Peter
@gatesheadgeek.bsky.social
Yorkshire-raised, Smoggie-born engineer with a penchant for photography, LEGO, travel, food & wine. Based in Tyneside since 2007, but once lived & worked in New Zealand. Servant to Hild the cat & occasionally to her brother Bede. Blood donor.🏳️🌈 he/him/his
My Brick Borrow journey continues. This set is about 2/3 complete - just the street setting to finish. They’ve now added the Lego Titanic to sets that can be borrowed, but I think that’ll be in high demand and also have a slow turnover due its size and complexity.
November 8, 2025 at 5:25 PM
My Brick Borrow journey continues. This set is about 2/3 complete - just the street setting to finish. They’ve now added the Lego Titanic to sets that can be borrowed, but I think that’ll be in high demand and also have a slow turnover due its size and complexity.
Almost exactly 21 years ago (oof!) this was my view of Auckland harbour from my new New Zealand employer’s apartment. I stayed here for 2 weeks while finding a place to rent. Made quite a change from suburban Birmingham!
November 1, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Almost exactly 21 years ago (oof!) this was my view of Auckland harbour from my new New Zealand employer’s apartment. I stayed here for 2 weeks while finding a place to rent. Made quite a change from suburban Birmingham!
Having shared a photo of my morning walk along the Tyne, here’s the evening view looking west. The Metro bridge is in foreground, with the King Edward rail and Redheugh road bridges behind.
October 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Having shared a photo of my morning walk along the Tyne, here’s the evening view looking west. The Metro bridge is in foreground, with the King Edward rail and Redheugh road bridges behind.
The view makes up for walking to work in the dark.
October 21, 2025 at 6:12 AM
The view makes up for walking to work in the dark.
My housemate cooked me a birthday meal this evening. Blessed to have such good friendships.
October 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
My housemate cooked me a birthday meal this evening. Blessed to have such good friendships.
Took a picture of Ozzy when passing through Birmingham New Street yesterday. Fantastic, impressive and a bit creepy when his head moves.
October 1, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Took a picture of Ozzy when passing through Birmingham New Street yesterday. Fantastic, impressive and a bit creepy when his head moves.
Took a picture of Ozzy when passing through Birmingham New Street yesterday. Fantastic, impressive and a bit creepy when his head moves.
October 1, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Took a picture of Ozzy when passing through Birmingham New Street yesterday. Fantastic, impressive and a bit creepy when his head moves.
Is that supposed to be a flat white? I find it irritating that even now you often get something closer to a cappuccino. This one was closer to those I got in NZ ( who argue with Australia about inventing them).
September 26, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Is that supposed to be a flat white? I find it irritating that even now you often get something closer to a cappuccino. This one was closer to those I got in NZ ( who argue with Australia about inventing them).
Sun trying to break through behind the Millennium Bridge.
September 26, 2025 at 6:48 AM
Sun trying to break through behind the Millennium Bridge.
Fog on the Tyne. If that causes an earworm for you I’m sorry*
*I’m not really sorry. You may as well share my irritation .
*I’m not really sorry. You may as well share my irritation .
September 26, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Fog on the Tyne. If that causes an earworm for you I’m sorry*
*I’m not really sorry. You may as well share my irritation .
*I’m not really sorry. You may as well share my irritation .
Today I am mostly geeking out at Northern’s Heaton depot open day
September 21, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Today I am mostly geeking out at Northern’s Heaton depot open day
I fear that someone may have gone into the river last night. Police patrol boat moored mid-river and a rigid inflatable combing water downstream.
September 21, 2025 at 8:50 AM
I fear that someone may have gone into the river last night. Police patrol boat moored mid-river and a rigid inflatable combing water downstream.
Not sure I could face walking back in the rain. Others have the same idea. Waited for the next one which arrived a couple of minutes later.
September 20, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Not sure I could face walking back in the rain. Others have the same idea. Waited for the next one which arrived a couple of minutes later.
Was going to have some breaded fish & chips at home this evening. Slight flaw in the plan as I have no chips or potatoes to make them. Hence I have come to the local cafe where it’s burger night. A bottle of beer is needed and, I would suggest, deserved while I wait.
September 19, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Was going to have some breaded fish & chips at home this evening. Slight flaw in the plan as I have no chips or potatoes to make them. Hence I have come to the local cafe where it’s burger night. A bottle of beer is needed and, I would suggest, deserved while I wait.
The 0704 Newcastle to London Kings Cross remains the fastest in the current timetable, running non-stop south of Newcastle (hopefully it’ll slow down around Kings Cross). Some trains take well over 3 hours, this one just 2hrs 36 minutes. This train disappears from the timetable in December
September 17, 2025 at 6:12 AM
The 0704 Newcastle to London Kings Cross remains the fastest in the current timetable, running non-stop south of Newcastle (hopefully it’ll slow down around Kings Cross). Some trains take well over 3 hours, this one just 2hrs 36 minutes. This train disappears from the timetable in December
Update is that the rain has eased so I’m walking.
September 17, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Update is that the rain has eased so I’m walking.
A few photos from the display at South Shields. Only had my iPhone with me sadly.
September 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
A few photos from the display at South Shields. Only had my iPhone with me sadly.
LinkedIn doesn’t half recommend some weird roles for me. I’m a transport planner/traffic engineer FFS.
September 7, 2025 at 9:28 PM
LinkedIn doesn’t half recommend some weird roles for me. I’m a transport planner/traffic engineer FFS.
Rain interrupted my walk home so I sneaked into a riverside bar for a drink until it eases off.
September 7, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Rain interrupted my walk home so I sneaked into a riverside bar for a drink until it eases off.
Red Arrows performing their traditional flypast at the Great North Run. They’re back to perform a display at South Shields later
September 7, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Red Arrows performing their traditional flypast at the Great North Run. They’re back to perform a display at South Shields later
Newcastle are trialling additional road closures at the end of football matches to protect crowds. These hostile vehicle mitigation gates were first installed when St James’ Park hosted Olympic events in 2012 & look to have been readied for use again. They’ve not been used much, or at all, recently.
September 2, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Newcastle are trialling additional road closures at the end of football matches to protect crowds. These hostile vehicle mitigation gates were first installed when St James’ Park hosted Olympic events in 2012 & look to have been readied for use again. They’ve not been used much, or at all, recently.
Waiting for my beer in Valletta last week
August 18, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Waiting for my beer in Valletta last week
Little does Hild know that she has to go to the vet in just over an hour. There’ll be crying in the car & I’ll be in her bad books but she’s scratching herself again, so possibly more steroids are required. Her rear end & belly is much better now, but won’t be if she carries on like she was before.
August 12, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Little does Hild know that she has to go to the vet in just over an hour. There’ll be crying in the car & I’ll be in her bad books but she’s scratching herself again, so possibly more steroids are required. Her rear end & belly is much better now, but won’t be if she carries on like she was before.