BlogBS5

Working in the 21st C

2012-01-23T12:17:00.001Z

Today I am on the train from Bristol to North Wales, the first of five days on the train that will take in Wales, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and back home again in a big old tour.

I am on the cutting edge of technology, working quite efficiently with a 3g connection, an iPad and a bluetooth keyboard.

I can even do work.

And geeky stuff.

New Hub action!

2012-01-06T13:56:00.001Z

Some teething troubles to start with and we're a bit hit and miss so far, but this is my new wireless hub which was a free upgrade. The old one was five years old and a bit tired, so hopefully this one will blast along at top speed.

Great service from my ISP too. And the colour and the lights are pretty smart.

A tall tale of an espionage Korea.

2011-12-30T14:02:00.001Z

Just the other day I took a mission on in North Korea to bag some eyes first intel' on the hand over of power in that perilous state. Alas being somewhat taller than the average Korean Army conscript I knew I'd stand out but who'd have thought the Western media would pick me out amongst the million plus 'mourners'?

Back home now after a hasty exfil' and the usual full de brief.

Suffice it to say the new leader is as tricky as the last two.

Oh well.

Actual Mission Action!

2011-12-27T17:17:00.001Z

A pal who does actually does know some Special Forces dudes gave me this for Christmas. What a cracking gift!

This is an ammo box for 7.62 mm blank rounds. I guess these are for training sessions prior to live missions.

All I need to do now is think of something cool to keep in it and a convincing back story about my time on a deep mission in the middle east gathering intel' and zeroing in on CIA targets.

Thanks to the kind fella who wrapped it up for me.

Get in!

Christmas Merchandiser.

2011-12-22T18:15:00.000Z

Today I was running an errand for a Christmas shopper here in BS5.

While we were in the city she was browsing and I was just spugging about waiting.

I noticed these personalised coat hooks where you buy one that matches your initial.

Took me a while to clock it but then had to take this picture for Blog BS5.

Even more train drama.

2011-12-14T13:52:00.001Z

Today I am coming home from Didcot where my brother lives. I am on an unusually quiet service because it's a day off and I am travelling just after lunch.

Plenty of seats in the entertainment carriage where you can pay for movies or hit the free to view screen for a location map that also shows speed.

Heading home at 124mph.

Get in!

The elusive banana.

2011-12-12T19:21:00.001Z

I haven't blogged in a while but this is a show stopper for BlogBS5

Today after about 30 months travelling in my current role on very many a train indeed, I bagged the Flying Banana.

This is the Network Rail
Measurement Train, an ex-service Class 43 that now runs a 13 week programme covering all the rail track in the UK and measuring its safety or need for repair. There is no published schedule so you never know when you'll see it. There is only one . It's long and bright yellow and you can't get on it unless you work for Network Rail.

Since I moved from regular train geek to the sort who collects numbers ( for class 43 only) I have not clocked 43014 The Flying Banana, but today at London Kings cross there it was in splendid yellowness. I was so excited and I had 22 minutes to my connection to take a gander.

There I was along with a discreet group of about eight other blokes equally thrilled. Harmless fun.

What a cracking Monday and out of the house from such a lovely weekend too.

Cool!

2011-12-09T05:32:00.001Z

Now this picture made me smile. It was on my geeky Flipboard feed (a great iPad app) , a fairly minority interest in class 43 trains.

Get in!

Total train drama!

2011-11-24T16:52:00.001Z

On the way from Peterborough to London tonight and logged on to the 15 minute free wifi that standard class affords. Very impressed at the log in screen with a live update of the train's progress. Total geek action.

He is on the way....

2011-11-19T11:22:00.001Z

My brother is coming to live with me from Monday. He's got this much shit and a firm plan to fill up my house with it.

Cosmic!

No more updates :-(

2011-10-06T08:58:00.001+01:00

Beyond my clunky work laptop and its haphazard relationship with smooth operating, all my on line life is via products from this man. Indeed I am writing, posting and editing this on an ipad2.

He was a divisive sort of a chap and I am certainly in the group that liked him, but I was less fond of the control in the ecosystem.

That aside Steve Jobs has checked out and that's a real shame.

Thanks for all the cool products and the fantastic presentations and the branding.

Steve Jobs. Bit of a dude.

Top tractor action!

2011-09-29T10:40:00.001+01:00

Well this is worth a brief downing of tools to watch. Noisy and explosive ex hedge!

Weight for it!

2011-09-28T10:59:00.001+01:00

Here's my brother larking about weighing the dog. Weigh self first then reweigh holding hound.

He is 28.8 kilos ( the dog, obviously).

Get ahead, get a hat!

2011-09-26T14:08:00.001+01:00

Thanks via BlogBS5 to my thoughtful brother who has just come home from Poland on a hill walking trip.

He bought me this soviet era souvenir and I am mightily pleased with it. I am looking forward to winter testing and to seeing if it persuades me into the way of collectivisation, centrally planned economies and long queues for bread.

Cheers Greg!

He has become one with The Borg.

2011-09-18T12:46:00.002+01:00

This is Quaddie my brother's black Labrador.

It seems The Borg have infiltrated the house and Quaddie is now an automaton-canine swiftly despatching his brother Toby and moving on to look for new drones to join the collective .

If you know your Trek lore you'll know one of the first things you see of The Borg is the red laser eye supports
scanning space and time.

Winston Churchill.

2011-09-17T23:31:00.000+01:00

This evening I had a fine Saturday night date with BS7. We spent the evening in Bath, about 9 miles from Bristol .

We went to the Theatre Royal to see Three Days in May, a fine play about Winsto' having to persuade Halifax and Chamberlain not to capitulate to Jerry in May 1940, 18 months before the Americans came in.

It was a belter of a play and this is a picture of the set just before kick off. Winsto' was played by Warren Clarke and very good he was too.

(We won, by the way).

Special Forces Pa.

2011-09-14T18:24:00.000+01:00

This week my brother has been doing some hill walking and camping in the Brecon Beacons, a mountain/hill range in mid Wales often used for SAS selection.

Here's my cool Dad checkin' out the route on a debrief over a pint.

I like this picture a lot.

Rushin along.

2011-09-09T15:08:00.001+01:00

Top drama!

My folks recently went on holiday and stopped in at Murmansk. At a hotel there my Ma and my Pa picked this Russian newspaper because they thought I'd like the lead story.

Too true but no idea what the article is really about.

Any readers of Russian out there?

EBay special zone

2011-09-09T10:48:00.001+01:00

Now as you will know if you visit with any frequency, I love a good train, bridge, bus, cement mixer and so on. I like to look at train movies on you tube and I will always pause in a city to check out a good crane but *this* to bid on over at EBay is just too far from the sane crowd.

I put in a bid for £1.10....

Spod post

2011-09-09T07:46:00.001+01:00

I am just testing a new iOS app for blogging on the hoof, saving draft posts and editing via my Apple device.

The picture from Doom is just for entertainment (and cool nostalgia).

Spooky!

2011-09-05T09:40:00.000+01:00

It had been raining for a good twenty five minutes when I took this. Dry squares under the seats make sense but the dry square to the left had been exposed all that time. I reckon it was a cloaked object and maybe even a time portal.... didn't dare go near it in case I beamed into next week and met myself, or appeared on Iconia.

Fancy that in BS7's garden.

Spod!

Progress!

2011-09-04T12:03:00.001+01:00

This is the main bedroom in my house and it has now had the front wall taken back to the brick. A scratch coat and damp proofing have been applied and the wall is 'tanked' . That has now been plastered ready for decoration.

The anorexic thin carpet is going and I think I'll sand the floor (Daniel son).

Excited!

Fuse the Force , Luke.

2011-09-01T07:23:00.000+01:00

Here it is folks, my new all-action fuse box. This little beauty is now installed at BS5. It is certified and signed off by the electrician which will help no end with potential resale value for the house. It also means any electrical surge will be dealt with rather than merely considered slowly as per the previous device.

All I have to do now is work it all out.

All this and two new lights too.

Very unsupervised.

2011-08-18T12:24:00.000+01:00

Top BS5 in a lorry action!

Here I am at a show for work in charge of a lorry with a tail lift. I'm unsupervised with the keys.

What could possibly go awry?

Getting on with it.

2011-08-16T11:02:00.000+01:00

Here we are at last getting to grips with decorating and really getting about it.

Down to the brick where the plaster is done for and some damp proof and scratch coat before building back up and plastering.

I may have a new lodger next month and hopefully he'll find a sorted house!

Invasion!

2011-08-12T16:54:00.001+01:00

This was taken on the way back home today just into Cumbria. It may look like a cloud but I think it's a spaceship surveying northerners.

Water sight to behold!

2011-08-10T17:23:00.000+01:00

Today we have been to High Force a 68 ft drop waterfall on the river Tees in the north east. Loud, torrential and spectacular. Thanks to my friend Paul for recommending it. The spray and the noise and the spectacle were terrific! The waterfall has been at this stage of the river for about 11,500 years.

Holiday reading.

2011-08-10T10:46:00.000+01:00

Thirty years ago when holidays came around with my Mum and Dad and my fantastic brothers, there would be an added excitement to the weeks - a holiday special from the Beano, Dandy or Buster. This was purchased a day or two before departure and lovingly saved to read in bed on a holiday morning to add to the excitement and anticipation of the day. It was always a larger format edition with a very colourful and exciting cover and longer stories.

Now nearly forty years old and holidaying alone with BS7, it hasn't changed much, save for the medium. I purchased a book on my whizzy iPad and have been savouring it each morning this week, mixed with anticipation of the day ahead and the train, castle, garden, museum, bookshop or event that we will see together.

The holiday book is called Go, Go, Go! It is an insider's account of the Iraninan Embassy siege at Princes Gate in 1980, broken up and concluded by the Special Air Service. Aged only 8 at the time, my Special Forces Skills were still in their infancy and I was not called in, so it is enjoyable to read the account.

The book is choc' full of drama and bloke-friendly illustrations just like this one. On reading the background it is an irony that the siege takers were protesting against Ayaltollah Khomeini and fundamentalist Islam becoming the cornerstone of Iran just the year before . All the siege takers were after was more democracy in Arabistan. Once they'd killed a hostage though, it only went one way.

It's a great book!

Mpg geek post.

2011-08-09T10:35:00.001+01:00

On Monday BS7 and I drove this far. Just the two of us but quite a lot of kit on board. We drove long motorway miles up to Cumbria and then took a right on the A66 right across the moors. All in all 52.7 mpg is pretty smart across 300 very varied miles for a car with 103k on the clock.

Thank you VX 52.

I'm sure bridges and trains and stuff will follow this holiday week.

Get in!

2011-08-04T07:47:00.000+01:00

Oh yes! Now that ipad2 purchase reaches justification.

:-)

North Devon County Show

2011-08-03T19:27:00.000+01:00

Today we have been to the title of this post and it was just 4miles from our holiday base in north Devon.

The show ticked all the boxes for a Blog BS5 country show visit:

1 Large moo cows
2 A well made pork pie
3 tractors and farm machinery to have a gander at (not pictured here)

Great sunshine and a country pub pint of the way home. Ideal.

The Devil's Bridge.

2011-08-03T11:52:00.000+01:00

These are the Tarr Steps, a 'clapper' bridge on the river Barle in Devon. They are about 1000 years old and each crossing stone weighs about five tons. The bridge was allegedly built by the Devil to win a bet. I don't think he was about when we pitched up but we saw a horse, plenty of children and dogs , and a couple of land rovers that crossed the river. Inevitably there were chav types who parked up as close as possible to avoid the car park charge and a walk, thus blocking it for other drivers.

Anyhow we had a right old time of it crossing back and forth and splashing about.

Top bridge action!

Lynton and Lynmouth.

2011-08-02T09:51:00.000+01:00

This is the Lynton and Lynmouth railway with two carriages that are counterbalanced by water alone.

As the bottom one releases its water so the top one becomes heavier and begins to travel. It drops 500 feet down on a steep 800 foot track and pulls its partner up. The whole thing recycles water and uses no oil, fuel or electricity. It is in Devon and has been in operation since 1890. 40 passengers per carriage and no harm to the environment. It's £1.50 each way and a right old caper. We had fish and chips on the beach at the bottom and then explored the shore. Perfect English holiday.

On the beach!

2011-07-31T18:00:00.000+01:00

Construction action in North Devon today :-)

Holiday packing.

2011-07-29T17:51:00.000+01:00

Packing has started well....

Top tunnel action!

2011-07-26T19:01:00.000+01:00

Another away day at work and another after school excursion with a pal from the office who knows all sorts of interesting locations in Bedfordshire.

Three of us ventured out this time and visited Old Warden Railway tunnel that used to link a line between Bedford and Hitchin. It was built in 1857 and decommissioned in 1962. Both ends have have handsome capped stone and the length is 882 yards. The echo was really long.

Top geeky action.

Signs

2011-07-12T07:49:00.000+01:00

Exciting return to form on Blog BS5!

Here are some brand new signs at a Bristol station (Filton Abbey Wood, BS7).

This now means you can tell what's going on in the sunshine. Previously the 1970s goldfish bowl tv screens were useless in the glare and you never knew where you might end up.

Almost out.

2011-07-11T18:23:00.001+01:00

Running very empty at Blog BS5 through not keeping any sort of an eye on the important fuel in the important tank in the important journey.

Plenty of signs for fuel stations and a fantastic destination to head for but I took a random turn off the road and it's headed for a stop. I was navigating on my own (and I think that's the point).

It's the best road I've known and I turned off the thing.

I really don't want the route to end here, but then I shouldn't have veered off.

The 43 List!

2011-05-26T14:25:00.006+01:00

I have started to make a list and a very geeky list it is too! The list has about 198 pairs and therefore nearly 400 separate entries and so far although I have seen about 200 I have only noted 4! It's very socially backwards and very exciting too.

The mega entry is unique and yellow.

It is ex-service, it is bright and it covers the whole UK each fortnight testing track (43013/14!)

I have seen it three times.

Get in!

Last post at 38.

2011-05-10T21:01:00.012+01:00

Here is my Blog in May 2011, days away from my turning 39.

For the first time in three years I have skipped a month without a post, so what to write in that absence?

Well I am just going to add some pictures that have been on the radar and in my thoughts (a little or a lot) in the last few days across the news and across my doings in BS5.

Yns Mon.

2011-03-30T08:27:00.000+01:00

This week I am on the island of Anglesey, or Yns Mon in the native language. I am helping with a new store opening for the charity that employs me.

Not a bad view of the working day and an amazing and lucky shot just via my phone.

I can see Ireland from Wales on clear days.

My local pub about 91 years ago.

2011-03-18T10:31:00.003Z

This is The Rhubarb Tavern, my local pub here in BS5.

The shot was sent by a pal (Jack) and was taken circa 1920, some 52 years before I was born and a very long time before I came to call it my local.

Check out the sheer amount of hats! I wonder what these chaps were off to do, perhaps a day out to Weston Super Mare, or a day out to watch the gee gee's?

All good stuff.

Woohoo!

2011-03-14T10:22:00.001Z

Get in, new super-geek cufflinks!

A Christmas present just today from a good pal I hadn't caught up with since the Festive season.

:-)

Lunacy in Bristol.

2011-03-09T14:00:00.000Z

This driving business is becoming very bloody expensive. That would be about £80 to fill my car now!

I suppose that's the gamble when you have lunatic leaders in the middle east.

Tree mendous....

2011-03-05T18:18:00.000Z

This is Toby dog, Quaddie dog and yours truly on a walk today. We were near Didcot in Oxfordshire.

Hollowed out tree that just needed investigation! Dogs first, humans second.

Zooooooom!

2011-02-20T11:56:00.001Z

Top quality video action from last week :-) !

And here's the follow up.

2011-02-20T11:53:00.001Z

Now all the water drains left to right and out of the place. It's not accumulating any more and soaking into the wall. Phew!

Digging!

2011-02-14T13:57:00.000Z

Here at BlogBS5 it's time for my own mafia plot movie, complete with bad guy burial!

Here are some location shots.

I'm hoping not to go into this hole myself but instead am looking forward to some damp treatment, new drains and cement to fill the void instead.

Quite excited!

Long train to Mintaka..

2011-02-08T10:08:00.000Z

Some very tragic, geeky but enjoyable Google searching this week!

The last one is a Trek world that bounces around a star of that name, top right in Orion's belt.

I'll get my coat....

Tragic

2011-01-29T08:24:00.001Z

Now that's an geeky search list even for BlogBS5...

Top repairing action!

2011-01-28T11:06:00.001Z

The Autoglass man is here repairing a chip in VX52's glass.

Should I ask the fella to sing the ad' jingle?

January search action!

2011-01-22T21:06:00.000Z

Here's the latest search summary.

The Bristol thing was a follow up to 'Most Secret', a proper boys own read by Neville Shute.

A blessed year.

2010-12-31T23:46:00.000Z

I am a grateful man.

One wall, one city, one Chicken.

Contentment and more.

Happy new year.

VX 52 and the 100, 000 milestone .

2010-12-28T11:08:00.000Z

VX 52 is very soon to come of age and pass one hundred thousand miles driven!

I purchased him at 34k and have had many happy miles since driving past bridges, factories, convoys, other Mercedes cars, and along many exciting Motorway routes. We have bumbled along in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We've driven to work, on holiday and in rain, shine, snow, ice and hail.

How is he to pass the mighty 100 barrier later today?

He's taking four girls to the ballet in Cardiff.

What a milestone.

Christmas day

2010-12-25T12:28:00.001Z

A new pair of slippers

A nostril hair trimmer

A 2 hour course firing and driving a Steam Engine

A very happy, grateful Blogger!

Merry Christmas.....

Happy times of change.

2010-12-23T07:52:00.001Z

Two years ago my Christmas bowl of chocs lasted until March.

As 2010 closes , stock turn for this range has accelerated hugely. It's a measure of delight really as the month of December generally sees the bowl all done for.

Thanks to D'ang who explained turn and churn as a retail concept. His 14 minute M&S career lends him significant retail clout far beyond my slender grasp as an 8 Store Area Manager.

Flower ticket

2010-12-23T07:45:00.000Z

Some time ago I posted a picture of my rail ticket with a train-shaped hole punched into it by the ticket man!

A fan and reader of this blog has now submitted her own picture to post!

Here is a Norwich to Newport flower from Norfolk blog fan, Dandelion!

Check out that floral ticket check action!

I wonder if Dandelion has any bacon shaped like a large country?

Snow joke, you idiot!

2010-12-18T16:53:00.003Z

Luckily this is not my car, but the front of VX52 nearly took a hefty crumple today :(

I was in my car at BS5 (and with loved ones in the car) , we were taking the road slowly and gently in the slip sliding snow where there is no room at all for traffic to pass. A chap came piling along ahead of us with no intent of giving way.

He then stuck his brakes on and in slow motion fishtailed towards us out of control. We were going less than 10mph and I was able to stop and reverse about five feet - five feet that saved a VERY expensive afternoon. What a pillock!

I was very restrained and just thanked him for backing up. No point in giving the man a load of verbal when I am sure he knew he'd been a cock, but then again he just looked straight ahead and would not make eye contact anyhow!

My Google search list...

2010-12-17T13:23:00.003Z

Now and again I upload a picture of my most recent Google searches, and this always brings mention of something geeky.

However, if I load that up today my lovely other half will twig the fact that I have purchased a Mercedes Actros and a Chainsaw for her as the main Christmas gifts this year.

Lightning reactions!

2010-12-08T19:37:00.001Z

Well folks, just two years after it fell off, VX52 has a new wing mirror glass on the passenger side! I can now cross into the inside lane without guessing.

My car was serviced today by my pal Spence. VX52 has new oil and filters and is just 400 miles short of 100,000 on the clock.

Cheers Spence!

Beetle BS5

2010-12-04T18:06:00.001Z

This iron chap lives in the middle of Bristol at a venue called @Bristol which has a science and nature museum, a planetarium and a huge aquarium .

I had a right old lark here today and we came out for a lark about afterwards in the frozen fountains.

The beetle is one if a handful of sculptures, and with artistic flair here I am intelligently 'deconstructing its narrative' as they say in The Guardian....

Not for this blogger!

2010-11-30T18:08:00.001Z

This was a recent mail-shot to BS5!

Not my scene really.

Maybe if it had said 'express who you are through watching Sci Fi on tv and having a sneaky pint'?

No train action at all on BlogBS5 this week. I was due in Cumbria and Yorkshire with an overnight stop at York but the North has tons of snow and is closed!

Geeky search action Pt II.

2010-11-09T12:31:00.001Z

It's been a little while since I fired up a screenshot of Google searches, and the last such blog post contained the search 'how heavy is an inter city 125 train?'

This recent batch has an edifying mix of scaffold related location searches, a decent hymn, a dive location in Australia where my good pal Mike has just booked a jaunt, a cool and hip Californian clothes brand, and most critical of all how to sidestep in Doom on the IPhone!

Anyone else have such an interesting search history?

Wow!

2010-11-05T21:30:00.001Z

Now obviously I hope there is not too much hurt, shock or distress at the scene but Blimey! Top transport drama and action!

Toot toot!

2010-11-03T12:22:00.000Z

Check this fella out!

I am on a train through to North Wales today and my ticket has just been checked between Crewe and Stafford. The chap checked and clipped the ticket with a clipper that left the shape of a steam train!

Now that's dedication to the cause.

Toot toot!

Swiss

2010-10-20T17:53:00.000+01:00

Every six weeks or so I pitch up at my head office to do a bit of work. Working there is civilised and pleasant , and the office runs a minibus for free each morning and evening to the outlying villages.

I was on the minibus tonight (headed for my b and b) and heard two fellas having a chat about a parcel from Amazon:

'What have you got there?'

'Two copies of the fungi of Switzerland!'

Blimey! That was random.

I mean did he buy it twice or are there sufficient mushrooms in Switzerland for a two volume exploration?

Almost three!

2010-10-12T11:20:00.003+01:00

My Blog is three years old on Friday October 15th....expect a post of suitable gravity and importance!

Why change the habit of the last 1,073 articles of vital information?

Half Life

2010-10-12T11:17:00.003+01:00

Did you know that 50% of all the people who have ever lived and existed on the planet throughout all its history are alive right now?

Does it therefore follow that if 40% of today's population know who Barack Obama is, then he is known to 20% of all humanity ever?

That statisitc surprised me when I heard it, so I am doing my bit for the environemnt and using fewer resources, i.e staying in bed longer.

A field near work.

2010-09-29T17:57:00.002+01:00

Today I have been at an all dayer near my head office. It was an HR and training day with the standard content of that sort of affair.

I had a lift back to my b and b with a colleague who is always interesting and bright company.

He and I got to chatting about an Airfield that was on the way, and on the spur of it we decided to endure the rain and a five minute trudge through a field to visit it.

This is it.

It is the airfield at Tempsford and every SOE flight into occupied Europe left from here, dropping women and men in their twenties into Europe to support Resistance cells. They were briefed and armed at the barn.

Poignant stuff with a memory to many, including Violette Szabo.

Great visit!

Tax!

2010-09-23T16:49:00.001+01:00

This is the tax disc for my car.

It is purchased, delivered and ready to go .... before the old one has expired. That's the first time ever!

Is this maturity on the distant horizon?

Gosh.

£200 is a bit strong, about 360 in dollars, I think!

Me and my bro'

2010-09-21T21:06:00.000+01:00

Hey, this is us from a few weeks back! I have two brothers and this is the one next up from me (standing up).

We were at my folks house Christening a wooden spoon I had just received as a much appreciated gift!

I chose a slow beef stew as the spoon's maiden voyage and cooked that for a few of us to eat that night.

Khaless didn't appear in a stew inspired vision, unfortunately.

Fault Lines

2010-09-20T13:33:00.004+01:00

My brother's new book hit Amazon today and has already sold 5 copies since breakfast! Bring on that royalty cheque!

No publicity yet and it just uploaded and Joe Public arleady bought some. I hope it shifts a good few.

Here it is, so have a look and check out chapter 17 on Spaceships and Car Chases!

A steal at $28 of your American dollars.

A zebra in BS5!

2010-09-18T06:02:00.000+01:00

This was very exciting!

New tarmac and road paint action here in BS5 has resulted in an exciting zebra crossing. This rather helped me as I wobbled safely across it last night on the way home from the pub.

I had been away all week and went to my local for a fancy dress birthday party. I suppose most people would blog a picture from that, but this is Blog BS5....

Top Geekery!

2010-09-17T15:38:00.001+01:00

An update to my speed tester app', and a cheeky 8.3 meg a second.

Get in for Geekery!

The train home from London.

2010-09-16T20:29:00.001+01:00

A long and busy ride on the train tonight and the first time in many months that I have returned to Bristol in the dark! Here comes Autumn.

Obviously this was not the actual train I came home in because I am not coal....

Mr Sheen

2010-09-10T10:34:00.000+01:00

Off to the railway station this morning, as is my working habit. Top new shiny door action en-route today! Check these fellas out.

Blog BS5: even when it's not trains or bridges or roads, the action keeps on coming.

How long before some peasant tags them with graffiti though?

Handy!

2010-09-07T14:39:00.000+01:00

Through London today and there's a big old tube strike. Buses are the civilised alternative but the usual stop is a road currently being resurfaced. Here's a handy poster from that bus stop...

Fantastic Time Waster!

2010-09-03T07:11:00.000+01:00

Check out R-type for the IPhone. It's a retro' treat with wave after wave of top class aliens and robots to shoot. Mind you, waves and waves is stretching the truth regarding my progress! Here I am in a little explosion on the left just before the end of the level1 boss.

Progress beckons....

September blogger.

2010-09-01T22:07:00.000+01:00

Haven't posted in aaaaaaages but here is a vid' from a quick break I took in Wales over the bank holiday last weekend!

Happy larks in Wales, the last hurrah of the summer holidays (although September 1st has been a scorcher!)

Bus drama!

2010-08-23T20:32:00.001+01:00

Cor!

Nasty bus action in Manila this afternoon with an enraged police officer (who had been removed from his post) holding a load of hostages. Loads of dead Chinese tourists as a result, and a bungled attempt to break the siege.

The bus was held up on a road that was right under my brother's apartment building in the city. He is UK side for a while now but he has a pal in the same building who could see the whole thing from his window.

More than they bargained for on that bus trip :-(

Steaming!

2010-08-12T13:45:00.000+01:00

Caught this at York today. Very exciting!

A steam train in half.

2010-08-12T09:11:00.000+01:00

The National Rail Museum welcomed me for five and a half hours of total train dram in York this week. You can wander about to see, touch and explore about twenty steam trains and hundreds of other exhibits. This steam train is dissected and a knowledgeable chap explains the principles of steam locomotion each afternoon.

Pooooop poop!

More train action!

2010-08-05T09:31:00.000+01:00

Through this train station today on the way to a store visit near Exeter!

Jesus in a piece of toast!

2010-08-04T11:06:00.003+01:00

You know how you see crazy people who have had a vision of JC in the toast, or the Devil in the bubbles at bathtime?

Well I caught this still from Star Trek, the movie from last year. Check it out for spooky time line stuff!

I reckon if you just look at it a bit strangely, up and left of James T Kirk on his motorbike, there is a Borg face in the image of the Shipyard between the two tall piers or cranes! You can see the white of his skin, two eyes, a nose and a bit of a mouth with a microphone across it.

All spooky and indicative of the timeline to come!

And yes, I watched the trailer a load of times then took a snap when it was paused on my Iphone.

I'll get my coat....

May I have a single to....

2010-08-02T21:32:00.000+01:00

Looked in at this railway stop on my holidays in Wales last week. It's just over the bridge into Anglesey and has a handy phonetic guide for those whose Welsh is not up to the task (myself included).

Total drama!

2010-07-29T07:28:00.000+01:00

Pulled the car up at Blaenau Ffestiniog yesterday and encountered this!

Total drama and lots of Desmond! (Toot-toot !)

Speed!

2010-07-23T16:10:00.001+01:00

When I arrived home a moment ago I fired up my work lappy in order to bang out a fast email. Something came up that needed a speedy solution (I was walking home from the train and a meeting in Birmingham).

My 21st C laptop is a work machine and was given to me 7 weeks ago to replace my previous one.

Look at the lightning time below.....it records the moment from pressing the on switch to detection of my wifi network and connection to my work server.

Nuclear attack warnings are are faster.....

Top smart!

2010-07-19T15:02:00.001+01:00

Total crane action at Kings Cross St . A bit precarious gaffer taped on to that hotel roof though.

Cool!

Reading near Reading

2010-07-19T14:12:00.001+01:00

Now without getting all Jules from Pulp Fiction on you, here is a part of the OT that I like and just enjoyed reading on the train today.

Hey if it's not your thing ( or you think 'pretend friends' as my deliberately irreverent brother says), them that's cool but I just like this bit particularly.

And there's a woman in the opposite seat who is reading the same book! Mind you, she has a leather bound book but mine's on IPhone today.

Fear doesn't really mean following through sort of fear in this verse; more 'aware of' I think.

Trains and bridges will be back soon! Well before peace on Israel probably .....

Updates!

2010-07-19T06:33:00.001+01:00

An hour or so to back up my phone (always a slow process) and install a new version of OS4.

The result?

Smaller signal bars to make me think I am not losing signal really.

Here they are, courtesy of the 18 Phd employees at Apple mentioned by Steve Jobs in his Friday press conference.

Well spotted before now but ignored 'til you were rumbled, chaps.

£140,000 combine harvesters.

2010-07-16T17:52:00.001+01:00

I'm on the train home from London tonight and all week I've been on a retail refit in Sussex. During the visit I happened upon 'Used Machinery Trader'.

What a cracking read! Take this Claas Lexion 600 as an example. Second hand and it still costs 140 large but you get a vertical knifestraw chop, power spread, laser steering (cool) and a yield per quality meter. Ideal! 0 - 60 is a bit sluggish but hey ho.

You can't go wrong being a spod , especially when you haven't got a clue about vertical knifestraw chop action.

Me and a billion people ...

2010-07-11T19:42:00.000+01:00

Fab company and The World Cup Final.

Radio and tv action planet-wide.

I like my seat for the game very much.

Cool!

Buy one, get your money back.

2010-07-11T16:46:00.003+01:00

To Waitrose today in Monmouth before heading for BS5 and the World Cup Final.

BS7 and I picked up this and that, and spotted bags of peas on RTC (reduced to clear) so we nabbed two.

At the checkout they came up at their reduced price of 99p down from £3, but they were originally on a BOGOF and this still kicked in, taking £3 off.

Everyone loves a bargain. Spend two quid, get three quid off!

Thank you John Lewis Partnership.

More scoff!

2010-07-10T16:29:00.000+01:00

Summer barbecue prep' today.

This is the veggie end but there's venison and sausages too...

Must be time to crack a cold lager....

Prepping!

2010-07-09T17:52:00.000+01:00

Fabulous lamb curry to follow .

We have:

Lamb
Coriander
Mint
Chilli
Ginger
Cumin
Peppers
Onions
Garlic
Tomatoes
Cardamom
Olive oil

On a slow heat now!

Top deck action!

2010-07-09T10:41:00.000+01:00

More fascinating video action here on BlogBS5 this morning!

Here is a view of the lower end of Park St in BS1, and College Green where the Cathedral (just visible) has been since the early 10th Century.

After College Green and the rather swanky hotel (always good for a posh pee stop!) the vid' swings around into the centre of the city.

No spaceships but I hope you enjoy this Friday morning view.

The perils of afternoon ales

2010-07-08T10:16:00.000+01:00

I am 38 and my brother is 40. We should know better really.

He lives in Manila and I live in BS5 so when he visits it's a real treat and a catch up. We took a stroll to look at doors for some impending work on my house but then repaired to The Seven Stars. 'Just a couple' was the order of the day so we could catch Spain Germany in the World Cup later on.

On the way home the swings and rides looked a good lark, so here we are near my house!

Bleat!

2010-07-07T11:46:00.000+01:00

Curried goat today as my brother is coming to visit and he hasn't had goat before and requested it.

The goat in question must have been a bony bugger and I am making stock from his bones now!

Curry picture to follow tonight!

Quite smart!

2010-07-06T18:07:00.000+01:00

Now I'm not one for irregular pint glasses most of the time, but I liked this one lots! The beer was great too. I had this is 'The Mall', a smart pub near the suspension bridge.

I thought about slipping the glass into BS7's handbag but that's not good and it was too small anyhow!

Domestic Saturday .

2010-07-03T06:27:00.001+01:00

A mighty Saturday here in BS5. Off for a run soon ( it's half six) and then I'm going to clean my sofa covers, clean me, and wash the car.

Do weekends get any more active?