Early Risers.

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all. Stayed in till past 9, though it's still too warm in the bedroom to really sleep well. Sunny and a bit breezy outside, which is nice, though!

 

 

A call out for Dom, those night photos have been simply spectacular, they are so atmospheric and interesting, and technically good too - excellent stuff, really, really great.  Keep them coming please!

 

Thanks, Neil! The next photos will, however, feature daylight conditions more frequently as the next weeks will be early and mid-day shifts only. I'll do my best in these conditions, too!

 

So, yesterday, we got the pair of Leoliners (or NGT6, for using the common shorthand) 1334 "Engelsdorf" and 1307 "Paunsdorf", though we originally were meant to get a single car only. Not that I personally minded as double formations are more commonly booked for revenue service.

 

 

 

I first drove down to Meusdorf out of Grünau-Süd, essentially tracing the peak hour path of Line 2. Two-car formations are not too different in handling from single cars, though you do, of course, need to consider the greater length and the second pantograph. The latter is most relevant while passing neutral OHLE sections, where you should avoid drawing traction current to prevent jolting and arcing. There are types of neutral sections which are electrically interlaced and where drawing current does not yield any undesirable behaviour, but there are only three of these in our network. Though even when not drawing traction current, it is not always possible to avoid jolting entirely, as the cars generally do draw a baseline current to feed secondary systems.

 

 

 

My next round then went out of Plautstraße. Our entire fleet of NGT6, NGT8 and NGT12 cars is currently in the process of being outfitted with LED daytime running lights, which is generally carried out during revisions. The 1st batch NGT6s are also refitted with coloured LED destination signs as part of this upgrade.

 

 

 

 

I then took us down to Lößnig, where Silver Lake is located near the terminus. After that, we explored a diversionary path back to the Märchenwiese loop, which actually is located just about one kilometre up on the route to Lößnig. This path took us past Connewitz, Kreuz, Wiedebachplatz and again Connewitz, Kreuz.

[Purley Oaks]

Been away for a few days - very best wishes to Mrs TG and Happy Birthday, Lurker.

 

Sixoh, make sure your legislation, whatever it is, is the best so that it will last us for years. Hope the cycle pedal shoes worked out well. 

 

A road accident happened right in front of me yesterday close to Meadowbank Stadium - a motorcyclist turning right through some roadworks where the top surface is being replaced, had their front wheel 'guided' by a gouge in the surface and in very slow-motion they hit the kerb head-on and went headfirst over the handlebars. The rider was shocked but all right, an ambulance soon arrived followed by two rozzers. 

 

Been to London to visit my father last week and do a couple of things for him; need to return twice in Sept and again in October. A call from his doctor after I'd returned home yesterday wondered why my father hadn't told me of a hospital visit he has in mid-August and could I go down for that? 

 

The hard drive in this MacBook Pro decided not to start-up a couple of weeks ago so had to replace it. Course I hadn't backed up photos or music - never needed to in 20 years using pooters - until now. So will use the cloud and another hard drive in future. Luckily a nearby PC repair shop managed to get 12 dvds worth of crap stuff not only from the old hard drive but also from my camera sd card - the latter after it's been used and wiped goodness knows how many times. So just a matter of finding the time to go through the dvds and take what I need from them.

 

Have good weekends all

 

Mal

[Killybegs]

While you lot were getting soaked yesterday, after early rain, we had a glorious day. Sadly the morning was spent on indoor housework but after lunch I was dispatched on outside duties: power washing pavings, replacing gravel edgings, rearranging garden furniture, etc., etc. We have a lot of visitors arriving in the next few weeks and Steph wants the place looking its best.

 

When I got back from walking the dogs yesterday afternoon, the 'girls' had arrived and were already out on the sun loungers sipping their gin and tonics. After chauffeuring them to the restaurant, I cooked my modest supper and sat down to watch the cycling and athletics in peace! They got a taxi back.

 

Heavy shower this morning but it has now brightened up. Hopefully, we will have a repeat of yesterdays weather.

 

The rescue helicopter was hovering overhead this morning but by the time I fetched the camera, it had moved on. Anyway, having got the camera out I recorded this morning's weather .......................... 

 

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Rather disappointed to see that Ian (RH) didn't stop in The Great Western at Exeter - does look a bit tatty (still?) from the outside but the breakfast is usually top notch.  See you tomorrow Bob - the Good doctor will be at work but laddo is accompanying me and we shall be breakfasting at the Root One garden centre near Wallingford enroute as they do some lovely grub in their cafe (they're not bad for plants either ).

 

Great fun & games late yesterday afternoon as one of Dracula's daughter rang from his lair to advise that my INR was somewhat over the top and please change (reduce) your warfarin dose - so quick need to get a rescription (no trouble), arrange another blood test for next week (08.00 - I arsk you!!!!) and duly reduced dose starting today - done (hopefully) and dusted.

 

Meanwhile I've been wondering about our joining instructions for the ship - they're usually out a fortnight in advance but have only appeared this morning and the first piece of paper out of the pack read as follows ' ...  the programme has been changed due to works we have to undertake with our sister Lighthouse Authority.  This will necessitate Patricia moving to cover the south west/west coast rather than east as advertised.'  So instead of going to Harwich to join we are now required to be standing outside a certain pub in Penzance at 14.00 hrs on the day of departure (but it might change); disembarkation currently planned to be Swansea (but it might change).  To say that Mrs Stationmaster, a West Country girl,  is disappointed would be a huge lie - she's grinning from ear to ear and can't wait to start but we've decided to overnight in the vicinity of Plymouth just in case we have to divert back eastwards if port of embarkation shifts.  What great fun holidays can be - not only didn't we know where we are going to start with but we are now starting from a different place, at the opposite end of England

 

Where we will now go is very debatable (not that it wasn't before of course) but as the ship does sometimes work off southern Ireland that could be possible while Mrs Stationmaster seems to be hoping for a trip round the Scillies - study of the Longer Range maritime forecast now becomes important as I know from experience that St George's Channel can get distinctly choppy at times. 

[NGT6 1315]

By the way, if you'd like to follow our travels:

 

http://www.gleisplanweb.eu/Maps/Leipzig.pdf

 

I should add that we also refer to the depots as follows: Dölitz (currently closed for all-out rebuild) is VH2, Paunsdorf is VH3, Angerbrücke is VH4, Leutzsch (no longer used operationally but partially reactivated as an outlying workshop for ITCS onboard systems upgrade) is VH5, and Wittenberger Straße is VH6. The "VH" bit means "Verkehrshof", which is a synonym for "depot." Also note that this diagram shows several bits of closed and/or removed tracks and facilities, including former depots.

[jamie92208]

Dom

 

That's what I call a network.  I love all the little connections between routes. Thanks for posting the link.

 

BTW can anyone tell me how to get to "Reply quoting post " in Windows 8.1.   Using IE it doesn't work, just like I can't insert photos into the correct location in posts.  However both commands work fine in Firefox but I can't watch videos in firefox due to Flashplayer problems.  

 

Jamie

Edited July 25, 2015 by jamie92208

[Coombe Barton]

In this respites of weather I've been told we're off to Mullion and St Keverne. Both sides of The Lizard at once, apparently.

 

Then tomorrow it's Marazion Carnival - Sandy's going - I'm staying with the dogs because one really doesn't like crowds.

 

Monday is weather dependent - 50mph gusts forecast - so it may be wave watching from a safe place or it may just be holding the caravan down

 

Have a good Didcot, those who are going.

[edcayton]

Phil, which eye did you look at her with?

 

Dave, I too have found 111 to be utterly useless.

 

Mike, are those little skates up to the weight of loco's? I've only ever seen them under rolling stock.

 

Ed

[NGT6 1315]

Yes, Jamie, it's certainly useful for diversions that there are so many cross-connections, loops and triangles left. We do make a point of exploring as many possible diversions as we can, which I personally find particularly interesting. Of course, we do get baffled looks from people, and motorists in particular, when we travel those little-used routes, which for us in turn means paying additional attention.

[Tony_S]

Morning all. Off for a catch-up shortly. Only a couple of ER pages since yesterday so everyone must be on holiday. I'm sure there must be a "jealous" smiley somewhere...

 

I'm a bit old for a paper round, but my daughter's taken on the delivery of the local free newspaper, so I set off with her yesterday so she knows the route. Bl**dy Hell... there are some weirdos in this town. Someone had actually made up a notice for their front door that said "No junk mail, no free papers, absolutely no religion". Fair enough, but the final sentence "My dog will bite you" was a bit over the top. A couple of other houses had no letterbox at all. How on earth do they receive post??? One lady opened the door the second I shoved the paper through the letterbox and demanded to know why I looked like her late husband...

I've come to the conclusion that my daughter isn't being paid enough...

When Matthew was doing A level Geography, the field trips were in Norfolk. In Cromer Matthew found that inhabitants consistently told him that it was the people that made Cromer "unique". Older people generally gave a very short two word answer when politely asked if they could help with some project research. Probably some older resident of Sandringham setting a bad example to them. Matthew said visitors and young people were generally cooperative.

[Jock67B]

Morning all,

Aching a bit today after yesterday's labours, and trying to settle back into a routine is always awkward!

Rick, I agree with your comments about 'Mickey' but I am sad that it came to an unpleasant head as I do know he was a very troubled soul and just wish he could have 'poured his heart out' on here where the magnificent ERs support team would have rallied round. To say any more would be to betray a confidence so I won't! I am enjoying the new 'Kernow Today' thread and met a new 'digital acquaintance' in 'bubbles2' from North Cornwall when he posted some lovely images of St. Germans and elsewhere on the thread today. I am truly grateful to Paul for taking the trouble to start the thread anew.

Dom, as Neil said, 'keep those posts coming'. Fascinating to see how thorough the training is and the tone of your posts would suggest that you are really enjoying it. Might be a bit more difficult when you have to deal with the 'general public'? I found the 'Gliesplan' very interesting - a couple of the 'Betriebshofs' have very complex track layouts!

Dave, sorry to hear about the nausea that 'Is' experiences, they tried a couple of different drugs on me to start and now I use 'Domperidone' which has worked without too many side effects for over two years now. Wish her good luck from us.

DD, we both hope that Annie's efforts raise a significant amount for the hospice she is supporting - I have tremendous admiration for the wonderful people that do such caring things to help combat the results of this awful illness!

Mal, so sorry to hear about the continuing dramas with your father - everything is made that much more difficult by the distance between you. The accident you observed highlights just how vulnerable bikers are and I despair of the attitude of our local council who seem blind to the dangers caused to two wheeled users by the chasms in the road that they call pot holes! Advice from my IT specialist brother and son is to do frequent system back ups and to this end I have a separate 1TB hard drive with USB connection and I copy all the files to that. It is possible to just move 'latest' data to the separate facility rather than doing a full copy each time but that is from a PC using Windows7.

AndyID, we were lucky enough to have a body shop at my last garage, and they could transform alloy wheels for us, as long as they weren't badly gouged. As GordonS said, we have an incredible number of wheel renovation companies around here, some mobile, some with premises. Discussion with some of my French colleagues ( I was involved with Renault and Citroen franchises for many years!) highlighted the fact that they didn't suffer the same level of alloy wheel corrosion that we did in the UK and the boffins from both car companies decided that it was the use of so much salt to treat winter roads that exascerbated the problem! I assume the same happens during your more extreme winters over there. Beware of cheap alloys however if you take that route, there are some on our market that simply aren't very well made.

Hope Bob, Mike(SM) and son, as well as any other RMwebbers going, thoroughly enjoy the Didcot experience this weekend. Wrong region for me but years ago, I used to call in regularly on my frequent trips back and forth to the South East from Cornwall on business. It would seem they have gone from strength to strength lately from following their progress on line. Just the chance to breathe the steam would make a visit worthwhile, and yes - I'm jealous!

Mike(SM), your 'Patrica' cruises certainly have an air of mystery about them. The current itinerary switch at least should provide some much more interesting coastline than the one we enjoy here and I look forward very much to your excellent photographs.

We have a family 'bash' tonight I'm told, so may be too 'tired and emotional' to post later but time will tell!

Hope everyone has a good weekend, as usual I'll be watching the F1 qualifying in Hungary later - c'mon Lewis!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Metr0Land]

Dom

 

That's what I call a network.  I love all the little connections between routes. Thanks for posting the link.

 

BTW can anyone tell me how to get to "Reply quoting post " in Windows 8.1.   Using IE it doesn't work, just like I can't insert photos into the correct location in posts.  However both commands work fine in Firefox but I can't watch videos in firefox due to Flashplayer problems.  

 

Jamie

 

Can't tell you about Win 8.1 but if you want videos in FF go to Add-ons, find the Shockwave Flash add-on and change it to 'Ask to Activate' - that's what I had to do to get Youtube to play.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Afternoon all!

 

Thanks for the wise words on the clippy bike shoes! I in clipped early just in case for hazards and managed to successfully negotiate all obstacles.

 

Been out to the Parkrun this morning at Cramond - GF came with me and did her first parkrun.

 

I've done an unexpected bit of shopping this morning - there's a Barnardo's shop below GF's flat. We went in for a nose around and I've left with a wooden corner TV unit to replace my ghastly silver plastic coated chipboard one - for the princely sum of £15. Needs a wax but ludicrously cheap.

 

Just having a wander round while GF is in the hairdresser. Have made it to Morningside so far!

[Gwiwer]

Dom

 

That's what I call a network.  I love all the little connections between routes. Thanks for posting the link.

 

Jamie

 

148km of what must be a densely-packed network to have all those branches in that sort of distance.  Compared with Melbourne's 250kms 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Melbourne

 

And a line diagram of our network for which a public-domain track plan seems not to be available though it exists in printed form in at least one current publication

 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Melbourne_trams_map.gif

 

Phil, which eye did you look at her with?

 

Dave, I too have found 111 to be utterly useless.

 

Mike, are those little skates up to the weight of loco's? I've only ever seen them under rolling stock.

 

Ed

 

Those "little skates" are also used to shift defective trams.  At a maximum of 5kph which makes it a time-consuming process.  If possible a tram requiring a skate move is locked up in a siding or terminus until after traffic hours and moved at night.

[Jock67B]

Phil, which eye did you look at her with?

 

Dave, I too have found 111 to be utterly useless.

 

Mike, are those little skates up to the weight of loco's? I've only ever seen them under rolling stock.

 

Ed

Ed,

My 'agree' rating was to the comment about 111.

My experience of skates dates from the fifties when, as a youngster, I lived adjoining the shed at Hurlford which had a renowned service and repair facility in steam days. The big crane was located outside and to the rear of the shed and I clearly remember that it was common practice to lift even the largest steam locos for wheel removal and then lower them on to 'skates' (although I can't remember the vernacular name for them!). These were a bit 'Heath Robinson' looking affairs but constructed with massive timbers, often reinforced with steel/rails, and from memory they used wheels and axles from old wagons or tenders. There are a couple of these to be seen by googling Hurlford shed images. I'm guessing, but the larger steam locos were probably heavier than modern diesels? I'll have to study that!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Jock67B]

Rick,

Many thanks for posting the very interesting Melbourne tram information - I'd no idea that it was such a significant transit system. I confess that I found it odd that Edinburgh have gone back to trams (albeit with a limited scope) and often wonder if Glasgow will follow suit one day. Odd that they simply ripped up the system I remember from my youth and scrapped it, rather than updating it as so many German cities did.

Kind regards,

Jock.

[shortliner]

Afternoon All

 

Still waiting for the builder to come to spray the roof for moss, but since I booked the job, I don't think we've had a decent two days to allow the spraying, and for the stuff to dry.

 

 

Regards to All

Stewart

I had my roof cleaned and the guys doing it suggested fitting a right angle folded copper strip down the ridges - it cost a relatively small amount and I have not had ANY moss on the roof since it was done about 6 years ago. It is one of those things that sounds too simple - but it works. It seems a weak solution of copper salts is formed in conjunction with rainwater and kills the moss. Edited July 25, 2015 by shortliner

[sixoh8sixoh]

Dom

 

That's what I call a network. I love all the little connections between routes. Thanks for posting the link.

 

BTW can anyone tell me how to get to "Reply quoting post " in Windows 8.1. Using IE it doesn't work, just like I can't insert photos into the correct location in posts. However both commands work fine in Firefox but I can't watch videos in firefox due to Flashplayer problems.

 

Jamie

I have that trouble on the work machine - click the little toggle switch (looks like a light switch) above the reply box. Then it seems to work. You can toggle back later. Seems to be like the difference in reply info to email in html or plain text.

[The Stationmaster]

just give everyone whose interested an idea of what we've been talking about there are some pictures of wheel skates available if you enter 'wheel skates railway' into Google plus this lot variously on the 'net

 

one under a Class 37 at Canton  

 

http://www.currybeast.com/railways/new_images/37676_a.jpg

 

one under a Class 66 at leamington

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/84648023@N08/15586555777

 

and even one under one of my old fleet seen here at Crewe

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30268259@N03/3052294343

Edited July 25, 2015 by The Stationmaster

[Judge Dread]

I'll try here for three plies in one.

1) Toe clips. I fitted them to my trusty steed to prevent my foot slipping off the pedal in wet conditions.  However the fitting of ally grip plates to an ordinary pair of shoes was a big mistake. Very noisy when you are away from the bike and also painful when walking.

2) No one seems to have commented on "Fixed Wheels". Now there is a real killer.

3) The disabled class 31. If it was one of the Tri-ang/Hornby ones it would have the centre wheels with the flats on them anyway. 

Already gone!

[Jock67B]

just give everyone whose interested an idea of what we've been talking about there are some pictures of wheel skates available if you enter 'wheel skates railway' into Google plus this lot variously on the 'net

 

one under a Class 37 at Canton  

 

http://www.currybeast.com/railways/new_images/37676_a.jpg

 

one under a Class 66 at leamington

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/84648023@N08/15586555777

 

and even one under one of my old fleet seen here at Crewe

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30268259@N03/3052294343

Fascinating Mike, and they look a lot more 'hi-tech' than the ones I recalled from the fifties! Thanks for qualifying how the modern day 'skate' is deployed - I am a bit of a dinosaur at times!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Aft'noon all,

 

Alternative 2nd line nausea medication collected from the cancer centre. It turns out to be a tablet type used by Is in the past following ear operations and she is confident that she hasn't had side effects with Cyclizine, so we should be in a better position again now. Looks like Jock is managing ok with the tablets that were causing headaches for Is.

 

New bathroom emulsion shade and half a dozen bottles of medicine for me....Summer Lass from the Wincle brewery.....collected on the same trip and I'm pleased to say that I'm not suffering any side effects either....not on one bottle anyway! The next door neighbour is still waiting to get the broken roof tiles replaced by the so called roofing experts that pressure washed and coated his roof (breaking several tiles in the process).....I handed him a bottle of the Summer Lass, his need probably greater than mine.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Edited July 25, 2015 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[The Stationmaster]

Fascinating Mike, and they look a lot more 'hi-tech' than the ones I recalled from the fifties! Thanks for qualifying how the modern day 'skate' is deployed - I am a bit of a dinosaur at times!

Kind regards,

Jock.

Two very different things I think Jock.  the ones at Hurlford (and elsewhere) were more a sort of accommodation bogie which would be used when necessary to take the weight of the engine with a wheelset removed in order to move it away from the lifting equipment (and probably not much further).  The modern wheelskates allow something to be shifted, very slowly, for miles (as Pete instanced) in order to get it too a place where it can be repaired or in order to move it when there's no other way of clearing the line.  For example on one occasion - fortunately just the one - a Eurostar set arrivved at Waterloo with a seized wheelset and was reckoned to have run something like 50 miles with it in that state - almost the complete tyre had been worn away leaving a flange of sorts on both sides of the rail and remarkable that it hadn't derailed.  The only way it could be moved was to jack the bogie and put a skate under it as it wasn't really an option to split the train or detach the power car.

[NGT6 1315]

Rick,

Many thanks for posting the very interesting Melbourne tram information - I'd no idea that it was such a significant transit system. I confess that I found it odd that Edinburgh have gone back to trams (albeit with a limited scope) and often wonder if Glasgow will follow suit one day. Odd that they simply ripped up the system I remember from my youth and scrapped it, rather than updating it as so many German cities did.

Kind regards,

Jock.

 

Re German tram systems in general, Jock, there had been different takes on whether to keep them or rip them up in former West and East Germany. Several West German cities abandoned trams roughly during the 1950s till 1970s as a result of growing proportions of individual transport, while the economic and political situation in the GDR was, in a sense, more beneficial for public transport. In other words, private automobiles were far less numerous in the GDR as they were far harder to obtain due to long-term Socialist production plans and waiting lists spanning as many as ten to 15 years.

 

Rick, Melbourne is a place I'd indeed like to see some time, of course also out of what I can now call professional interest!

[BoD]

That is a fascinating route map, Dom.

 

As all your photos show trams facing the same way I did wonder if there were turning loops at the end of every branch. Not only are they at the end of every branch but also on route too in some places. I'm guessing that some services don't always go all the way to the end of the line.