Early Risers.

[tetsudofan]

At long last one of my many azaleas, albeit a small one, has burst into flower:

 

 

Spring, for me, has finally arrived  

 

Keith

[AndyID]

Jings! It's like a cold, wet Saturday in Arrochar today, complete with noisy seagulls circling overhead. Lake level has not dropped at all.

[AndyB]

Home from the pub. 

Spent part of the evening watching the tail end of "Sleepless in Seattle" sitting on the sofa holding hands with my youngest. 

1,2,3 Arrrrhhhh. 

[Tony_S]

Although I didn't intend to fit my new dimmer switch today I thought I would remove it from the packing and read the enclosed leaflet. The device appears to be programmable. It is the kind of programming I dislike, press on and off a number of times, turn knob to right, turn knob to left etc. Hopefully the defaults will be fine.

Tony

Edited March 24, 2017 by Tony_S

[JohnDMJ]

Good evening all, and looking forward to a busy weekend!

 

Today's POETS even lacked the usual POTS aspect as I'm working tomorrow to cover two staff who are on duty at Ally Pally! Reduced it to just a PO!

 

I was greeted with clear roads, blue skies, and a glorious view of snow on Pen-y-Ghent this morning on my way to work.

 

Slight POE today as I plan to finish at 4 to collect NB from the station. 

 

Proper ER tomorrow - I have a train to catch at 0558 towards Ally Pally. I've been to a lot of exhibition over the years as visitor/exhibitor/demonstrator, but this will be my first as paid staff. Quite looking forward to it. I should be spending most of the day on the DCC concepts section within the Gaugemaster stand.

 

Have a good Friday and weekend folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

Enjoy the experience; shame it won't be Sunday when I'm getting the 06:59 to AAP!

 

Morning.  Sunny and still here, after a frost first thing.

 

We too have a next door neighbour with a barking dog - a big one, a Pharaoh Hound - loud.  Luckily the lady of the house appears to have left work after having a baby a year ago, so it's not too bad now, but if they all go out the dog barks non-stop until someone returns.

 

This is however better than the all night parties we used to have to put up with pre-girlfriend, which only came to a halt after police intervention.  Police here can confiscate the equipment causing the nuisance, which solved the issue, together with his mates all being pulled for drink driving as they left.  Working in the business helped.....he had been warned several times, but chose to ignore, to his cost.

 

IIRC, a few years back, confiscation, be it by police or customs, was declared as theft by the courts!

 

1.  Buy a phone.  Mine is a very basic Nokia which cost me £20.

 

2.  Buy credit in £10 or £20 lumps.

 

3.  Don't spend your whole life using it.

 

Works for me!

 

Chris

 

But not in Switzerland. How are you going to get the Kursbuch at Crimble?

 

Anyone know any meets planned at AP for Sunday?

Edited March 24, 2017 by JohnDMJ

[NGT6 1315]

In the US all traffic has to stop while school busses are loading and unloading. The busses either have extensible stop signs or big red flashing lights. It's a serious offence to disregard them.

I wish German traffic law was as strict as this in this regard. Unfortunately, it merely says that while calling at, trams and buses may only be passed at such low speeds that passengers are not put in any danger and stopping in time is ensured - also applying to oncoming traffic. I'll leave it to you to guess how many actually do observe even this fuzzy rule.

 

I must say I've become convinced that seriously making offenders pay is, sadly, the only way of disciplining automobile egotist willy-wavers...

[TheQ]

I've not been getting any reminders of prezzies for my mum.... She's well and truly alive.

 

Unlike sadly one of our MRC members who died today of cancer he'd been on chemotherapy for A long time, but they gave up about a month ago.

He was a proper Norfolk bor, an accent so strong i often couldn't under stand him. He was born out on the marshes in the windpump keepers house. Sadly missed he will be, his wife will remain a member of the MRC as she is the real rail enthusiast.

[Ian Abel]

Managed a POE "of sorts".

Given there is plenty of rain forecast, though it DID stay dry today, I decided I best get outside and at least make a temporary fix of the two downspouts that were dislocated after the tree came down.

Quite a bit chillier than I expected out there at +6 but damp and a moderate breeze, so was glad when I'd got the task accomplished - that was the POE time, not available for modeling after all.

 

Planned the trip tomorrow "with ease". Given we are planning on being at the National Eagle Center at 1PM, we'll depart around 9AM for a direct drive down the west side of the Mississippi to Wabasha, obtain a suitable lunch possibly/probably at Slippery's Tavern of "Grumpy Old Men" fame, then after the presentation at the Eagle center, return via a circuitous route up the east side of the river...

 

Dinner this evening consists of fish cakes being prepared by my excellent kitchen staff (Mrs and Jemma) - DO NOT let them know I referred to them as that  

 

Sleep well all you Euro-centric time-zone dwellers.

[emt_911]

An ER for me tomorrow so that I can attend Ally Pally.

 

If I don't see some of you before, I'll see you at 12:30 at LGA.

 

Night all

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

 

See them that's there (at Ally Pally) tomorrow all being well and assuming my morning call is prompt.

[PhilJ W]

Be very careful that you are not dealing with a "he-she Lady-boy"

I've checked another couple of times and she is 100% female. That reminds me however, on a film of banned adverts there is one from Thailand for special panties for girls who don't want to be molested on a night out. They have some 'extras' fitted into the gusset.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Goodnight all

[laurenceb]

Belper tomorrow

Night all

[southern42]

(Early) ' morning all from red dragon land.

Best wishes to all and, for those going, have a good weekend at Ally Pally.

 

Absence marked by a weekend away to see GD, now 3 months old, and a bit of modelling...

My Archives display is coming along slowly.  Printed stuff (info and newspaper cuttings) is done and checked for fit (74cm x 69cm x ht 23cm).  The diorama (3D model of the postcard to take the 1:76 scale WWI tank I posted last time) is taking shape though most of the time, so far, has been spent on 'thinking' about it, working it out in my head, and playing around with temporary cut-outs.  Delighted to say that I have, at last, made a start on Stage 1, the base.   The cambered road seems to be going to plan, even though I have not done one before, and playing around with the perspective is a challenge!  Getting the right shape for the concrete bed for the tank is next.  A photo I took recently from approximately the same spot looks useful.  It shows a tarmac path going across the green about where the tank was sited and the slabs along the pavement are clearer.  These look smaller but the kerb stones look like the ones in the postcard.  Looking forward to sticking the card components down and bringing it to life.  If that works, then I will get cracking on a low relief hillside leading up to a photo of the university "college on top of the hill."  Aiming to get it finished to put in the display cabinet on Wednesday.   Who said, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks!"  No comment!

 

' Night all and nos da.

[Smiffy2]

Sitting here waiting for FP3 and Quali. Smelling of Savlon.

The Savlon is chasing the cuts and minor abrasions. The cuts and minor abrasions are from cutting and filing brass all afternoon to make a cab for a wheely thing. I would have done more but I've lost my rivet press. I know that's hard, but hey. I'm chimping.

 

I cut my finger a couple of days back, and I've managed to poke a bit of sharp brass straight into the cut. Twice. Plus additions to the tally of cuts, burns, nicks and abrasions.

 

I tried using Julie's Hegner. I did that so that none of you have to. It wasn't a pretty sight. The saw caught in the kerf, ripped the piece of brass out of my grip (doing some damage en route) and then flapped up and down in a crazy fashion, inflicting another cut and smashing up my carefully-manicured thumbnail. It made a lot of noise as well. The brass, not the thumbnail.

 

I also found that the arthritis makes holding the work on the bench pin a bit of a challenge, so I ended up using small C-clamps (rather nice Record ones) to hold the brass down. It works, but by Finagle's armpit it slows you down. Then the filing. I used a Dremel. Doesn't brass get hot?

 

I've read that gravity is the weak force. I can tell you there was nothing weak about the force that rammed the cast-iron bench vice onto my foot.

 

But 3 sides of the cab done. Just have to do the rivets (when I find the rivet press) and drill the spectacle holes. That'll be fun... And drill the holes for the handrails, solder on the corner fillets and the beading. More burns.

 

I think I'll order some Savlon with the Ocado order.

 

Sleep well, unless like me you are vigilling.

[AndyID]

Sitting here waiting for FP3 and Quali. Smelling of Savlon.

The Savlon is chasing the cuts and minor abrasions. The cuts and minor abrasions are from cutting and filing brass all afternoon to make a cab for a wheely thing. I would have done more but I've lost my rivet press. I know that's hard, but hey. I'm chimping.

 

I cut my finger a couple of days back, and I've managed to poke a bit of sharp brass straight into the cut. Twice. Plus additions to the tally of cuts, burns, nicks and abrasions.

 

I tried using Julie's Hegner. I did that so that none of you have to. It wasn't a pretty sight. The saw caught in the kerf, ripped the piece of brass out of my grip (doing some damage en route) and then flapped up and down in a crazy fashion, inflicting another cut and smashing up my carefully-manicured thumbnail. It made a lot of noise as well. The brass, not the thumbnail.

 

I also found that the arthritis makes holding the work on the bench pin a bit of a challenge, so I ended up using small C-clamps (rather nice Record ones) to hold the brass down. It works, but by Finagle's armpit it slows you down. Then the filing. I used a Dremel. Doesn't brass get hot?

 

I've read that gravity is the weak force. I can tell you there was nothing weak about the force that rammed the cast-iron bench vice onto my foot.

 

But 3 sides of the cab done. Just have to do the rivets (when I find the rivet press) and drill the spectacle holes. That'll be fun... And drill the holes for the handrails, solder on the corner fillets and the beading. More burns.

 

I think I'll order some Savlon with the Ocado order.

 

Sleep well, unless like me you are vigilling.

 

Oh dear. Look, you don't have to compete with GDB.

 

I'm not sure if that deserves a "friendly supportive" or a "funny". To be on the safe side I'll give it a "like".

[BR60103]

I've checked another couple of times and she is 100% female. That reminds me however, on a film of banned adverts there is one from Thailand for special panties for girls who don't want to be molested on a night out. They have some 'extras' fitted into the gusset.

Shades of Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment.

 

Smiffy:

Gravity may be a weak force, but (vide Goons) "There's so much of it".

 

I'm recovering from cat bite; our orange fizzy gave me a big chomp on the fleshy part of my thumb. Dayle applied TCP but our bottle is a month out of date. Dr. prescribed pills -- every 6 hours for 7 days.

We went out for TCP. Nearest British shoppe has 2 bottles from the same batch as hours. Next nearest doesn't answer the phone listed on the web. Next in line is opposite a big train shop.

 

Saturday is Home Layout Tour day in the area.  One just around the corner; may be up to 40 available. May just go to help a friend.

[chrisf]

Yawn.  Greetings.  Up early enough for a brief visit before setting off for Ally Pally.  See some of you there.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[roundhouse]

Just finished loading the car with the DCC stock etc ready for the drive to Ally Pally.

 

We are stand 100.

 

Ian

[emt_911]

Morning all.

 

A quick coffee before heading out to Ally Pally.

 

Have a good day everyone

[jamie92208]

Morning all from the delights of the Premier Inn in Enfield. No time to catch up on 3 pages and wifi too flaky last night to do much so generic Greetings and commiserations.

 

Green Ayre is set up and we have actually had a small wheely thing running up and down. Off to breakfast soon and then to the Palace of Alexandra. Hope to see some of you there during the day.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[Gwiwer]

Morning all.

 

Best wishes to those attending Ally Pally.  I am obliged to sit it out this year being trapped in the Antipodes.

 

A warm day here, 29C, which is good for late March and the week shy of the clocks changing.  No doubt appreciated by the hordes descending upon Albert Park for the final day of practice and qualifying for this year's Grand Prix.  It certainly brought out the crowds - today was one of the busiest I can recall.  Not without its moments either as the fashion sense was decidedly in favour of breast exposure.  Either fully with the absolute minimum covered or the more tantalising intentionally see-through lacy styles which deliberately permitted all to be seen.  Either way my colleagues and I came away with a much greater understanding of young Melburnian female anatomy.

 

One moment of "What the ...... " occurred.  Middle-aged couple entered the station, were unfamiliar with the ticketing system and network geography and found it necessary to ask.  Female half of the couple then said to me "You're so helpful.  We're not used to being helped on train stations.  Why are you being so helpful?"  (No, I don't like the term train station either but that is what most people here use).  She then had the temerity to report our helpfulness in the form of a complaint!!!  It won't be taken seriously.  Talk about darned if you do and darned if you don't.

 

Tomorrow is the Grand Prix itself.  I am expecting to be even busier.  In preparation tonight's feast is a BBQ of sausages and burgers, with potato wedges thrown in, washed down with a couple of Aussie beers.  There are some things I'm going to miss about this place.  The beer isn't one of them

 

Be good.  Thoughts with all.  Ridiculously early alarm call in the morning at 4.00am - on a Sunday - so it's an early night in a while.  

Edited March 25, 2017 by Gwiwer

[Barry O]

Sleep well Rick, good morning to others.

Hettie our navaid took us down a route which was included some lovely scenery but narrow roads yesterday. We arrived OK.

Despite the cost involved our room is stunning. We enjoyed a nice walk with our friends before a very well cooked and presented evening meal.

Tea was delivered to our room this morning and breakfast awaits.

Enjoy your day...hope you are in a lot less pain Neil.

 

Baz

Currently residing in the Inn at Whitewell

[Donw]

Looks like being a nice day. Probably do some brickwork on the new porch. It would be nice to be at Ally Pally and have the chance of meeting some of you maybe another year. Do enjoy your day.

Don