Boris

Or a dice tower, you could probably get a railway themed one, you drop the dice in the top and they roll down a slope and into a tray - you could make that interactive with the public?

You don't need to program anything, just use dice, they come in all shapes and sizes these days. All you need to do is make a table for each activity/road/failure etc and write it on a table and assign a dice number to it. You can even add a rare combination so a loco fails and has to be assisted back to a service road etc.

Yes, but try and mute it or return it to the manufacturer as defective.....

Air pressure goes up, vac pressure goes down. Vac bags are fitted to a dummy plug fitting on the headstock that the bag head clips into and is almost self sealing. Air bags have a tap/cock associated with them being positive pressure which is on the headstock at the top of the bag, they can be retained by a clip/chain or can be left to hang freely. Vac bags have a 2 inch girth that matches the profile of the standard vac main, whilst air bags are considerably thinner pipes, so the bags on the STS tanks are air bags.

And proof that even the professionals don't get the number straight all the time

Papagoldjuliet pretty much summed it up, although the Farthwath Rolling Stock Group is having problems with the NYMR who have placed all of their vehicles up for sale despite not being owned by the NYMR, NELPG have had a row with the Moors over the Deviation shed, the LNERCA have had their set withdrawn because of tyre wear and many of their volunteers have stopped coming because of no volunteer accommodation at Pickering. Let's not forget the celebrity shed master who offered 29 to the GCR for their gala provided the GCR paid a fee to the NYMR without talking to the owning group or offering them the money....

Why are that mans keys attached to a chain that goes up his kilt? That one's definitely real!

She is not a nice person and has a history of ensuring anyone who disagrees with her quietly disappears, whether paid or volunteer. They're screwed

The Moors only cleaned down at the end of the day, despite what their publicity said. A set would drop on lot off in Whitby at 1340 and the same set would take people out again at 1400.

Because in 2021 and I think 2022 the NYMR only allowed prebooked travel and the management didn't want people travelling on the positioning moves for the bookable trains despite running as passenger trains, stopping at stations etc. So rather than letting passengers buy a ticket and telling them that they may have to move seats if someone turned up with a booking for that seat passengers had to be turned away, I could understand it kind of in peak season but in low season it was crazy, trains ran empty. I can vouch that "the train is full" is what booking clerks were told to tell passengers having seen the messages myself. You can imagine the hassle (to put it politely) this policy caused and most of the volunteer booking clerks left.

it was only 45-48 minutes under BR with a higher linespeed, it's been an hour to an hour and 5 minutes in the time I was there, but they have extended the journey times basically because a lack of of suitable locos mean extra changes that have to be factored into the timetable.

I'm nicking this from the unofficial NYMR forum which is from another disillusioned volunteer that kind of covers what has been going on since covid: "Firstly I'm going to apologise in advance on two counts. First the likely length of this post and, more significantly, because I am going to be extremely forthright about certain of the hierarchy both recently departed and those who are currently clinging on to a rapidly sinking ship. Why am I posting? - because for over thirty years (admittedly on and off due to work and family commitments) I volunteered on the line. I packed it in two years ago when the Park Street Politbureau instigated a pathetic pretence of a system which required me to lie to prospective customers. It isn't easy concealing a six or seven coach train with empty seats from passengers I was told to turn away as "full". As an ex-volunteer I now occupy my armchair, In 2023 I visited as a fare-paying traveller twice. In 2024, unless there is an increasingly unlikely rethink. I won't be visiting at all. What our so called "professional" managers have done and are continuing to do sickens me. What do I mean? Basically the line , it's stations, it's principles, it's ethos, it entire purpose has ben hijacked by a buch of mealy mouthed, self-serving, PR balls spouting aparachiks who have stolen the line we love from the members, the supporters, the donors and the volunteers, They have turned it into a duff patiche of what a preseved railway should be. They favour pointless press prattle above preservation, they preach but don't practice, they leach but they don't learn, they demand but don't deliver, A few facts? The NYMR is a substantial line which needs some paid employees which is fair enough. However the NYMR has 8 times the number of paid staff per working volunteer than the average UK preserved line ratio. The NYMR operates diesels on four times more diesel loco miles (as a ratio against steam) than the typical line. Even the diesel infested ELR is eclipsed in comprison. The new season is about to start and what happens just two weeks later? Goathland, for the average member of the public probably the only station they'll recognised is closed for bridge repairs. Yes I know it needs those repairs - In fact I've known that for about six years now, though it seems to have taken the Park Street mandarins by total susprise. We've had a £10million fundraiser - Surely the necessary monies could have been spent on repairs during the closed season? What about Joe Public? - The answer seems to be sod them which isn't really a sensible policy objective. In 2022 we turned them way at the booking office, apart of course those we discouraged with compulsory pre booking, or undeciperable website and then farcical fare structure, So to 2024 as per the NYMR propaganda machine. Laura Strangeway, Acting CEO at the NYMR, said, “Last year marked a huge milestone for the NYMR, celebrating 50 years of our much-loved heritage railway. This year, we have an exciting line up starting with our season opening and a special Easter family experience, as well as huge anniversary milestones for some of our home-fleet engines.In addition to the return of some much-anticipated events, we’re also working hard behind the scenes to put together a brand new ‘Lights, Camera, Traction’ film trail at the NYMR highlighting some of the incredible blockbuster films and TV series that have been filmed here. So watch this space. We are so grateful to each and every member of staff and our volunteers who continue to spread the knowledge and magic of our heritage railway line to all of our visitors. As a charity we rely on the income and donations from our visitors to keep the NYMR steaming ahead and this year is no different. We can’t wait to once again welcome visitors to our living museum." So a living railway museum highlighting trains? - No just highlighting blockbuster films and TV. How about a diesel gala in June, and unofficially in July, and in August and possibly September. What about "Through the decades"? - Like the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s? - Why not import air-conditioned MK2F coaches for that true plasticised Inter-City experience. Then stick on the Class 31 diesel to prode electrics to complete the trainset and just maybe as an afterthough a smoke machine on the front which won't be audible due to sealed windows and historic air-conditioning noises. Spend a million or three constructing a carriage stable but fail to provide enough preserved carriages. Make sure every advert shows steam but every high season train has to be diesel. Instead of promoting heritage why not promote personal "celebrity" culture, or better stilll a dung heap on which they can stand for adulation and into which they hopefully then sink. So to the board I make this promise - I won't be troubling you again unless and until you restore sufficient NYMR steam power rather than the pointless half term hire of a "celebrity" loco that 90% of customers have never heard of. I won't be troubling your tearooms which increasingly resemble American diners, I won't be troubling your booking offies by either buying tickets or as a volunteer selling them. I won't be there when the last disillusioned volunteer finally quits. Finally if you have decided I'm a boring old fart then yes you're right. I'm also fast approaching that great trainset in the sky and for the last twenty years the NYMR Historical Trust were my main beneficiary to the tune of around £650,000. - Not any more - I don't want to support your three-ring circus, your salaries or your egos. I say to the board you have lost my trust, you have lost my volunteering, you have lost my respect, you have lost my legacy and, most important you have lost the support of virtually every volunteer I've spoken to. You won't often hear a traditionalist quoting Oliver Cromwell addressing parliament in 1653 but I'll do so. "Gentlemen, you have sat here too long.In the name of God go! "

Do all signalmen wear leather underpants or is it just me?

No, red ones were a thing, I have seen references to them but so far the only image I can find is a colourised B&W photo which doesn't really count as a primary source!

That NSE flowerpot is well nice