big jim

the falling issue is the one thing that crossed my mind too no road or railway at the bottom though

that really made me laugh, didn’t notice it until you pointed it out! puts me in mind of this……

fine by me! as slight aside, today I went to chester to have a look at Pete Waterman’s layout in the cathedral, went on the bike, 23 mile ride, some of it on the canal towpath and I then walked round the city walls for another 4 mile before getting the train home and then coming back out to go to work! Couple for the canal fans bunbury staircase locks beeston forgate clock 158 passing over the roodee viaduct driven under here many times but never been over it! and the ride back, charging the bike up! it was then back to the station to get the train to Birmingham, colas 37s on a test train rolling into platform 1 196s tonight and tomorrow

Quick vid from my trip to chester cathedral earlier lovely looking model and a cracking layout to see it running it on

Thanks for that, I know exactly what you mean about mental strength, last week I didn’t feel like exercise after gethin breaking his arm and the shifts I was on but worked through it and had a run so I didn’t fall into the rutt of ‘maybe tomorrow’ today for example I went to chester to see Pete Waterman’s layout in the cathedral and rather than drive over went on my bike, 23 miles i then planned to meet a friend at the station and had a few hours to kill so I walked the city walls and back to the station, another 3.8 miles As the battery is low on the bike (and I have work later) I’ve come back on the train so will have another 2.5 mile home, get changed, 2.5 mile back to the station and a 4 mile ride to Tyseley! The bike is having a quick charge on the 153 unit back to crewe! already done 61 miles on it this week and broke the 500 mile mark too

I’ve signed up for parkrun but wasn’t home on Saturday to go and do it, same this Saturday unfortunately, there is one not too far from the caravan so I may go to that one while I’m away anyway, had a treat tonight, got myself a pizza and some chicken strips, only had 1/2 of it then went out for a bit of a ride to burn a few calories off but got a bit carried away!

Did a job to East Midlands gateway today where you sit around for 4 hours while the train is loaded so I went for a run around the site, I walked it yesterday to get my steps in too! anyway today was a 4 mile run and I got a personal best time for 5K of 42:43 on top of that I rode to and from basford hall to add 7 mile to the bike riding tally I’m on the 196 testing the next 2 days so that should get me 12 mile a day more on the bike mileage weigh in day tomorrow and feeling pretty confident of a little bit of a loss

Just 2 from today

I’ll get a photo of the path up other side of the hill tomorrow if I get a chance, that’s equally as bonkers!

Some from today, bescot to east mids gateway and back to crewe bescot East Midlands gateway as I had a bit of time to kill I went for a walk along the footpath and bridle way that runs around the perimeter of the site first bit is a bit daunting though! but worth it for the view from the top I then carried on toward castle Donnington and the main terminal in the opposite side of the runway couple of fire tenders doing training by the looks of it And back to the top of the hill, when I first walked up it 6 weeks ago I was knackered and had to have a breather part way up, today I breezed up it (honest!) In the end I walked 4.5 miles, amazing just how far it is around one edge of the airport, tomorrow I’m going to run it as I’ve got my running gear ready to put on as soon as the train comes to a stop! and back into crewe

Back to the site this morning to take one back to bescot, unfortunately they had put it on the wrong line so I had to go 6 mile back toward rugby from Grendon to cross over and head back to the possession exit in nuneaton! 66731 and 66732 66786 at the other end And back on the right line to depart Into bescot East Midlands gateway tomorow and Tuesday then 196s and a couple of ballasts at the weekend coming up

The kitties having a relax in various strange positions!

Just a couple from last night, bescot to Rigby via Northampton to run round bescot And waiting to enter the worksite in rugby back there again in the morning to bring a train back off site to bescot

Joking apart my stepdad went to Liverpool in business back in the late 90s, parked at the liver building and went to his meeting and his fiesta van got stolen and was found on bricks in toxteth having had its alloys nicked!

I can’t see that offer on the website at all? anyone got a link

Some rails around the docks in Liverpool, obviously been restored in places around the Albert dock but the ones further out are a bit less ‘pristine’ but look to be original rails into a former warehouse of something Albert dock, outside the maritime museum

That was last week (when I worked the 196s, a peak forest and Trafford park!) got 12 days off coming up from the 15th of august, I’ll be at the caravan so unless there are jobs out of Carlisle I’ll be enjoying the time off then! As a slight non train aside Had to pop to Liverpool earlier for Dominic to do his theory test (which he passed) so while he was in the test centre I went for a walk, ended up walking about 5 miles around Liverpool and down the docks where the Disney magic cruise ship was docked The Beatles experience Mersey ferry passed by Liver building Oasis A Liverpool pilot boat in the dry dock and a schooner Back in later bescot to rugby via a run round in Northampton (which I don’t sign so I’m being conducted from rugby)

Some from last night pride 66 in Bescot then my locos to Mountsorrel, 66786 and a dead 66779 and as it was dead I had to run round in Leicester station to head back to Mountsorrel then after picking up the train it was away to Loughborough where I got off and the other driver took it on to Bradbury possession in rugby later tonight

Gethin is home now, but emotional until he saw his big brother who gave him a big hug! a day late with the weigh in and despite a mini blow out last night as gethin wanted loads from the take away in silloth I’ve managed to lose 5lb last week so I’m now 18.6 so that’s over 4 Stone lost so far, I think the week of exercise in silloth and the surrounding area certainly made the difference not much exercise in this week other than a couple of commutes, not managed a run or decent walk so far what with what’s gone on with gethin but I’m hoping to get a run in tomorrow evening after I come back from Liverpool with Dominic who’s going for his theory test and before I go to work, next week is looking busy for work too with a coupon of commutes to Tyseley possible and I’ve got a feeling I’ve got an east mids gateway job which means I can do the circular walk around the perimeter, I may well take my running shoes and run it instead!

An unexpected ride this morning, Carlisle station to the hospital after gethin broke his arm last night falling off his bike at the caravan, it’s looking like he’s going to have to have it pinned as it’s a messy break! just waiting to down for surgery as I type

196 last night, 007 on its first trip out supposed to be on it again tonight but had a family emergency so have had to head back to Carlisle as my youngest has broke his arm falling off his bike, got to have surgery this morning to pin it up apparently!

@wombatofludham I was lucky in the charity shops in cumbria at the weekend as I picked up a load of Xl t shirts and shirts and some shorts for a few quid each, some are still a bit of a ‘work in progress’ size but worth putting into stock just need to get me some decent jeans now as they fit like jim royles jeans I’m planning on coming to Llwyngwril on Sunday afternoon/evening to collect my mums old electric bike (and tow ball mount bike rack for the Touareg) for Dominic to use to get to work while we’re away at the caravan the rest of the summer

Got myself a nice little car boot bargain on Sunday for £2, a rear pannier bag to save me lugging round a back pack to work, all my work gear fits in it too! got myself a rack off Amazon for it, it could just mount on the seat post without the side bars but the bag sides open out if I needed and they act as protection to stop the flaps getting caught in the spokes so I thought I’d add them incase I ever use the bag in that way weigh in day tomorrow, feeling pretty confident of a weight loss, the main gauge being in wearing my 44 inch waist work pants that I used to have to lie down to put on and they cut me in half, now I’m struggling to keep them up and my belt doesn’t have enough holes in it to tighten it up properly!

I had an 06 estate with LPG fitted, gave £400 for it, never let me down once in the 9 months I had it travelling back and forth to moor st one if the drivers in work has a couple of the ST220 versions of the hatchback, in blue of course

Couple from this morning, last minute vacancy, crewe to small Heath ballast with 66779 basford hall small heath 196s later this evening