RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Ah, Locarno, Stationmaster - where one can ride the 'Fart' up the Centovalli to Domodossola (Dumpodossola to us!) - no, really - photo soon.... a super ride through spectacular scenery. I have been there but my stay was brief (about 45 minutes I think) so I got no further than a friendly icecream vendor before turning tail and heading back to Lucern and a few more days of conference fun. Mrs Stationmaster went there once on a school trip - hence her interest now And actually it was one of the quieter conferences - the Austrians weren't having a go at the Scandavians for suggesting the minutes should also appear in English; everybody wasn't having a go at the Italians for being totally incompetent; the Bulgarians weren't drunk at breakfast time - for once; the Belgians were rather quiet on the pub crawl front (unusually) which saved me a few headaches; one of the Germans wasn't having his usual row with me over train paths in the Rhine Valley (that all ended once I helped his wife find her way round the station at Montreux); however I have an idea it was the one where a Luxemburger found out I was interested in model railways and spent every occasion he could button-hole me telling me all about his incredible collection of Marklin; and it definitely wasn't one when the Mongolian (or somewhere thereabouts) delegate, and entire family, arrived on the morning of the third day and left on the morning of the fourth day as he was doing the trip by train; oh and I'm pretty sure it was the one where in order to get away from the Luxemburger I finished up at the closing official dinner sitting next to the lady from Belorussia who was only just moving forward from the Stalinist era when it came to couture and who could speak only Russian and a little German - fascinating dinner time conversation it was that night, not. And I used to get paid to endure weeks like that, twice a year Edited February 17, 2013 by The Stationmaster 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Shedman5 Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 Afternoon all, having caught up with the latest postings it seems everyone is good form which is great,maybe the weather has something to do with it. I mean morning sunshine now 3 days in a row! Back after an enjoyable walk and the process of packing now starts for our impending trip. This will take me less time than my other half ! Downloaded latest BRM which I am saving to read on the plane, trying my best not to have a quick look. So a quick pack and a session in the shed running a few trains beckons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 Mike, we only did it as a day trip from Chur, but it seemed a throughly nice place as we walked around for a couple of hours. It was a Bank Holiday in Italy which seemed to cause chaos on their railways, the Swiss of course were to time. The Centovalli was superb, one of my top 10 railway journeys. Slooowww though. Domodossola were less enamoured with, dirty station in a beautiful setting. They obviously flush in the station too...... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 A sunny afternoon here, unlike my mood. Just discovered that the bacon I was going to top off a vegetable tray bake was 1 day past its use by date when it when Sainsburys sold it to us on Friday. No doubt they will off the money back, but on this occasion I'm going to withdraw 3 weeks of shopping for meat and veg from them. Roughly 50 times the value of the faulty product they sold to me. I think I may top this off by treading on some (technical) Lego. All this talk of continental travel reminds me of a conference in Llubljaana some years ago. Had the chance to visit Lake Bohinj and saw some gorgeous looking branch lines winding their way around the hills and alongside mountain streams etc. Anyone ever tried any of these routes? Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 A sunny afternoon here, unlike my mood. Just discovered that the bacon I was going to top off a vegetable tray bake was 1 day past its use by date when it when Sainsburys sold it to us on Friday. No doubt they will off the money back, but on this occasion I'm going to withdraw 3 weeks of shopping for meat and veg from them. Roughly 50 times the value of the faulty product they sold to me. I think I may top this off by treading on some (technical) Lego. All this talk of continental travel reminds me of a conference in Llubljaana some years ago. Had the chance to visit Lake Bohinj and saw some gorgeous looking branch lines winding their way around the hills and alongside mountain streams etc. Anyone ever tried any of these routes? Andy Regrettably no Andy - I missed out on Ljubljaana, among other places, as the round-Europe beanfeast didn't get there until after my retirement and I don't think the two lads who subsequently took my place at the conference spent much time doing branchlines (the fools ) as they were more interested in arriving and departing as quickly as possible via the nearest airport. Incidentally in view of the news from Nigeria I trust all is well in Trev's case. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Afternoon All All this talk of sunshine, and hey presto, we've got some here today. In fact, so nice that I actually got up early, and took a ripsaw to the old settee, got it down to manageable sizes, chucked it in the back of the car, and took it to the nearest place of diposal where they would not let me put the old wood/chipboard into the recycled wood skip as it wasn't good enough, and it wound up in landfill instead. Other than that, the new settee has got the Lily seal of approval. Talking of bucket lists, and continental rail travel, an item that is on mine is the trip to Jungfraujoch - I was in Interlaken in my student days, but the fare was extortionate then and would have taken almost my entire budget for a four week European tour taking in the end of West German steam (01 Pacifics on the Scheife Ebne sp?), and also many of the Austrian and Swiss narrow gauge lines. No doubt the fare is still incredible. Regards to All Stewart Edited February 17, 2013 by 45156 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Other than that, the new settee has got the Lily seal of approval. Tell me - who did you buy it for? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 I have had my breakfast and I am sitting in the hotel "lobby" following Matthew's flight on my PC while "housekeeping" clean my room. Shouldn't take them long, I am quite tidy away from home! I have been trying to learn the American terms for things as I don't want to confuse anyone but knowledge of Spanish would help a bit here. Also I showed my ignorance of American sport, the big event here yesterday was basketball not baseball. I'll set off to the airport in about an hour. The journey is about 30 minutes. It will be a different terminal, I arrived at the international bit, but although Matthew is coming from Canada, it is as AndrewC mentioned the other day a flight that departs as "international" and lands as "domestic". Tony 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 Talking of bucket lists, and continental rail travel, an item that is on mine is the trip to Jungfraujoch - I was in Interlaken in my student days, but the fare was extortionate then and would have taken almost my entire budget for a four week European tour taking in the end of West German steam (01 Pacifics on the Scheife Ebne sp?), and also many of the Austrian and Swiss narrow gauge lines. No doubt the fare is still incredible. Yeah, the Schiefe Ebene and the Neuenmarkt railway museum are well worth a visit! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 Tell me - who did you buy it for? I think Robbie likes where he is staying at the moment. He is allowed to lie on the sofa there and share his opinion about the sport on TV. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 Yeah, the Schiefe Ebene and the Neuenmarkt railway museum are well worth a visit! It was spectacular what I remember of it with 01 pacifics slogging away - but we were a year too late for the bankers to be 50 class - they were V200 diesels - I also remember vaguely Kulmbach where the steam rivalled the breweries - ISTR that the breweries won - EKU vom fass was one of life's more amazing brewing experiences - and with it served on the terrace of the station with steam passing by, it was memorable. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Afternoon All All this talk of sunshine, and hey presto, we've got some here today. In fact, so nice that I actually got up early, and took a ripsaw to the old settee, got it down to manageable sizes, chucked it in the back of the car, and took it to the nearest place of diposal where they would not let me put the old wood/chipboard into the recycled wood skip as it wasn't good enough, and it wound up in landfill instead. Other than that, the new settee has got the Lily seal of approval. 001.JPG Talking of bucket lists, and continental rail travel, an item that is on mine is the trip to Jungfraujoch - I was in Interlaken in my student days, but the fare was extortionate then and would have taken almost my entire budget for a four week European tour taking in the end of West German steam (01 Pacifics on the Scheife Ebne sp?), and also many of the Austrian and Swiss narrow gauge lines. No doubt the fare is still incredible. Regards to All Stewart You'd probably need a mortgage Stewart. As I've mentioned before I did when at a conference in Grindelwald and we were given a letter of introduction for one return trip at quarter fare from Grindelwald and that cost c.=£16 back in the late 1990s. It is well worth it as it is a truly fascinating trip if it is clear weather but it was a bit let down in my case by coming across Anthea Turner filming some tv thing up on the Sphinx - quite ruined my day. My hotel room more or less looked out on the north face of the Eiger and for the first three days I was there I couldn't even see it! But it cleared later in the week then the weather closed in again. Must have some pics somewhere but they are definitely pre-digital. Edited February 17, 2013 by The Stationmaster 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 About 50 years ago I visited Menaggio on Lake Como. I cannot now remember whether it was Locarno or Lugano (it may have been one arriving and the other departing) where we detained for a coach across the border. In those days it was machine gun toting border guards. Do they still do that. Very nice part of the world. Those lakes are usually fairly calm but you can get sudden squalls. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 We didn't do the Jungfraujoch, instead opted to go up the Gornergrat Bahn and then the Kliene Matterhorn, the latter by cablecar and Manx hoof. I think it's half price with a Swiss rail card. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Shedman5 Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 My experiences of European conferences and business meetings has led me to believe that Italian watches run slow! One could guarantee that they would be the last to arrive! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 I am probably one of the least-travelled of ERs - but I have been to Jungfraujoch! 1971 - a non-railway mate and I (he was my best man and died last year) - flew to Basel/Mulhouse and then took the train, staying a couple of days at the station hotel at Spiez (I think!) and doing a number of trips. We were lucky with the weather, and so the views on the top at Jungfraujoch were remarkable. I took two cameras - and thus was able to use Kodak Ektachrome Infrared Aero in one, so got some bizarre-coloured shots down the Aletsch glacier, decades before Photoshop enabled everyone and his idiot brother to do the same thing. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 Those photos of yours remind me of that vacation to Tenerife, where at the time there had not been any kind of rail transport, but where we went up the Teide. It was quite amazing how temperatures up there would be around freezing when down on the plains, it must have been approaching 30°C. There even were some patches of snow left. The view from up there, about 11,600 ft after all, was spectacular, but breathing tended to be difficult! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 Yes, we were struggling with oxygen deprivation at the Kleine Matterhorn, any exertion (10 steps...) brought flashing lights in the eyes! We visited Spiez the next day, another superb cloudless day - this tour was our silver wedding anniversary/my 50th birthday treat......after Mrs NHN had a week in Paris shopping! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffalo Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Those photos of yours remind me of that vacation to Tenerife, where at the time there had not been any kind of rail transport, but where we went up the Teide. It was quite amazing how temperatures up there would be around freezing when down on the plains, it must have been approaching 30°C. There even were some patches of snow left. The view from up there, about 11,600 ft after all, was spectacular, but breathing tended to be difficult! Ah, Teide! That takes me back to before my "coronary event" but even then, I could't quite make the last few steps, only my daughter (late - and freeloading - teenager at the time) managed it. The temperature swing seemed to exacerbate the reduction in O2. The little naturally aspirated Seat we hired really struggled to get to the upper car park. I can still do 3200m when skiing but Teide was a volcano too far for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2013 Yes, we were struggling with oxygen deprivation at the Kleine Matterhorn, any exertion (10 steps...) brought flashing lights in the eyes! We visited Spiez the next day, another superb cloudless day - this tour was our silver wedding anniversary/my 50th birthday treat......after Mrs NHN had a week in Paris shopping! I'm sure your credit card will have screamed bloody murder after that trip! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 (edited) Matthew is setting off from his hotel at Calgary airport to have another go at flying to Texas. Was Matthew's flight OK, Tony? Apparently there was a power failure at Calgary airport this morning which was causing problems with flights all over western Canada. Edited February 17, 2013 by pH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted February 17, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2013 Yes, we were struggling with oxygen deprivation at the Kleine Matterhorn, any exertion (10 steps...) brought flashing lights in the eyes! We visited Spiez the next day, another superb cloudless day - this tour was our silver wedding anniversary/my 50th birthday treat......after Mrs NHN had a week in Paris shopping! That sounds like somewhere I would very much enjoy. Kleine Matterhorn that is, not Paris I remember feeling similar breathlessness on Monte Bianco. The slides I took at the time are all glass mounted so I'm not sure how well they would scan. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixoh8sixoh Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Had a W-T-F moment last night....sat quietly writting an email when there's sound of an explosion from the kitchen......the cabinet above the work surface (where all the non-perishable food, glasses etc are stored) decided that it was play time! Lept off the wall, turned turtle and crashed to the floor. Of course almost every thing in glass broke, (Soy sauce, brown sauce, vinegar.......) So todays task will be major clean up......However there is a very agreeable smell coming from the kitchen... I had that happen to me in a previous (rented) flat. I opened the cupboard doors and it fell off the wall onto me, complete with full contents. Thankfully not too much broke, it gave me a hell of a fright, and was a bit painful where it hit me. The trouble was, and I didn't realise this until I woke up the next morning (about 2 minutes before the fire brigade knocked on my door), as I'd staggered backwards under the weight of the falling cupboard I'd collided with the cooker and turned on a gas ring. Had no idea. Woke up the next morning and if I'd turned a light on I could have saved myself the expense of getting cremated! Looks like a day on my own today as Mrs S is wandering off to West Wittering with her friend who's staying for a week. She's back down from Scotland for a few days. Listening to life in a small Scottish town seems so much more relaxing and away from the hustle and bustle of the south. One of the questions I overheard last night was about the population of Scotland. Just 5m in such a large space. No wonder it's peaceful.. You wouldn't say that if you lived in Leith! I love some of the quieter areas though. I have to say that Strontian is quite magical in summer sun. Evening all! Been a busy weekend. Got home and watched Top Gear, and am just catching up on Aggers on this morning's Desert Island Discs. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted February 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 18, 2013 Was Matthew's flight OK, Tony? Apparently there was a power failure at Calgary airport this morning which was causing problems with flights all over western Canada. Yes UA 70 was delayed by an hour but made up some time across the US and was only 30 minutes late. We had a nice walk in the park this afternoon, 22C and clear blue sky so it was a bit warmer than Calgary. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted February 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 18, 2013 Morning. Tired... Have a look here for my recently completed modding project with a class 143 loco: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/599/entry-11147-trabbi-with-a-twist-a-slightly-modded-deutsche-bahn-class-143-from-roco/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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