Leaderboard

Another day of gloom forecast, and we are down to the last two images in store. All is not lost though, as earlier in the week someone heard that it was brighter a bit further North, and went and got some pictures at Little Bytham, so they are in reserve. Another WD clanks past Crescent Junction box with coal empties. But at the station, all is confusion. 60070 is a Gateshead engine, but the Heart of Midlothian is a Heaton duty. Some incompetent has sent the wrong engine down from New England. Apparently he'd mislaid his glasses, and saw 52A instead of 52B. Anyway, despite the Gateshead driver's loud complaints, he's been told to take the train anyway, and "sort it out when you get there". The thought of holding everything up while the right engine was located and brought down was considered unthinkable.

I started doing some modelling today for the first time in quite a while. My sister got seriously ill towards the end of November and sadly passed away on January 12th. Being her next of kin, I've tried to be with her as much as possible through her illness, taking it in turns with my partner Chris and my youngest daughter Sophie to sit with her as she progressively got weaker. It has been very difficult at times but they have been fantastically supportive and it's been a real team effort. So now we're in process of trying to tie her life up neatly, whilst organising and preparing for the funeral. It does feel like walking through treacle at times, whether sitting on the end of a phone trying to talk to the right people for all the everyday dealings in my sister's life, trawling through her address book looking to contact all her friends to tell them the sad news or simply trying to get the funeral right for her. During this time, there has been some spare time between visits, but my concentration has been so shot to pieces it's been impossible to do anything tangible. However, I've had some real relief, some nice moments looking at this thread and all the great modelling and the discussions. I know most on here will know exactly what we are experiencing through your own experiences. But I feel I owe a vote of thanks to all for relieving my stress for a while - albeit unwittingly - with your ever interesting contributions. Thanks Clem

A visit to Kings Cross on 20th October 1993 today. If I remember correctly I was in London to attend a conference about something to do with work. Kings Cross 20th Oct 93 C19172.jpg Kings Cross 90016 20th Oct 93 C19176.jpg Kings Cross 91012 etc 20th Oct 93 C19186.jpg Kings Cross 313058 20th Oct 93 C19187.jpg Kings Cross Class 317 20th Oct 93 C19189.jpg David

steve

Ohhhh look, a train Where? Behind you..... I'm much more stable now that I have been fixed to the fence!

Moving around we glimpse 8701 through a gap in the trees

Good Morrowning from a murky grey Hill of Stawberries. I achieved an uncommonly good night’s sleep and woke feeling refreshed. Which is refreshing. During breakfast two parcels arrived by the same little red van but from very different points of origin. One contains a green two-car flightless bird of a sort our friends in Camborne advertised yesterday for half-price. The other contained no less than ten metres of bubble wrap, a small tube containing backscene and two packs of IRJs. In a box which would cheerfully accommodate two dozen bottles of beer! I know about standard sizes and machine packing but this is waste (ten metres of which is non-recyleable) of a ridiculous order for such a small payload. Feedback has been provided. At least I have some bits with which to progress the muddling while SWMBO progresses the final few paragraphs of her thesis. I am off to the man-cave. As that contains my bed, all the muddling equipment, a computer and a heap of laundry my options for the morning are varied. But first I need to install caffeine.

Peaceful day, even the sheep seem unperturbed by the noise of the 'silent' loco!!

An hours more sleep was had, but Ben the wandering Collie seems unsettled and keeps moving around going upstairs to check on SWMBO then back to check on me. He been out on patrol but wasn't really interested. Blatant plug time, Horning boat show is on 2nd of May, 2020, http://www.horningboatshow.com/ It's free with charity buckets wandering around. As part of this, Horning sailing club will be holding trial sailing sessions. £5 per adult, accompanied children under 16 free for a 20minute - half hour trip. Please wear flat shoes and suitable for the weather clothing, lifejackets and experienced helm supplied. Our T bar will be open you are invited to come for Tea Coffee and..... Cake, for a small price even if you don't sail... You are all invited to come and see what we do... Here's a video of previous events, I'll probably be on car park duty again.

Had a lie in after cricket attendance last night. Visiteda local farmers market..excellent fruit available. Now having a mugacaff before venturing out again. Its a hard life going walkabout! Baz

Afternoon All Had a bit of a shock yesterday I spoke to Lady Woking via text at 6am yesterday morning she told me an emergency doctor was on the way to the house then it all went quiet for the next 12 hours I was wondering who was ill her daughter or herself the usual thing you do is try and get on with things with one eye on the phone, at about 6:30 pm the phoned pinged it turns out my sweetheart has Kneemoania and she is bed bound at The Mid Surrey Hospital in an ICU bed I was relived that I'd heard something but it was another shock to hear she was pretty poorly I was right to sit tight as they don't let anyone into ICU ward unless you are family, today was going to be the first Saturday I was going to be otherwise engaged which hasn't happened for a few months I will be with her once she has been released, just my luck it don't get any better. I was cheered up today when I bumped into the slapped #rses boy friend in Horrorsons he ran off , I drove by where IT lives they were both standing on the front garden they see me pull up and both of them ran off what a wuss she has ended up with no doubt she bosses him around I wonder if he enjoys her bad breath, stinking armpits and p!ssy crutch he's welcome to her and her smells. With my ups and downs this week I'd better get on and do something enjoy your weekend. Welland Truly-Brassedoff

Late up today. Must have needed the sleep since the cough, although reducing, has not gone away. Just getting the bread onto first prove, then when on second prove, walk Kerry and then some serious sorting out.

Ready to go!

Dull start to the day here too. Hopefully the rain will stay away as I plan to pressure wash the drive today. The guy who originally made the drive put a fine skim layer on top which is quite smooth, and in winter it gets slimy and slippery, hence the need for a clean each year. Yesterday was also dull and damp, but was made much brighter by a trip on the train to the Prince of Wales at Foxfield with a group of workmates from the 1980s. Plenty of beer was drunk, pasties consumed and the world was put to rights for another couple of months or so. A very pleasant day!

Good morning one and all I need to do a fodder run this morning and may have breakfast out while I am about it. Later I plan to make a batch of Somerset pork casserole which will yield four servings if I am uncharacteristically restrained. Much of the day will be spent gathering my strength for Chris versus M3 tomorrow. The lurgi is still making its presence felt in the middle of the night but it is better than it was. It has reached the stage where I am impatient with it and I reckon it will inhabit me for at least another week. Famous last words coming up: it is not as bad as the dose I had last year. Best wishes to all Chris

I managed to persuade SWMBO that we could go to the railway shop after coffee. I needed a new mitre box as the old one has developed an extra-wide slot. One model available -- aluminum (or similar) with only 90 and 45 degree cuts -- no 60. Home again and none of my razor saws reach to the bottom of the slot. (They were selling it also in a package with razor saw!) We also visited a British Grocer and Bed Bath and Begone. Weather changed to wet just as we started our walk, so we went to covered premises. Temperature to go down a bit, too.

We knew we'd arrived at the right place as there is a control tower built on the top of the house. The reason for this became more obvious when we were invited into the 'railway room'. Getting to this involved a lengthy trek across prime muddy hollow country and at last we reached a building akin to one of the hangers from nearby landing ground used by the RAF at Tern Hill. Needless to say, 'Biggles' keeps his various aeroplanes parked up in the dry. One also has to comment on the large scale model of one of the USN's timber topped aircraft carriers. It was only when we got closer that realisation struck that within that vastness was a couple of bits of rail and some sleepers. Careful observation allowed me to ascertain that the ironing board and associated paraphenalia in one corner was where his bat/man/person/woman stood ready to press the pages of his MRJ's flat after he had finished reading them. The biscuits were well appreciated and a return visit will be made. Although I'm not sure that my suggestion of playing 'Dambusters', a game where I lie with my mouth open, and various individuals run at me and try to roll chocolate logs across the lawn and into my gullet, was particularly well received.

Good morning all, Yet another dull grey start to the day here. Dry at the moment but there is the chance of some drizzle. Watched Northampton v Irish last night. A somewhat interesting game with one or two possibly contentious refereeing decisions which I suspect our Saintly supporters here didn't like. Another game to watch this afternoon. Before that I may venture to The Shed and see if I can bu##er up anything else. (Providing of course that The Boss doesn't call on me for taxi duties to Sainsbury's or somewhere else. It hasn't been mentioned yet. Have a good one, Bob.

I ask out of ignorance, is that a bad thing? Are septuagenarians awkward customers? Surely it means more business for someone? Once upon a time (when a Hornby Collector Club member) I would see lots of letters from people along the lines of "I've returned to the hobby after many years" or "my wife thought I needed a hobby and bought me a trainset" etc.

Days without daylight, image store nearly empty again, so only one tonight. Andrew K McCosh comes off, and heads for New England.

The Lamb Regis branch brake van takes a breather. Rob

Short train.

Mornin' all from the Hundred of Mansbridge. Bubble wrap may not be recyclable but it is re-usable. I hoard it and use it for Ebay sales, wrapping things that are stored away, protecting unboxed rolling stock and therapeutic popping of the smaller scraps. Our waste goes for 'recycling into energy' ( the Marchwood Incenerator generates power) so dead bubble wrap doesn't go to landfill. Later I shall proceed up the road to the Southampton show.

An hours pressure washing of the drive has been done before a combination of cold and rain has driven me back inside. Hopefully the rain will desist soon, so that I can continue. This will earn me some brownie points so that I can watch some rugby this afternoon!

Mooring awl, Was enjoying a good sleep. So Ben the alarm clock Collie came to get me up at 04:00 ish, Now going to try for more sleep....

Last night just as I was getting to sleep, the downstairs smoke low battery warning alarm sounded! Why do they always go late at night? So out of bed I gets, unplugs the duff battery, puts duff battery beside the telephone and then goes back into bed. A new battery was fitted after breakfast.

The Ffarquhar Three

Last night I cut some contour boards, fixed the tunnel mouth in place and had a play with my newly acquired sculptamold. Still a bit of refinement required but, overall, very pleased with the results. Jerry

Morning - well, it still is barely here Uneventful flight home, followed by a good sleep in. Mrs off to take a walk with a friend, so I'm looking to do some personal stuff, just need to decide what, decisions, decisions! So, posting here instead <yawn> Later we are apparently going out for dinner with Trevor, Meagan and ALL the dogs, their two and Whitney who's with us as Jemma is flying. They have a local dog friendly restaurant - dogs are allowed/encouraged on the heated patio, and they have a dog menu (who KNEW!!). So since it's their youngest dogs birthday we're going to have a birthday party there We'll se how THAT goes, but I'm assured it'll be "just fine"... -2 and high overcast here, may reach 0 if we're lucky, and chance of a coating to an inch of snow later. Right, see you all later.

Busy yard.

Behind the Sofa, hiding from your Bugs, haha.

The porch on the muddling shed has finally been put up, not finished as I gave up when things started going wrong. Screw heads coming off, repeatedly dropping things. Ben has enjoyed a charge around the beach, where the tide was very low again. The speech for tonight has been assembled into the correct order, a bottle from Highland Park is cooling in the fridge. The bathroom heater has been on for a while, time to climb the stairs...

For those not aware, Shap features in the March issue of BRM, the digital edition of which is out now (yes, I know it's only January - all to do with 13 issues per year), paper copy out Thursday. I'm normally a traditional paper copy version myself; however I'll highlight the digital edition on this occasion as there's an 8 minute excerpt from my Dad's 1964 cine films of the route, available ONLY via the digital version (ie it's not on the DVD that comes with the mag). In my highly biased opinion, it's worth the purchase price alone for that. https://pocketmags.com/british-railway-modelling-magazine Enjoy!

Life imitating art. (I found this funny.) New US Space Force insignia looks familiar. (Not a political post I promise.) Queue the Star Trek Theme song for the Space Force Anthem. The Space Force song, when it comes, can't be any worse than the Air Force Song which musical satirist Tom Lehrer called the "Up in the air junior birdman song" in the introduction (0:45) to his "It makes a fellow proud to be a soldier" parody of US armed service songs.

Or diesels. Also available in green and a multitude of other colours.

I'm 72 and 12 months ago I started to build a model railway (well, MPD). Since it's all handbuilt I'll be lucky to finish it by the time I'm 75! Mind you, I do have most of the locomotives already built. Survived the invasion of the Muddy Hollow gang today, chiefly by bribing them with chocolate biscuits. Have a quiet and peaceful weekend all. Dave

Must be the season for it - had loads of those this week - the leader was 84..... I drive away for lunch, same reasons! Worse when you're the boss in fact. When I'm out of range everyone manages just fine!

Evening all. House of Fun was duly attended. Some chaos caused by an incident in the Balcombe area blocking the Brighton Main for much of the morning. We didn't get the full details but there is one less person sharing the planet with us tonight although the language used suggested circumstances differed to the too-often heard "person struck by train". After feeling around 70% there I came home, had a bit of a rest then consulted the quack. I won a blue inhaler, a reasonably thorough check-up, a blood test a month hence largely to check uric acid levels, a lung function test at that time to ensure there is no trend towards asthma and if the bloods are ok then I can have some Allopurinol for the rest of my days. Except I can't. There are reasons why I cannot take it. When the time comes I need to discuss those further if I am to be offered ongoing preventive medication to head off further gout attacks. I checked our booking for next Friday's Paddington - Penzance jaunt which will see us spending the weekend with friends in the far south-west. We have assigned seats. The train is two 5-car Marrow units of which only the front one continues beyond Plymouth. And guess which unit, assuming correct formation, our seats are booked in? You couldn't make it up! If the formation isn't correct then no doubt many other passengers will find themselves in the wrong half of the train. SWMBO arranged a supermarket delivery yesterday to be helpful. If you know the advert which concludes "We haven't yet mastered online shopping, have we?" as the poor actor is being deluged by carrots then this was the opposite. "Loose" vegetables being priced by the kilogram seemed to be an issue. What arrived was one potato, one carrot, one onion and - remarkably - one solitary sprout!!! She thought she had ordered one kilo of each. I managed to book a top-up order today which rectified any deficiency and added a few items she overlooked. Such as the key ingredient for the morning's toast. So now the weekend awaits following a session of eyelid inspection. All the best and see you in the morning.

Management bullsh!t bingo, we still play it

Beware those bringing unwanted gifts of Nastivirus, Wuhanflu and other such unwanted embuggerances. I sincerely hope your is not one of them. In other news it seems I am the only person on the planet today. SWMBO is locked away writing, no-one is playing on any form of antisocial media and the Hill of Strawberries is desserted. Where are you all?

Stop trying to butter me up John - I'm already using Gaugemaster equipment! Dave

1489 on duty this morning.

Morning all. I didn’t realise that when phoning model railway emporia that one was was supposed to start by declaring one’s age! I don’t think any parcels are due today. Aditi is planning to do some shopping later. Her sister is bringing MiL over tomorrow and a fish based meal is planned. Yesterday evening was quiet, we watched the new Star Trek based “Picard” and then just read until bed time. Tony

Good morning everyone A dull start to the day here too, but there is no water falling down from the sky at the moment. Breakfast has been consumed and the first of at least 2 washing machine loads is on the go. In between said loads I plan to make a start on the latest batch of MERG kits that arrived on Thursday. Other than that there is much else planned for the day, although that could change! Enjoy the day, back later.

I believe that's called the trickle down theory.

Doing some quick sums, assuming a tax rate of 30%, (I'm guessing here) a bonus of $50k (after taxes) which is equivalent to two months salary, comes out to an annual salary of about $430k, so if accurate, those senior Delta pilots are doing very well indeed.

Nearly expired battery, cooler at night, slightly lower voltage perhaps.

Good evening everyone My various shopping trips this morning were all successful, I even managed to secure myself the very last pastie. After dinner I finished making the fruit tea loaf I’d started last night and then sat and read a couple of model railway magazines, as there wasn’t really enough time to do any soldering, but I’ve got all day tomorrow for that. James and Amelia came round for tea, which was nice. We hadn’t seen them for a couple of weeks so it was great to catch up. Goodnight all