Ian Abel
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Posts posted by Ian Abel
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Afternoon (just past the noon time here)... -16C and sunny/clear "again" heading for bloody cold -26 tonight.
Both kids over for lunch and to hang out, then we're off for a ncie dinner somewhere.
Hopeing to get some modelling in for a couple of hours too - have a good remainder of the day/weekend all ERs
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Here's why I was particularly looking for "City of Wells" for my shed...
now if I can also find a "Blue Star" I'll have the two locos to match my prints...
Mid-afternoon, snow stopped (just a dusting) and temp now up to -9 'taint gonna last tho, -21 tonight again...
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Getting on a bit in the morning here already, -16 right now and overcast, first time in days, won't need the shades/shorts/sun tan lotion today
Really REALLY chuffed right now, just got off phone with a model shop in Eire.
By stupid accident (no other way to explain it) I was searching for a picture of Hornby "City of Wells", as I wanted one for my Classified post, and way down the google list there was a shop listing saying they had one!
I'm always nuts enough, when I'm looking for something, to click on any link in the wild-arsed hope that it's not an ancient listing that's long since sold out (Hattons and a couple of other stores also "pop up", but following the link says SOLD OUT or UNAVAILABLE).
Lo and behold, after checking the web site, emails with the nicest shop owner I've met and finally a chat with him, turns out they REALLY DO HAVE ONE IN STOCK and it was reduced as it's obviously quite an old stock item and he reduced it to move it... I SCORED IT, just finished the transaction and a NEW MIB R2542 "City of Wells" is on its way...
Funny how the little things excite you when you're old
Been looking for this or Winston Chuchill air-smoothed BR/SR for a while now. I mostly wanted "City" because I have a nice framed print of same that I picked up back in the 80s adorning the railway room, so was my first choice for that model.
Bu!@#er you know you're senile when buying a bloody toy train is almost as good as sex (don't tell Mrs!!!)
Started snowing lightly as I'm posting. Off for a few parts and then some modelling - guess I really SHOULD start my layout thread soon, instead of just waffling on here, right??
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Oh my
all the cars and planes of my "youth"...More stories/snippets...
o Charlie Drake and his wife were delightful, always gave me a good Christmas box, Bernard Cribbins was a real misery never a bloody penny...
o My dad worked at Vickers/BAC for years through the 50's and early 60's, I was at Brooklands so many times I don't recall, even went in the mock-ups of most everything they ever built in that time.
o Was fortunate enough to cross the pond 3 times in Concorde, the besst and most amazing flights ever - especially sicne everyone was invited to visit the cockpit after dinner
that'll never happen again <sigh> on any commercial plane!Flying was my "dream" though I only got as far as a PPL, some arse of an RAF twit told us during our A-level selection/careers meeting you "have to be the brightest in the school" to be a pilot. Knowing I wasn't, I chose computers as a career path - day I started at Shell in London as a trainee programmer, the paper had a headline article "Pilots in desperate short supply", not a violent person but killing was a consideration!!
I now live out my flying passion with Flight Simulator (when not railway modelling) and vicariously through my daughter - University of North Dakota graduate BS in Commercial Aviation, now UND Flight Instructor building hours to be hired on by the airlines...
o Would have LOVED a Lotus Cortina, dad only had a regular 4-speed one (it was white though!!) that I tried to drive like a Lotus
, and a friend had a Lotus, probably '64 sounds right. I had an MGB instead.o Beatles (John) had an amazing all black mini with the black tinted windows et al, that was the optional vehicle for shopping in Weybridge! Had two good friends "Barry and Linda", Linda's mum was housekeeper for John, and the two regularly baby-sat Julian. They usually ended up driving him around places in the mini - lucky bu!@#g!@#ers
Of course they got to meet all the Beatles "all the time" and were even invited to parties John and Cynthia had at the home - even LUCKIER B!@#!U!@$#GGERS!!!
Barry even got to drive Pauls Ferrari to Manchester one time - Paul asked him if he'd "mind" taking it up there for him - was before the speed limits on the M1.
Barry stopped for petrol part way up (after doing probably a million miles and hour) and whilst pumping a police car struggled in behind him, seems they had been following/chasing him for whatever reason, and he had the DEVIL of a time convincing them "It's Paul McCartneys car, I'm just taking it to Manchester for him"
o St. Georges Hills used to be a place we'd bike around/through and play all over as kids, there was no restriction at all, just another part of the countryside, now it's NUTS. You'd think it was a place similar to Buck House or Fort Knox or the White House!!! "They" do rather get above their station sometimes, don't they
I mean they're ordinary folks like us, seems they all put their trousers on one leg at a time too!-
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Well, as said in prior post, I grew up in Weybridge (not landed gentry though...) in the 50's and 60's so saw a fair share of "celebrities"...
Used to deliver papers to Charlie Drake (Charles Drake, Weybridge) and Bernard Cribbins...
Later dated a girl who lived in St. Georges Hills (very posh estate, now gated), and frequently ran into Englebert Humperdink as he was looking for his dalmation who always ran away, and the gf had two dalmations we walked all the time, so he'd pull over in his Rolls (out looking for the stray!) and chat with us almost daily!
Met Ringo and John Lennon, who both lived up there, Ringo often also walking a dog or hanging around in his garden that backed onto the golf course where we walked the dogs, and he'd callout and chat, nice bloke.
John Lennon was often in the shops in Weybridge, and the psychodelic Rolls was his chariot of choice, folks didn't bother him just let him go about his business.
Funny, but I can't image many folks that famous trolling down to the shops and walking around buying bacon in Tescos today, maybe I'm wrong, but seems they'd get mobbed and not a moment of peace. People back then seemed less "crazy" in the presence of celebrities IMHO...
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Who's Debbie McGee?
That and Gordons comment about traffic confirm why I left Blighty. If on tour i'd always try and get home on Friday afternoons - just to put up with the parking lot known as the M25.
Life's too short and England too crowded.
Best, Pete.
Pete,
I left before they finished it (M25), but growing up in Weybridge, have been plagued with using it ever since, having to arrive at either Gatwick or Heathrow and travel the M25 to almost everyone I know and love in the UK. I'm very thankful for being pre-M25 as i still know and remember the old routes and often take them rather than incur the wrath of said parking lot!
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...Have a great Friday...for me fish and chips for tea beckon...yummy!...
That's IT - now I'm really mad, first, you folks talk of sausages, then there's the bacon discussion, NOW, Barry caps it all with fish and chips <ggrrrr> WHEN WILL YOU ALL STOP TORTURING ME!!!
These are all things I'd love to have and then discuss, but sadly, they are three items that I've yet to find in all the years I've lived here, done in any way CLOSE to the way they are at home <sigh> Have an extra helping for me Barry! Thankfully, there are several really good Indian restaurants in town, otherwise I'd be in real trouble
On with the weather - Friday (yay) it's -22 right now and again bright sun and clear, you'd think you were in the islands if it weren't for the huge piles of snow everywhere...
Looking forward to the weekend modelling - so long as the house doesn't throw another wobbly - and will also have our daughter home for the weekend, that'll be nice
I'm with Tony - wanting to have bits or track all over the place, a liberal helping of wire, solder and burnt fingers also thrown in here
oh, and Bob refuses to stop walking all over the right-of-way - silly sod!
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Dunno if this is madness. (Maybe we need an "ebay oddities" thread?)
Hornby ebay sales have been mentioned in the bargain hunters thread before now, but here's an oddity. An auction for a limited edition item.
I wonder what this will go for?
Cheers,
Mick
Will be curious as the true "collector" (if there really is such a thing!!) is unlikely to want it as there's no certificate to go with it, right?? That's part of what makes it collectable!
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So how's this for odd/interesting/coincidence!!!!
I was looking on ebay.com (based in US that's the "default") and clicked on "View Similar Items" as I was interested in an "United States Lines" that recently sold and I "should" have bid on as it went for a great price (sorry, I digress), and these two listing appeared - especially strange since they are almost impossible to find otherwise, even searching for "Hornby R2294" or "Hornby Ellerman Lines".
Apparently ukpartsdeal has a twin and the price is better (all relative of course
!!) from the eshopic seller - interestingly it says on that listing that the item location is the US but they don't SHIP to the US, only Canada! Go figure 
The entire text/verbage of the listing is identical - my question is, what nut would ever, EVER pay those prices for the locos they purport to have!
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That's nothing......click "sellers other items"......if you dare...
Yikes!
Well, it's to be hoped that the individual posing with the items is "Alicia" and not "Tom" I guess!!
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Morning ER (here anyway, as always half-a-day late, and probably half-a-brain short too
)Yet another typical Minnesota winter day, -25C trying for a high around -16, bright sunny sky, light wind, whoopee!
Pretty pedestrian here all told, especially compared to the beating the UK seems to be taking - stay warm and safe all you ER folks and your families and furry friends.
I've very glad I'm not in a ship of any kind out there it that weather - sod that! Even crossing the channel in December to go skiing back in the '60s was pretty rough - the entire contents of the ferry seemed to be hanging over the side spewing!!! We were told that was just a "moderate swell" - I was damned glad to be off the ship and on a train for sure!
Best wishes to all the four-legged companions having challenges and vet visits, been there, done that, know how concerning it can be
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Morning all - reporting the morning drive at -19C with a wind chill of -28C seems quite trivial given we're used to it and can deal/prepare for it.
My sympathies to all experiencing the awful weather in the UK, be it wind/rain or combinations - there's nothing much can be done to prevent that sort of devastation, and it's alarming to see so many folks in such a dire situation - hugs to everyone and your families.
Couple of notes/comments;
1) Dawlish - ahem, who decided that was a good/only idea for ongoing major route connections to the west, someone needs to be shot IMHO! Even to the untrained eye that was and is totally a disaster waiting to happen!
I feel for all the folks affected, but it seems like noone is looking out for the west of england, and I'm sure there are some with pockets lined with cash as a result of the decisions, with no thought for the people of the west country??2) Wind Farms - as with any power "solution", it's only as good as intelligent NON-MONEY driven decision makers make it. Whilst it sounds like the implementations in the UK are possible very stupid (un-informed comment based on ER descriptions), there are many very effective and efficient wind farms in the US mid-west here. They work surprisingly well, are very VERY infrequently subject to the travails echoed for your situations and seem to therefore be a reasonable alternative. I agree putting them in places where they need all kinds of backup/support/subject to too many variations allowing them to run or not is not very clever <sigh>
We have our own "stupid" here of course, especially where power generation/fuel alternatives/availability are concerned.
For examples, read up on;
1) The Keystone pipeline - quite possibly the BEST way to assure some tragic crude oil spills across the US, as it won't even be built with sufficient safeguards.
2) The Baakken shale oil recovery in North Dakota - creating jobs by the thousands but ALSO high crime, high cost of living for the long time farmers/residents, with the oil shipping via rail already some serious accidents/oil spills, and last but not least, since they can't capture/utilize the gas they're venting, they're simply burning off a TON of potentially useable natural gas, whilst there is a propane shortage/emergency in many parts of the country with people having to conserve and pay 300% or more what the normal going rate it for home heating! How is that clever??
3) The fracking projects across the country that are "green, non-invasive and don't affect ground water", but that have folks living next to some of them being able to actually LIGHT the water coming out of the tap!!
All the above are "alternatives" we're told, but there's few people making money except the "moneymakers".
Since the oil, for example is "free market" it's even been openly stated that a large percentage of the oil being extracted will simply be sold to the highest bidder(s) (overseas, probably China) so it's unlikely that it will make the US energy independant and fuel less expensive, rather it will make some oil companies even wealthier than they already are!
Phew - didn't mean to rant, was just going to post a "good morning" to all
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Ian my like above was for the cat taking an interest in your loco not your Ebay problem
Don
Don,
No problem - actually the eBay problem deserves a like/funny and all kinds of things besides <sigh>
If it wasn't for the fact I really WANTED the loco in the first place I'd not be so generally annoyed by the whole process - I bought the thing back on December, and I'd just like my money back so I can go buy something else !!! $!@$!@$!@$ ! !#@$!@$!@$!@$ !@$!@$!@$!@$ and words to that effect...
As an aside, I'm probably going to post in the classifieds, but anyone who has or knows of someone selling a Hornby "City of Wells" or "Winston Churchill" have them contact me!
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Just send it back marked as "gift" and it shouldn't attract import duty, IMHO.
Also, as it is a returned item you wouldn't expect it to attract import duty, again, imho.
Ian, take a look at the hmrc website....
Andy
Thanks Andy - problem is I already returned it, didn't even think to mark it as "Gift" <sigh>. We'll see how this proceeds, from the get-go the seller was a little annoying after I'd purchased it. Even though he sent it Airsure (or whatever), he asked me why I'd waited "so long before telling me it needs to be returned..." until I pointed out that I HAD waited the total of one day as it was to the US and had taken about 9 days to get here. His response was, "oh, yeah, right..I forgot"!!
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Ebay is making a lot at this moment of "the item you bought or your money back" which pretty well covers your situation. Let them handle it. Sellers should not offer things without knowing and advertising their true condition.
Yeah, pretty much what I'm thinking - beats me why the seller can't get the customs/VAT/whatever waived, as I sure don't intend to pay it!
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-14 here at Noon, was relly sunny earlier but becoming a little overcast now, no snow forecast though for now...
Managed a little modelling after getting the toilet and vanity restored last evening, apparently Bob is as surprised by the look of a Q1 as many non-SR folks are who see one for the first time!
Here's something I'd like advice/comments on for the ER group;
Purchased a loco on eBay - ended up not being "as advertised" - seller agreed rather reluctantly to accept the return (he has a return policy where buyer pays return postage - seems fair enough).
Problem NOW is that he says the Royal Mail want an additional 21 quid, mostly Customs/import fees/VAT I guess and some minor additional postage.
I'm not sure how best to proceed - am thinking of suggesting I split the difference as I mostly want to recover MOST of my money.
Can't he avoid/get the customs etc. waived since it's not actually an "import" but a "return" and he has certainly got postage receipts to back that up as he sent it "signed for"?
If he figures I owe him the entire 21 quid, that added to the postage I paid would mean I'm out about $50 or almost exactly HALF the original cost of the loco! Seems that since I don't have the loco, I shouldn't be out much (if anything) in reality?? The issue is an open case with eBay/PayPal, so should I hand the whole deal over to them and have them figure it out? So far they are basically waiting for us/him to resolve it...
Suggestions appreciated...
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Dang! I'd kill (well hypothetically, I'm not really that violent!!) for some decent British sausages <sigh>.
Whilst it may not be everyones taste, I always have to partake in several "bangers and mash" meals when I'm back in England, usually at a decent pub that knows the true meaning of a pub lunch
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Tell me about it!
I feel like I have gone backwards since December, I hope it's just the weather but dislodging the pelvic anchor hasn't helped. Ibuprofen is my middle name.
Neil, same here last spring/summer - after some inexplicable issue that rendered me/my back bed-ridden for 2 weeks followed by about 10-weeks to get anywhere near normal/comfortable I was beginning to think I should just BUY the bloody ibuprofen factory!!!!
Nice mild (YAY RIGHT!!) -17C this morning, but at least no breeze/wind so the wind-chill is negligible, looking for pretty much the same all week, maybe a touch more snow!
The bathroom floor took WAY longer than I was hoping for - essentially took all of the real available time yesterday to get the waterproof backerboard down followed by the flooring. Tonight after work will manage to re-install the toilet (original cause fo the misery) sink and vanity and we'll be back to some semblance or "normal".
Damn I'm too old to spend an entire weekend on my hands and knees working on flooring - I need a weekend to recover from the weekend - my back aches <sigh>
Zero time on modelling <sigh>...
Avoided the Stupid Bowl - just not a fan of American Football - and can certainly find better things to do with 4 hours of my life, even if it DOES include watching Downton Abbey and Sherlock with the Mrs
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Has any figured out just how long 26.5 million cubic kilometers of ice would take to melt?
We're already in the next Ice Age over here, seemingly......and I can tell you even now at 40f (above freezing for the first time in two weeks) the ice ain't melting very fast...
Best, Pete.
"...you're lucky..." to quote the Four Yorkshiremen... have a high of -8C today, technically balmy compared to the coming week apparently <sigh>...
Didn't get to post this AM..started early on the toilet issue - and discovered the entire three layers of underlay under the vinyl flooring (original owner install) were all damp. Having spent most of my modelling time now ripping up 1:1 scale sub-floor in the bathroom - after FIRST removing the offending toilet - we're drying out the entire mess, fortunately the main sub-flooring timbers are hardly DAMP thanks to the three+ layers of covering that has soaked it all up.
Went shopping for the repair components and will install the correct waterproof backer-board/sub-floor tomorrow once it's all completely dry, then a floor, THEN replace the toilet < dang!!> I'll be really ready for a piss by then - HAR HAR HAR
As the Mrs and I declared, at least it keeps us busy and off the streets - Happy weekend to all
Oh, BONUS - son just called and since we're having to do all the bathroom work has volunteered to come over and cook dinner for us - what a nice young man
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Someone please tell me that I'm missing something?
I'm guessing what you're missing is "a screw loose"
which is apparently what most of the bidders appear to have that we don't! -
With the experience my kids have had in getting a landlord to fix things I'd rather sort my own mess out.
Ed
Ed,
Whilst I agree in principal - the stupid toilet will be taking modelling time away from me that I was really looking forward to this weekend <fist shaking angry icon>
My wife and I have the dubious "pleasure" of being landlords - invested several years back now in the hope of having something to retire on - right before things went to crap <sigh>, but we do pride ourselves in being super-responsive as we have a great couple in the place.
I too have less than wonderful reports of experiences my kids have had, it's too bad that some folks choose to be arses instead of stepping up to the plate if they intend to be landlords in the first place!!
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Morning all - back to a chilly -24C here this morning with a windchill just about 5 degrees lower. Bright and sunny lovely morning
Managed to actually spend some time on the layout last night - of course nothing what I'd consider completely productive as I had to take up a short section and re-wire to have a better programming track setup that was NOT part of my terminal area power district and therefore not making it a "mess" for reversing-loop switching <sigh>. Didn't think of that when I first wired my programming track.
Should be a nice day and headed into a good weekend - except that the toilet in the upstairs bathroom has decided to leak now! Anyone else getting a little tired/testy about home ownership??
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Morning - only -7 here but snowing and blowing snow. We got about 4 inches overnight and expecting totals of 4-6 or so time it's finished. I hate it when that happens and I still have to roll the garbage bins to the side of the street <sigh> should have done it last night before the snow started, oh well
This weather means there'll be total chaos, kids sleeping overnight huddled in schools because they can't get home, motorists trapped for up to 24-hours on freeways and the National Guard summoned to help distribute food to all the folks who are stranded....
Oh wait.... no, THAT was in Atlanta yesterday because they got 3 inches of snow.... I remember now, I'm in Minneapolis, it's just going to be, in the words of the newscasters "a little inconvenient this morning for the commute..."
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Could it be this block Ian ? Taken in much better weather though .
This is what it looked like Monday morning at -26C after the blizzard - lovely bright morning, and doesn't even "look" cold!
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Early Risers.
in Wheeltappers
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Some of you ERs will be getting up soon, but just thought I'd say "good night" - had a really nice damned near authentic fish-and-chip (cod too!!) dinner at a local restaurant tonight - YUM
Family went out, and as I've always told the kids, a "good indication" is when they list malt vinegar as being served - most places over here look at you sideways if/when you ask for it
Sleep well everyone