jamie92208

Good moaning from the Charente. A very good evening g was had last night with some neighbours round for dinner. They had just arrived back from the UK. It's a custom to offer a meal in such circumstances as it saves them shopping and cooking when tired. They do the same in return. Beth made a lovely fish pie, and an apple tart with Bramley Apples. As well as red wine Peter and I sampled a local artisan Cognac. It will have to be sampled again. This morning we are due to head for Angouleme for Beth to see the Anaethetist and hsbpve an Xtay. A meal will be had whilst in the city. Regards to all and of course Sundry. Jamie

Best wishes to DH for tomorrow. There is also a severe environmentaldisaster caused by the monoculture with so many almonds.there isn't enough variety to suppirt many bird and insect species Inc, uding the bees that are needed for pollination. Jamie

Thanks very much for that @4630@4630. 72/73 Iwas at the Poly lib NG ianmouse infested bedsit up Halifax Old Road so Bradford Road was my way into town. The Indian curry house was known to us a Chiefeys and we never asked exactly what kind of meat was in his fridge. It:s great to see real evidence of the work ongoing. I presume that the rep, a cement span is somewhere nearby ready to be lifted into place. Jamie

There are various videos on YouTube from the weekend showing the major works over Easter. There is work at Mirfield and Ravensthrpe but the major work appears to be at Huddersfield. I think this is a 10 day closure. It seems that there is work goi g on in the station to create the extra platform to the north in the stabling sidi gs and the it seems that a bridge in the viaduct is being replaced. I think that it's one span of the viaduct over Bradford Road. From the several video as posted by Sarah Bell they have removed a steel span on the north side of the viaduct. There is a large crane there and the old span is bei g cut up in the roadway. I think that the southern pair of tracks which cross a stone arch are still in place. I'm fairly certain about Bradford Road as I used to cycle that way to the Poly in 1972 and have memories of an Indian takeaway there. Jamie

Good moaning g from the Charente. Weather is due to be damp again today. Plaques was marked here by a trip to the market then a n enjoyable game of Belote with friends in the afternoon. A batch of cheese scones were sampled later. Not a lot on the agenda for today. Ttfn. Jamie

Rail Focus has uploaded another video about the TRU, this one concentrates on the Huddersfield to Dewsbury stretch. Jamie

I did read a report several months ago that the concrete slab track bases are being cast in a new factory at Merehead, maybe it hasn't been commissioned yet. I suspect that rail will have to come in via Calvert and the plans for the depot and Infrastucture base have only just been approved. Jamie

And another showing progress on the Copthall tunnel It does appear to be progressing well. As it links up with the Colne Valley viaduct there is going to be a finished trackbed from Wendover to the south end of Copthall in a few months time. I wonder if they will start fitti g out the track on this section that will be about 20km long. Jamie

Yes there was some springing usi g a form of moulded Nylon I believe but unless you filled the wagon with lead it didn't move. Jamie

Another video from Karl Vaughan of the Waddesdon to Thame Valley Viaduct section. Things are coming and there are even a few recognisable sections of trackbed. Jamie

Another late on parade there though I was up and about at 07.30 summer time in the Berlin linked time zone. Beth is still not up to goi g out much so I went to the market. Various bits of unspecified pottering g have been done and shortly some friends will arrive to play Belote. Ttfn. Jamie

Our friends are about to arrive to play Belote. Cake has been baked. Jamie

Yes I've pointed out several of those points to him such as the TBM's and the Logistics tunnel, in a comment on Youtube. However hisvideography is of a higher quality than many. Jamie

In 1971 I lived for a few months at Hounslow West, right under one of the flightpath. After a week or two I stopped noticing the noise except for my morning alarms which were a DC8 and a VC10. The latter could well have been flown bymy brother, then a first officer on VC10''s. He later bought a house at Englefield Green. Jamie

Nicholas Sunshine has just posted a long video showing OOC and the surrounding area. Jamie

If my memory serves me well the same is done in Salt Lake City where there is freight traffic on the tramway in some places. Jamie

Funnily enough we had a persistent complainer in Pontefract who was always complaining about the yoof next door and in the street. After we had found nothing she started writing to the Police Authority. Then she started complaining about the Police Helicopter flying round her house most nights when we knew it hadn't been there. . The Chairman of the Authority was a local councillor and we met at some event. I mentioned the woman and he replied, take no notice she's a complete fruitcake. We never heard anything more. Beth is just recovering from a chest infection that has now gone on for two weeks. She hopes that it won't be to ad when she sees the anaesthetist on Tuesday. Good luck with yours Dave. Here the spuds have been planted and I have rigged up the drip feed irrigation. I also took the temperature of the pool water today. It's about 17 so I wilbe setting the pump and filter up soon. Algae grows above 16 degrees C. Jamie

Good afternoon from a sunny Charente. It's now three weeks since Andy had is operation and his good lady allowed him to play out this week so on Thursday I picked him up and we set off to our usual spot at Juille. Nothing appeared for the first two hours then at 16.07 this came up from the south. The two G1000's that I had seen a fortnight earlier so there had possibly been some works south of Luxe. One of those was a cop for Andy who had been going stir crazy in the three weeks without any train watching. The at 16.30 the repeater for a southbound went out and 4 minutes later a real surprise appeared. 29002 a class 77 formerly with HHPI in Germany, which was a line in the book for both of us. There are only about half a dozen of the class in France now. It was hauling cereal hoppers. Moo The southbound local headed past at 17.05 then 27070 came north with a freight. It was sugar containers on some very new looking wagons. Another line in the book for me then it was closely followed by the northbound local. Then at 17.25 these two came north. 67593 and 67413 heading north. the repeater went out again so we waited for a southbound and 7356 leading 27007 which was dead in train headed south with a freight. A good afternoon was had despite the long wait. Jamie

Good moaning g from a sunny Charente. Bit late on parade due to stuff. Firstly our usual hour chatting to young Emily and her mums. She was on great form this morning, simging to us and carrying us, or at least the phone we were talking on, around whilst she chose he clothes. Then a quick trip to see the Belgian widow to arrange to shut her shutters for the next week. Despite a broken wrist she was in great form. Not bad for 93. Then I've started setting up the drip feed watering in the veg beds. That will continue this afternoon. Regards to land Sundry. Jamiel

So where does Amoureuse by Kiki Dee fit in. Jamie

I like a lot of C and W especially when I was in the States. One of my favourite bands is the Highwaymen and of course Johnny Cash sang a lot of songs with train references. Meantime my modelling skills got me so much needed brownie points today. Beth's spare pair of glasses had broken with both hinges kaput. I filed some new hinges from some square brass bar the set out to drill a couple of holes in the side arms to bolt them on. My drill wouldn't even scratch the metal. I thought of araraldite but then thought solder. The iron was wielded and hey presto the glasses are good to go. I may not yet be back in the good books but she is wearing the glasses. Jamie

HS2 Have just posted this video showing the completed arch over the Grand Union Canal. It does look rather graceful. Jamie

Is there any news on progress with the work. Jamie

Being read here by a lad who lived in Chesterfield for 5 years between 53 and 58. We are both partial to cheese and tend to buy it from a market stall on Sunday. A mild blue called Carré dAurillac is one we both like. Jamie

Until a track spike or something similar jams in the conveyer. I read about that happening on a Big Boy. They got through 7 tons an hour. Mechanical stoker's were mandatory ifvthecgratecareacwas more than 50 square feet I think. Jamie