Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

 

Rather wet and windy here. May become drier and brighter later with some sunny spells followed by more rain.

The Boss brought me a cup of tea in bed earlier. It appears there is a lot to do on the domestic engineering front and she wanted an early start. The tea was an attempt to kick start me into action to assist her.

Not worked so far.     I had enough of early starts when I was working (although I still wake at silly o'clock)  and it's bad enough when I have to get up to take her to work 3 mornings a week. (but only 18 more of them to go  )

After lunch our friendly local boiler man is coming to service our erm boiler. As it's  the one he fitted 2 years ago I don't envisage any problems. (all digits now firmly crossed)

Might try and muddle later instead of just playing with the trains.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[roundhouse]

Baz - sorry that I couldn’t make the Kings Arms. At present I have no excuse to be out of the office so not easy to disappear.

You could have joined me Andrew C and other halves last night at the Bottleshop under the acrches in Bermondsey if you were staying in London.

 

A great evening trying various Belgium beers including Duvel specials in the mezzanine bar. We finished off in a new bar for us, that is under London Bridge station serving three Brewdog beers on tap.

 

All spoiled by yet more problems on the trains after numerous signal failures throughout the day then compounded by a trespass at East Croydon. Our train was shown as on time then ten late so had time to buy something to eat only for the train to be cancelled along with other services to East Croydon. We Got to East Croydon on an Uckfield service rammed to the tunnels but the next two services home just disappeared off the departure board. The next two were getting later and both supposedly departing the same time but different island platforms. We got home over an hour later than planned so a 40 minute trip turned into 2 hours. A similar thing happened the last time that we stayed in London for drinks some weeks ago.

 

This morning signal failures at Norwood Junction and Gatwick messing up the trip back into London.

Edited October 20, 2017 by roundhouse

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Here,

A reasonable nights sleep in three pieces not too bad...

 

The End of an era starts tomorrow, the Norwich to, Yarmouth, Cromer, Lowestoft Lines will be closed for part of the day or all day(and night) completely for the next nine days, as all the old signal boxes and crossings are taken out of circuit. It then will all be remotely controlled like the rest of the country. I only ever use the facilities of the Brundall level crossing, which is approched down a steep hill and you have no view of aproaching trains. I hope they put full gates in as I can see something serious happening there if they only put in half gates..

 

WIth commendable timing, The highways authority are closing the ACLE straight every night  until the end of November for road resurfacing, which means that the increased traffic due to the closure of the railway line, will have a 30 MILE diversion to reach Norwich only 20 miles away. For part of the time the roundabout at the Acle End will be closed meaning one of the diversion routes will also be closed. This will affect me when I travel to the Spalding show as it will force me to travel through Norwich instead of bypassing it. I hope I remember on the day or I'll have a 20 mile U turn to do....

 

Final measurements of the landrover have been taken , confirming my plans for the muddle railway trainsportation plans. wood to be purchased later.

 

Round here a furriner is someone from the next village, i'm sure we have to odd Mead Hall around and those believing in Valhalla still living in Norfolk...

 

Time too.... wave my axe at the nearest major equipment..

 

 

[grandadbob]

I really don't know how you do that journey on a daily basis Ian. It would cause me to lose what few remaining marbles I have left. My last couple of years at work I got the train to East Dulwich and it was an absolute doddle compared to that.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a slightly damp village.

 

Fireworks in France appear to be banned for the general public and certainly for Bastille Day have to be set off by licensed contractors. Certainly the shows that we've seen are very good.

 

As to Food, I had no sisters and was the youngest so often helped my mum and learned basics from her. I was grateful for that when I lived on my own for several years before I got married. I still enjoy cooking but Beth is a much better cook than me. I tend to stick to a few basic variations. Though the kids all like my stew best but daren't tell their mum.

 

Yesterday was spent trying to work out some design details on the EMU's and I also managed to sort the final electrical gremlin on the fiddle yard. Today various tasks will hopefully be done and I hope to get some muddling done before spending the evening at the club.

 

Regards to all, especially to Debs and John.

 

Jamie

[AndrewC]

 

Greetings from the boring borough. Another Friday is upon us. Let us rejoice. In other words TFIF. 

 

A good evening was had yesterday with Mr Roundhouse and co. Bumped into a couple of twitter people as well. The new place was interesting. More of an art gallery - event space with a small bar than a full on pub. I'm now having to manage SWMBO's desire for one or more of the art pieces. The tutored Duvel tasting was something we hadn't planned on but glad we did it. Those on FB will have seen Ian's fetching new headwear. 

 

That's about it from here. Still waiting for parcels. Ready to stick pins in a ParcelFarce voodoo doll. 

 

Have a great weekend. 

[New Haven Neil]

It's a morning now, even here.

 

Off to the OF Bike Club at 10, then a job to do on Mrs H's car.  The plumber is due later to fit the new radiator & towel rail, that just leaves the basin to be finished off, the chippy needs to complete the new stand first though - Sunday, allegedly.  Then decorating.  Joy.  The pleasures of paint colour picking await.

[BlackRat]

Morning all.....suns shining but its one of those rare occasions where I am actually having to work.

 

Fireworks and ex Marines tend not to go well together.

 

No flashbacks or PTSD (fortunately) but a penchant for dismantling them to attempt to make even better bangs.

 

A distant past  attempt to make the worlds biggest genie led to a visit to the Company Sarnt Major..... and numerous residents of Stonehouse (Plimufff) claiming they had seen either a UFO, Ghost riders in the sky, or......as one claimed............the barracks lit up by a nuclear device.

 

I think the loss of numerous eyebrows, eyelashes and in two cases fringes was deemed punishment enough........

 

Busy weekend, attempting to sort out Mothers' increasingly drastic vodka related antics (no chance) combined with a visit to daughter (both in Cardiff).

 

Cardiff show anyone (if I get a spare hour!!!)?

[PeterBB]

It's too wet for anything for any form of outdoor combustion here today.

 

Thankfully Halloween is not a fireworks holiday here. After the 4^th of July I'm quite done with them for another year. The closest to fireworks in this part of the world at this time of year are the Jack O'Lanterns.  Due to their short life span we won't see the real ones (as opposed to the plastic and resin versions) until close to the end of the month.

 

Halloween is not a fireworks holiday here in the UK either - just some folks who upset pets, dogs especially, by their irresponsible firework setting off.

Edited October 20, 2017 by PeterBB

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. O the joys of commuting, I'm glad that I don't have to commute any more. At least I didn't have to rely on public transport too often. At times the A13 could be worse hen/cockwombles abounded at rush hours.

 

Good morning one and all

 

 I note that JohnDMJ disputes my claim to be the untidiest man on the planet.  It’s not worth fighting over.

 

 

Chris

 

 

True! Could be messy.

I think that I could beat both of you on all counts, after all have either of you mistaken an old elastic band for a slug?

[Andrew P]

My annual Firework moan   My Wife is petrified of Fireworks, as a land mine went off on the Beach outside her home in Rottingdean when she was about 4, and blew in the Bedroom windows, also our Dog gets quite agitated as most pets do, Cats, Dogs, Horses etc. 

 

I also feel for Ex Service personnel that have come back from conflicts with trauma etc.

 

Also with the amount of Terror related incidents now here in the UK and elsewhere, (I'm thinking of Manchester etc.) more people will react badly to unexpected BANGS.

 

Annual rant over for another years,

 

We have been going to Bala Snowdonia for the last few years, as it's a Farming area, but last year it was worse than normal, so we will see what happens in a couple of weeks when we go again this year.

[TheQ]

A couple moved into the bungalow nearest us, so it would be quiet for their Pony and Children. Then the first year  put their pony with friends and had a huge firework party including sending fireworks over the other neighbours thatched roof..

 

Needless to say words were said and the farmer who owns the Bungalow contacted.  They haven't done that since!!!

[AndrewC]

My annual Firework moan   My Wife is petrified of Fireworks, as a land mine went off on the Beach outside her home in Rottingdean when she was about 4, and blew in the Bedroom windows, also our Dog gets quite agitated as most pets do, Cats, Dogs, Horses etc. 

 

I also feel for Ex Service personnel that have come back from conflicts with trauma etc.

 

Also with the amount of Terror related incidents now here in the UK and elsewhere, (I'm thinking of Manchester etc.) more people will react badly to unexpected BANGS.

 

Annual rant over for another years,

 

We have been going to Bala Snowdonia for the last few years, as it's a Farming area, but last year it was worse than normal, so we will see what happens in a couple of weeks when we go again this year.

Andy, what year would that have been? My Great Aunt had the top floor flat overlooking the beach. (Highcliff Court) I used to play on the chalk "beach" when the tide was out and swim in the lido that used to be there. 

[Andrew P]

Andy, what year would that have been? My Great Aunt had the top floor flat overlooking the beach. (Highcliff Court) I used to play on the chalk "beach" when the tide was out and swim in the lido that used to be there. 

Hi Andrew, that would have been about 1944 / 45 ish

[AndrewC]

Hi Andrew, that would have been about 1944 / 45 ish

Bit before my time fortunately. (67-68) Its all changed these days. The chalk and the tidal ponds have all been buried under tonnes of rock & gravel to reduce erosion. The lido is filled in and apart from the outline of where it was, nothing else remains. 

[DDolfelin]

Tend to agree about fireworks.

We've all seen the big shows organised at huge expense.

Do I need to see them again, or indeed back garden efforts?

Not really.

They've just become a dangerous nuisance in my personal view (says he who used to take 100 bangers to firework parties when I was a kid).

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Halloween will no doubt see us doing our usual decorated porch (additional 'spiders webs' have been bought by the management) so the usual fun for the little visitors complete with their collecting buckets and cheery 'Happy Halloween' greeting (weird!!) but it's all good fun.  Meanwhile the costumes are great fun although not so good for an ageing male when one sees the get-ups sported by some of the  'a bit older' females.  Fortunately the event doesn't usually result in too many fireworks going off but the artillery barrages of 1917/18 will be repeated on and about the 5th of November and for a week or three after.

 

In the meanwhile laddo is taking me out to play trains on the Spinney Railway tomorrow which is definitely my idea of what a garden railway should be like - if you happen to have a very large garden - and there will be cakes, lots of cakes going on past form.  Today will no doubt at some stage be devoted to Tesco double discount shopping as we are away part of next week so i expect there will be some seasonal stocking up - looks like it will be double trolley working.

 

Have a good day one and all and thoughts are with the ailing and their loved ones.

 

http://www.spinneylightrailway.co.uk   And a picture including me(!!!) appears on the 'News' page for 20th May as one of Richard's guests.  I'm in the right hand picture under 'S&T news' and very cleverly I managed to position myself right at the far end of Spinney 'box but you can at least see my big orange jacket, laddo can be distinguished (just) by his white tee shirt standing between myself and my former work colleague Richard who is sitting just inside the door.

[Two_sugars]

Getting ready for a trip back to Leeds on virginontgeeasrcoast.

 

 

I then change the content of my bag to depart to monkey hanger land aka Hartlepool to drive trains on Grantham.

 

I hope to be able to add news from my travels.

 

Many thoughts for Debs and John, the rest of you just stay well.

 

Baz

 

Well, dont't forget to have a shave. . . . and don't accept any hessian neck-ties!

 

I'll be there Sunday morning.

 

 

John

[Horsetan]

.....I note that JohnDMJ disputes my claim to be the untidiest man on the planet.  It’s not worth fighting over.....

As long as you're not turning into some sort of Mr. Trebus.....

 

.....laddo is taking me out to play trains on the Spinney Railway tomorrow ......

 

I thought he was still drinking his way around Belgium?

Edited October 20, 2017 by Horsetan

[PeterBB]

As long as you're not turning into some sort of Mr. Trebus.....

 

 

I thought he was still drinking his way around Belgium?

 

Remember the Mr Trebus TV documentary well but did not realise that it was so long ago.

[Horsetan]

.... did not realise that it was so long ago.

Time flies when you're not enjoying yourself, as they say.....

 

Meanwhile, the insurance for the CX hangs in the balance due to a query over one of the points I declared in the proposal. It could be the difference between insurance of £200/yr, and £550/yr  . However, after digging into the old documentation for the daily driver diesel Bora, I can confirm that what I told them was correct!

 

They said they'd call me back before I left the office today. What's the betting they'll forget?

Edited October 20, 2017 by Horsetan

[Barry O]

This HST is on the rocky road to Leeds....the Midland Mainline power car at one end seems in fine fettle.

 

Ian, having travelled on the northern line over the last couple of days I am sure commuting is a young person's game. Other than having better lighting it was less fun than riding on a miners train underground at Easington pit in 1973...

 

Hopefully we will have an on time arrival at Leeds....

 

Baz

[Tony_S]

For those who claim untidiness you will be pleased to know that shabby/untidy is now fashionable. At least two pages about it in last Saturday's Telegraph.

Edited October 20, 2017 by Tony_S

[BoD]

Morning all.

 

I was hoping to get to the Hartlepol show Baz, but, my car and I had an unfortunate incident yesterday which involved its recovery from deepest Northumberland. Nothing serious but I am waiting for a phone call to tell me if I will have it for the weekend.

[jamie92208]

For those who claim untidiness you will be pleased to know that shabby/untidy is now fashionable. At least two pages about it in last Saturday's Telegraph.

Will someone tell that to my other half.

 

Jamie