Early Risers.

[5 C]

Morning awl (and fellow lerts) from a blustery Bedfordshire. Yesterday's wind seems set to continue but at least it's bright and sunny, for now.

 

I should have known it was going to be one of those weeks or at least few days, when early on Wednesday I got a "drop everything" message. Loads of big announcements, scramble to create, check, change and recreate content for the following day's virtual Town Hall. I managed to get out for a walk well after 9pm. At least my nearby park is well lit and it was a warm evening.

 

With an early start looming on Thursday I was hoping for a decent night's sleep. After just 3 hours I was woken by some strange noises. Banging, rattling, loud thumps. Armed with a large Maglite I went to investigate but found nothing. Returned to bed and just as I was starting to drift off, the noises started again. This time they were coming from a different part of the house. The pattern continued until daylight by which time I had given up on sleep. The first thing I noticed was the pile of carpet fluff by the kitchen door. Then the chewed lounge door and a pile of insulation and plasterboard debris beneath the hall radiator. Then the droppings...

 

Thanks to the the virtual Town Hall and a protracted debrief, it was lunchtime before I could get in touch with the council. As promised, they called me back at 9am on Friday and an hour later one of the pest control team was at my front door. His assessment is a possible broken drain which has allowed rats to get in to the cavity wall and ceilings and as I suspected, use the microbore heating pipe holes in the plasterboard as their entry and exit points. A CCTV survey of the drains is booked for Tuesday morning and there are poison trays throughout the house. Not a great look but at least no one's visiting right now. Fortunately the survey and hopefully any subsequent repair are covered by a plumbing and drains policy I have. Over the years I've had just cause to berate Luton Borough Council, but on this occasion they've been outstanding.

 

A second muggertea is now required and I will treat myself to a bacon, egg and mushroom sandwich later. I think I've earned it. Then cleaning. Lots of cleaning.

 

Regards to awl.

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

2 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

No chance for me then with 48 Bulleid light pacifics plus many other Southern region locos. 

There's hope for you yet. Those Bulleid contraptions ran on the withered arm and shared western territory with the "Great" appellation. How about an Exeter St. David's layout?

 

I'm an equal* opportunity fan of all things western, be it LSWR, S&DJR or GWR.

 

* Well not exactly "equal" but I do possess a number of Southern items, including some Bulleid light pacifics. I am a fan of the "as built" Merchant Navy locomotives.

[Chris116]

4 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

* Well not exactly "equal" but I do possess a number of Southern items, including some Bulleid light pacifics. I am a fan of the "as built" Merchant Navy locomotives.

Re-built Merchant Navy = Poor man's Britannia

[roundhouse]

3 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

There's hope for you yet. Those Bulleid contraptions ran on the withered arm and shared western territory with the "Great" appellation. How about an Exeter St. David's layout?

 

I'm an equal* opportunity fan of all things western, be it LSWR, S&DJR or GWR.

 

* Well not exactly "equal" but I do possess a number of Southern items, including some Bulleid light pacifics. I am a fan of the "as built" Merchant Navy locomotives.

Exeter Central would be my chosen model but its way to big even in N scale. Before the Victorian warehouse adjoining our boundary was deemolished over ten years ago, I often thought how it would make a superb home for a Withered Arm large layout in OO scale with scale models of all the key stations but using Exmouth station as  'Waterloo'.

[Joseph_Pestell]

11 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

Exeter Central would be my chosen model but its way to big even in N scale. Before the Victorian warehouse adjoining our boundary was deemolished over ten years ago, I often thought how it would make a superb home for a Withered Arm large layout in OO scale with scale models of all the key stations but using Exmouth station as  'Waterloo'.

 

There have been quite a few models of Exeter Central including one N scale one (can't remember which club) that was to scale and included everything. Such a great location to model with splitting/joining trains, restaurant cars to detach, and banking locomotives. Still quite compact by comparison with some of the stations being modelled these days.

[Dave Hunt]

With another windy day in prospect we are planning on staying indoors for much of the time, at least until early evening when the seaweed study group think it will calm down. Later on I will be chairing a Midland Railway Society committee meeting but instead of being in a nice hotel in Derby looking forward to a pleasant lunch and maybe a beer afterwards I'll be in my study in front of a computer screen before making myself a sandwich. Mind you, I may get some modelling time in late afternoon so that's something to look forward to.

 

TTFN

 

DAVE

 

 

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

...The partisan divide on non-political questions like "how quickly do you think the US will recover economically" are dramatic. Pew Research recently conducted a survey on trust in medical scientists and scientists in general. There is a stark partisan divide in the results.

I find data from Pew (who break down demographics in many dimensions, including education, political affiliation, age and religious affiliation) quite fascinating. It is insightful.

 

This makes me think of a quote (I forget from whom or from where) which went along the lines of “Americans are neither cleverer or more stupid than the rest of the world. They are, however, educated into ignorance” A statement, I believe, that has more than a ring of truth to it.

I lived in the US for a while and saw at first hand how open, warm hearted and generous Americans can be. It’s amazing how much Americans put into their communities - volunteering to do things such as helping in hospitals, manning [sorry, personning] fire departments and ambulance services, rescuing animals, making sure - in winter - that the pavements in front of their properties are free of ice and snow, etc. etc. Many of which being things (e.g. [volunteer] fire departments) considered to be - in many places in Europe - something the “state should and must take care of”. But in regards to the world around us (cultural, geographical, political, social) if you go “off-piste” and address topics outside of a fairly limited frame of reference, you can be met with blank looks. Ironically, I probably know more about Richmond VA, than the average American knows about Richmond upon Thames.

If you know where to look, there are some interesting parallels with Imperial Rome!
iD

Edited May 23, 2020 by iL Dottore

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is quite breezy here, some cloud but isn’t raining. Our front lawn is turning brown. We don’t water the grass, it will survive. 
I had a strange delivery last night. I was expecting a parcel,from Amazon (oil for lubricating electric razor cutters) but there was a second parcel too. This was for a can of spray paint I had ordered from eBay that was due next week. It had an Amazon label in an Amazon cardboard pack delivered by Amazon. I hadn’t ordered it from Amazon as it was very expensive there. 
Tony

[Happy Hippo]

6 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 Later on I will be chairing a Midland Railway Society committee meeting but instead of being in a nice hotel in Derby looking forward to a pleasant lunch and maybe a beer afterwards I'll be in my study in front of a computer screen before making myself a sandwich.

At least you can do your meeting in a smoking jacket, a pair of pajama bottoms and  some comfy slippers rather than having to put on your frock coat. and pair of pin striped trousers plus the obligatory stovepipe hat.

 

What is truly horrific is that on top of all that you'll still have to self generate scoff.

[JohnDMJ]

Belated Good Morning!

 

12 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

What's going to happen to retail and tourism?

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2020/05/22/less-summer/

 

I offer this from The Railway Gazette. The Air France check-in for Bruxelles to Paris flights has, for many years, been at Bruxelles Midi station!

[newbryford]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

Golf..a great sport

 

= oxymoron alert...

 

Waste of a good walk some may say...

 

Baz

 

I can only reply with a four letter word beginning with 'f'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORE!

[polybear]

I would've been in the queue for Railex today, having first scoffed a fry-up...... 

 

[Erichill16]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Model?

Or kill zombies on PlayStation !

[Kingzance]

Good morning people,

 

Yesterday for once passed with a modicum of success at KZTowers!
 

Although the UK office for my astral telescope in Bury St Edmunds has steadfastly been concentrating on re-burying St Edmund‘S remains for the last couple of days, one of the largest specialist online retailers was able to provide some very helpful advice which I was able to adopt once SWMBO had been fed, watered and propped in front of the Haunted Fish Tank. After following their guidance, I managed to recalibrate the Telescope’s base and then set it tracking a mythical stellar object. It continued to do this whilst I loaned and delivered various electric sanders to my son-in-law so, once I returned, I stopped the mounting’s tracking progress and pointed it at another virtual star before locking on the tracking mode. I then left it whilst matters of a dietary nature came to the fore.

 

One of my fellow photographers in our village is married to a lady of Indian lineage and she had provided me with a recipe for what she describes as her “cheat’s curry”. Having had the missing items delivered by the Rose of Waits on Thursday and with the telescope Mount happily tracking away, I set about making a curry to her instructions. It turned out to be quite easy and not too time consuming so at around 10:15 I popped it in the oven, poured a large measure of a Speyside malt, glued the Sennheiser cans to my ears and settled down to indulge myself - courtesy of Rick’s albums - in some mighty fine music from a live performance by Pink Floyd. Eventually the curry was cooked - and damned fine it is too Catherine - and the glass was refilled a couple of times whilst Waters / Mason / Wright / Gilmour and others continued to imbue warm notes into my head and soul. Thank you Furtler of Waddlemarsh!

 

And so to today. Our son will be appearing to deliver a couple of bits for his mother’s attention and to collect a protein resupply package from me. As it is only him and because neither he, his mother nor I have any symptoms of WuFlu, we believe we are safe to meet as long as we do so outside and don’t encroach within 2 metres of him. If that isn’t correct I shall plead the Dominic Cummings amendment. Once that visit is through, it will be time for some of the aforementioned curry to be consumed and then be ready for the family Zoom quiz. Last week’s quiz set new standards and so it will be interesting to see how this week’s quiz mistress rises to that challenge.
 

That’s it, stand easy people. I firmly believe I am following the directions of our Leeds Highlander with the above plans and also hope the news from Durham is positive and that suffering people and pets are generally on the mend. Nihil illigitemous carborundum as the Romans wouldn’t have said.

[Simon G]

Just heard on Radio Cumbria:

 

A man calls the local dogs home and says that he may have a dog for them to take.  It is a small one, with one fault, that it barks a lot.  The person at the dogs home says reluctantly that they can take it, if the man can get the dog to the home.  The man replies that it may be a while as his neighbour hasn’t put it out for the day yet.

[Simon G]

Morning all,

 

still very windy here today and likely to stay that way all day.  The horses in the sea are still pretty white.  A little work on the layout has been done, ie making a shelf for the control panel and controllers to sit on and then attaching it to the layout.  This is necessarily rather slow, as I am having to wait for glue to dry and set.

 

Mrs G was not a happy bunny yesterday as she tried to sort out a National Savings and Investment account online, only to get a message saying that she couldn’t do it online.  A one hour phone call followed, with zero success at the end of it, as she waited in a queue for 30 minutes, and was then passed from person to person.  They messed up the password she had set, then while they were supposedly getting close to sorting it, a system failure meant that she couldn’t do it.  They suggested calling back next week!  What really wound her up was that I had just gone online and waltzed easily through the process and got my NS&I account fully sorted out.

[TheQ]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

There's hope for you yet. Those Bulleid contraptions ran on the withered arm and shared western territory with the "Great" appellation. How about an Exeter St. David's layout?

 

I'm an equal* opportunity fan of all things western, be it LSWR, S&DJR or GWR.

 

* Well not exactly "equal" but I do possess a number of Southern items, including some Bulleid light pacifics. I am a fan of the "as built" Merchant Navy locomotives.

Traitor what about the MSWJR, Intruders from Midland, LSWR and GWR regularly, there was even a, loco from GE with its carriages.. 

[tigerburnie]

Morning, wild wet and windy again, so the "G" word maybe of the indoor variety today and maybe some running of things on parallel bits of metal. Talking of which, how can any railway be run without something from that nice Nigel Gresley's stable of things that breathe fire and smoke? ( I am seriously thinking of ways to resurrect a Great Central model that can run locos from pretty much every region, as it did in the late 1950's early 1960's).

[Gwiwer]

Morning all,

 

This weekend I should have been in Hayle, Cornwall, demonstrating weathering at their MRC's two-day exhibition.  At 07.30 I should have collected SWMBO off the overnight sleeper from London she having come from her lectureship at the university of Cambridge.  

 

Cambridge cancelled some time ago.  Hayle has managed to set up a "virtual exhibition" on You Tube (albeit I have magically become "Dave"   in the blurb) which for a small regional club is very creditworthy.  

 

Instead we find ourselves back at the Hill of Strawberries thanks to something too small to see yet doing harm too large to comprehend.  

 

At least we have a bright if blowy morning and as soon as Muggertee No.2 is down the hatch I shall busy myself with some of the G-word.  A good sleep was had and it is now time to get about the business of the day.  

 

For anyone interested - those with awls, excess personal aromatics and large unruly backpacks need not apply  

 

[Happy Hippo]

I've just decided to withdraw from the two railway shows I was due to exhibit at this year.

 

Longevity of myself and my fellow operators being preferable to providing momentary viewer satisfaction.

 

Ironically, they are the only two show to which I had planned on attending which have not yet been cancelled.

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

5 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

 

 

For anyone interested - those with awls, excess personal aromatics and large unruly backpacks need not apply  

 

They are not unruly backpacks!

 

They have been reclassified as personal self distancing equipment!

[Coombe Barton]

Although I'm not from Yorkshire, the language is catching/  "OW MUCH!!!???"

I was just searching for lamb recipes as there's some in the freezer, bought reduced from Sainsbury's. I came across this. Think I'll pass and use my usual supplier.

WTF!!!!???? It's more than eighty quid a kilo!!!

[Rugd1022]

Morning all,

 

A quick pictogram care of herself indoors, these two little fellas are regular visitors....

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2020 by Rugd1022

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Sunny here but the wind has picked up again and it's quite blustery, but not as bad as yesterday. I'm currently in the workshop about to start connecting everything up on the turntable. I may be some time. 

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later 

[Shedman5]

Morning,  Sunshine here but strong winds still prevail, leaves all over the place but no point in clearing up as they are forecast to be present until late tomorrow night.

 

The shed needs a bit of a tidy up and then I will clean the tracks and run some trains I think.

 

 

 

Why?  

For is it not written “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach and those that can do neither go into HR” 

 

As I spent a spell as European HR Director for a large pharmaceutical company that quote is a load of bulls**t  along the lines that any Dr who works for a Pharma company is a failed medic who cannot relate to patients and has low interpersonal skills.

 

We all have our opinions sometimes its best to keep them to oneself.

 

Moving on  enjoy the rest of the day and be safe