Early Risers.

[108]

My reading of ERs this morning was interrupted by my Service Provider ceasing to provide, so I have only read up to Jock's post at midday. Mike (long time friend and fellow table companion) went for our monthly Breakfast Special to the Local Spur's this morning and thoroughly enjoyed their FEB.

The Sun was/is shining in an only slightly cloud flecked blue sky with a temp of 20C. I omitted one of my usual three jerseys for the day but may well don it as the Sun sets this evening.

I hope your Monday was happy and successful.

Hi Don

One of my fondest memories of Cape Town was breakfast at Spur.

Scrambled egg on toast is so much better when accompanied by a slice of fresh pineapple instead of tomato.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Best wishes

108

 

Edited for silly typos. Must try harder.

Edited July 28, 2014 by 108

[station cat]

 

station cat - first time I've ever seen a train with a roll cage... and on the outside... truly bizarre! Great shots.

 

 

I think that the passenger “pods” tilt within the frame depending on the inclination (but you probably already know that).

 

Glad to see that the Tyrol area has not changed a lot (apart from the roads) since I was there in 1964 (or was it 1963).

 

Best, Pete.

 

I wondered if it was a crumple zone... It does split into a stepped type thimg on steep sections. Further pics follow when Simba gets off my lap

[bbishop]

Dominic,

 

There is a J D Wetherspoons top end of Whitehall - Lord Moon of the Mall.  Good variety of beers and cheap grub.  One of the best pubs is The Harp in Chandos Place - east side of National Gallery, aim at Edith Cavell, walk along William IV Street, Chandos Place half left.

 

Can't help with photography.

 

Bill

[NGT6 1315]

Thanks, Bill! Currently planning routes to the handful of model shops around here, too. I was quite baffled that there should be so few in a city this large!

 

Three more en-route photos from earlier today:

 

The vast Deutzerfeld depot in Cologne...

 

 

 

...and a Thalys set owned by SNCB coming the other way while we were waiting for ICE 14.

 

[bbishop]

Dominic,

 

Absolute desert for model shops.  The only place worth visiting is Ian Allen in Lower Marsh.  Waterloo Road, past the station towards the Old Vic traffic lights.  Right into Baylis Street, then Lower Marsh is the semi pedestrian street straight ahead.  Ian Allen is about the second shop on the left.  Mainly books, with a small selection of British outline ready to run.  Drink - back across the lights, next left into Cornwall Road, under the railway, right into Roupell Street, past the battered Citroen, the Kings Arms is 100 yards on the right.

 

Bill

 

edited because I can never remember the name of the pub, always refer to it as the Kings whatsits

Edited July 28, 2014 by bbishop

[Tony_S]

Back home. Train was late leaving Brussels but this meant our car journey from Ebbsfleet was cheaper as we arrived at the Dartford Crossing just as free tolls occurred!

Aditi was amused by the explanation that our journey delay was caused by a shortage of train sets. 

Rather tired but we really enjoyed the break (not the chair leg break though) . I think Eurostar to Paris next year.

[station cat]

Onto part the second. My day trip to Liechtenstein (and briefly Switzerland). This was quite a big effort for a daytrip: bus into Innsbruck, two hour train ride to Feldkirch (lovely ride) and then a bus to Vaduz the capital of Liechtenstein which took about 45 minutes.

 

My train to Feldkirch was the remarkable IC 118 which leaves Salzburg at 0700 and terminates at Munster 44 stations and 13.5 hours later. Sneaky picture of the loco (an OBB Taurus) and some of the scenery

 

 

 

The bus to Vaduz, kind of unexciting for a journey that takes in three countries (the far end of the route is in Switzerland)

 

 

Vaduz Post is the most central bus stop, Liechtenstein's bus stops almost all have good shelters and snazzy signage.

 

 

Vaduz itself is small and really not that interesting. The area around the town hall is seemingly devoted to relieveing Americans of their money. But if you walk down to the Rhine the views get pretty nice (this is looking back into the center which gives you an idea of how big Vaduz isn't)

 

 

The river is spanned by a modern road bridge and also this covered bridge which was originally built in the 1800s

 

 

The border, which is the middle of the river, is clearly marked

 

 

I stopped on the Swiss side for 20 minutes or so because it was far shadier than the Liechtenstein side. Then I made my way back across the bridge and off to see the old and new Parliament buildings

 

 

 

I then took the bus back to Feldkirch where I had time to look round before my train back to Innsbruck. Feldkirch is a lovely little town, far prettier than Vaduz or Innsbruck

 

 

It even has a cute old electrical station (the dammed bit in the foreground is full of water)

 

 

Incidentally the border between Liechtenstein and Austria is clearly marked... It's the end of a motorway toll zone

 

 

My ride back to Innsbruck was a Railjet, the first time i've ever been on one. Really nice trains with free wifi and moving maps on the info displays (hideously wobbly picture alas)

 

 

And here endeth the second bit

[Tony_S]

I think I may find a train photo (rush hour train from Brussels Central to Midi-Zuid) to post but it will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm too tired to go and get my phone from downstairs. 

Tony

[Jock67B]

Evening all, at least as I start this post! Good consultation today but celebrating has left me with fumbling fingers so I'll say goodnight until tomorrow!!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[bluebottle]

 

141_1016.JPG

Daddy and daughter enjoying the journey.

 

 

What a sweetie!

 

(No, not you, Andy!)

[martin1]

morning all,still warm here,got to go to work now,cant post as often as id like as the new firm that took us over is paranoid about computer usage,particular if your looking for another job!! had last week off so its a wrench,no pun intended to go back to the garage! still waiting for the wd drawings to arrive,so when they do I can restart making one! now all I have to do is prize a 3yr old that seems to have Velcro attached to him and his bed! funny how they are heaver isant it! have a good day all !!

[Barry O]

Morning all!

 

ERs seem to get all over the place on holidays!

 

Have a great Tuesday whatever you are up to!

Baz

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' all,

 

Overcast in the Staffs Moorlands this morning for the early cycle ride.

 

Good to hear that Bulleid WC 34046 is to become 34052 Lord Dowding to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

 

An outing in a south easterly direction beckons today...one of our favourite coffee stops first, 'The Grange' garden centre nr Melton Mowbray. Then along the scenic route via Gaddesby, Somerby, Uppingham and Blatherwycke...lovely country driving. 

 

A great book on the go at the moment is Branches & Byways Southwest Scotland and the Border Counties by Robert Robotham...some lovely and rare images, along with informative text. 

 

Hope you've all got something good planned too.

 

Dave 

Edited July 29, 2014 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[Pete 75C]

Our Sheringham ER member's predictions proved to be wrong however. The motive power was not the B12 and "George Stephenson" although he should have been 50% correct. The B12 was languishing in the shed at Weybourne whilst the Black 5 failed this morning, causing the 9.45am service to be cancelled and the class 37 D6732 to be drafted into service. The remaining "proper" engine was Standard 4 number 76084 which was a "cop" for me and gave two good runs on the 10.30 and 3.00 trains.

 

Very gracious of you Andy. Unfortunately being almost 50% correct still means I was completely wrong! George Stephenson obviously doesn't like Mondays... Glad you had a good day and, yes, the weather was a little off for the first time in weeks. If the B12 was in the shed at Weybourne, I wonder what that smell was...?

 

On a different note, is central London really that bereft of model shops today? When I lived saaf of the river in Wallington, I remember there were several to visit if I came up into town. There was one which was an absolute Aladdins Cave of mainly Continental outline. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called... Admittedly, that was more years ago than I care to remember...

Edited July 29, 2014 by Pete 75C

[Ashcombe]

Good morning, all!

I enjoyed my afternoon in Torquay with my son, browsing the shops and drinking cider by the harbour. We never stopped talking!

Today the younger generations are visiting Paignton Zoo, or as four year old William puts it,"We're going to paint the zoo!"

Whilst they're out we shall have to replenish the food stocks. Catering for nine isn't easy.

Enjoy whatever you do!

Edited July 29, 2014 by Ashcombe

[New Haven Neil]

Victors, Pete?

 

Sounds positive Jock, sitting on crossed fingers for you.

 

Oh, Morning world, have a group coming to run trains outside, so it's raining. 

 

Jayne spent time with the accident investigator yesterday, hoping to get some closure from understanding the detail - she tells me it has helped get her head around how someone can lose their life in such a low speed accident.

[AndyB]

 

drinking cider by the harbour. 

 

 

Blimey! I've heard of "drinking by the gallon" but this is truly legendary prowess!!!

      

[Pete 75C]

Victors. Yup, that was it. Well done! Memory duly jogged...

[AndrewC]

Morning all from the shouty shouty borough. Woken around midnight to the less than dulcet tones of the male h o m o Habilis shouting at all and sundry. The female of the species giving back as good as she gets. Lots of violent threats and one young chav like creature ejected from their cave. As is typical behaviour of this species the entire scenario played out in their front garden instead of inside the house. This of course was followed by the obligatory visit from the old Bill. A paramedic showed up as well but quickly vanished into the night. No doubt they lacked training in matters veterinary so could offer no assistance. If wonder if they remembered where they parked their Flintstone-mobiles? As neither of them are about this morning. The joys of having lower forms of life living next door. Still hoping their landlord will decide to jump on the current housing bubble and sell the place off to some pioneering hipster types. They never wanted to be landlords in the first place. Their modus operandi was to buy cheap, fix up, flog. The housing crash and double the repair budget on the place sidelined that.

 

Needless to say we're rather tired this morning. Work be slow as the predicted new project has stalled at the paperwork stage, as usual. With luck it will stay stalled for another week and a bit leading straight into my annual week off for the Great British Beer Fest.

 

Sherry: "Catering for nine isn't easy". To quote a rather notable hotelier from your parts. "a big trough of baked beans garnished with a couple of dead dogs".

 

Have a good one all.

[DonBradley]

I must have missed at least two pages ince I appear to have reached the end of posts for yesterday and today after only about half a page!

The Sun is shining out of a clear blue sky, but it's not very warm - yet.. Expected to reach 20C by Midday whch is reasonable, though not hot.

Enjoy Tuesday.

[Happy Hippo]

 aim at Edith Cavell, 

 

 

 

Bill

 

 

Whoops!

 

Last done in Oct 1915, when she was shot by a German firing squad!

[Pete 75C]

Andrew C... having read your "chav & baked bean" post, I couldn't decide whether to click "Agree", "Like", "Funny" or "Friendly/Supportive"... all would seem appropriate!

[AndrewC]

On a different note, is central London really that bereft of model shops today? When I lived saaf of the river in Wallington, I remember there were several to visit if I came up into town.

There have been a number of threads on this over the past couple of years. Now that ModelZone has gone to meet its maker, there is only Ian Allen and Wheels of Steel inside zone 1. Realistically with London rents, and smaller residences, modelling isn't exactly on the minds of most Central London inhabitants. The few surviving shops are where the modellers are, out in the leafy suburbs. Having said that, they too are vanishing as online sales has taken over.

 

Lurker and I are blessed with the most excellent Invicta Models in Sidcup. Although I'd hazard a guess that the bulk of their business is online. Beyond that the only ones I know off hand are Janes in Tooting, Engine Shed in Leytonstone, Kent Garden Railways in Orpington. Everything else is further out. For modelling supplies there is 4D and Blueprint.

[Smiffy2]

Good morning, everybody.

A fine morning here, and a day in the garden cutting up wood is in sight. I've ordered a new Workmate to use as a bench so that I can cut Julie's plywood up outside, rather than in a 30º+ shed. From Axminster, of course, one day delivery and cheaper than Screwfix...

 

Had a loverly day yesterday visiting grandsons, we went to the South Bank and saw/played with the stuff there and then ate at Wagamamma, which was a first for me. Not a huge fan of canteen dining but the food was good and not expensive. I had a wistful moment at Waterloo as I saw the end of Lower Marsh street, but Julie's feet were aching and a visit to Ian Allen was nixed. Went up to the cafe on the upper level instead which gives a great view of the LSWR detail. Missed a photo of the Board of Remembrance, though, as there was a woman standing in front of it apparently texting War and Peace.

 

Some interesting buses:

 

 

 

 

and at Waterloo

 

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by Smiffy2

[New Haven Neil]

Still raining. After all the dry weather, it picks today.....