Early Risers.

[trisonic]

That's IT, you've pushed me over the edge Pete, I never buy tickets, BUT, will do this weekend just so I can be "...some git in Minnesota..."  Well, at least I can dream!

Thing is, if I win, I'll pay for a weekend meeting for all the ERs at whatever is determined to be the best Model Railway show we can attend in the UK - but there'll be TWO conditions;

i) Everyone has to shower EVERY DAY

ii) No one is allowed to take a rucksack to the show

 

 

That’s good as I generally shower twice a day.......

Look forward to you winning Ian - perhaps you’ll also buy a second house on Barbados. To thaw out.

 

I believe first prize is over $800million right now...

 

Best, Pete.

Edited January 8, 2016 by trisonic

[roundhouse]

Evening all. Off to the pub shortly to mull over the Chief Medical Officer's latest advice over 4 units and a packet of crisps.  

 

In other dodgy statistical evidence of the day I note that Hampshire is now a dangerous place to live because it causes more disease and death than anywhere else. 

The causal nature, apparently, is due to the elderly age of the population who, inconveniently, start to wear out more than people in other counties who have younger residents.

Taking this startling news a step further the cause would seem to be that the county is, presumably, a pleasant place to live and folk like to settle here in retirement; so in a sense it is the geology, topography etc of the county that is causing our demise. I'm waiting for someone to propose that we tarmac over the whole place to help reduce our high mortality rate. 

 

Quiet weekend planned with some progress on the layout intended.  

It will be crisps next

[AndyID]

I'm waiting for someone to propose that we tarmac over the whole place to help reduce our high mortality rate. 

 

No need for that. You all just need to get busy and jack up the birth rate a bit.

[BoD]

 Our local paper has just started a campaign against bad parking

 

Our local rag has started the same.

I wonder if it's a campaign by the proprietors. I think they are the same ones, JP, I believe you have made use of their rail travel token special offers in the past, as have I. Probably used the same four generic pictures on the front page too.

Any one else's local rag going thus?

 

A decision regarding Christmas presents. Do I read a historical treatise on the social implications of the closure of Whisky distilleries in the early 20th century or The Broons annual.

[newbryford]

It will be crisps next

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Donw]

I did think about buying a lottery ticket but the lady on the radio said you were more likely to be struck by lightning than you were to pick the right numbers so I thought it better not to chance my luck I have no wish to be fried.

Don

[Tony_S]

I misheard the news and thought it was one alcohol free day, so I suggested Feb 29th.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all.

[BoD]

I misheard the news and thought it was one alcohol free day, so I suggested Feb 29th.

Dry January?

It's peed down every bloomin' day so far.

Edited January 8, 2016 by BoD

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Glad to say that the back problem has cleared itself up, helped by a couple of ibuforin tablets. I also identified the cause, a muscle 'spasm', as when I laid flat on my back it felt as if I was laying on a rolled up newspaper under my spine. A quick check of my back muscles and they felt stiff and 'frozen'. I've had the problem before and ibuforin is the best medicine together with a bit of gentle exercise to loosen up the muscles. Don't get me started on parking its a real pain around here, mine is the end house and my drive is only about 5 yards from the end of the road but the idiots still insist on parking in that 5 yards rather than park around the corner and walk another ten yards. The odds on winning the jackpot on the lottery is 49 million to one,    I don't think I'll bother. This is because Camelot increased the number of balls, before they did so it was only 14 million to one.

[emt_911]

Absolutely shattered.

 

Night all

[Barry O]

The big problem with the research into drinking is that no one ever tells the truth when asked "and how much do you drink"... So anything based on statistics gained from interviews has to be taken with a pinch of salt.. Oh no, you can't have salt its bad for you as are salted crisps, mind you eating any kind of food is bound to do you no good at all... Sometimes I wish these guys spent time fixing really important things rather than grabbing the headlines with fixing the low hanging fruit concerns. How my grandparents lived into their 80s eating and drinking all that's now bad for you heaven only knows. And how come we are all living longer?

 

Stay safe, sleep well

Grumpy baz

[laurenceb]

Night all

[Tony_S]

The big problem with the research into drinking is that no one ever tells the truth when asked "and how much do you drink"... So anything based on statistics gained from interviews has to be taken with a pinch of salt.. Oh no, you can't have salt its bad for you as are salted crisps, mind you eating any kind of food is bound to do you no good at all... Sometimes I wish these guys spent time fixing really important things rather than grabbing the headlines with fixing the low hanging fruit concerns. How my grandparents lived into their 80s eating and drinking all that's now bad for you heaven only knows. And how come we are all living longer?

Stay safe, sleep well

Grumpy baz

Allegedly people tell untruths about all sorts of things, how much television they watch, amount of exercise, who they intend to vote for etc.

[BSW01]

Evening all, once again many thanks for all the support, it's very much appreciated. Yippee it's POETS day. The day started of grey and wet but by mid morning the sun was out and remained so for the rest of the day. Today found me working in and around the hedgerows of Widnes first thing then onto the Wirral for the rest of the day. I got home just after lunch but still had some paperwork (via laptop) to complete before I could properly say I've finished for the week.

 

We had our 3 youngest grandchildren round for tea tonight. Out youngest granddaughter is stopping over tonight. In the morning her elder sister will come back and spend the rest of the day with us, until we take them both home mid afternoon.

 

This evening was spent in the pool once more, completing about 50 lengths again, for it only to be cut short by getting severe cramp in both thighs! At which point I decided to call it a day and went home.

 

Don't get me started about bad parking, our town has what I rate as the worst I've ever seen, as for driving standards, I'll leave it there.

 

Persisting it down now!

 

I'm off to bed now as I'm knackered.

Goodnight all

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Jock67B]

Evening all,

I've rested most of today and certainly feel better for it, having modified some underpants to prevent chafing in what is a delicate area! It's strange how you lose all inhibitions about talking on such a subject after being subjected to all the medical procedures necessary. When young you wouldn't even mention a pimple on your bottom.

Stewart, sorry to hear about your pain my friend. It was very lucky that you should have been seen by a pain control expert though, and so we'll cross our fingers that the new regime works, and quickly!

Neil(NHN), your pain on the other hand, seems to be lingering much longer than it should - must make it awkward when you climb on one of your bikes! My oncologist assured me that no-one should feel pain in this day and age and will be working on my little problem when I see him again on the 21st. January. The Colchester General hospital has a pain control expert on the staff. Do you have one on the 'Island', or does it mean a trip to the mainland? It might be worth some research. Thought of you, and your love of older bikes today - one of my neighbours has invested in a couple recently : a Greeves Trials with what he thinks is a 150cc Villiers engine, and an almost completely restored 200cc Tiger Cub. He was bemused when I remembered how to modify the little chrome rocker covers - they were renowned for leaking copious amounts of oil after service, due to over tightening of the single bolt which secured them. The problem was that they were a fairly thin piece of chromed sheet steel, cup shaped, with the bolt in the centre which flared out the edges if tightened too much, and they wouldn't seal again! I came up with a fix which worked well in that I cut a short length of steel tube of similar diameter to the bolt. This was placed under a new cover and being exactly the correct length, allowed the bolt to tighten enough to 'crush' the gasket without deforming the cover. Someone made a ribbed alloy replacement but we couldn't locate any. He rode the bike round to my front door this afternoon to show me that he had successfully fitted the modification which I had sketched up for him. He has seen my old fibreglass Bell helmet hanging in the garage and asked me if I wanted to go for a short ride and it really tugs at my heart being that close to a bike again, now that I'm banned. I'd never get the 'space hopper' on the saddle in any case! Are you all asleep yet?

BBC news programme riled me today with its insistence that the Flying Scotsman was the first steam locomotive to achieve the magic 100mph recorded speed. They did highlight that it was the first 'official' record of it but all railway history buffs will believe that the feat was in fact achieved by the 'City of Truro', making 102.3 mph, on 9th of May 1904. The journey was recorded by the renowned time-keeper and railway journalist Charles Rous - Marten. No one doubted the veracity at the time when It was published in 'The Railway Magazine', a trusted favourite through the years with railwaymen, including my dad! I know that all sorts of controversial views have been expressed in the years since then. Your views please folks, if indeed you have any on the subject?

Hoping for some reports on the RMweb members London lunch later today.

That should get some discussion going then! Tired now, so it's time to wish all our ailing friends better health, and to those who manage to dodge too many chores - have a great weekend!

Kind regards,

Jock.

G'night Pete! G'night insomniacs!

PS Brian(BSW01), your post came in as I was typing but it appealed to me that you are yet another proud grandfather. Hope you get as much joy from yours as we do from ours! J.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Jock67B

[jamie92208]

Goodnight all from a now dark again village.  Just had time for a quick read through, will post in the morning.

 

Jamie

[Two_sugars]

Looks like this Grandad is taking his granddaughter - and daughter - for lunch tomorrow. . . . 

 

Goodnight  everyone . . .Sleep well.

 

 

John

[pH]

Misty afternoon on Sasamat Lake:

 

[NGT6 1315]

Mawnin' awl. Been up for a while but needed to empty a teapot of East Frisian blend first. Colds always get most annoying in the mornings and evenings, don't they?

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

So seven gentlemen gathered in a pub in Shoreditch and put the world to rights for three hours.  There was beer, but not too much, and food.  Some of those who had the fish asked for garden peas rather than mushy and the staff obliged.  Conversation became difficult towards the end, not because we were lost for words but because of the din emanating from the next table.  O youthful exuberance, how I remember you.

 

Getting there was a bit of an obstacle course.   Yesterday morning was not Thameslink's finest hour.  The 09.10 up left at 09.27 because the driver was on a delayed incoming train.  Don't they just change ends any more?  We ran non-stop to St Pancras, shook, rattled and rolled and recovered all but one minute of the lateness.  This was all very well but I had planned to alight at West Hampstead, there to take advantage of the interchange facility that Thameslink still seem reluctant to develop and join the Jubilee Line to Waterloo for some book-shopping.  Never mind, I got there, did not find the book I wanted but instead bought one that I did not know existed, exchanged pleasantries with a friend who works there and headed for the LT Museum, there to find the desired tome.  At this point the trip nearly went mammaries up.  I legged it to Aldwych and boarded a 76 bus which goes close enough to Old Street to be useful.  By Bank it was clear that it was not doing so very quickly so it was down into the catacombs, board the Northern Line for two stops, upstairs, follow the map and apologise for lateness.  Hooray for the one day Travelcard.

 

Jock, be careful what you wish for as I present my views on 60103, 4472 or heap of junk depending on your viewpoint.  If only those who were gushing its praises on TV yesterday had presented the full story!  The machine is a bag of spanners and IMHO should have been stuffed and mounted years ago.   After its iconic life and exploits it deserves an honourable retirement instead of prolonged mechanical agony.  Perhaps the millions spent on fixing it would have been better spent on conserving, cataloguing and making freely available the wealth of archive material held at York.

 

Chris 

[Barry O]

Morning all.

 

Didn't sleep well but not sure why.

 

Jock I can't possibly comment on NE 103, suffice it to say a lot of money spent which could have been used elsewhere.

 

Now today could be a sound fitting day or a weathering day but I have a feeling her indoors has some tasks for today. Humph!

 

I need tea!

 

Baz

[DDolfelin]

I have a friend in Portugal.

When she heard about MiL's gall stone diagnosis, she kindly sent me the following.

Might be useful to any ER who may encounter the problem.

 

 

A friend of mine was diagnosed with the same problem in Portugal six months ago... The pain was so bad that she ended up hospitalized for five days on a drip... What the Hospital suggested to "clean the system" was the following nutrition program:

 

White meat grilled, fish grilled or in the oven in tin foil, red meat grilled but only twice a week.

Must eat something every three hours.

Lots of fresh vegetables and fresh greens with all meals with only a drop of pure olive oil... More that the five a day!

Two low fat yogurts a day is a must.

Remove all fat, cook with only a drip of pure olive oil and lots of herbs for flavour, low salt as much as possible.

No alcohol, no soft fizzy drinks, can drink fresh fruit juices or non sugar fruit drinks and plenty plain water.

Can have jam and marmalade (Low sugar) and the plain biscuits per day to compensate the low sugar effect. And for pudding: Jelly with fruits everyday... 

She has done this treatment for the last six months, she has lost a lot of unwanted weight but most important her gall bladder is looking much better and two stones have come out by themselves so far. Doctors say she might not need an operation and no need to take medicines because the regime she is helped so much to cleanse the inside of her...  Tell Mil to give this a try OK? I have seen it with my own eyes !

Edited January 9, 2016 by DDolfelin

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' all,

 

Best regards to all that ail.

 

Constitution foiled by rain today....better forecast for tomorrow.

 

The milky colouring of Is's lymph fluid turns out to be due to an uncommonly occurring gland under the armpit, this was partly removed during the recent surgery and the remainder is now secreting protein into the other fluid build up....all should heal in due course but she now has to take a vitamin supplement to replace what is being lost. Meanwhile, the seroma is filling again, suggesting that radiotherapy won't start in the next fortnight.

 

As for 4472....if it had been properly assessed and all necessary work done on time and to BR standard throughout its career in private hands, then a complete picture of the loco would have been known at any given point. The amount of work needed at this current overhaul would have been less and it would have been a straightforward yes/no decision, in full possession of the facts, as to whether the latest boiler ticket made sense. How much has been lost in labour costs alone, with the repeated stripping down and rebuilding? I doubt that the lesson will be learned even now....there was after all many years experience of an entire fleet of these locos, for those that wanted to understand their needs.

 

Now music by The Lotus Eaters....The first picture of you

 

Feathered ones provided for

 

Enjoy what you do

 

Dave     

Edited January 9, 2016 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71