Early Risers.

[BoD]

Ha! There is a little pumping station at the bottom of a friend's garden in Monk Hesleden! Three houses in a wee terrace were built for pit employees, opposite the Hall. Nothing else there!

As Neil says almost all of the physical evidence of the mining heritage has gone. There is very little left of pit heads and associated buildings themselves. Don't forget the Stadium of Light is built on the site of Monkwearmouth Colliery, one of the last to close. If anything is left it is mostly the pit wheels which have been made into memorials in many pit villages. Old shafts have been sealed and all that is left are small chimney like structures which, I understand, are part of environmental monitoring systems.

 

Unless, of course, the strategic reserve is down there rather than in Box tunnel.

Edited December 4, 2017 by BoD

[tetsudofan]

Evening all. Had a very enjoyable walk along The Leas on my way up to town. The sun was behind me, there was no wind and The Channel was like a millpond. The coast of France was clearly visible and every time I see this I often think how lucky we were that this little stretch of water saved our bacon all those years ago.

 

My mission to town was accomplished - cash from our recently refurbished branch of Barclays (now basically four cash machines, a deposit box and two manned counters - not great but at least they did not close the branch), coloured lights (£20 reduced to £10)from Wilko, adhesive tape (to secure the coloured lights) from ASDA followed by a cream-laden gingerbread latte at Starbucks.

 

Was going to walk home but seeing a local bus at the bus station decided to hop on the bus flashing my wrinkly pass as I did.

 

Keith

[Gwiwer]

I hope the cat has recovered.

 

 

I hope so too.

 

Good night all.

[Ozexpatriate]

A non-rainy forecast this week, which makes for a bit of a departure from recent days. We will flirt with freezing temperatures.

 

I haven't had much chance to pop into Early Risers and haven't / can't keep up. Best wishes / commiserations to all as appropriate.

 

Last week I had an interesting lesson on how given the same guidelines different people, even in a great creaking bureaucracy like the US Postal Service, come up with very different answers.

 

Post office 1 decided that my Christmas cards destined for the Antipodes (which were pop-up cards and therefore a little bulky) did not easily fit through the 0.25" slot and therefore had to be sent at the international package rate of $13.50 each. (I could have sent them all in a box at this rate.) The same cards locally could be sent for $3.00.

 

Post office 2 decided that the same cards were "non-machinable letters" which could be posted at a rate of $2.13 (or $0.91 locally), and then went on to say "Don't believe the people at Post Office 1, they don't know what they are talking about".

 

I moved about a year ago. Post Office 1 now delivers my mail, but I will keep going to Post Office 2. Besides, they are open on Saturday mornings, and Post Office 1 is not.

[BSW01]

Evening everyone

 

The day started of dull and miserable, but it wasn’t as cold as it has been of late. My first task this morning was to a make another tea loaf, as we finished off the last one yesterday. Once I’d got that in the oven, I continued putting up the rest of the Christmas decorations, which I’d finished just before dinner!

 

After dinner it was back down to middle earth to continue working on the buildings for Max’s train layout. I finished off the engine shed and a start will be made on the main station tomorrow.

 

Rick. I’m glad your first day went well.

 

Goodnight all

[emt_911]

Time to rest my eyes. I've had an evening of fitting metal buffers and 3 link couplings on wagons. This is in preparation for some transfers to arrive and be fitted before letting Andy P to teach me how to weather wagons.

 

Night all

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[Barry O]

As Neil says almost all of the physical evidence of the mining heritage has gone. There is very little left of pit heads and associated buildings themselves. Don't forget the Stadium of Light is built on the site of Monkwearmouth Colliery, one of the last to close. If anything is left it is mostly the pit wheels which have been made into memorials in many pit villages. Old shafts have been sealed and all that is left are small chimney like structures which, I understand, are part of environmental monitoring systems.

Unless, of course, the strategic reserve is down there rather than in Box tunnel.

Bod,

They sealed the shafts at Horden. Someone explained that the methane gas from the pit was always sent to either Horden cokeworks and then, when they shut to another cokeworks (south Hetton or houghton le spring not sure).

Enter men with drills...

Pipework in place, water pH is monitored and some form of nutraliser added. Gas is taken off somewhere...

 

The old headgear at Monk Heselden/Castle Eden never ever drew any coal. They were preparing to start coal cutting when the found a very large underground lake. The pumping station Neil is talking about must have replaced the old ones down the shafts.

 

Shame they have gone, glad I went down Easington Colliery once, not sure I would have chosen to go again.

 

Night all

Baz

Edited December 5, 2017 by Barry O

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[Two_sugars]

The pipe/vent at Horden, and  another at Easington, is to vent of escaping gas, apparently. . . 

 

The are still pumping water out of Horden, Hence the settlement tanks on the beach banks just to  the east of the colliery yard. . . They show up orange on Google Earth.

 

 

Goodnight all. . . Sleep well.

 

John

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[bluebottle]

I asked:

"And is Father Christmas (whoever he is) an Englishman? 

That's the impression I got as a nine-year-old relocated from Midlothian to South Yorkshire."

 

The Q said: :You obviously didn't watch enough American films....."

 

According to Wikipedia, the name "Santa Claus" comes from "Sinterklaas" - imported to the US by Dutch immigrants.

I like to think that it came to us from German-speaking areas such as the Eastern end of Switzerland's Valais canton. Riding the train from Visp up to Zermatt, I used to enjoy the beautiful mural of the Saint on a gable end as the conductor called out the name of the imminent station stop, St. Niklaus: "San-naclaus" sounded a lot closer to "Santa Claus" than does"SinterKlaas". 

And of course, I already knew that "Father Christmas" dates back to the time of the English Civil War, when Papist Saints were out of favour.

[BR60103]

Pelting precipitaton now (10:30 at night). Fog last 2 mornings; have now found where fog light switch in the car is. Switch below it it doe not turn them off; it opens the trunk (boot).

Morning newspaper still uneadable -- the typeface is now very faint.

Edited December 5, 2017 by BR60103

[AndyB]

I'm wondering if there will be fog. And whose it is. 

Laters.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It is a somewhat warmer morning in this part of the world.  The snow has more or less all gone - apart from a pile in the Garden which is the remains of Thomas' snowman.

 

Interesting that Baz mentioned coke.  Does anyone happen to know which coke works are still operating?  When we were at the Weald and Downland museum back in the summer, I was surprised to learn from the Blacksmith that there is still some coke produced in the UK, but she wasn't sure where.

 

The talk of mining heritage also reminded me of Jock, late of this parish, who was a fountain of knowledge of all things mining.  We had several very interesting discussions.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

I had a chance to view progress on the new bit of A14 yesterday on my way to Peterborough for a meeting.  There are part constructed bridges and bits of new carriageway appearing not to go anywhere and three years' work remaining.  It was clear a little later that the work needs to be done: the gentleman that I was to meet had been delayed in transit and took two hours from Haverhill rather than the flat hour possible with a clear road.  For some time now my favourite definition of an optimist is the person who put speed cameras on the A14.  When it is all finished we shall rejoice that it is possible to travel a previously unfeasible distance in a ridiculously short time and then moan like crazy when everyone else has the same idea and gets in the way.  I am going to Peterborough again tomorrow but that is strictly for pleasure - except when I get stuck in traffic.

 

This is the week when we play hunt the Radio Times.  Next week's issue came out on Saturday and I've now got it.  The issue for the week after comes out on Thursday and then, a couple of days later, we get the C*****mas double issue full of guff about the entertainment offered while I am out of the country.  Gentle reader, watch out for a price hike after the extended holiday.

 

Today there is ironing.  Fortunately there is not much, for the recently laundered material includes a sheet and I am not ironing that.  Tonight there is a talk of which I am to write a report.  The speaker and subject are not as advertised, which is a pity as we were all looking forward to the advertised speaker and subject.  I do hope that harm has not befallen him.

 

Warm thoughts and best wishes to the advertised speaker and to all in distress and recovery

 

Chris  

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Here,

A poor nights sleep, lots of wake up and turn overs....

 

It's Warmer than I expected this morning,. and the roads were dry on the way in. On the way out last night, I came close to hitting a lorry on part of the road that leads off of this site, it is directly into the sun at this time of year. So I was blinded, but I chose to slow down a lot, which gave me time to stop for the lorry reversing on my side of the road...

 

I must do some Christmas Cards, the Bundle I do for all the relatives in Bo'ness, West Lothian, they need to get posted, even for my great niece who has such a strong local accent I can hardly understand her...it's a good job writing doesn't normally have an accent..

 

I'm the oldest in the calibration laboratories, I often complain about new fangled ideas, mostly because they are presented to us in a strange language, written or spoken, that has little resemblance to the English I have learnt during my life so far,,

 

2190 day till retirement...

 

Time to go do some work...

Edited December 5, 2017 by TheQ

[jamie92208]

Morning all from the village that remains east of Tong.  Last night was spent at the clubrooms tidying up the layout space that I had occupied.   I will now wait to see what project is allocated that space but that decision is well above my pay grade.  Today will probably involve bringing various boxes down from the loft as the T word has been mentioned.   Apart from that I have several boxes of rubbish to take to the tip and some more to take to the container.  I better not mix them up. Apart from that there is not a lot to report so I will wish all ER's a good day.

 

Jamie

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dry and 7^oC when I took The Boss to work earlier. ( I went back to bed on my return) A dry cloudy day with the possibility or some sunny sells is forecast.

This is my last week of 4.00 ish starts, only 2 more and Herself retires. I bet we still wake early though as we still do on the days she doesn't work, even weekends!

Tuesday means kids here after school which is always good. Apart from that I believe I have a free day once I've picked up Chris from work so it's about time I did something in the railway room even if it's only playing with trains.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[roundhouse]

Morning from a warmer but still dark Surrey. After today it’s going to get windy then colder.

 

A few beers last night in our favourite local and nice to see the usual good selection of Harvey’s ales has returned.

 

This morning at the station survey cards have been handed out so will enjoy telling them what I think of current and the planned services but will have to refrain from swearing.

 

With no shows till late January 2018 I have now taken my Harz narrow gauge loco out of the box to fit a decoder and different couplings as it has an opportunity to run on a fellow rmwebbers layout in April. It’s been sitting in its box for a year since I last opened it after purchasing.

[Barry O]

Up here in the North West Leeds Highlands this sky has some ominously dark clouds in it. I need to go to the post office with a few parcels ..this may take some time as today is pension day.

 

More crust earning today so have a good day everyone

Baz

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Sniffle sniffle etc. I seem to have a cold.

Dog released to garden and retrieved. I am enjoying a nice cup of tea now.

I think I will be doing very little today.

Aditi had a somewhat fraught day yesterday. MiL went to the David Lloyd club for her aquarobics session and had a "dizzy turn" leaving the steam room. The first aiders and pool staff were very good. MiL insisted that once she had taken some medication she wouod be fine and that Aditi shouod not tell anyone else. Aditi wasn't going to tell her sister who is away on holiday but she did have a chat with her brother. His conclusions were the same as mine and Aditi's but MiL will take notice of him more easily as he is a doctor! I am reluctant to visit while I am sniffing and snuffling.

Matthew will be doing some teaching after Christmas. He has organised a couple of sessions today and tomorrow. His module is about doing research. They have to do a mini research project. He has to tell them that at this stage they shouldn't be doing anything sensitive (children, vulnerable adults etc)requiring clearance by the police.

Also he gets to learn their names. Name of the week for him had been the many different spellings of Dervla.

Have a good day.

Tony

[emt_911]

Morning all. A great nights sleep for a change but feel worse for it.

 

A day of modelling and a bit of shopping, so nothing strenuous.

 

Time for another coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Like Neil I've come across a few jobsworths in my career, problem is that if a boss wants to get rid of them the only way is to push them up the ladder. One made his way to a very senior position but made such a mess of things that he should have been sacked but was given early retirement instead. Being in a department dealing with every other department I had to deal with all sorts of people, usually most are OK and there were ways of dealing with the awkward ones. At one time we had a large buildings maintanence department, the head of their personell section was Eadie M***, Always very helpfull and efficient but ruled with a rod of iron. If someone from her department were being a bit difficult mentioning her name would soon bring them into line. For example there was an Italian house painter who would always lose his understanding of English if you were telling him something he didn't want to hear. The quickest way to restore his knowledge of English was to tell him that he'd have to see Mrs M*** about it. I might add that Eadie wasn't the harridan I seem to have painted her, she was hard but fair. I wish a few of my bosses were like her.

[TheQ]

Very strange, just had a voice mail notification come up, so I had to trail back to my other desk to recieve the call. It was for a laboratory, but not this one. It was what I assume the wife of someone waiting for a cancer biopsy result, not suprisingly she seemed distraught. I've tried to phone back a couple of times to say she has the wrong number and the phone has been engaged.