Early Risers.

[AndyID]

For insomniacs. This is where we live. Can you find it on Google Earth?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NGT6 1315]

E'ning all. That's me on a weekend off, so a sip of whisky has been had already!

 

And a selection of en-route images which I found worth posting:

 

 

 

 

Wednesday saw an encounter with 1203 "Dresden" and its new DHL advertisement, also applied to 1204 "Köln" and to NGT6 1321 in an adapted variant. One of the most attractive full body ads to have appeared in a while, IMO.

 

 

 

Today I then took a photo of 1336 "Kleinzschocher" which I guess HeiterBlick may well have had use for as a catalogue image.

 

 

 

 

Due to major engineering works at the Holzhäuser Straße terminus amounting to a total rebuild, Line 4 has been cut at Weißestraße, which during the Sunday timetable yields a turnaround of 19 minutes there.

 

 

I think I'll hit the sack in a while, so, generic C&Cs and see y'around…

[bluebottle]

My English teacher used to do that out of Wapiti's somewhere on the North West Frontier onto what he described as "Revolting Tribesmen" My other English Teacher was Russell Harty.   The two facts probably explain a lot.

 

Jamie

 

My English teacher was a nice Welsh lady. As far as I know, she never dropped any bombs on anybody.

[pH]

A wonderful weekend away last week; took the walk up Ardnamurchan Point lighthouse, now fully automatic but soon to be using solar power via leds.

 

A guy I went to school with was a lighthouse keeper there in the 1960s and loved the job. (Just an aside. Sorry ... carry on.) Edited April 14, 2017 by pH

[pH]

Yes, a good thing it was pirate gas.

Argon

Can't get me. I'm 5000 miles away.

Not from me, you're not!

[Tony_S]

My English teacher used to do that out of Wapiti's somewhere ...

Jamie

I wondered how someone did that out of a large mammal until I realised it was an aircraft unknown to me before. Edited April 14, 2017 by Tony_S

[BSW01]

Well Evie is tucked up and fast asleep in bed, the wine has been drunk and it's now time for bed.

 

Goodnight all

[BSW01]

For Tony

 

Westland Wapiti

 

Image care of Wikipedia

 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Ozexpatriate]

And A Good Friday Was Had By All.

 

The link is religious in nature and relevant to today's observances by Christians, but that's not why I posted it. It came unbidden from my subconscious after a curious interview this morning.

 

My office telephone caller ID indicated a conference room in my VP's location, so I broke out of a conversation to answer the incoming call. I was informed by an HR Angel of Death and a different VP that my VP was, effective immediately, no longer with the company and that my position was also being dissolved.

 

Confusingly this message was delivered simultaneously with the notion that I might, though my own efforts, find a new position in the new world order, but only if this was achieved before the end of the month. A severance package was later hand delivered and presented in person by someone in HR upstairs.

 

I've been here almost 23 years.

 

I'm not wallowing too much - yet. There is opportunity in chaos. We'll see what happens. Nevertheless, given the day, I remembered the poem - or at least the title and it's tone. Per Bruce Dawes, "and a good Friday was had by all", though not everyone it would seem.

 

Ave Caesar. Imperator Rex and all that malarky.

Edited April 14, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[pH]

You were informed by phone??!! At the (very) best, that is cowardly and disrespectful. Their loss, not yours, and stick them for all you can! They've shown no loyalty, don't feel you have to.

[Ozexpatriate]

You were informed by phone??!! At the (very) best, that is cowardly and disrespectful.

They fired the VP in person. I was two levels down and got the 'phone call. My direct boss was on holiday overseas.

 

They've shown no loyalty, don't feel you have to.

My allies are rallying. It will be an interesting couple of weeks. It's all very Byzantine.

[emt_911]

Night all

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[Ozexpatriate]

PS: I know exactly how this feels, I was informed by phone on XMass Eve 2013 that I'd lost my job of over 14 years

Nasty.

 

Many years ago worked for a start-up.

 

The investors showed up, took us to lunch and on return said "as of tomorrow* you are all no longer employed. You have two weeks severance and are free to use the office facilities to write your resumés (CVs) and make telephone calls".

 

* Tomorrow being Halloween.

 

In that case things were a bit more dire personally being the sole wage earner for a wife and two children at home and living cheque to cheque. Experiencing the world of unemployment benefits is eye-opening. It's one of those experiences that everyone should have once (for the empathy and understanding) but you simultaneously don't want anyone to have ever.  Things worked out that time and I was reemployed by the first of December.

[newbryford]

You have my sympathies Michael.

I had a similar DCM (Don't come in Monday) phone call many years ago and it still grates with me.

 

On a lighter note.

Today was a very productive day.

I have an exhibition with my new layout in about 7 weeks and there's lots to do - especially as I lose three weeks on long-standing engagement.

 

So up at 8.30 for a couple of hours modelling.

 

Then off to the golf course to play a singles knockout round that is subject to a deadline, so as long as the course was playable, we were going out. Although it was chucking it down about 15 minutes before we started and a few players had already abandoned their rounds due to the inclement weather (wimps), the forecast was correct and it cleared quite nicely as we started the round.

 

Nip and tuck all the way and  all-square after 15 holes. I won the 16th, with a solid par and nailed a drive down the 17th and lobbed a 9-iron to about 3 yards, potting the putt for a birdie and match win. A perfect way to finish. It was the first game to be played of all of the various knockout series. The next round has to be played by mid-June. Although I do have another singles match in a different category next week.

 

No time for a celebratory drink in the 19th - straight back home and much, much more accomplished on the layout.

 

Up ER tomorrow to head to York exhibition - three days of combined work and play flitting between a trade stand (Digitrains) and a helping on a layout (Towcester). Come and say hello if you're passing through.

 

Have a good weekend folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[AndyID]

They fired the VP in person. I was two levels down and got the 'phone call. My direct boss was on holiday overseas.My allies are rallying. It will be an interesting couple of weeks. It's all very Byzantine.

It may also be illegal. You might want to talk to a lawyer.

[laurenceb]

Night all

[AndyID]

Nasty.

 

Many years ago worked for a start-up.

 

The investors showed up, took us to lunch and on return said "as of tomorrow* you are all no longer employed. You have two weeks severance and are free to use the office facilities to write your resumés (CVs) and make telephone calls".

 

* Tomorrow being Halloween.

 

In that case things were a bit more dire personally being the sole wage earner for a wife and two children at home and living cheque to cheque. Experiencing the world of unemployment benefits is eye-opening. It's one of those experiences that everyone should have once (for the empathy and understanding) but you simultaneously don't want anyone to have ever.  Things worked out that time and I was reemployed by the first of December.

 

Michael,

 

I know the feeling well.

 

If it's the wee outfit I used to visit in Hillsboro they are simultaneously trying to fill many positions there and in other states. In that case, you might be able to prove that they are really firing you for some undisclosed reason - eg you are too expensive, they don't think you are productive enough, you pissed somebody off and they are out to get you, etc, etc, etc. If that's the case, they are not really eliminating your position at all and they could be making a mistake by representing it that way. Most big companies fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to this stuff. They usually get away with it because they are big.

 

However, I'm no lawyer. I think the most important thing is not to sign anything until you talk to an expert on employment law in Oregon.

 

BTW, I'm not well connected at all these days, but feel free to send me your resume. I might possibly know someone who can help.

 

Andy

[Ozexpatriate]

If it's the wee outfit I used to visit in Hillsboro ...

No, it's not those guys - though I am connected with them professionally.

 

They went through a period recently where they very, very carefully terminated many older workers with a series of voluntary retirement offerings followed by involuntary terminations.

 

It is interesting that there is a federal requirement from the Older Worker Benefits Protection Act (OWBPA) that requires employers to share the ages of employees in the same unit that are not terminated. This is a well intentioned but silly form. It essentially let me reverse engineer that my peers were not being terminated - they are the same age as I am.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

I have six new strawberry plants.  They are in the garden but still in their pots.  It has been raining for much of the night - it woke me - so the soil, being largely clay, may be too puddingy to turn over, remove weeds and create holes for the new plants.  I will look later once some errands have been run.  One of the jobs is to take Bill's advice to check my bank balance following my use of a Santander cash point on Wednesday.  His gloom is rather infectious.

 

Apart from buying plants, I visited Pendon yesterday.  The Madder Valley has a new loco, a Director in GC livery, to supplement the Terriers, Pugs and Well Tank which work and John Ahern's handbuilt engines which by and large do not.  We have as a breed forgotten much of what Ahern taught us about m*d*ll*ng.  Around the museum were many kids and their parents clutching clipboards and completing question papers.   A classic 'babes and sucklings' moment came when one small girl seemed to think that the animal in a pigsty was not a pig, as one might reasonably suppose, but a rhinoceros.  Such a beast would be well out of period and I for one do not fancy measuring one.

 

Today is the first Saturday for four weeks on which I have not risen at 4 am so as to set off early for somewhere.  Tomorrow will see another pre-dawn uprising as I will be off to York.  A week today I must place myself in the hands of Southern to get to the Epsom show.  That could be fun.

 

Warm thoughts to all in distress

 

Chris 

[Neil]

Good morning all. After scanning the forum to see if news of new releases at the York show has surfaced yet (it hasn't) I clicked onto the BBC website. I note that Kelvin MacKenzie has yet again managed to p!$$ off the good people of Merseyside; this time it's the blue team rather than the red that is the focus of his ill informed and half witted comments. I have a good deal of sympathy with the citizens of Liverpool and the Wirral as the aforementioned Mr MacKenzie p!$$e$ me off just about every time he makes his opinions known.

 

On a happier note yesterday evening I managed to do some model making, converting a dead frog diamond crossing to live frog. It's the first piece of work I've done since moving in January, not having had my playroom properly sorted until last week. Hopefully I'll get some more stuff done today though I also need to program in a walk to town and the deployment of our new garden shredder at a large pile of raspberry canes cut down some time ago.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a village that's getting brighter every minute, there are even small patches of blue stuff visible above.   The Mrs arrived back yesterday just before I set off towards York.  I do not appear to have committed too many sins in her absence, or at least not too many have been pointed out to me.

 

In half an hour I'll be off to York to work on Overlord for the day.  If anyone is passing please say hello.   Then when I get back we are off to see a production of Godspell which I've never seen.   Tomorrow morning it will be up early for a short service in the garden at church followed by bacon and egg butties.

 

Michael, two things,   the Good Friday poem was very powerful, thanks for posting.

Secondly commiserations on your situation I hope that you get something sorted out.

 

Brian, thanks for the picture of the Wapiti, I knew it was a biplane of some sort.  

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited April 15, 2017 by jamie92208

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Rather dull start here and will be a dry and breezy day with the chance of some sunny spells.

 

D-Day plus 5:

After a fierce 2 hour hand to hand brush in hand engagement yesterday the enemy finally capitulated and surrendered unconditionally.  Force TB (The Boss) has taken possession and will be putting one or two finishing touches to the job so she will then be able to say "Didn't we make a good job of that".

All weapons and equipment have been returned to the armoury shed and Force GDB has been stood down. He has notified Command that due to the minor injuries sustained some time recuperating in the field hospital bar will be necessary and no further similar campaigns will be undertaken for quite a while!

End.

 

Today will see yet another visit to Sainsbury's for final supplies for tomorrow's family and friends visit. After that I aim to visit the railway room (which has been neglected for 3 weeks) and play with some toys. This afternoon some rugby will be watched.

Have a good one,

Bob. 

[TheQ]

Morning Awl,

While washing my hands, looking down the garden, mummy deer and baby deer appeared to be chewing an internal garden hedge. Since the hedge is berberis purpura, i suspect it wasn't that they were chewing.

 

The visit to the MRC went well, a good turn out, and I've started work on the inherited layout by removing items i don't want. For instance every point had a working ground signal and working normal size signal. Also a large amount of yard lights. Not very likely on railway based in the Highlands and islands in the 1950s early 60s. The removed items will be going back to Harry's widow as she will be modelling London Overground.

 

A pretty good night's sleep was Had, only an hour before the first wake up, but then I slept for another 5 hours, before heading for the sofa for another hours road.

When i surfaced i staggered past the front door and thought "who's shining a light through the front door?" Then i realised it was the sun.

 

After breakfast a stroll down the garden to the railway shed showed my jacking up and lowering of the shed has not caused any roof leaks, which is good, as the wheel barrow has 3 inches of rain in it. So the seaweed inspectors got that wrong as they said we would get only scattered light showers not several hours of downpour.

 

I notice that Andyid has put a Google earth picture of where he lives. Something i won't be doing even though i live in the second lowest crime area in the UK, as i may mention that I'm not going to be here!!!! Also any mileages i mention on here are + or - 5 miles and not exact.

I might put up a few of where i used to live and there are a lot of them.....

 

Off to GY shortly....