Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[newbryford]

A long, but very enjoyable day at Ally Pally.

 

Up at 5am, back home by 10.30pm....... no complaints about Virgin West Coast, the Victoria Line and Great Northern trains.

 

First time on a trade stand and the time absolutely flew by as there was plenty of interest in our gear.. My first sit down from getting off the train at Ally Pally was in a friend's car giving me a lift back to the station after the show.

My feet hurt and I have a sore throat from talking.!

 

Managed to purchase a few bits and pieces on my breaks, but didn't get chance to make the ER meet, but a few called around to say hello on the stand.

 

I will be up at 5am again to help Junior NB load up  to go and compete in a triathlon. Bed will beckon for a couple more hours after that, then it's off to work at the office, possibly with a flying visit to see how the triathlon is going.

 

There may be some ice hockey tomorrow night that involves a trip to Solihull with Junior - if she's not sleeping off the traithlon. The Hawks are now safe from the relegation playoffs and lie in a championship playoff 3rd place after beating the top three teams over the last three games...... Although depending on results tomorrow, they could end up 5th......

 

Have a good Sunday folks/

 

Cheers,

Mick

[emt_911]

Night all

[andyram]

Evening all. Glad to hear the ER meet went well. It sounds like our fellow travellers had a good day at Ally Pally. Here in the middle of the country the weather has been very nice with long spells of sunshine. After a longer than expected lie in I visited the Belper show this morning. What was supposed to be a short visit extended into several hours. I bumped into many familiar faces, including our fellow ER Laurence. I was very touched by the number of supportive wishes I received and the ensuing chats caused the visit to extend well into the afternoon. So many people seemed very concerned and all offered advice. Several people were retired teachers and it was heartening to hear that, almost all, had experienced or heard of something similar happening during their careers.

I returned much refreshed but family stuff took over so the planned paperwork did not happen. That means I will have to do it tomorrow and that does not help the stress levels.

 

Enjoy your Sunday all.

[southern42]

Early ' Morning all from red dragon land.

 

Hope you are all enjoying/ed Ally Pally.

 

Working party at West Shore this morning, though I spent a long time in the cafe queue for a couple of take-away teas. Good to be back over there after a winter of one cold/virus after another. 

 

Back home, and I stuck down the components for the base of the Bangor diorama.  Not as simple as it should have been.  I did exactly what I had planned NOT to do - stuck the top layer underneath the other instead of on top!  Fortunately, it came apart so I could reassemble it the correct way round.   What was I saying about new tricks?

 

The buildings will just be stuck on card, the rest will be modelled and sceniced.  I was playing around with the idea of moving from the sepia tone of the postcard for the back of the scene into full colour around the tank at the front.  Then, amazingly, I produced a practice piece of road using chalk pastels which turned out to be a colour match with the road on the postcard so it looks like that could be a possibility.  The reverse side of the cereal packet used for the road is brown and proved to be a good base.  It remains to be seen if I can get a half decent pavement - white plastic.

 

Delight of the day - fire red sunset.

 

If you are going to Ally Pally have a good 'un.

 

' Night all.  Nos da.

[BR60103]

We skipped most of the Layout Tours today. In Shakespeare the British Shoppe had TCP that hasn't expired yet (although there was debate later on about how much it could expire). Lunch at a country restaurant.

Afternoon with friend Dave who was on the layout tour, but few visitors. One very young (8?) lad who knew more than I did at that age; all the wheel arrangements. He even picked out the rarities -- the Big Boy came quickly but he needed a little prompt from his mother for the Challenger. Very active, but asking for new trains to be run before we'd managed the prior request. Dayle spent the time talking to Dave's sister who's a vet about cats and cat bites other topics of interest.

[JohnDMJ]

Up at the crack of doom for the London-bound train to Ally Pally. Might be back home early tomorrow!

[Gwiwer]

Greetings to all.  Special thoughts with those who have failed to adjust their clocks overnight and are waking an hour earlier than they expected  Also commiserations to those who might be in any way connected with today's special event in the UK as the Calendar Gods have seen fit to remove an hour's sleep from all mums thus denying them the luxury of a full night's sleep before Mothering Sunday.  

 

Today marked the final Australian Grand Prix with which I shall have any form of involvement.  I can't tell you who wins despite our time now being 10 hours ahead of the UK.  I'm an ER not a Time Lord  Significant crowds were handled on a beautifully warm day.  Mostly in good humour too though some sore heads were evident from, perhaps, all-night sessions in the city pubs and clubs.  I have worked a total of eight Grands Prix over the years, five with the trams and three on the railways.  Today was in many ways very satisfying as we all pulled together to shift the crowds quickly in the way only public transport can do.  

 

All is reported well upon the Hill of Strawberries.  i shall talk to mum later as my sister and I are making a special event of today for her in view of the recent loss.  Tomorrow the cat has his rabies shot - provided I can catch him and get him in the basket!!! - and then it's back to the Palace for a late turn.  

 

I hope you can all manage to have a good Sunday.

[jamie92208]

A quick good morning from Enfield. Regards to all but breakfast awaits.

 

Jamie

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dry start, blue sky appearing and it should be a fine  sunny day.

After getting home from last night's birthday bash I remembered to alter the clocks that don't do it automatically. Had trouble with one light switch timer that nearly ended up going through the window but I got there in the end. It was suggested by management that doing technical stuff after spending a few hours in a pub was probably not a good idea.

Glad that Ally Pally was enjoyed and I hope to get there next year.

Later today we're heading for the Hampton in the South for our jaunt on the High Seas so it is quite likely I will be absent for a few days. Son Steve is coming with us again or as he might put it "looking after the old folk." This has the added advantage that we're going in his car which has a lot more room than mine.

Hope you all behave while I'm away and I leave you with this:

 

 

Have a good one (or more), 

I'll be back.

 

Bob.

Edited March 26, 2017 by grandadbob

[2ManySpams]

What time is it?

[Gwiwer]

What time is it?

 

Time you knew better

[Oldddudders]

What time is it?

Depends where you are!

[Donw]

It does feel very ER this morning. I could have had a lie-in but would only feel I had wasted part of the day.

 

Don

[emt_911]

Morning all. After a good nights sleep I woke to a very cloudy day. I hope that it doesn't last.

 

A day of catching up on mundane tasks including washing the van.

 

Bob - I hope that you enjoy the cruise.

 

For those attending Ally Pally today have a good show.

 

Have a good day everyone

[trisonic]

Just off to bed at 3:45am after watching the Grand Prix of Australia. I commented in the appropriate thread.

Goodnight everybody.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited March 26, 2017 by trisonic

[laurenceb]

Have a good time Bob - and dont fall overboard!

Mornin awl

[chrisf]

What time do you call this?!

 

Good morning one and all

 

After a 21 hour day yesterday [rise 04.00, bed 01.00] I could not shift my weary carcase from my bed so it is just as well that I have no pressing engagements today.  The evening was spent at the Green Note in Camden once I had found it.  It is another intimate venue with a good ambience [no real ale though].  Add The Hut People and you get a terrific atmosphere, particularly when the percussionist "played" two latex pigs which sort of grunted and accompanied another piece half-kneeling on the floor playing two copper saucepans.  I'm looking forward to playing the new CD!  The homeward journey was mixed, with some hilarity on the Northern Line involving two lads with broken legs, apparent victims of a misplaced meeting of skis and alcohol.  Less hilarious was just missing the semi-fast train to Bedford and having to endure the all-stations with one coach locked out of use.  The taxi driver at Bedford clearly did not relish being on duty at 00.30 and was such a grump that I gave him the exact fare instead of instructing him to keep the change.

 

Before that, of course was Ally Pally.  I need to make it clear that The Boss was at the 12.30 meet at my invitation.  I bought two books and two packs of Microrod and met some but by no means all of the inmates present.  A busy week lies ahead but more of that tomorrow.

 

Warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason

 

Chris

[AndyB]

Morning all and a lovely sunny Mothering Sunday here. Flowers and chocolate will be dispensed to all the mum's in the family throughout the day. 

Gammon is cooking in the oven and pineapple will be placed atop later. With an egg. And some steak cut chips. And peas. 

 

As for what time is it? The answer is: about an hour since next door's dog starting barking. 

All day yesterday and they're out again today....so most likely the same will ensue. 

 

Yesterday's fine weather enticed us out into the garden. Clematis and other climbers were tied in and mulched.

A few years ago I bought a grass-type plant which was meant to yield long bottle-brush type flowers. 

It didn't. And I rather wonder if the online shop where I got it substituted it. Whilst keeping the label. 

So we replaced it with a Pheasant's Tail grass which looks quite the part along with some spring flowering spikey thing. 

 

Took the first step in dismantling the garage layout last night. Tentatively pulling up the platform to salvage the station building. 

I'd posed myself the question: when is the best time to do this major change to the layout. 

The swift answer was: Life is short; get on with it. 

It seems that each new layout I embark on thins out the track - the next layout will have baseboards about 2' deep and, erm, one meandering track. 

 

Friday this week will see me in the pub (what's new, I hear you cry) - celebrating the life and recent passing of a brilliant scientist and mentor of mine.

His work received international acclaim and the only surprise was that he never received the knighthood that was much deserved.

Perhaps no-one (including me!) ever thought to put his name forward. 

Having said that among the many initials after his name was FRS, so his name is fittingly alongside those of other august gents.   

I think many of us who levered from his work would readily acknowledge: nanos gigantum humeris insidentes.

[Happy Hippo]

The Obergrumpenfuhrer has just asked 'Where is the laundry basket?'

 

I looked out of the window and replied 'it is running around the garden with a couple of flower pots.'

 

She came to the window to look.........................

 

I think I had better make myself scarce in the general direction of the garage or workshop.

[lightengine]

Beautiful day here in sunny Teignmouth.

[Tony_S]

Morning.

I didn't forget any clocks, however the furry alarm clock most definitely wasn't having any of this BST nonsense and decided it was still return to basket time after his garden inspection this morning.

I don't think I will cope with walking round railway exhibitions today but I should be OK taking Robbie down to the park. I will then drive over to Enfield and see Aditi and MiL.

I think in future I won't bother with pre booking exhibition tickets.

Have a good day.

Tony

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.  Lack of mothers here nowadays.

 

Made a b*llsup last night, trying to cut down on painkillers and having guests to dinner (well, Trackshack John and his Mrs!) I took my bedtime pills early at dinner, having cut out the mid-day lot.  Debs had a bad night coughing and slept in the spare room after 3 to let me get some sleep.  I awoke at (new) 9am, with my foot going bananas.  Tonight I will take my bedtime pills at bedtime.....ahem.  A reminder though, that things are far from fixed in there as yet. There's a lesson in there.

 

I still miss exhibitions, it kills me reading about them!  I really fancy York at Easter, but it isn't going to happen.  I'd love to see Pempoul, which I think is perhaps the best scenic layout ever at this stage. It beats Pendon into a cocked hat. Ooh, controversial, Neil!

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

Mother's Day gifts have been given to Sheila and birthday greetings sent to No2 son, who is on his way to Harrogate with his fiancé, who is treating him to a weekend away, nice.

 

The sun is shining and we are awaiting No 1 son's arrival.

 

Back later.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Luckily the only timepiece that does not automatically adjust in my household is my watch which I reset before going to bed. Strangely enough my bedside clock went from 12:59 to 2:00 wheras the kitchen clock was still showing GMT until a later hour, not that I waited up to watch it change. My own body clock is still set at GMT and takes about a week to adjust. I pre-book for some shows, the open days at the LT museum at Acton Town but only to avoid the long queues, sometimes it can take an hour to get in. Thats it for now, be back later.