Aberdeen is in lockdown and people are not allowed to leave unless for work, or other specific purposes. Therefore the train carried far fewer passengers than it would normally.
Aberdeen is in lockdown and people are not allowed to leave unless for work, or other specific purposes. Therefore the train carried far fewer passengers than it would normally.
Not so this bit of Midlothian - we had no interweb until well into the afternoon.
It was quite some storm though - S. and I spent over an hour standing in the front porch watching it and putting the world to rights - it was the longest thunderstorm I've ever seen.
Having seen the pictures on the BBC website I'm amazed it's not a higher figure.
The vehicles were possibly upwards of 40 years old (HSTs), and they were built very strongly. It happened at a place I know fairly well, and it's not hard to imagine the difficulty of reaching it and caring for the people, especially in these conditions.
Early to say, of course, but it looked to me as though the way the coaches were scattered about at odd angles was the result of a (sort of) irresistible force - the train - meeting a (sort of) immovable object - a landslip.
Those HSTs were some of the best diesel units ever built in this or any other country. Money well spent.
Just heard from a former friend (he was a friend until this afternoon) who took the trouble to e-mail me while he was enjoying a pint in the Conan Doyle in Edinburgh. Canada is still on the undesirable list, so I still can't get back without being sequestered for two weeks. This thing is not getting any better, and now we'll be quarantined for two weeks here after my wife gets back from trumpland on Sunday.
Storm was impressive here and temporarily put out the internet ordering of the famous local chip shop. But it's so sad to see the big human cost of things like the train disaster.
Having seen the pictures on the BBC website I'm amazed it's not a higher figure.
The vehicles were possibly upwards of 40 years old (HSTs), and they were built very strongly. It happened at a place I know fairly well, and it's not hard to imagine the difficulty of reaching it and caring for the people, especially in these conditions.
Looking at the images, it was a short-consist HST made up of rollingstock cascaded from the East Coast Main Line and refurbished in the last twelve months or so, especially to upgrade ScotRail services.
Some similar HSTs were built for use in Australia, IIRC...
Back to Scotland, where sudden storms and floods have been a feature of railway operation since the earliest days. L T C Rolt, in his classic book Red for Danger, describes a number of these, and it all goes to show that, no matter how careful we are about building trains, and operating railways, in the safest manner possible, we can't always defeat the forces of nature.
Whether global warming and climate change have anything to do with it is a matter of conjecture.
None of which, of course, is of any comfort to those affected by such disasters.
<votives>
Some similar HSTs were built for use in Australia, IIRC...
And still clocking up hundreds of thousands of kilometres per year, almost four decades later, but due to be replaced in the next couple of years by a bi-mode diesel-electric model from CAF in Spain.
A dawnless morning (I've been up since 5 am's how I know), louring skies, fidgeting trees, rain-splattered windows and a storm coming up from Galloway. And it's still August.
I doubt the wee plastic tents over the outdoor tables I saw outside a cafe will stand it.
Definitely stormy here in the Rhins of Galloway! (Here for a week, having been on the Black Isle last week. All pre-booked well before 2020 and totally grateful it's been able to go ahead.) Been very, very careful to avoid possible crowded places, excess people, comply with all instructions and be very friendly was well as doing our best to support local economy. Then get away to lonely isolated walking places - safely.
Only bad experiences have been in a supermarket queue for tills with an unmasked (I am charitably assuming for medical reasons) very cross local who was of the opinion that it was all nonsense and I had no need to ask for distance to be maintained after the trolley had been banged into me for the 4th time. I pointed out I was protecting them from the fact I may still be asymptomatic...
Other than that, I have been thoroughly reminded I am just a much nicer person all round in Scotland (not just when I'm on holiday and relaxing) and maybe moving home when it's possible is not such a silly idea after all.
😅
And for that reason this household doesn’t Zoom!
Just nipped out to batten down the hatches in our garden.
Random bits of weed membrane and plastic pots, are all removed.
Sunflowers, tomatoes and climbing squash staked.
Chairs and tables removed to safe place.
Perhaps you could crawl in below camera level. Then all that would be visible would be wardrobe doors opening of their own accord, maybe a coat hanger mysteriously hooking on to a drawer to pull it open. Then a fishing line hovering over the contents before whisking a pair of knickers off to the side.
I'm sure it would add greatly to the interest of the other participants.
I'm having a very mixed day here. A long-term project is reaching a milestone tomorrow, so I'm happily working on that, but at the same time a Difficult Relative is messaging me random insults. (This is the Difficult Relative who holds a grudge that we didn't leave the Church of Scotland when she did. She holds many such grudges.)
It's tiresome, but I don't care enough about her opinion to be bothered. I am worried that the isolation of the last few months hasn't been good for her mental health. I don't want to block her - I want to keep the line of communication open. Ideally, I'd prefer if we just exchanged cat photos and comments on the weather.
My sister, who phoned last night, said that her cat had put his nose through the cat flap three times but declined to go out, so "is just crossing his legs". I said I hoped that worked well for bot of them!
I had a very vivid, realistic, dream last night, which felt as though I was in somewhere familiar.
I was in a second hand bookshop, which had been created from two or three single story old houses in a row. Inside was a maze of rooms, with a step or two going up or down between rooms. The doors were low - fine for me at 5ft 5, but tall people were having to duck. There was a light and airy cafe extension at the back.
Nothing happened in the dream, I just wandered round, then had soup, cake (lemon drizzle) and coffee in the cafe with my family.
Does anyone recognise this bookshop? We were in Wigtown a few years ago, so it might have been there.
(My husband thinks I've created a mash-up of several different places.)
I've been in a few book shops like that, ones in Hay-on Wye and Arundel spring to mind, but neither had a café. If you remember where it is, let us know, I'd love to visit.
I haven't been to Arundel or Hay-on-Wye, and I haven't been to any bookshops in Carlisle.
It felt like somewhere I had visited with my family, and the last time I was in England with my family was London about 12 years ago. Since then, I've only been in England for conferences, meetings, or passing through Heathrow.
The main bookshop in Wigtown is a bit like that with a ‘garden room’ at the back, though I don’t remember them serving refreshments. The general description might fit more than one of the bookshops in Wigtown.
I think anyone who enjoys reading ( and eating great food!) might appreciate that bookshop in Carlisle.
Istr it is called ‘the bookcase‘
It is within walking distance of the railway station and the sole reason why I prefer to stop off there when travelling. Especially while using my free travel card which helpfully includes Carlisle.
When this is all over, / is returned to a state where one can do such things ....I shall book a room for a few days in Carlisle and will be able to be found somewhere in The Bookcase’s Over Thirty Rooms!
It also sells a good selection of sheet music. One more reason to make time for Carlisle.
As if this isn’t enough, the cathedral’s new coffee shop has opened
In case anyone hasn’t realised by now, I am really missing travelling around with Scotland’s national entitlement card😅
Sounds a bit like the bookshop in Carnforth but that didn't have a cafe last I checked. I do, however, recommend the bookshop if you're ever in the area.
Finding new rooms a common motif in dreams. The other night I was back in the house where I lived aged 6 to 10. The top floor had multiplied, and even acquired a roof terrace. But could only be accessed via a perilously teetering ladder.
It makes me think of the upstairs of Thin's in Edinburgh (now Blackwell's) and the old Thin's in Inverness, which had multiple levels and was more than one shop knocked together. Although neither of those had cafes when I frequented them. I want to go!
Comments
https://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53751678
Probably another 20-odd lives by lockdown.
It was quite some storm though - S. and I spent over an hour standing in the front porch watching it and putting the world to rights - it was the longest thunderstorm I've ever seen.
The vehicles were possibly upwards of 40 years old (HSTs), and they were built very strongly. It happened at a place I know fairly well, and it's not hard to imagine the difficulty of reaching it and caring for the people, especially in these conditions.
Early to say, of course, but it looked to me as though the way the coaches were scattered about at odd angles was the result of a (sort of) irresistible force - the train - meeting a (sort of) immovable object - a landslip.
Those HSTs were some of the best diesel units ever built in this or any other country. Money well spent.
Looking at the images, it was a short-consist HST made up of rollingstock cascaded from the East Coast Main Line and refurbished in the last twelve months or so, especially to upgrade ScotRail services.
Some similar HSTs were built for use in Australia, IIRC...
Back to Scotland, where sudden storms and floods have been a feature of railway operation since the earliest days. L T C Rolt, in his classic book Red for Danger, describes a number of these, and it all goes to show that, no matter how careful we are about building trains, and operating railways, in the safest manner possible, we can't always defeat the forces of nature.
Whether global warming and climate change have anything to do with it is a matter of conjecture.
None of which, of course, is of any comfort to those affected by such disasters.
<votives>
I doubt the wee plastic tents over the outdoor tables I saw outside a cafe will stand it.
Only bad experiences have been in a supermarket queue for tills with an unmasked (I am charitably assuming for medical reasons) very cross local who was of the opinion that it was all nonsense and I had no need to ask for distance to be maintained after the trolley had been banged into me for the 4th time. I pointed out I was protecting them from the fact I may still be asymptomatic...
Other than that, I have been thoroughly reminded I am just a much nicer person all round in Scotland (not just when I'm on holiday and relaxing) and maybe moving home when it's possible is not such a silly idea after all.
I can't go out anyway, because the North East Man is on a lengthy Zoom meeting in the room where my clothes are...
And for that reason this household doesn’t Zoom!
Just nipped out to batten down the hatches in our garden.
Random bits of weed membrane and plastic pots, are all removed.
Sunflowers, tomatoes and climbing squash staked.
Chairs and tables removed to safe place.
Quick prayer over the lot then inside again.
I'm sure it would add greatly to the interest of the other participants.
What an exciting life I lead!
It's still raining heavily. The cat has asked out three times, and each time as soon as the door is opened she looks at the rain and retreats.
I was in a second hand bookshop, which had been created from two or three single story old houses in a row. Inside was a maze of rooms, with a step or two going up or down between rooms. The doors were low - fine for me at 5ft 5, but tall people were having to duck. There was a light and airy cafe extension at the back.
Nothing happened in the dream, I just wandered round, then had soup, cake (lemon drizzle) and coffee in the cafe with my family.
Does anyone recognise this bookshop? We were in Wigtown a few years ago, so it might have been there.
(My husband thinks I've created a mash-up of several different places.)
But as far as I can recall, the doorways were a normal height
It felt like somewhere I had visited with my family, and the last time I was in England with my family was London about 12 years ago. Since then, I've only been in England for conferences, meetings, or passing through Heathrow.
Was it the final pre-waking dream? It often seems to be the most vivid (or at least the one best remembered).
Istr it is called ‘the bookcase‘
It is within walking distance of the railway station and the sole reason why I prefer to stop off there when travelling. Especially while using my free travel card which helpfully includes Carlisle.
When this is all over, / is returned to a state where one can do such things ....I shall book a room for a few days in Carlisle and will be able to be found somewhere in The Bookcase’s Over Thirty Rooms!
It also sells a good selection of sheet music. One more reason to make time for Carlisle.
As if this isn’t enough, the cathedral’s new coffee shop has opened
In case anyone hasn’t realised by now, I am really missing travelling around with Scotland’s national entitlement card😅
Finding new rooms a common motif in dreams. The other night I was back in the house where I lived aged 6 to 10. The top floor had multiplied, and even acquired a roof terrace. But could only be accessed via a perilously teetering ladder.