Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Good luck to Jamie and Beth on their move to France.

Commiserations to Dick - welcome to my world! I am currently sporting a bit of a bump on the head due to twisting my knee and overbalancing a couple of days ago and smashing my head on a cupboard.

The sun is popping in and out at the moment and it seems there may be showers later.

This is a shame because we have a birthday BBQ planned this afternoon for Gemma. Never mind, as true Brits this will not stop us and if necessary umbrellas will be raised over the cook(s)! 

The Boss is as usual organising other food as well so I'll be delivering her and her supplies etc to Nicki's and then I will retire to a safe distance, ie back home, until later.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[Happy Hippo]

 

 

All this means I miss the West Country hauled Crewe - Cardiff today, two steam specials missed in three days !

.

 

Brian,

 

Sorry, but I can't pm you a picture of that one as I'm currently under diversity reassignment training.

[JohnDMJ]

Good morning all,

Good luck to Jamie and Beth on their move to France.

Commiserations to Dick - welcome to my world! I am currently sporting a bit of a bump on the head due to twisting my knee and overbalancing a couple of days ago and smashing my head on a cupboard.

Bob.

 

Echo wishes to Jamie & Beth.

 

Hope the cupboard's OK!

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

And there's Ian (RH) volunteering to go on one of the new Eurostar sets - a sort of Eurostar equivalent of swapping a Southern 377 for a white worm, i.e. not as good as the thing it's replacing so all my spies inform me (but oodles better than a white worm of course).  Pleased to hear that Brian (br2975) is missing yet another foreign engine - good to see that decent taste prevails in Caerdydd even if it doesn't extend to the monstrosity being built in front of 'the General' (a location which older Cardiff familiars will recognise although perhaps not the younger folk).  I s'pose I'd best look for something to put on a certain Farcebook group to cheer the chap up a bit?

 

Not sure what is planned for today but rain is 40% promised and it will be good for the garden.

 

Have a good day one and all.

[Barry O]

for anyone going to the cricket in Wales today, while sandpaper has now been done to death, finger nail extensions and greasy face paint/hair grease is a must...

[Horsetan]

As he was American it's slightly ironic that he had to go all the way to France to get shot.

But he had to become British first. Looks at first glance like an incomer who had a chocolate box view of what the countryside should look like.....

 

No-brainer indeed! Although you'd be better to avoid Amsterdam itself as it is, as stated earlier, quite crowded. ...

Does Amsterdam still have that slight herbal odour that I fondly* remember from 1997?

Edited June 16, 2018 by Horsetan

[Tony_S]

Does Amsterdam still have that slight herbal odour that I fondly* remember from 1997?

A visit to the Hortus Botanicus?

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Tragic news from Glasgow this morning but at least theres no casualties. Least said the better about the ****** who stopped the upskirting bill. I did witness it happening once, but then so did the young lady's boyfriend. The offender found his hand holding the mobile phone pinned to the floor amid the sound of crunching bones.

 

Feeling a bit battered because I managed a massive faceplant late this afternoon. When we got the new table we had to take out the old one, the idea being that it would become a workbench in one of the outbuildings. I had to dismantle it to get it out and then remantle it in the garden. Then carry it in to the outbuilding. In the meantime Mrs A had been doing some woodwork in the out-b on a workmate, right where I wanted to put my bloody heavy table. She had also left out the power cable which had got caught under the door... Then she went for a siesta.

So to put the table in I had to move the workmate which had a bench sanding station on it (about 10kg worth). I picked it up and started towards an old patio table we use to dump stuff on. The floor is cobbles, and some are missing - guess what? Straight forward, with the sanding machine in my hands. Hit the mower (it's a big b*gger) then headfirst into the table, which fortunately disintegrated into nasty sharp shards and absorbed a lot of energy. And when I fall over there's a lot of kinetic energy... I landed on the sander, which had my hands under it.

Gashed a finger or two, and my thigh (I was wearing shorts) and done damage to both hands, face and shoulder. Not nice.

Got me out of cooking dinner, so I had a French Kebab Sandwich. Which was interesting. And the day started so well...

 

 

Quelle bummer! Take it very easy tomorrow. I'm soixante-neuf now (knock it off you lot!) and I'm amazed at how much minor injuries affect me.

You are both now honourary members of the GDB appreciation society.

Now just to wish Bon Voyage to Jamie and Beth and drink the muggatee that awaits, bye for now, be back later.

[lightengine]

But he had to become British first. Looks at first glance like an incomer who had a chocolate box view of what the countryside should look like.....

Absolutely disgusting the things these French Johnny Foreigners do! Smelly, dirty cow type things and bales of harvested grass on their farms and openly on view in their countryside! I wave my private parts at your aunties. Pah!

[shortliner]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Tragic news from Glasgow this morning but at least theres no casualties. Something slightly suspicious about that, me-thinks!

 

 

Least said the better about the ****** who stopped the upskirting bill. I did witness it happening once, but then so did the young lady's boyfriend. The offender found his hand holding the mobile phone pinned to the floor amid the sound of crunching bones. Possibly the best - and instant - cure to the problem!

 

 

 

[Mike Bellamy]

A little late catching up with the builders plate for the boat but a cheaper option would be to make a rubber mould and then cast in resin.

.

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers, folks. Bit cloudy but warm today and we shall be off for FiL's birthday barbecue in a while.

 

Feeling a bit battered because I managed a massive faceplant late this afternoon. When we got the new table we had to take out the old one, the idea being that it would become a workbench in one of the outbuildings. I had to dismantle it to get it out and then remantle it in the garden. Then carry it in to the outbuilding. In the meantime Mrs A had been doing some woodwork in the out-b on a workmate, right where I wanted to put my bloody heavy table. She had also left out the power cable which had got caught under the door... Then she went for a siesta.

So to put the table in I had to move the workmate which had a bench sanding station on it (about 10kg worth). I picked it up and started towards an old patio table we use to dump stuff on. The floor is cobbles, and some are missing - guess what? Straight forward, with the sanding machine in my hands. Hit the mower (it's a big b*gger) then headfirst into the table, which fortunately disintegrated into nasty sharp shards and absorbed a lot of energy. And when I fall over there's a lot of kinetic energy... I landed on the sander, which had my hands under it.

Gashed a finger or two, and my thigh (I was wearing shorts) and done damage to both hands, face and shoulder. Not nice.

Got me out of cooking dinner, so I had a French Kebab Sandwich. Which was interesting. And the day started so well...

 

 

Gee, that sure sounds nasty. Hope you're feeling a bit better yet… 

 

 

 

As for what was so exciting yesterday:

 

 

 

I finally got instruction on our newest rides. And very nice to drive the NGT10 is indeed. Much power at 680 kW (same as the NGT12 but with about five tonnes less weight), handles run-down track and poor adhesion very well, and emergency stopping performance is even better than on the NGT12. When I pulled one for practice, out of 50 kph, we were stopped within roughly half the unit's length on a slight downhill gradient - my estimate thus being of about 19 to 20 metres of stopping distance.

 

I'll see to posting a bit of a report on my blog here, time permitting.

 

Have a good'un…

[Simon G]

Like Smiffy, I have been trying to rival GDB today. While eating a pear for lunch, I became aware that I was bleeding around the top lip. The only possible cause of the cut was a sharp bit of the pear core!

 

Had a great day yesterday. It was a reunion for chemists who graduated from Brunel Uni in 1976. We had the reunion at the Didcot Railway Centre, and had a prairie, number 4144, with an auto coach for our exclusive use for the day. We all got turns in driving it up the 3/4 mile of track. It was great to see a number of people for the first time in 42 years, although I had seen others more recently. From there we went to Oxford, had a couple of beers in a pub, then a good meal. I finally got back to my mothers house at 23.45, rather tired, but very happy.

[Ian Abel]

Smiffy - looks like I missed where we'd started a relay race and you'd taken up the batton from GDB!!!     Condolences, hopefully not too painful and you can help the recovery with some appropriate vino!

 

Right - chuckinitdarnhere, thunderstorms to boot - off to get the rental truck in 40 minutes, then on to the boat store, get that pedal boat and a further stop at Home Depot for the bathroom vanity we are going to install next weekend. Seemed sensible that since I've got to rent a 16' truck (all they had available!!)I may as well pick up the vanity as there'll be PLENTY of extra space!

 

Weekend at the cabin for 90% relaxation purposes, with Jemma and Whitney coming with us today, the rest of the crew coming up tomorrow for a "full" Fathers Day

 

Enjoy the weekend y'all... happy Fathers Day to all

Edited June 16, 2018 by Ian Abel

[TheQ]

Afternoon awl,

 

The entrance way to the muddling shed has been rebuilt, version 2 hopefully will last longer. While sitting on the roof I heard the dulcet tones of some Merlin engines. Sadly I didn't see what they were attached to.. it's the Great Yarmouth air show today and

tomorrow.

 

While I was up there, SWMBO was using her 100 + year old singer to sew up a sock to protect Ben the Border Collies dew claw, as he's caught it on something and drawn blood. He yelped again, while beating up his football before getting his sock fitted.

Soon after he settled down and went to sleep while supervising me.

 

I'm now resting my back and knees, which are complaining from repeated trips up the step ladder, no direct injuries to me occured.

 

Time i think for eyelid inspection.

[Barry O]

Thunder, lightning and a torrential downpour endedmy game early. Pah!

Baz

[Horsetan]

Success: I have found the instructions for the SEF USA tank and the Bradwell WD. They were in the shed all the time....

[AndyID]

Success: I have found the instructions for the SEF USA tank and the Bradwell WD. They were in the shed all the time....

Which is more than can be said for the check I sent the US soc sec 18 months ago. In response to my letter a nice lady called yesterday. She said she'd looked everywhere but it's nowhere to be found.

[Horsetan]

I wonder how they got on at JezFest today....

[JohnDMJ]

On a general note (rant?), I abhor Fathers' day and Mothers' day. There are no Daughters' days but there are 52 Son days every year, which go without mention.

 

As I am now technically an orphan, I choose to remember my parents when the mood takes me.

 

Around about 25 December, there may have been an exchange of presents, but for the last 11 years of my life, I have seen no point in giving myself a present; I can do that any time of the year!

 

Just  getting it off my chest, as the saying goes.

[NGT6 1315]

ENVY!

 

Is that Heiterblick? Didn't know it has a service, which line is that on the "Halteschild"?

 

 

I think you might indeed like driving these units, Vincent. Being a new design not even related to the Solaris Tramino units in Brunswick and Jena, a lot of tweaking, fixing and optimisation is, of course, still in progress. However, the instructors present yesterday assured me that the software now running on 1001 is a major improvement with regards to operational stability. As the training department is actively involved in providing information and findings for the NGT10 project, also taking note of feedback from drivers being instructed, training turns essentially double as test and evaluation sessions. Furthermore, newly delivered NGT10s are generally relegated to at least several hundred kilometres in training service for helping in wringing out bugs.

 

That being said, 1001 is likely to remain the primary training unit for this type for the foreseeable future.

 

What I found interesting while actively driving 1001 is this: The driving controls, provided by Cegelec, actually work with closely stepped virtual power and braking force notches. I hadn’t noticed this while riding NGT10s as a passenger, but once I was told about this detail and was the one in control, I did notice the very gentle power stepping. However, a plurality of drivers already rated on these units have explicitly lauded the control and drivetrain design, so the engineers responsible for these components seem to have done their job well!

 

Edited to add, the two photos were taken in Schkeuditz and at Deutscher Platz, outside the old Exhibition Centre.

Edited June 16, 2018 by NGT6 1315

[jamie92208]

Meanwhile, on the subject of homicidal maniacs in la France profonde...

 

image.jpeg

In our new part of the world but about 90 miles away. Fortunately we are not landlords.

 

Jamie

[AndyID]

In our new part of the world but about 90 miles away. Fortunately we are not landlords.Jamie

Technically you could be until you get that lady's stuff out of your shed. Hope she's not a gun owner.

[Horsetan]

In our new part of the world but about 90 miles away. Fortunately we are not landlords trying to impose a British ex-pat view of what French countryside should look like .

EFA. #chocolatebox

[jamie92208]

Evening all from the Charente Maritime (The above mentioned incident was in Charente).

 

First of all thanks to so many of you for all the good wishes, it is much appreciated.

 

The journey down went very well indeed. A good and calm crossing followed by and easy drive. We got here just after 2pm to find that friends had decorated the gates and the approach to the house with balloons and bunting. Another neighbour had left us a nice window box full of flowers and a card. The car was unloaded by 3pm and then after a coffee I took the trailer into the shed and did the necessary manoeuvring. I've managed to unload half the trailer and have ensured that access is available to the two location where the silly lady's stuff is stored. We then had a glass of wine with some neighbours and a nice tea cooked by Beth. After tea we picked 5 lbs of lovely dark cherries from one of the trees and are now relaxing.

 

The lady and the hired removal van and crew are due to arrive at 08.00. I am intrigued as to how she is going to dispose of all the rubbish that she doesn't wish to send back to England as the tip is shut and she has no trailer. It could be interesting as my trailer is still loaded and not available. If she wants to leave a lot of rubbish it will cost her. The up side of all this is that at least it will hopefully all be over by tomorrow evening.

 

 

Smiffy and Simon, I fear that the Clumsy club is going to have to be revived. I hope that you all recover.

 

 

Good night all.

 

 

Jamie

Edited June 16, 2018 by jamie92208