Early Risers.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Morning all.  Dry and bright here in Edinburgh (well, we have to be better than the English weather occasionally, it's in the Scottish bid to the Smith Commission...).

 

Took Jamie skiing again yesterday afternoon.  She'll soon be better than me.  Unfortunately the downhill racers had been in earlier and had left the slope a bit of a mess - one groove down the centre and then lumps and bumps at either side.  On one of our first runs, Jamie got into the groove and took off like a 4 foot ginger rocket.  Thankfully she decided the best way to slow down was to fall over (though quite spectacularly!) and came up again with a huge grin on her face.  She got her chance to laugh at me too as I wiped out doing a bunny hop off one of the bumps.

 

Back to work today (though only a four day week - and two of those are taken up hosting colleagues from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey here in Edinburgh over Wednesday and Thursday).

 

Was unfortunately driving during the two minute silence yesterday, but Jamie and I kept the silence as we went.  I'd heard a track earlier in the day - Mark Knopfler's Remembrance Day.  So good I went and bought the album (Get Lucky) while we were out. Worth a listen - it's on YouTube but I can't link to that from the office.

[travelintrev]

Morning all,  after spending several hours last night writing a procedure out for moving some sets on a site with difficult access  for a crane  the way the client wanted to do it would have needed a heavy lift helicopter!  

 

So with my poor old noddle  full of that I couldn't get to sleep so ended up painting bits of the Garrett.

 

Today  I have to pack up the sold 0e   stuff and find a local PO thats open,

 

whatever you're up today, make the best of it,

 

Trev.

[AndrewC]

PhilJ W, on 09 Nov 2014 - 21:24, said:

I live on a corner, there is a small plot of land about 3 metres wide between my property and the corner itself, and there is barely enough room to park a small car between the corner and my drive. Some people insist on parking there rather than park on the oposite side of the road where there is room to park. The plot of land which belongs to the local council is very overgrown and makes the corner 'blind'. On one occasion I was asking a woman driver not to park there as although she was not obstructing my drive the position of her car would make a bit of manouvering neccessary to reverse my car onto the drive, her reply was to give me the finger. As she did so another car came flying round the corner and collided with her car.

Karma's a b1tch!

 

I got a Yodel driver suspended last year when the silly c*ckotter blocked the private access to our alleyway. He was abusive and threatening so I simply snapped a couple of pictures of the van, his middle finger, and the road sign. These were tweeted to Yodel and 'yplac'. 20 minutes later I was asked to file a formal complaint and did so. There are all sorts of site out there now like you park like a c**t, shame a driver, etc. Most delivery firms keep their eyes on the postings to watch for any bad publicity from their driver's actions.

 

Morning all from the sunny tropical paradise of DA16. aka the boring borough. Got up at stupid o clock on Saturday morning to make our way to the Tower of London before the masses descended upon it. Got there at 07:15 and it was already very busy. A few pics follow. The rest are on my photobucket @ http://s434.photobucket.com/user/andrewcocker/library/Poppies?sort=3&page=1

 

 

 

 

 

[Smiffy2]

If you mean Sutton, Bob... Shinners just sprung to mind. That's going back a bit..!

Or ELS - Laws Models - a great little shop. I bought a OO Graham Farish pannier there some time just after Noah's flood. And Garratt's the photo place...

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

We went out as usual for the 'Big Remembrance' yesterday, we'll do the 'small one' tomorrow at the proper date and time, for what was a tiny village that near lost all its young men. Sixteen cottages, nineteen dead. It wasn't just close knit communities in industrial cities that were devastated by losing a generation.

 

That was still potent in living memory until the last of those that had experienced that disaster died at 102. It happened that the women found husbands easily, as the area was developed and industrialised rapidly from the 1920s, resulting in a large influx of men. Many of the resulting children bore interesting christian names, commemorating those that had died. By request of one of the last survivors of the old village, I shall be placing a cross for 'Mower', a man apparently so able with a scythe that he could cut fasrter than what any other two regular scythemen could accomplish. (The scythe with its rings on the shaft marking his competition successes is with the family in Canada.)

... Ludlow. I really ought to see the place.

Nearby hotel of some repute; Overton Grange, it has (at least had when we were last there!) the name plate, and a view of the line in the valley from the dining room. If it is still as good as when I was last there, a room to enjoy spending some time in...

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Rather soggy outside but bright sunshine at the moment and rain promised for later - even by the Exeter seaweed wranglers let alone the Daily Wail.

 

Anyway today I'm transporting Mrs Stationmaster to see her dental hygienist in Tilehurst plus placing the  Christmas meat & poultry order in Pangbourne so i might get a chance to go trainspotting looking at the railway again.

 

Tomorrow we have Armistice Day - always in mind the real day for remembrance and the one in one of my past jobs when we had the wreath laying at the station's war memorial, always a very moving occasion but not exactly easy to enforce the Two Minutes Silence at a busy London terminus.  In many respects I'm sad to say that the French and Belgians do this particular day of remembrance so much better than we do with ceremonies at all war memorials - the one to resistance workers at the Gare du Nord always has tricolours placed on it for a week or so apart from the actual ceremony on 11 November.  In Britain so many people seem to be far too busy to get the significance of the day.

 

Ah well grumbling over and have a good day one & all.

[Oldddudders]

In many respects I'm sad to say that the French and Belgians do this particular day of remembrance so much better than we do with ceremonies at all war memorials - the one to resistance workers at the Gare du Nord always has tricolours placed on it for a week or so apart from the actual ceremony on 11 November.  In Britain so many people seem to be far too busy to get the significance of the day.

 

 

As I've said before, Mike, Britain's very isolation from the actual conflict in WW1, and success at repulsing invasion in WW2, means there is simply less history. Both Belgians and French felt the merciless jackboot for years in WW2 under occupation, and we all know where the trenches were in WW1. A lot more to be grateful for in some respects.

[Coombe Barton]

I'm wearing a poppy today, as I have been for the past few weeks.

 

Yet someone said to me that remembrance was yesterday. Old enough to know better, too.

[NGT6 1315]

when the silly c*ckotter blocked the private access to our alleyway.

You never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of invective!

[DDolfelin]

Yes - I'm old enough to remember the traffic coming to a halt at 11am.

Now the horns would be blaring if anyone dared to do that.

[Smiffy2]

I'm wearing a poppy today, as I have been for the past few weeks.

 

Yet someone said to me that remembrance was yesterday. Old enough to know better, too.

Remembrance Sunday was yesterday. The officially designated day.

[jamie92208]

As I've said before, Mike, Britain's very isolation from the actual conflict in WW1, and success at repulsing invasion in WW2, means there is simply less history. Both Belgians and French felt the merciless jackboot for years in WW2 under occupation, and we all know where the trenches were in WW1. A lot more to be grateful for in some respects.

I remember going to France as a 14 year old and being surprised at the length of the list of names on village war memorials, much longer than those from villages of simialr size in Britain.

 

Jamie

[trisonic]

Well, some towns in France (and  Belgium) have distinct Memorials to people who died after the Allied “Invasion" of Europe in 1944. What that implies, I’m not sure.

 

Best, Pete.

[Happy Hippo]

Back from Margam.

 

Elsa collected from the kennels, and finally about to start some work.

 

I think the most difficult item on the agenda is trying to fit in all the required family visits over the Christmas period, so the diary is currently out and lots of pencilling ins are taking place.

 

These are being followed by the large eraser!

 

I suppose this is just one of the problems when you have elderly relatives at each end of the A470 (ish) who cannot travel to you.  Plus the various other family outposts such as Reading or Ross on Wye, does make for a logistics puzzle of sorts.  It's quite easy for us to say....xyz, but as you'll all appreciate, other diaries have to be coordinated as well so xyz soon becomes abf or yfj!

 

I have been reliably informed by the Obergrumpenfuhrer, that this Christmas we will be having a traditional Christmas lunch on 25th, rather than our usual evening dinner on the  24th.

 

I'm quite happy with this, although the other directive that we would be doing family entertainment activities around the table (she sees crafting and modelling as mutually compatible).

 

Although I'm happy to do this, I'm not so sure about her insistence that the table needs to be cleared for lunch, whilst I have a Comet A44 autocoach spread over the one end. Insisting it can't be moved until the paint dries is going to lead to a great deal of domestic harmony and goodwill towards each other. I think it best if I finish off the 14xx chassis instead.

[Happy Hippo]

Remembrance Sunday was yesterday. The officially designated day.

As opposed to Remembrance Day which is tomorrow.

 

Only in the UK do we so 'celebrate' this event on the nearest Sunday.

 

This practice being introduced to minimize disruption to what would otherwise be a working day.

 

Fortunately, the last few years has seen a revival of remembering at 11.00 on 11/11

[Horizontal]

Yesterday during my visit to a Model Railway Show in the North of England, I came across a Garden Railway Society Stand, and on it I saw what was probably the 'naffest' and most offensive thing that I've seen at an exhibition yet........

 

Lying just outside the running line on the end curve was a decapitated figure of what was obviously supposed to be a track worker, who had succumbed to an accident. The head of this figure was lying between the running rails, and trains were passing over it.

 

I discretely expressed my disgust at what I had seen to one of the people who was manning the stand, and he informed me in no uncertain terms that he actually agreed with me entirely. At that point, a more senior person on the stand came over, and I also expressed my disgust to him, to which there was a reaction in the form of, “So”?

 

Obviously to whoever created this scenario, it was his(her?) idea of a joke. But, as a retired professional railwayman with over 30 years experience in the operating department, and as a person who in the past has had to deal with this in reality, I can tell you that it’s no joke, and I find the portrayal of such scenarios as this, in this kind of manner to be thoroughly offensive.   >:-(

 

Whoever put that scenario on the layout, obviously has no idea of the effect that the real life situation has on railway staff, whether they are known to the deceased, or not - God knows what the reaction of any train driver who has been involved with an incident like that would have been if he or she had seen it!

 

Surely, scenarios like that have no part in our hobby whatever the scale, and particularly on a layout that is representing a national society at an exhibition.

 

:-(

Edited November 10, 2014 by Horizontal

[Smiffy2]

Well, some towns in France (and  Belgium) have distinct Memorials to people who died after the Allied “Invasion" of Europe in 1944. What that implies, I’m not sure.

 

Best, Pete.

It indicates that they were shot by the German army for resisting and aiding the Allies.

There are many of them in Normandy. And of course the whole village of Oradour-sur-Glane.

[Happy Hippo]

 

 

 

Surely, scenarios like that have no part in our hobby whatever the scale, and particularly on a layout that is representing a national society at an exhibition.

 

:-(

There is a comic called Garden Rail that once featured on it's cover a picture of a tin plate G1 loco and train having just run through a closed set of level crossing gates.

 

I ceased buying it after that issue.

[Tony_S]

It indicates that they were shot by the German army for resisting and aiding the Allies.

There are many of them in Normandy. And of course the whole village of Oradour-sur-Glane.

I have been to tiny French villages where the memorials have listed those who died or disappeared after being taken hostage or transported for forced labour.

[Mike Bellamy]

The Tower of London Poppies were originally created by a local artist here in Derby and so we get a lot of local coverage as well as the more recent national press and TV reports. I realise that this is an act of Remembrance but many seem to treat it as a 'Celebration' - why on earth would we want to celebrate the start of a war ! If we have this amount of fuss, publicity and commemoration now it really makes me wonder how we can do more to mark 100 years since the end of the war in 2018 !

 

DDs mention of traffic stopping reminds me of a visit to Israel with work about 10 years ago when it was their 'Memorial Day'. We were in the office next to a 6 lane highway intersection with a major motorway on the outskirts of Tel Aviv and at the appointed hour (can't recall if it was noon?) the air raid sirens went off and the whole of the main road and the motorway came to a stop and everyone got out of their cars for the silence. Normally you can't hear yourself think as there is so much traffic, sirens, accidents and just general noise - then total silence. Couple of minutes later it was back to chaos again . . . of course there almost every family has lost a loved one in the Holocaust, War of Independence, the many conflicts since and as a result of suicide bombings which were at their height at the time of our visits.

 

.

[Tony_S]

I really didn't see anyone be at the Tower treating the poppy display as a celebration or even as a sight seeing event. I thought most people seemed to be treating it as I think it was intended,an act of remembrance.

[byron]

Karma's a b1tch!

 

I got a Yodel driver suspended last year when the silly c*ckotter blocked the private access to our alleyway. He was abusive and threatening so I simply snapped a couple of pictures of the van, his middle finger, and the road sign. These were tweeted to Yodel and 'yplac'. 20 minutes later I was asked to file a formal complaint and did so. There are all sorts of site out there now like you park like a c**t, shame a driver, etc. Most delivery firms keep their eyes on the postings to watch for any bad publicity from their driver's actions.

 

Morning all from the sunny tropical paradise of DA16. aka the boring borough. Got up at stupid o clock on Saturday morning to make our way to the Tower of London before the masses descended upon it. Got there at 07:15 and it was already very busy. A few pics follow. The rest are on my photobucket @ http://s434.photobucket.com/user/andrewcocker/library/Poppies?sort=3&page=1

 

 

 

 

 

You must be very proud of yourself to have got that Yodel driver suspended - for what? - a minute or two parked where he shouldn't. Your attitude may have made him react the way he did.

And you have the nerve then to report about your visit to see the London poppies in the same post.

 

How easily wars can start.

 

Mike - not often ashamed of my fellow man.

[Smiffy2]

I have been to tiny French villages where the memorials have listed those who died or disappeared after being taken hostage or transported for forced labo

There's a very moving memorial to the deportees in Paris, on the Île de la Cité - a darkened room with a candle for each one - some (75,000) were Jews heading for the camps, some were French Christians being taken off to work in the Greater Reich, others (85,000) were Résistants. Over 200,000 in total.

 

http://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/fr/memorial-des-martyrs-de-la-deportation

[PhilJ W]

It is accepted in France and other countries invaded by the Nazis that some casualties were the result of 'friendly fire' and as such were neccessary for the freedoms they now enjoy. They are included with those from the resistance movements and those who fought in uniform so its only fitting that they should have a memorial. By a lucky coincidence November 11th 2018 will be a Sunday so the 100 years from the end of WW1 can be suitably marked, a far more important date than the start IMHO.

[Tony_S]

You must be very proud of yourself to have got that Yodel driver suspended - for what? - a minute or two parked where he shouldn't. Your attitude may have made him react the way he did.

And you have the nerve then to report about your visit to see the London poppies in the same post.

 

How easily wars can start.

 

Mike - not often ashamed of my fellow man.

Why do you assume that it was Andrew's attitude that started the contretemps? I have known more than one incident where a polite request to move please or how long will you be has resulted in verbal and threats of physical abuse. Do you think Yodel would suspend someone for a first offence?

Also I don't think that any of the wars the previous 3 generations my family fought in were started by parking disputes.