Early Risers.

[edcayton]

Morning all.

 

Dom-it's being on public transport and being exposed to the er...public!

 

Kelly-made pressies and cards mean so much more.

 

Best wishes

 

Ed

[DDolfelin]

Good morning all,

Another grey start to the day here but should stay dry with some warm sunny spells.

Good luck for today for Mrs Rick.

Stock in railway room has been re-arranged and there's now room for lots more!    When I told The Boss she didn't  seem that enthusiastic. I really don't understand her at times.  

We had the two younger grandchildren, Joe & Gemma, come for tea after school yesterday. As they get older these events will become rarer but so far they've insisted on coming each week. When I told them that we're thinking of selling up and moving away they said in no uncertain terms that we can't!   :nono:  It is tempting though seeing the prices houses around here are fetching. I doubt if it will happen though because although she has actually talked about it with me (I'm the one who really wants to move) I don't think Chris will actually take the plunge.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

You've been watching 'A place in the sun' Bob.

[Smiffy2]

Morning all.

 

Front door painted, the garden beckons (for sitting, not working).

 

Have an excellent day.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Yesterday's minor culinary effort actually worked but I haven't let on too much to Mrs Stationmaster in case she gets ideas.  She and the Good Doctor were at Falmouth yesterday (a day too early as it happens as our ship is in there today) and off to Heligan to find some missing gardens today duly meeting herself's old school friend and her husband - which sounds like a good idea as it will avoid me having to drive much of the length of Cornwall sometime in the next few days.  Apparently the train down was heaving, fore & aft so i hope I can get a seat for brunch tomorrow or there'll be serious ructions - although there's only 90 minutes available to get through all three courses.

 

Have a good day one and all and I'll think good wishes for Mrs Gwiwer while I'm having my pedicure (which is also booked for 12.00 - wrinklies day so it's even cheaper than the chirpyodist.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Quite bright and sunny here this morning though when I woke up this morning the central heating was running full tilt. I've finished reading the book on the West Valley R.R. very much a potted history of the line and a bit short on some details but typical of a 1950's publication. It really brings home how such books have changed in half a century, I should think that for modern authors of transport and other similar genres Google really is your friend. Thats all for now folks, congratulations and commiserations where neccessary, be back later.

[grandadbob]

You've been watching 'A place in the sun' Bob.

 

Not quite, it was "Escape to the Country".

[Tony_S]

Not quite, it was "Escape to the Country".

So how about moving to south Essex!

[lightengine]

In just over an hour the sea mist was burnt off and the town once more is visible.

 

Off to the crafting fair in Exeter on Friday. There is hardly anything to interest me but there will be lots for my wife. She just needs support at times.

 

Just watched the the Lost Sitcoms Steptoe and Alf Garnett shows. Pretty good I thought although the originals cannot be beaten.

Also watched Motherland, The Coopers vs the Rest, Our Ex-wife and Home from Home on BBCi player. Quite humorous comedy and good to see some new stuff on tv.

[AndyB]

Not quite, it was "Escape to the Country".

 

Which one?  Wales or Scotland.           

[BSW01]

Not quite, it was "Escape to the Country".

It's Mrs W's favorite, I just hope it doesn't give her ideas.

[grandadbob]

Chris watches "Escape to the Country" all the time. There is a slight problem that being an out and out "townie" she doesn't like fields, cows, sheep, horses, thatched roofs, low beams, wood burners range cookers and a host of other things that I quite like. 

It may take me some time (or the rest of my life) trying to persuade her to move. 

[Oldddudders]

Chris watches "Escape to the Country" all the time. There is a slight problem that being an out and out "townie" she doesn't like fields, cows, sheep, horses, thatched roofs, low beams, wood burners range cookers and a host of other things that I quite like. 

It may take me some time (or the rest of my life) trying to persuade her to move. 

You are, I am sure, already aware of the pitfalls of upping stix. People who are immersed in the busy community they inhabit see a bijou village many miles away, move there and discover they are now friendless and bored. Doesn't happen to everyone, of course - Sherry and her ex quickly involved themselves in local theatre and church, and were instantly accepted and popular. Deb and I foresook the pubs of rural Kent for la France profonde and never regretted it. But you both need to be convinced. Grandchildren, or the missing of, can break hearts. We've seen that happen here among the Brits, and next thing you know they have gone home.

 

A day forecast for sunny periods at best has turned out to be blue skies and hot. Butterflies are about. Farmers are ploughing, seeding or whatever. Equinox is not a bad time to be alive.

[Horsetan]

.... We've seen that happen here among the Brits, and next thing you know they have gone home.....

 

Will any others depart once Brexit is complete? 

[roundhouse]

Some times I despair of the way life is in the city forgetting about commuting for a minute.

 

I cross Borough high street at the lights with the green man. As I get onto the pavement the other side a cyclist goes racing through the red light just missing me. He just overtook a policeman on a bike who was not interested in what the cyclist had just done.

 

I am walking back down a side road and pass a girl talking on her mobile phone. I then stop to let a scaffold lorry reverse in the narrow road from a side entrance. However said girl just steps out into the road around me and behind the reversing lorry whilst busy chatting away.completely uninterested in the reversing lorry. No doubt if she got hit she would claim against the driver.

[Horsetan]

Sometimes I despair of the way life is in the city forgetting about commuting for a minute.....

 

Modern society and advanced technology makes stupidity much easier.

[Tony_S]

Septic tanks, no gasmains, dubious broadband. I am staying here.

[Horsetan]

Septic tanks, no gasmains, dubious broadband. I am staying here.

 

Any locals displaying a vivid orangey skin tone? 

[Donw]

Interesting the comments on 'Escaping to the Country' We made our escape over 40 years ago. Well in Marion's case it was a return having lived on the Duke of Wellington's estate until about 10. It is very easy to have rose tinted spectacles about country living. Particularly when retired. If your life revolves around family or you spend a lot of time shopping you may find there is less of that in your life. Here the nearest B&Q (or other DIY outlet) is a 40min drive away. Actually things have got easier with the rise of the net as most things can be order via the net. 

 

Don

[Tony_S]

Any locals displaying a vivid orangey skin tone? 

That would be Brentwood not Benfleet.

[laurenceb]

Crossed thumbs for Mrs Rick

[Gwiwer]

Phone call received in the past few minutes post-interview.  One relieved candidate can breathe a sigh of relief and assures me she could have done no better and was happy with her performance.  No indication was given by any of the panel as to possible outcome.

 

The other person was described as a middle-aged man in a tweed jacket.  We'll see who fits the bill in due course.  Your well wishes were collectively passed on for which you are all thanked most generously.

[AndyB]

Tomorrow I am due to "Escape to the Smoke". 

I'm not sure relocation for the whole day will suit me, so hoping to get an early-ish train back home again.

I do hope they still iron the newspapers before handing them out. 

 

I was interested this morning to receive a response to what is known as an "Expression of Interest" that I'd submitted, with an invitation to bid for a piece of work. 

But when I opened up the main document ready to start typing in my technical proposal I was somewhat discombobulated by the type of information they were asking for: Name, age, weight, height, marital status, number of children, their names, their ages, my entire work history and salaries,.....and nowhere to state what it is that my company does. So I emailed them and asked why a tax-payer funded organisation would ask such personal and intrusive questions and, more precisely, how this helps them evaluate our work proposal. I felt this was somewhat more diplomatic than repeatedly typing "None of your ....ing business" in the bid document.  

[AndyB]

Phone call received in the past few minutes post-interview.  One relieved candidate can breathe a sigh of relief and assures me she could have done no better and was happy with her performance.  No indication was given by any of the panel as to possible outcome.

 

The other person was described as a middle-aged man in a tweed jacket.  We'll see who fits the bill in due course.  Your well wishes were collectively passed on for which you are all thanked most generously.

 

It wasn't tweed! At least she didn't mention my cravat.  

[Ian Abel]

The foot-plate "answer"...

 

Visiting the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, there is quite the display of equipment. Duluth being one of the major ports for shipping iron ore/taconite for many years, they have in their collection

 

Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Steam Locomotive No. 227 - a Mallet 2-8-8-4 beastie!

 

 

 

 

The last picture being a postcard when it was outside, years ago.

Due to it's location in the museum, even though restored, and very viewable, there's no good location to get a full length shot to capture the immense size.

 

One really interesting feature of the exhibit is that they have the driving wheels all lifted just clear of the rails (supported on the axle boxes best I could tell), so they can use an electric motor to run the thing showing the movement of all the valve gear. They have a commentary/action of the motion three times an hour.

 

At 127 feet long, and;

"When working at full power, it could consume some 10 to 12 tons of coal an hour and evaporate water into steam at the astounding rate of 12,000 gallons per hour. The amount of coal the engine used in one hour would be enough to heat a home for two winters. It carried 26 tons of coal and 25,000 gallons of water in its tender."

 

It's sodding HUGE!!

[Glover]

The foot-plate "answer"...

 

Visiting the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, there is quite the display of equipment. Duluth being one of the major ports for shipping iron ore/taconite for many years, they have in their collection

 

Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Steam Locomotive No. 227 - a Mallet 2-8-8-4 beastie!

 

Mallet-2.jpg

 

Mallet-3.jpg

 

dmir227.jpg

 

The last picture being a postcard when it was outside, years ago.

Due to it's location in the museum, even though restored, and very viewable, there's no good location to get a full length shot to capture the immense size.

 

One really interesting feature of the exhibit is that they have the driving wheels all lifted just clear of the rails (supported on the axle boxes best I could tell), so they can use an electric motor to run the thing showing the movement of all the valve gear. They have a commentary/action of the motion three times an hour.

 

At 127 feet long, and;

"When working at full power, it could consume some 10 to 12 tons of coal an hour and evaporate water into steam at the astounding rate of 12,000 gallons per hour. The amount of coal the engine used in one hour would be enough to heat a home for two winters. It carried 26 tons of coal and 25,000 gallons of water in its tender."

 

It's sodding HUGE!!

I was there in July this year!

As you say, an impressive collection and a model railroad.

My eldest son lives in the Twin Cities; St Paul to be a little more precise.

 

Regards,

 

Glover ( reading Early Risers for what seems like more years than I care to remember)