Early Risers.

[Kingzance]

4 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

 

I learnt a long time ago to make sure my handwriting was almost indecipherable which means that that is one task that I'm expressly forbidden to do. 

As mentioned earlier, I did Technical Drawing for a couple of years until it wasn't offered by the school where I went when Dad's job caused our relocation. I enjoyed the subject and still do although today I use a package from AutoCAD rather than the formal board and tee square of an earlier period. I still tend to print addresses on envelopes rather than use "joined-up letters" as I believe post from us is more likely to arrive with my input and that is certainly more likely than it would with the medical hieroglyphics created by SWMBO (who is without any medical training whatsoever).

[bbishop]

Just done my bit for democracy.  When I moved into this corner of South East London, my MP was Colin Moynihan, junior minister under the milk snatcher.  It's now rock solid Labour.  Even my ward, with houses averaging north of £400k, elects Labour councillors.  Strange world we live in.

 

Bill

 

 

[Oldddudders]

Oh dear - just when it was all going rather well. My Eurostar, having been 17 late from Paris, managed to be no later at St Pancreas, thus giving me plenty of time to get to Padlington for the 14.03 to Newton Abbot. I boarded, and having yielded to a lady whose reservation I was sitting in - the little lights were on strike - I sat opposite. I was a bit surprised when I heard the diesel engines start up, but I don’t really know what makes a bi-mode tick, so ok. Then we were told there was a fault on the train, and a fitter had been called. An option was to nip round and catch the 114.15 to Bristol, and hope to pick up some XC service from there. But then came the good news that the train was now ok - hooray! Except, within seconds - a fatality at Maidenhead, nothing leaving Padlington for the foreseeable future. OK, sit tight and wait - not GWR’s fault, obviously. But then we were ordered off the train, to go and stand on a packed freezing concourse. Deal, eh? So now I’m on the 15.20 Waterloo to Salisbury. No doubt there will be train onwards, probably in an hour, to Exeter. There is a buffet to sit in. Anything is better than being in a crush on the poxy freezing Lawn. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

18 hours ago, Simon G said:

 

 

The next level?  A 5 pound lump hammer?

Ah, the Tipton Screwdriver.

[jamie92208]

2 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Ah, the Tipton Screwdriver.

Or a Manchester spanner.

 

Jamie

[TheSignalEngineer]

50 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

So now I’m on the 15.20 Waterloo to Salisbury. No doubt there will be train onwards, probably in an hour, to Exeter. There is a buffet to sit in. Anything is better than being in a crush on the poxy freezing Lawn. 

I hear the old railwayman coming to the surface. In case of disruption get on any train going closer to home. 

[Oldddudders]

5 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

I hear the old railwayman coming to the surface. In case of disruption get on any train going closer to home. 

Nicest thing anyone has said all day!

[Oldddudders]

In fact it appears I may have connections from Salisbury that get me to Torquay at 20.24, only about three hours late, but without the embarrassment of occupying a seat on what will undoubtedly be a very overcrowded IEP. I can then catch a no 12 bus into the town centre, have a pint in Yates’s, and await rescue by Sherry, who should be off-stage soon after 2100. Honestly, worse things happen at sea, it says here.....

[Ian Abel]

BIN day

BIN there, done that. <groan>

 

Yesterday evening get together with long time friends went very well, great chance to catch up.

Tonight, same venue (a popular, convenient and excellent watering hole!) for the pre-choir rehearsal happy hour, then on to rehearsal. Since I'm back out to Long Island on Sunday, I'll miss next week and the last rehearsal before our Christmas services, not that it matters, at "such times" all the music is stuff that's been sung for years - potentially ONE new piece is thrown in, but nothing a happy choir can't handle

 

Waiting with baited breath to hear what sort of cock-up outcome there is from the election

 

A balmy -11 fetching the newspaper this morning, light snow falling, expecting "a dusting to 2 inches" and a high of -6

 

Tally ho.

[tigerburnie]

Evening, well it stayed dry and after dropping SWMBO off in town I went and sat and froze in a hide for a few hours with my camera, the clouds thickened and what bit of light vanished and that was the cue for a rather secretive Water Rail to appear, poor shot really, but the best I could manage under the circumstances.

 

[TheQ]

Evening awl, 

A parcel. Was placed on my desk at work, I'm amazed I thought they given up on them, the Christmas basket,  it has however got smaller,  for instance, it used to contain two 75cl bottles, of wine,  now one 18.5 cl bottle..

 

Just before I left, my back decided it wasn't going to play, and is now extremely painful . i therefore went home just stopping  to pass my remark on which self opinionated idiot is the least likely to cause damage,  sadly the monster raving loony party didn't stand,  Just four choices.. 

 

I'm now lying on the sofa,  straightening my back,  the 18.5 cl won't last much longer.. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

19 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

it appears I may have connections from Salisbury that get me to Torquay at 20.24, only about three hours late

Reminds me of a few epic trips when the children were young and used to set off with me to explore the country. After doing the Central Wales we got off a Swansea - Paddington HST at Bristol Parkway only to find our connection to Birmingham had failed and no train for 90 minutes at least. Jumped back on to Paddington and across to Euston arriving at New Street well before any train from Bristol.  Another day we were going to do Parkeston Quay to Peterborough then connections to Leicester and Birmingham. Incoming train so late we would have been stranded somewhere so got home via Liverpool Street. Riding one of the last ECML Deltics we got stuck at Edinburgh so did the Forth and Tay bridges out behind the driver on a 101, refreshments at Dundee then back with a McRat to catch the old sleeper home. Mrs SE a bit peeved when we got back at 8am on Sunday morning. Happy days.

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

Cor what a lot to catch up, serves me right for going to a pub yesterday.  Our Christmas luncheon wasn't too bad albeit rather interestingly composed as the 'seasonal' choice was either roast turkey or roast beff (I had the latter) but the accompaniments were the same with either meat.  While this no doubt makes for efficiency in the kitchen it creates interesting mixtures for those on the receiving end as they get a plate of roast turkey that comes with Yorkshire Pudding or roast beef with sage & onion stuffing, plus the Yorkshire Pud of course.  The sprouts were rather variable one being delicious and the other being somewhat like a cannonball and completely uncuttable with anything short of a chainsaw, oddly the same thing happened at Portsmouth last week so it must be something in the genetic make-up of pub kitchens.  All the other veg was fine as was my paté starter.

 

Despite one death we were at the same number as last year but I fear that will shrink next year as one is 88 and lost g his wfe some months back although his daughters look after him very well so he might keep going.  Another had clearly arrived at some state of dementia with an even stranger memory of what he had or hadn't ordered than the rest of us and a very obvious to now talk completely irrelevant rubbish at precisely the wrong moment instead of talking relevant rubbish at the right moment - very sad and I doubt he'll be fit enough to attend next year.  On a different noter the pub car oark gave a good view of various aircraft parked at what is now known as 'Cotswold Airport'. (previously RAF Kemble).

 

Trains to & fro ran punctually with one exception and the IETs were quite comfortable - maybe the seats are being worn a bit softer?  Unlike OD we had no problems due to 'an incident' but apparently there had been one somewhere in the Maidenhead - Slough area on Wednesday as well.  the only unpleasant bit was riding for 5 miles in a Crossrail Class 345 which was both extremely hard riding and transmitted just about every jarring movement of the bogies into the bodywork - maybe they'll soften up with wear?  Unfortunately the Driver managed quite a good impression of having a somewhat limited idea of his whereabouts but at least managed to stop in the right place at Reading.

 

Today has been less arduous but much, much wetter.  This morning I visited the Good Count's daughter - the delightful Simone in this instance - to make my latest offering for the INR clinic while this evening I shall return for an anti-arthur-itis injection in the knee that missed out last time.  The weather has been such that I have not yet got round to a visit to the Polling Station to spoil my ballot paper but I might possibly manage that later on in which case I shall even handedly express various levels of disgust against every name/party appearing on the ballot paper.   This will make absolutely no difference to the outcome here but at least, so I understand, they get a chance to be told what has been written about them on spoilt ballot papers if they want to know - real democracy at work.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day everybody.

 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Stocked up when I went to Tess Coes, now I have enough to last me at least until Sunday. I see some of the Christmas carp items you allways wanted for Christmas is being offered at reduced price. Nothing there to interest me as despite the reductions it was still expensive. My preference is to go in shortly before closing on Christmas Eve or on Boxing day to hunt for bargains. I hope Ian gets back to Sherry in good time.

Edited December 12, 2019 by PhilJ W

[Oldddudders]

10 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Stocked up when I went to Tess Coes, now I have enough to last me at least until Sunday. I see some of the Christmas carp items you allways wanted for Christmas is being offered at reduced price. Nothing there to interest me as despite the reductions it was still expensive. My preference is to go in shortly before closing on Christmas Eve or on Boxing day to hunt for bargains. I hope Ian gets back to Sherry in good time.

Currently sitting at Yeovil Junction awaiting single line path. All will be well. 

 

Had I stood like a looby on the Lawn, I would have witnessed the 14.03 and the 15.03 Penzance services being cancelled. The 16.03 left 15 late, but was last heard of 45 late at Heywood Road - presumably with three trainloads of grumpy punters on board. I would not have felt good about being among those people. 

[Oldddudders]

Crewkerne. I have a feeling David Maidment, founder of the Railway Children charity, was SM here many moons ago. 

[Coombe Barton]

Wet voting, Kerry relaxing.

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/12/12/sounds-of-the-season-12-early-o-magnum-mysterium/

[Tony_S]

We have arrived in the north. It rained nearly all the way except for when it was snowing on the higher part of the A66. Snow was settling too as it was 0C. It warmed up a bit as we descended. We may have a quiet day tomorrow, local walk perhaps even if it rains. The wedding we are attending is on Saturday. We are apparently going to the ceremony, a wedding breakfast and the evening reception. Apparently at the “breakfast” we will be seated with Matthew’s friends from Leicester and some bridesmaids. 
Tony

[JohnDMJ]

6 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 He got his comeuppance 2 years later when he assaulted the husband of his mistress rather badly and drew a couple of years of porridge.

 

Jamie

 

Just desserts?

 

6 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

What's a local beat bobby...……………………………………………………………..something I remember from the dim and distant past

 

With some of the yoof of today, it tends to be more the beaten Bobby;(

 

17 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Crewkerne. I have a feeling David Maidment, founder of the Railway Children charity, was SM here many moons ago. 

 

At least you're on the last leg of the journey so might have a bit more flexibility! My journey next Tuesday starts in darkest West Sussex to get to St. Pancras by 08:30ish. I'm more worried about that bit than I am about crossing Paris around lunch time at the moment!

[Barry O]

evening all!

 

had a busy day.. vote cast (and it was busy at 9:30am, parcel posted, Floors washed, parcel from Trackshack unpackedevening meal cooked and eaten and some muddling undertaken.

Now watching the Gooners play like 11 complete strangers who are paid far too much money for the skill levels they are achieving.

 

Now for a drink,back later

 

Baz

[polybear]

9 hours ago, BSW01 said:

Funnily enough, ever since then, we’ve had no canvassers from any of the political parties ringing our doorbell! Every cloud and all that!

 

Some years ago my Uncle had one knock on his door (Liberals?) - one of their policies at the time was getting people to transfer over to public transport.

He engaged them in conversation, acting interested etc. etc.  Then the conversation went something likes this:

Uncle:  "So whereabouts do you live?"

Canvasser:  " Er, Findon"

Uncle:  "So that'll be the Number 57 bus then?"

Canvasser:  "Er, I'm not sure"

Uncle:  " So how did you get here today?"

Canvasser:  "By Car"

 

Lamb to the Slaughter......

[Oldddudders]

1 hour ago, JohnDMJ said:

At least you're on the last leg of the journey so might have a bit more flexibility! My journey next Tuesday starts in darkest West Sussex to get to St. Pancras by 08:30ish. I'm more worried about that bit than I am about crossing Paris around lunch time at the moment!

Last leg by train, certainly. I had just time at Exe Central to nip across the road for a pint of Doom Bar in the Angel. I am now on a nice, warm GWR 158 to Torquay. As we came down the celebrated bank to St Davids, there was the 16.03 Padlington - Penzance, finally getting away from St Davids, where it had stood for 12 minutes, now being 66 late. 

 

The Eurostar site currently has a link on its strike details page to the Paris transport page, with a map showing exactly which Metro lines and stations are open. It may help if disruption is still going on. 

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

It can get mighty snowy and blowy on the A66, Tony!  Driven over there in some of the deepest snow I have motored in.   Terrified of getting stuck.

 

No voting for us today of course, we have our own jokers to suffer - but no party politics, just individuals.  Annoying in some ways as we are affected by UK politics, but get no say.  Yet they interfere with ours......ah well, no politics!

 

Steady away at work, a little more in control by this end of the week. 

 

Day orf tomorrow, 'bike' (car cos it will be raining) club for breakfast, then new tyres for my car and tracking (hit a kerb a few weeks ago, avoiding a wrong side of the road loony) as it has scrubbed the old tyres a touch on the inside.  They were OK a few weeks ago, if worn.  Then, who knows - mudelling?  

[brianusa]

Twenty years ago, we were part of the California refugee influx.  At the time there was no such thing as silly money as we were able to cash in our previous home and have our current house mortgage free.  In spite of the Winters, we are still here with our house now worth 'silly money'!

      Brian.

[New Haven Neil]

May I ask why folk leave California?  I would expect the other way around.