Early Risers.

[New Haven Neil]

7 minutes ago, pH said:

What well-known establishment is located in Dartmouth?

Bloody grey funnel line!

[Barry O]

It is blowing a hooley and absolutely chuckinitdarn here.. man the boats!

Baz

[Barry O]

Goodnight all!

Baz

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Theres been quite some traffic on here today.

Being new to ERs, like Simon,  I can’t say I’ve met any of you personally but  may have passed as ships in the night at an exhibition.

Ive enjoyed my book on Soviet Metro stations and have visited a few ex USSR cities.

I’ve  been to St.Petersburg and even had made a journey on the metro there. It was part of a tour from a cruise so didn’t really have time to appreciate the stations we used but one of them was very ornate and photogenic. We had an hour or so free time but the ship was moored miles away and we didn’t really want to explore on our own as we couldn’t read/understand the maps and street names. To tell the truth the atmosphere seemed a bit intimidating but the architecture was interesting. There was a railway museum there but didn’t attempt to find it, got mum and SWMBO in tow.

On the same cruise we visited Tallin and that was interesting and had a more of a tourist feel.

I’ve also visited Vladivostok, the end (or beginning) of the trans Siberian railway and the ship moored just by the station, very interesting. That seemed more relaxed and as the ship was berthed in the city centre it was easy to find.

The weirdest place I’ve been to is Barentsburg, a coal mining ‘town’ on Svalbard. For those in the know, it’s like Grimethorpe but there’s no road out,  the only way to leave is by ship or helicopter. It does however have the most northerly statue of Lenin and the most northerly brewery in the world. Please google it.

All the places were fascinating, I particularly enjoyed the architecture, especially the post Second World War concrete  monstrosities.

Getting late, but must tell you my team won again, against local rivals, Huddersfield.

Goodnight,

Robert

 

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, Barry O said:

It is blowing a hooley and absolutely chuckinitdarn here.. man the boats!

Baz

It is getting windy here. Not raining but the forecast suggests it will be rather wet from midnight. 

[simontaylor484]

Good God Grimethorpe with no road out, it's enough to give folk nightmares.

A few years ago we had a look at a house in Brierley just up the road from Grimethorpe on top of the hill. We were quite impressed but we went down in to Grimethorpe because it was easier than turning round on a narrow country lane we passed 2 guys kicking lumps out of each other in the small front garden of a terraced house.

 

[Erichill16]

Ive found a couple of relatively good picture of the St.Petersburg metro stations. My book is full of these types of pictures, 'palaces for the people', Alexey Dushkin, Moscow Metro architect. 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Certainly wet and windy tonight but warm and snug inside and thats where I'm staying. Only had snacks today as I'm feeling rather bloated, yesterdays dinner was a bit bigger than I'm used to and was heavy on the spuds and other root veg. I doubt therefore there will be much change to the waistband. Thats it for now, be back later. 

[Erichill16]

5 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Good God Grimethorpe with no road out, it's enough to give folk nightmares.

A few years ago we had a look at a house in Brierley just up the road from Grimethorpe on top of the hill. We were quite impressed but we went down in to Grimethorpe because it was easier than turning round on a narrow country lane we passed 2 guys kicking lumps out of each other in the small front garden of a terraced house.

 

Here's Barentsburg, its like Grimethorpe but with a glacier for backdrop!

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

I haven’t done a great deal at all today, I don’t often sit about doing nowt, so it does make a change. The weather here is grim, raining and the wind is certainly making its presence felt. Yesterday the day started with clear blue skies but a temperature of -4C first thing and I don’t think it warmed up much at all. This morning it was grey and overcast, followed by some light rain in the afternoon. The rain got heavier as the evening turned to night and it’s still at it now.

 

Goodnight all 

 

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[The Stationmaster]

Hmm forgettery was obviously working well to overlook Jamie - who has actually been here let alone meeting elsewhere on several occasions and I even took him to visit the trainspotting branch of Waitrose.  i also missed other members of the  Brains trust such as Bill Bishop and Dave (Unravelled).   And of course I also forgot Coombe Barton (and Sandy) who I had a brief chat with at the Stafford show one year.   There are probably others whose names have also slipped from my mind but while I can remember faces fairly well i've long been rubbish at remembering names.

 

Thanks for the Stafford pics Andy - I was there on both occasions at that venue although tucked away on a sidewall dealing with queries about track layout planning and signalling so didn't get around the room all that much - I'd be just out of shot to the right in the lower picture featuring John. and Sandy if it was taken on the year I was on that side of the room.

 

we too have wind and rain and occasional flickering of the electrickery in our road - due to the weather or maybe the attempts of various residents to put Blackpool to shame.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[andyram]

Another late night check in. Sleep being held off by the need to let the Gaviscon do the trick. Sadly the food and beverages have not agreed with me today. Meanwhile Storm Bella is raging away outside. I hope the storm eases tomorrow otherwise my planned post Christmas opening of the shop may have to be postponed. The forecast is promising though.
 Today has been spent firmly in front of the tv with several football matches watched (or endured in the case of Derby!) This particular game was accompanied by a couple of pints of Panther Stout. This is a very nice offering from the local Littleover Brewery and delivered to the door in a 5litre box just before Christmas as part of an online order. The brewery is now owned by the family of one of my old Weston colleagues so it is nice to support them. The Talisker Skye whisky was probably not a wise choice to follow later in the evening hence the need for Gaviscon!

 I am now searching my memory for the meeting with Jamie who I seem to have left off my list. My apologies!

 

Stay safe all.

 

Andy

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, inner Temple hare,

Howling winds , bucketing rain, unhappy Collie.

Hands reminding me of inclemency, though not too badly.

 

An old branch of KFC appears to have been found in Pompeii, amazingly well preserved wall paintings of chickens round a fast food stall 1941  years after last being seen. If they serve sprouts with the chicken they might be ready now. Southern (Roman) Fried chicken...

 

time I think for more sleep.. wake me up at 19:41..

 

 

[leopardml2341]

Well, I'd just spent ages composing a lengthy reply and then inadvertently pressed the back button on the touchscreen and lost it all.

 

B@ll@x!

 

At least you don't have to now read my waffle

 

The attachment is still here though, if only I could remember what I'd written and why I'd posted this:

 

 

See you later, make the most of the day.

 

ps must've been to do with the sunshine and the passing of Bella

Edited December 27, 2020 by leopardml2341
Added ps; pps there may be more edits :)

[J. S. Bach]

4 hours ago, andyram said:

 ...snip... accompanied by a couple of pints of Panther Stout.  ...snip...

Andy

When I first read that, I thought that it said Panther P...

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[leopardml2341]

12 hours ago, BoD said:

I had a computer science class with no Matts.  It was un-four-Matt-ed.

I had a PE class with no mats; that was just bl@@dy uncomfortable

 

OK, I'm outta here.

[iL Dottore]

I had my car resprayed on the cheap by a bloke called Mathew: terrible job, patchy and ghastly matt finish...

 

My next door neighbour is a nice bloke, but he is terribly dyslexic. He once got a letter from the Met office inviting him to a job interview, he turned up at the local carpet centre - he thought he had to go to the Mat office...

Quite frankly, I don’t really care what you think about my jokes: you can CARPET me for them, pull the RUG from under me, it doesn’t MATter, nothing you do will FLOOR me!

 

Hat-Coat-Door

 

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all, on what would have been my dad's 101st birthday had he been spared.

 

It comes to something, but I'm not sure what, when I have to learn from the national news that there is flooding in Bedford.  The villages a few miles upstream are frequent victims of this phenomenon and I suppose I am marvelling that it does not happen more often in the town centre given that the mighty Great Ouse runs through it.   Am I sufficiently inquisitive to venture out and see for myself?  Probably not.  On the other hand it might not be a bad idea given that I saw no live humans whatsoever yesterday.  There was not much in the way of sound either but somehow I doubt that five year old Leo next door has been fitted with a silencer.  Actually, that's unfair, for although he is a lively kid he is not that lively.

 

As for meeting other ERs, and RMwebbers in general, I may well have met more than I realise.  At shows, if I remember to do so, I wear a name badge.  The suggestion that others do likewise has been made frequently and I yearn for the day when once again there is a reason to wear mine.  This is likely to be a while yet.  Those who own or manage the venues that used to accommodate our shows still appear reluctant to resume the practice of making them available.  The virus which we know and hate is still a fertile source of excuses for not doing things.

 

Never mind, one day things will be looking up again.  Could that day be today?  Maybe, for there is a Shaun the Sheep movie on BBC1 later this morning.  Culture at last! 

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Still a bit damp here but the wind seemsvto have died back. 

 

Now, what to do today? Numerous new books to read, muddling could be done... I think I may just ponder that while drinking my mugatea.

 

I have met a lot of ERs at exhibitions.. including Warley where @BSW01had a go at weathering. @5 C watched Shap at Peterborough....so it gives me a slight advantage over a lot of ERs in meeting others. This was part of the reasoning behind having an ERs meet up. I hope we can have a get togather in 2021 and some of our overseas ERs could join in by Zoom???

 

now time for my tea. Stay safe, enjoy the day however you can. Lets hope all poorly ERs return to full health soon and that thevmissing ones call by.

 

baz

[Gwiwer]

Morning all.  

 

The hoolie swept through last night leaving me tucked up warm in bed though rattling everything outside.  I have yet to venture outside into the light of day to examine its effects. 

 

Instead I am sitting in a queue awaiting the service of an online GP in order to (hopefully) be correctly signed off work for the next several days.  I remain unwilling to place myself at a higher level of risk than I have to due to recovery from illness weakening the defences.  I do, however, start to feel better which accords with the timeline for gastro-exitfastus.  

 

I shall return later but must pay attention to the app on the phone which is counting down to my video call. 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

there is a Shaun the Sheep movie on BBC1 later this morning.  Culture at last! 

I have seen the one due to be broadcast but it is worth seeing again. The last film I saw at the cinema was Farmageddon, also worth seeing. 
We seem to have been on the edge of Storm Bella. One of the garden chairs has blown over but I can’t see any other damage. I will go round to look at our neighbours house. They lost some ridge tiles last year and I don’t think they were replaced so I need to look to see if more have gone. The neighbours are locked down in Wales at present caring for relatives. 
It is still raining here. Not a great encouragement to go walking even though we do have appropriate clothing. 
We had a few family phonecalls yesterday. The small nieces spoke for while or in the case of the younger one, for some time! She was very pleased as she had got a programmable robot toy. I think it eats batteri

Tony