Early Risers.

[AndyID]

Sorry    I'm                anyone awake. Bit  jumpy                                       too many

         if       keeping                                           at the                             

                                                                                    moment. Possibly                espressos.

[roundhouse]

Good morning all from Glasgow.

 

A very good day wandering round the suburbs of Glasgow after getting back from Stranraer and awry, visiting the two brew pubs west of the centre. Both the German style brewery 'West' and the one next to Tennants Called 'Drygate' were well worth the walk.

 

Found a rather good pizzeria back into the city centre before a pint in Babbity Bowster then finishing in Bladkfriars before calling it a night.

 

This morning we head off tovEdinburgh and wil hopefully finally have the time to ride the light rail for the first time before a couple of lunchtime drinks then head to Newcastle.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from the delights of Lancaster Premier Inn, just off for breakfast. Hoping to have a good day cahtting to people and extracting their of Green Ayre as well as running a few trains.

 

Jamie

[NGT6 1315]

Mawnin' awl. Still semi-awake or so but a few more hours to get up to speed till my next shift.

 

Pop quiz:

 

 

 

What would be the proper thing to do here if another tram was coming the other way?

 

 

Best wishes to y'all…

[leopardml2341]

Mornin all from my temporary abode in Tywyn, the forecast rain has just started, but still.....

 

 

I will travel on the Talyllyn, whatever the weather, just a shame that there appears to be a dearth of decent (ale serving) Hostelries in which to dry out later. I'm a great believer in the maxim 'getting wet on the outside requires you to get wet on the inside' - simply to maintain equilibrium, you understand.

 

Thoughts with all.

 

Finally, Mayday greetings - 'Each shall strive for the welfare of all'

Edited May 1, 2016 by leopardml2341

[Donw]

Mawnin' awl. Still semi-awake or so but a few more hours to get up to speed till my next shift.

 

Pop quiz:

 

 

 

What would be the proper thing to do here if another tram was coming the other way?

 

 

Best wishes to y'all…

 

Wave to the driver?

Don

[NGT6 1315]

Wave to the driver?

Don

 

 

That's always a courteous thing to do! But I was thinking of something more safety critical.

[roundhouse]

Use rule 17 and dim the headlights.

[Happy Hippo]

Blizzard, rain, hail, brilliant sunshine, repeat - all in half an hour. That's Shropshire today.

I have a sneaking feeling that it may turn out similarly today.

 

Normally, this would not be a problem, but I am carrying out Part II of the map reading tutorials for the DofE group this morning.

 

We will be parked at the foot of the transmitter that is on the top of the Wrekin!

 

A lovely view, and great for taking bearings, providing we are not enveloped in cloud.

 

When I woke up the sun was out, but it is gradually clouding over which bodes well for a spot of rain.

 

Yesterday the PH had a serious medical event which was very unsettling for both myself and the Obergrumpenfuher.

 

He came home from a morning of doing work for other people, and after lunch started work on projects for US!

 

Various heavy items were lifted around the garden; parts of the garage were tidied and cleared of (his) clutter and rubbish, then he installed about 50% of the electrical conduiting in my workshop.

 

I followed this up in double quick time, putting in the cabling and wiring up all the sockets.  It now needs the trunking for the lights to be installed (I put in the lights last week) and then connecting to the consumer unit.  Once that is done, I can test it all before Gerry, the local electrician, comes around to inspect, retest and then sign it off officially.

 

At which point i will be forced to repopulate the workshop with all my junk that has been happy doing nothing in the garage since last August.

 

I suspect quite a bit of it will not make it back and will end up being moved on or scrapped/binned.  Some of the heavier engineering tools and things that make a lot of mess (such as the wood turning lathe) may well be subsumed into garage stock.

 

I see it is now time to make myself extra pretty for all the young ladies in the DofE group!

[JohnDMJ]

Morning all

Good morning all.

 

NGT6 1315: if the tram's coming the other way then hopefully it will be on the other track so this information is probably irrelevant. Denting the errant cars invading your own tracks could be a consideration, I guess!

 

Mornin' all. Sat outside a theatre in Stockport for the past two hours waiting for Ken Dodd to finish. He started at 7pm............
Value for money or what!

Nightcap time is quickly diminishing.

Cheers
Mick

 

Having seen Ken Dodd on several occasions, I remain amused by the start of the second half of his show when a stagehand interrupts him and brings on his lunch box, at which time he picks on a member of the audience to ask what time he'd expected to be leaving! Definitely VFM.

Edited May 1, 2016 by JohnDMJ

[Barry O]

Hey up! WHITE RABBITS!

 

Her indoors and I are Herbert less for the day. Great!

 

Dom, is it a problem with the car on your track? Just honk the horn and drive up to it?

 

Today shall be spent "sorting the house"... Which sounds a lot ominous.

 

Wish I could attend your open day Rick.

 

The beer was nice last night

A chocolate stout from a brewery in Coxhoe, a pint of Schroedinger's Cat, and a pint of Roosters.

An ample sufficiency and I have slept very well. Now, as they say, onwards and upwards!

Baz

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' all,

 

Best regards to any that ail.

 

Head down calorie burn around the weekend circuit at the start of play today.....vampires distinctly absent due to the garlic & chilli content of last nights Indian meal. A tricky half light to work with photography wise but I felt that the conditions lent themselves to a couple of atmospheric pictures at the Flint Mill, Cheddleton......

 

Good to see the Churnet Valley railway installing a water tower/column in the twin track station at Cheddleton to avoid the delays caused by watering locos on the single line.

 

Rogation service on a parishoners farm this morning

 

Feathered ones provided for

 

Enjoy what you do

 

Dave

Edited May 1, 2016 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[Oldddudders]

No signs of Ian (O/D) or Sherry (Ashcombe) for a couple of Days now, hope they are coping o.k.

Co-ee! Yes, we are coping, TVM. After seeing Adrian and having a damp day at Crich, we headed back to Rugeley, dropping in by arrangement on one couple for lunch, another for dinner. Yesterday we went baby visiting, which was nice, it says here. The 2-week-old one seemed more fun than the 11-week-old one in some ways. Mother of the latter is allegedly suffering post-natal depression, which is hardly surprising as the father is scarcely visible. How people live now. In Stafford we bumped into a couple of parents of kids Sherry had taught, and they were obvously delighted to see her again, which must say something. Sherry's hip and knee are playing up by turns. Sigh.

 

My recent skim read shows Smiffy having a tough time. Sherry's eldest, now in Oz, was adopted, yet is the better and more sympathetic correspondent than the natural daughter. Sherry agonises over the disparity in treatment she feels they may have received, with the natural child getting the better deal. Yet she is the grumpy, anal one resenting mum's decision to seek romantic pastures new. We are lunching with her, her family and Sherry's son, girlfriend and newborn. It will be the first time I've seen them since they misbehaved at the wedding. Another sigh.

 

I hope to be home Wednesday. Alison certainly hopes I will be. Her beau arrived yesterday, then left almost immediately as his new-born foal was being rejected by mum. Apparently kicked him 3 metres away when he sought to suckle. As Gerard lives more than 2 hours away in the Vendee, he has not returned. Skool is out Thursday and Friday, so Alison wants to take the boys and the dog for a long weekend there. I will be in charge of her place, featuring ducks, geese, hens, goats, donkeys and cats. Should net me some brownie points at least.

 

May check in Tuesday. 'Til then.

[Andrew P]

Good to hear from you Ian, Dee and I stayed in the Bungalow next to the Entrance at the Crich Tramway (the one on the right) last week, wish I'd known you were local, it would have been good to meet for a coffee.

 

All the best.

[NGT6 1315]

Dom, is it a problem with the car on your track? Just honk the horn and drive up to it?

 

 

No, also because we have only a bell but no horn! The issue here is the left handed point, which is manually set. This means that if a tram was coming the other way, I'd have to stop ahead of the point as passing on manual left hand points is not allowed. Also, as with facing point movements on all manual points, the usual 15 kph speed restriction applies.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

the sun is shining, the garlic is rising (in planters in the porch) so no vampires here either.  Laddo has just prepared some scrambled egg - unusual I thought, until he said he would be off in his car shortly and of course it's blocked in by mine.  Why the heck he can't go in his mate's car I don't really know but maybe his holds more cases of various tins, bottles, and boxes of crisps etc as they are off to the cash & carry to stock up for tomorrow's MayFayre; his later purchase will include 20 bottles of Pimm's which - fortunately for the Round Table - are on special offer at Tesco.

 

In the meanwhile I shall no doubt find something useful and safe to do as herself is still 'keeping an eye on me'.

 

Have a  good day one and all and hoping the nice weather lasts for those out to enjoy it.

[emt_911]

Morning all. Late on parade this morning but it was intended. At least it's bright and warm outside.

 

A couple of minor chores before (I hope) to spend the majority of the day working on the layout. Another coffee first though.

 

Andy (ram) - I hope that the long weekend will allow you to recover. It certainly sonds like the timing has been good for you.

 

Thinking of those ailing, recovering and missing.

 

Have a good day everyone.

[Tony_S]

Morning.

Not a lot happening here.

Family visit yesterday went well.

Matthew is off to Macedonia on Tuesday, not a holiday though a conference about food and tourism shouldn't be as intense as some of his recent study visits.

 

Tony

[Smiffy2]

G'day, comrades, happy May Day.

 

Bloody cold man flu is back. Rotten night coughing and awash with mucus. What an ugly word that is. Almost as ugly as phlegm. Which also put in an appearance. 

 

Expecting Ocado, then not much planned apart from the grand prix, which looks set to be exciting with Hamilton and Vettel coming through the pack. Again. I think I may concentrate on being ill, just for a change.

 

I hope you all have a better day than me!

[petethemole]

Beltane greetings to all.

 

Yesterday's plans changed as Martyn went to see his friend instead of today. I ended up shopping in Eastleigh (what a surprise) for a few bits I'd forgotten. Then I had to wait for a bus in the Wagon Works (the buses are outside). Curiously I let one go by, then it started raining heavily and I had no coat, so I had to let another go by. I decided two pints were enough and caught the next one; by the time I got off it near home the rain was clearing.  What was supposed to be a modelling evening got one job done and some time wasted on TV; and a couple more beers.

 

Today seems a bit warmer; I may venture into the green bits with the mower and strimmer.

 

Have a good May Day.

 

Pete

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not a lot to report this morning, sun is shining but cloud and rain predicted for later. Going to fit the dash cam to the car this morning, as soon as I can fathom out the instructions.

[Donw]

I have a sneaking feeling that it may turn out similarly today.

 

Normally, this would not be a problem, but I am carrying out Part II of the map reading tutorials for the DofE group this morning.

 

We will be parked at the foot of the transmitter that is on the top of the Wrekin!

 

A lovely view, and great for taking bearings, providing we are not enveloped in cloud.

 

When I woke up the sun was out, but it is gradually clouding over which bodes well for a spot of rain.

 

Yesterday the PH had a serious medical event which was very unsettling for both myself and the Obergrumpenfuher.

 

He came home from a morning of doing work for other people, and after lunch started work on projects for US!

 

Various heavy items were lifted around the garden; parts of the garage were tidied and cleared of (his) clutter and rubbish, then he installed about 50% of the electrical conduiting in my workshop.

 

I followed this up in double quick time, putting in the cabling and wiring up all the sockets.  It now needs the trunking for the lights to be installed (I put in the lights last week) and then connecting to the consumer unit.  Once that is done, I can test it all before Gerry, the local electrician, comes around to inspect, retest and then sign it off officially.

 

At which point i will be forced to repopulate the workshop with all my junk that has been happy doing nothing in the garage since last August.

 

I suspect quite a bit of it will not make it back and will end up being moved on or scrapped/binned.  Some of the heavier engineering tools and things that make a lot of mess (such as the wood turning lathe) may well be subsumed into garage stock.

 

I see it is now time to make myself extra pretty for all the young ladies in the DofE group!

 

I had the pleasure of working on the cables up to the transmitter. It was fun driving up there in a commer van and a very pleasant place to work on a sunny day. I used to watch the trains on the railway crossing the valley below. A BBC chap managed to roll a Range Rover on the Hairpin going down! I  was surprised to see inside that there were gutters under the ceiling. Apparently the Mast is fixed to the roof and naturally moves in the wind. It had cracked the roof allowed rainwater through hence the gutters.

 

The Wrekin itself is the remains of a very old volcano the core being resistant to weather.

enjoy your day.

Don

[Donw]

No, also because we have only a bell but no horn! The issue here is the left handed point, which is manually set. This means that if a tram was coming the other way, I'd have to stop ahead of the point as passing on manual left hand points is not allowed. Also, as with facing point movements on all manual points, the usual 15 kph speed restriction applies.

 

So basically they don't trust either you to fail to check the point before crossing in case you turn into the other tram, or they are worried the points may move under the wheels. Is there no facing point lock?

Don

[NGT6 1315]

So basically they don't trust either you to fail to check the point before crossing in case you turn into the other tram, or they are worried the points may move under the wheels. Is there no facing point lock?

Don

Not on manual points, Don. Powered points are actively locked prior to passage, so here in Leipzig at least, no passing ban applies for as long as the point functions as it should (assuming one of its paths intersects the opposite track). If for any reason the point lock should fail, the same passing ban as on manual points applies.

 

There but are examples of tram systems where passing oncoming services is disallowed even on locked powered points if any of its branches intersects the opposite track. Frankfurt is one of those cities where this practice was established following an accident.

 

Tram systems will also usually have some sort of general rule as to whether inbound or outbound services (relative to key locations such as the city centre, the most important operations node or similar) have priority in locations with passing bans. Where that is not the case, drivers need to agree independently as to who should proceed first - generally by hand signs or other conclusive action.

[AndyB]

Morning all, and it's a sunny one. 

Traditional festive crowds at the local supermarket. Oh, how we laughed to see there were only two trolleys left outside the store.

Gosh, I bet it will be nice and crowded in there, thought I. I should have taken the rest of the family to make it a proper outing. 

 

Limbering up for my next set of chores.