Early Risers.

[The Lurker]

8 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings one and all

 

 

 

I have said before that it is impossible to plan anything at this time.  That is not strictly true, for I have spent some time sketching out future trips in outline and with no idea of when they can or will be made.  One that I knocked up the other day would take me from London to Nice and back by rail.  My initial thought was to try Monte Carlo and I may yet build in that sparkling destination.  Sitting in a TGV watching France whizz by has much to commend it.  With the aid of the estimable Man In Seat 61 website I have doodled a few more ideas which I hope to live long enough to bring to fruition.  

 

 

 

 

We did this when I was about 16 - although this was of course before the Chunnel. We got the train from Paddock Wood to Folkestone (part of me thinkswe went into London to get a fast train but I can't remember for sure. We got the hovercraft to Boulogne and then an overnight sleeper train (which, as a 16 year old, I was very impressed had a "disco car" - ie a bar that played music) which went round Paris and ended up somewhere in the south. Our holiday was in Cap D'Ague. I remember watching the sunflower fields early in the morning when I woke.

 

 

 

 

[Florence Locomotive Works]

7 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

I had not previously come across a GTV Spider with an fuel injection system, quite innovative for 1969. Was that specific to the US market? The carburetors could be one of the more problematic elements of keeping an Alfa of that era running well.

Oh I forgot to say that’s fake, the previous owner stuck it on there and we never got around to removing it. We’ve only had a little trouble with the carbs, they are real trouble on Lotus’s however.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Florence Locomotive Works

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where it is currently drizzling. Fortunately it held off until I had completed my daily exercise walk.

 

Most well known Belgians are, these days, footballers; Hazard, Lukaku, Fellaini, Courtois, de Buyne have all played in the Premier League over the last few years.

 

I must admit I thought Mercator was Dutch. I have a book somewhere about his life and his development of his projection. I seem to recall that his name  was part of the "Dutch" habit of adopting names from antiquity which goes on today - many of my colleagues have a Latinised name as part of their names - Marc is actually Marcus Antonis Cornelis, Piet is Petrus, and so on.  According to wikipedia he was born in the county of Antwerp in the Habsburg Netherlands, and was later schooled in den Bosch. So a bit of both, but definitely born in what is now Belgium You live and learn!

[Tony_S]

After returning safely from a trip to have a few ml of blood  removed I decided I would cut my hair. Aditi thinks I did a reasonable job. It was really long and beginning to irritate me. Last time my hair was that long was about 40 years ago. I have had worse haircuts , even paid for ones before. I used to go to a barbers in Westcliff. The owner was ok at cutting, his wife was excellent but his brother was awful. He only cut hair in the winter as he had an ice cream van during the summer. 
Tony
 

[bbishop]

40 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

 

I must admit I thought Mercator was Dutch. I have a book somewhere about his life and his development of his projection. I seem to recall that his name  was part of the "Dutch" habit of adopting names from antiquity which goes on today - many of my colleagues have a Latinised name as part of their names - Marc is actually Marcus Antonis Cornelis, Piet is Petrus, and so on.  According to wikipedia he was born in the county of Antwerp in the Habsburg Netherlands, and was later schooled in den Bosch. So a bit of both, but definitely born in what is now Belgium You live and learn!

 

Mecator would have thought of himself as Vlaanderen.  Bill

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

10 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Good morning. Been out for a walk at 04.30. Took photos of 4 freights and 3 passenger services in 25 minutes at my local footbridge. Extremely rare for here hence why I made the effort. Very low light but the DSLR can just about handle that. ...snip...

And the right photo-editing software can handle the rest, if necessary.

[J. S. Bach]

9 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings one and all ...snip... Doing that is so much better than daytime TV! ...snip...

Best wishes to all

Chris

Almost anything is better than daytime tv; or come to think of it, anytime tv!!

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

Pop up knob in my car...

As long as it doesn't pop up from under the seat cushion you'll be ok!

[J. S. Bach]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 ...snip... where if you made a noise changing gear you received a cheer from your passengers. ...snip... Best wishes to all.  

My usual comment when a friend missed a gear was: "I'll take a pound!".

 

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 ...snip... "Stick shift" is an Americanism to my mind. ...snip... Best wishes to all.  

Further modified by "Three on the tree" referring to a steering column mounted shifter and "Four on the floor".

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by J. S. Bach

[Florence Locomotive Works]

13 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

Fabulous!

 

I always lusted after one. I recently calmed my boy-racer ambitions with a new Fiat Spider: probably a bit more practical in my senior years. I read somewhere that the Fiat was going to be an Alfa but that was shot-down because Alfas have to be made in Italy. The Fiat is made in Japan.

 

I have to wear a face-mask when I'm driving it to hide my stupid grin.

Finally got my hands on the photo I was trying to find last night.

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Not a lot to report here today - took Lily for a walk round Kirkby Lonsdale where some of the closed shops are showing signs of getting ready to re-open. 

 

Greetings of the generic variety are on offer to all ERs.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. A small parcel arrived this morning containing a device that propels itself along two parallel strips of metal. A quick check on said strips of metal to check that it does what it says on the tin, it does so all is well. The heavens opened a little while ago but now seems to have stopped but its still too wet to do much in the garden. The new shed won't be arriving for a couple of weeks yet but that does give me a bit more time to empty the old rotten one.

2 hours ago, The Lurker said:

We did this when I was about 16 - although this was of course before the Chunnel. We got the train from Paddock Wood to Folkestone (part of me thinkswe went into London to get a fast train but I can't remember for sure. We got the hovercraft to Boulogne and then an overnight sleeper train (which, as a 16 year old, I was very impressed had a "disco car" - ie a bar that played music) which went round Paris and ended up somewhere in the south. Our holiday was in Cap D'Ague. I remember watching the sunflower fields early in the morning when I woke.

 

 

 

 

Isn't Cap D'Ague the naturist colony?

[iL Dottore]

9 hours ago, TheQ said:

...I think Il Dottore's assembly could more properly be called a Potage / Pottage, though I hope it will not be kept going the same way as medievil pottages, ie something was added every day, normally just veg, but it was just the same meal reheated each morning..  Day after day after day after day after day after day after day after day After day after day after day after day....

I would agree, pretty much, with your definition of a “potage” and my lunch today would certainly fit that description, even though it started out as a (pseudo-) gumbo.  And I make no apologies for my bastardisation of a real gumbo.  After the liberties many Americans have taken with my beloved Italian cuisine, a little and minor modification of a traditional gumbo is hardly a capital crime.

Whilst on the subject of liquid nourishment, as a serious and - I like to think - knowledgeable amateur cook; I divide hot liquid nourishment into the following categories: consommé, broth, soup and potage (in increasing order of thickness).  Mrs ID, at least in terms of hot liquid nourishment, is a most difficult person to satisfy. Unless she has a potage that is thick enough to grout tiling it is not, in least her opinion, a proper “soup“.

What can you do, Eh?

7 hours ago, bbishop said:

Continuing with the Belgian theme, the two most famous Belgians were Poirot and Tintin.  Of course, in our hobby we know of Alfred Belpaire and Egide Walschaerts.  Thereafter I'm aware of Mondrian and Cesar Franck, but that's all! 

Bill

Let’s not forget Neuhaus (est. 1857) Côte d’Or (est. 1883), or Godiva (est. 1926) fine (Belgian) chocolatiers all. Having grown up on Cadbury’s chocolate and (whilst living in one of the southern states of the US) Hershey’s chocolate (only game in town, pretty much, back there and back then)  My first trip to Belgium in the 1980s and the resulting exposure to what chocolate could truly be, was an eye-opener (actually, my first business trip to Brussels was an eye-opener in many regards as it was my first proper and serious exposure to fine dining, fine Cuban cigars and fine single malt whiskies).

Now off for black pudding, bacon, mushrooms and eggs...

Have a great evening...

iD

Edited June 10, 2020 by iL Dottore

[Chris116]

10 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Isn't Cap D'Ague the naturist colony?

Educational holiday for a 16 year old!

[Joseph_Pestell]

There is a large naturist set-up at Cap d'Agde. But not all of the Cap is naturist.

 

Agde itself, a couple of kms inland, is a pleasant little town with some good restaurants.

[JohnDMJ]

 Good evening,

 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Pop up knob in my car...

 

Probably has a kinky boot as well!

 

12 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings one and all

 

I have said before that it is impossible to plan anything at this time.  That is not strictly true, for I have spent some time sketching out future trips in outline and with no idea of when they can or will be made.  One that I knocked up the other day would take me from London to Nice and back by rail.  My initial thought was to try Monte Carlo and I may yet build in that sparkling destination.  Sitting in a TGV watching France whizz by has much to commend it.  With the aid of the estimable Man In Seat 61 website I have doodled a few more ideas which I hope to live long enough to bring to fruition.  Doing that is so much better than daytime TV!

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

 

Given there are direct TGVs from Paris to Nice (approx. 5 hour travel time) London - Nice is certainly on in a day but currently, the DBahn site dos not show the timings I've previously used.

[polybear]

22 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

I was thinking about iD's Maserati fixation, and realised I know two people with them, one in England has two BiTurbos and another here may be an Alfieri but I'm not sure what model it is.  I'd have a Lambo Countach LP500S but that's just me....80's man.

 

 

 

I worked for a few months at Agusta Helicopters near Milan, back in 1987.  In those days there were no speed cameras etc. etc,  I was young, foolish and invincible and Hire Cars were fair game.  Whilst doing about a hundred and ten on the Autostrada a car came up behind me like I was going backwards.  I had nothing more to offer so had to let it pass.  The car had the words "Maserati Biturbo" on the back....

 

LP500S?  You are a man of obvious taste, style and finesse.  For me it's a door thing:

 

As to how you get in and out of it when parked in a garage is a question though.....

 

In case you fancy one then money may be an issue:

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1125955

Edited June 10, 2020 by polybear

[roundhouse]

Evening.

 

Emails sent to claim the USA flight refunds. We shall see how long that they take to coff up.

 

A little bit of crust earning in recent days painting and weathering crates and oil drums plus another customer says he has 6 or 7 locos to fit sound decoders into once he receives the decoders.

This afternoon i was just about to switch on the airbrush pump and compressor when there was a pop and the power in the shed went off. SO checked the consumer unit reset it and still no power. Just then my other half came up to say no power in the house so down to the main consumer unit in the garage and nothing, not even any power to the meter. 

Our neighbour called round to say he had lost power so on my mobile got hold of UK Power networks. they arrived at 5pm and are now digging up the pavement where there is a faulty junction taking out three houses. They are hopeful to have power restored this evening so the BBQ was put into use as no restaurants to go to with the lock down although next door have gone with their daughter. Hes suffering with cancer so needs hot drinks and food , little choice but to do that really. hes left me his car keys in case his car needs moving off the drive. Luckily it started but hes not allowed to drive with his medication.

 

BBQ finished and now up the shed on the laptop battery and mobile phone hotspot for internet. Its a belated Beer o'clock drinking XT Red Herring and its rather nice. I think Exmoor Beast may well be next.

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

As long as it doesn't pop up from under the seat cushion you'll be ok!

It took me quite a while to work out all the possible seat combinations that can be set by the levers and buttons on the seat. I did have a nasty moment when I was getting out once and accidentally pressed the button that sets the seat to Aditi’s somewhat shorter person setting. 

[Tony_S]

17 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

As to how you get in and out of it when parked in a garage is a question though.....

 

Watching people extract themselves from a Lamborghini is interesting. I definitely heard my neighbour creak a bit when he got out recently. I joked about when was he trading it in for something comfy. As I am nice I didn’t laugh at his daughter basically inelegantly falling out one day. His car doesn’t have doors like the one in the photo but our garages are about 3metres in height so I suspect not a problem. 
Tony

Edited June 10, 2020 by Tony_S

[Barry O]

Had a busy day.. new coat of emulsion added to the bathroom and toilet walls. Glossing and ceiling paint touching up to do tomorrow.

 

Been wet and cold all day ..PAH!

 

Excellent chicken pasta bake for tea assembled by her indoors.

 

A few chassis built (motors and wheels still to fit tomorrow).

 

Time for a beer!

 

Baz

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

I had an LP500S.   Tamiya radio control!

 

Ahh, Belgium.  The country that gave us the 0-6-errrr-0 ish tank loco.....

 

 

Edit - just noticed it has a patriotic Belpaire firebox!

 

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by New Haven Neil

[Florence Locomotive Works]

5 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Evening.

 

I had an LP500S.   Tamiya radio control!

 

Ahh, Belgium.  The country that gave us the 0-6-errrr-0 ish tank loco.....

 

 

Edit - just noticed it has a patriotic Belpaire firebox!

 

 

That would actually be quite good looking in my opinion, if the wheel set wasn’t so hesitant to standardize.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

I had a friend (well more like cool uncle) who had a white LP400, he sold it for some ludicrously low price, (2008 mind you) now he only has a few old 911s and a bmw. Around the same time, he took me and my dad for a “ride” on the highway in a brand new 911 turbo, we probably got up to 145, and I was about 7 years old rolling about in the back! Slightly terrifying but I’ll never forget it. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by Florence Locomotive Works

[Ozexpatriate]

20 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Ahh, Belgium.  The country that gave us the 0-6-errrr-0 ish tank loco.....

What's the triangular arrangement under the axles of the foremost drivers?