Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Dingdell]

Here's one of the Bellmouth overflows in Ladybower. Don't be swimming near that, or you would know what a real suckout was like.

Jesus - that's scary - where does that go to?

[boldie]

I have obviously missed out on the delights of the UK big time, and I'm genuinely sorry about that. But poker is broadening my horizons. On the way to dtd last week we drove past some big chimneys - never seen them before (I don't often go north). Snatty was not impressed about my lack of geographical knowledge, apparantly it's one of the largest power stations or something in the country, just as you turn off for Nottingham. They burn coal there and it makes power, although it looked like a lot of pollution too, is it steam or smoke going up into the night sky?

Anyway, the evening was not over. To make the circle of energy complete on my table was a guy bemoaning the fact he would have to get up in an hour for work. "What do you do" I asked, "are you a milkman?". NO - he was a miner. Not a very young person but an actual miner who goes down into mines and gets coal. He did have a slight 'blinking in the bright lights' look about him. Fascinating bloke, we talked for ages about mine safety and how things have changed, I went down a mine once when I was a kid, and they really haven't changed a lot since then. I love the different people  you meet at the poker table, without this guy we wouldn't have any power.

Did you tell him you also work in dark tunnels?

[tikay]

Here's one of the Bellmouth overflows in Ladybower. Don't be swimming near that, or you would know what a real suckout was like.

Jesus - that's scary - where does that go to?

The River Derwent, eventually. But you'd not come out alive!

[kinboshi]

I used the Snake, Woodhead or Mam Tor every week for about 7 years.

See it in the early spring when the heather blooms purple as far as the eye can see.

Or just before daybreak in the dead of winter when the light from little stone farmhouse kitchens dot the bleak landscape like fireflies.

i travelled Woodhead weekly for ten years when i was driving HGV's, always a journey i looked forward to,apart from the evening rush hour on the western side, a nightmare.Just before daybreak ,as you rightly point out,is the perfect time to cross.

The road has changed on both sides of "the Tops" now, Dual Carriageway on the Eastern side, & M67 on the Western side, but the summit remains mercifully, "as was".

I came back from Manchester this morning via the Snake Pass, (A57), & that's also one of the UK's most scenic & dramatic pieces of road, & I'm sure Booder & Tom both know it well. The temperature either side was 8C this morning, but at the summit, it was -1c!

Strangely, there were no sheep on the road today, whereas years ago, there always were, particularly in the winter. It was said - no idea of it was true - that the reason the sheep frequented the road so much was because after it had been gritted, it left a salt residue, & the sheep liked the salt! Could be an old wives tale though, but the sheep sure could be seen licking the road.

It (Snake Pass) drops down past Ladybower Reservoir, which is something else. Built during WW2, it's huge, & I believe the Derwent flows through it. Several villages were flooded to enable it to be filled (which took 2 years), including Derwent, & Derwent Church could be seen protruding above the waterline when levels dropped until a few years back, but I believe it's been dismantled now. The whole village of Derwent, "as was", is in fact under the Reservoir I believe. Overflows from Ladybower Reservoir use a weird "bellmouth" system, known locally as "plugholes", & these are a spectacular sight to behold when water levels are high.

After which, driving through Sheffield & back onto the M1 is a bit of an anticlimax.

God Bless The Pennines, Yorkshire, & England.

FYP

FYP

[tikay]

I have obviously missed out on the delights of the UK big time, and I'm genuinely sorry about that. But poker is broadening my horizons. On the way to dtd last week we drove past some big chimneys - never seen them before (I don't often go north). Snatty was not impressed about my lack of geographical knowledge, apparantly it's one of the largest power stations or something in the country, just as you turn off for Nottingham. They burn coal there and it makes power, although it looked like a lot of pollution too, is it steam or smoke going up into the night sky?

Anyway, the evening was not over. To make the circle of energy complete on my table was a guy bemoaning the fact he would have to get up in an hour for work. "What do you do" I asked, "are you a milkman?". NO - he was a miner. Not a very young person but an actual miner who goes down into mines and gets coal. He did have a slight 'blinking in the bright lights' look about him. Fascinating bloke, we talked for ages about mine safety and how things have changed, I went down a mine once when I was a kid, and they really haven't changed a lot since then. I love the different people  you meet at the poker table, without this guy we wouldn't have any power.

That would be Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, on the A453, just South of Nottingham.

What you see coming from the cooling towers is steam, not smoke, & it's enviromentally harmless, just water vapour. Hot water is pumped to the top of the towers internally then "showers" back down in freefall, cooling at it goes, but of course, steam escapes.

They consume huge amounts of coal at Ratcliffe-on-Soar, their stockpile is said to be 4 million tonnes. UK Coal returned to profit in 2006 thanks to record amounts of coal supplied to power stations, & Nottinghamshire & South Yorkshire are one of the last parts of the UK still to mine coal. Lady Thatcher rarely visits there parts......

By the way, there will soon be a new Railway Station near Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, "East Midlands Parkway".

[kinboshi]

On some days the steam from Ratcliffe creates clouds that extend for miles.  An amazing sight and I've always wondered if the rainfall in the local area is affected by the power station?

[kenjude]

There's a pub/inn a few paces down the road from that overflow thingy that me and a few colleagues would sometimes stay in by choice when on business in Chesterfield rather than staying in the conventional choices of the Chesterfield or Portland Hotels in town.

I can't imagine why people stay in in-town hotels when you can stay in little places up near such great scenery.

[tikay]

There's a pub/inn a few paces down the road from that overflow thingy that me and a few colleagues would sometimes stay in by choice when on business in Chesterfield rather than staying in the conventional choices of the Chesterfield or Portland Hotels in town.

I can't imagine why people stay in in-town hotels when you can stay in little places up near such great scenery.

I agree, there are some terrific Inns & Pubs atop the Pennines.

Further up the Pennine Range, the accolade of "highest pub in Britain" goes to the "Tan Hill Inn". It's a beautiful, privately-owned, homely pub & restaurant, burning log fire, & a mini-aviary out in the garden, with all manner of birds & ducks. The couple who own & run it are quite splendid people.

A few years back, they advertised Christmas Dinner for £9.99 or whatever, but made the "mistake" of describing it on posters & flyers as "Family Feast, £9.99". And guess what? KFC sued them, claiming they held the Copyright on the words "Family Feast". You could not make these things uip, & even in the hostile Media, KFC stoutly defended their position.

[boldie]

There's a pub/inn a few paces down the road from that overflow thingy that me and a few colleagues would sometimes stay in by choice when on business in Chesterfield rather than staying in the conventional choices of the Chesterfield or Portland Hotels in town.

I can't imagine why people stay in in-town hotels when you can stay in little places up near such great scenery.

I agree, there are some terrific Inns & Pubs atop the Pennines.

Further up the Pennine Range, the accolade of "highest pub in Britain" goes to the "Tan Hill Inn". It's a beautiful, privately-owned, homely pub & restaurant, burning log fire, & a mini-aviary out in the garden, with all manner of birds & ducks. The couple who own & run it are quite splendid people.

A few years back, they advertised Christmas Dinner for £9.99 or whatever, but made the "mistake" of describing it on posters & flyers as "Family Feast, £9.99". And guess what? KFC sued them, claiming they held the Copyright on the words "Family Feast". You could not make these things uip, & even in the hostile Media, KFC stoutly defended their position.

It's because they are American. Hell, officially you can't sing "Happy Birthday" to someone on the radio or telly or anyother public performance as someone should get paid royalties....really..try it live on telly next time and then ask Sky Legal whether they needed to pay
Or even more ridiculous..there is a family that OWNS the colour Blue.

[booder]

That would be Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, on the A453, just South of Nottingham.

close by is Gotham.....Batman can occasionally be seen cruising the streets at night.

[kenjude]

I detest all this claiming of copyright to generic phrases and generic images.

I heard that Adidas were due in court somewhere in Europe recently trying to gain complete control of the use of vertical stripes. Ridiculous. Three stripes, fair enough. But two or four stripes are not the same as three stripes.

The campaign starts here - DON'T GIVE THEM THE STRIPE!

[RichEO]

Now, I know you all, or mostly, have jobs, & I'm Mr Lucky So & So who's retired & can spare the time to smell the roses - or look at the trees - but please do try & take a drive over Woodhead Pass or Snake Pass before Mr Reaper arrives. It's so beautiful, it could only be in England.

The reaper might be arriving early if you take a drive over the snake pass. Careful who you go with 

I used the Snake, Woodhead or Mam Tor every week for about 7 years.

See it in the early spring when the heather blooms purple as far as the eye can see.

Or just before daybreak in the dead of winter when the light from little stone farmhouse kitchens dot the bleak landscape like fireflies.

I have a few stories about going over the tops.....  Happy days.

Mam Tor is winnats pass. A very impressive sight.

[AndrewT]

That would be Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, on the A453, just South of Nottingham.

close by is Gotham.....Batman can occasionally be seen cruising the streets at night.

Rubbish - that could have been anyone. Here's me and my, er, 'nephew'.

[MKKfish]

Here's one of the Bellmouth overflows in Ladybower. Don't be swimming near that, or you would know what a real suckout was like.

Jesus - that's scary - where does that go to?

Middle earth

[tikay]

In the superb Prague EPT Update, Chili mentions the oddity of being able to smoke in publc places.

We encountered this in Paris at the weekend, where smoking is freely allowed everywhere, even in restaurants. It seemed so odd to see folks smoking at the dinner-table in the magnificent ACF restaurant, & even though I fell off the waggon, I could not bring myself to smoke where others were eating. Plenty did, though. Very odd indeed.

It seems so rude & ill-mannered, not to say self-indulgent. Which is odd, because the French are such sensitive, caring, polite & well-mannered people.......