Early Risers.

[trisonic]

Bisley Ranges or Bisley Camp had it’s own branch line IIRC. That’s when shooting was an acceptable sport in the UK - and very popular it was too. I was a member of the London and Middlesex Club down there (after the branch had closed - I’m not that old!

 

My Mother often used to come down there with me. I was shooting the full bore pistol range adjacent to Stickledown. She would sunbathe/fall asleep with all this racket going on (it was also close to Pirbright Range). One time I walked up the slope to check on her and she was surrounded by a platoon of Gurkhas; chatting to them.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited September 3, 2015 by trisonic

[edcayton]

Moor Park?

 

@Mike, an echo (short for echocardiogram and not to be confused with an ecg) is basically an ultrasound scan of the heart. It involves removing your shirt and having goo spread on parts of your anatomy. It is done by a specialist technician who will ask you to roll on to your side so she can "see" the right bits with her gadget. I have to say that the pictures meant nowt to me, but then neither did my babyscan pictures of my sons,even when that technician said "there's a leg" etc.

 

In general, getting old is carp, but it's better than the alternative.

 

G'night all and thanks for all the support for my self-pitying post elsewhere.

 

Ed

[trisonic]

Belated Birthday Greetings, Tony (at least I assume so - it’s still Wednesday here but Thursday in London, no wonder my brain hurts......

 

Anyway Many Happy Returns, Mate. I feel like I know you, personally.

 

Best, Pete.

[emt_911]

Morning all. It's great to see the ER support network in full swing when its needed.

 

Jock - I hope that the results from today are what we all hope for.

 

Pete - I spent a fair bit of time at Bisley, (other ranges throughout the world are / were available), most of it on Century Range. At least I was getting paid for it.

 

Have a good day everyone

[AndyID]

ERs is fast approaching 1,000,000 views.

 

I refuse to make any editorial comments about how that might be a reflection on the quality of TV content.

[DDolfelin]

Belated Birthday Greetings, Tony.

 

MiL is asking for the Large Print book I bought her while she was here.

Never did find the shoes she lost.

The book was obviously suitable for pensioners of advancing age.

Fifty Shades of Grey.

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all. Raining outside right now. -

 

Only just caught up on Mal's and Geoff's news, so please allow me to send my thoughts and best wishes your way. Also, belated happy birthday, Tony!

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

The hospital appointment yesterday had its amusing side. I was seen by a registrar who had to go next door and ask the consultant three times so that she could answer my questions.  I have to go back next month for a test which involves taking a laxative based drink beforehand.  The date I was offered did ring a bell but I did not have my diary with me.  Checking it when I got home, I found that the test is scheduled four hours after my next GP appointment.  Perhaps it would be wise to reschedule the latter.

 

My congenital untidiness continues to be vexing.  Somewhere in the chaos is a small self-sealing plastic bag containing offcuts of hard brass wire, evidence of recent modelling.  How I wish that I knew where it is as I have plans for the contents.  I also feared for the safety of a cherished cookery book and now rejoice that it has been found safe and well.

 

There was a not-bad TV programme last night "The Trains That Time Forgot".  The presenter reckoned that the Flying Scotsman [train, not wreck of a loco] dates from 1924.  Something in the back of my head is telling me 1862 and I bet I won't settle tilI have checked.

 

Chris

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

As Jock said, some not very good news from yesterday.  Fingers crossed for Mal, Geoff's wife and of course Sherry.

 

The weather is reasonable this morning.  Bright, and sunny, but there was a definite nip in the air - indicating that Autumn is creeping in with chilly fingers.

 

Fingers crossed that the appointment goes well today, Jock.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[gordon s]

Another set of belated birthday greetings from me, Tony….

 

I'm sure you will be concerned about your surgery, Mal, but like other ER's, I had my colon completely removed at 22 in a similar op to your own.  At the time I thought it was the end of the world, but somehow I've led a fully and happy life and am still hear to tell to the tale some 45 years later.  Feel free to ask any questions, by PM if you prefer.

 

 

There's Denham Golf Club (the only station in the land with the "Golf Club" appendage in its name) two stops closer to London.  And the very sparsely-served Golf Street station at Carnoustie right next to the course.  Any others?

 

 

 

 

​"Paddington station was closed and evacuated during the evening peak when a nuclear-electric locomotive "went critical" just after 5pm"

 

 

Hi Rick…. I did think about Denham.  The misnomer about Denham is that the station is on top of 'The Buckinghamshire' not Denham golf club.  I have played both numerous times.  Is that the original site of the station?  The thing that struck me about Seer Green was just how close it was.

 

I'm guessing they are both on the same line into London?….

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Denham/@51.5755662,-0.5081059,2628m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x48766ec06ed25623:0xef58d306b3731baa!6m1!1e1

 

There were various stories floating around the bar last night, that the golf club pre dated the railway and the deal was the owners would give up the land if the railway built a station there to attract golfers from central London.  Get on at Marylebone with your gear and within minutes you could be playing. 

 

Seems it was true...

 

http://www.beaconsfieldgolfclub.co.uk/heritage

 

Off to take a look at Moor Park which I think is on the Metropolitan underground line?  Good grief I must be getting old as I used to be able to recall stations and lines without checking….:-)

Edited September 3, 2015 by gordon s

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a village that is gradually getting brighter. Up early this morning as Beth decided to have an early start an I couldn't get back to sleep.

 

Jock, Thanks for the concern about the assessment. It seems to have gone well and the nurse who conducted it was genuinely interested in Beth's condition and photocopied the literature that she had taken with her. I had been sternly warned to sit there, say nothing but listen, watch and remember. However it was all very relaxed and I was actually able to make some useful contributions on the subject of how her condition affects our daily lives. We now have to wait for the decision but overall we were happy with how it went. Afterwards we took my car to be repaired and I now have a Vauxhall Corsa for the next week. It's going to be a squash with three of us in coming back from Telford on Sunday.

 

Mal and Geoff I hope that things go well for both of you. At least in both cases you seem to be getting a good standard of care.

Sherry, I feel for you and Ian in your current situation. As is often said, "The good lord gave us our families but we can choose our friends". There is a very good book by Robin Skinner and John Cleese called "Families and How to survive them" which I found very helpful at one point.

 

Jock I hope that your consultation goes well.

 

As to the rest of the day I'm off to the chapel to dismantle the layout this morning then have to trolley everything home (Only 100 yards) and have also to go and fetch some wooden roof mouldings for the North British coaches.

 

Regards to all

 

 

Jamie

[Happy Hippo]

Morning all from a village that is gradually getting brighter. Up early this morning as Beth decided to have an early start an I couldn't get back to sleep.

 

Afterwards we took my car to be repaired and I now have a Vauxhall Corsa for the next week. It's going to be a squash with three of us in coming back from Telford on Sunday.

The 'new' Corsa (which has now been around for seemingly donkey's years) is only 6 inches shorter than an Astra!

 

However, from my experience with them, they don't have as much grunt as the older smaller version which was quite nippy.

 

If there are three burly blokes on board, I suggest you restrict the carry on and hold baggage weights in order to afford yourself a modicum of acceleration.

[Happy Hippo]

My eyes are failing again.

 

I've just glanced out of the window and saw a bit of grey cloud and deep blue sky.

 

On closer examination, by actually standing at the window, I can see that it was actually a rather nasty steely blue cloud.

 

This leads me to suspect it is not going to be a good day for gardening.

 

My question of the day is:  What is wrong with my paint?

 

Two days ago, I under coated some doors and their frames.

 

This morning they are still not touch dry!

 

It is a new tin, of a type that I have used before with, perfectly satisfactory results.

 

The only place it seems to want to go dry is either on the floor or on my hands!

 

I'm putting this aversion to drying down to the currently damp atmosheric conditions.

 

Having said that, I recently bought a pot of 'quick dry' black paint.

 

Drying time was 3/4 of an hour (allegedly)

 

This was applied during the last heat wave we had.

 

It was still tacky three days later.

 

I think Chrisf is somewhat mistaken, as I'm pretty sure the Lying Scotsman was actually a Prime Minister of recent years.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Happy Hippo

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Looks like a pleasant morning, quite sunny, loudest sound outside seems to be pigeons. I think today may be return to school day for most of the local children. I thought it was yesterday but perhaps it was just a training day at the schools. There were lots of children in the supermarket.

I don't have anything special planned for today as I begin another year. It takes me about a year to remember what my age is. Thank you for all the birthday wishes.

Mal, hope all goes well.

Tony

[New Haven Neil]

First off, my best wishes to Mal, Mrs Geoff, Ian & Sherry, ChrisF and of course for Jock.  Not to forget belated birthday wishes for Tony either, of course.

 

Ramsey Sprint today, after collecting my fritzed laptop, on which I am told the motherboard has fried itself.  That's this months toy money spoken for then. 

 

What's all this win 10 stuff, oh dear, can't I just have one the same as the last one please? PCLuddites-r-Us.  At least I get Office cheap as a home user programme.  Tried some Tablets yesterday (not the BP ones I take every morning) horrid things, just can't get on with them so I am afraid it has to be another lappy.

[Barry O]

Happy birthday Tony. Will wave on my flight home tonight!

 

Hope all goes well for those with illness or close relatives who are unwell.

 

Sun is shining here but a bit breezy. Last day on holidays. Could be a noticeable temperature drop on our return to Leeds .. Just hope the pilot has his plane landing assistance dogs at the ready as it could also be a tad breezy!

 

I have only ever had a go at clay pigeon shot gun shooting. Once I remembered the T/E aim off I really enjoyed it. The man in charge said I was a natural(idiot probably). Never tried smaller calibre but I still prefer 120mm rifled guns as they do make a nice "bang" when fired.

 

Have a nice day and hope all to s well for you Jock.

 

Baz

 

P's T/E= Traverse and elevation offsets to allow for rotation of the earth, gun offset, etc...

[AndyB]

Morning all, and it's lovely and sunny here. 

What Neil said: commiserations and congratulations to one and all!

 

Today's jobs include chasing up the missing parts from my mother's recent purchase - a chair that gives a power-assisted boost to the standing position. It turned up with no power lead and the wooden handles were scratched, making it look quite tatty. The company was really good on pre-sales service but after sales seems to be somewhat lacking. She says she is "too tired" to hassle them; who knows this may be something they rely on. 

 

I've also got some DNR paperwork to do on her behalf. When dad had a fall one night (3 years ago) the ambulance crew that attended asked what the end of life plan was. This was something of a shock as we hadn't discussed it. So, whilst it isn't great having to ensure that paperwork is in place to not prolong mum's life is in place, it is also a relief to have talked about it and for that part of the process to be "automated". That apart she was in fine fettle yesterday evening and doesn't have any plans to "pop off"! 

 

Hoping to do a bit of wiring on the layout later today. 

 

Have a nice day everyone. 

[trisonic]

“Living Wills” are a hot subject over here. Not “when to switch off” life support but what to do with dependents of people  should they be relatively young but incapacitated for a length of time - the use of chemically induced coma’s after auto crashes where the subjects are expected to survive is one such example, they may have young children.

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

 

 

Pete - I spent a fair bit of time at Bisley, (other ranges throughout the world are / were available), most of it on Century Range. At least I was getting paid for it.

 

 

True.  Some ranges where I’ve been in competition are sublimely beautiful - because no one can build on them - well D’oh!

 

At Bisley I hated Short Siberia. Walking to the Butts and you were shielded only by trees - some maniac mistakenly sprayed 7.62 NATO through them (due to an accident, to be honest) very unpleasant when you were not expecting it.

 

Best, Pete.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Interesting to hear that HH bought the same tin of black paint as me - I used it on the sides & ends of a module which I knew we soon need to be moved; shame the paint took a couple of days to dry hard enough to handle.

 

Now 'The Flying Scotsman' - according to C.J Allen (who ought to know if anybody does as he no doubt had easy access to LNER records) the train first ran under that name from June 1862 and was the first named train in Britain however the title wasn't officially adopted, and used on headboards, coach boards and in timetables, until after the Grouping.   But CJA contradicts himself in one respect by writing, in the following sentence - in 1946 - that the name had been in use for over half a century but it was difficult to say precisely when it came into use   The 10.00 ex Kings Cross was originally know as the 'Special Scotch Express'. 

 

We have some occasional sunshine while another treat for today will be brunch, there is some bacon to use up.

 

Have a nice day.

[45156]

Morning All

 

Hope all is well, Geoff - will keep an eye open for an update, and for the camper van showing up on your front again.  Sorry to hear that yet again your missus has had a health problem while you're away, but from reading your post, she's in the best place.

 

Belated happy birthday wishes to Tony - didn't know sooner so couldn't greet you on the day.

 

Good wishes to Jock for his checkup.

 

And to Mal following the diagnosis of cancer - however as has been said, it is a pretty treatable one, so hopefully the outcome will be good.

 

I'm sat at home here waiting for the transporter to remove the Peugeot to the repair shop - any time "this morning" but as with many outfits, their "morning" extends to 1.00 pm.  Also waiting for a call from the insurance company to move matters forward - waiting seems to be the name of the game today.

 

Meantime, I'd best push on, as I have several things more boring to do on the laptop.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Smiffy2]

Morning all.

 

Sorry for the rather terse post yesterday. I was a bit cross yesterday afternoon, having battered  a finger putting a table frame together (using pocket hole screws) and then finding that a cross piece had been cut short. No real problem to cut another one and fit it, but it means getting the chop saw out again. That'll be Saturday, now.

 

I was also a bit overwhelmed by the pictures of little Aylan Kurdi, washed up on a beach. Overwhelmed and very angry.

 

A consignment of coathooks has arrived, ready for fitting. I cut some oak yesterday and I'll sand and rout it later. Coat racks are extremely easy! But today we are out to lunch with my cousin and her husband, so there may be napping this afternoon!

 

Best wishes, all.

[southern42]

'Morning all from red dragon land.

A day off from 5 days of playing trains.  And I thought going to work was tough! 

 

A brilliant weekend at West Shore and the weather couldn't have been much better. I even caught the sun on Monday when I forgot to take my hat!  Saturday and Sunday I was on guard duty on the back of one train or another, nearly 9 hours in total.  After 4 laps of the track (about a mile) on Monday, my back decided enough was enough so I just tried to keep out of the northerly wind and count passengers.

 

Catch up later and maybe post some pics

[iL Dottore]

Afternoon all

 

Just read Ian's post and hope that Sherry is all right.

 

I'm at St Pancras at the mo having spent a quick 48 hours in London dealing with my father's Power of Attorney which is some weight off our minds, and also opening a new bank account at Barclays (he decided he don't like HSBC since they said they might move their Head Office to the Far East) - never realised how tricky that was without a valid passport of driving licence. You need a letter from HMRC which includes your NI number as well as the utilities bill. All done and enjoying a large OJ and soda waiting for my Edinburgh train next door.

 

I'm going to be away from here for a week or so - a few routine tests less than 3 weeks ago discovered that I had a growth in my colon close to my appendix. It is malignant, but the C-scan 6 days later showed that there were no growths in my other internal organs. Saw the surgeon last Wednesday who said that a part of the colon had to come out - the op is tomorrow, all being well. They attach my small colon to the large near the first bend above the appendix. 

 

The whole cancer is tested to check whether any cells have gone awol - and if they have I'll need chemo. Am impressed that the NHS has moved so fast, but discouraged that pre-admission is also make Medicine for the Elderly - I know I was 62 last Monday but that's a bit rich

 

So, I'll be hospital for around 7-10 days. Gabe will post here  if she can navigate the site, otherwise, Rick has kindly agreed to accept an email and will update you all. Yes, I'm somewhat apprehensive...

 

So long as the surgeon's birthday isn't today! Be in touch later...

Mal

I may be a bit late in responding (for various reasons), but I do hope that all has gone well with the operation. I hope that it will be a complete resection with clean margins and with no evidence of micro metastases. A colleague of mine at work had colon cancer, had the op, quite a few years ago, and is still going strong. I think I speak for many when I wish you good luck with both surgery and outcomes.

 

iD

 

p.s. Ironic, isn't it, that precisely because of improved health care we are (in general) actually surviving long enough to get cancer (or at least those cancers that tend to be prevalent in the older human). In previous centuries you could count on poor hygiene, childhood illnesses, adolescent bravado, war, cardiac disease and work related disease and injury to have topped most people before cancer could appear (and, yes, I know I am greatly simplifying).

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

 All the best to those recently 'ambushed' by health problems.  Moving on from which subject;

 

... When dad had a fall one night (3 years ago) the ambulance crew that attended asked what the end of life plan was. This was something of a shock as we hadn't discussed it. So, whilst it isn't great having to ensure that paperwork is in place to not prolong mum's life is in place, it is also a relief to have talked about it and for that part of the process to be "automated" ...

A doctor friend of mine insists that she is going to have the crucial information to refer to tattooed across her chest, once she reaches an age where she feels 'no resus' would be the best option; having seen any number of elderly folk kept alive by large scale interventions, when they would far rather be allowed to die. As she puts it, once the medical profession has 'invested' on keeping you going, it can be quite hard to persuade them to give up on you. 

 

​...Paddington station was closed and evacuated during the evening peak when a nuclear-electric locomotive "went critical" just after 5pm"

"Now if you are planning on sending me on that stupid route along the beach, I would rather have a meltdown here, I am simply not going. It's nothing but corrosion, corrosion, corrosion, I cannot imagine what that Brunel bloke was thinking of."