jamie92208

Good moaning from ere. It's still dark and a bit chilly outside but the woodburner is going well having been rejuvenated. Yesterday was wet and windy but I did get the trailer back into it's newly painted parking spot. Cheese was bought at the market and cakes were also bought but didn't last as they had to be tested for quality. A good video chat was had with Martin and Katie. Katie lost the last of her pair of Jack Russells last week but they still have Reggie the Cocker Spaniel. They had spent time cleaning up my late father's collection of tea spoons and an amusing interlude then ensued trying to ID the cathedral that was modelled on one of the spoon handles. A bit of cross channel googling then ensued and it was identified as Lincoln. Reggie's afternoon walk took place round the cathedral to confirm the ID. Katie has learned what a transept is as the main spotting feature was two sets of transepts. What's the collective noun for a cathedral spotter. Anyway today is planned to be chain saw day as I attack the Cottoneaster at the heart of what remains of the jungle. A buddleia is also on the hit list as it's growing too close to a wall and damaging it. Regards to all and try and stay safe. Jamie

The ginger cake is now 'resting' whilst the master baker ponders on what to do next. There are two options 1) to wrap it up in foil to 'come again'for a few days, then put a rather sugary topping on, or 2) start eating it tonight. I dare not disturb the ayatollah whilst she cogitates. All is not lost however as two cakes were bought at the market this morning are ready to eat. I will report developments in due course. Jamie

The ginger cake is in the oven and smells rather nice. I believe that the topping is to be underway soon. Brownie points need to be earned so that I am allowed some. I therefore need to extract my digit and get the timer set on the underfloor heating in the bathroom. Complaints of cold feet on a morning have been made. Jamie

All this talk of cake must have subliminally got to Beth. She is planning to make a ginger cake this afternoon. Jamie

Good moaning from a dryish Charente. It's certainly cooler here and the wind is getting up. The jungle was attacked again yesterday and victory is in sight. The chain saw will be deployed on Monday. I'm glad to see signs of mojo returning. No big news here but I may well make a trip to the market this morning. The G word has been banned for today so I may even head for the shed and see if my modelling mojo is hiding there. Regardscto all. Jamie

Good afternoon from a sunny place. We start today with the last photo from the Midlands expedition on 15th May 2008. I think it's Bicester North with a fast train for Snow Hill went north. Then a day out to Tamworth to see Pendelinos and freight. Things had ground to a halt on the WCML due to a signalling problem on the then 2 track section. Rumours spread of a steamer stuck in the queue south of us. This then appeared. Taw Valley on a positioning move from Southall to Carnforth. I had visions of a conversation between the fireman and a modern young signaller with the fireman trying to explain the need to move or he would have to drop the fire. Anyway things did get moving again. Taw Valley then drew in and stopped. On the footplate was, IIRC, Chris Milner from the Railway Magazine. I was invited into the cab and made welcome. My last cabbing of a steamer on the main line was 92208 in 1966. Then an evening outing on the Middleton Railway for members of the Leeds and District Traction Engine Club. Another shot of the loco. Which then ran round. A good evening was had by all. Finally a shot of the new Leeds Shed, namely Midland Road, a very appropriate name. Then owned by LNWR I think. Hopefully some more to come but that's the last of my film and slide scans. Time to go digital at last. Jamie

Good afternoon to you all. It's bright and sunny but also a tad chilly with a slightly lazy wind here. My main task yesterday was to paint a reasonable area of the shed floor. That was achieved successfully. This is now the view up the shed. All the floor in the main part of the shed, including the two side rooms has now been painted apart from some 20 sq metres on the left where my work benches and tools are. The area under the layout was the first part that got done about 4 yrs ago. There is still the top end which is 100 sq m. but that can wait. We then sat out in the sun and had coffee. This picture was from two days ago. We were rather surprised to be able to see the moon in the west just before lunch, 12.20 to be precise. I was hoping to get a photo of the robin but he wasn't laying out so saw a sparrow. This morning Beth went for a short bike ride then we attacked the jungle. Real progress is being made and three more trailer loads were towed up to the pile with the little tractor. Not a lot to do this afternoon but some things will be put back in place in the shed now that the paint is dry. Our Saturday morning was brightened up as usual by a video chat with Emily and her mums. Regards to all. Jamie 1

I wonder if that baddy from the Bond films with the metal teeth could have done it quicker. Jamie

Good afternoon from a sunny but cool Charente. The weather that comes across Biscay seems to get pushed north towards where most of you live. I'm generous to a fault. Late on parade today. Up a tad late and then had to go the The Danglies. 2 jobs, the first to arrange a standing order for our local taxe Fonciere. That was done very efficiently. The other task was to buy a new set of phones as the base station failed on our old one. That also went quickly. This afternoon I plan to paint another 34 sq metres of the shed floor. There is progress at last. On my way to St John of the Danglies I listened to Yesterday in Parliament. The goings on inside Downing Street sound like a soap opera. It seems as if the PM's fiancee is now the top dog. It could be an episide about the Tudors. Where will he go. I await the next episode. The best news of the day is the death of Peter Sutcliffe. I can't shed any tears for him. Beth was the first officer on the scene of one of his attacks in Chapeltown. Fortunately the lady survived. Regards to all. Jamie

PB, I hope your mate is OK. That sortbof discovery isn't easy, even when you're used to them. Encouragevhim to talk, preferably to someone who is used to helping folk. He'll probably feel a bit guilty as well. Andy P, glad that you are still able to report in. Does your wife have access to a strait jacket for you. It soundscasvif you need one. Bon nuit á tout. Jamie

They are certainly getting on with it. Jamie

I got one of them Phil but ignored it. I'm like that. Jamie

I'vecalways liked the look of those big interurbans. Jamie

Having worked several towns on Boxing day, including Ponty, I can concur with that. It seems that many families can't cope with two days of celebrations without falling out. Boxing day was Domestic day. We were encouraged not to go to the Cenotaph by the mayor so did jungle clearance instead. The former mayor walked past to collect some bread from the machine so we had a good chat. The jungle is definitely living on borrowed time, victory is in sight. Still getting light here but another somewhat cloudy day is forecast. We will see, yesterday turned out quite nice and sunny. One great surprise yesterday. News came through that we had to apply for post Brexit EH1C's. We were directed to the British Embassy website and 5 minutes later both applications had been completed online and acknowledgement emails received. That was a welcome surprise. Regards to all. Jamie

Well done Douglas. Jamie

Thanks. The roof vents certainly look similar. Jamie

Thanks for that, that would fix the date at 15th May then. I've corrected the caption. Thanks again. Jamie

Still in ate April early May 2008. We went to a church conference in Blackpool and the reconstruction of the tramway was underway. Here a loop being relayed at, IIRC, Bispham. And one of the iconic Balloons heading for Cleveleys. The new trams hadn't appeared at this stage. Next we are on the 15th May on a day out in the Midlands here are the array of semaphores at Worcester Shrub Hill. Thanks to Western Aviator for sorting that out for me. Then on 15th May Keith and I had a day out in the Midlands on some sort of rover ticket. As well as lines in the Worcester area we went to Oxford and caught the shuttle to Bicester Town. This view looks a bit different today. Then a walk across town and I couldn't resist taking a photo of this delightfully named street. And on to Bicester North. A cracking day out, 4 pages completed, and as a bonus our Cross Country service home from Birmingham got diverted via Whitacre Junction to Kingsbury so some freight only trackage was marked off as well. Jamie

Good moaning from the Charente where fist and mog has appeared. We had some rain yesterday but I still got another segment of the jungle cleared. Freshly made cheese scones were the reward with a moggacoffee. Rick, i do hope that you get the hot water sorted. Maybe you shouldboffer free nosepegs to your neighbours. Sir T, I do hope that you get your workplace problems sorted. Here no agenda has been set for today but having seen what the seaweed twirlers have told us this morning may well be when the junglevis attacked. Today is acpublic holiday in France and normally we have a procession from the Marie to the Cenotaph and cemetery, then back to the Marie for drinks and nibbles. Thst's been cancelled but we might well walk down at 11.00. Jamie

Scalp injuries do bleed very heavily but the upside is that they also heal very quickly. I can attest to this from personal experience. Hope you are OK Keith. Unfortunately I don't think thst I would get much sympathy, something along the lines of " Where there's no sense there's no feeling " would probably be utterred. Jamie

Good moaning from down ere. It's gradually getting light. I was hoping for a lie in but a cold call at 07.19 from a withheld number put paid to that. Pah as Baz would say. Firstly congratulations to Dom and family. I hope that everything progresses well. Our baby was 36 yesterday so we surprised her with a video call that we all enjoyed. More jungle got cleared, about 60 % done now, hopefully some more today. The gent at the tip was very helpful in telling me whick skip, everything had to go into. Much confusion as wall tiles in France are not tiles but carrellage. Anyway shopping will be shopped this morning and after some jungle work, not a lot else. Regards tomall. Jamie

Good afternoon, just as I type and watch the sunset. More from 2008. First another shot from the trip to the Kirklees Light Railway. It looks very different from when I rode it in a DMU, just before it closed. Next a few taken for an article that I wrote in Midland Record about the unbuilt portions of the Midland's West Riding Lines. This one shows Bath Road in Heckmondwike. The Midland through line to Bradford and Scotland, under the 1897 proposals, would have run in a cutting along the right hand side. The gable end is what was the municipal power station, now a joiners and undertakers. No work got done except that a tunnel was built under the road so that coal could have been taken direct to the bunkers from the proposed goods yard. The LNWR Leeds New Line runs in a deep cutting on the other side of the power station and it cost a lot to have coal carted up from there. The next picture shows the road and pedestrian access to the LNWR's Cleckheaton Station on the New Line. The Midland's line would have run underneath the viaduct. The first part of the West Riding Lines from Royston to Dewsbury was built, along with a branch down into Saville Town Goods depot that survived till the 60's. Th embankment of the main line became siding for wagon storage and is now occupied by a new housing estate called "The Sidings". This view is taken from the end of the embankment looking across the valley along the line of the proposed route. The Midland's station would have been on a viaduct in the centre of the picture. In the far distance the line would have tunnelled through the ridge towards Heckmondwike and the Spen Valley under the school building that can be seen. Finally two photos taken at a Level Crossing between Church Fenton and Burton Salmon. First an Advenza Freight 47 heading south. And then a Freightliner 66 heads north. More tomorrow all being well. Jamie

Allez les Blues as they say over here. One of the major French Rugby sides isn't far from here at La Rochelle. Anyway the tip has been visited and the trailer is now empty so coffee is being drunk. Jamie

Good moaning from a sunny and warming up Charente. Yesterday was lovelybwith cloudless blue sky from 10am to sunset. To celebrate I even cleared and swept another bit of the shed floor. In the afternoon we attacked the jungle for another hour, then sat on the bench in the sun and had coffee and cake. Today, the first task is to get the trailer ready for a trip if itbis open, my reconnaissance expert is due to text me intelligence about this as she will be passing it on the way to the chemists. I have now been informed that the tip is open. This afternoon we may well attack some more of the jungle. We have now done over half of it. Regards to all. Jamie

Happy belated birthday to Douglas. Chain saws and trailers are the two must have accessories here in deep rural France. No 2 son provided good advice about both. He trained as a tree surgeon and has done a lot of agricultural contracting. He advised me to get an Ifor Williams trailer, which I did and taught me how to use a chain saw. I now have two tronconeuse's oan electric and a petrol. Plus a static chop saw with many guards that lives in the woodshed. A log splitter also helps with larger wood. Wood has to be left to dry for 3 years over here so this year the house is being heated by ash, sycamore, cherry and plum that we fellled, split and sawed ourselves. Very satisfying and the garden looks a lot better. Today the trailer, plus load will be heading towards the tip, to empty it as it's needed to collect tiles. Jamie