Aircraft Fuel on the S&C

Yesterday (Sunday) late afternoon the phone rang. It was the ever watchful Ken Shingleton in south Wales. "If you get out to the station in ten minutes you might see a first for the S&C". Ken Harper in Lancashire explains:

After discussions a couple of months ago about the re-instatement of the night shift at the north end of the S&C one of the reasons for it occurred on Friday night. 6M66 20.34 Doncaster - Carlisle Yard ran passing Settle Jn. at 23.23 and Petteril Bridge Jn. at 01.23. The train then continued forward as 6S68 04.45 Carlisle Yard - Prestwick (Airport) via the GSW after leaving half its load of aviation fuel in tankers in the Yard. The discharged tanks returned as 6M69 14.48 Prestwick - Carlisle Yard and the remainder of the loaded tanks ran as 6S69 18.48 Carlisle Yard - Prestwick yesterday (Sat.).

The discharged tanks seem to return south today (Sun.) as 6O68 12.00 Prestwick - Grain Oil Terminal (Kent) attaching the first half at Carlisle Yard and routed via the S&C, PBJ 17.11 and SJ at 18.50, then Blackburn and the WCML as the WCML north of Oxenholme is under engineers possession.

The sun shone on my efforts:

Great to see an entire freight train without a hint of graffiti and with drivers wearing ties!

Never a dull moment here in sleepy old Settle.

Now on Prime

 My last post mentioned the staggering number of recent views of this Blog.  A comment on the posting may have the answer - the show is now on Amazon Prime, possibly accessible worldwide.  Let's give it a try:

Settle water tower on Prime

Staggering Number of Recent Views

 From time to time I have a look at the statistics for this Blog, which I started in 2011 when our water tower work really began.

Today was one of those times and I found to my amazement that on 1st February 2024 no fewer than 36,935 people viewed it.  That contrasts with the previous record daily viewership of 11,004 on 1st December 2016.

This sort of thing usually coincides with a reshowing of one of the TV programmes somewhere or other in the world.  Viewing the programme does not link to the Blog however.  I wonder if the Blog was mentioned as worth a look somewhere.

Anybody got any ideas on  that?  (The picture of our water level gauge is just for fun)

 

Fancy a Baby Octopus?

Had the pleasure of a hefty and delicious seafood Italian meal 'somewhere In England, south of Potters Bar' during the week  It included calamari - battered and fried octopus rings.  I'm fine with those;  delicious in fact.  But when I explored toward the mountain in the middle of the plate I found this:

Perhaps it's just me but there was a distinct psychological barrier to consumption here.

Maybe Brexit was right after all?

Peppercorns

 Ready-meals have come on a great deal in quality and presentation of recent years.   The other day I had a memorable ready meal from our local excellent supermarket, Booths.  Here's the package image.  The real thing looked just as good but for one (or 60+) thing/s - peppercorns!

I could, perhaps would, have died if I had eaten all these.  I all conscience and concern for other victims I have written to Booths thus:

"I have just had the pleasure of one of your Peppercorn Chicken & Parmentier Potatoes ready meals for one - Sell by date 11/03/24 06124 (possibly the batch number).  The picture shows the peppercorns I fished out of this single meal after I had eaten three which nearly blew my socks off.  I have not counted them but there are sixty or so.  Looking online fifteen seem to be the safe and palatable maximum number of peppercorns in one serving.  I wonder if there is a problem with that batch?"

Watch this space.

11 April 2024  Good as their word Booths have investigated this case.   The specification of the meal called for 8 grammes of peppers per portion.  This particular meal had more than 8 grammes of peppers as did other samples tested.  Adjustments made.   I defy you to eat 8 grammes of peppercorns but some people must be able to do it and enjoy it.  Not I.

Camera Doorbell

 Just installed a new front doorbell, its predecessor having failed.   This time its one of those fancy jobs with camera and two-way sound via the house wi-fi and VHF.  Annke brand, like our other security cameras

The low sun is spoiling things a bit but that's a pretty useful picture.   From my i-phone I can view and listen live anytime - and have a conversation with the caller.   £29.99 direct from Annke.   That's about the price of an ordinary ding-dong doorbell.  I might get one apiece for our four other outside doors.

Update:  The doorbell showed its real use yesterday while I was sitting in the sun in the roof room.   My iPhone sounded and it was my very first call from the front door bell.   I pressed one of the several icons on the iPhone screen, more in hope than expectation.   Bingo.   There was a clear-as-you-like picture of a man and a woman at our front door.  "Hello" I said - and the lady replied, loud and clear.  The system was working fine!  "We've come to give you a leaflet" said the lady.  A distant bell rang.  I told her I was at the top of the tower but our letter box was in the gate so they could deliver the leaflet.  I told her that their visit was the camera doorbell's first test for real, we all agreed how good they were and they left.  On emptying our letter box later I found the leaflet, inviting us to attend a meeting at Settle's Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.   A close call.

Lift Shaft Clock Modified

 

Back in 2017 in an effort to somehow disguise the lift shaft we mounted a very large clock face onto it.  It worked and looked fine BUT twice a year somebody had to climb a ladder and change the time.  Similarly if the battery needed to be changed.  Now that climbing ladders incurs severe local disapproval something needed to change.  I wondered how it might be if I mounted the clock mechanism inside the thickness of the lift shaft wall and created access from inside with the lift platform halted at just the right level.

The job is now done and the clock can be serviced from within.   Here is all you can see from inside - a steel cover, held in place with magnets:

I am modestly chuffed with this.