Early Risers.

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all! Was just reading back to catch up on what has been going on yesterday and came across Andy's sad news… Thinking of you and yours…and yes, pets really do become family members. I don't even want to imagine losing one of ours… 

 

 

We did a fair bit of hiking around Oberwiesenthal yesterday and I am now feeling appropriately knackered, given all of it went through deep snow!

 

 

 

Walking past Oberwiesenthal Station at the top end of the 750 mm narrow gauge Fichtelberg Railway line, 99 1793 was waiting for departure to Cranzahl at the head of P 1002 under a snowy sky.

 

 

There are various marked hiking and cross-country skiing trails in the Fichtelberg area, of which we picked one which would take us past a bogland called Siebensäure and to Neudorf in neighbouring Sehmatal. And this trail took us through this kind of Winter Wonderland…

 

 

 

 

#

 

##

 

 

 

…and included some rather impressive whiteout conditions as we passed the open fields below:

 

 

 

At Neudorf, we decided to take…

 

 

…the next down train to Cranzahl, running as P 1006 and again with 99 1793 at the head.

 

 

 

 

I for one certainly welcomed the nicely heated coaches!

 

 

 

 

The Saxon 750 mm lines utilise Scharfenberg couplers on their rolling stock. Note the double alignment bars, too.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, 99 1793, one of the standard Class 99.77-79 2-10-2 tanks built for the Saxon narrow gauge lines from 1952 till 1956, had uncoupled and moved off to the coaling point, later taking us back up to Oberwiesenthal.

 

 

Edited to add this image:

 

 

On the opposite side of the platform, 642 058 of DB Erzgebirgsbahn was moments from departure for Chemnitz as RB 23720.

 

 

 

Wishing you all a good Sunday, folks…

Edited January 24, 2016 by NGT6 1315

[NGT6 1315]

Oh, and the day before, the motto for my second shift half was, "Prototype for Everything"…

 

 

 

…as I got to drive NGT6 prototype 1301 on Turn 1441.

[Barry O]

Dom, the tank engines are very impressive.

 

Must say that it looks pretty but better viewed from a coffee shop with some coffee and perhaps a warming glass of gluhwein?

 

Baz

[big jim]

Thats me done for the night, off to bed now for a well deserved sleep

 

Did bescot to carno on the cambrian last night with a pair of 66s and auto hoppers, first colas locos on the cambrian ever, got a few pics which i'll put in my thread when i get up later

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Andy, my condolences on the loss of Saffie.  I recall how bereft I felt when our corgi had to be put to sleep.

 

I achieved the anticipated brief encounter with a former workmate in Cambridge.  He shares my views on HMRC and he works for them!  On the way home I paused at the 'Spoons for the annual dose of haggis and the trimmings and spent the evening quietly.  'War Horse' was on BBC2 and I watched it despite having the DVD.  It is one of Spielberg's finest but would have been nothing without the original story by Michael Morpurgo.  This fine author gave a reading of the story at Sidmouth FolkWeek a couple of years ago with musical accompaniment.  On the face of it this was an unlikely way of filling a marquee seating over a thousand but it turned out to be a shrewd choice.

 

Back to reality today, with more laundry and other chores.  If it continues to be mild I might just venture into the garden, only to recoil in horror at the extent of the work needed.  I see that there is a James Bond movie on TV this afternoon and watching it cannot be discounted, if only for sheer escapism.

 

Best wishes to all the ailing

 

Chris

[Donw]

Rather damp this morning and Monty (collie x) is doing his best to transfer the sea of mud that used to be a garden, onto the kitchen floor four footfulls at a time.

Back in the 70s living in a cottage on the Shropshire hills we had some bad winters I can remember having to dig out a long drive which was 2-3ft deep in snow. We also had a fish tank in the lounge. Poor fishy had a layer of ice on the tank. We had no usable chimney at the time. Still we were young then.

Don

[roundhouse]

Good morning from a grey Birmingham.

 

A superb pub crawl yesterday eventually finishing in a father nice pub no fro from Moor Street station after eating in a Chinese buffet nearby.

 

 

Wetherspoons breakfast shortly then maybe a quick half in the Wellington before heading to Moor Street to catch the loco hauled to Banbury then back home via Reading

 

 

I see that parts of the U.K. Are going to get rather wet when the snow storm over the US heads our way in the week.

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' all,

 

First visit of 2016 to the Longnor chippy last night....good job that we booked a table otherwise it would have been a take away.....lovely fish & chips well up to standard.

 

Head down circuit of the weekend constitutional route at first light today in dismal damp but mild conditions

 

February looks like radiotherapy month for Is (CT scan later this week first) so we're having a day or two out just now....we should be chasing sunshine in the East Mids tomorrow.....after a good coffee stop of course.

 

Best wishes to all that ail

 

Feathered ones provided for

 

Enjoy what you do

 

Dave

Edited January 24, 2016 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[iL Dottore]

Morning All,

....GP verdict, before I forget: not coeliac, needs further tests involving oscopies and a few more samples to 'play with'. Not out of the woods yet but at least still alive!

 Let's hope that the various examinations are both definitively diagnostic and reveal little of note. Mind you, after all the various "...oscopies" you'll never look at a length of pipe or tube in the same way ever again.

 

Morning all,
Sadly, Laurence, your words came true for me today. The recent scan I had shows a significant increase in the tumours in my pelvis, and it appears that part of the adjacent lymph system is affected - which almost certainly explains the serious oedema (swelling) I recently experienced. From this, my oncologist deduced that the chemo drug that I've been taking for thirty-two months now, has stopped working effectively! When you consider that the average time that people lasted on said drug was six to eight months, I've done very well and I was warned at the outset that this would happen eventually. The most worrying thing is the involvement of the lymph system which as most of you will know runs all over the body. Not all terrible news however, as next Thursday I'm being placed on a course of a fairly new drug which works in a similar way to the last one - ie it inhibits the growth of the tumours. There is a plus in that it also works on 'soft tissue' tumours. This one is also taken orally, two pills per day at twelve hour intervals, and the information sheet they sent home with me contained four A4 pages of possible side effects (just like the last one!) so once again it will come down to whether my much abused body can withstand these as before! The oncologist is also drawing up a plan for some pin-point radiotherapy to reduce my pain, and he will be discussing my case at next week's consultants meeting, to consider the possibility of removing any affected lymph tissue. I certainly can't complain about the treatment I have had, and continue to get from these wonderful people....!

Woah! That is a bu99er, Jock. I'm sorry to hear of that. Still, perversely and paradoxically, it's never been a "better" time to be afflicted by one of this terrible group of diseases. There is so much research going on with so many new compounds - whether small molecules or biologics - that effectively target tumour cell pathways and tumour cell vulnerabilities, that not only can previously incurable disease be effectively cured, but advanced disease can be managed far better and for far longer (I know that anecdotal evidence is only suggestive of efficacy, but I know of at least half-a-dozen patients on experimental treatment for highly advanced cancer who were still alive and doing well 4 - 5 years after starting therapy. Something no-one expected). Most important of all is attitude. And that, Jock, you have in spades. Keep up the good fight! The old lags of ER will certainly be behind you.

 

Sadly today has brought a trip to the vets. Our 21 year old Burmese cat, Saffie, was struggling to breathe this afternoon. The vet diagnosed a growth in her throat and so it was decided to put her to sleep. No longer will she be shouting down the stairs to be fed or sleeping on me at night. Nor will she be biting my nose or licking my face to wake me up for breakfast. We may have three other cats but there is a massive hole in our house tonight. RIP Saffie xximage.jpeg

I'm so sorry to hear of this, Andy. It's amazing how our pets become so much part of our lives, and how much their loss grieves us. (I still miss our "hairy houseguest" Jordi). In a way, it's like a play or a TV series loosing its star actor, you can bring in a new actor who may become admired and much loved for his/her part in the role, but there will only be one actor who is "X" Just as we enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes, but there will only be one true Sherlock: Jeremy Brett; I suspect you'll soon have another Burmese, although there will only be one Saffie.

 

Life staggers on. Despite being unemployed, severe fiscal austerity on my part has allowed me to build up a small nest egg, I have had some telephone interviews - the latest of which seems to have lead to some face-to-face interviews (I'll get confirmation early next week). My knee is playing silly bu99ers and I have to see a general surgeon about debriding an suppurating area under my right thumbnail that seems to be due to a foreign body trapped under it (which - alas, alas, alas - was due to my railway modelling endeavours). On a positive note, Mrs iD was in the holiday hovel with Schotty this weekend and I have had a very good weekend with Lucy: exercising and training her. Much improvement in her behaviour, especially vis-a-vis strangers (especially strange men).

 

Speaking of which, I must dash as Lucy and I have dog school in 40 minutes.

 

Stay Frosty, Folks.

 

iD

Edited January 24, 2016 by iL Dottore

[Simon G]

As to heating boilers, my current oil boiler is a Worcester one which has been in since the house was built in 1975. It will be replaced by a new Worcester gas boiler next week. After 30 years of near faultless running since we moved in, it seemed a no-brainer to go for the same make. I somehow doubt that it will last as long though.

Well I put the kiss of death on the old boiler!  Worked fine last night, but refuses to work today!  I will investigate, but it doesn't seem worth getting someone out to get it running again, when it will be removed in 3 days time.  Fortunately it is mild today, so we aren't freezing, and I will light the woodburner soon to at least keep one room nice and warm.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Warm and wet weather here.

Some time soon I shall paint a ceiling. Fortunately it is only almond white not a full Michelangelo style artwork.

Tony

[28XX]

There's an RSPB site we find useful - http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdidentifier/

Thanks CB. I'll still need the spotters book to discover these birds with Leah. It's intended to be educational as much as to conserve the local bird life.

Got sent home before finishing the fencing yesterday, so back on it today. It's only 2 miles away but a faff reloading the tools in and out of the car. Hope to get finished this morning.

 

Enjoy the mild break before the American weather apocalypse arrives.

 

Your friend, Stevo.

[Purley Oaks]

Andyram, so sorry to hear about Saffie - I'm convinced that our cat, Molly, is still here padding around sometimes and saying hello to us all. Agree wholeheartedly with Jock about celebrating Saffie's life with the family.

 

Am just surfacing from last Monday's intravenous chemo; was feeling very tired Tuesday to Friday and slept just feeling groggy. Nurse was very gentle with canula this time so the peripheral neuropathy has not been so acute. Yesterday went out for short walk in the mild air which was great and have woken feeling more energized this morning. Apologies for not having read back through all the posts yet.

 

Dave (TG) - hope that all goes well for Is next week - after your coffee stop, of course!

 

Dom - great German steam train pics (ahem!), thanks for posting

 

Mal

Edited January 24, 2016 by Purley Oaks

[emt_911]

Morning all. Warm and damp outside but first I need coffee before starting on my chores.

 

Dave (TG) - I hope that Is's treatment goes well next week.

 

Mal - Great to hear that you've got more energy.

 

Dom - Great photos. This is one area that I haven't visited but certainly one that needs to go on the list.

 

Have a good day everyone

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Andyram, so sorry to hear about Saffie - I'm convinced that our cat, Molly, is still here padding around sometimes and saying hello to us all. Agree wholeheartedly with Jock about celebrating Saffie's life with the family.

 

Am just surfacing from last Monday's intravenous chemo; was feeling very tired Tuesday to Friday and slept just feeling groggy. Nurse was very gentle with canula this time so the peripheral neuropathy has not been so acute. Yesterday went out for short walk in the mild air which was great and have woken feeling more energized this morning. Apologies for not having read back through all the posts yet.

 

Dave (TG) - hope that all goes well for Is next week - after your coffee stop, of course!

 

Dom - great German steam train pics (ahem!), thanks for posting

 

Mal

 

....and all good wishes for your ongoing treatment Mal.

 

Rgds

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

Covering the Severn mudflats with water would be terrible, as there is nothing boring about mud

 

 

(My original post was here for a few seconds then vanished!  Was it something i pressed when I wiped the mud from the keyboard?)

Edited January 24, 2016 by Happy Hippo

[AndyB]

Morning all,

 

First off, sorry Andy, to hear your sad news about Saffie. 

 

Dom, fine photos. I'd just say that none of us are envious, the scene at East Croydon on a wet Monday is pretty similar. Honest, guv. 

 

Jock, iD has spoken! Keep up the positive attitude!

 

Barry, I'm not in the dog house this morning as I didn't snore last night. That sort of alludes to my habitat of yesterday morning where the atmosphere was as frosty as one of Dom's photos. Can I help it if I've got a bung'd up noze? 

 

Roast pork for lunch, which is due on the table at 12:15. Then round to see my mum and, no doubt, action a pile of paperwork. 

 

I've been looking at the new KS3 & GCSE subject matter over the weekend. I'm no expert, but it does look tougher, no spoon feeding in exams with formulas etc, less A**** grades likely. Sort of reminds me of, ooh, let's call them "O" levels.   

 

Spent part of yesterday cooking with the household mini Chef. Fascinating to see him work with the ingredients. A very fine touch when it came to adding seasoning. His enthusiasm seems to be rubbing off on his older sibling who is now starting to prepare her own meals/snacks.  

 

Chimneys added to my Metcalfe kits last night. I'd recommend the new(ish) Brunel-style station kit in particular.

Hope to get a mate and his circular saw to cut out the backscene later today. 

 

Have a nice day everyone. Andy

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Andy I'm sorry to hear about Saffie and what a terrible wrench for you all.  A word of advice - albeit a bit gruesome but essential to avoid potential heartache.  If you have foxes in the area and unless you dug a very deep hole it's a good idea to put a slab or some bricks immediately above the departed friend.  The foxes might smell and start digging but if they hit solid they will give up; as i say sorry to be a bit gruesome but I've found it very effective (we do have a lot of foxes round here as well as our urban muntjacs - they prefer the veg garden).

 

Another damp day here but warmer of course, shame about all that lovely frost going but at least the plants will escape its ravages.

 

Have a good day one and all and I hope Baz is very careful with those green engines (just a shame it's the wrong kind of green).

[AndyB]

Mike, looking ahead at the tv schedule this week, it seems Mr Portillo will be processing through your neighbourhood on Friday.

Ashford to Oxfordshire this week. 

[petethemole]

Gloomy and damp here; not actually raining and it's supposed to hold off, but humidity locally is 94%. This explains why yesterday's washing didn't dry at all before I fetched it in when the rain stated. It's now hanging around the house and nearly or fully dry. I have a tumble dryer but it's cheaper to let the heating do it when it's on anyway.

 

Sorry to see Jock's news, hopefully the new chemo regime will be effective.

 

Sorry also about Saffie, she was clearly well loved.

 

Yesterday I sampled a couple of pints at the new Brewhouse & Kitchen pub; I'm not sure if I mentioned it before. It's part of a small chain of microbrewery + pubs. Two very palatable beers, but I'm used to 'spoons prices. 

 

I'm off out shortly to take Martyn and his friend to an event in Town.

 

Best wishes to all ailing ERs and those close to them. Have a good day.

 

Pete

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. On the news it said that there are now power cuts on the eastern seaboard of the US and I'm wondering if thats the reason that there is nothing from Pete recently. Someone in Philadelphia was posting pics on another forum last night taken from his window. There is a line of parked cars that started just with a dusting of snow, only a couple of hours later they had disappeared under a blanket of snow. Its coming our way Tuesday/Wednesday according to the seaweed twirlers but by then it will be just wind and rain.

[Donw]

Covering the Severn mudflats with water would be terrible, as there is nothing boring about mud

 

 

(My original post was here for a few seconds then vanished!  Was it something i pressed when I wiped the mud from the keyboard?)

 

Sadly we keep getting proposal to do just that. Various schemes for barrages which would then generate electricity as the water runs out. Naturally this would greatly reduce the time any mud flats were exposed not very helpful to wildlife.

Don

[jamie92208]

Afternoon all from a bright village. Rather late on parade today as we got up late then went straight to church which was a joint service with the other village churches and went on longer than normal. Last night went very well with a couple of friends coming round for dinner. They're vegetarian and Beth excelled herself with a home made leek and potato soup, lovely mushroom Roulade and one of her excellent apple pies to follow. We then played Ticket to Ride which was new to us and then ended up with a pile of LP's over the floor as the evening turned into a vinyl and whisky night. Good food, good music and good company. a great evening.

 

Very sorry to hear about Saffie Andy, make sure you have a wee dram in her memory for me.

 

Dave, best wishes for Is with the therapy.

Mal, glad that things are coming around.

 

Not sure what the rest of the day will bring but a short sleep may well be in order as we didn't get to bed till late.

 

Jamie

Edited January 24, 2016 by jamie92208

[Tony_S]

I have painted a ceiling. I am quite tired. Perhaps quenching one's thirst due to paint inhalation with a couple of bottles of 10% abv Belgian beer isn't totally sensible! Never mind I shall do some more painting after a late lunch!

[shortliner]

I know we have some Geetar Pickers on here - but how about this elderly gentleman - an awesome player

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CAuLeSmcR8