The Chill Out Zone

[Gate Keeper]

Originally Posted by trikey

Evening all, a productive day, repaired the door on the pump house, then made some brackets to hold a metal security bar behind the barn doors, why does the welding rod always run out efore you finish the run!



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That’s formidable looking. Have you considered beefing up security lighting and CCTV? or secret camera surveillance in case it’s an inside job?

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by Gate Keeper

Welcome to the day Steve as you recover from the rail to hell. Back in the day, how did train drivers manage for a smoke and did they have bottle for a wee or had to hold on for a toilet stop?

Next year we are thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper as a treat.

Any news of Ging arriving safely?

Hi Phil, Ging Facetimed me last night, quick call as it was 2:30 in the morning there.

Back in my day driving trains there wasn't the anti smoking policies there are now, smoking in the cab was perfectly normal. As for a pee, on longer journeys I used to take a can of Coke, drink the Coke fairly soon in the journey then you had the empty can if you needed it. These days I dunno what they do.

The only thing about the Caledonian Sleeper is you won't see the beautiful scenery as you pass it, better going in daylight hours. The West Highland line to Fort William has more to offer in the way of scenery than the Highland line to Inverness. The catch is the journeys are fantastic but the destinations, Fort William and Inverness are nothing to really shout about unless you use them as a base for exploring by car. Years ago, not long after Ging arrived here we drove up to Inverness, stayed in a hotel and explored the Highlands, just to let Ging see the wild and woolly Scotland. My parents joined us, took the two cars up but I got conned. My father suggested day two we drive from Inverness across to the west coast, take my car as it was larger. That day I drove further than I did going up to Inverness in the first place with the majority of it on single track roads having to avoid tour buses! I was knackered when we got back to the hotel.

Two trips we haven't got round to yet are Inverness to the Kyle of Lochalsh and Fort William to Mallaig, primarily because neither is doable in a day from here.

One (long) day trip we do fairly regularly is Oban, mainly because of the inexpensive but substantial seafood platter that's available from a small shack on the harbourside: https://www.seafoodloversrestaurantg...GREEN_SHACK%29. If you want more upmarket there's an excellent seafood restaurant at the other side of the harbour https://www.eeusk.com/

[Lancpudn]

I was sat in the conservatory when I noticed one of cats checking out something in the garden, It was a young hedgehog & they weren't bothered at all by one another.


There used to be lots of them about here when I was a child but you seldom see them these days.
What a nice surprise to see it eating the fallen seeds from the bird feeders & digging for worms there. Lots of worms just under the surface of the grass under those fallen seeds.

[WillyHeckaslike]

Originally Posted by stevestrat

As for a pee, on longer journeys I used to take a can of Coke, drink the Coke fairly soon in the journey then you had the empty can if you needed it. These days I dunno what they do.

An age-old problem with some interesting solutions along the way.

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by Lancpudn

I was sat in the conservatory when I noticed one of cats checking out something in the garden, It was a young hedgehog & they weren't bothered at all by one another.

Used to get them in the garden at the old house but not here. The cottage is accessed by half a dozen steps up from the road and its a fully walled garden.

Originally Posted by WillyHeckaslike

An age-old problem with some interesting solutions along the way.

Wasn't really a problem on the freight side unless you were on a long distance job and even then there was every chance you'd end up being stopped in a loop to allow a faster train to pass. Taking a train from Edinburgh down to Tyne Yard south of Newcastle doesn't sound like it would take long but some of them were only 45mph which meant you were in every loop and it could take up to four hours!

Some of the locos were built with a urinal in the engine room for when there was always more than one man in the cab . . . . however they were small and you needed a bl00dy good aim to hit it while the loco was rocking and rolling at 90mph!

[Lancpudn]

Morning all, Up with the larks to take my missus for an early hospital appointment at Wrightington.

[FLYING BANANA]

Morning all.

Bad night, stomach cramps. Loo visits.

Easy day today for me.

[stevestrat]

Afternoon from a rather cool but dry Scotland. Gave myself a couple of days to get over Friday, finally went out today, had to! Got a treat for dinner, piece of steak, beer battered chips, pepper sauce, got peas in the freezer . . . . sorted Very rarely eat red meat, couldn't even guess when I last had a steak.

[WillyHeckaslike]

Originally Posted by stevestrat

Taking a train from Edinburgh down to Tyne Yard south of Newcastle doesn't sound like it would take long but some of them were only 45mph which meant you were in every loop and it could take up to four hours! Some of the locos were built with a urinal in the engine room for when there was always more than one man in the cab . . . . however they were small and you needed a bl00dy good aim to hit it while the loco was rocking and rolling at 90mph!

The Victor V bombers had a portable carry-on WC but for everyday tasking within the UK the jets usually flew sans bog. They tended to be carried on the longer sorties where relief might be needed for more than boredom. One of the recce sorties during Op. Corporate (Falklands 1982) being a good case in point where the jet flew for the best part of 15 hours. U2 pilots with sorties regularly lasting 9+ hours have to conform to a special diet in the 24 hours before a flight, though they do have the facility built into their space suit to allow for urination.

I had to give a urine sample to my GP earlier this year and I had to produce it at that time. I thought his staff who were all female were taking the urine in more ways than one when they gave me a tiny plastic bottle for the purpose which was little bigger than a thumb. I mentioned that my eyesight was not what it once was and they then gave me a tiny plastic ladle which was little bigger and deeper than a tablespoon. Pee into that what you can and decant it into the bottle, said she. I entered the toilet in the practice to do the deed and the canvas flooring felt like it was covered in contact adhesive with an unmistakable whiff of urine about it. The task was impossible to achieve without some splash and spillage given the tools and it was not only the floor that suffered.

I seem to recall flat paper fold-out funnels were once given to assist with the giving of a urine sample but when I subsequently mentioned this to the receptionist I felt that someone with two heads might have been stood behind me and that she was looking agog at that person. I was not expecting to have to give a sample at the time, my preference is always to produce it at home but in future I will take my own more suitable plastic or paper cup for the purpose whenever I suspect it might be needed. But being able to pee into a coke can is a step up from what I was given, I take my hat off to you being able to do that.

[Lancpudn]

Afternoon all, It's been a dry day here but things change overnight with a full day of rain again tomorrow looking at the forecast. Long hospital appointment with my missus sat in the most uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room , I need a chiropractor to sort me back out, Just been in a red hot bath that usually eases it but not today. I'm squeaky clean if nowt else.


Called at the ASDA on the way back for some shopping & scored some good meat bargains in the reduced section Going to be some posh style beefburgers, chips & salad for tea tonight.