Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Morning all.

 

There's a strange yellow object in the sky this morning, can't see all of it though because of some white fluffy stuff.

 

Off to Wigan (3 sites), Atherton and Leigh (which each have 1 site), today and as 4 of the 5 sites I'm going to DON'T have a communication link to grid control I'm hoping for another early finish. What could possibly go wrong?

 

Back later.

[Happy Hippo]

A'noon all. Gee, what a day…

 

Remember how we once touched upon motorists hitting trams broadsides after failing to observe right of way? Exactly that happened to me right this morning, thankfully not leading to any injuries or worse. The car in question will be a write-off, though…

 

Still feeling wobbly, however, so I suppose staying off work till the weekend as recommended by the physician I just consulted will be safer. I'm sure everything will be fine once the scare ebbs off…

 

Best wishes to you all!

You can also suffer from the 'what if I'd.......' 'If only I'd.........' syndrome, then it morphs into  the 'why didn't he/she..........'.

 

Shock is underestimated, and can have nasty side effects, so take the doctors advice.

 

As an aside, the cure for a parachutist who has suffered a malfunction and has to deploy the reserve parachute, is to repack both the main and reserve and then get back on the next available lift to altitude and get out to prove the equipment does work, as nearly all malfunctions are packing errors rather than equipment failures.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a quiet house with a drying out village outside. The lovely Carol is doing the weather forecast and the cats are now sleeping off their breakfast. I'll try not to emulate them.

 

Dom, sorry to hear about your bump, these things can be tricky and I hope that you are able to deal with it.

 

Duncan, congratulations. It seems as if you are taking the right approach. I always respected bosses who were prepared to come out on to the streets. When I was in charge of personnel for a division, whenever possible I used to go out on foot patrol with people I wanted to talk to. However it annoyed the heck out of some of my senior colleagues who never set foot out of the station.

 

Yesterday was spent taking Beth round various hospital appointments, the pain clinic (NO they don't inflict it) then another rather frustrating visit to a consultant who is supposed to manage her overall condition. He hadn't a clue what he was doing and Beth is once again without a consultant who understands her overall condition. It's very frustrating. 5 years ago Leeds decided not to replace the consultant Rheumatologist who specialised in connective tissue disorders. She needs someone who takes a holistic approach who can then arrange specialised attention when individual problems crop up. Ever since then we've been trying to find someone to take her on. The only good service she got was from her GP but she's left the practice and she now has to try and build up a relationship with a new GP.

 

Anyway the day is as yet unstructured, the boss is out helping at a Weighwatchers group. Some books have to be despatched then a package has to go to ID in Switzerland. Hopefully this evening will be spent at the clubrooms.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited August 3, 2016 by jamie92208

[Andrew P]

Evening all. An early start and a very late return home (21:00) but it was worth it.

 

When I left home I was the Senior Engineer and came home as Operations Manager. The only down side is I have to do both jobs until a new senior engineer is recruited. Life could be a lot worse.

 

Richard - Great to hear that a running session has happened

 

Dom - Look after yourself after being shaken and not stirred

 

Bob - Don't play with the new toy for too long

 

Even though I live in a town with trams, I've never travelled on one. Am I missing out on a life experience?

 

Another ER tomorrow

 

Thinking of those ailing, supporting, recovering and missing

 

Night all

Congrats Duncan, hope you enjoy your new found fame, when I was promoted to Business Manager it was in sad circumstances, but once over the grief of loosing a college (a young Lady in her early 30's Killed on her Motor Bike on her way home from a Sales Meeting, that she was told to use the Company Car for)  I enjoyed the job immensely. 

 

All the best to one and all, especially ALL pets, they keep us sane in troubled times.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

A bit late as after taking The Boss to work earlier I went back to bed for a couple of hours. Seemed like a good idea at the time but I now feel absolutely knackered.

There is a hint of sunshine which is a bit worrying because when I collect herself shortly apparently we "need" to go to the garden centre. This could mean that my hands will get dirty and I would rather be doing something a bit cleaner in the railway room.

Well done Duncan and I wish you every success in your new position.  

Have a good one,

Bob.

[Barry O]

Morning!

Dom take it easy for the next few days.

 

Today is playing trains day. We are testing the wiring on our club layout. Just stocking it up may take some time.

 

Have a great day/evening wherever you are.

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

I got up in the night around 2 am. The wind had certainly picked up at that point whilst I sat at the PC for a while to help me get back to sleep. Luckily I got back in bed and another two hours sleep.

 

When I got up agian I managed ot fix the rear headlight issue on the GP 9 . However the sugar cube speaker is only just fouling the body so need to take a file to the cut out section of chassis block. Fingers crossed that will be completed tonight then I can start on the next loco  whihc will have a Tsunami 2 fitted ot it.

 

Our train Ok this morning although the following VIC one cancelled (no reason given).

 

Next week is not going to be fuin with the planned whole wek of strike action. Added ot that on the Friday we are off to Exeter after work but my other half will be working form home so need ot sort out how we deal with the ticketing especially if she goes direct ot Reading on GWR and me from Paddington.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Dom, hope your back in the swing of things soonest, that sort of thing does shake you up. Congratulations on your promotion Duncan, onwards and upwards. Again not a lot to report this morning, a bit dull but dry weather wise, have a good day all, be back later.

[Purley Oaks]

The Book Festival is held in Charlotte Square, just across the road from the FM's official residence, Bute House. It always has a great atmosphere, a lot calmer than the Royal Mile where you can scarcely move for crowds and people handing you flyers for their shows during the three weeks of the Fringe. I do enjoy the buzz it brings, though getting anywhere becomes a struggle. Once the Fringe leaves at the end of August the city suddenly changes, becomes a lot quieter, and it feels like autumn is on its way. It's a very strange, empty feeling when the Fringe goes each year (actually much like a house without a dog when you're used to it, as someone said earlier).

 

 

It's sometimes worth dropping into the bookfest for some peace and quiet.

 

Another sign of late summer is when the swallows leave; just now I see them every morning scooting above the gardens. Anyone else notice the sleek lines of these foreign birds? Like an Enzo Ferrari design compared to the Morris Minor pigeons. I guess they'll be departing soon. What would gulls be if they were cars?

 

Have a good day

 

Mal

[shortliner]

What would gulls be if they were cars?

 

Mal

Probably some of those very ugly "HotWheels", or Corporation Dust-carts

[Coombe Barton]

 What would gulls be if they were cars?

 

 

 

Chelsea Tractors parked on the pavement.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Weather seems better so perhaps I cab get down to the town and back without getting drenched in the process today - unlike yesterday when I had to get a taxi home as I was soaked through.  And the sun has just come out, for a minute or two only no doubt.

 

And i see Brian is off to Leigh - bet it's changed since I was last there, which is pushing 50 years ago.

 

Have a good day everybody.

[shortliner]

Duncan - congratulations on your promotion and attitude - the only advice I can offer is that it is good to get out and show the troops that you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty occasionally - it shows them that you do know what the job entails and that you know what you are talking about. There is nothing worse than having a boss who sits on his ar$e all day in an office, and volunteers his workers for jobs to make himself look good in the eyes of his superiors

[AndrewC]

Morning all from corporate hellquarters in the great metrollops. Or words to that effect. Hot and sticky in here as the air con still hasn't been repaired. Just over 2 1/2 days left on this project. Most of my comrades in arms have already mentally abandoned ship. Its go through the motion time.

 

The number of beer related events that are tempting me has become rather silly. One tonight and tomorrow at the Rake. No doubt Mr Roundhouse will be there tonight. Mikkeller tap takeover at Bottle Shop on Friday. Rake birthday party next Wed, and GBBF from Tuesday to Saturday. Has anyone got a spare liver I can borrow?

 

Not a hell of a lot else to say. Have a great day everyone. We are almost half way through the week.

[PhilJ W]

 There is nothing worse than having a boss who sits on his ar$e all day in an office, and volunteers his workers for jobs to make himself look good in the eyes of his superiors

Only the boss who knows sweet FA about the job and what you do and cares even less.

[AndrewC]

Time to implement the groan button.

 

 

[shortliner]

Only the boss who knows sweet FA about the job and what you do and cares even less.

 How they got rid of him from his previous job - promoted beyond his abilities!

[Judge Dread]

 How they got rid of him from his previous job - promoted beyond his abilities!

These are the ******** that get the promotion you applied for and then you are asked to "just show them the job and keep an eye on them!"

Not a chance!

[Tony_S]

I was really lucky at one time to work for a couple of people who were capable of doing any job in the organisation and were good with people too. If things went wrong they could step in and sort it out. Of course they wouldn't ever progress to senior senior management in education. A bit like when Aditi represented her college at some meetings in London. The organisers asked why the college didn't send someone more senior. She just said that her managers thought it better to send someone who knew what they were talking about.

Tony

[jamie92208]

These are the ******** that get the promotion you applied for and then you are asked to "just show them the job and keep an eye on them!"

Not a chance!

We had a lot of them who were on the various Home Office accelerated promotion schemes. They became known as butterflies as they moved on so often. I started a campaign to call them seagulls as we had to clear the mess up that they left behind.

 

Jamie

[BSW01]

What would gulls be if they were cars?

 

Have a good day

 

Mal

Probably some idiot in a BMW.

[BSW01]

Afternoon everyone.

 

Whilst driving through Atherton and Leigh I drove through some places that had very colourful names, such as;

 

THE PUNGLE

HOSKER'S NOOK

DOBB BROW

DANGEROUS CORNER

PICKLEY GREEN

HAG FOLD

GIN PIT

HOOTEN GARDENS

DAISY HILL, this one even has a train station!

You couldn't make them up, if you did, no one would believe you.

[Donw]

Dom  sorry to hear of the incident I am one of those who believes in facing the fear as soon as possible otherwise it can become an issue.

 

Mal Yes Swallows are beautiful sleek bird. Why do you call them foreign as far as I know the ones that return here was all born in the UK and therefore British

 

Don

[Tony_S]

Being born here doesn't make you British. Well not since 1982 anyway.

[Tony_S]

The gulls in Stavanger looked like gulls and swam around like gulls but the ones in the park acted liked pigeons hopping about looking for crumbs, not all aggressive. Though someone did get their breakfast sampled while we were in Bergen.

 

Years ago we were walking back to our tent and a gull (great black backed, so quite large) emptied its bowels just as Aditi walked under the streetlamp it was perching on. I think it had eaten a lot of fish. Fortunately the campsite had showers otherwise she would have been taking a bath in Moray Firth.