Early Risers.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Afternoon awl all from Scottish HQ! Mostly dry here.

 

I see that AndrewC likes to live dangerously... Nice to see Debs here too!

 

Went to hot (Bikram) yoga last night for the first (and very probably last) time. The place stank of feet, the men were walking around in just shorts, the girls only marginally less exposed. The room was 40C or thereabouts, and after a little while of trying various yoga poses, the sweat was running off me in rivers, and I was puce in the face... I think I'll stick to running, a 10K is far less painful an experience!

 

Anyway, back to the grind just now...

 

While I remember, I wondered if any of our US-based members might be able to help me get hold of something that's available from Target in the USA but not here yet? Please and thank you!

 

Have a good day everyone!

[roundhouse]

Just to clear up any possible misunderstanding. I have made this suggestion to help Debs in her very specific circumstances and do not in any way suggest it as a general way of providing more seating within such a large venue. I would ask that it is treated in the spirit in which it was made. Many layouts would not welcome 'strangers' in their operating areas for very good reasons.

 

This is a special offer to one very special ER.

 

However I have often been helped by layout owners that I know who have allowed me to store rucksacks and jackets safely while looking around large shows, and have been very grateful. I even had someone's jacket stored behind my demonstration table this last weekend.

 

Jamie

We often do the same for people we know and would be happy for Debs to do the same except that we are not at Warley this year.

 

I note one Andrew C has clicked ' agree' - there's trouble ahead - I will send a photo of him so Debs knows who to go for (but you could to  try to persuade me otherwise with a few beers Andrew)

[AndrewC]

We often do the same for people we know and would be happy for Debs to do the same except that we are not at Warley this year.

 

I note one Andrew C has clicked ' agree' - there's trouble ahead - I will send a photo of him so Debs knows who to go for (but you could to  try to persuade me otherwise with a few beers Andrew)

Is there a photo of me out there? If so I will pay you in beers for its confirmed destruction.

[jamie92208]

Is there a photo of me out there? If so I will pay you in beers for its confirmed destruction.

You must have deep pockets Andrew.

 

Jamie

[Jol Wilkinson]

Having friends appear  when you are exhibiting a layout or manning a trade stand can be something of a mixed blessing. While it is always good to see them, some are quite unaware of the disruption they can cause. Several instance in particular come to mind, but I had better say nothing in case anyone recognises themselves.

 

It is important to interact with visitors and the answer does seem to be to have a "barker" at front or end of the layout to answer any questions, etc.

 

The most difficult to deal with tend to be those who would like to become a friend and spend a long (or so it seems) time boring you with their conversation. I sometimes wonder if we are too polite and instead of feigning interest/ hiding our boredom  should to tell them to b*gg*r off.

 

I just hope I am not guilty of getting in other exhibitors way when they are concentrating on operating or  making a sale.

 

Looks like a break in the rain so back up to the workshop to do some final preparation for Warley.

[AndyB]

  If anyone clicks "Agree", there`ll be trouble!

 

Oops. 

 

Debs, have a lovely time. And maybe start loading up some generic text-to-speech phrases:

"Oi, mind that rucksack"

"Oi, don't you know what deodorant is?"

"Is that OO scale or 4mm gauge?"

"Remind me....GWR stands for Green Welsh Railway?"

[AndrewC]

You must have deep pockets Andrew.

 

Jamie

Just access to a couple of bottles of 23% Dutch Eisbock. That should finish him off quickly.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Oops. 

 

Debs, have a lovely time. And maybe start loading up some generic text-to-speech phrases:

"Oi, mind that rucksack"

"Oi, don't you know what deodorant is?"

"Is that OO scale or 4mm gauge?"

"Remind me....GWR stands for Green Welsh Railway?"

Some more, if I may.

 

"Good grief, who did that?"

"When is the next train?"  (To be said 5 seconds after the last one)

"Where can I buy one of those"

"What's EM/P4/2mm/S scale/ScaleSeven? (delete as required).

"Oooh look, the LNWR used BR mixed traffic loco livery".

 

And finally;

 

"A large glass, of course"

[Debs.]

Oops. 

 

Debs, have a lovely time. And maybe start loading up some generic text-to-speech phrases:

"Oi, mind that rucksack"

"Oi, don't you know what deodorant is?"

"Is that OO scale or 4mm gauge?"

"Remind me....GWR stands for Green Welsh Railway?"

Hahaha!!!.......`love it!

Edited November 22, 2016 by Debs.

[Horsetan]

...I always go to Warley ....and it can get very busy and some areas get very crowded which can be a bit strenuous and rather trying ....

 

I only went once. It looked a bit like this:

 

 

Never again.

[emt_911]

An interesting drive to and from Maidenhead with plenty of cockwombles out and about.

 

Great to see a post from Debs

 

Ice skating? I learnt to skate at Streatham Ice Rink as others on here did. I haven't been in years. As for skiing, I'm with Richard.

 

Time to write up my reports from today.

 

Back later

[jonny777]

I only went once. It looked a bit like this:

 

 

Never again.

 

 

Yes, I haven't been for a number of years. When I did, I found it hard to even get near the popular layouts or trade displays. I was in a queue to buy a brass kit of some description but the person at the front of the queue had obviously decided to impart his entire railway knowledge in conversation with the vendor and just kept asking question after question, so in the end I put the item back and wandered away.

 

At the next stand I found a teenage girl in charge of the till, but the chap in front of me had decided that meant she was 'fair game' and tried the old "I gave you a twenty" trick when she gave him his change from £10, but she was wise to those brain-dead types and had kept his tenner in her other hand.

 

At one of the bigger 'roundy-roundy' layouts that year, men in their 50s and 60s were being told off by the operators for pushing kids out of the way at the front because they thought their experience entitled them to the best view for 20 minutes.

 

I began to think 'why have I paid to come here?' just to endure a continuous rugby scrum with a distant layout view every so often if I was lucky.

[AndrewC]

Warley again, so soon? Some people enjoy it, others not so much. I'll just say I went 6 years in a row. The last time was 2006. Haven't been back since. I so much prefer smaller local shows where you can chat with the operators and actually enjoy the layouts.

[Tony_S]

Perhaps they should do "Warley on Ice" one year. That could be fun. At the O2 Arena everything seems to have an "on ice" version.

[edcayton]

Perhaps they should do "Warley on Ice" one year. That could be fun. At the O2 Arena everything seems to have an "on ice" version.

 

Ian Dudders could go, others not.

 

Ed

[jamie92208]

Perhaps they should do "Warley on Ice" one year. That could be fun. At the O2 Arena everything seems to have an "on ice" version.

 

Perhaps the ice could be fringed with some sort of ice bath into which all the unwashed and annoying got deposited.

 

Note to self, better have a shower before I go.

 

Jamie

[Tony_S]

Warley again, so soon? Some people enjoy it, others not so much. I'll just say I went 6 years in a row. The last time was 2006. Haven't been back since. I so much prefer smaller local shows where you can chat with the operators and actually enjoy the layouts.

Having been round the local shows for many years I still haven't been brave enough to ask the two chaps on one of the gauge society stands "when will it be finished?" as they seem to have been soldering the track piece since about 1990.

[BSW01]

  If anyone clicks "Agree", there`ll be trouble!

 

I not going, so there!

[shortliner]

Perhaps they should do "Warley on Ice" one year. That could be fun. At the O2 Arena everything seems to have an "on ice" version.

Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic should be rather fun!

Edited November 22, 2016 by shortliner

[Ian Abel]

What a splendid response! I must admit having read Debs's post I felt any trivia I had to impart was simply inappropriate. 

 

Evidently I have reconsidered. Sherry tells me Exeter has no trains, and there now seems to be a thread on the subject. That city does seem to be a target for flooding, despite obvious channels that imply real money has been spent. Probably Cowley Bridge junction is a little too far out. 

 

I had a Hornby T9 which needed a decoder. I found one lying around - as you do - so opened the tender and popped it in. Off to the railway barn and yes, it answers to address 3, but no, it isn't very useable, with a very start-stop attitude despite altering starting voltage CV etc. . It had all the hallmarks of a decoder arguing with capacitors. Uncertain as to the manufacturer, I read CV8 and found 151. Back indoors, boot up the iMac and find a table, which shows it is ESU - a more expensive brand than I normally buy. Downloaded a pdf of technical stuff, and on page 68 (yes) found that resetting CV49 to 0 might be the answer. Back out to the barn and it worked fine, added suitable values for CVs 3 and 4, and it set off trundling gently about with a couple of those new Hornby Maunsell rebuilds. Just reminds me why I buy cheap decoders that offer fewer frills and take a great deal less setting-up. Sigh. 

Blimey! I wasn't sure whether to congratulate you on the craftsmanship or the courage!

There you go, actually ACKNOWLEDGING that Debs is around and active (wonderful to see, of course) and moments later IN THE SAME POST you manage to write an ENTIRE paragraph banging on about THAT WHICH MUST NOT BE MENTIONED! Extremely informative and held my interest, BUT, I fear you have the wrath of the Debs with pointy things in your future, sir.

 

Afternoon awl all from Scottish HQ! Mostly dry here.

 

I see that AndrewC likes to live dangerously... Nice to see Debs here too!

 

Went to hot (Bikram) yoga last night for the first (and very probably last) time. The place stank of feet, the men were walking around in just shorts, the girls only marginally less exposed. The room was 40C or thereabouts, and after a little while of trying various yoga poses, the sweat was running off me in rivers, and I was puce in the face... I think I'll stick to running, a 10K is far less painful an experience!

 

Anyway, back to the grind just now...

 

While I remember, I wondered if any of our US-based members might be able to help me get hold of something that's available from Target in the USA but not here yet? Please and thank you!

 

Have a good day everyone!

Mike, email me and I'll see what I can do. Living in Target HQ we usually have pretty good access to anything they sell, especially given there are something like 10 Target stores within about a 15 minute drive of me!! 

 

 

On with the "report";

Uneventful Monday here, just working, managed an evening happy hour and some suitable comestibles and alcohol consumed with our traveling companions.

 

Jemma off on a 4-day trip today which she is expecting to go pear-shaped in a hurry.

Leaves here around 4PM doing a turn to Sioux Falls, then up to Vancouver after that. On the face of it a no-brainer, HOWEVER, weather in the form of freezing rain and snow is expected to start here by early afternoon, so she heads into the weather from here (Sioux Falls is south-west), then back here where it should be pretty ugly by then, before Vancouver. Expectation is that everything will start to back-up and get delayed out and back, meaning they could "time-out" before they start the Vancouver leg as it's booked at around 4 hours. That makes everything go extremely nipples-up! I will watch with interest, partly as I may have to retrieve her after the Sioux Falls turn if they take the crew of the Vancouver leg. Yummy, driving to the airport in rain/freezing rain/snow mix with icy roads - my favourite!

 

All the above conclude ANY excitement for my day, work, work, work...

 

Around +1 right now, overcast and light rain/sleet. forecast high of 2-3 and mostly pear-shaped all day.

 

Make the best of what the day allows - carpe "anything that takes your fancy"

[The Stationmaster]

  If anyone clicks "Agree", there`ll be trouble!

 

ooops  

[emt_911]

My working day has ended early. Reports written and submitted.

 

Now to catch up on other goings on in RM land

[The Stationmaster]

I only went once. It looked a bit like this:

 

 

Never again.

Went on a  quiet year then did you?

[Debs.]

ooops  

 

Soon, we will examine the list!

 

........"Don`t tell her, Mike!"

[Horsetan]

....Went to hot (Bikram) yoga last night for the first (and very probably last) time. The place stank of feet, ....

 

So, just like Warley a model railway show, then.

 

Went on a  quiet year then did you?

 

2001. The only thing I was able to do there was collect a CDR loco kit from Backwoods Miniatures.

 

In addition to the violent punch-up that is the Bachmann "buy our returns and rejects" table, there were people actually hanging off the Hornby trade stand trailer that year, just like a subcontinental commuter train. Terrible smells, too. And the only direct service to and from the NEC was provided by Virgin. Why d'you think I never went back?

Edited November 22, 2016 by Horsetan