Early Risers.

[Ashcombe]

............I think the most strenuous thing other than walking Robbie today may be putting my Senior railcard in my wallet ready for tomorrow's trip to Alexandra Palace.

Tony.

Must be heavy (man!) .......

[BSW01]

Morning everyone, I oop north again today, namely in Kirkby Lonsdale, just having my first cuppa on site and I thought I'd share the view I currently have whilst I drink it. This is the view from our instrument house of the old bridge (Devils Bridge).

 

 

It's POETS day

 

Have a good one.

[AndrewC]

Jamie, the office move is the client. For me its going to be smooth as silk. Out of here at 17:00 today. Back to our corp office for the next 3 weeks, then rock up to the client's new location on the 8th of April. No packing, no desks to clear, no nothing. My "office" is self contained in my backpack so in theory I can work anywhere with a decent wifi connection. (yes I have done work in coffee shops, pubs, on the train, etc.)

 

To cross contaminate with the please please please thread, today I shall be enjoying a Philly Cheese Steak for lunch. nom.

[Oldddudders]

Somebody mentioned New Cross. New Crorss is one local pronunciation. In 1973 I had a day off from Control, as I was required to attend a briefing session at Waterloo. The briefing was mid-afternoon, and so a couple of mates and I went to a pub called, I think, the New Cross House for a pint or two. There was known to be a topless disco dancer. We also met one of the Area Signalling Inspectors in there, probably on a half-day. He subsequently became a minor railway author, I think. The briefing session went well, I attended further stages of the process, became a Management Trainee. You can take things too seriously.

 

A few years later I received a letter requiring me to cover the post of SM New Cross from the following Monday, but on referring to my boss, this was withdrawn. I have no idea why, but think the vacancy was due to the incumbent going to St Pancras, possibly in connection with electrification.

[jamie92208]

Morning everyone, I oop north again today, namely in Kirkby Lonsdale, just having my first cuppa on site and I thought I'd share the view I currently have whilst I drink it. This is the view from our instrument house of the old bridge (Devils Bridge).

 

image.jpeg

 

It's POETS day

 

Have a good one.

 

Nice picky Brian, at least you can get a bacon sarni with your brew at that location and there are other facilities across the bridge, very civilised.

 

Jamie

[Purley Oaks]

Duncan Johnson, ISTR, had a particularly deep voice, itself a relaxant for some of us.

Now there's a name from the past. Recall him from pirate ship Radio London where his rather cheesey catch phrase was "your DJ DJ" - his voice was wonderful. Anyone know what became of him?

Mal

Edited March 18, 2016 by Purley Oaks

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Retired early last night suitably knackered so no  G'night - sorry.  Today is a strange Friday - because if the funeral attendance yesterday wasn't a faux Friday as that honour fell to Wednesday - and the 'G' word seem out of favour due to the miserable cloudy weather and low(ish) temperature outside.

 

iD will be a tad upset to here that we still have the Branston baked bean mountain (in tins) under the stairs - definitely better than the Heinz variety and not intended for consumption with proper job breakfasts  (the idea of having baked beans with a breakfast strikes me as a relatively recent aberration of the catering trade or is it a consequence of me very rarely eating breakfast in commercial premises in the past?

 

The big news however concerns little trains as yesterday Mrs Stationmaster said, totally unprompted (honest) 'You really ought to get on with your railway in the room then all your friends could come and look at it while the wives and I stay indoors and natter talk'  Hmm, interesting development but i bet if I did start work in there the first thing I would be asked is why I have laid concrete here or built steps there - it is ever thus.

 

Have a  good day one and all.

[trisonic]

TOWWBBIT.

 

The only way with Baked Beans is toast! 

 

That’s a Trumpton type sentence. 

 

We ‘re getting more snow on Sunday/Monday - I may take Andy’s advice and put some skis on. I’ve never skied this late in March. Though my right knee is playing up...

 

Best, Pete.

Edited March 18, 2016 by trisonic

[DDolfelin]

Lego.

Even more painful when I've dropped it myself.

(I use it to strengthen building corners and give a true right angle).

[Purley Oaks]

TOWWBBIT.

 

The only way with Baked Beans is toast! 

 

Naw, fried bread is the way to go with baked beans (but hardly ever allowed fried bread anymore, shame!)

[chrisf]

Now there's a name from the past. Recall him from pirate ship Radio London where his rather cheesey catch phrase was "your DJ DJ" - his voice was wonderful. Anyone know what became of him?

Mal

 

He was the first DJ to be fired from Radio 1.  Fortunately he had an interest in a photographic studio in the West End and it was there that I had the privilege of interviewing him for a student publication.  Later, much later, he presented "Afternoon Delight" on Capital but that was a while back.  Let me have a rummage on a certain website and get back to you.

 

Chris

 

PS: Flavio - playing Riders and Sympathy in the other order might have been a better segue.

[trisonic]

Naw, fried bread is the way to go with baked beans (but hardly ever allowed fried bread anymore, shame!)

 

Me, neither.

 

I can remember eating Beans on Toast for Tea almost every Saturday with my late brother  - when the Teleprinter Results came on - my Mother would never dream of firing up the frying pan just for

bread.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited March 18, 2016 by trisonic

[Barry O]

Morning everyone, I oop north again today, namely in Kirkby Lonsdale, just having my first cuppa on site and I thought I'd share the view I currently have whilst I drink it. This is the view from our instrument house of the old bridge (Devils Bridge).

 

image.jpeg

 

It's POETS day

 

Have a good one.

bacon, sausage and egg sandwich and a mug of tea from the Green hut please!

[petethemole]

Mornin' awl; dull and chilly here at the Gateway to The World.

 

Yesterday went rapidly down the pan, the morning wiped out by a series of calls from Mrs mole who had lost something and was stressed out, interspersed with cold calls. The latter just got Mr Angry, rather than the witty tactics I often employ. After lunch I took advantage of the sunny weather and went out, finding a small pile or railway books in a charity shop and ending up having a pub meal with Martyn and Mrs mole, who had found her lost item and was happier, on her way to play at an Irish music session. She dropped her fiddle off at the house after I'd turned in, inadvertently letting Tigger out, who then got stuck out all night. It was frosty. I got a right earful this morning when I finally realised he wasn't indoors and let him in.

 

Martyn has taken to running trains on the 'test track' that was his layout, after about 6 years of no interest. He's run locos I hadn't even had out of the boxes yet. One apparently doesn't go, so I'll need to check on that. He runs classic TTE videos on his laptop at the same time. I think he's escaping from the stress of looming GCSEs. Hopefully the revived interest will develop and he might help me actually build the big project instead of generating vast amounts of rolling stock for it.

 

I put the kettle on for elevenses half an hour ago and have just remembered it, so caffeine calls.

 

Have a good day, POE if you can.

 

Pete

[chrisf]

Greetings, ,pop-pickers, it's me again.

 

More on Duncan Johnson.  He retired in 2004 from a job as financial controller of an advertising agency.  More recently he took part in the Pirate BBC Essex broadcasts.  He is now 77.  The website I consulted suggested that his sig tune on "London After Midnight" was something by the John Schroeder Orchestra but my recollection, imperfect or otherwise, is of "Image" by the organist Alan Haven.  I have a copy of the single somewhere.

 

Chris

[Oldddudders]

Greetings, ,pop-pickers, it's me again.

 

More on Duncan Johnson.  He retired in 2004 from a job as financial controller of an advertising agency.  More recently he took part in the Pirate BBC Essex broadcasts.  He is now 77.  The website I consulted suggested that his sig tune on "London After Midnight" was something by the John Schroeder Orchestra but my recollection, imperfect or otherwise, is of "Image" by the organist Alan Haven.  I have a copy of the single somewhere.

 

Chris

Good to know DJ the DJ is still punching. That version of Image did fairly well in the UK, ISTR, but is in no way, to my mind, a rival to either side of the original 1961 version by Hank Levine, which I think was HMV POP947.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Morning all (just!) from Scottish HQ. Not had time yet to catch up on all the goings on...

 

Opened the parcel. Unfortunately one of the air horns on the 37 is snapped and pointing at a 90 degree angle to where it ought to point, but I guess a wee spot of cyano should see to that. Certainly not worth the hassle of sending it back to Portishead...

 

Doing a mad rush around Scotland for the rest of this afternoon. Have to pick Jamie up at school at 3, maybe into Glasgow to collect some framed prints, then down to Durham with Jamie. We're heading to my cousin's daughter's christening in Harrogate tomorrow.

 

Hope everyone's well. TTFN...

[edcayton]

Or me a better history teacher. I'm not a believer in the university of life being better than Oxford, Cambridge or in my case Durham in terms of training for academic careers.

 

Rather smacks of the idea that anyone can teach...

 

That comes across as rather arrogant. I worked in industry for 8 years before going into teaching in FE. I got an HNC in mechanical engineering and passed the first year of an HNC in electrical and electronic engineering, all part time whilst working. As a grammar school boy you may not know what an HNC or FE are.

 

I did a year full time getting my Cert. Ed. before obtaining my first teaching post. I went on to do another HNC in motor vehicle engineering and then a B. Ed(hons). I like to think I was a fairly good teacher. Maybe not anyone can teach but you didn't used to need a University Degree. Unfortunately with the general lowering of standards you now need a Degree before you can mow the lawn.

 

Ed

[edcayton]

Good morning one and all

 

Yesterday what I guess was a St Patrick's Day card landed on my doormat.  I say 'guess' because it had an Irish postmark, Portlaoise if I recall correctly.  I did not open it because it was not addressed to me.  The intended recipient was Mrs Maureen Kershaw of Cowper Street, Luton.  I cannot help wondering why Royal Mail delivered it to the wrong person in the wrong street in the wrong town.  I took it almost at once to the nearest pillar box, having paused only to inscribe upon the envelope a suitable admonition.  I do hope I never see it again and that Mrs Maureen Kershaw does.

 

This thread never ceases to amaze.  So our Flavio has worked as a radio DJ.  My imagination is running riot already!  Does Radio 3 have avuncular presenters?  "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Breakfast.   This is BBC Radio Three with Flavio De Rosa.  Let us begin this morning's gentle recital with a pleasing symphony, which I hope is long enough for me to finish my breakfast.  Today's magic ingredient is a well-known brand of baked beans ..."  You get the drift.  Perhaps something more nocturnal would suit him, like what Duncan Johnson used to do on Big L?  He used to fit nicely into the midnight to 2 slot until John Peel came along and the world changed for ever.   Actually, I suspect that iL Dottore is a bit of a rocker, like Bob Harris might have become if he had not discovered country music [oxymoron].   Arise and defend yourself, good friend.

 

More prosaically, another fodder run must take place today.  Tomorrow I will attend Ally Pally and must arm myself with sandwiches as I do not propose to spend too long queuing for the fare there.  If I can remember where the ERs meet is I will be there, I hope complete with the name badge that I forgot at Nottingham.

 

Happy weekend everybody [and there is another radio connection.  Which radio station used to have a programme with that title?].   I will probably not post tomorrow - cue to fly flags from public buildings - so a double helping today of best wishes for the ailing.

 

Chris

 

 

Chris, I put it to you that Bob Harris is a lover of music, and he has an eclectic taste. His Thursday show is entirely Country (that term alone includes a wide range of music), but his Sunday show plays all sorts, including "folk" and some live sessions. Unfortunately it is broadcast from 3 until 6 a.m. so unless you have my sleep pattern you are unlikely to hear it. On the iPlayer of course.

 

Ed

[edcayton]

Aah... the days at the DJ desk. That brings back memories....

 

I DJ'd at Uni fin the US or a few years in the late seventies and early 80s (nothing so grand as commercial radio, but a great experience). I can still remember the patter: You're listening to WVCW, 820 on the A.M. dial. I'm the doctor and coming up next is Mr Francis Zappa and those parents of invention with a story of a dental floss tycoon. But first, a word from our sponsor..." I had quite an eclectic show (late night) and often tried interesting back-to-backs: some worked, some didn't. Some songs seemed, at first glance, to be natural pairs (such as Sympathy for the Devil and Riders On The Storm) but never worked as a pair... Still it was fun trying. An evening's playlist could include music as diverse as Miles Davis, Rimsky Korsakov, The Rolling Stones, BB King and The Doors). I had never liked Country Music (or Country & Western for that matter), but then I bought a car which only had an AM radio, so all I could get on that radio was either Gospel, Pay-to Pray Radio Evangelists or C&W, so I ended up listening to C&W a lot. I never really did get into the female artists (despite enjoying Ms Ronstadt's various forays into the genre) but really got into some of the guys: Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash. In 1983 bought an album featuring male C&W artist collaborations, including Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard with their amazing version of Townes Van Zandt's Pancho & Lefty (see:

) Unfortunately that album of duets never made back to Europe and I still wonder whatever happened to it, nor do I remember the name of that album (perhaps our transatlantic ERs could be illuminative???)

 

Well off to shop...

 

Stay Frosty, Dudes

 

iD

 

Doc, how can you fail to mention the impeccable Emmylou Harris? Surely one of the voices of modern music.  I think her version of Pancho and Lefty ( can't do links but easily found on YouTube) trumps Nelson/Haggard.

 

I love Heinz baked beans, but am struggling to come to terms with the reduced salt and sugar variety.

 

Ed

[Smiffy2]

Baked beans on toast is a recommended meal for us diabetics. Wholemeal toast, of course. I like the Heinz 5-beans sort. At the Windmill Café, Merton Abbey, you don't get choices.

 

Fried bread - when I was at the Department for Education fried bread was taken off the restaurant breakfast menu for health reasons. Then Charles Clark became Secretary of State and had it reinstated - for him.

 

He was the SofS to whom Jamie Oliver took the turkey twizzlers. Apparently* when asked 'And what do you think of that?' he replied 'Very nice.'

 

*According to someone who was there, discreetly facepalming.

[Tony_S]

That comes across as rather arrogant. I worked in industry for 8 years before going into teaching in FE. I got an HNC in mechanical engineering and passed the first year of an HNC in electrical and electronic engineering, all part time whilst working. As a grammar school boy you may not know what an HNC or FE are.

 

I did a year full time getting my Cert. Ed. before obtaining my first teaching post. I went on to do another HNC in motor vehicle engineering and then a B. Ed(hons). I like to think I was a fairly good teacher. Maybe not anyone can teach but you didn't used to need a University Degree. Unfortunately with the general lowering of standards you now need a Degree before you can mow the lawn.

 

Ed

I went to a grammar school, I know what FE and HNC are. To mow a lawn now it is quite likely that the qualification would be NVQ. The chap at the park is very proud of his green-keeping qualification. If he so wished he could use this as "Access" to other qualifications. He doesn't want to, but he could. I didn't think Dick was being arrogant, just pointing out that he didn't think spending time working outside of education would have made him a better history teacher.

Tony

Edited March 18, 2016 by Tony_S

[The Lurker]

fight fight fight 

[Tony_S]

fight fight fight

Part of the learning process as a new teacher on playground duty. The false fight prank. I am sure more experienced teachers set them up!

Edited March 18, 2016 by Tony_S

[Tony_S]

Flavio, the Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson album Pancho and Lefty is available from Amazon as a cd or MP3 download. I didn't see a vinyl copy though.