Early Risers.

[chrisf]

Has anyone ever given up modelling forums in order to spend more time with the kits?

 

Some have, but it was not their idea.  They have been kicked out.

 

Chris

[Gwiwer]

Morning all.

 

Had a gentle day yesterday feeling a little under the weather after seven challenging shifts in a row.  Better today.  Up bright and early by mid-morning and stuff is getting done.  Passport renewal submitted.  Working on capturing videos of the little trains while I still can.  I have more than enough stills but not many decent vids.  A weak Pound and some good prices on offer are sorely testing my ability to not order any more boxes.  

 

Back to the Palace tomorrow night.  Three lates then a weekend off.  This is the better end of the roster.

 

Play nice.  And if you can't then please line up outside the moderator's door.

[Oldddudders]

Afternoon all. I know it is past midday, because the clock at All-Saints, across the green, has just struck the hour. Sadly it only registered 4 chimes. Still, that's better than at 7, when it chimed 10!

 

We are chilling after our busy weekend. Sherry drove three long-ish trips, and all suffered serious delays. Yesterday we lost at least 30 mins passing Stonehenge. On Sunday we opted for a local trip to familiar Box Hill, returning via Pebblecomb. The latter was closed, and in making the very long diversion via Reigate we encountered two more road closures, each quite independent of the others. A pint in the Dolphin at Betchworth compensated. My primary skool was a few hundred yards away.

 

Alison's ex recently posted this on his Facebook page, which, obviously, you and I are able to access. Referring to his eldest son, 13, he says "The fall from grace, when it comes, is going to be spectacular. I foresee some grand larceny or copious drug-taking by the time he is 16. Nobody can keep this up." Is this man fit to be a father?

Edited October 25, 2016 by Oldddudders

[roundhouse]

Afternoon all. I know it is past midday, because the clock at All-Saints, across the green, has just struck the hour. Sadly it only registered 4 chimes. Still, that's better than at 7, when it chimed 10!

 

We are chilling after our busy weekend. Sherry drove three long-ish trips, and all suffered serious delays. Yesterday we lost at least 30 mins passing Stonehenge. On Sunday we opted for a local trip to familiar Box Hill, returning via Pebblecomb. The later was closed, and in making the very long diversion via Reigate we encountered two more road closures, each quite independent of the others. A pint in the Dolphin at Betchworth compensated. My primary skool was a few hundred yards away.

 

Alison's ex recently posted this on his Facebook page, which, obviously, you and I are able to access. Referring to his eldest son, 13, he says "The fall from grace, when it comes, is going to be spectacular. I foresee some grand larceny or copious drug-taking by the time he is 16. Nobody can keep this up." Is this man fit to be a father?

I havent been in the Dolphin for many years. Youngs beers haven't been the same since they moved the brewing out of Wandsworth.

[skipepsi]

Afternoon all. I know it is past midday, because the clock at All-Saints, across the green, has just struck the hour. Sadly it only registered 4 chimes. Still, that's better than at 7, when it chimed 10!

 

We are chilling after our busy weekend. Sherry drove three long-ish trips, and all suffered serious delays. Yesterday we lost at least 30 mins passing Stonehenge. On Sunday we opted for a local trip to familiar Box Hill, returning via Pebblecomb. The latter was closed, and in making the very long diversion via Reigate we encountered two more road closures, each quite independent of the others. A pint in the Dolphin at Betchworth compensated. My primary skool was a few hundred yards away.

 

Alison's ex recently posted this on his Facebook page, which, obviously, you and I are able to access. Referring to his eldest son, 13, he says "The fall from grace, when it comes, is going to be spectacular. I foresee some grand larceny or copious drug-taking by the time he is 16. Nobody can keep this up." Is this man fit to be a father?

Sadly fathering children has no examination to take before committing the act. That is one of the reasons I still have a job in my old age.

[Horsetan]

Ealing Studios is definitely here in Ealing. I'm sitting in the reception area.

Nasty Hobbitses:

 

 

 

 

The place is just massive. They are currently filming "The Durrells" here on one of the studios - in progress whilst I was there just now.

 

Other parts are dedicated to producing and programming computer games - the graphics they showed me are scarily realistic.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all.

 

Lurker Towers is still cold, but I'm here at work.

 

Year end work goes slowly. Some units are more than a week late submitting figures, but why am I surprised?

 

I don't think I have ever had a really bad flight although one Air 2000 flight involved flying from Birmingham to Luton to pick up some spare parts for another plane that had broken down in Greece. I've certainly had a longer delay on Euston-Northampton service (the journey took approximately 6 hours)  than I have ever had on a flight.

[roundhouse]

We had a 6 - 8 hour delay out of Orlando many years ago. As  luck would have it we decided to park up and drop off our bags then go drop the rental car off but as the flight was delayed Virgin said that they would pay for any extra car rental so we went off to Wet and Wild. Gave us another day s holiday more or less.

 

Had a 10 hour delay on Amtraks Empire Builder into Chicago because of heavy snow. Was due in at 4pm but we got into the hotel after 2am and no beer in the evening.

 

They did give us free meals on board though.

Edited October 25, 2016 by roundhouse

[RhBBob]

I've spent all morning looking for the result of the 'English Referendum' 

 

 

Whadda-you-mean I've been wasting my time ?

[BoD]

Nasty Hobbitses:

 

IMG_20161025_112432_1477394995574.jpg

 

 

IMG_20161025_120527_1477395025459.jpg

.

 

Which one is you?

[bbishop]

Which one is you?

Ivan,

 

This from someone who deleted a photograph because it contained his shadow.

 

Bill

[andyram]

Good afternoon all. Many thanks for the kind words and good wishes. We are on half term break right now so things are a little more sedate at present. Today we visited a couple of garden centres and the Masson Mill retail outlet. The latter has a Hornby outlet on the same floor as a whiskey shop so it is always worth a visit. Very little purchased, apart from a small garden shed model. This is my third and will, in time, be transformed into a beach hut for the coastal terminus project. Sarah has been encouraging me to buy the timber and build the baseboards this week but whether that will happen remains to be seen.

The comments about people's opinions of the teaching profession have made for interesting reading. It is true that the job has got harder and the demands greater. I don't think I have worked as hard as I have in the past couple of years. During this time I have, on occasions, considered a move away from the classroom. So far I have not made the break, nor considered an alternative profession. This year, for the first time, I have not enjoyed the job of teaching. Normally the enjoyment and satisfaction has kept me going and, when very busy, I have hung onto the holidays as a chance to spend time with the family. The one benefit is the summer break and I do keep reminding myself of that fact in the most difficult times. I am sure that, in time, this feeling will pass and I will begin to enjoy the job again.

Yesterday i did have the first "what if" question entering my head. Before teaching I considered journalism as a career, but never followed it through. I was put off by a difficult first job working in free newspaper office. During that time I did, even at the age of 16, have some sports articles published in their publications. A few years later I edited a football fanzine for a couple of years, developing it into a more professional publication with increased readership. All very small fry it has to be admitted. But the "job advert" on RMWeb for the BRM editor job did make me wonder, if only for a brief second, what my career could have been like if I stuck to my original interest.

Anyway, there is a spare hour or so....the question is do I spend it on school planning or playing trains?

Edited October 25, 2016 by andyram

[Ian Abel]

Good morning.

 

Yesterday passed without events of any note, save the "other" client I was supposed to continue working with (the folks that dropped off the map for months!) threw another spanner in the works.

Apparently, because we've not managed to get everything sorted for me to work on their system (access issues mostly with the system/database) the Network group disabled my VPN access account! You can't make this carp up. So NOW we're back waiting for them to respond again and activate it/reset the password. This is where we started months ago!  

 

Today sees the return of Jemma and the Mrs, they're in the air as I type, due to land in about 3+ hours. Be nice to have them home again.

 

Hovering around average temperatures for the time of year here. 4C and overcast, expecting 11 for a high and remaining cloudy with rain forecast for later in the day.

 

Chin up everyone, tomorrow is HUMP day.

[The Stationmaster]

Wait! Ian, are you trying to tell us Jemma still lives with her parents?

 

Oh dear....

 

 

Do keep up - the domestic situation has been fully reported in these pages in recent months  

[roundhouse]

Do keep up - the domestic situation has been fully reported in these pages in recent months  

She pays flying visits

[lightengine]

Just been to the Co-op. Observed person putting item into her bag unpaid for. Informed staff member. Staff member checked and came back to inform me that if a staff member does not observe the crime nothing can be done.

That is well wicked.

Open house at the Co-op.

[AndrewC]

Just been to the Co-op. Observed person putting item into her bag unpaid for. Informed staff member. Staff member checked and came back to inform me that if a staff member does not observe the crime nothing can be done.

That is well wicked.

Open house at the Co-op.

What's the wine selection like? I could do with stocking up before the C word hits in exactly 2 months.

[Happy Hippo]

Now that we know what Ivan looks like w/o his tiger costume, I'll admit it's not as scary as feared. Actually, he looks like a decent bloke, a bit of a solicitor

 

I agree, but who's the bloke in the glasses?

[45156]

I havent been in the Dolphin for many years. Youngs beers haven't been the same since they moved the brewing out of Wandsworth.

Never been the same since George finished up as Guv'nor in the 1990s.  He was a brilliant landlord, who had never run a pub before.  Some years after we left Surrey, we went to the Dolphin while visiting friends in Croydon, and I walked up to the bar, and George greeted me with "pint of Special in a straight glass?"  One of the best publicans I ever met, and the food was good as well.  We had Christmas dinner there and it was exellent, and also very reasonable.

 

Youngs beer has been pretty p!ss poor for many years, Special got sweeter, and Ordinary became, well, ordinary.  That process started well before I left the South, and also a long time before the brewing was moved out of Wandsworth.  Winter Warmer, I'm not sure on, as it was a seasonal brew, and the memory of last year's batch was always better than the reality of this year's. 

Edited October 25, 2016 by 45156

[The Stationmaster]

What's the wine selection like? I could do with stocking up before the C word hits in exactly 2 months.

 

We did a little bit of stocking up at Tesco today - rather worthwhile as if you bought 6 bottles of wine you got 25% off we then got the 'staff & family' discount as well of course however this week that happens to be 20% instead of the usual 10%.  As a result of this plus various other discounts on shelf prices the bill for our shopping (not all wine of course -we only bought 12 bottles) descended in stages from just over £170 to £152, and then to £122 with the 'staff & family' discount.

[bbishop]

I think we should welcome Ivan into our electronic gang. But what the heck has happened to Kenton, one post on RMWeb in three months!

 

Bill

[roundhouse]

Never been the same since George finished up as Guv'nor in the 1990s.  He was a brilliant landlord, who had never run a pub before.  Some years after we left Surrey, we went to the Dolphin while visiting friends in Croydon, and I walked up to the bar, and George greeted me with "pint of Special in a straight glass?"  One of the best publicans I ever met, and the food was good as well.  We had Christmas dinner there and it was exellent, and also very reasonable.

 

Youngs beer has been pretty p!ss poor for many years, Special got sweeter, and Ordinary became, well, ordinary.  That process started well before I left the South, and also a long time before the brewing was moved out of Wandsworth.  Winter Warmer, I'm not sure on, as it was a seasonal brew, and the memory of last year's batch was always better than the reality of this year's.

 

I liked Winter Warmer but when they tried to replicate it at Charles Wells in Bedford it was completely different. I haven't seen it in years now so guessing it's no longer being produced. The Home Cottage is / was. Younger pub but when they ruined it turning it into a gastro pub and ramming tables in plus long waits to get served whilst someone chose what wine they wanted we stopped going in there. Ale range even blander aswell after a few months of refurbishment.

[Oldddudders]

Great to finally have Ivan unmask himself. Looks the part for his calling.

 

Sorry Andyram is up agin it. I know a bit about bladder discomfort, but mine was sorted by surgery, almost certainly not the same issue for a man nearly 30 years younger! Cranberry, incidentally, seems to be both praised and cursed in this context, some research having shown it to inflame the bladder, not calm it. I hope things are sorted soonest, both healthwise and in your career. Today's Guardian quotes stats saying a third of new teachers quit within 5 years. This isn't just about the blackboard jungle, I suspect, but also the effective privatisation of state skools and financial pressures squeezing the staff to deliver more for less. Parallels with other employments are obvious, but teaching isn't - or at least shouldn't be - just a job.

[tetsudofan]

My flying days after I shipped out to Hong Kong on the P&O Chitral started in the far east. First flight was on Philippine Airlines from Hong Kong to Manila in January 1968 to catch a States Line cargo ship from Manila to Saigon.

 

First flight out of Saigon was a Cathay Pacific Convair 880 bound for Bangkok. As the Viet Cong controlled the countryside outside Saigon planes needed to get airborne quickly so we sat at the start of the runway as the Captain revved up the engines full blast with the plane shaking like the whatnots before the brakes were released and we were off hurtling down the runway like a rocket!!

 

Returning to Saigon was just as interesting. Came back on a Thai International Caravelle when descent was left to the last moment. One moment we were up in the air, next moment we were on the runway!!

 

Only made one internal flight whilst in Saigon and that was on an Air Vietnam DC4 up to Dalat in the Central Highlands. After take-off was looking out of the window and watched one of the engines conking out which meant our return to Saigon. A couple of hours later after they had repaired the engine we left for Dalat on the same plane.

 

Final departure from Saigon in November 1969 was on the Air Vietnam 727 (they only had one, leased I think, from Pan Am) bound for Phnom Penh. Only interesting thing about this flight was that we arrived in Phnom Penh before we had left Saigon due to being in different time zones.

 

Return to the UK was via Camdodia, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, USA and Denmark by various airlines/aircraft before catching a train across Denmark, the overnight ferry to Harwich and the boat train to meet the family at Liverpool Street Station....... three and a half years since I had said goodbye to them on a boat train at Waterloo Station.

 

Keith

[Horsetan]

This from someone who deleted a photograph because it contained his shadow.

 

Vampire under false pretences?

 

Now that we know what Ivan looks like w/o his tiger costume, I'll admit it's not as scary as feared. Actually, he looks like a decent bloke, a bit of a solicitor

 

 

Dang, must delete that pic......

 

 

Just been to the Co-op. Observed person putting item into her bag unpaid for. Informed staff member. Staff member checked and came back to inform me that if a staff member does not observe the crime nothing can be done.

That is well wicked.

Open house at the Co-op.

  

What's the wine selection like? I could do with stocking up before the C word hits in exactly 2 months.

 

So it's official then. The Co-Op don't have CCTV?

Edited October 25, 2016 by Horsetan