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Early Risers.


Mr.S.corn78
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Jamie/Phil. There's also the mod to S&W to have an AJ hook type so yup do away with the bar. See Model Railway Development and the guy who built te Ashburton that's now at Buckfasleigh but who's name escapes me. Do I recall an article in MRJ some time back?

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I forgot to add that yesterday saw the retirement of a member of staff at Sidcup station after 51 years' service. That is a very long time!

Are you sure he worked there and wasn't just another commuter waiting for his train?  :jester:

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Good Afternoon All,

 

I have been most remiss with both keeping up with ERs and with doing the "M" word. Now that we are heading towards late sunrises and early sunsets, my dog exercising schedule is being redrafted - which will allow me time for the "M" word. First up, and basically to get it out of the way as its been sitting around for the best part of a decade, is to finish the Sevans 1/5th Scale Dalek (I also have some Comet Dalek kits somewhere). I've decided to paint it matt grey with black hemispheres (and other bits) and once complete to spray it with a semigloss clear varnish.

 

It's rather sad really, I have an example of each of the various Dalek iterations - including one of the "United Colors of Benetton Dalekdom" Daleks (in a fetching orange if you must know).

 

My business is still trying to get off the ground: some meetings, some interest, but nothing concrete. But there again, I didn't expect a full order book just 2 months after getting established.

 

Diet proceeds apace and SWMBO has given her (tacit) approval for me to use some funds to "reward" my perseverance upon reaching my target goal by buying a Gibson Les Paul! :danced: Think I'm going to get this one: http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-50s-Tribute.aspx

 

Finally, I'm really getting serious in the kitchen (if you are on limited daily amounts of carbs and kcals/day, then you can't waste them on crap food) and I have just taken delivery of a Sous-Vide "Stick" (see: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Albert-Austin-Precision-Circulator-Temperature/dp/B06XXHSLJF),basically a slow cooker water immersion thermal circulator. This will expand my repertoire in the kitchen and will be used instead of my large Sous-Vide bath when I want to cook smaller amounts Sous-Vide. Sous-Vide is a great technique: I recently took a slab of the toughest beef available (the so called "siedfliesch"), seasoned it, vacuum packed it, cooked it Sous Vide for 72 hours and finished it on the COBB BBQ which I used as a smoker. The end result was as tender as prime filet and much more flavourful!

 

I'll try not to be so often AWOL in the future!

 

Stay Frosty Folks

 

iD

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I found the answer last night when looking through some modelling 'stuff' I found a couple of unopened packets of Spratt & Winkle couplings. Does anyone use these couplings anymore? its several years since I last saw them in use.

Quite a few modellers still use them, especially the 3mm version of the S&W which fits 4mm stock very well.

 

I've just sent all my unused ones off to Geoff Forster for use on his EM masterpiece 'Llangunllo'.

 

I've started using the Dingham type for my 7mm efforts.

 

50% of the OFMC will be at Peterborough, and if we see that Chrisf bloke, it will no doubt all kick off! (See fighting at exhibitions thread!! :jester:)

 

'You're going home in a little white Polo!'

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It's POETS Day. The domestic engineering is complete. It is beer o'clock and it is warm enough to sit outside in the miniature garden. Playing music on the mini-system (iPhone) and enjoying some Doom Bar about which nothing has been downsized.

 

I may be back later.

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POETs for us today.

 

despite high winds and rain in the Lake District our train departed Euston bang on time and it appears thta trains are OK as far as Lancaster which suits us.

 

However we have the rear facing bulkhead seats yet again so not much of a view.

 

Lounge forward to our annual trip to BIF and the Apres show drinking.

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Spoke too soon -reported track Defect South of Rugby and slow running for some time.

 

We have a 7 minute connection at Lancaster or 90 minutes for a few beers!,

At least there are plenty of good pubs in Lancaster if the worst happens.

 

Jamie

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Diet proceeds apace and SWMBO has given her (tacit) approval for me to use some funds to "reward" my perseverance upon reaching my target goal by buying a Gibson Les Paul! :danced: Think I'm going to get this one: http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-50s-Tribute.aspx

iD

Well done iD. Enjoy your reward.

 

At the start of this year I set myself a target of losing two stones.

Only two and a half to go.

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Today's oil change is for the VW Bora.

 

Have you any idea how difficult an oil filter change is on a CX? The accessibility is rubbish!

 

Well it is a Citroen ;)  (Says he from experience having owned several GSs in succession in past years - getting at the spark plugs needed a special socket drive with a universal joint and a pickaxe head came in very handy when renewing the front brake pads.  Doing the pads was easy as they were inboard on top of the engine but the effin pistons kept on pushing in and needed something very tough, like a pickaxe head, to lever them back apart.)

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At least there are plenty of good pubs in Lancaster if the worst happens.Jamie

no beer in Lancaster tonight as we made the connection but does give us more VDT in BIF.

 

Phatbobs has nearly finished setting up the layout so we should also get a lift from the station to the accommodation.

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Major upset today - Friday actually became a real Friday and we went to Waitrose (in Tilehurst) then on to Tesco (here).  Waitrose was very busy and we thought that might be because it's Friday but apparently there's some twit up in the roof at the main Reading branch of Tesco so maybe some of their customers had decided to go to Waitrose instead.   Well that was what the checkout operator thought, I have a suspicion that Lidl, just along the road from Tesco, and Aldi did better out of it than Waitrose.  Mrs Stationmaster seemed rather pleased with herself to have got us into Waitrose on a real Friday instead of a faux Friday, I really must stop her looking over my shoulder when I'm posting on ERs.

 

Regrettably we only saw (part of) one train.

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:scratchhead:

 

I confess that I do not understand those terms. Perhaps that's just as well.

 

Having been to Barrow in Furness, it's always worth having valuable drinking time............

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

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I have used Spratt and Winkles and they do work well and give delayed uncoupling which is vital for shunting. However I always used the option of a staple type loop above the hook rather than the wire across the buffer heads. It looks much neater. They're still available from Wizard models.

 

Jamie

 

 

Jamie/Phil. There's also the mod to S&W to have an AJ hook type so yup do away with the bar. See Model Railway Development and the guy who built te Ashburton that's now at Buckfasleigh but who's name escapes me. Do I recall an article in MRJ some time back?

Thanks for the advice, the bulk of the rolling stock is still in kit form so the couplings will be added during construction. The locomotive I purchased ready built from a white metal kit and is fitted for 3-link couplings only and the provision of any other sort of coupling will be difficult. Even with the S&W I will have to dispense with the hook. The reason is were you would expect to fit the couplings the chassis is thick (about 6-7mm) white metal with a curved profile, difficult to drill the holes even for a wire loop. I've been going through my stash of bits and pieces and came across some steam locomotive whistles. I do recall that someone (GDB?) was looking for the same to replace some from the Hornby Peckett which are liable to damage.

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Major upset today - Friday actually became a real Friday and we went to Waitrose (in Tilehurst) then on to Tesco (here).  Waitrose was very busy and we thought that might be because it's Friday but apparently there's some twit up in the roof at the main Reading branch of Tesco so maybe some of their customers had decided to go to Waitrose instead.   Well that was what the checkout operator thought, I have a suspicion that Lidl, just along the road from Tesco, and Aldi did better out of it than Waitrose.  Mrs Stationmaster seemed rather pleased with herself to have got us into Waitrose on a real Friday instead of a faux Friday, I really must stop her looking over my shoulder when I'm posting on ERs.

 

Regrettably we only saw (part of) one train.

It made it on to the 6 o'clock news, apparently its a member of staff who was sacked making a protest.

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It made it on to the 6 o'clock news, apparently its a member of staff who was sacked making a protest.

Better yelling at your (former) boss on the roof than what sometimes happens in the US with disgruntled employees. The US Postal Service had a serious problem with it and "going postal" entered the vocabulary.

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no beer in Lancaster tonight as we made the connection but does give us more VDT in BIF.

 

Phatbobs has nearly finished setting up the layout so we should also get a lift from the station to the accommodation.

surely a pint in the Duke of Ed first? Lancaster Black was my favourite in there...

 

But have you ever been in Preston Street Club..it is a revelation... not somewhere to go if you want real ale though....

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Better yelling at your (former) boss on the roof than what sometimes happens in the US with disgruntled employees. The US Postal Service had a serious problem with it and "going postal" entered the vocabulary.

Maybe Weinstein would have ceased his casting couch actions if an employee had been disgruntled enough!

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Thanks for that. Beware the road closures still in place in the area. The A595 is still closed at Holmrook, although there is a diversion for cars via Santon Bridge, but it will add 20 minutes or so to your journey if coming from the north. I was lucky getting home, as two bridges on my route were flooded and are still closed pending damage inspection. The Holmrook bridge was just starting to flood as I drove over it.

 

'TOO LATE'  !!!!!!!!

 

We went the 'bottom way' but decided to go to Workington on the way back, and found the road closures!  A VERY muddy route around via Santon as you said, then up past yours in a lot of traffic.  Actually stayed dry for our ride on the Ratty, Irt was in fine voice.  It appears to have bucketed down all day in Ambleside.  We have now dined at our favourite Thai restaurant and had a beer, so fruitful mellowness abounds.

 

Looks like a shop-a-thon again tomorrow, groan, and then home Sunday to see if we have an operable bathroom or not.  Hopefully the bare essential is plumbed in.....otherwise its a bucket.

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Well it is a Citroen ;) (Says he from experience having owned several GSs in succession in past years - getting at the spark plugs needed a special socket drive with a universal joint and a pickaxe head came in very handy when renewing the front brake pads. Doing the pads was easy as they were inboard on top of the engine but the effin pistons kept on pushing in and needed something very tough, like a pickaxe head, to lever them back apart.)

That'll be the pressurised LHM doing that.

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Evening Awl,

 

Good news

Tales of us not having a show next year are greatly exaggerated ( we think) an alternative venue has been found and if the club member who found the venue gives us the ok after a visit with a tape measure, it will be back on.

 

Bad news,

I went out to the landrover to put my muddling kit back in after the MRC visitation this evening and I spotted a large trail of oil. NO, not from a Landrover that would be normal, but from where the aforesaid club member had parked his fairly new car and pulled out round my landrover...another club member will phone him once he gets home....

 

Good news

I've got rid of my cold...

Bad news,

SWMBO has it, so I'm not allowed in the dog house again...

 

Good news,

Ben the Border Collie was very well behaved at the MRC tonight, he's got used to what he can and can't do with out being told...

Bad news,

Ben the Border Collie is turning out to be a man's dog...so I'm not allowed in the dog house by SWMBO again....

 

Good news,

the first two sections of the Tiree model railway are no longer a white wedding cake.

Bad news,

It's a dappled green wedding cake... in preparation for some electric grass... ( It'll be the first time I've played with electric grass....)

 

 

Good news

I was often on the roof of several different Tescos.

Bad news

it was part of my job, that's where most stores air conditioning and refrigeration packs are. So I had daily checks come rain or shine.. it's not hard to get on a supermarket roof there are normally a set of stairs not ladders as you have to go up there so often.

 

Time too... Read up on playing with electric grass...

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