Early Risers.

[28XX]

In the UK even if the handsets are well charged, the master base unit needs a working mains electricity supply. In a power cut, no phone, no internet, and if weather-related, probably no cell coverage either. Keep safe, keep one corded phone connected to the line. BT exchanges all have standby generation, so this is a not an uncommon scenario.

 

Stevo

Edited January 18, 2016 by 28XX

[roundhouse]

I do hope Ian's locos turn up soon. I am keen to pick his brain as to where I should glue a little bit of brass wire I found in the box of my Okehampton. It didn't drop off when I put the decoder in, it was already detached! ----^- shape and about a cm long!

Is this the bit ?

[Tony_S]

Is this the bit ?

Mine certainly doesn't have that bit! Well it does but not attached. I was looking for a similar part on the other side but there isn't one!

Many thanks (and also to Ian in the US for agreeing).

More proof that ER is the place to go for advice, especially that for which Google and Wikipedia are not helpful.

Many thanks, Tony

 

PS, do we know what it is?

[New Haven Neil]

Evening...Mad busy at work again, and one of the tea is sunning himself in sunnier climes.  Swine, it was freezing today!

 

Four Feather Falls.  That'll split the age groups!

 

Jock, where are you mate?  Thinking about you, and everyone else unwell too.

[Ian Abel]

RESULT!

 

The DPD web site still shows "At parcel delivery center" rather than "Parcel Out for Delivery" so my expectations were very low,

 

HOWEVER,

 

I took a quick trip to the pharmacy at lunch time, and while I was gone (thankfully the Mrs was in), this arrived;

 

A HUGE box, 12" x 12" x 18" with copious amounts of packaging and the two locos at the bottom. They were additionally bubble wrapped

 

 

 

 

 

Just some quick shots with the cell phone, better ones later, particularly once I install the decoder - might take some shots as a guide for folks - and add the accessories.

 

One comment - nothing loose in either box in my case. Tony, sure looks like the part you're referencing is the one Ian shows, and can be seen (poorly) on my picture. That part is on one side only, is also on "34053 Plymouth" I have.

 

One question - wonder why with Bude, Hornby provide a copious amount of additional accessories, such as a driver and fireman, and both lamps AND route discs, but with Okehampton they don't provide the same? I rather like the additional stuff and it'd be nice to including it in all locos IMHO

 

 

 

 

 

 

[emt_911]

An interesting Monday. I couldn't start work as early as I'd wanted to and had to finish early as well.

 

With the breadmaker, I only use it to make and prove the dough then bake it in the traditional way.

 

I hope that Jock is well enough to post soon. It seems empty in ER land at the moment

[lightengine]

We used to use the bread maker quite often. The paddle getting stuck and the hole in the bread never bothered me but 2 hours 57 for a loaf made us wonder whether after paying ingredient costs if the local bakers arent more cost effective.

[Tony_S]

Decorating update.

Finished, most furniture re-installed. We will move back in tomorrow. Aditi thinks it still smells of paint. I can tell, I have probably inhaled enough magnolia vapour no to be able to tell. Putting the new curtain track up was so easy. I put the original one up when we moved in and although I had a good drill it was hard work work. This time I used the hideously overpowered SDS Bosch drill and it was easy. Aditi is looking for curtain material online at the moment. My opinion is being sought. I think she occasionally shows me something hideous just to make sure I am paying attention. Ready made curtains don't fit well as our bedroom windows are 230cm wide. At least the room is ready for when the new bed arrives. I remember Mike's (Stationmaster) traumatic experience with memory foam beds so we are going for traditional materials.

Tony

[roundhouse]

RESULT!

 

The DPD web site still shows "At parcel delivery center" rather than "Parcel Out for Delivery" so my expectations were very low,

 

HOWEVER,

 

I took a quick trip to the pharmacy at lunch time, and while I was gone (thankfully the Mrs was in), this arrived;

 

Parcel.jpg

A HUGE box, 12" x 12" x 18" with copious amounts of packaging and the two locos at the bottom. They were additionally bubble wrapped

 

BubbleWrapped.jpg

 

Boxed.jpg

 

Okehampton-1.jpg

 

Bude-1.jpg

 

Just some quick shots with the cell phone, better ones later, particularly once I install the decoder - might take some shots as a guide for folks - and add the accessories.

 

One comment - nothing loose in either box in my case. Tony, sure looks like the part you're referencing is the one Ian shows, and can be seen (poorly) on my picture. That part is on one side only, is also on "34053 Plymouth" I have.

 

One question - wonder why with Bude, Hornby provide a copious amount of additional accessories, such as a driver and fireman, and both lamps AND route discs, but with Okehampton they don't provide the same? I rather like the additional stuff and it'd be nice to including it in all locos IMHO

Ian

 

Hornby had cut back on all those bits by the time the rebuilts were first released, so I suppose its just a hang over from the first releases of the unrebuilt days that you still get them with the recent unrebuilt releases (note that the front buffer beam steps are different on both). The loco crew dont fit as well in the rebuilts as there are 'cab seats' in them.

[Tony_S]

We used to use the bread maker quite often. The paddle getting stuck and the hole in the bread never bothered me but 2 hours 57 for a loaf made us wonder whether after paying ingredient costs if the local bakers arent more cost effective.

I don't think my breadmaker saves money at all but I think bread made from good strong flour tastes better. The occasional rye, seedy, spelt or other mixes are nice too. We still buy baguettes rather than make them. Our machine makes a quite acceptable white loaf in 1 hour 55minutes but everything else takes longer. If it died I would buy the same one immediately!

[28XX]

Well a grumpy morning with Leah turned into a great afternoon visiting the local Pets at Home to look at the fish, rabbits, gerbils, guinea pigs and actually to buy supplies for the bird table I made on Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure she understands what it does - we had no customers before it went dark, but hopefully by the next time she is here in daylight word will have got around the birdy community and there will be something for her to look at.

 

Best wishes as always to those fighting health battles.

 

Mother has astounded her care staff by eating and drinking a full breakfast.  I don't however think this should be viewed as a recovery in any shape or form, merely a pause en-route.

 

Tanya has retired early since it was a gym day, so its "Goodnight" from me.

[trisonic]

When I had recovered from the Measles - but still had Whooping Cough the Doctor paid me a visit and told my Mother that I was over the contagious stage and that she should get me up and out down to the end of Southend Pier to “get some air”.

Mother had a touching faith in our Doctor’s pronouncements - despite the fact that he had diagnosed my (much) older brother with pleurisy and sent him off by train to the London Hospital when in fact he had a collapsed lung and was really in a bad way - so we set off for Southend - on - Sea the very next day.

Unfortunately she would NOT take the pier train to the end so we had to walk the one and a half miles (or so). Naturally it was sunny (being 1959) but blowing a gale.

I set off “Whooping” in the wind and despite my Mother yelling “Don’t worry he is not catching!” managed to clear the end of the pier in two minutes flat - officials thought there was a fire (not this time).

 

Jock, I hope this short tale cheers you up, my friend...

 

Best, Pete.

[Tony_S]

When I had recovered from the Measles - but still had Whooping Cough the Doctor paid me a visit and told my Mother that I was over the contagious stage and that she should get me up and out down to the end of Southend Pier to “get some air”.

Mother had a touching faith in our Doctor’s pronouncements - despite the fact that he had diagnosed my (much) older brother with pleurisy and sent him off by train to the London Hospital when in fact he had a collapsed lung and was really in a bad way - so we set off for Southend - on - Sea the very next day.

Unfortunately she would NOT take the pier train to the end so we had to walk the one and a half miles (or so). Naturally it was sunny (being 1959) but blowing a gale.

I set off “Whooping” in the wind and despite my Mother yelling “Don’t worry he is not catching!” managed to clear the end of the pier in two minutes flat - officials thought there was a fire (not this time).

 

Jock, I hope this short tale cheers you up, my friend...

 

Best, Pete.

I have lived in Essex since 1975 and still haven't been to the end of Southend Pier! Must do so I suppose. When I was little we lived in Clevedon in Somerset. Even as a small child I thought the local pier was a bit insecure and Dad told me some story than they tested it every year when the circus came to town by getting the elephants to walk along it. I asked how they got through the turnstiles. Edited January 18, 2016 by Tony_S

[newbryford]

I now want to go and visit Southend Pier the next time I'm down that way with time to spare

.

(Possibly  in April, as I'll be in Colchester for a couple of days visiting Junior NB, combined with a trip to see Muse at the 02 Arena)

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Barry O]

I have been to the end of Southend pier.. And survived!

 

Been a busy bee today weathering locos. Pix tomorrow after our scheduled downtime..reckon you have to be an ER or late ER tomorrow!

 

Sleep well

 

Baz

[emt_911]

Night all

[BSW01]

Evening everyone. It seems that the last few postings I've done, that I'm not so much and Early Riser, but a Late Poster! Ho hum.

 

Today I was working near Preston, namely around Broughton and Goosnargh, one place I went to was called Pudding Pie Nook Lane, I kid you not. Last week when I was at Sedgwick, near Kendal I was at a place called Nannypie Lane.

 

I was at the gym again this evening, getting much easier now so I'll soon be able to increase the weights.

 

Vision on, yes what a fabulous program, I loved Tony Hart, he really inspired me when I was a kid. We sometimes used to watch it with a neighbour of ours who was deaf and dumb.

 

We have one proper telephone connected direct to the incoming line. The rest are all the rechargeable type, that way as has already been mentioned, if we have a power outage, we can still use a phone.

 

Ian A. So glad your package arrived, and I'm guessing that you are pleased with them. I managed to get hold of 2 Battle of Britain class locos a couple of years ago, (BR Malachite Green). I have back dated both and renamed them, Spitfire and Hurricane. Both were non DCC ready which I have converted, Hurricane has a sound chip.

 

Goodnight all.

[laurenceb]

Night all

[Ohmisterporter]

Bad news from Port Talbot today with the steel making redundancies. There is always a knock on effect with big closures like this and the whole town/area is affected. I've been redundant thirteen times so I know how people are feeling right now. Apparently all due to China dumping cheap steel to keep their own mills working. Would it not be a great irony if Trident successor goes ahead and has to be built with Chinese steel? Don't want to get too political so good night all. Stay safe.

[Tony_S]

I must be a bad person, I didn't like any of the Tony Hart programmes.

Tony

[Jock67B]

Evening all,

I'm feeling a little better tonight, Joanna took me to see my GP (and family friend) who fitted me in before surgery this morning, called in one of the nurses to do my bloods instead of having to trek to Clacton hospital, and sorted out meds for my headache which appear to be working tonight! He is fairly sure that it is the chemo side effects, but that I should make a careful written record of all the symptoms to take to my oncologist on Thursday. It is a shame that not everyone is lucky enough to be given their Doctor's mobile number - with the NHS it seems it's who you know....... As to the chemo, I'm determined to stick with it as long as I possibly can, but it has obviously got to give me a reasonable quality of life to be worthwhile. Hopefully Thursday's consultation will bring a plan of action!

I have been simply too ill to read any posts since some time on the fifteenth, so I've got some catching up to do. I'm going to start now, working backwards and I won't tick all with ratings as it will be tedious for most to read the very old ones. Meanwhile, I hope I haven't missed anything really important and offer heartfelt congratulations/commiserations as necessary.

Have a great trouble free week folks, and once again I'm indebted to you all for the number of ratings and kind words of support which I find touching and uplifting. Thank you so much,

Kind regards,

Jock.

G'night Pete and everyone!

PS Just heard on BBC News that Glenn Frey, co-founder of the 'Eagles' has died at only 67! RIP Glen.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Jock67B

[newbryford]

Evening everyone. It seems that the last few postings I've done, that I'm not so much and Early Riser, but a Late Poster! Ho hum.

 

Today I was working near Preston, namely around Broughton and Goosnargh, one place I went to was called Pudding Pie Nook Lane, I kid you not. 

 

Likewise,I'm more a LP than an ER, but sometimes one will blur into the other.

 

Pudding Pie Nook Lane does indeed exist. A friend of the family lives there and it always raises a smile when I wrote out the Christmas cards......... (past tense as I've given up writing cards in preference to making a charitable donation to match the amount I would spend on cards and postage - Bah- Humbug!)

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited January 18, 2016 by newbryford

[andyram]

Evening all. No word from Jock so far today. I really hope he is ok. Great to see and hear that Ian's packages have arrived. They are nice looking locos. I must admit to preferring the rebuilt version and have a rebuilt WC "Plymouth" in my collection.

 

Snow all gone here. Today has been busy with a hectic day at work followed by an evening of delivering some of the Avon stuff for Sarah. One day I may get paid for this "second" job. But then again....

 

I noticed an earlier post (but forget from who) also stating their enjoyment of the puppet version of Thunderbirds. Can't say I agree with their lack of favour for the new CGI version though. True it does not have the puppet charm, but it is good in its own right and throws in enough tributes and references to what has gone before.

On the subject of the puppet version - a few people got together to produce a new puppet episode using audits recorded for audio stories from the 1960's. This was funded through a Kickstarter crowd funding project. I am a proud supporter of this project which has ended up making three, rather than one, new episodes. I received an email today to state the DVD is under production and will be with me soon - I really can't wait!

 

Edited to say that Jock's post appeared whilst I was typing. Good to see you on here sir and hope that you are feeling much better soon.

Edited January 18, 2016 by andyram

[skipepsi]

I'm glad you are back Jock and I am sure many more will be glad you are posting again.

[newbryford]

And a p.s..

 

Jock - inspiring as always.

 

Mick