Early Risers.

[AndyB]

Guys,

 

I have been migrated onto the new BT Mail. I won't describe my experiences yet; I'm seeing Andrew C tonight and will acquire the relevant adjectives from him. But I may be asking for help; actually I know I will be, just unsure of the length of the list.

 

Bill

 

When AndrewC runs out of adjectives I'd be happy to pitch in. 

They migrated me a couple of weeks ago. 

Well, I say "migrated" but "caused total havoc" would be a better way of describing it.

In fairness to them their helpline chappie did sort it. BUT he would only communicate with swmbo (who is the account admin) and due to her work hours and their call centre's it took several days. 

Good luck, Bill. 

[Coombe Barton]

I was looking in the window of one our upmarket gift shops in town, and realised that I'm old enough to remember that what is now called "Shabby Chic" we used to call "tatty".

[NGT6 1315]

Anyone interested in German operating rules? I wrote up a summary of a specific bit of Deutsche Bahn's rulebook here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/646/entry-14377-operating-rules-arent-for-fools-an-overview-of-the-german-steep-gradient-regulations/

[laurenceb]

 Rather more belatedly (internet problems)  Somewhat belatedly welcome back Stewart

Laurence

[45156]

Went to see the Doctor this afternoon for a follow up appointment and the good news is that after 6 weeks off the medication my BP hasn't risen at all so as long as I'm "sensible" I can stay off it. Apparently going out on the lash to celebrate does not count as being sensible so I'm just sitting here quietly with a pint of Pride!   

Not a bad choice - is it still as amazingly fruity as it used to be - our local 'spoons had some a while back, but it had clearly (well it wasn't clear actually) suffered from the distance between Lancaster and Chiswick, and all that you could taste was hops - I sent it back and got a pint of the local Blonde instead.

[Barry O]

It has been cracking the flags here in leeds today..umpired a game on my own - all 80 overs of it... that was hard work so I may need a beer shortly....

 

anyway tomorrow its Scarborough, Sunday Doncaster, Monday New Farnley then I am either with the Yorks Academy at Weetwood for two days or at Headingley for Tuesday only...... who knows!!  A busy time for umpires!!

 

Have a good weekend everyone... and stay calm...

 

baz

[grandadbob]

Stewart I think it's as good as ever and it's been my favourite tipple for many years. I'm surprised it didn't travel because when my Dad was alive we did sink the odd one or three in The Ship in Par and it was just as good if not better than around here. Mind you that was over 10 years ago. Am I right in thinking that 'spoons sell beer that's near the sell by date and that that is the reason or is that just an urban myth?

[Judge Dread]

It has been cracking the flags here in leeds today

I will translate if I can "It has been rather warm".

[gordon s]

In case anyone is wondering, I haven't given up modelling just had a bit of life laundry and put an item in the classifieds.  

 

Found it so therapeutic, I added a few more….:-)

 

….and then a few more on eBay.  (gordons19)

 

Talking of clearouts, where would ER's be without the odd bit of toilet humour….

 

[AndyB]

Anyone interested in German operating rules? I wrote up a summary of a specific bit of Deutsche Bahn's rulebook here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/646/entry-14377-operating-rules-arent-for-fools-an-overview-of-the-german-steep-gradient-regulations/

 

I was certainly taken by the "open" nature of the track compared with most British outline. it seems over here we have to go to any lengths to keep people away from the track whereas in your first video, posted earlier, the track runs close and parallel to the road with no barrier between the two. A refreshing emphasis on personal responsibility? 

Andy

[Tony_S]

Gordon I noticed your sales on the Classifieds section. The diesels were a bit modern for me and the photographic evidence of all sorts of odd loco on the Coventry to Birmingham main line seems to exclude any ex Great Western machinery. Of course I do have the odd impulse purchase too! I shall be trying hard to restrict my purchases to coal wagons for a while.

Tony

[NGT6 1315]

I was certainly taken by the "open" nature of the track compared with most British outline. it seems over here we have to go to any lengths to keep people away from the track whereas in your first video, posted earlier, the track runs close and parallel to the road with no barrier between the two. A refreshing emphasis on personal responsibility? 

Andy

There are stretches of fenced railway in Germany, too, but the majority of the network is indeed open. Trespassers really don't care a d*mn about fences being there in any case, in my impression. In fact, I've seen holes cut into such fences frequently enough whenever they were obstructing a "convenient shortcut" ...

[Barry O]

I will translate if I can "It has been rather warm".

For warm  read .. scorching!  Hot enough to burn a cuddy's back!!

 

Baz

[trisonic]

I was certainly taken by the "open" nature of the track compared with most British outline. it seems over here we have to go to any lengths to keep people away from the track whereas in your first video, posted earlier, the track runs close and parallel to the road with no barrier between the two. A refreshing emphasis on personal responsibility? 

Andy

It’s so open over here that we mingle:

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=485163&nseq=31

 

There are houses (and churches) on both sides of this street in West Brownsville, PA.

 

Or this in Kentucky:

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=477331&nseq=119

 

Best, Pete.

Edited July 11, 2014 by trisonic

[PhilJ W]

I wondered why Matthew was looking at his phone when we were in the world beers aisle of the supermarket. 

I have a Blackberry OS 10 phone and typing beer into the app search doesn't seem to reveal anything useful at all.

Aditi has decided that we need a pre-holiday holiday and is looking at Bruges or Brussels. That could be via train I suppose.

I'd recommend Bruges anytime. And if your not driving I would suggest sampling a 'Trappist'.

[AndyB]

I'd recommend Bruges anytime. And if your not driving I would suggest sampling a 'Trappist'.

Tony, go for the Hotel de Orangerie if Aditi is paying.

http://www.hotelorangerie.be/

Went there some 8 years ago and it was very pleasant. 

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Back home in one piece, oh look I've got a tab in my text....wonder how that happened?

 

Ah, found it.

 

A hot and sunny day was had, even back on Fraggle Rock, in fact it is breathless this evening, and of course the house is sweltering having been closed up for two and a half weeks.  No A/c here, just in the van and car!  Mrs H now on washing frenzy, I hate that part of holiday returns. Rain forecast tomorrow, we haven't seen any in daytime for three weeks!

[AndyB]

It’s so open over here that we mingle:

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=485163&nseq=31

 

There are houses (and churches) on both sides of this street in West Brownsville, PA.

 

Or this in Kentucky:

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=477331&nseq=119

 

Best, Pete.

 

Thanks, Pete. Impressive.

I saw this sort of thing in Virginia (around Clifton), but not quite as close as  your photos. 

 

Over here we did have similar at the old RAE railway where trains went down the streets. BUT there was a man walking in front with a flag to stop traffic. 

http://www.historicfarnborough.co.uk/raerailway.html

 

Then of course there was the Weymouth Quay railway. 

http://freepages.nostalgia.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cyberheritage/wey.htm

 

Emphasis on the was, though. 

Best. Andy

Edited July 11, 2014 by AndyB

[BoD]

I'm sure I've seen a video somewhere of them 'bouncing' a car out of the way of the Weymouth train.

Or perhaps I'm just imagining it.

[Tony_S]

Thanks for the Bruges recommendations but I think Aditi has decided on a Brussels long weekend this time. She is planning on abandoning the car at Ebbsfleet and going by Eurostar.

[The Stationmaster]

I'm sure I've seen a video somewhere of them 'bouncing' a car out of the way of the Weymouth train.

Or perhaps I'm just imagining it.

If they felt nice back in the days when there were plenty of staff to work a train down the tramway at Weymouth they would bounce cars out of the way - as long as there were too many etc.  But according to a chap I worked with who had been a Shunter at Weymouth if it was a vehicle belonging to a regular obstructionist (and there were some) they weren't necessarily quite so careful with either the bouncing or the distance they bounced the vehicle.

Edited July 11, 2014 by The Stationmaster

[The Stationmaster]

Thanks for the Bruges recommendations but I think Aditi has decided on a Brussels long weekend this time. She is planning on abandoning the car at Ebbsfleet and going by Eurostar.

In which case I recommend the Jardin de Catherine in the old fishmarket area - superb restauarant although it majors very heavily on fish (the only non fish dish was steak whenever I dined there).  We haven't been to Brussel for some time but it stayed remarkably consistent over 10 years so might still be; it is not cheap.

 

If you want cheap there used to be a tripe restaurant in the Avenue de Stalingrad - they also only had one main course which, in their case, wasn't tripe (steak, and nicely done).  My favourite restaurant, which oddly was in the Grand Place, was run by two old ladies who spent all their time playing scrabble while the hired help did all the work.  It served real food with no concessions to tourism and use to do a top rate carbonnarde de flamande (a traditional Belgian dish) but alas it closed down years ago.   There are also reportedly one or two quite good restaurants in what we used to call 'the street of a thousand restaurants' - all very tourist orientated and you need to be very selective.

 

Leuven (Louvain) is also highly recommended for bargain eating but good quality although I've never sampled it.  Some nice bars in Brussel but they all used to be 'heavy lunch time drinking' establishments; the best bar I know in Belgium is in the oldest part of Ghent, it only sells gin (in about 50 flavours), has no seats, no measures for pouring the drink (although teh glasses sort of serve that function) and is well worth a visit if you happen to get to Ghent.

[Jock67B]

Evening all,

Bill and Andy, I was one of the first, and I suspect trial, migrants with BT and unluckily had a very clever and extremely nasty hacking attempt purporting to come from the previous partner Yahoo. Luckily my anti-virus software smelt the rat and I have to say that the BT cyber crime team, working from Mumbai, sorted the problem in short order! Got to speak as you find!

Ian and Sherry, please correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to be picking up what my kids would call very good vibes about your relationship. It comes through in your posting and I would simply like to wish you the same harmony and happiness that I enjoy with Joanna.

Neil, glad to hear you are both back home safely - recognise the post holiday blues as we have just endured the same experience. I'm happy to say they have now turned into happy memories. Hope we can soon look forward to some nice steam images?

Forgot to mention one of my presents yesterday - we have a lady friend(sadly the widow of a good friend and wine club member) who has an unerring ability to select the perfect gift. She always seems to find a book that I desire, whether it be on railways, art, literature, lighthouses etc., she comes up trumps every year. The fact that she was a 'nursing officer' (once known as matrons I believe) and after retirement a consultant to the NHS sets the level of her intelligence - she is always great company, even as she approaches her eighties! Having picked up on my watching M. Portillo on 'Great British Railway Journeys', the selection this year was the special edition of 'Bradshaw's Handbook 1863' as carried by MP in the series. An inspired gift that I've already been working through. I only wish that I was fit, and wealthy, enough to follow some of the routes in the same manner. Astounding fact - Joanna thinks the programme is lovely and gentle and happily watches it with me!

There, after that lengthy tale, Saturday approaches - all the best to you all for the weekend,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[trisonic]

Thanks for the Bruges recommendations but I think Aditi has decided on a Brussels long weekend this time. She is planning on abandoning the car at Ebbsfleet and going by Eurostar.

The best bet is to get off at Brussels and change for a train to Amsterdam (or anywhere)..........I think most people on here are aware of my hatred of Belgium and the reason why, I even think their beer is way overrated.

Failing my appeal to you - I do hope you two do have a good time, you deserve it....

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

Here’s another to wake you up! Hickory Street, Warsaw. Indiana:

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=420546&nseq=37&favsearch=1

 

 

Or from Augusta, Georgia - Where NS’s historic "Office Car Special" hired for the occasion by our own GordonS  makes it’s way to the US Master’s 18th hole.........Lovely old F9’s!

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=400628&nseq=48&favsearch=1

 

Best, Pete.