Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A bright and sunny start to the day here in England's northwest corner. This will hopefully mean I can get on with the jobs I couldn't get done yesterday. There's plenty of leaves to clear up and dead heading to be done. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian 

[New Haven Neil]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I presume  that you are an old boy of Ackworth which used to be on my patch.  A few days before my avatarvphoto was taken I was having a meal in Boulder Boulder Colorado and got chatti g to a Brit expat. He mentioned that he'd been at school in a village in Yorkshire that I probably hadn't heard of. It was of course Ackworth. He'd worked for the US Geological Survey but was a volunteer at the Colorado Railway Museum in Golden and showed me round the museum 2 days later.

 

Jamie

 

Morning all.

 

In that small world, our Not-God-Daughter Katy also attended Ackworth, and it made her the woman she is today, quietly confident and currently doing an MSc In Evolutionary Genetics in Edinburgh, she will go far.

 

Unfortunately our time visiting Darrington is almost at and end as our dear friend will be downsizing soon, a huge detached house not really being needed.  Katy will probably not come 'home' now, she is launching on a career and her own life, so Penny will move to Scotland to be nearer her family.  Still, we like Scotland....

 

Meantimes, we're glued to the telly.  You may guess why.

[The White Rabbit]

Morning all,

 

Not a good morning weatherwise, this side of the hills it's grey and damp. And a bit chilly, yesterday saw the holiday end for the woolly hat. Cobwebs dusted off (for the hat too) and a few things done. A Covidly cautious meet with a friend was had and some unmentionable parts went to a new home. I should think about posting some pictures in another thread too, maybe later if I feel with it. 

 

A few odd bits were done in the garden, mainly picking up large quantities of dead leaves and twigs. Some gentle exercise without any intellectual demands. It's a little damp atm to try for round 2, so I may see if I can categorise, list and photograph some of the Brio trains. I'll wish Bear good hunting with his planned sales of Beamland natives, as grumped about a bit lately, my sales (and even freecycle) have been too quiet for comfort. 

 

Thoughts have been had of our missing regulars, hope their absences are for the 'right' reasons. SRTs... 

[polybear]

2 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

You very naughty Bear.

 

Waddiddido??

A confused Bear....

 

33 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Meantime, we're glued to the telly.  You may guess why.

 

A certain Bear put the telly on at ten to eleven, believing it all kicked off at eleven - only to find they'd got the early bus and were nearly there.  Turdycurses.  Still, I'm guessing it'll be repeated en-masse later.

Early thoughts are that it does seem a bit p.p. that the Ref. didn't allow a couple of the team to dress "more appropriately".  Oh well. 

[simontaylor484]

10 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Waddiddido??

A confused Bear....

 

 

A certain Bear put the telly on at ten to eleven, believing it all kicked off at eleven - only to find they'd got the early bus and were nearly there.  Turdycurses.  Still, I'm guessing it'll be repeated en-masse later.

Early thoughts are that it does seem a bit p.p. that the Ref. didn't allow a couple of the team to dress "more appropriately".  Oh well. 

I did the same thing but i started to watch on I player and went searching through till the start of the procession

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Thanks @Erichill16 for the tip re. pain killers and I had a good nights sleep last night and didn't stir until after eight this morning. I don't think its anything to do with the pills I popped but last night I had the weirdest dream that I was trying to flush a pair of trainers down the loo! What is more they were not a style or colour that I would wear and certainly not my size twelves. I noticed that some of the commercial TV stations are not showing ads today, well done guys and gals.

[Winslow Boy]

52 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Waddiddido??

A confused Bear....

 

 

A certain Bear put the telly on at ten to eleven, believing it all kicked off at eleven - only to find they'd got the early bus and were nearly there.  Turdycurses.  Still, I'm guessing it'll be repeated en-masse later.

Early thoughts are that it does seem a bit p.p. that the Ref. didn't allow a couple of the team to dress "more appropriately".  Oh well. 

 

Well things are even worse than I thought if Bear cannot even be bothered working out what it is he's dun wrong. You are a very naughty so and so.

 

Look a know bears like to hibernate during the winter but there's still enough time left before you get your head down to tackle the garden. Go on get out there.

 

Just think come the spring you'll be able step outside and say this is all my doing.

[BlackRat]

Greetings one and all.

 

Well, we can certainly still put on a show can’t we? 
 

Let’s hope normal service is resumed tomorrow.

[Erichill16]

10 minutes ago, BlackRat said:

 

Well, we can certainly still put on a show can’t we? 
 

I think our  pomp and ceremony is second to none. 
We may lag behind in other things but we certainly know how to put on a spectacle.

And the uniforms.

[PhilJ W]

Someone asked me why forty of the one hundred and forty sailors were behind the gun carriage. The answer is that they are the brakes (and steering), the carriage itself is unbraked. It was first used for Victoria's funeral (when forty Royal Navy stokers were easily available), I noted that the 'rear forty' were all big lads.

[DaveF]

 

Like just about everyone I've been glued to the TV for much of today, reflecting for a lot of the time on the late Queen's life and what she did.  All I can say is that she was remarkable and that many others would do well to follow her example.

 

My day yesterday was very mundane, the usual phone calls and e mails, church, lunch and then a visit to the m...l r.....y group at Longhirst village hall.  Fortunately before I left I checked the roadworks map as for a second time one of the roads I normally use was closed, causing me to divert through Morpeth. 

 

Back home I found enough sweet peas in the garden to cut and fill a small vase and then settled down to TV and books.

 

David

Edited September 19, 2022 by DaveF

[polybear]

1 hour ago, BlackRat said:

Greetings one and all.

 

Well, we can certainly still put on a show can’t we? 
 

Let’s hope normal service is resumed tomorrow.

 

I do hope that the visitors to London will leave it tidy and not like a rubbish tip....

 

1 hour ago, Erichill16 said:

I think our  pomp and ceremony is second to none. 
We may lag behind in other things but we certainly know how to put on a spectacle.

And the uniforms.

 

Bear hasn't been glued to it, but has dipped in n' out; I did note at one point one of the Gee Gee's (no, not the Bee Gees) at the front (Royal Canadian Mounted Police IIRC) appeared to raise it's tail - Bear thought "Oh no, it's not....." as I had visions of all those shiny boots following behind becoming suddenly less shiny.  Fortunately it was a false alarm.  Panic over.

 

A rather naughty Bear did try to imagine what the fall-out would be if the lone Piper on the balcony inside the Abbey suddenly started playing Rock n' Roll.  I'm guessin' the RSM would be a bit p1ssed for a few days.

 

 

 

 

[BoD]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Someone asked me why forty of the one hundred and forty sailors were behind the gun carriage. The answer is that they are the brakes (and steering), the carriage itself is unbraked. It was first used for Victoria's funeral (when forty Royal Navy stokers were easily available), I noted that the 'rear forty' were all big lads.

… and lasses.

 

Apparently Queen Victoria’s  funeral was on a cold day and the horses got fractious waiting for the coffin, were starting to misbehave and part of the harnesses/attachments for the gun carriage got broken.  A delay looked likely until Prince Louis of Battenberg, later First Sea Lord, suggested that the naval guard of honour  could do the job.  Ropes were sent for and the rest, as they say,  history

[Gwiwer]

12 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I hope services for Her Late Majesty go smoothly. I will not be watching. The service commences around 3:00am local time and I plan to be asleep.

The formal arrangements have, as one would expect, been impeccable. 
 

No-one does state events like the British. 
 

I was able to watch the end of the Westminster service, the procession through London and am now viewing the arrival at Windsor on tv. 
 

I found myself unexpectedly moved.  But pleased, in a way, to have been a tiny part of the day and of moving people safely. 
 

The travel arrangements have unluckily lived up to the worst nightmares of all concerned.
 

An early morning train-versus-person at Kintbury closed the Berks & Hants route. A collapse of the knitting has closed London Paddington with massive disruption. Trains are terminating at or starting from Reading with no alternatives available in most cases due to the extensive road closures for the funeral.  
 

It has not been possible to reach Windsor Central other than locally from Slough

 

My employer runs the electric service to Windsor Riverside. We adjusted things to provide four instead of two trains an hour today. It was very much quieter than we expected early on but numbers were building fast as I left work. 
 

Then precisely as Paddington became inaccessible the police required our service to stop running due to “an incident”. 
 

For around 90 minutes at the height of things it was not possible to reach Windsor by any route. 
 

Numerous Westminster Abbey guests and countless others have reported being stuck on trains and unable to reach London.  
 

You couldn’t make it up. 
 

I dressed suitably and was thanked for doing so. 

 

The procession now approaches Windsor Castle and I am returning to eyes-on the tv 

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Gwiwer

[polybear]

5 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Numerous Westminster Abbey guests and countless others have reported being stuck on trains and unable to reach London.  

 

To get an invite, only to discover that you can't get there must've been appalling.

I think that if I'd got an invite (somewhat unlikely) then I would've stayed in London the night before, and burger the cost.

Edited September 19, 2022 by polybear

[simontaylor484]

That's if a room was available

 

I did hear reports that hotels were charging 4 times the usual rate

[polybear]

Just watching the Guys in red carry their rifles the wrong way round - I tried that to see what it was like (didn't have a suitable rifle to hand, sadly, so had to improvise);  bluddy hell it's uncomfortable - their arm carrying the noisy end must hurt like hell. 

[simontaylor484]

I did notice the horses getting a bit skittish and a RAF bandsman jumping backwards a bit.

Edited September 19, 2022 by simontaylor484
Spell checker

[simontaylor484]

At least the Corgis have put in an appearance 

[BoD]

Those pallbearers (the same ones throughout today I believe) have done a sterling job.  The steps up to St George’s Chapel can’t have been easy with a lead lined casket.  

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Someone asked me why forty of the one hundred and forty sailors were behind the gun carriage. The answer is that they are the brakes (and steering), the carriage itself is unbraked. It was first used for Victoria's funeral (when forty Royal Navy stokers were easily available), I noted that the 'rear forty' were all big lads.

We watched Chirchill's funeral at school and ISTRthat the brakesmen (all malevin 1965) had their work cut out goi g from St Paul's down to Tower Pier.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

30 minutes ago, BoD said:

Those pallbearers (the same ones throughout today I believe) have done a sterling job.  The steps up to St George’s Chapel can’t have been easy with a lead lined casket.  

 

This Coffin must be substantially lighter than Princes Di's (mind you, she was a tad taller) - the guys used then were very big lads and noticeably struggled at times.

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Well again, all posts read and rated and the usual greetings are offered.

 

Went to the Leominster car boot yesterday, and 30747 bought some cotton reels - got them home and when they were unpacked, there was an aution lot number inside - checking it out, it is a weekly aution at a village about 12 miles away on a Monday, with viewing from 10.30, and the sale at 3.30 - and it was on today as usual - probably the only thing that is - so we set the recording box to the funeral, and had a little drive out to see what was what - it was quite interesting, and I am now a registered buyer and seller.  Even with the day's events, they had 450 lots and expected about 120 buyers.

 

Got back to find that the TV box had thrown a wobbly, and it was not showing any picture, and there was no sound - so we may have lost a bit of the middle section of the proceedings - but a hard reset of the box appears to have done the trick - I did the reset and save recordings option.

 

I thought that the committal at Windsor was a "private" affair - and was surprised to see that we are seeing the whole thing - and that it will be viewed by over 4bn worldwide - a new defininition of private.  Then I learned from Huw Edwards that there is yet another committal which is family only.

 

Rick, you really seem to have done a great job at Clapham Junction - as ever.  If only all rail staff were as polite and tolerant as you, the railway would be a lot nicer place to travel.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[45156]

ps - Rick - a closer look at your picture shows that it is a mirror image, but is no less significant for that.

[Gwiwer]

3 minutes ago, 45156 said:

I thought that the committal at Windsor was a "private" affair - and was surprised to see that we are seeing the whole thing -

The commital itself is private. This takes place within the vaults later today. Those involved might want a wee and a sherry first. 
 

4 minutes ago, 45156 said:

Rick, you really seem to have done a great job at Clapham Junction - as ever.  If only all rail staff were as polite and tolerant as you, the railway would be a lot nicer place to travel.

Very kind and generous words thank you. I am only doing what I am there for, namely my job, after all. 
 

I will agree that the service one receives too often varies according to who one interacts with and under what circumstances. Were I still in a managerial post I would be pressing and coaching for much greater consistency. 
 

As it is I can only do my best and hope that the standards and example I have always worked to rub off on colleagues.