Early Risers.

[bbishop]

I have a map somewhere of a certain other railway that I'm giving to Mike.  Well, I seem to have done a Chrisf and the map is nowhere to be found.  I'm at Warley all weekend, but doubt if Jamie will allow me out for a drink.

 

Meanwhile, I have some stock to finish.  See some of you over the weekend.

 

Bill

[jamie92208]

I have a map somewhere of a certain other railway that I'm giving to Mike.  Well, I seem to have done a Chrisf and the map is nowhere to be found.  I'm at Warley all weekend, but doubt if Jamie will allow me out for a drink.

 

Meanwhile, I have some stock to finish.  See some of you over the weekend.

 

Bill

 

You'll have to make up for it in the evening Bill.

 

Jamie

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

The wind and rain has given way to bright sunshine and a patio is at last appearing on the pale imitation of the Somme battlefield next door - looks like they're actually setting the slabs properly on a mortar bed of some sort.  Today is of course faux Friday so it might mean a trip to the train spotting branch of Waitrose assuming no fallen trees intervene on the country route - laddo has avoided that this morning as he is at the Kings Langley office today.  Most of our trees are now stripped of leaves and of course most of them seem to be on the lawn so it might be time for some leave blowing.

 

I am aiming to head for Warley on Saturday - when XC appear to be operating and aren't yet talking about cancellations 'in order to get trains to the right place', time will tell no doubt.  I shall probably head for 'spoons at 13.00 but the last time  I tried that only 2 of us turned up.

 

Havea good day one and all and trust any weather damage has been slight.

[Judge Dread]

I renewed my membership of the E.R's this morning by attending an 8.00am dentist's appointment. Back now after two fillings and a further appointment for May but this time at 9.00am!

On the subject of taking an old car to France, here's my 1967 Morris Minor in the Loire Valley. The photo is from the Bois castle whilst Katie shelters from the noonday sun under the trees.

Time for a plug, it's my birthday tomorrow, I'm 74.

[DDolfelin]

 

 

Time for a plug, it's my birthday tomorrow, I'm 74.

 

Lots of happy returns.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bin day here as usual except that the local council is too tight to provide bins and we have to make do with plastic sacks. Coming home from the club last night I had to avoid a few of the pink recycling sacks rolling down the road like tumbleweed. So when I put my own sacks out for collection I placed a brick on top of them, this morning they were still where I placed them. A quick check reveals no damage from the winds but I estimate Ricks leaves are now heading  down the Bering Straight.

[Gwiwer]

Morning all.

 

Advance Happy Birthday to JD as I shall probably not be online tomorrow.

 

Wild night until past 3am then it calmed down.  Beautifully sunny today though fresh and breezy.  There are no leaves except on the railway tracks where they are allegedly being a wretched nuisance.  Off out in a while to exercise the cameras in this light. I might even get to play with the brand-new 10-stop ND filter.   Tomorrow will be a visit to mother's after a morning excursion to Riverhill (where???) on the thrice-weekly 965 bus.  I expect to be out from Quite Early until Somewhat-after-Midnight.

 

Thoughts with any of our number troubled by the wild weather as I know there have been floods, trees and power lines down, plagues of leaves and other embuggerances in some places.  Must have been connected in some way but I dreamed about cycling to Southampton (from the London area ) and finding the way first muddy, then wet then badly flooded and had to turn back.  Took a wrong turn, ended up in Swaythling and loaded the bike onto a 4Vep to reach Southampton more than somewhat late.  Strange things, dreams.  

Stay safe, play nice and enjoy the day as best you can.

[petethemole]

Mornin' all; pleasant here now after a windy and slightly wet night.

 

Rick, the cycle route from London to here via the Itchen Navigation towpath is not advisable in wet weather, or in dreams. When you reached dream Swaythling  you should have given me a dream call and dropped in for a dream drink, I'm only five (real)  minutes from the station.

 

I need to get back outside; I have four days to demolish two sheds.

 

Have a good day,

 

Pete

[Gwiwer]

The problem with dream-cycling from Strawberry Hill to Southampton was setting off after breakfast to be there for 9am!   Then encountering what began as a muddy path, became rim-deep in water then became a fast-flowing and rather wide river where I was expecting to find a bridge over a trickling stream.  Maybe the Test rather than the Itchen as it resembled the lower reaches of the former around Nursling.  Who knows what goes through the human brain when asleep?

 

I'll wave at you on Monday week though as I come past on my way to SWR's Overline House on the first day of the New Attendance.  

[The Lurker]

after a morning excursion to Riverhill (where???) on the thrice-weekly 965 bus.  

near Sevenoaks? On the way down the hill to the A21 is the Himalayan Gardens. I would recommend a visit but I have a feeling that they are closed this time of year.

 

Advanced happy birthday to JD

[81C]

SWMBO is returning tomorrow so a quick clean around the house emptied the bins, loo pans bleached etc.

 

Poor old Reg Prentiiss, all the green waste wheelies were blown over in the night mine like most of the others were filled with leaves when I went out at day break to pick some of them up they were empty

yep you guessed it there's a mound of leaves and other household waste blown onto his garden to cap it all most of the empty bins have been have been throw on the garden as well by the binmen, big mouthed

 Reg had given the chaps some verbal a few weeks ago I'll say no more but most of the neighborhood has walked past smirking.    

[Ian Abel]

Happy birthday tomorrow JD

 

 

Morning, and for those few ERs in the US, Happy Thanksgiving...

 

Off to start prepping for the afternoon family dinner/gathering, may get a minute or two for some modeling before the hoards descend.

 

-2 and a sunny start to Thanksgiving, expecting 6 for the high.

 

Enjoy the day everyone.

[TheSignalEngineer]

The mystery of the arrival time was solved - rather fortuitously.

 

Reading station happens to have a number of 'staff information' screens dotted about where the interested passer-by can get a good look at them and in so doing I noted 1E44 coming up through Southcote Jcn so we headed for the bridge and overlooked its punctual arrival at 12.37 on Platform 12. And lo and behold the distant cousin duly alighted from said train although we actually caught up with her as she exited the lift on Platform 7. She then found the niece who was meeting her at the enquiry desk in the old(er) concourse also trying to run to earth the alleged 12.53 arrival. Duly congregated we then adjourned to the London Street Brasserie which said niece had pre-booked where I enjoyed an excellent lunch of liver and champ plus green beans.

 

These screens really are an excellent idea and having them on public view can be very useful if you know what you're looking at (this is a view of another one at Reading taken some weeks ago - sorry about the reflections)

 

DSCF9921.jpg

Many years back there used to be a STRAD printer in the window of the Station Inspector's office at Crewe. Very useful for finding out what was approaching and if your train was on time. Also on the back wall was a chalk board listing all locos parked around the station and their next booked working.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I think you should be carefull mentioning wetness and dreams in one post, certainly read through what you've written before posting.

[Tony_S]

I had a nice journey up to Whitechapel and back today. The Underground driver at Barking announced there would be a slight delay before departing as the train had arrived early. All other trains used today would have been considered exemplary in Japan and Switzerland.

I think the consultant was reasonably satisfied with my state of health. There will be assorted tests and subject to the results, changes in medication. Otherwise keep taking everything until told otherwise.

Only tasks for tomorrow are to take Robbie for a swim and wait in for a package of coaches. I was convinced I had sufficient BR maroon to make a sensible rake for my new Sir William Stanier to trundle round with. Inspection of coaching stock yesterday revealed this not to be the case.

Have a good evening all.

Tony

Edited November 23, 2017 by Tony_S

[grandadbob]

I spent a while this afternoon in the wine cellar (aka cupboard under the stairs) putting away new purchases.

Imagine my delight when I found bottles of Highland Park, Remy Martin and Bombay Sapphire along with a case of Prosecco that I'd forgotten about. C#######s is coming to GDB Towers!

[grandadbob]

You're not wrong Vincent because it's my birthday next week and that is when we always declare C#######s open here! 

 

Oh yes!  

[jamie92208]

I had a nice journey up to Whitechapel and back today. The Underground driver at Barking announced there would be a slight delay before departing as the train had arrived early. All other trains used today would have been considered exemplary in Japan and Switzerland.

I think the consultant was reasonably satisfied with my state of health. There will be assorted tests and subject to the results, changes in medication. Otherwise keep taking everything until told otherwise.

Only tasks for tomorrow are to take Robbie for a swim and wait in for a package of coaches. I was convinced I had sufficient BR maroon to make a sensible rake for my new Sir William Stanier to trundle round with. Inspection of coaching stock yesterday revealed this not to be the case.

Have a good evening all.

Tony

 

You need at least 16 to look convincing Tony.....

 

Anyway I'm listening for the timer to ring on the oven to say that my tea is ready.  7 hours ago I set off to load the lorry with the layout.  Much of the time I was assisted by Sam (Sir Douglas of this parish) and had to collect stuff from 5 different locations including the pallets for packing it on Monday morning.   Hard work to do it all in one go and some heavy traffic between the last two collection points but worth it.  A lot better than doing it in the morning.

 

Apart from that the house is still quiet and I've done nothing wrong since yesterday afternoon as the boss is still babysitting in Lincoln and we'll miss each other tomorrow.  

 

Regards to all and for those suffering from the wind and rain I hope that you stay safe.

 

Jamie

[newbryford]

I spent a while this afternoon in the wine cellar (aka cupboard under the stairs) putting away new purchases.

 

Waiting for the "i banged my head under the stairs" post.....................

 

Stay safe Bob!

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Gwiwer]

near Sevenoaks? On the way down the hill to the A21 is the Himalayan Gardens. I would recommend a visit but I have a feeling that they are closed this time of year.

 

Advanced happy birthday to JD

 

 

Close but no cigar.  Riverhill not River Hill  This one is a small isolated residential caravan park alongside a normally-uninhabited sports ground between Malden Manor and Tolworth.  Otherwise unserved by public transport and a decent walk in either direction to alternatives it has the 965 bus three mornings a week into Kingston provided at the behest of the Mayor of London (Lord of Transport for Londoners) who apparently decees that everyone living in the Capital shall be within walking distance of at least some form of public transport.

 

River Hill (also Riverhill on some maps) near Sevenoaks on the other hand has a bus every 20 minutes though for not many more people as it is lucky enough to be on the surviving leg of former London Transport / Country route 402 between Tonbridge and Sevenoaks, recently truncated and no longer running north of Dunton Green at all.  Those with any interest in the industry may note that this is another example of a perfectly good cross-boundary link (which once ran hourly up to Bromley) falling victim to the differing regimes within and without London.  TfL charges a standard £1.50 fare for any ride including those which stray beyond the London boundary to places such as Dorking, Redhill, Brentwood and Waltham Cross.  But "country" operators are not permitted to accept Oyster cards and must charge commercial cash fares when running inside London on a London Service Permit.  The 402 saw its passengers dwindle to nothing and no longer being commercially viable within London was withdrawn.  There is now a gap between Dunton Green and Halstead (the latter served by TfL routes R5/R10) which once saw two or three buses an hour and now has none bar the three provided (for how long is anyone's guess) by a "temporary" 431 introduced at short notice when the 402 was abruptly cancelled.  There are numerous other similar examples.

 

Odd sort of day beckons tomorrow.  Early start required via a couple of appointments before heading off to Sussex to see mother.  Sister normally offers an evening meal with as many of her family as may be home.  Tomorrow she is away and all of her tribe are either likewise or working late.  Therefore after tea at mother's I am at a loose end and making my own arrangements for an evening meal before returning.  If I were not restricted to "Booked Train Only" I could return at any time.  The difference between my £3.30 Internet-only Advance Senior Railcard single and the equivalent walk-up fare for an anytime return is greater than the cost of a meal in town ......... 

Have a good evening.  

 

Sleep well.  I'll be back for breakfast on Saturday.  Please don't smoke me any kippers!

 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Mad busy again at work, which is OK, means we get to eat this month.

 

Collected my new motor, which was black for almost a mile after leaving the dealers...#sigh# Then it was as brown as the departing B-Max.  To say the roads are dirty after the flooding yesterday is rather an understatement.  Quite pleased with it, although it now has a repaired deep scratch on a door that wasn't there a fortnight ago.....  It's 3 years old so I can't expect perfection, but that is annoying on a 8k mile car that is otherwise very tight and neat.

 

Have to get used to the auto now, left frankenfoot is enjoying its holiday from clutch action, but the left hand wants to work gears still.  This is possible as it has a manual sequential mode, but it's not the same.  Great to have the torque of a diesel again too, so what if if produces more CO2, it makes less NOx's and burns less fossil fuel while it does so. 

[Tony_S]

You're not wrong Vincent because it's my birthday next week and that is when we always declare C#######s open here!

 

Oh yes!

Seems that festive coffee is the thing in Whitechapel.

 

I have just worked out why the forum software turns images sideways!

Edited November 23, 2017 by Tony_S

[bbishop]

Evening all.

 

So I found the map, just one pile away from where I thought it should be,and can give it to Mike on Saturday.  I gave up on the L&Y open wagon; however, I completed two MR bunker coal wagons in 72 hours.  Wheelie bag packed for Warley, most of space used for stock for LGA, 1 loco and 18 wagons.  Bath and bed, with an early start tomorrow.

 

Bill

[Tony_S]

You need at least 16 to look convincing Tony.....

  

Jamie

The platforms on my layout station can handle 8 coach trains but the longer trains don't have to stop there! I don't put more than 50 wagons on freight trains. I need more storage tracks!

[81C]

Evening all.

 

So I found the map, just one pile away from where I thought it should be,and can give it to Mike on Saturday.  I gave up on the L&Y open wagon; however, I completed two MR bunker coal wagons in 72 hours.  Wheelie bag packed for Warley, most of space used for stock for LGA, 1 loco and 18 wagons.  Bath and bed, with an early start tomorrow.

 

Bill

You sound like a light weight modeller.