Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Lovely day so far but there may be some scattered showers, possibly heavy & thundery.

Late here although I was up with the lark - well The Boss actually as she brought me an early cup of tea in bed. There was a reason for this as she wanted me out early to take her into Sutton to shop. This was achieved with a minimum of pain apart from the fact I ended up paying!

Next task today and over the weekend is to compare meerkats as both my energy supplier and car insurance are due for renewal this month. Projected increase from Ovo energy is only £12 a year which surprises me but I'll have a look around anyway.

I will however be going to war with Sainsbury's over their "offer" of car insurance which is 65% more than they charged last year. Bloody crooks. Fairly certain that I will be insuring with someone else in a couple of weeks time. It really pisses me off that someone with my record of no convictions, no insurance claims and not even a parking ticket in just over 51 years of driving has to put up with that sort of crap. Rant over. Apologies.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited September 1, 2017 by grandadbob

[Horsetan]

....going to war with Sainsbury's over their "offer" of car insurance which is 65% more than they charged last year. Bloody crooks. ....

Almost all providers assume that once you hold a policy with them, it's carte blanche to massively raise the premium come renewal time especially if you're paying by direct debit. That's why going down the classic car route is looking so attractive to me, as the premiums tend to be much less.

[Barry O]

AndyB- hope it gets better. Always a concern when the pendant is activated. Mr grandma had a pull chord..she used it once when she had the heart attack when she died.

 

Shopping done, parcel posted now for some gardening before some weathering....

 

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

Morning all. A bit belated as home internet stopped working in the early hours whilst sitting was up using it due to not being able to sleep. luckily internet is now working as can check the home security remotely again. However as am feeling very tired.

 

On the Hong hats keeping me awake is what to do about future work wise. I am pondering setting up fitting decoders as have installed hundreds for my own and friends stock in numerous scales and various vintages so it's something I could do if it can pay a modest wage along with other modelling possibilities . It's got to get better than my current situation even if it's a lot less pay but with the mortgage virtually paid off and may well be completely paid in the next few weeks, it should be doable.

 

Another task also completed was to run through mums moving paperwork, there loads of it compared to our move many years ago.

 

Tonight I need to extract the layout form behind other stored layouts thn load it ready for tomorrow's show. Looks like I will have to request a bank of seats for all us ailing oldies. We have another occasional helper that we haven't seen for a few years du to illness, visiting tomorrow and has requested a seat! My other half bashed her bad knee on the seats on a GWR 153 last weekend and yesterday's long walk home aggravating it further, after waiting over half hour for a bus at Merstham was then terminated a couple of stops Short and next bus another half hour away due to an accident in Purley. In hindsight we should have stuck with he train to Redhill as it's a shorter walk home.

Edited September 1, 2017 by roundhouse

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Awoke this morning to the usual dawn chorus of the bin lorries, albeit a day late due to the bank holiday. Now its all quiet again except for the tree pruners/lawnmowers buzzing away.

 

A changeable day of rain, sun, rain, sun etc. Some modelling done but not a great deal as I've started packing so that I can head off at a decent time tomorrow for an overnight stay elsewhere with a bit of a social before heading home Saturday afternoon. That at least gives me Sunday to recover before starting bak to work.

 

This is one of the kits that I've been working on when the rain descended.

 

IMG_3582.JPG

 

Still some more to do before I'm happy with it.

 

GDB - Excellent news about Steve. An impressive recovery.

 

Night all

 

 

A very nice little kit.

Like what you have done on the tank.

I've had some success using acrylic on a wet finger to detail stonework.

Just a thought more than a recommendation.

When painting and detailing model stonework I use any odd bits of paint of any colour to pick out individual stones then using acryllics apply several thin coats of the top coat colour. This leaves a subtle difference in the shade and colour of the stones so treated just like many natural stones.

Edited September 1, 2017 by PhilJ W

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Last of the (three) bins finally dealt with this morning - it seems their new lorries mean they have to now do the food bins separately so they didn't have time yesterday to do the garden waste.   Yrestreday's shopping took place at the Tilehurdst branch of waitrose so some train spotting was indulged in although all i saw was HSTs, obviously the wrong time of day for freights.  We then returned via Tesco in order to collect a prescription and followed yet more lost souls around the major roadworks diversionary route but at least it is clearly signed in that particular direction as not for HGVs - just as well as it is also a 'bus route and is quite narrow in several places.

 

However shopping there meant no WHS visit for the latest editions from Mr Irwell so I shall have to look specially for those or enroute to the cinema when we go to see 'Limehouse Golem' which looks to be rather interesting.

 

Have a good day one and all

[Ian Abel]

POETS, and a long weekend in sight - this is the US "end of summer" holiday, aka Labor Day.

 

Quiet at client yesterday, everyone totally occupied with two young girls (3 and 5) in the office with a parent due to some sort of daycare problem...

 

Drive to JFK uneventful, car tire issue was a non-issue.

JFK total flustercuck as the entire contents on the NY area appeared to be leaving town for the holiday weekend

 

Today will POE for sure, to comply with the client mandated "no more than 40 hours billable a week"

Then, a three day weekend, a few chores to do AND definitely some modeling (says he, famous last words!)

 

The weather has also determined it's the end of summer, 11 but also sunny when I got up, 22 expected high.

 

POE and enjoy yourselves everyone.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Ian Abel

[81C]

Good morning all,

Lovely day so far but there may be some scattered showers, possibly heavy & thundery.

Late here although I was up with the lark - well The Boss actually as she brought me an early cup of tea in bed. There was a reason for this as she wanted me out early to take her into Sutton to shop. This was achieved with a minimum of pain apart from the fact I ended up paying!

Next task today and over the weekend is to compare meerkats as both my energy supplier and car insurance are due for renewal this month. Projected increase from Ovo energy is only £12 a year which surprises me but I'll have a look around anyway.

I will however be going to war with Sainsbury's over their "offer" of car insurance which is 65% more than they charged last year. Bloody crooks. Fairly certain that I will be insuring with someone else in a couple of weeks time. It really pisses me off that someone with my record of no convictions, no insurance claims and not even a parking ticket in just over 51 years of driving has to put up with that sort of crap. Rant over. Apologies.

Have a good one,

Bob.

'Noon.

Bob I use to change my insurance every year just using the same two companies Saga ( the old gits insurers) and the ever useless lot More Than

(it took them 6 weeks to pay up on a stolen car) it worked out I was getting 10% discount as a new customer every year I was tumbled after about 4 years

and have now stayed with Saga as More Than premium went through the roof.

 

Back to railways I've been trying to install a Seep uncoupler it works really well but the bl00dy thing has taken me all afternoon to put it in the information/instruction

sheet is a bit shy of info' the ramp either should rest on a sleepers to keep the thing level.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day you all.   

Edited September 1, 2017 by 81C

[Tony_S]

I think I mentioned we changed our house and contents policy. It had gone up a lot over a couple of years. So I checked out the policy from our bank and it looked very good so I thought I would phone up for a quote. The nice man said he probably wouldn't be able to beat our present insurer , Saga , on price but he gave a price that was a lot lower so I said yes! When I telephoned Saga the nice lady asked if it was due to increased premiums, so i said yes. It seemed to be what she expected me to say.

Tony

[Tony_S]

My new locks arrived this afternoon right in the middle of the one hour slot predicted by the courier (DPD). They are now fitted. I am not sure how necessary bump, snap and drill resistant kitemarked locks are in such a safe neighbourhood but once I had started researching locks while servicing the mechanisms I felt I wanted something that couldn't be easily broken. The new insurers didn't require any special locks other than at least 5 lever traditional or multipoint on UPVC doors and windows.

Tony

[RhBBob]

I did the usual trick with our Motor and House Insurers, simply going on to Mny Smkt and having established that, as usual, our insurer, LV, was cheapest, went to LV and asked them to reduce their renewal quotes to match that on MS which they did !

 

A reasonable increase of 14.4% on Motor and a reduction of 20% in the House /Contents Cover.

 

There is some reduction available by placing both with the same company,  but even so....

[AndrewC]

Insurance in this country boils my p!ss. Every bloody year the renewal comes in at a vastly inflated rate. In the case of the AA for the past 5 years on the house I've gone through the same charade. Quote is up about 30-40%. Go visit the meerkats. Get a quote there from the AA that is lower than my present rate. Call AA, get the meerkat rate. This year not so lucky so I jumped to the highest rated amongst the cheapest premiums. Same happened with the car 2 years ago. Direct Line decided that after 11 years of no claims, I was suddenly a risk worth doubling the rate for. Called them with a meerkat rate from a competitor, said they couldn't match it, so voila now with LV at 20%ish lower than what I was paying Winston Wolfe. Really tired of playing games with these cockwombles.   

[Tony_S]

Insurance in this country boils my p!ss. Every bloody year the renewal comes in at a vastly inflated rate. In the case of the AA for the past 5 years on the house I've gone through the same charade. Quote is up about 30-40%. Go visit the meerkats. Get a quote there from the AA that is lower than my present rate. Call AA, get the meerkat rate. This year not so lucky so I jumped to the highest rated amongst the cheapest premiums. Same happened with the car 2 years ago. Direct Line decided that after 11 years of no claims, I was suddenly a risk worth doubling the rate for. Called them with a meerkat rate from a competitor, said they couldn't match it, so voila now with LV at 20%ish lower than what I was paying Winston Wolfe. Really tired of playing games with these cockwombles.

 

LV used to be a lot cheaper for Freelanders than other insurers. They rated it as an estate rather than lumping it in with sports vehicles. I don't remember who the AA have me with now, the Co-Op probably.

Tony

[TheQ]

I've generally moved across to Saga now for house and car / landrover. I note they now do motor boats so when the quote is due I'll ask them for that as well..

[Barry O]

How much do they pay the England Soccer team?? Anything more than coppers would be far too much!

I watched the Kia Super League Womens; T20 finals ..far more interesting than this soccer malarky!

 

My match tomorrow is top of the League v bottom of the League...could be interesting.

 

Baz

[bluebottle]

.....

I will however be going to war with Sainsbury's over their "offer" of car insurance which is 65% more than they charged last year. Bloody crooks. Fairly certain that I will be insuring with someone else in a couple of weeks time. It really pisses me off that someone with my record of no convictions, no insurance claims and not even a parking ticket in just over 51 years of driving has to put up with that sort of crap. Rant over. Apologies.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Sounds like the only time you're really safe is when you're out in the motor, Bob!

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Cockwombled, again! Twice in a week.  No impact this time though (just) - proceeding in an orderly manner along a road near home in the car, around a blind left hander to meet a car overtaking another AND a huge tractor and trailer - flashing her lights at me - maybe she wanted me to disappear? JUST managed to stop to avoid an interface. She didn't, just bu££ered off. 

 

There's a but, though - recently purchased dashcam. Oh yes. Downloaded, trip to local fuzz-station ('Hi Neil, haven't seen you for a while'      ) disc reviewed, statement made, driver on her way to Court.  Result. Hi-def GPS dashcam makes good evidence apparently as the location and time are legit. Driver clearly visible, as was registration.

[newbryford]

I have had a request to run the eBay Roco wreck on the test track (which has a 16.5 circuit on the inside) at Scaleforum, 

 

16.5 at Scaleforum

Is that some strange 4 feet 1.5 inch gauge?

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Barry O]

Its Ho Mick..and NOT yellow... hat , coat, ta ta!

[Gwiwer]

Evening all.

 

Nothing to POE from these days but I do have to speak with the nice people at South Western Railway next Friday about the possibility of wearing one of their uniforms in the future.

 

Took a wander around in the sun today and reacquainted myself with the Chessington branch.  Haven't been down for over 30 years and that was on a branch-bashing railtour.  Quite a tidy little station at the "temporary" terminus which still has track laid and apparently in useable condition for some distance to the south along what should have been the way to Leatherhead.  It never got farther than about a mile beyond Chessington South station.  Apart from the very modest settlement of Malden Rushett there is still nothing in between which would have generated traffic.  The local oiks from Copt Gilders Estate are as bad as ever though.  Leaving the station we (about eight of us) were accosted by three lads of no more than 8 or 9 years of age but behaving in a most threatening manner and demanding money while spitting in our general direction.

 

Exiting that little slice of life the hourly bus to Epsom was a very under-used double-decker with just four people aboard.  One of those was the driver.  The route followed the former London Country 468 though TfL have assigned the number 467 next door.  And just as with the 468, which was often worked by AN-class Atlanteans when I knew it, the 'decker is needed for school loadings twice a day but is otherwise nothing more than an air-mover.  Return was by way of the now-red bus 406 which still plies the Epsom - Kingston section of the old LT/LCBS 406 that once originated in Redhill.  The southern section is run by Metrobus as their 460 which goes through to Crawley over the southern part of the old 405.  The current 405 (also now red buses ex-green) is a TfL route from West Croydon to Redhill only.  I used to ride through Epsom on green RT buses on the 406, avoiding the 408 which had just been converted to one-man ANs.  It's all a bit different now.

 

Severe traffic congestion on the 65 between Kingston and Richmond meant I was only just in time to collect SWMBO's shoes from the cobbler (yes - he still trades as a cobbler) and a brisk stroll along Richmond Green avoiding the busy main streets saw me aboard the 4.59 train for the Hill just as the door alarm was sounding.  

 

One last coffee and a wander through the nether regions of RMW before bed and a busy day tomorrow which unfortunately precludes attendance at the Old Oak Common open day.  Given that Mr. Chris from that nice shop in Camborne is announcing four new commissions I should have liked to go.  I'll see him in three weeks time down in Sunny Worthing for their MRC exhibition instead.

Sleep well if you can.  All the best.

[newbryford]

Busy day today helping set up the Blackburn show. Being Chairman means a full day commitment.

 

Much lugging of barriers, tables, chairs and layouts, including setting up my own "New Bryford".

 

Junior NB arrived about 8pm with a large consignment of cakes for the exhibitors tearoom over the weekend. However, a dozen of her small buns/cupcakes didn't make it to Saturday as they were consumed by one or two late setup crew. Including our RMWeb master who was busy taking photos of "World's End"

 

One of our ER crew is there with "Camel Quay" as well as a few other RMWebbers.

 

If you can drop by, come and say hello.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Horsetan]

How much do they pay the England Soccer team?? Anything more than coppers would be far too much!

I watched the Kia Super League Womens; T20 finals ..far more interesting than this soccer malarky!....

 

I occasionally watch women's rugby and found aspects of it to be more violent than the men's!

[Barry O]

Night to most, afternoon Pete, morning to some....

 

Baz

[BSW01]

Evening all

 

A trip to the tooth fixer first thing this morning for my 6 monthly check up, a quick clean and polish and told to come back in another 6 months! Then of to the butchers to pick up our weekly meat rations.

 

After a quick cup of tea it was down to the workshop to do a bit more work on the L1. A few more detail bits added and some more tweaked to the body fixing. It's now starting to look quite good.

 

This evening I should have been meeting up with my former colleagues for a few drinks, but due to industrial action on the trains today, it had to be cancelled as most couldn't make it. So my planned visit to the Blackburn show will now take place tomorrow instead of Sunday. See you tomorrow Mick!

 

Goodnight all

[laurenceb]

More great news from GDB!

Night awl