Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Good morning, Elle!
It is bitter here.
Very icy.
I did my Christopher Dean impression, slipping and sliding to ASDA and back!
We have abandoned the Pine Cone plan.
Pine Cone is up in "the wilds" and the narrow roads will be untreated so best left for another day.
My friends are breakfasting in a cafe I have never been in.
It looks over the river on to the rail bridge.
They say it is lovely but have not eaten yet.
I know my son and La Bamba sometimes go there.
Funny thing, I started reading the "novel" last night and a large part of the story is about the original bridge on the night of the great storm in 1879 when part of the bridge collapsed and the oncoming train dived into the river with all lives lost.
Coincidence!

Hi, Rusty!
I just popped out to post a card that had been overlooked........the only collection is at 12 noon.
(and the postal van has been known to come an hour early!)
The pavements are like glass!
And our side roads have never seen a gritter in their lives!
We may well stay put today if there is no improvement by lunchtime!
So what will happen about your meeting up with your friends?
They are going back to Belfast tomorrow, aren't they?
I have heard of the Tay Rail Bridge disaster (the 1800s?).......said to be the worst ever engineering failure.
Yes, as you say.......a spooky coincidence!
I shall now take a look at the crossword......

Hello, Elle!
Seems this ice is countrywide!
My thinking is, like our police say, "stay home unless it's necessary to go out".
And A & E are very busy with broken wrists etc, as it is!
I'll probably meet up with my friends later today.
1879 was when the old bridge collapsed.
Eventually the train engine was resurrected from its watery grave in the river, and returned to rail service.
It was ever after known as "The Diver"!
The old bridge was replaced by the rail bridge we have now.
But, you can still see some of the piles of the old bridge beside the new one.
It is 2.75 miles long, a bit longer than the road bridge.
I have my puzzle finished and parsed!
Early today!

Hi, Rusty!
I didn't know that the train engine that crashed into the River Tay was resurrected?
Imagine its being reused? Incredible!
The sky is becoming dull and heavy here...I 'm not sure just what is threatening...
I do hope it isn't snow.
Although I don't think any snow is forecast for our area....... maybe it will just rain.
I have "kind of" completed the 15 x 15 Cryptic!
I have all the answers, but am still lacking a few parses.
It is much too early to concede defeat though!
I shall mull them over.......
Jumbo GK all done and dusted! although there were a few new words for me today!
I hope you get to see your friends.
Do be careful if you go out...either on foot or driving.
This weather is treacherous!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, the engine was saved from the river.
https://www.documentingreality.com/forum/f240/tay-bridge-disaster-28-december-1879-a-74111/

The Diver was in service for many years after the disaster.
It is going to be a bit less cold from tomorrow. Goody!
Meeting my friends first thing tomorrow morn.
The puzzle was a good one!
And, unusually for me, no new words!

Hi, Rusty!
It is raining here now....the frost is being washed away......but the damp pavements might well freeze over.
A miserable day.
I have been reading your clip... goodness, what a shoddy job the engineer made of building the original bridge.
He appears to have disregarded all instructions and safeguards.
Those poor passengers on the train.
Yes, waiting till tomorrow to see your friends sounds a good move...the weather may well be somewhat better by then.
Where will you meet?

Hello, Elle!
Bouch should have been jailed for the bridge disaster.
When the memorial stones to the dead were unveiled several years ago, (one on each side of the river) it was a descendant of the engine driver who unveiled them.
Just been reading about Sharon Laws.
She was a top British cyclist and she has died of cancer.
Sharon would have been in her early forties.
Road cycling is a team sport and Sharon was a great asset to Nicole Cooke and Emma Pooley at the Olympics and World Championships.
Laura Trott posted the news on Twitter. Very sad.
I have just ordered "The Italian Chapel" on Amazon.
It is the story of the chapel built on one of the Orkney Islands during the last war.
It was built by Italian prisoners of war, from bits and pieces they could find.
Should be a good tale!

Hi, Rusty!
I think it was a lovely gesture asking a descendant of the engine driver of the doomed train to unveil the memorial stones.
What did happen to Bouch? Was there any punishment for his negligence?
I had a quick look just now, on Wikipedia, about the building of the Italian Chapel.
Yes, I think you will enjoy the story behind this - it should be very interesting.
My elder daughter rang.......
There has been a lot of snow up there this week, and the schools have been closed, because of the bad weather.
She sounded tired............she has had the boys at home all week!
I think she is giving me Amazon vouchers for Christmas...so I will be able to buy more books!!!!!
I had better start researching!

Hello Rusty,

Did you ever see pictures of that lively chapel?
Hopes the link works

Images for italian chapel

Rather amazing when you think about the conditions prevailing at
the time!

Good evening, Elle!
Bouch died less than a year after the bridge went down, his reputation in ruins.
He had completed plans for the Forth Rail Bridge but they were never used.

I think the story of the Italian Chapel is quite remarkable.
Here is a short film about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4Gd1QFebi4

Still cold and slippy here, roll on Spring!