Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

Birmingham Airport is in Solihull

Forgive me if I remember that this location was referred to as "Soilhole" by a former resident who I encountered in my earlier years.

 

We cannot help where we come from.  There are those born in Bourne End for instance.  And there are plenty who mock places they are or are not associated with.  I also remember the schoolboy mirth, first encountered upon moving to the area, associated with the Sussex town of Littlehampton.  Goodness knows what young lads made of Wyre Piddle.

[bbishop]

And in my neck of the wood - Pratts Bottom.

 

Bill

[Tony_S]

Forgive me if I remember that this location was referred to as "Soilhole" by a former resident who I encountered in my earlier years.

 

We cannot help where we come from.  There are those born in Bourne End for instance.  And there are plenty who mock places they are or are not associated with.  I also remember the schoolboy mirth, first encountered upon moving to the area, associated with the Sussex town of Littlehampton.  Goodness knows what young lads made of Wyre Piddle.

Anyone who lived there pronounced it Sew lee hull. Outside the Midlands it seemed to be Solly Hull. Originally it was Soily Hill as the place where manure collected in tithes was collected (allegedly). It was a strange County Borough much improved (in my opinion) by becoming a Metropolitan District of the West Midlands. The former Birmingham Corporation buses then crossed the “border” and went nearer where I lived. Solihull was one of those places that tried to ban roof mounted tv aerials and chip shops.

[The Stationmaster]

Evening all,

 

First a check on ER attendance at Warley.  I know that Baz and Ian are there over the weekend and Chris is there on Sunday.  I'm there tomorrow, wearing a South Western Circle (!) badge, whom else am I likely to meet?

 

Trouble getting up to London today, due to a trespasser on the track in the Lewisham area and power had to be turned off.  This is becoming annoyingly frequent.  Anyway, once I was in London, I did my Black Friday shopping by getting a discount on next term's German lessons.  Then some track pins from Ian Allen and my Christmas Cards from St Martin in the Field.  Home via the quack to book my flu jab.

 

Early supper, early bath, make tomorrow's sandies and then to bed.

 

Bill

 

 

I'll be there tomorrow aiming for the spoons around 1300 and E? around 1400.

I shall be there tomorrow if all goes according to plan (i.e. NR and XC permitting!).  Will aim for 'spoons at 13.00

[Tony_S]

I would need to be transported by Dr Who to go to the NEC at the best of times! My worry at present is that even with instantaneous transport I would probably want to return home. Attending exhibitions is something I just can’t bring myself to do at present. I did try at the Basildon one and if I hadn’t been asked to help,someone with a lift probably would have lasted 10 minutes. After retrieving my layout from rubbish in the garage I may feel more positive. I will look forward to anyone’s comments about the exhibition. I have liked a beer photo from an exhibition attendee already.

Talking of beer, I have acquired a keg of one of my favourite Belgian beers. Perhaps I should have used the “correct” glass to sample it rather than my pint Guinness glass!

[AndrewC]

And in my neck of the wood - Pratts Bottom.

 

Bill

Next to Badgers Mount.

[Gwiwer]

And do you think I can find the picture of the sign reading 

 

Badgers Mount
Pratts Bottom

 

?????

 

I think the search engine has run out of steam!

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. There is a list somewhere of 'funny' place names including a certain village/town in Austria that keeps getting its sign stolen. Theres a few others that would be censored as well.

[jamie92208]

I grew up in an area where you could, Skip in Skipton, Settle in Settle, Wiggle in Wigglesworth and Giggle in my home village of Giggleswick. However we did have the honour of a mention in, IIRC, Hancock's Half Hour when Tony travelled north to play Henry the Fifth in the village hall.  Only one problem we didn't have a village hall only a parish room.

 

Goodnght all.

 

Jamie

Edited November 24, 2018 by jamie92208

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone

 

Today has been a funny old day, dull and a bit damp first thing, then the sun came out for a bit in the afternoon, but by tea time it was bl00dy cold. Just before James and Amelia came round for tea, I had a phone call from Tim at Arcadia Models, my Bachmann H1 “La France” has arrived, so I’ve arranged to pick it up on Monday.

 

Now off for an early night, so that I’ll be ready for tomorrow. 1:00 at Wetherspoons it is then, see you tomorrow.

 

Goodnight all

Edited November 23, 2018 by BSW01

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Most of the demo team have arrived. I went back To the hotel and missed the arrival of Queen Square.

Hope to see some Ers tomorrow.

Polly I now have 5 O gauge wagons to weather.

 

Worn to a Frazzle so , night all.

Naz

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[andyram]

Good evening fellow ER's. Thanks for the good wishes and advice. It is all much appreciated and very welcome. 

Had a nice day yesterday, with a couple off ex-Weston exhibitors coming into the shop. They did not know I had left teaching so seeing me in the shop was a surprise. We had a nice catch up and they took some leaflets for their model club. Having people spreading the word and sharing the news about the shop is very welcome.

 

The black dog remains in the kennel, it does pop its head out of the kennel out now and again. His latest visit was earlier today and came about due to a flood of marking landing in my inbox that was not quite what I had been told I was getting. All had to be done today, and had come my way because another assessor was off ill. Fortunately, I managed to clear it quickly and all is well with the world again.

 

Take care.

 

Best wishes

 

Andy

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Here,

6.5 hours almost solid sleep, I hope to gain some more shortly.

 

Friday night was MRC night with a good attendance even with two regular attendees off sick / looking after sick wives.

 

My muddling tool box being in the landrover, l had paint and polyfilla, so I made like slartybartfast again, I'm still not happy with it yet though.

 

Today's plans, morning, working on the layout carriages, Afternoon of the SWMBOs forgetful friend for furniture moving.

 

But for now, snooze button...

[roundhouse]

Morning from Sutton Coldfield.

 

We were in the holding pen at NEC just after 11 am and in the hall just after mid day. I think we were the first layout set up, certainly in the area we are. Departed at 2pm as they wanted our vehicle moving so to hotel where they had problems with the hotel payment. Turned out it was the hotels computer so took a while to get to the rooms.

 

After that we were on the bus  form outside the htoel to Tamworth. At 7pm I was waiting for my other half at Tamworth station only to find that there had been soemone hit by a train and her service had been dioverted via Birmingham. I knew it was chancing it doing this but luckily Virgin told passengers to change at International then at New Street whihc she did and was only just over an hour late to Tamworth but she only had an hour for a beer before the last bus back from Tamworth.

 

Looking forward to today but no lay ins as out the hotel at 7.30 as its a half hour drive and we need ot have breakfast before the early opening.

[pH]

My eight-month-old grandson's t-shirt today:

 

 

I liked it.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all.  What happened to the night shift?!

 

The fodder run was accomplished early yesterday.  What could have been a serious hitch was soon overcome when I found a pack of unsmoked middle bacon partly buried under a heap of cooking bacon.  What a stupid name!  If you don't cook it, pray explain what you do do with it.  I like unsmoked middle because the rind has not been amputated and with it the flavour.  From time to time staple products are removed from the shelves.  Unsmoked middle has been a victim of this practice in the past.  The term used by Tesco is "deranged", which seems appropriate somehow.

 

The ironing got done in the morning while I was giving half an ear to the Victoria Derbyshire programme.  Apparently the NHS has now discovered that boys suffer from eating disorders as well as girls.  Whether anything will be done is a good question which strays too close to politics for me to say anything more but it shows once again that much awareness of mental illness still needs to be raised so that those who suffer may be healed.

 

I had a brief e-chat with Harry at teatime.  The purpose was to praise him for his work on the committee of the highly respected LGBT Society at Bristol University between 2010 and 2012 - one year as freshers' rep, one year as vice president.  He is not one to trumpet his own achievements and I found out from the society website via idle curiosity.  To my profound relief he did not go off in a strop this time but he did decline the opportunity to reminisce about his uni days.  The excuse that it was a long time ago seems a bit lame to me.  My theory, reinforced by some entries on Facebook, is that he was too drunk to remember most of it but this cannot possibly be the case as he came out of the academic process with a 2:1.

 

Later today I shall make some sandwiches to see me through the ordeal that is Warley tomorrow.  I see no reason to subject myself to NEC catering save perhaps for the odd cuppa.  I may not post tomorrow since I must rise early to take on the motorway network.  My journey should be eased by the presence in the CD player of a live album by the late great Roy Bailey.

 

Warm thoughts and best wishes to those in distress and missing

 

Chris

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

A quick look in before I set off for the NEC. Breakfast has been consumed and muggertea is almost gone.

 

Back later

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Still darkish but dry at the moment. A cloudy day with outbreaks of rain is forecast.

Most expected parcels have now arrived apart from 2 which are due today or tomorrow. 

The Boss is getting itchy feet as we haven't been out for a couple of days but we need some bread so I'll send her to the local baker in a while.   

I enjoyed playing with some O gauge track and locos yesterday but having to do so on the floor is not a good idea so some layout boards need to be made sooner rather than later.

Also watched rugby last night but didn't really enjoy seeing Quins being beaten by Worcester. England take on Australia this afternoon having won (I think)  the last 5 meetings between the two but I wouldn't bet on a 6th victory. Beware the wounded Aussie!

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited November 24, 2018 by grandadbob

[45156]

Morning All

 

Sorry I missed posting yesterday, but I was just so busy with jobs domestic, then taking 30747 to and from work, and then to a C******as "Fayre" which was dreadful.

 

Good to heat from Andy - twice.  Pleased to hear that business is picking up now.  Generic greetings to everybody else, and a hope that those visiting Warley manage to get to see everything that they want to see, that those exhibiting have a mishap free day, and that those demonstrating have an attentive audience.

 

Back tomorrow.

Regards to All

Stewart

[jamie92208]

Morning all from the and of Pineau de Charente.   It rained yesterday but I did get the wild cherry trees cut down without embedding the chain saw in the wire mesh fence that they were growing alongside.   I did discover a rotten fence post but have left two cherry trunks which are in the right place as replacements.   In the afternoon Betha sked if I could go and get some potting compost to plant some bulbs in.   Of course I agreed instantly as the garden centre happens to be near a railway line.   Compost was purchased and a pleasant hour and three quarters was spent watching a procession of trains.   It's a hard life.

 

First through was some sort of yellow machine towing a train of 4 wheel trailers so here's one for Mick(NB)

This had been routed through the goods loop, presumably to prove that it was all working OK.

Next was a northbound train of bogie tankers and steel carriers, hauled by two 27XXX's. Very impressive in the rain.

 

That was followed by another northbound intermodal of tanktainers which was routed via the northbound loop.   The Chef du Gare was obviously enjoying playing trains.

 

A quiet evening followed with a bit of soldering done while the antics in the jungle were watched.

 

This morning Damson jam is to be made so I am going out to dig a hole for the fig tree.   

 

Good wishes to all at Warley today, hope that you survive the Saturday crush.

 

Also good to hear that the dark Canines seem to be behaving.

 

Jamie

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

I think we are having one of the occasional showers mentioned by Bob.

I hope alll those exhibiting or visiting exhibitions have a good day.

Tony

Edited November 24, 2018 by Tony_S

[grandadbob]

Oh dear!  Sent The Boss to get the bread and she said "Is it going to rain?" I said "Probably not for a while yet dear."

 

She's just  returned..... soaked.  Ooops.