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Inverness Hogmanay Party Line Up

The Highland Council have released details of an exciting line up featuring three of Scotland’s favourite festival bands for the 2009 Hogmanay Party which will take place in Northern Meeting Park Arena in Inverness on December 31st.

The free show will open with the award winning group, Blazin' Fiddles, who will showcase the distinct flavour of fiddle music from various regions of the Highlands and Islands in a fiery blend that is guaranteed to get the party off to a rousing start.

Blazing Fiddles will be followed by the Skye based Peatbog Faeries who are one of Scotland’s best known names in contemporary folk music. Their music embodies many styles and influences, including rock, jazz, electronica, and folk - but their main influence is traditional Celtic music. The band's unique sound is created through a mix of programmed effects and traditional Celtic arrangements, played on bagpipes, fiddles, and whistles.

Taking the party up to the Bells will be The Red Hot Chilli Pipers who starred at the 2008 Inverness St Andrew’s Days celebrations. Winners of BBC one primetime show ‘When Will I be Famous’ and voted ‘Live Act of the Year 2007’ at the Scots Traditional Music Awards, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers have a huge following in the Highlands and are guaranteed to ensure that Inverness welcomes 2010 in style.

Inverness Hogmanay Party Line Up Confirmed

Model Railway update - top level track laid

Completed the baseboard for the top level, using slightly lighter construction of 9mm ply baseboard on a 9mm ply framework. Track laid, awaiting electrification and points control - next jobs!

Model Railway v2.0

Completed the baseboard and electrics for the lower level of my new model railway.

Baseboard is 9mm ply, on a framework made up of 80x9mm ply and 75x25mm softwood.

Electrics are DCC, using an ESU Command Station.

Points use Fulgurex slow-acting point motors, controlled from a home-made panel. This panel uses mini-toggle switches, and has bi-colour LEDs to indicate active lines.

Next stage is to start building the upper level.

Model Railway v1.0

So, time to dismantly v1.0 of my model railway, to make way for v2.0. Before I do that, here's a couple of photos of the layout.
For the benefit of Bob and Ben - overall size is 2.85m x 0.61m, split into two baseboards. The main baseboard is 1.84m long, and the "fiddle yard" board is 1.00m long. All wired up for DCC operation, all points motorised. All the buildings, DCC controller, etc. are going to be re-used on my new layout.

Boat Project

I've decided to abandon my boat project, to make way for v2.0 model railway. So, a final couple of photos. The model is approx. 1.165m long.

This is what it should look like when finished.

And there's some excellent photos of another customer's completed model at http://www.jotika-ltd.com/Pages/1024768/CKit_Resolve_01.htm

Bird Table Visitors

With the snow now starting to clear, we saw a couple of rare visitors to our bird table today. A fieldfare and redwing.


And one that didn't make it through the last few days of cold weather.

Class 47 D1746

New loco added to my layout. A Class 47 diesel D1746, will full DCC control, lights, and sound.


Probably my last photo of this layout, as planning has now started for my new layout.

January 2009 Weather

January was a particularly dry month, with the total rainfall well below average for this time of year.

Total rainfall = 28.9mm (past average from Met Office = 55.4mm)
Minimum temperature = -2.5°C (windchill = -5.4°C)
Maximum temperature = 12.4°C
Maximum wind speed = 16 mph
Maximum wind gust = 32 mph

Dollshouse moved

We finally managed to move Ann's dollshouse into the dining room onto a new table. So, took a couple of photos, all lit up.

Weather Summary for 2008

I've now collated the data from my weather station for last year (2008). Overall a good year for the weather. We nearly reached 28ºC in the summer, but the winter has been fairly harsh.


The 72mph wind gust maximum in December was slightly above normal.

A particularly dry year, with only 2 months where rainfall exceeded expectations - August and October. Driest months were May (10mm), July (19mm), April (36mm), and November (36mm)

Minimum Temperature -4.9ºC on 31st December at 4:40am
Minimum Windchill -7.0ºC on 30th December at 3:40pm
Maximum Temperature 27.9ºC on 30th July at 5:10pm
Maximum Wind Gust 72mph on 20th December at 00:50am
Total Rainfall 554mm vs. the Met Office past average of 624mm. So, 89% of the past average.

Hoax distress call about sinking boat

Christmas dinner was interrupted for search and rescue volunteers in the Highlands yesterday after a “hoax” distress call from a sailing boat. Rescue teams in Dornoch and Portmahomack were scrambled at lunchtime after receiving a call which Aberdeen Coastguard last night believed to have been a hoax.

A rescue helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth was called out with the Dornoch rescue boat and Portmahomack Coastguard rescue team at 12.20pm by a man claiming to be on a sinking boat called the Gypsy Rose. The vessel was said to be in trouble one mile north of Tarbat Ness, in the Dornoch Firth, but rescue teams found no trace. Three members of the Dornoch inshore lifeboat team investigated the call but found nothing.

Full story at http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1004238?UserKey=

War in Portmahomack!!

The shooting of a British propaganda film in Portmahomack, Easter Ross, in 1942.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7761279.stm

Happy Christmas!!!

It's Christmas time in Scotland, and my kid said to me.....
Just one question Daddy , before I go to sleep....
How will Santa find me , so I said.. wherever he may roam,
Santa will find you because he's coming home

Santa's A Scotsman
He's Loved Everywhere he goes
He moved from Glasgow to Lapland...following Rudolf's nose

Santa's A Scotsman... Come on make a fuss
Too many pies not enough exercise....of course he's one of us.

He only works one day a year and then he takes a break,
He'll have a nip of whisky and a bit of Christmas cake
He likes a pudding supper and when he arrives tonight
He'll come in through the window 'cos the chimney is too tight.

St Andrews Night(ish)

Okay, a couple of days early, but we had a great time at last night's St. Andrews Night celebrations in the Carnegie Hall. A full turn-out, a very friendly crowd.

The main act for the night were "Tattie Jam" - Seylan Baxter on a lovely 5-string electric cello, and Ruaridh Pringle on guitar/banjo. A good variety of songs, with great vocals.

After Tattie Jam's first set, we had a Stovie Supper. We both enjoyed "seconds", followed by a lovely trifle.

Peformances from a local group of banjo, accordian, etc. added to the night's performances. Finished around midnight and we wandered home in the freezing fog!!

Avatars on XBox Live

So, we've got the new XNE on Ann's XBox 360. Here's what our new avatars look like. It's been suggested on one of my forums that we look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sarah Palin!!!!

Swan & Goose numbers

Interesting to see the article on the BBC Breakfast programme this morning about the decline in the number of swans and geese in England this year. Well, maybe that's because they've all decided to stay further north this year.

Over the last few weeks we have been seeing hundreds and hundreds of whooper swans and geese flying over the Tarbat peninsular. Far more than we've ever seen in recent years. Yesterday morning there were around 15 v-formations of geese flying overhead, with around 30-40 geese in each formation. Quite spectacular - and noisy!!

Not again :(

Well, it's the first time my Elite has failed, although Ann's standard XB360 has failed twice with the RROD.

Airnav Radarbox over Scotland

This image, taken from my Radarbox, just goes to show how busy the sky is with aircraft over Scotland these days.

Autumn in Glen Cannich

A lovely Autumn day, so we took a drive out to one of our favourite spots - Glen Cannich. Had our lunch parked at the Mullardoch dam, which generates electricity as its water descends through a tunnel to Loch Beinn a' Mheadhain in Glen Affric.