Early Risers.

[DDolfelin]

The threat of inundation seems to have abated.

Just generally murky and miserable outside.

Saw another (smaller) Hedgehog last night.

Not seen one for six years then two in about a week.

 

Strewth, Pete. I'd just finished chastising myself for impure thoughts and read your post.

 

I've been to Herne Bay. Can't remember why.

[45156]

Morning all

 

It's not raining (yet).

 

Regards to all

Stewart

[Guest Max Stafford]

Bright and sunny here this morning; what's going on?

 

Will it remain like this sufficiently long to justify a bike ride?

 

Dave.

[AndrewC]

Morning all from the boring boring borough.

 

Today's weather report is brought to you by the letter "V" as in vacation. (starting tomorrow)

Dull, grey, wet. 2.6mm of rain in the past 9 hours. 10.4c with a 2mph wind from the sse.

 

Not much going on. Ran out of cabling for the layout yesterday. Off to Maplin sometime for another 50 metres or so. Each staging module needs around 10m in track wiring including droppers. It may be overkill but it beats trying to push 5amps of DCC through crappy bell wire. The security light seems to have corrected itself. That's one less thing to worry about.

 

Well that's all from me. Have a good hump day everyone.

[Oldddudders]

Morning all. A bit late after a less-than-brill night. I have for years had a bifidus yoghurt at bedtime, and generally my digestive tract is better these days than most of my adult life. As things were getting a bit short-dated, I had two last night, and I think there may have been a degree of over-acting. Weird dreams and minor discomfort - but I've survived.

 

Good to see Ashcombe entertaining the troops. Such a speak-when-you're-spoken-to girl at school, I recall.

 

In my Relief Station Manager days - 1978 - I went to Herne Bay one morning, but within an hour was re-directed to Ashford, where I needed to learn the patch to cover leave the following week. The lady running staff relief was a victim of "he who shouts loudest" among the Area Managers, all of whom were several grades superior to her.

[skipepsi]

I have never been to Herne Bay some how I think I never will

[edcayton]

Saw a fox last night, crossing the road from our estate back to the woods where I presume he lives. One of my neighbours said he saw one in the back garden and the dog certainly found something he liked rolling in!

 

Ed

[AndyB]

Rainy overnight, but dryish now.

 

Yesterday's baking has already half disappeared into lunch boxes and tummies.

I'm getting a sense that there's a preference for me to buy flour rather than sliced bread at Sainsburys.

 

Whitstable once, Margate once, Pegwall bay several times - Swift and Sure! Herne bay, never.

 

Andy

[Oldddudders]

Yesterday's baking has already half disappeared into lunch boxes and tummies.

I'm getting a sense that there's a preference for me to buy flour rather than sliced bread at Sainsburys.

My mum used to make bread in the early '60s, and it bore no resemblance to anything you could buy, even in those days. Flour from Prewetts or Allinsons, I think - lovely stuff! We bought a breadmaker a couple of years ago, but I don't think I've ever managed to get a decent loaf out of it. I seem to have trouble getting it to rise, and suspect I'm getting the water etc mix too warm or too cold, so the yeast can't do its thing. I had assumed one could buy a kitchen thermometer - but they are all intended for checking roast meat, not "21-28 deg" mixtures!

[Happy Hippo]

I have a bread maker and now tend to use it as a glorified mixer.

 

After it's done it's umpteen minutes of mixing the mixture goes out into a conventional baking tray and is allowed to rise, then it's popped in the oven.

 

No holes in the bottom of the loaf.....................and quicker too!

 

I'd second the motion that it tastes far better than shop bought bread.

 

And before I forget, another wet cold and overcast day in Telford

 

Regards

 

Richard

[AndyB]

My mum used to make bread in the early '60s, and it bore no resemblance to anything you could buy, even in those days. Flour from Prewetts or Allinsons, I think - lovely stuff! We bought a breadmaker a couple of years ago, but I don't think I've ever managed to get a decent loaf out of it. I seem to have trouble getting it to rise, and suspect I'm getting the water etc mix too warm or too cold, so the yeast can't do its thing. I had assumed one could buy a kitchen thermometer - but they are all intended for checking roast meat, not "21-28 deg" mixtures!

 

I'm not sure I do anything apart from follow the recipe and let the bread maker do its work. Water tends to be at room temperature, but i've noticed that the mix sits in the bread maker for some time before anything happens, like mixing...

 

It is apparently important to keep the salt and yeast separate. Put one in one corner and the other in another.

 

I did buy a really useful thermometer the other day: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250683577428?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_1177wt_1163

 

Purchased it at 17:45 one evening and it arrived in the morning post next day. Nice!

 

Andy

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

no rain at present (it will be back) and even a bit of sunshine. Good day at the lit fest yesterday but the better of the two we went to was definitely Richard Ingrams yesterday evening with Donald Trelford as his 'chatting companion'. Alas due to son making his birthday hydraulic event arrangements without thought for family we will not be going to see Sandy Gall this evening but we have Prue Leith to look forward to tomorrow morning (and that is at a tea & cakes included venue - nice cakes, we were there yesterday morning to listen to John Julius Norwich). By the end of the week I'll have had my culture input for the year.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Morning all!

 

I forgot to mention earlier, I actually got some modelling done last night - Nothing magnificent, but it's a step in the right direction.

 

Very impressive, you knocked up that 08 shunter in double quick time!

 

Had an email early on from Dad with a pic of a car in our gateway. On closer inspection, the hedge and fence looked a bit mangled. The owner of what might be a Ford Mondeo (the pics from Dad's blackberry are very blurry) had crashed into the fence and hedge at the side of the road, carried on and got himself wedged between the gateposts of our drive. The driver has said he'll repair the fence but hasn't said anything about the uprooted hedge...

[Oldddudders]

Had an email early on from Dad with a pic of a car in our gateway. On closer inspection, the hedge and fence looked a bit mangled. The owner of what might be a Ford Mondeo (the pics from Dad's blackberry are very blurry) had crashed into the fence and hedge at the side of the road, carried on and got himself wedged between the gateposts of our drive. The driver has said he'll repair the fence but hasn't said anything about the uprooted hedge...

All a bit disturbing. ISTR a tale of a senior railwayman (an Area Manager at a major London terminus) who was known for liking a drop or two, and had been out for an entertaining evening. He took three goes to get into the drive - and apparently only gave up there because he was bored with scraping the car on the gatepost, and the hedge was also looking a bit mutilated. And then he realised it wasn't actually his house......

[Tony_S]

I have a Panasonic breadmaker. It is about 10 years old and still makes perfect bread with wheat flours. Rye bread comes out brick shaped rather than loaf shaped but it doesn't affect the taste. Newer models have a rye option so may be better.Quality of flour does make a difference, A loaf made with Canadian super strong flour rises most of all.

Tony

[Ashcombe]

My mum used to make bread in the early '60s, and it bore no resemblance to anything you could buy, even in those days. Flour from Prewetts or Allinsons, I think - lovely stuff! We bought a breadmaker a couple of years ago, but I don't think I've ever managed to get a decent loaf out of it. I seem to have trouble getting it to rise, and suspect I'm getting the water etc mix too warm or too cold, so the yeast can't do its thing. I had assumed one could buy a kitchen thermometer - but they are all intended for checking roast meat, not "21-28 deg" mixtures!

 

My Mum used to do likewise and our airing cupboard was the place where the bread would be left to rise. No such thing in our current house and I miss it, although I'm not a baker, unlike my mother, whose maiden name was Baker, as it happens! I'll stop now before I ramble up any more blind alleys!

Edited September 26, 2012 by Ashcombe

[AndyB]

Talking of liking a drop or two...

 

I recall one Trafalgar Night dinner an intern throwing up all over the presiding senior RN officer - might have been a Captain or Commodore, can't quite remember.

The senior RN chap goes home in the early hours and is greeted by his wife who took one look at him: "Oh no, ...not AGAIN." she cries.

 

Good times.

 

ps, I wasn't the intern, nor was I the RN chap.

[Oldddudders]

we have Prue Leith to look forward to tomorrow morning

ISTR she was a BRB Member in the 70s or 80s, all part of BR trying to make itself more real-world, no doubt. In the same way as Jane Priestman became Director, Architecture, Design and Environment a few years later. Often wondered how these people, used to making things happen easily and successfully, coped with the tied hands of a state industry.

[Oldddudders]

OK - we'll have a go at a loaf right now!

[AndyB]

We'll need a photo of the loaf later, Ian.

Andy

Edited September 26, 2012 by AndyB

[Happy Hippo]

OK - we'll have a go at a loaf right now!

 

I took your advice Ian, and my bread maker just threw a wobbly.......................horrible electrical smell........................................bm ist kaput!

 

It must have heard about how I was cheating and has got the hump!

 

Regards

 

Richard

[S.A.C Martin]

Morning all,

 

I'm sitting at a make shift desk, with my seat a single stool, as they (head office) have taken my desk and chair in another part of the move today, leaving my computer and scanner. The printer's gone and so has the fridge and the kettle. Ho-hum. Off to the cafe for a cuppa I suspect.

 

Three days to go, already dreaming up the next book as I type...

[gordon s]

I know we've all got our crosses to bear and compared to others, my troubles are small, but I've finally lost the plot. Spent the last hour looking for a turnout that I'm 90% certain I have built, but that is now nowhere to be seen. I've checked ET pics that I've taken and it does appear in pics but others are missing from the shot, so now I don't know if I did build it, but relocated it in another position, which would leave me one short, or built the bloomin' thing and just lost it....

 

How on earth can you lose a bit of pointwork 15" long....

 

Sod's law with say I'll spend another two hours making one and then it will turn up....

 

Shame Mrs S is not here. She'll walk up to my railway room and say "is this it?".......

Edited September 26, 2012 by gordon s

[Oldddudders]

My Mum used to do likewise and our airing cupboard was the place where the bread would be left to rise. No such thing in our current house and I miss it, although I'm not a baker, unlike my mother, whose maiden name was Baker, as it happens! I'll stop now before I ramble up any more blind alleys!

Airing cupboards must have been a fad, I think. That is to say our 1850 cottage in Betchworth didn't have one - nor a bathroom - but the 1929 house in Deepdene Vale did. I know you lived on posh Tower Hill, but don't know the age of the house. These days we are all assumed to have tumble-driers etc (we I don't) and central heating has taken the damp out of many older homes in Winter, hopefully. My house lacks a dampcourse, but has 18" thick walls, at least.

[Oldddudders]

I took your advice Ian, and my bread maker just threw a wobbly.......................horrible electrical smell........................................bm ist kaput!

 

It must have heard about how I was cheating and has got the hump!

Oh, dear! I sincerely regret putting the hex on your kitchen kit! In the unlikely event that my loaf is a success, the requested photo (above) would seem like rubbing salt in your wound! What can a chap say?