Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

Well Mrs Stationmaster's shopping expedition unfortunately seemed to have changed plans midstream so once I had fought my way into the Waitrose (and centre of the town) car park I thought I'd take a slightly different route to get round a reversing load of Waitrose stock reinforcements.  Duly managed to stop in a suitable place, could see herself not far away so shouted, then bellowed as loudly as possible, to get her attention and over she came past two rows of parked cars.  But instead of 'a few things' she'd acquired 5 bagloads of shopping which meant my stopping place wasn't exactly handy for trolley movement.  

 

However all duly loaded and then we began to exit said car park.  Having already sussed that the queues to enter it were largely generated by grossly incompetent cock/henwombles my trip to my chosen exit confirmed that impression - one smaller bollard noted to be almost completely uprooted (how on earth somebody hit that I can't work out) while another rather substantial bollard probably weighing the best part of 1 cwt had also been dislodged - clearly hit by someone who couldn't see straight or couldn't see straight if they had managed to see it.  Further cockwombles were encountered driving through town enroute to Tesco (for the stuff Waitrose hadn't got).  But we got home to a nice mugatea without any further incident although the automobilised cockwomble count remained high.

 

So, having got a decent loaf by manual methods and using the oven, herself has duly ordered a new breadmaker and very sensibly she decided that it was well worth a few £s extra to have it delivered tomorrow thereby saving me from the dubious pleasure and frustration of driving to the far side of Reading in order to collect it - result!  Allegedly today is being reckoned as the peak day for bah humbug food etc shopping - I wonder, damned good job it only happens twice a year. (easter being even worse usually)?

[Gwiwer]

 

Looking at News from Melbourne this morning and hope that none of Rick's friends are involved.

 

 

 

The news was flashed to me whilst on duty and I am aware that several friends and former colleagues were not only on duty but were witness to every dreadful moment.  One of the main entry points is just ten metres away from the incident and the gate-line staff there had a full view.  As it is now the night after and they may well be asleep I am not expecting to hear from anyone just yet but have messaged all concerned, and placed a general message on my Facebook feed, inviting anyone who so wishes to talk to me at any time.  

 

This is the second time such an event has occurred as I was there myself (though not witness to it) when a car careered through the very same city block, performed some "stunt" moves right in front of the station and then drove into Bourke Street mall mowing down dozens of innocent pedestrians, some fatally.

 

In other news my second day of full duties has passed off without major event.  There was some late running caused, in the main, by holiday crowds being slower than usual to board trains, and we were required to re-route some passengers around the "fire" at Redhill.  Perhaps the least lucky of those was the woman hoping to reach Reigate - one stop from Redhill - who was placed aboard the next available train to London and advised to change at Clapham Junction!!!  To avoid doubling-back and knowing there was an evacuation at Redhill we then sent her on via Guildford ..... 

 

All trains towards Weymouth and Exeter were fully loaded with a few standing.  Hardly surprising as the rush gets under way.  Altered carriage working since the timetable change has meant some Exeter portions are now 3-car which were 6-car and vice versa.  More use is being made of the 2-car class 158 units on London trains resulting in the Waterloo - Bristol portions often being so formed rather than a 3-car 159.  One train which used to be 9-car (front 3 to Exeter, middle 3 to Bristol, rear 3 terminating Salisbury) is now 7-car with front 5 to Exeter and just the rear 2 to Bristol which has been a problem.  Heavy loadings also on the direct trains to Frome, Bruton and Yeovil Pen Mill which are also only 3-car sets.  But we'll get everyone where they want to go and usually with a cheerful smile.  Customers passing through Clapham mid-morning might have noticed an unfamiliar accent on the PA with a mix of the usual safety announcements and some seasonal greetings.  Feedback, from customers and other staff, was very positive.

 

I have one more day in uniform before the break.  Tomorrow might be full-on Silly Season as it's the Last Office Party and the start of the Long Long Weekend.  And once again I am despatching trains on the Down Main so it's bags and suitcases to Weymouth, buggies and bikes to Exeter ..... 

 

Not sorry to see 747s retiring.  They were built as people-shifters in my opinion and do the job well but are cramped and noisy (at least in Economy) compared with modern aircraft such as the A380 and Dreamliner.  The Heathrow - Singapore trips aboard them when we still flew SQ were to be endured rather than enjoyed.  In more recent years when in transit around the planet we avoided the 777ERs in favour of EK's A380 fleet. 

 

Best wishes to all and especially to Mal and Simon

[The Stationmaster]

Greetings from the Hippopotogrotto to which we have now returned after our maritime jaunt.

 

Our journey was thoroughly enjoyable, but was not without incident.

 

The Bay of Biscay decided to become remarkably bumpy.  The wind also picked up, so much so that the ship had to turn into wind.

 

Those of you who have sailed in a block of flats will know that there is a lot of 'top hamper' and that strong wind can seriously affect the position of the ship relative to the vertical.

 

With 100 knots plus blowing across t from the starboard rear quarter, a severe list was adopted, hence the decision to turn.  Of course it had to be in an area where there were separation lanes for shipping, so it wasn't a straight turn about.

 

When we docked in Lisbon, a few passengers left the ship never to return!

 

Proceeding through Cadiz, we then set off to Ibiza, although due to the pesky wind we were unable to dock there at all!

 

On the way back, we stopped briefly in Gibraltar where another passenger got bitten by a Barbary ape, and more passengers got off to fly home not wishing to risk the wrath of Biscay again. 

 

Half way across the bay, we had to divert to Vigo in Spain to drop off another passenger whom had developed an illness serious enough to warrant getting them off the ship.

 

It was definitely a case of 'drop and go', as we docked, but never even tied up.

 

We were told that the cost of the extra fuel, pilotage harbour dues etc would be made up by the passenger's travel insurance.  By my calculations, it would probably been cheaper to have lifted them off by helicopter!

 

I think the expression 'weak stomach' is somewhat flawed as all those with this so called affliction were able to throw the contents of their stomach a considerable distance.

 

I had a great time and managed to spot a school of dolphins just off Gibraltar.

 

I also indulged in a spot of whale watching, but not the cetacean  type, just the human variety around the ship's pools.

 

I had a really good time and can report that I have returned at the same weight as I was when I left.

 

Result!

The thing I liked about the somewhat choppy sea (in our case of the Barents variety while Norwegian coastal cruising) was the excellent effect it had in both shortening the queue to get into the dining room and greatly improving the availability of decently situated tables once you got there.

[Horsetan]

The diesel is being repaired in the morning and hopefully I can sneak it in for a MoT retest the same day. That being so, I'm starting the holiday early, and will be avoiding the office (and particularly any Italian-tinged e-mails) until after New Year.

[Ozexpatriate]

Yule greetings and a Happy Solstice to all ERs.

The Solstice arrived here with a freezing fog this morning. It was too dark driving in to photograph and the frost is less plentiful here at work compared with home.

 

A freezing fog followed by bright sunshine can be singularly beautiful. Now it's just foggy and that appears to be the forecast for the entire day.

 

Sol invictus? rather Sole nebula obtectum (if Google translate is worthy.)

 

I do look forward to earlier sunrises.

 

Tomorrow may involve the new Star Wars movie.

Hmmm. Manage your expectations, you must.

 

I enjoyed it, but there are, let's say, imperfections.

Edited December 21, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[Ian Abel]

Adding Simon and family to the list of those I'm wishing well this season - hope you can enjoy the season and try and forget temporarily the upcoming chemo.

 

 

Missed roll-call today, whoops! Rather busy trying to get anything/everything answered/in place before I'm done until next Tuesday - Yay!!!

BIN day and BIN presented for inspection.

 

Solitary lunch yesterday and a walk around the "familiar places, alone this time", then home and we undertook the first of many shopping (provisions food/drink) excursions happening the next day or so - wasn't too crazy as we went late afternoon, appeared all the cockwombles were either done or hadn't been released yet

 

Will POE in just a couple of hours, have to taxi the Mrs to another eye checkup after her surgery - her opinion is everything is perfect, so expecting the same from the Dr.

 

Only managed -6 at noon so far here, but -4 "in the cards", a gradual downhill slide from here for the next 5 days or so.

 

Carry on.

[Ozexpatriate]

... (and particularly any Italian-tinged e-mails) 

Ivan, I'm missing something here. You're not one to undershare. Are there manifestations of La Befana in your place of employment?

[grandadbob]

Hooray! My Birdcage arrived at 18.04 and very very nice it is too. Now will just have to wait for the others to arrive.

[Tony_S]

Just picked Matthew him from Benfleet station. He thought all trains stop at Benfleet and found out that they don't so had to return from Leigh. As he apparently was in a pub at 9 this morning and drinking sake in a Japanese restaurant this afternoon, ending up in Leigh on Sea isnt too bad. He was meeting his friends who are visiting from Sri Lanka. He was going to have breakfast with them before the friends ( a married couple) went to see Star Wars. Well the male friend didn't really want to see the film so his wife found a cousin to go with her and Matthew and her husband went in a pub, meeting the movie fans for lunch.

Tony

Edited December 21, 2017 by Tony_S

[81C]

SWMBO   and I went shopping in Salisbury Tuesday the main Items were a new watch for HER and some paint for the many wagons that I have built in past weeks for me, I didn't know but that city has 8 shops that sell them

yes we went from store to store in search of a watch unbeknown to me one she had seen locally, I got some paint in Salisbury Model Centre (nice little store) she came home with nothing, today she buqqered off out and came back with this 

watch she wanted.   don't you just love them.

 

Glad your coach turned up at last Bob I hope you don't drop it. WOO WOOOOooooo

[roundhouse]

Hooray! My Birdcage arrived at 18.04 and very very nice it is too. Now will just have to wait for the others to arrive.

What ar you putting in it, canaries??

[Coombe Barton]

What ar you putting in it, canaries??

 

Or a Norwegian Blue.

[New Haven Neil]

I'm sorry if 81C didn't have a good experience with us - did you give us an opportunity to correct it?

 

I let our 5 Star Feefo feeback (click on the icon on our home page) speak for our service.

[bluebottle]

Better news on Emily's case. An X-ray showed that her lungs were clear, and pneumonia was ruled out. I gather that the probable cause of her distress was the common one of a virus infection being followed by a bacterial infection. In paediatric medicine, of course, something that an adult's system can deal with is a more serious business for a 2 y-o. Blood and urine tests were carried out, and she was allowed to be taken home, with advice on basic care, medication (ibuprofen) etc. Just as well; Emily panicked every time Helen or Richard moved away from her: "MummyDaddy not go!"

Thanks for friendly/supportive responses.

[BoD]

Glad your coach turned up at last Bob I hope you don't drop it. WOO WOOOOooooo

Apparently it had over two hundred drops before it even reached Bob.

[The Stationmaster]

(re the new Star Wars film)

 

Hmmm. Manage your expectations, you must.

 

I enjoyed it, but there are, let's say, imperfections.

 

Wrong number of rivets on the wings of the X-wing fighters?

[jamie92208]

Wrong number of rivets on the wings of the X-wing fighters?

But more importantly is it 00, EM or P4

 

Jamie

[New Haven Neil]

But more importantly is it 00, EM or P4

 

Jamie

 

You have to measure the flangeways to tell - might be OO-SF

[Purley Oaks]

Evening all

 

SimonG, will be thinking of you for the chemo next month; never an easy thing to hear from the doc.

 

And PhilJW - ever tried E45 anti-itch cream? That may help your night-time eczema itching & scratching show.

 

Mouth returning to normal now. Only spent 50 minutes in the chair as the dentist started the root-canal work. Actually he was very good, nothing too horrendous bar the wires being jabbed into my lower jaws (at least, that's what it felt like). Temporary crown done in-situ, very professional. An hour ago the left side of my face felt like it was as large as the leaky new aircraft carrier. Nothing a whisky and soda through a straw won't cure.

 

FedEx turned up this morning, all ok this time. Royal Mail delivered this evening and even had time to stop for a short chat about how he hoped to be finished in half an hour, but was working tomorrow & Saturday, then Christmas shopping on Sunday.

 

A bit chillier here now, back to the usual 4C or 5C.

 

Hope your evenings go well

 

Mal

[Ozexpatriate]

Wrong number of rivets on the wings of the X-wing fighters?

 

I don't claim to have that level of knowledge.

 

I do like a modicum of science with my science fiction fantasy. There be spoilers here.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

E45 anti-itch cream

 

Must give that a try Mal, thanks for the tip.  Itching and the consequent urge to scratch are a source of - errrrr - irritation currently and for anyone who knows where my problem was that really REALLY isn't a nice thought.  At least not outside of a small room with no-one else present.  The current medication doesn't do anything beyond moisturising.

 

One friend has checked in safely from Melbourne and reported she was not on duty.  Waiting to hear from numerous others.  

 

Meanwhile, as I am a genuine ER these days, it's Goodnight from Me and it's Goodnight from Him.

[Coombe Barton]

Can vouch for the restorative properties of E45 - wherever it is.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. The itching was my fault, I omitted to defoliate the affected part (my shin) before I went to bed. A wipe with a damp flannel reduced the irritation enough for me to get back to sleep. The shopping trip today was unusual because of the lack of hen/cockwombles, either that or I have been very lucky.

[Barry O]

Full house for tea with both Herberts here and they managed to eat roast beef, yorkshire puddings, veg etc in no time flat.

 

Trying to do my tax return..frabjoy!  It doesn't involve lots of money just lots of information to pass on to HMRC.

 

Time  for a mugadecaf so ...

 

Sleep well!

 

baz

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all