Archers thread #166: Choppy waters in Ambridge! Look out for the red flags and discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd love to be married to Harrison, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please! We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Another thread started in great haste, mid-packing! Over to you.

So, farewell then
Champion, the Unloved Pony.
You died of strangles,
And Martha had to pretend to care.
Spoiler: she didn't.

Baha enjoyed that @Gonners

i have to say I enjoyed the topical insert tonight, just to hear Lynda and Robert together, it was a rare episode where I felt like I was actually in the B&B with them and eavesdropping on a random chat- a nice break from the soapiness of late.

also enjoyed that the widening of the idea to Chelsea and Fallon - on this occasion very happy to overlook the clunkiness for the pure Ambridge loveliness of it all, reminded me of being 7 and listening to it in my grandmas kitchen.

Also think that New Robert is doing well, all things considered!

Strangles, by the sound of it. It’s a very infectious respiratory disease which is nasty at the best of times but can be fatal. The infectiousness of it will almost certainly close The Stables until there are no horses with the disease on the premises, for disease control purposes.

Yeah. The horse's prior medical information being missing wouldn't be that relevant to the situation, except that I suppose the owners might get narky that Jakob ran various tests...except that any sensible livery contract includes a statement that the yard manager is allowed to authorise vet treatment, if the owner can't be reached. At least they had the horse in a quarantine paddock prior to integrating it with the rest of the yard: although that's good practice, many yards don't bother. So they might get lucky and avoid it spreading...maybe...

I think New Robert is doing really well. It's a really difficult task to jump into a role of a particularly beloved character, and I think he's doing well at evoking the previous actor's tone of voice.

I enjoyed this episode very much, especially Lynda and Robert's exchanges. While I don't miss the English spring, I like it being evoked with such evident pleasure. I agree with others about nuRobert being rather good.

I did wonder at first if Bartleby was for the chop.

Whilst highly infectious and must be miserable to get, strangles isn't that likely to be fatal in a fit and healthy horse. The only horse that we know isn't that, is Bartleby, although who is in contact with both The Stables and Bartleby? (It is spread through contact with infectious mucous, so on clothing, equipment, boots etc.).

And didn't the Grundy undies get a companion for him? I can't remember them deading Jem?

I almost forgot New Robert was “new”, whilst he and Lyndy were chatting about the garden.

I too liked Lynda and Robert it sounded cosy in their attic. The marmalade cake sounded lovely, I would try to makè one but I started yet another diet yesterday and my DH dosnt like marmalade so it would be a waste, but next time I have visitors I will make one. I wonder if lime marmalade will work, DH likes limes.
But I digress.
Is Lil the only one who works at the stables or have they more staff, though I can imagine Lillian muck out with a fag hanging out of her mouth.
Think Bartleby will be safe from Strangles.

I think a lime marmalade cake would be awesome!

Have there been no comments on the WH interview because no one could get the full programme on Sounds yesterday?

Just starting to listen (cutting into Today) and rather thrilled to hear that Ruth Jones is an Archers fan - but sad to learn she’s turned down invitations to be involved. The interview with her slides into TA at around 18 minutes in.

Then an extract from the episode where Harrison tells Fallon she’d have come round to the idea once they’d had the baby, and she asks him why he thinks she would have ‘kept it’.

Interview from about 20 mins, 50. Joanna van Kampen (Fallon) + a relationship therapist. JvK shocked by real life listener’s story which exactly mirrors Fallon and Harrison’s. JvK very content with story as it is, with the woman not changing her mind.

Really too brief for any satisfactory discussion.

i have to say I enjoyed the topical insert tonight, just to hear Lynda and Robert together, it was a rare episode where I felt like I was actually in the B&B with them

I’m afraid I disagree. To me, the Snells sounded so unnatural, carefully being polite to each other and deliberately enunciating every word in long, full sentences. I just don’t think people speak like that any more.

The idea of Chelsea doing Victory Rolls for the village is fun though. Got to hand it to her - she’s up for everything. I don’t understand why she doesn’t have a social life or see friends her own age though.

I think Robert and Lynda were let down by a poor script - it was clunky

and Robert being on the edge of his seat in the cafe because he was nervous of Chelsea kicking him out again 🙄

The idea of Chelsea doing Victory Rolls for the village is fun though. Got to hand it to her - she’s up for everything. I don’t understand why she doesn’t have a social life or see friends her own age though.

She does! It’s not unusual to hear that she’s meeting a friend, presumably in Borchester. She’s seemed happily engaged in her college course. I seem to recall there was a boy at some point - but then the whole Ben thing … Even if that hadn’t put Chelsea off relationships for a while, I imagine the SWs aren’t interested in using her for a boyfriend / girlfriend thing right now. (They have Brad and Mia for that.)

But there is the fact of being a not at all well off young adult living in a village with scant public transport. If you also work in your village there can’t be much time left for getting into town to socialise.

How do people get around the village?

like going to the pub or to work at one of the farms etc. I know a lot will have cars (although not to the pub hopefully!) but what about those who don’t like the younger ones. And how does Chelsea get to college?

Ptetty sure she used the bus for college. (I have to say I’m currently confused as to where she is regarding her course. When does it end?)

Around the village the carless walk, cycle, cadge lifts … (Is Chelsea cycling to work at the moment? I’ve been distracted lately so nothing’s sticking in my head,)

I thought rural buses were rubbish?

although ambridge is bigger than I always thought

wonder what’s happened with Azras family moving in. Another SL for my list of unresolveds

‘Rubbish’ in this context generally means inconvenient or unreliable - not non-existent. (Though they might be.)

There definitely are buses that cater to the school children and college students of Ambridge who need to get out of the village - but I assume their timetables are limited.

I haven’t heard of any bus that travels within the village? But I might not have been listening properly!

don’t understand why she doesn’t have a social life or see friends her own age though.

Maybe her peers are afraid she might pounce to ‘comfort’ them if drink is involved?

That would be bizarre. But a big village might have two stops.

I often look at bus timetables when I’m in a small village. They’re usually of the order of two buses a day. You certainly don’t rock up to the bus stop and wait for the next bus.

I used to live in a house right next to the village bus stop - I recall there were about four buses a day into town and the same number back. I think there was a stop at the top of the hill just by the straggle of houses before the main village, then my stop, then one about half a mile beyond on the mostly unpopulated road into town, but near a pub and country hotel and the petrol station.

I learnt to drive in that village!

Our village buses are good at getting you out of the village in the morning, and getting you home again late afternoon. The late afternoon bus is so full there's usually people standing. Using a bus because you want to meet a friend for lunch, or have a hospital appointment at 1pm - not so easy.

Our secondary school is in the next village. Again, no problem for kids getting to and from school but if they want to do something after school (football practice, rehearsals for the school play, etc) they need to be collected by car or get a taxi home.

Our village buses are good at getting you out of the village in the morning, and getting you home again late afternoon. The late afternoon bus is so full there's usually people standing. Using a bus because you want to meet a friend for lunch, or have a hospital appointment at 1pm - not so easy.

Same as where I grew up, although the morning buses meant you were in town for 8am or 9.30am. Not so helpful if you needed to be at work for 9 but didn't want to be an hour early. And god forbid you wanted to go out in the evening and come home then - the buses stopped around 5.30pm.

Oh I totally fell for that series of John Finnemore

@Lalgarh ,that one is an hour-long special.

Sadly not even an hour - it was 45 minutes. I'd have liked a whole series of it. I get the impression, though, that he's a very meticulous writer who takes absolutely ages, and as he has other things going on he probably has very little time (or perhaps enthusiasm these days) to write JFSP. One special a year is likely to be our lot from now on, and eventually not even that, I fear.

You're right. The link took me to the series not the special. John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme - 2024 Special - BBC Sounds