Early Risers.

[lightengine]

I wonder if they're doing the "FUNKY GIBBON?"

Oi! Watchet!

[andyram]

Evening all and many thanks for the good wishes. Amber drifted off to sleep just before 9pm last night, strange bedroom syndrome probably accounting for the delay. She was tired from the long day and a generous bout of playing on the adventure playground at the pub where we had our evening meal. Some of our Somerset regulars may recognise the name of the Raleghs Cross Inn which was our venue last night, and only three minutes drive from where we are staying.

Today we went to Minehead and had a stroll around the shops, including the WSR gift shop. We enjoyed an ice cream on the station platform whilst one train departed behind an unknown locomotive (I was too far away to see). The Manor and 4F were in the yard along with both 7F's. 53808 was in steam and was moved to stand by the water tower resulting it being alongside 53809 - a perfect photo chance. As yet I have not managed to link the laptop up to the wifi so no chance of uploading the pictures yet. I will do so when I can.

Lunch was taken in the Hairy Dog Inn in Minehead, a nice carvery accompanied by a pint of Cornish Tribute. Upon leaving the town we were stopped at the level crossing whilst 6960 Raveningham Hall ran round the train. So plenty of steam sightings but no ride yet. That is planned for Wednesday because the Taunton MRG building at Bishops Lydard is due to be open that day and i am hoping to see the Bath Green Park model.

A good day today - just a shame about the wet weather, ironic really as we had such a hot week last week as school was finishing.

 

Thanks for all the tourist advice. The walks sound great, but not sure the girls really fancy those. The Tropicquaria is very much on our list of places to go. We are not sure whether we can make a day out of it so may combine it with a visit to Watchet and the harbour as I do not think they are far apart. This may even be tomorrow's plan - hopefully I can convince Sarah that dinner or a snack in the station buffet would be a good idea and I can tick off another station.

 

One note from home - my brother has started to expand his social life again since his marriage split. A note on Facebook today suggested a massive headache and ringing in the ears. He either has a hangover or has forgot the alarm code (he is house sitting for us and getting some personal space into the bargain).

 

Take care all. I hope to post photos soon.

Edited July 24, 2016 by andyram

[andyram]

Amber asleep just before 9pm tonight so going in the correct direction. Some pictures from the last few days have been downloaded onto the laptop. I have resized a couple to share on here.

 

Starting with two pictures from yesterday - 6960 Raveningham Hall at Bishops Lydard.

 

 

Then the pair of 7F's on shed at Minehead today.

 

Finally a strange pair of creatures on Minehead station.

[Sidecar Racer]

There's a definite likeness between Mum and daughter there Andy

 

 Nah , Mum has'nt got her ice cream all over her face .     

[New Haven Neil]

Knackered.

 

Busy day at Grumble, we have Polar Bear visiting from Amberley, and her entourage and also worked on the Steamplex and Parracombe all day.  Photos tomorrow!

[AndyID]

Had to put my welding tackle away for the day. I use it outside the garage but it's too hot now. It was only 11C last night but it's up to 29C now. It gets bl00dy hot inside a welding helmet.

[PhilJ W]

Had to put my welding tackle away for the day. I use it outside the garage but it's too hot now. It was only 11C last night but it's up to 29C now. It gets bl00dy hot inside a welding helmet.

Oh you wrote welding, my mistake.

[emt_911]

A fairly relaxed day with not a lot done.

 

Andy - Great to see that you're enjoying the break. Just a pity about the weather.

 

Don - Many thanks for the advice. It's amazing how you can be too close to something to see the obvious. Already starting to feel more like myself.

 

Back to the early starts again tomorrow, but only for 4 days as long as plans don't change.

 

Night all

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone.

 

Most of the afternoon was spent in the man cave, 8 more MERG kits completed again today. Although the weather has been changeable, it's still warm and the cool cellar is a lovely place to work.

 

Hopefully I'll be able to go open water swimming tomorrow evening. I've not been for three weeks as you're advised not to swim if you've an open wound (because of Weil's decease) and as mine now seem to have healed I should be ok.

 

The Black Dog seems to have re-appeared to some folk, as one who has occasionally seen that damned animal, I know how it feels. I've no great words of wisdom, we all have our own ways of dealing with the critter, but I found having a goal helped, but make it an achievable one, or things might get worse!

 

Andy. Glad to see your enjoying your holiday, nice photos too!

 

Phil. I also misread Andy's post first time!

 

Back to the orifice tomorrow.

 

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[southern42]

Busy day at West Shore yesterday (school hols and all that) and hardly any wind, well not until the yacht races in the last day of the Conwy River Festival were over.   Good for us, not so good for the sailors.

 

Got in a few laps on the steam loco before passengers arrived then did turns as guard and stationmaster.  Shopping trip this morning then rest of day doing not a lot.

 

And now it's time to wish you all pleasant dreams.

' Night all and nos da.

[emt_911]

Morning all. A clear start to the day, but I have a feeling that I'm going to get wet at some stage this afternoon.

 

Didn't sleep well thanks to the neighbour. For some reason he keeps feeding the foxes and of course there were fights when the food ran out.

 

Another coffee required before heading out for the day.

 

Have a good day everyone

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

Yesterday at Quainton was not too strenuous, just as well as the humidity was still with us.  For Mike Stationmaster's information, the breakdown of costs is as follows:

 

Admission - £10, because I am a retired gentlefolk

Lunch - £5.25, not bad for sausage chips and beans

Tea - two cups at £1 each.  One is often asked much more than this at exhibitions

Second hand books - £11, for four tomes.  One was a picture album by Peter Gray not previously known to me.  I am glad to have it but sad that I will never get it signed because Peter is now in a nursing home.

 

Today I must carry on in earnest with rounding up the camping gear and associated clothing, go to the bank and collect the local Sunday paper because once again the delivery brat has defaulted.  Oh yes, and there is ironing to do.  It seems that there always is.

 

Best wishes to the ailing, recovering, supporting, grieving, missing, perspiring and depressed.

 

Chris

Edited July 25, 2016 by chrisf

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

Today, we have a bit of a mixed bag weather wise.  It is very humid, and overcast and there are indications that it may rain later on.

 

There isn't a lot else to report, to be honest, the weekend was quiet.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[JohnDMJ]

Good morning all!

 

Into the last minute preparation for the procedure on Wednesday; in short, no fibre today then water only from tomorrow morning whilst confined to barracks bathroom! Just hope it assists the experts in finding what ails me.

 

Weather appears to be off to a good start; given that this is the UK, anything can happen in the next 12 hours!

 

Wishes, thoughts, etc. evenly distributed amongst the needy as usual.

[JohnDMJ]

Morning All,

 

 

Just read your signature; no good layout is ever finished! (Pot House Sidings)

Edited July 25, 2016 by JohnDMJ

[roundhouse]

Morning from a Sunny Surrey.

 

Had to go to the station yesterday to buy my monthly ticket. Why I didn't think to buy it at Ford station onnSaturday I don't know.

 

Usual Aunday queue that takes forever to buy the ticket as Sotuehrn insist it doesn't pay to have mor than one window open despite there always being a big queue. No wonder most season ticket holders still queue up on a Monday morning.

 

Whilst standing there for 15 minutes a few cancelled Southern trains. In he evening quite a lot of cancelled Thameslink due to driver shortages due to holidays and training. This morning much e same with Thameslink hence our train is busier.

 

A short week thei week as we take Banbury to North Devon on Friday.

[Donw]

Morning all. Dry start hare will it last? I need to start taking the roof off.

 

Andyram The tropiquaria is close to Watchet ,  from Raleighs Cross the B3190  road to Watchet passes the Tropiquaria where it crosses the A39. It is in an old radio station you should see the masts at night there are red lights on them, Watchet is just over the hill from there. 

 

Duncan good that you are feeling more positive.

 

Don

 

ps If in Watchet do visit the Museum its by the Harbour

Edited July 25, 2016 by Donw

[Ian Hargrave]

  Thanks for the reminder that I am on standby for path and patio duty for virtually the same reason...."they" will be arriving shortly.They being son & family,m.i.l. plus 2X dog enroute from Tyneside via Froth City Hilton to combined  (yes,it includes the two of us) holiday in beach rented house in South Devon...provided by our benevolence.We are gluttons for punishment..oh the joys and challenges of peace keeping that would credit a UN multi-national task force !

 

Thus the air will once more thrum to the thunder of the mighty Stihl,scything and obliterating every organism in its path,creating torrents of muddy water that contain plant,weed and ..........sand ( block pavers ) Where does it all go ? Downhill all the way....

 

Stiil beats a queue for a ferry at Dover though....

 

Update : Phase 1 complete yesterday. Phase 2 due to start shortly.Delay....there is a burst watermain in our vicinity.Oh joy.

[28XX]

Morning chums, West Borsetshire sunny, but chillier than of late.

 

A constructive day on Stourhampton and taking my turn with the Sunday Roast kept the Dusky Hound at bay until 5 this am, and even then it was just a distant whimper.

 

Mrs 28xx's car to the dealers, and the IFA this morning.

 

Kindest regards to all.

 

Stevo.

[BSW01]

Morning everyone.

 

Back at work today, my trip to the orifice will be via the M6 today as there is some sort of police investigation on the M602 which is causing massive congestion at the junction 12 of the M60 & M62!

 

I get the feeling that it's going to be one of those days!

 

Back later!

[jamie92208]

Morning all an greetings regards etc to all.  Just a quick pop in.  Off to to take Beth to the Dental Hospital then a quick trip round Asda before setting off for Tony's funeral.  The day should end with a pleasant evening at the club scribing cobbles.

 

Jamie

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Pleasant morning here, not too hot, slightly breezy.

Today's task is to collect Robbie, and then continue tidying Matthew's room. He won't be home until August but I will need more than a day or two to sort through the stuff we dumped in there from other rooms. The broken DVD players and old printers are destined to go to my brother who collects such things.

Matthew is leaving Utrecht for a few days from tomorrow and has been busy improving his conversational Polish ready for his trip to Cork.

Tony

[Gwiwer]

Apparently there's a Schengen type border between Devon England and Cornwall - don't even have to show our passports.

 

 

I carry a credible-looking blue document which is my "Cornish Passport".  Within are my visas and evidence of immunisation against such embuggerances as Pastyomyelitis, Lands Enema, Truro Trots and Bodmin Belly.

In the days when I travelled weekly between Hayle and Manor Park for work I would invariably be able to find some sort of backpacking visitor on Friday's 15.35 off Paddington with whom to strike up a conversation.  As we left Plymouth I would then ask this American/French/German/Dutch/Australian/Noozillander if they had their passport handy.  The question always brought forth a surprised look and a question of why.  By this time we would be braking for the Royal Albert Bridge whereupon I would produce my "Cornish Passport" and assure Hapless Victim that we were entering the Royal and Ancient Duchy and were slowing down for passport control.  As we crept off the bridge and through Saltash station my few words of spoken Cornish would also become part of the ruse with "Kernow a'gas dynnergh" again guaranteed to produce looks of bewilderment.  I did, of course, explain that as Cornwall was an independent nation we have our own language which happily appears on the signage at Saltash station - passed slowly enough to read and to convince most Hapless Victims.   And of course we always got a ticket check in those days as the Senior Conductor changed at Plymouth (nowadays at Exeter) and would come through to be proffered my fake document (rail ticket concealed inside) with a nod and a wink.  

 

The farther west one goes the greater is the visible presence of the language with most signs now bilingual west of Truro and many farther east.  Accompanying my Dutch-Australian teenage neighbour in May I was able to play the same game once more and had her frantically delving into her bag for her passport .........

 

Greetings from a land where ice-cold gales continue to blow and through which I have endured the first day back at the Palace of Attendance.  At least it's not wet.  Mostly.