Early Risers.

[jamie92208]

A photo specially for Mick NB, a French Rail grinding train, an impressively long beast with a yellow loco at each end and plenty in between.

Perhaps a little project in time for Warley, knowing how much you like yellow things.

 

Jamie

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, grandadbob said:

 

"Steve Borthwick on two hookers on the bench:

That conjours up a few interesting prospects. Bet the tabloids would pay good money for a picture of that.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

My last car was a Ford B-Max, a tall Fiesta in other words.  Nicely made, great sliding rear doors, much better than the previous Focus estate, but the engine was like a wet lettuce.  I now have a Hyundai i30, better made again but  plastics not quite as nice, better seats and with an engine with guts, and so far in 3 years total reliability and a decent dealer. No cam belt either, it has chains. A surprisingly good car from a make I had not previously considered - they have come a long way.  Well  only from Hungary where mine was made, and designed in Germany!  Oh, and for a horror tale, google Ford and VW Getrag Powershift auto boxes.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I had a car with chain drive to the cams when most had belts. It was a Suzuki Vitara with a 2 litre V6 with four camshafts which was probably the reason for using chains. I didn't keep it for long, it suffered with the usual Suzuki oil incontinence problems, they even outdone Land Rover on that account.

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Was your legged, 'bag for life' a suitcase? (I'm not sure if the term 'bag for life' is a well known expression with a specific meaning.)

 

 

No, its a shopping bag. The idea is to reduce the use of plastic carrier bags. You make the initial purchase of a bag (made of recycled/recyclable materials) and when it wears out you take it back to the store and it is replaced for free. 

[Coombe Barton]

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/08/15/sandys-treatment-day-240/

[PhilJ W]

Heads up, tomorrow is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre.

[Kingzance]

As the weather was not unpleasant and as the local lads at Lords were being embarrassing once more, I fired up the trusty 2-wheeled steed and popped into town to get the beast a current certificate of roadworthiness. It is a while since I have ridden it due to the hip issues but thankfully they didn't trouble me today and it has a certificate valid for a further 365 days (leap year next year). Although it is a Suzuki, it has never had  oil incontinence issues. I didn't come across any particular cockwombles whilst riding so I guess they are still the preserve of areas further to the east of the country?

Earlier today, SWMBO ignored my advice (so what's new) and asked Saga for an annual travel insurance quote for herself as she will be into her next decade when we depart for Croatia. I couldn't help but smile when she turned puce as the Saga rep told her 'that will be £824 madam".

Sister-in-law and her late husband bought a Kia Sportage. It did seem like a reasonably well constructed vehicle but I would agree that the plastic content was perhaps not quite to the standard we now expect our plastics to be. Sadly, the death of her husband last year meant that she wanted to get rid of it to assuage some memories and she now has a Skoda (rebadged as an Audi). I suspect she didn't get very much for the Kia as she was a new widow attending a particular Germanic dealership where they only recognise sympathy as a word in the dictionary to be found between sh!t and syphilis. 

[Kingzance]

5 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Heads up, tomorrow is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre.

It seems in this day and age and in many countries around the world, the desperate desire of the elites to cling onto power means we shall see many more similar examples. 

[Tony_S]

The only Suzuki I owned had an oil continence problem as somehow oil ceased to lubricate the central bearing on the crankshaft. There was a very loud clonking noise followed by expense for a new bearing. Never happened on my oil leaky single cylinder BSA bikes.

Tony

[PhilJ W]

The only Suzukis I have owned (2) are of the four wheeled variety and both leaked oil copiously.

[Ozexpatriate]

22 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Heads up, tomorrow is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre.

 

14 minutes ago, Kingzance said:

It seems in this day and age and in many countries around the world, the desperate desire of the elites to cling onto power means we shall see many more similar examples. 

Let us hope it is not reenacted in Hong Kong anytime soon.

 

The local, violent pot-stirrers plan to be at each others' throat's in downtown Portland over the weekend. The mayor has promised much more serious legal repercussions this time and there will be a very heavy police presence.

[AndyID]

38 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Oh, and for a horror tale, google Ford and VW Getrag Powershift auto boxes.

 

Ford is in a pickle with that one but I don't think VW has a Getrag box. MrsID had the six speed VW DSG in her 2013 Jetta and it worked very well. Don't know about long-term reliability though. VW bought back the Jetta in 2017.

[Gwiwer]

10 hours ago, TheQ said:

 

 

 We've had 2 successive Kia's starting from when they were linked with Ford mazda.. they've always been reliable... say he holding wood...

 

 

 

First of all a happy birthday to Andyram and good to see you visiting again.

 

Second it has been a somewhat better day today all round.  

 

Third we have always been impressed by Kia.  We owned an early Rio in Australia from cradle to grave.  It arrived with 7kms on the clock and departed 17 years later with just shy of 300,000kms and only one serious failure to its name.  Reliable, economical (even when pressed for hours at speed on the freeways) and spacious for its class.  With the back seat folded down to a single (the 2+1 split is standard) three adults had more than enough space for a week's camping gear, food and all.  It helped friends move house more than once.

 

When back in the UK we have had hired Ceeds which I maintain are still the best small car I have ever driven.  We once had need of a larger vehicle and hired a Cerato which was every bit as good as the smaller ones and not significantly thirstier.  Road-holding was excellent.  Price across the range and around the world seems to be as good as it gets.

 

If I was buying now the contest would be between the new Kia Niro hybrid, Hyundai i30 or, as SWMBO prefers a higher and slightly larger vehicle, the i35.  I did once own a Fiesta.  I couldn't possibly have bought another after hearing the old chestnut about how many Essex girls does it take to screw in a light-bulb.  The answer is, apparently none because Essex girls ***** in a Fiesta.  With apologies to any Essex girls in our midst or known to us. 

 

It is bed time.  Neighbour (Upstairs) has been in and out with noisy friends.  They are currently out.  They have been on the balcony singing until recently.  There was a lot of nocturnal traffic on the stairs last night and someone came home at 6am seconds before I left for work.  I wonder what disturbance they have in mind for us tonight.  At least they are going in a couple of weeks.  Who replaces them is as yet unknown. 

 

G'night all.

 

 

[AndyID]

1% chance of rain today. They were right. It just started raining. Oh, it has stopped now.

[jamie92208]

37 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Heads up, tomorrow is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre.

According to my late father's research, done in pre internet days, my great, great  great, great, great aunt Mary Guest  was one of the leaders of the women's contingent to Peterloo. Fortunately she was not injured.

 

Jamie

[andyram]

Good evening. A big thank you for the kind words and the birthday wishes. I have had an enjoyable day although hopes of a GC visit were curtailed by a late running Gas fitter. The boiler has been duly serviced and passed. A copy of the certificate has been sent off to the fostering agency to complete the final tick in the box.

 

 This morning brought a surprise visit from an ex colleague and a nice catch up. Then there was a pub lunch before the parents and in-laws came around for food and drinks in the evening. I have been stocked up with a variety of alcoholic bottles. Gone are the days where Model Railway items feature amongst the gifts - a result of my new career.

 

 As regards the shop, it seems the website providers are not fully deleting pages when I delete and remove them from the site. Twice this week people have managed to order goods I have seemingly removed from the site. Both have been contacted and refunds offered. One thanked me politely and praised the customer service - the other was downright rude. Oh well you cannot win them all.

 

 Due to my long absence I m obviously out of the loop regarding certain events. I am concerned to read references to the fact that Sandy has seemingly not been well recently. My thoughts and wishes to John and Sandy are duly passed.

 

Best wishes

 

Andy

Edited August 15, 2019 by andyram

[laurenceb]

Good to see you back Andy, Birthday greetings and good luck with the fostering

Night awl

[Kingzance]

45 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

Let us hope it is not reenacted in Hong Kong anytime soon.

 

The local, violent pot-stirrers plan to be at each others' throat's in downtown Portland over the weekend. The mayor has promised much more serious legal repercussions this time and there will be a very heavy police presence.

Looking at Venezuela, France, Greece and Israel  was well as Hong Kong there seem to be a multitude of states where the dashed hopes of the many result in them being prepared to face armed police / military to attempt change. I fear it will happen again in this very divided country.

[Barry O]

Eye up! Cricket played today here in Ampleforth in a part of Yorkshire not far from the County Palatine. 

Festival finishes tomorrow.  I have umpired for 25 out of 28 days. Now totally worn to a frazz.

The new Mitsubishi has a lot going for it. Well buil5, 3asy to drive etc. Next service is in 11 months.

Sleep well all !

Baz

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[bbishop]

Just home from Lord's; will explain why another time.  Bed calls.

 

Bill

[newbryford]

12 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

The Fiesta is a cracking little car. Indeed, the whole Ford range is pretty good. But the dealerships..... I have yet to find one that is any good.

 

My local Ford dealership is very good.

One of my brothers is a joint owner.............

 

I worked there as a weekend/holiday job when I was 16/17, pumping petrol and cleaning cars.

 

 

Edited August 15, 2019 by newbryford

[newbryford]

Golf was played.

1 up on the 1st, 2 down by the 5th.

Level by 11, 2 up after 14, then 1 up, 2up on the 17th tee and muller one down the middle to win 3 & 1

 

I am now in the singles final for the second year running.

Hoping to go one further than last year...........

 

Then it was drivetime of the cement and slab variety.

 

Mrs NB is very happy with my endeavours so far. 

Hoping that tomorrow will be the final session on the rebuild - or at least very close to it.

 

Have a good Friday folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone

 

The weather has been very kind today, it was raining as I got up first thing but just as Sheila was leaving for her Zumba class the sun came out and it’s been shining ever since. 

 

Anyway, I’ve spent day in the cellar and some more progress has been made in there. All the gaps have been filled in between the risers and the stringers of the stairs, once it’s all dry they will just need a light sanding then I can get the paint brush out! After dinner I assisted our neighbour fit the last couple of fence posts behind my shed, it was much easier with the two of us, so it didn’t take long.

 

After tea and a short rest I once again went to Salford Quays for a swim, the water was warm cool enough to only need my trunks on again. Although tonight it did feel a little colder than on Monday night. I was a little bit slower tonight, but still managed to complete a mile in 38 minutes. Once I’d got home and put my trunks and towel in the washing machine, I poured myself a bottle of Doombar.

 

Mick. Well done on reaching the singles final.

 

Goodnight all.