Early Risers.

[Donw]

2nd bird box now up. No birds nested yet. 

Perhaps they are waiting for the varnish to dry. Talk about fussy!

 

Actually it may be a bit late to put them up for this years birds can be very suspicious of something new. I suspect a lot of them have been eyeing up suitable sites already. Mrs saw a Sparrow collecting feathers perhaps an attempt to get his Mrs in the mood..

 

Don

 

 

PS I liked the pictures from Cheddleton Dave. It looks rather different to when we walked along the canal.

[New Haven Neil]

Just don't mention mattress testing. I did once and didn't quite get away with it...........

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

Damn things.  Last time it cost me a years train money for a Tempur.  Not saying anything about how it was chosen......

[Tony_S]

Just don't mention mattress testing. I did once and didn't quite get away with it...........

 

Cheers,

Mick

We didn't bother with a mattress test. It got good reviews on John Lewis' and the Telegraph website. The description of the materials used in traditional bed manufacture amused me. I am not sure why wool from different parts of the British Isles affects the price or why horsehair from different ends of the horse is more luxurious. I didn't look at the most expensive ones, they probably have unicorn mane as an ingredient.

[newbryford]

Damn things.  Last time it cost me a years train money for a Tempur.  Not saying anything about how it was chosen......

 

Where's the "Too much information" button?

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Ian Abel]

Morning...

 

Quick check in before we head out to meet Trevor and his girlfriend Meghan for brunch. This is the first time we've met her, so I hope she likes old gits!

 

Afraid I've bad news and good news;

Bad news - I didn't win the lottery

Good news - neither did ANYONE ELSE, so it's now up to $1.3 BILLION (US billion that is) for the next drawing - I'll try again so we can all visit "every railway show there is" 

 

On the weather front, was -23 and sunny when I got up this morning and retrieved the paper, a BALMY -22 now at 10:30 and with an expected high of -17 - whoopeeeeee...

 

Enjoy the day

[Jock67B]

Morning all.

 

Dry here now but windy, after a really wet night, interrupted by the sound of a coughing NHN. So much for virus checkers, I'm sure I caught this from Gilbert on the P'boro North thread!

 

Those LDA Sulzers get everywhere.  I'm surprised Jock didn't mention the Peaks, which were the first use of the twin bank (two in-line 6 cylinder engines side by side & geared together to one generator) version here, which went on to be used in the 47's as they got steadily uprated (and became more unreliable).  The type 2's were 6 cylinder, and the 33's 8 cylinder, all in-line.

 

We used similar engines to the LDA26's as generators on ships, from a variety of manufacturers.

 

Correct Neil, but I thought I'd probably bored everyone enough without going on to the 12LDA28 tandem engine which came with inherent unreliability! Effectively gluing 2 six cylinder engines together brought on all sorts of issues with heat, strength of the geared crankshafts etc. - it didn't develop its extra power for long!

Kind regards

Jock.

[Barry O]

It was sunny for a while so I took some photos of model railway locomotives  so just for NHN proper coloured American engine

 

 

and for jock another awaiting a trip into the sound fitting/weathering works

 

 

(built and painted by Graham Varley)

 

baz

 

 

 

 

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Been trying to back track a bit, and I'm pleased that I did, as I managed to catch up with Ed's sad news, and Andrew's unpleasant neighbourly information, as well as Chris F's comment about a missing bank card. 

 

Ed, my thoughts are with you and yours, and I'm sure that all will be fine next time.  Much has already been said, and I can only echo these sentiments.

Andrew - hopefully the authorities will step in and assist in improving your quality of life.  Is the property next door a private let, and if so, is the landlord and/or managing agent aware, as most let agreements have a peace and quiet clause in them.

Chris - if you last saw your bank card when you were getting a statement, and you got it from one of those automated "kiosk" type machines, then there is a chance that you left it in the machine, in which case the machine may have retained it and of so, it may be on its way back to you as these machines are checked daily for retained cards.  I know this because I was waiting to use just such a machine in our local Barclays the other day, and I had to wait while another customer got the machine opened as he had not hit the return card button, and just took his printing.  I really hope that this is the case for you.

Jock - hope again that the swelling is starting to abate. 

Neil - I too am now a martyr to barometric pressure, though in my case it was worse before the hip was replaced.  SInce the op, the hip itself has been a lot less painful, and if a new hip was an option, and was offered, then it is well worth considering.

Everybody Else - generic greetings are the best I can offer.

 

Late on parade again, and AWOL yesterday due to a bit of redecoration in the downstairs cloakroom, which was done in a rush when the room was built, and it appears that the outside wall was not properly sealed after plastering, so the paint has started to bubble and peel.  Stripping it off, there is no damp and no obvious root cause, but a generous coat of a sealing compound yesterday afternoon, then a good coat of new emulsion this morning should put things right - and it was not magnolia, but a paint that we bought for the kitchen, then found that we didn't need it, as we had enough, so now kitchen and cloakroom match.

 

Back tomorrow as need to visit Morereasons online to arrange for the comestibles to be replaced.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Tony_S]

How to upset a "Hobbit"

Me (with innocent expression) "As we had a late breakfast and a late lunch do we really need more to eat this evening?"

[laurenceb]

Ed, all I can say others have allready and better.

[Coombe Barton]

How to upset a "Hobbit"

Me (with innocent expression) "As we had a late breakfast and a late lunch do we really need more to eat this evening?"

 

Don't know whether to do Friendly/Supportive, Funny or ask which hospital you're attending.

[Happy Hippo]

Morning all (just) from a bright and sunny Estuary-Land. The Central African Sancturary for Hippopotami isn't based in Nigeria by any chance? if so can they please let that charming gentleman who telephoned me that know that I am dealing with his cash advance through Interpol. Off to check my lottery tickets now, if its me my next missive will be coming from Barbados.

No we are based in the Central African Republic, although we support hippos all the way from Horton to Botswana.

 

The difference between us and our Nigerian neighbours is that they want you to take their money from them.

 

CASH merely wants you to give money.

 

There is no hidden fees involved with us. The more you give, the more we take.

 

All money received goes directly to Hippos in need.

 

Recent donations have enabled No 1471 to get new wheels, whilst 6412 has been able to purchase an autocoach to push around.

 

4266 desperately needs a selection of wagons in which to carry much needed supplies to hippos living far from civilization (ie Aberdare)

 

Generous donations makes Hippos lives even happier!

[bbishop]

Last Friday, Chris and Flavio spoke about their abortive visit to the model railway display in Brig.  Flavio mooted another trip, and whilst most of the meet had other commitments, I'm still trying to find a focus for my summer holiday.

 

So I played with the Deutsche Bahn website last night and came up with:

Day 1 - StP to Köln, overnight to Basel, on to Brig.

Day 2 - Brig (with Flavio?)

Day 3 - Brig to Wien via Zurich

Three days in Wien(ie 72 hr pass) ?  I've only been to Wien once and there is a lot of Kultur to do

Day Z-1 - Wien overnight to Köln

Day Z - Köln to StP

 

I'm tempted to continue on to Budapest, but this is already taking up a week.

 

I'm unsure of timing.  I normally get away at the end of June, but the early stages of the football could make the railway very busy, so maybe go a few days later.  But Nick has a verbal invite to the Basildon show on 2 July.  A verbal contract, of course, isn't worth the paper it's written on so I need to determine whether a written invite will be forthcoming.

 

Bill

[Tony_S]

Matthew has a few days off in February an is thinking about going to Vienna and/or Budapest. I suspect he will fly to Vienna though, probably from Eindhoven.

[Tony_S]

 

I   But Nick has a verbal invite to the Basildon show on 2 July.  A verbal contract, of course, isn't worth the paper it's written on so I need to determine whether a written invite will be forthcoming.

 

Bill

Basildon in July? I am sure there are attractions to rival those of Vienna an Budapest.

[pH]

Just noticed a third company using the same road near us in their TV adverts - a car company, a bank and a restaurant chain.

[AndyB]

Well, my "Not Playing the Lottery" jam jar is £2 the heavier. Anyone else do as well last night?

 

I may need to wait a bit before telling swmbo that her new bird boxes are unlikely to attract residents this year. 

One factoid I heard was that for every bird you see on a bird feeder there are a further 10 in a nearby tree waiting. Last year I saw about 6 birds all feeding at once, fingers crossed....

 

Spent a short while revisiting the wiring on my layout this afternoon. Or rather I spent some time revisiting shorts on my layout. Is there some kind of gremlin living in the baseboard that rewires stuff when I shut the door each night? 

 

Then received a rather (!) frustrating email from the office. I shall probably not now action things where people only ask me to do things but will require everything to be put in writing.

Ahh, an easy first step on the road to becoming a "jobsworth", methinks. Just got to quell any helpful tech innovation next.     

[BoD]

Update: A very pleasant evening meal with family.

 

Now up to Nov 23rd.

[newbryford]

Evenin' all. Non-stop week with lots of work and other stuff going on. I too, am £2 lighter in the lottery fund, so sorry, I can't take you all to Hamburg and Leipzig this week at least.

 

CWomble parking today - I was cleaning up outside wife's work this morning and as it was a big event, I put out some traffic cones to stop people parking whilst I tidied up the roadway outside the main doors. One guy asked me if he could stop for a minute whilst he dropped off some heavy stuff and I obliged before I fired up the leaf blower. He moves off and I'm busy blowing away the leaves and a few fag ends whilst some daft **** pulls up next to my nicely coned off area.  I motion to them to move on, but all they do is move 2 yards. Another motion from me and another yard along the cones. Then they get out of the car and accuse me of being rude.... My reply is "didn't you see the cones?" as they carried on walking past me.  I resisted the urge to use the blower to direct some wet leaves "accidentally" at their car..........

 

Anyway, I managed to calm down and have quite a pleasant couple of hours at my usual work driving around Blackburn. (I can't believe I've used "pleasant" and "Blackburn" in the same sentence)

 

A trip to the ice hockey tonight to watch the likely league title decider - even with 10 games still to go.

 

Nephew and his GF came with us last week, but it was a straightforward win for the Hawks 13-1. I promised them it would be a much closer game this week and they weren't disappointed.

 

1st v 2nd in the league with three of the four games between them already played. Last month, Whitley Warriors were the first team to beat Blackburn Hawks since January 2014, winning 4-2 at home. Then it was 5-4 to Blackburn at home. Next game at Whitley was 4-4 after a last minute equaliser by Blackburn.

Tonight, Whitley came out fast and scored first, with a Hawks equaliser a couple of minutes later, however, it went downhill from there and was 1-3 at the end of the first period. Hawks fought back in P2 to make it 2-3 to set up a tense last 20 minutes. Their goalminder was on stunning form to deny the Hawks as they attacked the Warriors net, but finally levelled at 3-3 and then 4-3 with 10 minutes to go, with the Hawks hanging on to seal a great win. A brilliant game to watch.

 

A quick trip home to put a last minute bid in on ebay - won it for £8 less than my highest bid so quite happy. Just ordered the other bits to finish detailing it up. Watch out for some green action on my workbench thread soon!

 

Hope all goes as well as it can in the coming week.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[New Haven Neil]

For RaR - this is what happens when G scale diesels are left unsupervised!

 

The little one is HO scale.

 

[New Haven Neil]

Baz, this colour is better.....

 

[lightengine]

Matthew has a few days off in February an is thinking about going to Vienna and/or Budapest. I suspect he will fly to Vienna though, probably from Eindhoven.

Reading on here about Matthews trips around Europe whilst being a student I am beginning to think whether I should re-evaluate my present position and become a mature student.

Programmes on tv here show students eating beans on toast 24 x 7 and using the launderette once a month. But Matthew seems to lead a much more varied life in Europe.

Student nurses are having their bursaries taken away and are having to get loans.

Am I missing a trick somewhere?

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Well no one here seems to have won much on the lottery unless they're keeping it quiet. When I purchased a new mattress about 6 months ago the first one I looked at was over £1,000 for just a single mattress, even the one I settled for although not the cheapest was over £300. I think the first one was not only stuffed with unicorn hair but hand stitched using gold thread.

[PhilJ W]

Evenin' all. Non-stop week with lots of work and other stuff going on. I too, am £2 lighter in the lottery fund, so sorry, I can't take you all to Hamburg and Leipzig this week at least.

 

CWomble parking today - I was cleaning up outside wife's work this morning and as it was a big event, I put out some traffic cones to stop people parking whilst I tidied up the roadway outside the main doors. One guy asked me if he could stop for a minute whilst he dropped off some heavy stuff and I obliged before I fired up the leaf blower. He moves off and I'm busy blowing away the leaves and a few fag ends whilst some daft **** pulls up next to my nicely coned off area.  I motion to them to move on, but all they do is move 2 yards. Another motion from me and another yard along the cones. Then they get out of the car and accuse me of being rude.... My reply is "didn't you see the cones?" as they carried on walking past me.  I resisted the urge to use the blower to direct some wet leaves "accidentally" at their car..........

 

Cheers,

Mick

I wouldn't use the blower to direct the leaves at their car either, well not until they've opened the door to get in.

[gordon s]

Just sat and watched Love and Mercy, a biopic on Brian Wilson.  Having loved the Beach Boys since the '60 and the real talent of Brian Wilson I enjoyed it, but perhaps 'enjoy' is not the right word.  I had some idea of what he went through, but this film opened my eyes to some of the things that went on around him.  No wonder he was messed up for many years.

 

You'll either love it or turn it off, but the music was great.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903657/reviews?ref_=tt_ov_rt