to meet Junior to go and watch a ice hockey match. Chelmsford v Streatham - 1st v 3rd in the league, so should be a good encounter. Then onward to Colchester to end the evening. Junior is not wanting to take her old Dad to the SU bar...... Return home on Sunday. (Jock has been warned that I'm about!)

 

Just checking the trains from Liverpool Street to Chelmsford and it looks like I have a choice of Class 321 or Class 360 EMU or loco hauled with a Class 90 and Mk3's... I wonder which one I'll go for?

 

Need to check the Chelmsford-Colchester service for similar comfort.

 

As for Christmas schedules, I'm working on the 25th. Not driving, but at wife's work. There's about 100 coming for lunch between 1200 and 1430. As Mrs NB is working and Junior is away (also working as part of her uni course!), my choice would be to stay at home on my own (and probably crack open a large beverage or three), or get paid to join in the festivities as a barman/gopher.

 

Have a good weekend folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited December 11, 2015 by newbryford

[Stubby47]

As a long time lurker and occasional poster on ER, it was my great pleasure to meet Mr Ian OD in Kernow Model Rail Centre this afternoon.

 

He then proceeded to have no less than the man himsrlf, Mr CT, scurrying around the shop to fulfil his purchasing requirements.

 

Someone on here is a really lucky lass.

[BoD]

As a long time lurker and occasional poster on ER, it was my great pleasure to meet Mr Ian OD in Kernow Model Rail Centre this afternoon.

 

He then proceeded to have no less than the man himsrlf, Mr CT, scurrying around the shop to fulfil his purchasing requirements.

 

Someone on here is a really lucky lass.

 

Shush!!!

You are giving away what he has bought her for Christmas.

[BSW01]

Called in for my laptop and was given a brand new one. The techie just couldn't get my old one to work at all, I'm glad he had trouble because I was beginning to think it was me! Anyway whilst I was there I had a phone call from my boss telling me not to go to the Wirral as he's going to give that work to someone who lives nearby. Logic being used, well by chin almost hit the floor. So instead I ended up working within 20 miles of home, on a Friday and it's POETS day too! Get in!!!!!!!

 

Sheila cuts my hair, well what's left of it anyway, when she's ready to cut it she shouts out, Vidal Baboons is open for business. Who am I to argue.

[DDolfelin]

As a long time lurker and occasional poster on ER

 

 

You downplay your contributions!

Who will ever forget your production of the dirtiest loo in railway history?

The many miniatures built to fit in various sized boxes etc., etc.,.

[New Haven Neil]

During the last flood, they only found one goldfish swimming around the goalmouth. . . As for Naga . . . does anyone think she looks a little elvish?

 

Not as much as Emma Simpson - she's been on the news for years, yet has never aged.  Alien, perhaps?

[New Haven Neil]

Half day at work this afternoon covering for John, (I don't normally work Fridays) who was at Groudle arranging the first lot of presents for the Santa trains, with Mrs NHN, who is one of Santa's helpers.  Allegedly. Then John and I are booking on at stupid o'clock tomorrow morning to steam 'Annie' for our duty, first train off Lhen Coan at 10.30.  These marine type boilers aren't the fastest to steam, so plenty of cleaning (in the rain by the look of it) time will be had.  The other crew on 'Sea Lion' steamed her this afternoon so she will be warm in the morning so they don't have to start so early, the rotters.  They're train engine, we're the banker, top and tailed.

[newbryford]

Just thought I'd check my train times tomorrow for the possibility of an earlier train into Bolton/Manchester to make time for breakfast. Lucky I did - engineering works means a bus between Blackburn and Bolton and I would've missed my onward connections. Tickets and times were booked a few weeks ago.

 

So I now have two options.

1. Set off about 55 minutes earlier from local station to then swap to a bus at Blackburn to Bolton (taking blimmin' ages between the two). Regain my route at Bolton and go directly to Man Piccadilly for my Pendo to Lundun Town. With not much time for breakfast in Manc.

2. Set off about 55 minutes earlier and stay on the train as it reverses in Blackburn and goes via Burnley and Todmorden curve to arrive in Manchester Victoria. I then have just a shade over an hour to leisurely stroll across Manchester, taking in breakfast along the way.

(I traversed the Tod curve for the first time a few weeks ago - butthis time it'll be in t'other direction)

 

I think I'll see if it's raining before I decide.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[BSW01]

We just had our daughters 3 youngest childrentonight, aged 8 and twins aged 7 round for tea tonight. There elder brother came round last night for his tea, as he likes a bit of peace and quite at least one night a week. I took them all home about a couple of hours ago so about to open a bootle of red to relax, very much needed.

[Coombe Barton]

Bit annoying, that, Jock. Hopefully ...

 

My previously reported cockwomble has been retreated and now I can get on with things undisturbed.

 

POETS day was duly celebrated - got out five minutes early.

 

New external disk arrived for the Mac today, and now it's busy doing it's Dr Who impersonation (AKA Time Machine). I'm amazed how little configuration work I have to put into this system - it just works, as many millions of Mac owners already know. Having had to have PCs since 1997 I'm now getting annoyed at the hoops I have to jump through to get Windoze to work.

 

Tomorrow we're off to support the Donkey Sanctuary Christmas Fair in Sutton Coldfield, where Sandy's intent on buying Donk merchandise for her class for prezzies. Then I happened to mention that if she makes scarves then why doesn't she make one for her Dad. Bad idea - we now have to find fabric shops!

 

Next Friday it's silly jumper day for charity. Creations with felt and battery operated fairy lights are being planned for this weekend. I was going to do beard baubles but others are doing that. So silly lights it is.

[New Haven Neil]

Tomorrow's job....