Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

I expect this will be my final update from the good ship Nordlys as we are in the final few hours of our voyage back to Bergen - a very grey day outside which is always, we think, a welcome sight when we are about to depart for home.  One thing about this trip has finally revealed my adequacies as I think I was one of the few passengers up in the main viewing lounge for'ard yesterday who was actually looking at things on the coastline and plotting where we were rather than playing with some sort of portable electronic device.  It's no wonder the internet caff PCs are hobbled and slow at times with all the various iPad type folk busy holding them in other folks' way to get pics and then sending them to their friends worldwide, also very amusing to hear a ship full of (mainly) OFs nattering about email programs and picture fidding programs that can be downloaded free of charge.

 

Anyway all the excitement of breakfast off a cold plate will soon come to an end and it will be back to my daily ration of Weetabix.  It's been a very interest9ing trip and yesterday evening we had the great pleasure (to the likes of myself and Neil) of being passed by the northbound MS Lofoten enroute, I expect, to Svalbård (Spitsbergen) a lovely little 1964 built ship-shaped ship of 2,621 grt with a passenger capacity (berths) of 153 and no car deck, regrettably prices to match the delight (no stabilisers!) of such a vessel.

 

Have a good day one & all and prepare to be bombarded by pics (if they're any good) and knowing some of the animal lovers on here at least the pics of the huskies should do down well

[DonBradley]

Good Sunday morning all. The alarm woke me at 5:45 but for once in my life I said "buggerit" switched it off and snuggled down for another hours snooze, so am late in logging on here.

It's going to be really hot at 32C today,  but still relatively comfortable at 20C right now.

The wine is in the fridge being chilled for lunch (lamb today)

 

Thanks to Stationmaster for the Arctic travelog. Very interesting. I would object strongly to hot food served on cold plates. At home my warming drawer was very hot, so when laying down plates at places I had to warn my guests "Don't touch".

Here at the home the plates are never hot, but neither are they cold. Food is dished up  individually from a Bain Marie and I have never had hot food served other than hot.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday today.

Be aware, next Sunday is Palm Sunday.

[Purley Oaks]

Morning all

Finally sunny today after a week of chill haar and grey skies. Free tickets to see preview of The Raid II this morning, hope it's worthwhile. Love seeing films on the big screen.

Have a good day

Mal

[BoD]

Be aware, next Sunday is Palm Sunday.

....... and don't forget your Carlins today.

[DDolfelin]

Nearly went to the Llangollen event this weekend.

Until I saw the prices and the rain.

£125 for a rover type ticket.

I can get to the Canaries for that.

One of the stations - Carrog - is within reasonable travelling distance for me but the weather is pretty foul at present.

I'll include it in the pictures of places I didn't go.

[Oldddudders]

....... and don't forget your Carlins today.

Followed by fa***ng Monday!

 

Pete - GCT was smoke-free from about 1908? NYC was electric all the way out to Harmon. And the New Haven had pre-empted the Electro-Diesel with the similar FL9 in the late 50s. ISTR that an FL9 was the last F Unit EMD manufactured new.

 

There's a Grand Prix today, but maybe not broadcast in hours that I care to be awake. Apparently the fans are turning off in droves this year, which will no doubt prompt the sponsors to think of doing likewise. With so much televised sport these days, investing in one where the fans like what they see would seem sensible.......

 

A gloomy, cloudy day, with a threat of a shower or two. Mind you, they've been saying that for days without result.

 

Hope your day of rest meets the spec!

[skipepsi]

Morning all, a better day today hopefully no one else has had the sickness yet.. Off to hospital shortly for Mrs B's scan but no results for 10 days supposedly we will wait and see. I ought to be gardening afterwards as it looks downright scruffy out there, clearing and cleaning the deckingwould be a start.

[Coombe Barton]

I think we must make an award to Mike The Stationmaster for dedication as during his cruise he's braved dodgy and slow internet connections both to report on the progress and also to assist in other threads where he can.

 

Mike, your inputs have been both interesting and useful.

 

Many thanks.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Coombe Barton

[Pete 75C]

Back from Once in a Blue Moon at Didcot. 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/82861-didcot-once-in-a-blue-moon-feat-6023-60007-60163-56-april/

 

I clicked the link thinking it was some kind of 70s diesel event. I really must pay more attention!

[BoD]

I remember going to Italy, sitting under the Leaning Tower of Pisa......

 

...... and logging on to ERs

 

Sad isn't it.

[NGT6 1315]

Light rail accident in Frankfurt last night. Reports say the driver seems to have been taken ill, causing the train to overrun the buffers. Nine persons, including the driver, were injured but thankfully, none of them seriously. Pictures here: http://www.fnp.de/rhein-main/blaulicht/U-Bahn-Unglueck-in-Ginnheim;art25945,803719

[Oldddudders]

I remember going to Italy, sitting under the Leaning Tower of Pisa......

 

...... and logging on to ERs

 

Sad isn't it.

No, not at all. It's just like a child taking a favourite teddy with him/her on their hols.

 

The great thing about C21 technology is it enables us to choose what we tune into, and when. I recall one of the BRB Joint Managing Directors, a chap with quite a load on his plate, being between Government and the industry, saying that in his two weeks in Cornwall in the Summer, he would neither buy a paper nor watch tv. Those media reminded him of his job, while I infer that ERs seems a nice place, even overseas. Deffo not sad!

[southern42]

Hi DD, that's the price of the 3-day family rover.  Family rover for today (one day) is £52, Adult £22, Senior £19 - as many trips as you can fit in.

We popped in on Friday on the way to Didcot just for a looksee and a cuppa.

 

 

 

Polly

[BoD]

No, not at all. It's just like a child taking a favourite teddy with him/her on their hols.

 

 

Ted logged in too.

[skipepsi]

The GP starts at 4.00 pm UK time it is a night race by the time it finishes.

[Barry O]

....... and don't forget your Carlins today.

Looked everywhere for them here..alas to no avail. Always had mine at my Nana's served with vinegar...

[travelintrev]

Morning all,

 

No bats (fruit or otherwise) this morning. Cold is still  hanging around, grrrrr .  

 

I'm not quite from Essex...'ertfordshire, but did work in the refineries around Corytown for the best part of a year.  I did manage to get a bit  of modeling done last night.

 

Oh well  stroll over to Cellulite City for lunch later,  try and survive whatever life throws at you today.

 

Trev

[DDolfelin]

Polly:

The prices may have changed over the three days but I'm sure that's what I saw in the Price List.

[Tony_S]

No, not at all. It's just like a child taking a favourite teddy with him/her on their hols.

 

Matthew would have taken every cuddly toy until he was about 5. The very large Sonic the Hedgehog that had to accompany us on evening walks in the French Alps used to always get very jolly greetings from locals! Though having the poacher's pockets on my Barbour jacket stuffed with cuddly rabbits seemed to get me odd looks on ferries!

[Tony_S]

Aditi is busy this morning. After I got up and made early morning tea I dozed back off again. She got up and dug over a bit of the garden. The sound of her kicking the compost bin back together eventually woke me. Then after breakfast her uncle rang from Delhi. His granddaughter wants to study at university in the UK so he wanted Aditi's advice about the places that she has on her shortlist. So Aditi is now putting together her thoughts on various places. She likes doing that sort of thing and her uncle and aunt are the relations from India who we see reasonably often so it is nice to be able to do something! 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, I too was stuck in bed this morning, but rather more than Don  Had a lousy night with the hip, not sure why but it was going nuts all night.  Finally surfaced at 0930, late for me.  So no Groudle today, just don't feel up to much exercise, and it's a 40 minute drive away which I don't feel like doing either!  Might change the oil in Mrs NHN's BMW 800, that'll be enough for today I think, of course the layout is in the garage too.....  

 

Weather is pants now too, very windy and heavy showers, must check the barometer as the sudden drop in atmospheric pressure is probably what is causing the hip pain. #back# yeah 998mB and falling, it was 1017 last night.

[New Haven Neil]

Of course NHN thinks ships are for carrying things, not people, and look more.....functional.

 

 

 

I was on the big one, by the way!

[trisonic]

Dom, Here's an official photo of one of our NJT 45XX series:

 

http://www.railcolor.net/index.php?nav=1405722

 

 

The first batch arrived in New Jersey just before SuperStorm Sandy arrived - and they were all badly damaged in the tidal surge.......

 

As usual Ian is basically right - Manhattan banned all locos that were not powered by electricity (incl. ones that had  diesel generating electric motors - put simplistically) in the early 20th century. so until last month we had to change trains at Newark. The 45's are still not sufficient (and also Penn Station is extremely limited) to provide 100% direct service. Fanwood has a nice curving entry (in a cutting) to the station from Westfield which is very photogenic.

 

Baz, You lost me on the footpaths/streetlights/Essex thing.... I was famous amongst friends by being able to turn off certain streetlights by simply walking under them, I have no idea why.....Similarly EMI's Swindon CD plant banned me from certain areas when I visited by my uncanny ability to make automatic machinery go haywire when I entered the room(s). No they didn't know why either, they just knew that it happened.

 

Best, Pete.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all, (just)

Wet start but dry at the moment and hint of sunshine through the clouds, 13^oC and will be mainly cloudy with chance of more rain later.

Had a great meal out last night for Nicki's birthday and now waiting for them all to arrive for Sunday lunch which today will be roast leg of lamb.

As the diet has gone out of the window again this weekend and I will probably  be overdoing it today I expect to put on a couple of pounds - never mind - there's plenty of gardening to do in the next few days to help work it off. Haven't had a proper beer all week (last night's Italian stuff doesn't count) so the Pride is making an appearance as I type!

Have a good one & cheers,

Bob.

[New Haven Neil]

FL9's, Ian beat me to it.....the NH leads!