Early Risers.

[BlackRat]

Greetings rascals, just got back from Gran Canaria where the sun shone, the sea breeze was gentle and the beer cold.

 

Little or no wifi where we were, and it was all the better for that.

 

Far to much to catch up on, so hopefully I havent missed to much.

 

All I need to do now is to get all the chrimbo decs up before daughter returns from uni and edit about 350 pictures.

 

Quite a few have elderly German naturists, and some quite enticing frauleins!

 

Like Mrs BR said, if only you were 30 years younger.

 

Mind you, judging by the look of things, mother nature intends me to have sand dragging testicles, which by my age, should arrive within the next 10 years or so.

 

Something to look forward to after all.

Edited December 10, 2017 by BlackRat

[Rugd1022]

No snow yesterday down the smoke of course which meant my job ran as booked and I was able to grab a shot of the reinstated chimneys at Battersea Power Station...

 

 

Woken up this morning by a text from Control saying my Kettering job on 6Y76 was caped die to 'inclement weather condidtions' so had a nice lie in!

 

Edit - posted before I'd finished typing! Meant to add that I had a rather nice 'railway moment' at Battersea once my relief had turned up at half past eight, I made my way round the corner to Battersea Park station and found myself alone on the platform with the watery sunshine casting a very nice ochre coloured glow on the canopies and woodwork, it looked as though it hadn't changed one bit from steam days and I half expected a green SR unit of some description or a filthy lined green Schools to come scuttling into view, I was about to whip my camera out when the modern unit arrived so 'moment lost', ah well, never mind!

Edited December 10, 2017 by Rugd1022

[Barry O]

It has now remembered to snow in the North West Leeds Highlands...wot larks I will get my skis..er not!

 

I had a mini when I first encountered snow. It was fine till it all got packed in under the engine...my mate was all for adding a small snow plough but we never did.

 

Back to some more modelling...a bit for me this time.

 

Stay safe and warm everyone

 

Baz

[DDolfelin]

A child goes to a very good but very busy doctor and asks "I know you are

busy but do you treat children?"
The doctor replies "Yes, but you will have to be a little patient"

[Rugd1022]

It has now remembered to snow in the North West Leeds Highlands...wot larks I will get my skis..er not!

 

I had a mini when I first encountered snow. It was fine till it all got packed in under the engine...my mate was all for adding a small snow plough but we never did.

 

Back to some more modelling...a bit for me this time.

 

Stay safe and warm everyone

 

Baz

 

My first drive in snow was also in a Mini back in 1991, it was a '79 Clubman 1100 which went like stink and thankfully had the brakes and tyres to match. We set off for Coventry to see The Manic Street Preachers at one of their earliest gigs with hardly any snowfall, but by the time we'd reached the venue (a converted terraced house close to the trackbed of the Humber Road avoiding line) it was several inches deep. Gig duly enjoyed (Nicky Wire threw his expensive Rickenbacker bass guitar into the crowd at the end) we trapsed outside to find the poor Clubbie up to its waist in thick snow. Took a while to get it out but a memorable night it certainly was. Alas the Clubbie and the venue are now long gone!

Edited December 10, 2017 by Rugd1022

[Coombe Barton]

Groan button, please.

[newbryford]

Snow?..what snow?

 

Baz

 

Excatly the same here in the very chilly edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

 

There's precious little more back home 22 miles south, but go another 5 miles and then Blackburn/Accrington has far more.

 

Ice hockey has been called off tonight as the away team were due to come from Solihull and their coach company have deemed it unfit to travel.

 

Oh well - I may have to do some mudelling to fill in the game time.

 

 

Catch up later.

 

Cheers,

mick

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

It has been about a week now since I posted here, and am so sorry that this is the case.  I can really only offfer general greetings all round.

 

Not a lot of the white stuff hereabouts.  A look at the weather warning map shows Lancaster to be sitting right between the two zones, and there is a gap of a few miles only.  This area does. however, have a strange microclimate due to its proximity to the western coast, and the Pennine foothills.  There is some frozen snow/ice as we did det some wet sleet which then froze.  Got the car dried off, and the cover is on for tonights chiller.  Logs are in, and coal, and the stove will be dancing a merry blaze soon.

 

A lot has been happening here - far too much to mention, and much of it is a moan about one thing and another, so I won't bother you with them, other than to say "why can't cooker repair men bring the right parts for the right cooker when their call centre was told the exact nature of the fault, and they had all the model details".  Oven fan won't switch off - needs a new thermostat/switch, and the original has now been replaced by a different one, which needs an adaptor kit to make it fit.  Of course, the repair man only had the switch, not the kit - so he's had to put a special order in, and has to wait for it to arrive, then come back at the end of the week. 

 

At my creative writing class, I managed to write a wry and amusing piece about a crooked antique dealer (yes, they do exist)  and the brief was to start from an environment with which I was familiar, then introduce the character, and narrate the story.  Mu tutor suggested that I submit it to a drama workshop at the University of Cumbria to be read aloud and/or acted.  It got accepted.

 

If anybody's interested, and would like to read it, then PM me with an email address, and I'll send the word file to you.  It is a Word 2007 document, so should be readable on most systems.

 

C*&^st*as cards all written.  The number of names scored out in the address book seems to increase with the advancing years. 

 

Bah Humbug sweater is now being worn.

 

Back soon

Regards to All

Stewart

[Ashcombe]

Naa Sorry you just converted the first pic to Black and White,   hahahha      

 

 

 

...... and erased the sheep ....?!

[BoD]

...... and erased the sheep ....?!

How do you think they survive those harsh, long winter evenings in the Welsh hills?

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl, Inner Temple Here.

Well every forecast I've seen for round here got it wrong

No snow
No high winds.

What we've had is light winds, mostly drizzle, light rain, but it has been continuous, wet...


So Sunday being sailing day, I was off down to the club.

Weather as above, wind direction south Easterly, later Easterly, zero to maybe 15 mph.


Due to the unusual wind direction, buoy 1 was placed well down river, brought 2 half way back to the club outside the New INN, buoy 3 outside the club and buoy 4 at the first corner up river from the club.
The start line was heavily inclined so it was a long way from the inside of the bend on the far side of the river..

Race 1 1P, 3P, 4P
We decided to start at the club end of the line and reached there unchallenged. One boat was behind us, and one still in the dyke which as we were going the opposite way to normal was behind the line.
We started first, but the boat in the dyke was close behind and the third boat close behind them.
The wind meant it as a long tack on port, short tack on starboard after a couple of tacks boat 2 got a lift and was able to sail along the bank for longer whereas we had tacked earlier. When we came back from the other bank they were on starboard so we had to give way. A couple of tacks later and they were clear ahead.

We were down to second, we were about 60 ft behind when we rounded buoy 1.
Up spinnakers Genoa's in. The other boat wandered off course during this and nearly hit the bank. They chose to sail on the right to middle of the course, we chose the left as it had more wind and less of the outgoing tide. We quickly drew alongside and they moved across the river to cover us.
We each took several turns to lead, but when we reached buoy 3 we had the inside. We dropped our spinnaker and sailed on under Genoa, they tacked their spinnaker. We drew ahead but when the wind came right for them they caught us, just then the wind came more ahead they were forced to drop the spinnaker and while they were doing that we drew well ahead.
For the rest of that lap we drew further ahead, and kept that for the test of the race.


Race 2 and 3 didn't happen for us our competitors got too soggy and gave up.

The dinghies did do one more race during which one dinghy hit a tree broke it's mast and capsized. Our rescue boats raced off to fish him out of the river, but by the time they got there he was sitting on the upturned hull.
Apologies to a motor boat called dilligaf moored on Horning staithe, which the wash from the rescue boats caused to rock and roll.

After putting the boats away, a cup of soup and cheese rolls it was time to paddle my way home. Several places on the way home had puddles right across the river..

Time for ., A long hot bath....

Edited December 11, 2017 by TheQ

[Horsetan]

...mother nature intends me to have sand dragging testicles....

I'm going to have a long lasting mental image now.

[TheQ]

I thought only the UK was supposed to fall apart at the sight of a snowflake...

[Simon G]

A few years ago, I went to Slovakia on business In January. The snow started just as we arrived at the airport, and about one foot was lying on the ground after 3-4 hours, but there was no problems at all on main roads, and next to nothing on local roads. All the cars had snow tyres on by law, and everything carried on as if there was no snow. Quite a contrast to here!

[Ian Abel]

Quick morning check-in

 

Managed to gather some enthusiasm yesterday and began building a Parkside guards van - I'm sure to rile some folks but the Parkside may make up nicely but the total lack of any registration marks for the most part for any parts, the very VAGUE instructions with no accompanying images and the horrendous amount of flash on many parts leads me to believe I could start a kit business by stuffing a blank piece of plasticard in a bag with a white sheet of paper containing the words "Make the kit."    

 

Oh well...

 

Nice evening meal with Jemma, she makes wonderful curries.

 

Today off out for a quick shop for Christmas cookie making supplies, then everyone is coming over for an afternoon of cookie making

 

-3 this AM, about an inch or two of snow still around, roads CLEAR of course - they have the right equipment to deal with it here - expecting a high of -1

 

Hope your Sunday goes well - have a good day all.

[The Stationmaster]

The Good Doctor duly drove herself home through her first experience of driving in snow.  Bit mixed here as we had further falls plus some of the cleared bit freezing and freezing forecast overnight but salt supplies were replenished by the Good Doctor so we should be ok, unless we get a really heavy fall of snow to further tax my back.

 

The good news is that 'my sewing stuff' has been cleared off the dining room table leaving only my stuff making it look untidy - but at least i've now got room to spread it out a bit which could give the impression that I'm 'tidying' it should I receive further instructions.

[New Haven Neil]

Cheer me why don't you, Ian!  We've just started stocking Parkside....

[roundhouse]

We had a great day yesterday visiting numerous pubs in Dorking then a very expesive bus ride to Brokham (around £3.70 for 7 minute journey), no wonder we were just about the only fare paying passengers on it but at least there is an hourly bus service till just after 5pm. A couple of pleasant pubs still there facing the green.

 

Then a dearer bus ride to Reigate where we had a good chat with the new owners of the Piilgrim brewery and the bar is a great addition to serve their superb beers.

 

We walked home via a couple of other pubs enroute and a chinese takeaway.

 

What a contrast from blue skies yesterday to heavy rain and snow this morning. On the M25 I passed two accidents where only one car was involved in each, no doubt out of control in the slush. Made it in one piece to give AndrewC a hand with his Millarville layout at the Bexleyheath show and back again in daylight before the motorway started freezing up.

 

Just two more weeks of work before the xmas holidays. cant wait.

Edited December 10, 2017 by roundhouse

[Ian Abel]

Cheer me why don't you, Ian!  We've just started stocking Parkside....

What can I say - I got four on eBay very cheap, new never opened - whilst they do have nice metal wheels/bearings packaged with them, unless the product has vastly improved since these were sourced (and I'm willing to bet they haven't changed much as the packaging seems very new not shopworn or seeming to have been laying in someones pile for years), you get a mimeographed (REALLY, in 2017) sheet of paper with vague instructions and a very poor diagram of where marking go, some of it obviously hand written on the original!

Not impressed especially since I though the Ratio vans I've made could do with a "bit of modernizing" but they're streets ahead of what I'm seeing in the Parkside I got.

Maybe they're from the 1800's and the new ones are brilliant

Edited December 10, 2017 by Ian Abel

[emt_911]

Well, as Andy has already mentioned, the show was cancelled.

 

I left at 10:30 and eventually got home 7 hours later.

 

Many single vehicle accidents including a HGV into the central reservation on the M40. I'd like to know how.

 

I lost count of the number of idiots who shouldn't have a licence let alone be allowed to drive in the snow.

 

Time to relax with a coffee and maybe some modelling will get done later.

[New Haven Neil]

They have been taken over by Peco Ian, but I have no idea if they have been re-vamped at all other than a different header on the packet!  I'll grab a couple myself once Steve has finished putting them on the website and see what they're like.  Knowing Peco, they will probably slowly work their way through the range and improve them, they do have the Ratio factory of course so maybe the ranges will merge and be produced there.  Just speculation, no inside info!

[Barry O]

What can I say - I got four on eBay very cheap, new never opened - whilst they do have nice metal wheels/bearings packaged with them, unless the product has vastly improved since these were sourced (and I'm willing to bet they haven't changed much as the packaging seems very new not shopworn or seeming to have been laying in someones pile for years), you get a mimeographed (REALLY, in 2017) sheet of paper with vague instructions and a very poor diagram of where marking go, some of it obviously hand written on the original!

Not impressed especially since I though the Ratio vans I've made could do with a "bit of modernizing" but they're streets ahead of what I'm seeing in the Parkside I got.

Maybe they're from the 1800's and the new ones are brilliant

Ian

 

what sort of card/packet are these in and, what are the kit numbers? The newer style packaging for the Parkside kits include pretty good instructions.. Which brake van is it? If its an original LNER Toad it was a very early basic kit and a reap pain to put together. Newer ones are far easier (except the latest LNER Toad which is an absolute swine).

 

If you want to try some hard to put together kits PM me I can send a list of ones to avoid.... I have built an awful lot of kits over the years.....

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Now I know the south of England has had the worst of the weather but... Boeing Always cancelled the LHR-LBA flights for today and the first one tomorrow..so what has just landed here ?  A  Boeing Always Warsaw - Heathrow flight....I take it Manchester Ringway Airport is now full?

 

Baz

[Tony_S]

Now I know the south of England has had the worst of the weather but... Boeing Always cancelled the LHR-LBA flights for today and the first one tomorrow..so what has just landed here ?  A  Boeing Always Warsaw - Heathrow flight....I take it Manchester Ringway Airport is now full?

 

Baz

Southend is still operating...

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I did venture out after watching the 1 o'clock news. I fully expected the roads to be gritted as the gritters were out in force a couple of days ago when there was a very frosty night. However it was apparent that not even the main routes had been gritted. Only saw one mobile igloo but that was about as bad as one could get, all except the swept area of the windscreen was covered in snow. Mind you it was great to watch the dancing that was precluded by the brake lights coming on. Fortunately I had some rock salt in stock so I was able to return my car to the drive properly as my drive is on a slope that in this weather gets very icy.