Campbeltown street lighting:

[Iain]

Many moons ago following one of my pipe band engagements at the Savoy Hotel in London, (to play in the Hogmanay) ..., me, (a tea-totaler “at the time”) had to wait at least an hour for the others in the band, (musically perfect but a drunken heap ) to finish chatting up the elite in order to get them onto the Bedford lorry to take us back to Chelsea Barracks.

During this time while walking around and inspecting the place, I got chatting to the team behind the reception desk and this conversation led to an amazing discovery.
Dark as it was outside despite the silent snow-covered Savoy Street at the back, our conversation led to its street lighting. The lamps lit the street with a soft, comforting glow ! “Gas”? ..., one man said with a smile ! I wont continue the amusing follow-up jokes concerning Londonian farts !

These lamps (about 6 of them in all) are apparently lit from the gasses taken from the sewer tunnels that spew everything London had eaten that day. The gas..., piped up to street level is then ignited to provided that sterile Christmas, iridescent snow-covered charm, that’s frequently printed on our seasonal gift cards. With a sprig of holly to distract the nose.

Campbeltown ! In bygone days, did they have the same lighting system ??????????

Economy: Why the hell don’t they use the same system today ? After all..., it’s FREE !
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent. ... ondon.html

[EMDEE]

It must have been a lonely existence being a teetotaller in a pipe band.

[Iain]

It must have been a lonely existence being a teetotaller in a pipe band.

Hi Emdee..., lol ! I suppose it was, but I liked it that way. I don’t even remember setting foot in the sergeant’s mess ! (even today I’m a bit of a recluse)

Being a piper yourself, you know the hours needed for practice. Every day for 10 years..., chanter practice at 9 till 10 / NAFFI break then after tuning up, band practice at 10h30 to 12h00. More bp at 13h30 to 16h00. Then after that..., playing and learning your personal music and that could last well into the evening.
Would recommend that life to anyone !

[odds]

It must have been a lonely existence being a teetotaller in a pipe band.

I know it's early in the year, but that will surely be classed as one of the best one-liners this year

Pete.

[blueboyno1]

My great uncle Sammy was a lamp lighter in Campbeltown and one of the family stories goes .Every time he would walk passed this certain garden a dog would run out and bite him ,he got so fed up with this that one night he crept up on the dog grabbed it and bit it's ear. On seeing this the owner reported him to the police and the outcome was that they thought he was going crazy ,so he was sent to Lochgilphead for a month . When he was getting discharged he asked the doctor for a letter to prove that he was indeed sane.
Campbeltown being a small town where everyone knew each other there was always someone who who would bring up the fact that he was in the asylum and say some hurtful things to him .Old Sammy would get the last laugh on them by producing the letter and telling them this proves I am sane where is your proof .

[Mzz pasico]

Brilliant story BBno1. Good on old Sammy gettin the last laugh!

[Iain]

My great uncle Sammy was a lamp lighter in Campbeltown and one of the family stories goes .

Great !