Early Risers.

[roundhouse]

Afternoon.

 

Just waiting for our room for the night to be ready than it's Time for a few beers and an evening meal.

[Tony_S]

He has passed the knife baton to Ian

Night all

A week ago, I enter the kitchen to see Aditi trying to extract a sticking plaster from its wrapping. Blood was dripping from Matthew's finger. He said that he thought my santuko knife was very sharp. I replied that I thought blunt knives are more dangerous. He replied that every time he cuts himself chopping vegetables I make the same remark.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[southern42]

A few pics to start the year.

 

We had a short visit to family over the border for the new year.

 

The wind was blowing hard from the north east making for some large waves in the shallows of the north Wales coast.  Oo! Container on the horizon.  My 14xx on its way to Hattons....!  Errm...well...fun to think so....

 

First Moon and Venus of the year at 16:44 seen from the kitchen.

(Not important enough to warrant going outside and opening the back door, and letting the cold air in.)

 

Following the sun on the way home.

 

 

Out of Pen-y-Clip tunnel...

 

and to Llanfairfechan

 

Oo! It's been raining!

 

Photo of snow on the mountains was...er...somewhat blurrrrrrred.  Ah, well...

 

Catch up on here in the morning.

' Night for now and nos da.

 

[emt_911]

Morning all. Back to being an ER to earn some modelling tokens again. A very heavy frost this morning but it came as no surprise.

 

I'm hoping for an easy day to start the working year.

 

Have a good day everyone

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

A very frosty start here too and currently 0^oC. Forecast is for a dry coldish day with scattered cloud and some sunny periods.

The Boss has been taken to work and it appears that there is nothing domestic for me to do so it is possible that more work will be done on the layout. Or not. What's the betting that when I pick her up from work she will have "had an idea."

As far as handing over the baton across the pond goes all I can say is "Welcome to my world."

Have a good (and safe) one,

Bob.

Edited January 3, 2017 by grandadbob

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

Nice to see Donk back for a visit, with a feathered friend.

 

It is quite chilly this morning, down to -1°C in the forest - but no more snow, all of yesterdays is gone.

 

Time for a coffee!

 

Have a good day everyone...

[TheQ]

Morning Awl back to being a wage slave this morning.

 

Woke at 1:30, 03:00, 04:15 and got up at 04:45.

Very frosty this morning, scraped the frost of the Landrover before setting out, overtaken by the usual idiot in his Volvo, got to work safely, situation  normal.

 

I have two major equipments to service this week, each takes 2.5 days if it goes well, err Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.......

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a bright but cold and rapidly getting lighter Charente.   Last day here for a few months and it has really started to feel like our new home this time.  It gets harder to leave each time we have to go back.   We had a good day yesterday and made good use of the fire permit and got rid of huge amounts of Brash.  Beth and Martin's girlfriend pruned the line of roses in front of the house.   Afterwards we went into the local town for a Chinese meal.

 

Just a few photos to show the work that's been done.

 

When we bought the house last November it became obvious that at one time the garden had been well planned and planted but that the trees and especially shrubs had been allowed to flourish for too many years with no control.  The house was also very dark, even in summer and the satellite dish was badly obscured by tree growth.

This is the view last November.

This is the same view now.

Three trees have gone, one of which was dead and the wood burns well.  Some more trees will be planted in due course further from the house.

A row of trees alongside the drive at the rear have now been crown lifted and thinned out.

I've also managed to clear large growths of Ivy and Rhododendron from the wall that we share with the local Mairie.   Thus now looks a lot better but the remaining ivy can be kept under control.

The tree growth had now produced a formidable pile of logs in the shed  and the barn owl will watch over it while we are away. 

 

overall we are very pleased with the results and will look forward to see how it looks in the summer.  

Meanwhile breakfast has been consumed and cars and the trailer will be packed soon  We are off towards St Malo at lunchtime.

 

Keep safe out there we do not want any more members of the GDB club.

 

Jamie

 

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

It's back to work once more, it's still dark outside, it's cold but there was no frost when I went outside to unlock our back gate, just in case the window cleaners come today.

 

Work today takes me to the hills above Macclesfield, where I have a remote CP to work on. Then another in Marple and finally two more jobs in Stockport. One a remote CP and then onto the gas holder site, where hopefully I'll get my lunch, as I'll be able to make a well earned brew.

 

Have a good day folks.

 

Back later.

[RhBBob]

Greetings to all !

 

Great day yesterday out with the younger, more handsome version of me, at footy match in Leeds.  Usual accident on M1 at Meadowhell so journey there took 3 hours as against 1 hour on the return. Still, the result was okay !

 

So having kept a few LPs in the cupboard, I begin the search for an in-car record player, plus a portable one for my phone; maybe need a 12-inch turntable mounted on my head which some might say is adequate size to support such an article.

 

Have a great day.

[edcayton]

Morning all from a bright but cold and rapidly getting lighter Charente.   Last day here for a few months and it has really started to feel like our new home this time.  It gets harder to leave each time we have to go back.   We had a good day yesterday and made good use of the fire permit and got rid of huge amounts of Brash.  Beth and Martin's girlfriend pruned the line of roses in front of the house.   Afterwards we went into the local town for a Chinese meal.

 

Just a few photos to show the work that's been done.

 

When we bought the house last November it became obvious that at one time the garden had been well planned and planted but that the trees and especially shrubs had been allowed to flourish for too many years with no control.  The house was also very dark, even in summer and the satellite dish was badly obscured by tree growth.

This is the view last November.

151118-1.jpg

This is the same view now.

170102-1.jpg

Three trees have gone, one of which was dead and the wood burns well.  Some more trees will be planted in due course further from the house.

A row of trees alongside the drive at the rear have now been crown lifted and thinned out.

170102-2.jpg

I've also managed to clear large growths of Ivy and Rhododendron from the wall that we share with the local Mairie.   Thus now looks a lot better but the remaining ivy can be kept under control.

The tree growth had now produced a formidable pile of logs in the shed  and the barn owl will watch over it while we are away. 

 

overall we are very pleased with the results and will look forward to see how it looks in the summer.  

Meanwhile breakfast has been consumed and cars and the trailer will be packed soon  We are off towards St Malo at lunchtime.

 

Keep safe out there we do not want any more members of the GDB club.

 

Jamie

 

 

Good morning all.

 

Jamie-two questions. In the before and after pics it looks as though you have chopped down a grain silo. Is this right? And in the last one, is that a privy? I'm dead jealous.

 

Ed

[jonny777]

Hello from a frozen Somerset.

 

Even my living room temperature is only 12C.

 

Just read the article about the paralympic athlete who was forced to wet herself on a Birmingham to Stansted service because the disabled toilet was out of order. That is truly terrible in this day and age. Should trains be in service on long journeys without adequate facilities, while management annd shareholderss are creaming off millions in profit?

[AndyB]

Morning all, and it's a frosty one here.

For what it's worth the days are getting longer, already and additional 10 minutes of so of daylight since the shortest day! 

 

Yesterday's modelling activity was both successful and enjoyable with a lot of progress.

Who knows, this layout may actually get finished! 

 

Checking the map for tomorrow's trip I noted that I shall be passing the settlement of "Potters Crouch". I'm not sure if this is a medical condition, a directive, or the result of a dodgy takeaway - brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "slip stream" if the latter!  

 

Anyway, today is officially a work day so I better crack on with it. 

 

Have a nice day everyone. Andy

[TheQ]

Hello from a frozen Somerset.

 

Even my living room temperature is only 12C.

 

Just read the article about the paralympic athlete who was forced to wet herself on a Birmingham to Stansted service because the disabled toilet was out of order. That is truly terrible in this day and age. Should trains be in service on long journeys without adequate facilities, while management annd shareholderss are creaming off millions in profit?

I doubt it would be any better in the days of BR or a renationalised industry, in fact I don't remember On train diabled toilets in the days of BR.

If you have any sort of private or company pension (the majority of the working population) then it is likely you are one of those Shareholders. Pension funds are one of the biggest shareholder now, not individual rich people.

Edited January 3, 2017 by TheQ

[Barry O]

A belated good morning. Sister Dracs' little helper was her usual, fun filled (not) self. Blood delivered, a walk there and back completed, coffee drunk and some toast eaten. Now ready for the rest of the day.

 

This will include preparing the projected floorplan for the Demos at Warley this year (meeting with Big Boss tomorrow at Warley MRC to agree floorplan), cleaning the bottom oven and then...well I am allowed to do some earning of crusts!

 

 

Have a great day.

 

Baz

[Horsetan]

Back in the office *groan*

[jonny777]

I doubt it would be any better in the days of BR or a renationalised industry, in fact I don't remember On train diabled toilets in the days of BR.

If you have any sort of private or company pension (the majority of the working population) then it is likely you are one of those Shareholders. Pension funds are one of the biggest shareholder now, not individual rich people.

 

And that makes it all ok does it?    Phew that's a relief (cruel pun not intended).

 

It matters not that disabled toilets did not exist on BR, if the current ones don't work.

[Horsetan]

And that makes it all ok does it?    ...

 

Well, it does make you feel more detached, especially if your pension (such as it is) depends on it.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Cold and frosty this morning but the sun beginning to shine through. I've got to wait in anyway as I'm expecting a delivery. The delivery I'm expecting is a stroller as my legs can no longer stand going around exhibitions and swap meets any more without taking a rest. I've chosen one with a seat and a small 'saddlebag' that when folded will fit in the car.

Good morning all.

 

Jamie-two questions. In the before and after pics it looks as though you have chopped down a grain silo. Is this right? And in the last one, is that a privy? I'm dead jealous.

 

Ed

The 'after' pic was taken at a slightly different angle, the silo is only just out of shot, look at the round evergreen shrub on the right. I'm dead jealous as well, I was considering an overseas property but one of the conditions of the equity release was that you couldn't use the money raised to purchase another property.

[TheQ]

It doesn't make it Ok, but I think it is likely that the majority of trains don't have any disabled toilets, it only needs one yob to have fun in the toilet and it's broken. It's not new and has happened many times over the years. There  are still trains without toilets at all, it's not news whether disabled or not...

Edited January 3, 2017 by TheQ

[laurenceb]

A good start to the year (not), just been told a friend died yesterday.

Morning all

[NGT6 1315]

Mawnin' awl. Still chilly outside and the forecast predicts slightly rising temperatures coupled with increasingly strong winds for today and tomorrow before a cold wave is expected to arrive by Thursday, yielding double digit freezing temperatures at night. 

 

Suitably, I asked for, and was indeed assigned, winter route clearing services on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, which means that when called up by Control, I will be travelling a pre-planned route in order to clear the OHLE of frost and to ensure all points and other lineside facilities remain functional. This shift, on all three nights, will last from 2200 till 2800 hours, and TBH, I am rather looking forward to a bit of freestyle driving outside any regular timetable .

 

Dom, the first is a fairly empty tram on the 11 route on the Hallesche Straße, with the street crossing is the Stahmeiner Hohe. I noticed they've changed the cross-buck from 2009 to a stop sign now. The dead-give-away is the combination of double track on the side of the straight road with the markers for a crossing ahead: that's only on line 11 It implies the rest of the images where on route 11 too, but naming them all seems a bit pointless (no offence!) You've probably noticed I didn't post answers to your earlier photo's posted here, but I've already alluded the underlying reasons for that last year.   I'll name the 3rd to last one (with the 30 sign on the right), so others can limit their search: this is the junction on the Kurt Schumacherstraße and the Erich Weinertstraße, not far from the Hbf Linie 9 runs here (or at least, did so!) towards Thekla.

 

 

 

No worries, Vincent, and I hope there'll be an agreeable solution to that mortgage issue. I certainly feel your pain over having to bother yourself with that sort of thing, so I wish you strength.

 

And, yes, those images were all taken on Line 11, with the remaining photos showing: 2) Annaberger Straße, 3) Georg-Schumann-/Lindenthaler Straße junction, 4) Wilhelm-Liebknecht-Platz where indeed, Line 9 still does curve away onto Erich-Weinert-Straße, 5) Karl-Liebknecht-/Kurt-Eisner-Straße junction, and 6) Connewitz Station. After the latter, I continued to Markkleeberg Ost and from there, returned to Dölitz at the end of my shift.

 

 

And for that trip, I had a tram which really does not exist, though THEY might want to make you think otherwise:

 

 

 

1231 "Bielefeld" during turnaround at Schkeuditz.

 

 

Enjoy what you're up to, and congrats and commies as appropriate…

[Tony_S]

Morning.

Off to Leigh on Sea soon for shopping; food and collect new cast iron ovenware.

Very frosty this morning but warming up now.

 

Dom, the Bielefeld conspiracy is evidence that the Germans do have a sense of humour (not that I doubted they did!).

 

As for public toilet access for many years I could only travel by basically knowing where all the loos were. Not finding one where expected wasn't much fun. I think my local TOC is making noticeable efforts to enable disabled access better. I haven't read the article about the athlete. It may not be "news" but what is wrong about someone raising awareness about the consequences of faulty toilets?

[PhilJ W]

Have just taken delivery of the stroller, it will fit in the car, just. Problem is there is nowhere indoors to park it at present until the building work is completed. Now off to do some shopping, be back later.