andyram

Morning all. I hope you are well. It's been quite a while since I posted on these, or any other RMWeb pages. In response to @Barry O's comments from the September, there is nothing from this site that is stopping me posting - sometimes life just gets in the way. Over the last few weeks life has been very busy. Online shop sales have gone through the roof and I have been busy keeping on top of sending out orders etc. Then there has been a busy period with the college. My boss was away for two weeks and I was the one who was entrusted with the role of covering for her. Work has therefore dominated my time and I have simply not found a moment to log into RMWeb. I had been most looking forward to this week. My wife and daughter are away in Florida for a fortnight with the in-laws. I had booked time off to allow me to have some rest and quiet time whilst caring for the animals. I had planned trips to Whitby and the NYMR, a working stint on the GCR, and a few nights in the pub with my best mate. There was also the possibility of a chance of catching with another close friend who has had some tough times recently. Now, you know that phrase....the best laid plans...... Clearly fate, the universe, the well known law of s*d, or other powers that be decided that this was a good time to hit me with Covid! The result - several days in bed including having to pull out of the Wirksworth Show last weekend. Although I am now negative, I still lacking in energy and so I had to cancel yesterday's working stint on the GC. There is also no opportunity to visit Whitby or the NYMR before the girls return towards the end of next week. In addition, one of the cats has developed a stomach upset so much of my time is spent cleaning up after her. It is noting serious, just a case of having pinched the wrong food from one of the others. However, I have to admit I am feeling rather fed up with things right now. Best wishes Andy

Evening all. I hope today finds you well. Sadly, the holiday is drawing to a close. Most of our stuff is packed up ready to depart in the morning. It will be an early start, because I hope to make it home in time to attend Derby County's first home game of the season and a new era under new ownership. Things may be tight and I will be hoping for a clear run. Today has been another nice day. We visited Norfolk Lavender this morning. Amber enjoyed the small farm, and I picked up some more plants for the garden as well as some gifts for my mum's birthday. I also bought a small gift for a female friend of mine who has been struggling with the effects of Long Covid. The afternoon included a run over to the real ale shop in Wells and then some time back in Hunstanton with an evening meal in the Golden Lion Hotel. Amber and I enjoyed a last stint on the beach, but the spell in the sea was cut short by the strong current. Good news. Mum and Dad have both tested negative! Take care all. Andy

Evening all. Generic good wishes to you all. RIP Bernard Cribbins. I sit here looking out on the sunset over the wash with a pint of local stout in hand. It is tranquil moment at the end of a hectic day. We returned to Sheringham this morning and I finally managed to get a trip on the North Norfolk Railway. The fire risk still meant diesel haulage, but I was not too disheartened by the green liveried Class 37. Prior to the trip we revisited some of the shops. Amber was on a mission to purchase more ear-rings even though she cannot change her current studs for six weeks. I managed to pick up a few pieces from one of the antique shops which should bring a small profit back in Matlock Bath. Things started to go wrong back at the station. I had wrongly assumed that we could pick up some take away food from the station buffet at Sheringham. Not so! This set Sarah off in a bad mood, not helped by the screaming children forming part of two other families who were in our open carriage. It did not make for a restful trip up to Holt. At least we managed to get some sandwiches and take away coffees there and found a compartment for some peace - only for Sarah to complain it had no table! You really cannot win with her sometimes!! On return to Sheringham we visited the arcades and were dragged around the shops by Amber once more. I did pay a visit to the beer shop and it is one of their ales I am enjoying this evening. I had hoped to get back to the station in time for the 3.45pm train, but Amber's additional shopping put paid to that. Things did start to get a little fraught at that point. I think Sarah and I had both seen enough ear-ring and toy shops! The drive back to Hunstanton did not help. The coast road is not the best, with narrow sections through Cley and Stiffkey. Not places to meet buses or beer lorries and we found both! There were also cyclists aplenty so things took much longer than expected. Sarah opted for a sea-front pub for our evening meal as a change from the one in the old village. The food was nice enough, although I have had better and the place was very noisy. The food was certainly better, however, than the complaining older couple on the next table considered it to. I am sure they only moaned so much to bag the free bottle of wine! Tomorrow is the last day. We are off to the lavender place tomorrow and then will definitely make the real ale place in Wells. Take care. Andy

Evening all. I am sat in the apartment with the lights from a couple of anchored boats shimmering in the distance on the wash. Today, it was Sarah's turn to feel a little under the weather this morning, although that may have been a result of the hot curry she consumed last night. As a result, she had a quiet morning in the apartment and Amber and I headed off down to the beach. An enjoyable hour or so was spent in the sea before we strolled back along the beach investigating the rock pools. Sarah felt better when we returned so we walked into town for lunch, then took part in a round on the pirate golf before returning to the arcades. Whilst in the town I ran into a group of parents from my old primary school. They were on a week long trip to Norfolk with the scout group, containing many of my ex-pupils. Sadly the pupils were off exploring the town on their own and I did not see any of them. It was nice to catch up with the parents though. The irony is, their trip last year was to Whitby - the same week we were there, and they happened to be on the beach just a few yards from us on one particular day. The co-incidences! The day drifted by in a relaxed manner and so there was no time to head to Wells or the real ale shop. The latter is a possible for tomorrow but, if not, will definitely be visited on Friday. Sadly, I report that my parents are both still testing positive so the shop remains closed. Fortunately, they do not appear to be seriously ill and the symptoms are a similar to a heavy flu. I think both of them are feeling very fed up right now. I hope, for their sake, that they will be better soon. I have noted the recent conversations about trash tv and multi-channels etc. At home we have Sky, but there are many nights when we find there is simply nothing to watch. Reality shows no longer hold our attention so we have not been seduced by the likes of Love Island. As for Naked Attraction, I shudder to think how anybody could find that a watchable program - and no I have not seen it (beyond a few clips during an episode of Gogglebox). And, no, we do not particularly enjoy Gogglebox either! Current choices tend to be repeats of programs such as Bangers and Cash, Death in Paradise or old favourites such as Only Fools and Horses. The only new programs I have recently watched each week are The Apprentice, the program about Vectis Auctions called Scouting for Toys and the Hotel Inspector. We have now been away on holiday for 5 nights and the tv has never been on. I have used the laptop to keep on top of online orders and have briefly dived into RMWeb, but both of us have spent the evenings reading. There is no desire to have the tv on. On that note I wish you all well. Andy

Morning all. A quick check in this morning. Shortly after I wrote last night's post Amber woke up feeling sick. She was not sick thankfully. I think she got too hot in her room having wrapped herself up in her duvet. That, along with tiredness from some late nights and the adrenaline spent over the ear piercing, was probably the cause. She finally settled down on the lower bunk in her room with a sick bowl to hand and me squeezing into the top bunk and we were both out like a light! This morning, feeling suitably refreshed, I walked into the old village to collect some croissants for for breakfast. The bakery used to be our daily haunt when we stayed in the old village a few years ago. This year, being further away, it was my first visit. However, the products were as delicious as ever. With Amber feeling tired, but better, we are having a lazy morning before heading to the beach and the crazy golf. We plan to visit the real ale shop in Wells and then Wells itself in the afternoon. There is the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway which may provide a steam fix, but time will tell.

Evening all. Many thanks for the congratulations. Like I said last night, much of the dozen years have been good, but we have battled through some rocky and difficult spells in the last couple of years. Today we headed off to Cromer, visiting the Amazona Zoo in the morning. It is always a favourite when we are in this part of the world. Nice to see that they still have the big cats with a new male Jaguar occupying the enclosure that was vacated by the deceased elderly females of the same species. The jaguar really is a fine looking creature. In the afternoon we drove down into the town and I did have a visit to Buoys Toys - always good to check out other model shops. Amber went off to have her ears pierced. This was attempt number three after a couple of failed attempts. Sarah had decided to have them done when she was six, much against my wishes. The process had really hurt Amber and she had taken the studs out and allowed the holes to heal up. Now, much older, it was her own choice but the memories of the earlier pain lingered and she had not been able to go through with it. This time she managed to have them done and was very happy with the result. Afternoon refreshment was taken in the bar on the pier and we were back in our favourite pub tonight for an evening meal once we arrived back in Hunstanton. Meanwhile, on the subject of railways, it appears that there is conflicting information on the Bure Valley. Their Facebook page, three days ago, suggested daily steam services and the timetable leaftlet indicates hourly steam hauled departures from both ends of the line. I have checked their website and it is showing a special timetable with just three non-stop diesel hauled trains each day. It appears that they have also succumbed to the fire risk. Take care all. Andy

Is this the new project you have been teasing us with? Are you setting up a thread? Looking forward to seeing another masterpiece develop.

Evening all. Thanks for the steam railway suggestions. There was a change of plan today. We had misread the Bure Valley timetable and the more frequent service runs Tuesday - Thursday. As a result we headed off to Sheringham, overtaking the Class 24 as we drove alongside the golf course. I would have taken a trip up the line, but Amber decided she did not fancy a diesel hauled trip so I had to be content with a wander around the gift shop. Since today is Sarah and my 12th wedding anniversary, I was not going to rock the boat by insisting on a trip. The dozen years have been generally been great, but have been more than slightly rocking in the last 18 months. The day in Sheringham was spent around the shops and arcades en-route to the seafront. Sadly the model shop was shut which was another set back. In addition to this mum and dad are still testing positive so the shop closure extends into tomorrow and is likely to stretch to at least Thursday. It cannot be helped, but it is frustrating and not what the business needs. Tonight we changed location for evening meal and headed to the Golden Lion on the green for a meal in their restaurant. It was very nice. The only drawback was the choice of bitters. When the waitress stated the only option was "Tetley", I did stop myself from saying "is that all" in view of the selection at our previous establishment. The walk back paused by one of the play areas for Amber's benefit. This is her, silhouetted against the setting sun. Take care Andy

Evening all. A quick check in whilst the laptop is on dealing with some online orders for the shop. I hope today finds you well. It has been a warm one here in Hunstanton. A lie in was followed by a walk into the town via the crazy golf course. I rather wish we hadn't bothered. The third hole was a beast and I took an embarrassing 13 shots, a dreadfully embarrassing display that was compounded by Amber's subsequent hole in one on the same obstacle! Our daughter was on fire and was delighted to emerge a clear winner. Somehow I avoided finishing last as Sarah, despite two hole in ones, also found a hole that caused major issues and managed a 15! Needless to say our ten year old would not let us forget it for the rest of the day. The rest of the day was spent shopping, on the arcades and visiting the Sealife Centre until the heat had us heading back to the apartment early afternoon before an evening stroll to the same pub for a meal. A refreshing pint of Ghost Ship chosen on this occasion. The hot weather has resulted in the North Norfolk Railway confirming that they will be running diesels for the rest of the week. As a result the Bure Valley, tomorrow's likely destination, will be my only steam fix of the holiday. Take care Andy

Evening all. This a quick check in before I head off to bed.it has been a long day. We were up at 6am and away by 7.30, arriving in Hunstanton some three hours later after a relatively clear run. Breakfast was consumed after we had found an establishment which catered for Sarah’s vegan needs. The day has been spent around the town, ending with a meal in a pub in the old village. This was well stocked with a range of Adnams Ales including Broadside so I was more than happy. I spoke to mum and dad today. They are still not well, but symptoms seem no more serious than a heavy cold. That is promising news. Sleep well. Andy

Evening all, a quick check in before I try and grab some sleep. It has been a hectic day in the shop, college and then at home. Finally, the 3 cats, 2 gerbils, 1 hamster, 6 rats and 5 mice have been moved to the in-laws to be cared for during our week away. I had suggested I take some over earlier in the week, but that was dismissed. This almost back fired and we struggled to fit all carriers, cages, food and adults in the two vehicles. Stress levels were high but were calmed on arrival with a fish and chip tea and a pint of Old Peculiar. Cases are now packed and we plan for an early start tomorrow with the aim of reaching Norfolk for breakfast. Knowing how disorganised things are I would suggest the phrase should Norfolk Enchance! As for my parents. I dropped our spare house keys off this evening along with some essentials such as bread and milk which they were running low on. This was all done socially distanced of course. They do look ok, and although the feel rough they did suggest they were feeling a bit brighter than yesterday. They just need to take it easy. They are still aiming to be back at the shop by Tuesday. I think that is ambitious and think Thursday is more likely. The most important thing is that they are ok. Take care all. Andy

Evening all and generic best wishes. Thanks to those for the good wishes and comments. Today has been a mixed day, bit I suppose that is a step forward from yesterday. Mum and Dad are still feeling rough and are taking things easy. At present we still plan to go through with the holiday and keep the shop closed for a few days. I have composed a note for the door and will update the website and social media channels shortly. With that in mind, I had hoped that there would be a flood of sales today. Sadly not. The weather may be cooler, but this time it was the rain that kept people away and takings today were even poorer than on the Tuesday of the excessive heat. There were some positives though. This morning brought my online appraisal meeting with the manager from the college. It also brought the offer of a small promotion. It is nice to have been recognised for a more senior post. The job is proving enjoyable and it is great that I can do it whilst in the shop. Night all. Andy

Evening all. I hope you have survived the heat. I have not had chance to catch up on the last couple of days of posts so offer generic good wishes. Today has been one to forget. It begin bang on midnight, just as was trying to settle down to sleep, when the phone rang bringing an intruder alarm alert from the shop. A rather speedy drive up to Matlock Bath found the shop secure and the perpetrator to be a rather large moth! A slower drive back, with car windows open, was refreshing before rolling into bed shortly after 1.30am. Wednesday may be a shop closed day, but I had agreed to complete a TTI turn on the Great Central. The hot weather meant a diesel only service and I arrived in plenty of time for the 10.15am departure. Three return trips behind D123 beckoned. Sadly not. Just five minutes before departure the train was cancelled and the loco taken off the train to run down to Quorn and rescue the Class 25 which had failed on the 9.25am departure. This took some time so I had a lengthy spell sat on the platform at Loughborough before my next train, the timetabled 12.00, departed half an hour late and was operated by the DMU. The run to Leicester was undertaken with no passengers. A rapid return trip saw us ready to depart on time for our 2pm run. But a late running dining train, hauled by the Class 37, left us stood at Rothley for half an hour so we were back to being late for the rest of the day. If those events were frustrating, I have heard tonight that my Dad has tested positive for Covid. That is a worry in itself, but also comes just two days before he was due to cover for me in the shop whilst we went away on holiday. Decision now is lose the holiday or close the shop. Of course Dad’s health is more important so I have everything crossed that he will have a mild case. It really has been one of those days. Stay safe. Andy

Evening all. Today has been quite a busy one. I was out early this morning to beat the heat and take some shop orders to the Post Office. This was followed by an emergency trip to the supermarket for cat food before a drive over to the bank to pay some takings in. On the way home the car gauge display was showing 27 degrees and this was only 10am. The rest of the day was spent indoors on college stuff. There are quite a few jobs to tie up before the weekend so I was chained to the laptop for much of the remainder of the day. Amber’s school was open as normal but she opted out of her after school sports activity. Very wise. The short walk over to meet her was more than enough for me. The school have opted to close at lunch time tomorrow. Tomorrow it is back to the shop for me. I am not expecting many customers. In fact I will surprised if the footfall hits double figures. However, I have a delivery of a new card machine which I will need before the weekend. That makes the trip a necessity and the shop will be nice and cool so I can crack on with some more college jobs in comfort. I may break up the day running some more train on the shop layout. I would post pics but these things are frowned upon here. If interested check out my Skaleby West thread. Stay safe, stay cool as you can and drink plenty. We will soon be out the other side for now at least. Andy

Whilst the rising temperatures has resulted in many preserved railways deciding to cancel trains or substitute diesel for steam, the Skaleby Branch preservation group have pressed ahead with the summer service trains (of course there is less of a heat issue in the shop). The weekend saw the first passenger trains for over two years with celebrity WD Jinty 7611 in charge of the first train. The stationmaster was pleased to see a "proper" engine after the recent procession of diesel traction (I did hear him mutter something about lawn mowers at one point!). Unfortunately his pleasure did not last long and the Jinty failed upon arrival at Skaleby West on the first train. The steam enthusiasts will have been relieved that a second engine had been lit up in the morning for test running and this was dispatched up the line to rescue the train. Not the stationmaster though! Sid is a firm Midland man, and so the sight of the GWR Large Prairie was only just preferable to a Class 20. In reality, the layout was back in use with some passenger trains running in the shop on Sunday. The Jinty did run inconsistently so the GWR tank engine stepped in whilst being photographed for further social media promotion. Since it is one of the current sale items, it is nice to know that it runs faultlessly!

Evening one and all. I hope you are well and surviving the increasing heat. It is on days like today that I welcome being in the shop. It’s location, down an alleyway and so close to the cliff face, gives natural air conditioning and it is very comfortable on days like this. It is for this reason why I plan to honour my Tuesday opening even if customers are unlikely as the mercury is set to touch 40 degrees. This weekend it has been nice to catch up with a couple of RMWeb members via the shop. One visited yesterday and another contacted me over the phone. I have been away from these pages for a few days. The college work has kept me busy as has the shop. The black dog has also revisited for a spell, although some ongoing friendship issues may be to blame for that. I am hoping that these have settled down a little today. Stay safe, drink plenty of water and do what you can to keep cool. Andy

I try my best.

All wrapped and ready to send tomorrow. Will be dispatched first class.

I have a feeling that Sid is not going to be a happy man. Still no sign of steam as the newly painted Class 47 pauses in the platform after a light engine test run up the line. In reality this a promotional photo for the shop's social media channels to highlight some special offers.

Enjoyed the video Andy. It has helped me while away a quiet ten minutes or so in the shop this afternoon. Sorry to see Budoc Bridge on the move, but I am sure that you have got another interesting project lined up and will follow that new one with interest.

More great progress on the layout. I have finally caught up on video 5 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to further updates.

Evening all and further many happy returns to @petethemole and @AndrewC. Another busy day and tiredness is setting in. A friend of mine has been struggling with Long Covid this week and had gone worryingly quiet for a couple of days. Thankfully just heard from them so that is a relief. Night all. Andy

Yes a shame, but I think he had become too invested in the proposed Kitchener takeover. It seems like he was taken for a ride in the same way the administrators were.

What a difference a few days make. In less than a week my club have been taken over, released reduced priced season tickets, and brought in several new players. They are promising signings too with Hourihane, Chester, McGoldrick and Barkhuisen all more than capable of being picked up by Championship clubs. Bringing in that quality of player, despite the financial restrictions imposed by the EFL as part of the exit from administration, shows the pulling power Derby County still possess. I take no pleasure at all that McGoldrick turned down Steve Gibson’s lucrative offer to join Middlesbrough in favour of a cut price deal at Pride Park, citing the Derby fans as the reason. Ok, I lied, I take a lot of pleasure from that . Karma Mr Gibson.

Evening all and many happy returns to @PhilJ W. Welcome back to @polybear and I hope the black beast is firmly locked away. Not a lot to report today so I will bid you all a good night. Andy