Early Risers.

[AndyB]

Duncan,

Your post reminded me that I won't be doing a 4 hour round trip to The Smoke.

I now have a 2 minute commute. By foot. Across a meadow.

Andy

[roundhouse]

Oh yes

 

Day 9 of consecutive delays but this time beats the lot of them with no trains at the moment due to over running engineering works at Redhill.

 

So on the bus to Purley.

 

Only yesterday Thameslink put out an apology for their poor service although mainly blaming Network Rail. They do have a point as quite often it's signalling problems as it was last night at London Bridge although we wer lucky as we were only 5 late with later trains being cancelled right through to end of service even from Victoria.

 

No words from Southern yet. They are keeping very low!!!

 

To make matters worse we got out to the main road only to see the West Croydon go past a few minutes early and now we are stuck in a traffic jam on the A23 where the M23 ends.

 

What a great start to a busy day!!!

 

This country's public transport system really sucks some times.

[AndyB]

Just a quick 'well done' to Andy.

Take cakes for the staff (and a staff for the kids).

 

In fact the team I'll be managing as part of my role did mention me bringing in cakes. Every day. Cheeky monkeys. I may treat them to some home cooking.

 

Thanks Andy, in fact I did not know that the quote was from Abe Lincoln, probably umpteenth hand when I got it. From what you have said its not a job you have its a vocation. I have never had any kids of my own but if I did I would want them to be taught by you.

 

I had to look up who the quote was from. But in fairness, Lincoln probably got it off the internet from someone else in the first place.  

 

Back to basics approach from me, so just trying to find some of my old Paddington books to get the children set up for the day with a story in Breakfast club.

 

Got to dash as I'm doing induction this morning...  

[emt_911]

One more day of train travel this year. Just wondering what it will be like in 2015 with the London Bridge work. Not looking forward to that

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

A bit of a breezy night but dry and mild at the moment with some rain to come later.

Reading a couple of posts above make me so glad I've retired and no longer have to travel to work. Most of my working life I drove and that was getting bad enough and then in the last couple of years I started using the train. I must have been quite very lucky because I only had problems on about half a dozen occasions - mind you that was over 10 years ago.

I've just been advised that we have even more shopping to do today - great!.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited December 18, 2014 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

Morning all

Very mild here at the moment.

 

Taken eldest Herbert to the railway station as he is off to dull to have his PhD thesis printed and bound.

He goes back tomorrow to submit it....hope he can get a job in reward for his hard work!

 

Have a great day! Off to put some point motors on Grantham (the model not the real thing!)

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

One more day of train travel this year. Just wondering what it will be like in 2015 with the London Bridge work. Not looking forward to that

Hell sounds a nicer place at the moment!!

 Someone has just posted on the local rail users Facebook page

 

'I wonder if Costa in Redhill is accepting rail tickets'.

 

Trains not expected to start running till 8am now and Southerns email is bouncing back.

I wonder why.

Edited December 18, 2014 by roundhouse

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.

 

Wet n windy here, and a later start for me as Mrs H has taken her own car to work - makes my commute half the time and two thirds of the distance.

 

Don, yes I knew it was you, but didn't want to directly identify you on here, it's not good form to identify customers, but I did want to thank you for asking after me.  I hope you enjoy your loco, and yes I fitted the r/c to it - and all the other Earls/Countessii!  They are a super model, one of the best in the steam hobby.  They do take a bit more running-in though, as they have proper slide valves and reversing valve gear rather than piston valves and a piston valve reversing system.  They get better and better as they run more, but there's not much opportunity at the moment for that!

 

As for commuting, well we don't have a walk across a meadow, but a pleasant drive along a scenic country road with stunning views (it's high) - no dual carriageways, no traffic jams, no roundabouts, traffic lights, bottlenecks.....still have moron drivers to cope with though!  What is it about some folk in Audis?  It used to be BMWs but it seems to have changed.

 

Any bike fans may be interested to know that Tyco - TAS racing - have ditched Suzuki (keep blowing up) and gone with Factory BMWs this year, still with Guy Martin, this has to be his best chance of winning a TT. Whoop!

[martin1]

morning all,quite mild here,nice one Andy,i allways enjoyed training people up,allways found ladies make vey good mechanics......the boiler man cometh today....hopefully warm when I get home! jack had his first nativity yesterday tash showed me the pics last night,very proud of him,have a good day all

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' all,

 

Nice weather for ducks still in the Moorlands....once again better judgement was overwhelmed by the need to control the festive calorie effect and a rainy ride ensued. Good indicators that less moisture fell during the night are the no longer manic hillside streams....now at a moderate torrent. The reservoir itself, though poorly lit due to the heavy, low cloud above also seemed calmer and not so wind affected. 'The Roaches'...the rockscape above the water in the Buxton direction...stand dark and brooding in this weather....very 'Wuthering Heights' and a somewhat different picture to a warm Summer's day when many day trippers are climbing over them/enjoying the views from their peaks. 

 

Plenty of birdlife around Tittesworth this morning.

 

Feathered garden friends fed but one of the feeders has been stripped down and immersed in disinfectant/cleaner due to the damp conditions/soggy food build up in its base.

 

Enjoy what you do.

 

Dave   

Edited December 18, 2014 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[The Lurker]

Morning all, white tinge to the blue over Borough Market Junction at present. Last night's birthday tea for the younger was a bit disappointing as he was tired and full of cold and didn't really eat much - we were going to postpone but he wanted to go. Still he managed to eat birthday cake when he got home!! A good night's sleep and he now seems right as rain!

 

Well done to AndyB.

 

Quite a few loose ends to tie up in the next couple of days before I finish work for the year, but I have time to fit in a meal with the auditors to "celebrate" signing off our accounts - we're going to an Argentinian restaurant, and that means steak and red wine at lunch. It's tough but someone's got to do it!! What it also means is that I have to do the present buying I haven't yet done tomorrow lunchtime. Oh joy!

 

FiL safely ensconced on the ward, thinks he's coming out today but there is no chance.

 

Good to hear from the tone of his posts that Jock seems to have got over his cold, and good to hear from La Sarthe.

 

I too am not particularly looking forward to the side effects of the LBG redevelopment - I'm hoping to cram on to the Cannon Street trains but otherwise I'll be walking away from LBG to get on a train; just a tad frustrating to contemplate!

[Donw]

Somerset MRC last night. One of our members has been given a special christmas present he expects to be recovering from a by pass op on Christmas eve. Rather messed Christmas up but on the bright side all that eating and drinking might not be for the best. My sympathies to those who have to work over the holiday to keep essential services going.

 

Don

[beast66606]

Morning all.

 

Cold turkey this morning - the realtime train sites were all down presumably because the NR feed was down, amazing how quick things become "must haves". Anyway, they are back again so I can quit climbing the walls.

 

Weather - grey.

 

Have a good day all.

[Smiffy2]

Good morning, everybody.

Weather as Bob describes, utterly nondescript but warm for December.

 

Looks good, Andy, I'll have to get back and re-read your posts as I am a bit out of step!

 

Shopping this morning (for Christmas Lunch on Saturday) and then tidying round, and then Politicals this evening. Drinking may be involved (hence shopping today).

 

Have a groovy one, people.

[Coombe Barton]

Annual leave today - then back in tomorrow then off until January 5th

 

Exceptionally exciting day planned.

 

If you consider 'clearing up' to be exceptionally exciting.

[bbishop]

I had a busy day yesterday, 10:00am mass, then the estate bus to Kent Garden Railways (it's actually almost door to door, but is irregular and finds every back double between Lewisham and Petts Wood), train to Borough Green to scenic Nick's layout, trains to Croydon for a railway meeting, late trains home including watching minimally dressed young ladies falling off their high heels at London Bridge.  Entertaining.

 

Quieter day today.  Bike needs a service, so it will be buses to Deptford to sort out the budget for a charity.

 

Bill

[NGT6 1315]

If you consider 'clearing up' to be exceptionally exciting.

 

It could be if it's a skeleton you want to clear out of your closet! 

[beast66606]

PS - Well done Andy.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Ah, the 'joys' of commuting - fortunately in my final big railway job I had a choice of several routes although one was substantially quicker than the alternatives but at least I could get round things such as collisions at Southall and Ladbroke Grove or the closure of the Bakerloo Line for 'extended engineering work'.  On the other hand my commuting out in Aus was really something else - nice morning downhill walk of about a mile to the pier, time for a cuppa, hop on the ferry across the harbour then take the train up the hill to the nearest station to the office.  Journey home was walk down the hill - sometimes cutting through Martin Place (but not the end recently in the bad news), over on the ferry, and then take the 'bus up the hill.

 

There's a lot to be said for a view like the one below when you can get a pic of it on the way to work in the morning.  But that was then, 'tidying up the dining room' is today's here & shortly.  Have a good day one & all.

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2014 by The Stationmaster

[laurenceb]

Mornin all. Andys remark about the daily commute reminds that mine took about three, apart from the time I had a foot in plaster when it tripled.

Happy days! Have a good day folks

[beast66606]

I've just been cold called and put on hold - that takes the biscuit.

 

The phone rings, I pick it up and immediately the music started, a minute or so later a voice spoke, I wonder if he liked Siouxsie and the Banshees Staircase Mystery at full volume ? - he didn't hang around to tell me.

[AndyB]

Finished work at 8.45 and took some time reading up on policies and procedures. Another perk is that tea and coffee are free at the point of sipping. I've been assigned to "Yellow House". By coincidence that was the colour of my school house when I was at junior school. In those days they were named after famous, brave, sea captains, Drake, Rayleigh etc. N/K/A "Maritime pirates"

 

Back to my other job now of building a friend's website. A swap for him helping to introduce one of my products to an overseas market. 

Thinking I should buy swmbo a Christmas present or two in the near future. 

 

Petethemole, next time you're up you should try the Railway Arms, opposite Waitrose (X64 from Winchester) - the beer is a lot better and it's also the terminus of the Mid Hants adjacent. 

I know very well the place you mentioned where the buskers perform. Hope we'll see her back again in the near future. Always livens up the High Street. You might be interested in the second hand book shop on Market Street (just opposite the side of Boots). Porters news agents on the High Street often has a good selection of railway mags (as does the AMC!). Sadly I'm not available to point these places out - unless it's half term!   

 

Mike, that looks like it was a good and scenic commute. But I'd not swap.  

[Tony_S]

Morning.

Rather grey here. Just off to Southend for blood tests. Just routine ones, well routine for the latest lot of health defects!

I may go to the big Waitrose on the far side of Southend afterwards. There is a Majestic Wine store next door and I will see if I can get the wine Aditi wanted to serve with Christmas lunch. They didn't have any in Tesco.

Congrats to Andy. Hope you enjoy working with the children.

[The Lurker]

Beast - at least the music was good.

 

Seems I can no longer reply quoting....must be something to do with the office's change to IE11

[travelintrev]

Morning all,   from a COLD Alanta Airport  (only 3 c! @ 06:00am ) couple of hours then a 4.5 hour flight to the West Coast -  just hope as I'm in the center  of 3 seats ( no windows or aisle left when I tried picking them the other day.  Just hope my seat companions are not "plus" sized as one poor chap had on the flight from Lagos!

 

Immigration clearance here is very slick   I was through in less than 20 minutes from getting off the plane!  

 

One of the real "joys"  that I get from working in Nigeria is the reception & retaining of information that I have (and still are) trying to impart in to my "team" .... there is one guy that as I told the GM the other day who  will be able to pretty well step into my shoes  when I finally quit.  (Mind you I've been doing this sort of job for best part of half a century - he's only been under my wing for eight years!

 

Be good 

 

Trev.