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Lynton engine shed 4mm scale, 8mm gauge. Tim

I forgot to mention that the last sequence was completed in just 59 days! Just shows how lifestyles have changed, I suppose. Your photos are still of that last hour before darkness though, starting with an Immingham B1 waiting to take the 9.07 Grimsby to its home. This is pretty horrible, but as it took a long time to get it even as presentable as this, I'll use it. While the B1 waits, Thane of Fife comes through with a Class C for Leeds.

I'm drinking my coffee while the rain falls gently outside, so it must be time for some preserved railway photos. Today's are from the Great Central Railway at Loughborough and Quorn in the 1980s and 1990s. Quorn and Woodhouse N2 4744 Sept 78 J6339.jpg Loughborough Central N2 4744 Oct 78 C4200.jpg Loughborough Central LNER B1 1306 Sept 81 J7585.jpg Quorn and Woodhouse Hunslet 4 Robert Nelson Rothley to Loughborough July 81 J7521.jpg Loughborough Central Class 127 and Class 55 9019 10th June 89 C11985.jpg Loughborough Central Peckett Hilda 10th June 89 C11986.jpg David

Fighting the laptop now. I'd forgotten the clever bit where, if I inadvertently pass my hand across the pad, it rearranges everything for me. However, I have my mug of tea, the sun is shining and we have another look at Thane of Fife before I get back to work.

Good morning from what looks like its going to be another sunny day so more gardening on the cards. Something that came to mind when hearing about the higher infection rate in Barrow In Furness, if this new mobile app to find people that you may have been close to the infection, how does it work if you live in a terrace and you are sitting in your sofa one side of the party wall and your neighbour is in theirs just the other side, as you may well be sitting just a couple of feet apart all evening. We should be in BIF for their show (new venue) in October with a friends Swiss layout but its not been cancelled as of yet. Yesterday on our 5 mile walk, we visited a local pub for take away ale. The landlady mentioned how they are thinking of dealing with social distancing once they can reopen, tables spaced just over 4m apart in the garden and done in 2 hours sittings with half hour between these so they can clean everything down ready for the next sitting. All beer and food served at your table. They also have one outside toilet so only staff will go inside the building. Yesterday I did a few repairs to one of the garden railway stations. It now has its name boards back on but the building may get a repaint today.

Golf was golfed today. The first full 18holes I've played since late October last year. A most enjoyable round catching up with my mate whom I haven't seen for a few months (well before lockdown) Much banter was had across the fairways at more than social distances with other players on the way round. I even managed to coincide a bad shot so with a passing freight. A view from the 2nd hole as I was playing the parallel 5th. (There was a shout of FORE! from the tee). Despite the dodgy tee shot - I made par on the 5th I knew my playing partner's wife worked for the NHS, but not at what level and where. It turns out she's the manager of the CCU that looked after my brother! I asked him to pass on my family's sincere thanks to her and her team. His simple reply was a humble "it's what they do". Stars - the lot of them. The day was rounded off with a Zoom quiz with a couple of other families. All three couples married within the same year. We all met each other through the same service organisation (Rotaract - not Rotary) and have stayed friends ever since. And the kids all get on with each other as well - now ranging from 23-18 years old. A great time was had with the quiz and the catch-up afterwards. Bacon butties are planned for not long after we get up in the morning - at whatever time that is. Have a good Sunday folks. Cheers, Mick

Didn’t mention earlier or make clear Mils husband has been in same hospital since Tuesday,suffering from pneumonia that’s why she’s on her own. Make the most of the day, I’m hoping for a bit of modelling, even if it’s just a bit. Robert

It might be best to avoid terms like “back-to-back” or “flange depth” Birthday continues to go well with Messenger calls having been enjoyed with sister and family (learning in the process that Middle Nephew has ended 13 years of “making rich people richer” and is joining the NHS) and with friends in a very sunny Lostwithiel (which apparently remains Lost despite the nearby Gardens of Heligan now having been found). A bottle of Bordeaux was enjoyed and SWMBO has continued to provide food and dish-washing services throughout the day. Fully dressed for dinner. Warning - some may find white socks offensive!

A more natural view from Norman Lockhart. ( I still need to sort out a chain for the dingy dangly thing ) Rob.

Morning all. Artist Sheldon Fopp provides us with another view of Sheep Dip in his own unique style. Recent work has seen some titivating of the scenery with additional bushy bits and grass dotted about the place. Photos to follow. Rob.

Cheers all. Something seems to have upset my stomach last night, resulting in poor sleep and similarly poor mood. Still, happy birthday, Rick!

Happy solar orbit completion day Rick.

Good morning all from a bright and intermittently sunny Hill of Strawberries. Breakfast has been provided by SWMBO who reports that her shoulder has improved somewhat overnight. A quick flick with the duster and a trip around with the vacuum cleaner are now in order. We can’t have the place looking untidy when all the folks don’t turn up later for drinks and nibbles to mark my 63rd lap of the sun I was taught logarithms and the rest. I won’t say I learned them! Long workings too because “what if you didn’t have a set of log tables?” How many of todays students would understand BODMAS or SOHCAHTOA I wonder? I must suck. Aftet which muggercoffee awaits and I am told I must also attire myself in the kilt later for celebrations. I might even post a photo Be good until I return.

Have a great one, Rick. I can't do a top ten albums, as I change as the tide comes in and out! Some Slartybarfasting again, followed by some ballasting down the other end which is very 'Plywood Pacific' still, but this bit is coming on OK now. Ballasting is 90% done so I am running out of excuses to get on with the 'dead' corner which is behind and to the left of the Paneer, it's hard to get to as well, so lightweight scenery on a removable base will be the order of the day methinks - as was the previous incarnation in the same place.

This afternoon we are back on the ECML betwen Darlington and Newcastle over a ten year period from 1987. Bradbury Class 43 down 8th May 93 C18533.jpg Hett Mill 91025 up IC 16th October 93_C19129.jpg Croxdale Class 158 Liverpool to Newcastle 18th Oct 97__C23162.jpg Low Fell 47203 up freight Aug 87 J9191.jpg Low Fell 43092 up 28th May 88 C9465 David

Damn, that cat has knocked the top off again.

There is some rather frightening psychological manipulation that goes on behind those FB posts that have questions like that, or ones with 3 bananas = 30, etc. They are basically micro IQ tests to determine if/how to direct targeted advertising or political persuasion at the person that takes the “test”. Get the correct answer and you are regarded as too intelligent and observant to be swayed by targeted advertising or manipulation. Get the answer that would be correct if the number of shoes or bananas in the bunch didn’t change and you are intelligent but not fully observant. You can be manipulated with subtle advertising. Get the wrong answer from the maths but correct observation, and you are less educated but observant. Directed advertising will be more direct but play to your lack of education. Wrong on all counts but close (as in you tried), you are a gullible twit and prime pickings. Totally backasswards and miles off, means you were taking the urine and your result gets tossed from the data harvesting. Fun eh.

Good moaning to all. It's sunny again. Yesterday I got quite a bit done. I wentvand ordered the materals for having our roof redone and thecoutsidecof the house painted. Not cheap. Then after lunch I set to work to find out why the petrol lawn mower was very hard to start. Gotvthe blade off and eventually the blade clutch. As I was taking it apart a ball bearing dropped out. It turned out there is a sort of 3 ball ball race with holders for the balls and one had dropped out. Getting it all back together was tricky as a rather large spring had to be compressed, but with a neighbours help it was done and it started first time. After tea we walked round the village in the evening sun and then called in to see the neighbours thatvhad helped me and had a good, but socially distanced chat overva glass of wine. I even got a few more films scanned and then got an email from an old friend, who I'd lost touch with. This was as a result of some photos I'd scanned. Off to the market today then going to some friends for sunday lunch. Roast lamb, how could we resist. I'm taking some fruit malt loaf in return. I was taught logs and theybwere part of my maths O level in 1968. We had to buy slide rules aka fiddling sticks, whe I started an engineering degree in 1971. I still have one somewhere. Useful things. Regards to all. Jamie

Another prairie turn sees 5551 about to couple up to the Kingsbridge service of which a through coach has been attached. This has come down on another service after being dropped off an express at Exeter. The roof boards are from Precision Labels. The Devonshire cordylines that adorn the platform are looking splendid this time of year.

Morning all, Many happy returns and many more of them to young Rick. Lots of high cloud out there today but teh sun has managed to make a few holes in it although not many more are forecast. GDB don't be surprised if your point comes from Guilford and not Cornwall as the other KMRC branch has been opened up for mail order purposes in order to cope with demand (which might explain why they can supply what has become an increasingly rare commodity?). As I don't know what's in any albums of the musical kind I have no favourites at all - I have somewhat eclectic taste when it comes to music - not all that dissimilar from KZ's in many respects and I have enjoyed a lot of the things linked on CB's blog. Sorry to hear that Natalie has been upset by someone's posts on here and I hope she doesn't run away from our little corner of the forum. Regrettably because its all 'remote' some folk tend to shoot from the hip on the 'net and while many no doubt say exactly what they are thinking of at a particular point in time and press the 'send' button all too quickly. That, alas, is electronic life, as is the way it attracts brain dead idiots who don't bother to read what has gone before in a thread before they repeat it or before they spout total nonsense. (which Natalie very definitely doesn't in her chosen subject areas). Back to earth and unusually we had lamb chops for dinner last night - unusual because over the past 4-5 weeks we've had them on Sunday. Today we are having roast chicken instead, no doubt back to sausages tomorrow but that might depend on the morning's visit to Sister Diabolical and her advice instructions. Have a good day one and all and stay safe.

Good morning from NEHerts where the day dawned with some hazy cloud almost five hours ago but that cloud cover has since increased. How do I know? Well the bane of older men’s existences reared it’s head a little before 4am and, having lowered the reservoir, I thought I might see if I could grab a few images of Jupiter. I did but there was some haze so I expect the pictures will have something of an ethereal quality about them. How pleasant to see the range of topics covered over the last few hours! As an engineering student in the mid 60’s, guessing sticks were very much in use. Mine was a Fabre Castell unit in a delicate shade of eau-de-nil that included black, gold and red text and markings depending on which scale was being used. This device was sadly lost when my parents moved house whilst I was on a particularly long trip on an oil tanker. I never saw the need to replace it as I had subsequently bought a “scientific calculator”. I am fascinated to read the lists of choice albums shared amongst us. I have what I think is a very eclectic taste with compositions covering a period of almost 400 years and in many genres. I have never been that keen on British folk music, ballet or operas - just as I readily admit many would find no enjoyment in post-WW2 jazz, something that I like. The curmudgeon in me now finds today’s “artists” difficult to enjoy. I do not like a person chanting in monotones against a drum and bass background, nor the very plastic offerings wherein the same phrase is endlessly repeated- lyrics should have a purpose in my mind. A further grouse relates to the several who are unable to compose something unique but choose instead to destroy some work of an earlier artist. My so-called Top Ten would include “classical” pieces by RVW, Bruch, Holst and Elgar, at least a couple of “prog-rock” albums from PF, Steely Dan and others, definitely some Eagles, some Simon and Garfunkel, some Bob Dylan, some “cool” jazz - Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, Under Milk Wood Suite by Stan Tracey, some soul blues (possibly Dusty in Memphis) and finally one or two compilations so I can cheat to get in a wider range of styles and artists - heading that list might well be an album that includes tracks by the delightful Ms Ronstadt called FM. As you can see, without a slide rule I don’t know what 10 means On the cards for today is - well not much different from other days! Lawn was cut yesterday so will wait until later in the week for it’s next trim, some thought will be applied to the next online shopping list (delivery booked for Thursday). In another fun-filled evening, we took part in a quiz with my son-in-law’s wider family involving seven households. The quizmaster had done an outstanding job in the range of questions he had selected and in how he presented them to us, a real bar-raising exercise - and we managed a second place tie. That means someone else is tasked to create next Saturday’s quiz. As for culinary requirements, I might just haul out a nice piece of beef and briefly show it to the griddle pan, or then again WE may just use up what is lying around. There is a bottle of a rich Italian Zinfandel that needs dealing with later. I am inspired to dig out some music from the lists of others whilst I consider edits on photos taken earlier and certainly my legs must be made to move alternating one in front of another until a couple of miles of sole material has been removed from some sturdy footwear, carefully avoiding getting near to other humans in the process of course. If the walk goes well, I shall not seize up this day. I hope that my posts have only Informed, caused a smile or perhaps to think. They were and are never written with the intention of causing deliberate offence so, if any offence has been caused, I do apologise. With that, I wish you all well until later.

Good morning all, A lovely day here at the moment and it should stay fine. The Shed visit yesterday did not go well. I seem to have a shorting problem on one point with certain locos at low speed. As this is an old one that has been on previous layouts I've decided to cut it out and replace it but will have to wait for the postman to deliver a new one. Took me a bit of searching to find one as most people seem to be out of stock but they do have them in Camborne. Our Zoom family quiz was very enjoyable. Joe had put in a lot of work devising it and some the questions were stinkers. I did better on "Millionaire" during the week. I do think that it was geared more towards the younger people who eventually won but at least he put stuff in each round that The Boss and I were certain to know. However we didn't disgrace ourselves (thanks to some guesses, both educated and wild), didn't come last and there were only 4 points separating the teams! Today I'll be starting off with the usual Sunday breakfast of egg, bacon, sausage etc. Tonight I will be waving sirloin steak briefly at some heat but not sure yet whether that will be on the BBQ or in the kitchen. Probably the latter. In between filling my face I may go and see if I can find any more faults in you know where. Have a good one, Bob.

Ey up! Slept well...although the dream I had was rather strange... I will be baking scones today. Probably some with cheese added. Yummy..but they won't keep as I don't add any sugar. Leopard..there is a story behind the two groups methinks. I left the Guild many years ago due to what was going on at Guildex. It is very grey here this morning. It won't be getting any lighter but the temperature should be increasing over the next couple of days. Stay safe..make the most of Sunday! Baz

Don't worry. Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift won't get you chucked off. Chesney Hawkes might, but he's the one and only..................

Further to Jamie’s post and my reply about the Residential, it just so happens that the last few pictures I took before clearing the decks were of the ECS move later in the afternoon. I am fortunate to have made contact with Keith Long who started his career as a BR Signalman in the Leeds area and was the booking lad at City Jct from 1961. Keith tells me that at that time, the most common loco for the Morecambe Residential was a Jubilee. On this occasion, 45562 “Alberta”, a long time resident of Holbeck shed, is rostered for this duty. Alberta has arrived LE in the North Carriage Sidings to collect the ECS. The first four coaches are the “Residential” and the rear four will form the slow train from Skipton. It is 1620 and Alberta draws the ECS out on to the Down Fast line prior to setting back into platform 4. The signalman has been a bit quick in replacing the inner home, maybe because he needs to get a “shunt into forward section” from Whitehall jct so that the train can clear the pointwork.

' morning all from red dragon land. Yesterday, I started to watch the the clouds coming in, first a bit of mackerel sky while doing my bike ride on the spot, followed by some stratus clouds in the distance. While waiting for the roast chicken to cook , the sun had swung round and, below the still distant stratus cloud, a long strip of the Irish Sea, which is not normally noticeable, was brightly lit up. That I had to stop and look at. By nightfall, large black clouds were heading our way, with hopes that they may water the plants but apparently not. A job for, today, then. A bit breezy, now, but the cloud has broken up enough for the sun to get through. Bike ride looks promising. Some jobs to do and I want to get some m*d*ll*ng in this afternoon, only a headboard but I have probably spent a disproportionate amount of time on it. So long as it looks OK. The problem started when I realised part of the headboard was a metal plate not a wooden board and tried to get the relief to show up on an 11mm strip of paper... Fun and games. Time for a mugadecafsomething. Fitt and Elfie back in their stride. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly PS Happy Birthday, Rick. Have a great day.

Morning, dark and damp here, but not cold, 10 degrees inside the greenhouse last night which is good, now 13 degrees which isn't exactly sweaty. The virtual whisky tasting went well yesterday, lasted for an hour and a half and was a laugh, 7 of us plus one of the distillery guys were on Zoom, we each had 3 miniatures of the distilleries finest and we did our own comments on the merits or otherwise. Ended up with an invite to tour the place when we are allowed out to play, that I am looking forward too as they don't normally do tours. Might go and play with some mobiles bits of tin and plastic running along on parallel bits of metal later, enjoy the day and stay safe.

Barrow not only has quite densely packed housing it also has lots of interrelated families and Barrovians are very keen to meet with friends. The yard has been working with much reduced workforce numbers but did get the 4th Astute to see early in April. The app would never work in Barrow.. We used log tables at School. Only when I started at Uni in 1975 did I acquire a scientific calculator. But, if you don't understand the calculation and have a rough idea of the result then mistakes with calculators ( and Excel) can go unobserved. Baz

I think you will find that this occurred because some of the membership of the GOG wanted a Facebook page, but the Management Committee wouldn't sanction it. So the rebels made the point with their the Not the Gauge O Guild Group. Of course, the Management Committee then decided that perhaps they'd better get out of the 19th Century, and stop scratching their quills on parchment in favour of something a bit more up to date, so created The Gauge O Guild Group. Edit: One wonders whether you have individuals posting the same stuff on both these groups, WT, RMW, and any number of other model railways forums that they frequent.

Mooring awl again, Cool dull. But hints of the great fried egg. Ben the alarm clock Collie, was 15 minutes early this morning, he got a little extra time out there, as I threw a few branches onto the next bonfire. The farm machinery is already trundling past. This weekend is proving quieter than last, as I mentioned during the week, those desperate to go out have headed to the normal holiday areas and are not hiding out in the more remote countryside. The porridge should be ready.. Bye for now.

Mooring awl inner Temple Hare, 5 hours sleep so far interrupted by wake up and turn overs We were shown, a slide rule, but didn't use them, we spent many hours learning to use Mr Napier 's log tables. We also used calculators, mechanical ones, a couple set up at the front of the class, you were given a question, which you wrote out and laid out on paper, split down into what the calculator could do. Then took your turn going to the front sliding various levers, then winding the handle, and writing down the results. The picture is one that is reasonably similar . Having learnt the above, electronic calculators came out that became affordable during my last year at school, so once I left school, we never used any of the teaching. We do use logarithmic charts and values at work of course, but the computers do all the Sums, you just set up the equations and let them get on with it. I use the Google calculator and conversion systems all the time, although I have a very capable calculator and conversion toolbox on this tablet, used when out of wifi reach. Last evening was spent working on the tiny radar again, I made and installed 8 more cross bars. Of course my skill and speed of making improved. So when finished I looked at the first 4, and decided to make two new replacements as the originals weren't good enough. I've not made them for the back, leaving them off for access. Time I think to try for more sleep.

Afternoon image delayed, as I have been very stupid, and carried on doing entries on the laptop for far too long. Any way, more fish on its way from New Clee to KX.

Belated birthday greetings to Rick. I have a feeling I would be thrown of ER's if I gave you my list of 10 albums I would want! If it rains here we will all know that it is GDB's fault after he washed his car. Have a great day and stay safe folks.

A'noon all, As ever, ERs moves on at such a pace it's not easy keeping up with everyone's fortunes, good, bad or indifferent so homogenous felicitations all round. Top ten albums, blimey, it depends what mood I'm in and what day of the week it is but these are fairly constant in my rotation of favourites, in no particular order.... The Beatles - 'Revolver' : the sound of a group utterley on top of their game, the recording techniques they were using were almost made up on the spot in some instances and the finished article still sounds as fresh now as it did in '66. The last track on the LP 'Tomorrow Never Knows' was the first to be started when they arrived at Abbey Road in April that year, 'Rubber Soul' was still flying off the shelves at this point but the subject matter, the feel and sound of their new material was light years rather than just a few months ahead. It still sounds like nothing else ever recorded, but somehow fits in with the rest of the album. George's sitar drenched 'Love You To', John's 'She Said, She Said' and Paul's 'Eleanor Rigby' add the to the slightly detached and otherworldly feeling. They were so confident at this point that they didn't need to put their name on the album cover (as per Rubber Soul). In hindsight I think if they'd dropped 'Yellow Submarine' and included 'Paperback Writer' and its b-side 'Rain' on the album instead it would have been even better. The Stones - 'Beggars Banquet' : after the muddled 'Their Satanic Majesties' of '67 which was an attempt to follow the Fabs 'Sgt. Pepper' they managed to find their mojo quite quickly by recording 'Jumping Jack Flash' in March '68, it managed to get all five members of the band back on the same page, even after all the drug busts and personal problems going on between Brian, Keith and Mick the previous year. It's not on the album but set the pace for what was to come. The making of 'Sympathy For The Devil' was captured perfectly by Jean Luc Goddard's film crew at Olympic Studios in June for his film 'One Plus One', showing how it started as a slow samba and grew into a much more forboding piece. The footage of Keith slouching on the floor over his Gibson Les Paul with some beautiful (but dirty) noises coming from the speakers is a nice glimpse of how creative he could be. The same guitar sound fills 'Stray Cat Blues' with menace and works beautifully. The album should have been released in the Summer of '68 but because of problems with the original 'toilet' cover photo it was delayed until December and given the plain cover similar to the Beatles White Album released in November, consequently John Lennon thought the Stones were trying to copy them and the original toilet photo wasn't reinstated until years later. Air - 'Moon Safari' : bar a couple of tracks this mid '90s album is nigh on perfect, the band recorded everything on late '60s and early '70s gear to give it a soft, warm older feel. This is something I listen to a lot when driving, my favourite track being the opener, 'La Femme d'Argent', it's sublime from start to finish. Iggy & The Stooges - Funhouse : their second LP released in 1970 with the best production on any rock album I've heard so far. Really gritty stuff with some brilliant riffs and guitar sounds. The Velvet Underground & Nico : the first Velvets LP of the same name, it still sounds incredible when I play it now, miles ahead and miles away from anything else released in '67, most of it was actually recorded in late '65 / early '66 but wrangles with the record company delayed its release and it pretty much bombed straight away, but it was (and probably still is) a big influence on many other bands. The way it portrayed the seedier side of life in New York was in complete contrast to all the hippie stuff coming out of California. Who's Next - The Who : another pretty much perfect album which very nearly didn't get released at all. I heard 'Won't Get Fooled Again' on the radio a few days ago - the full eight minute version and sounds like it was recorded just yesterday, it's still as powerful now as it was in '71. Pink Floyd -Dark Side Of The Moon : a cliched choice to some perhaps but as I'm typing this 'Money' is wafting in from the TV in the next room and it sounds 'kin fantastic! Say no more. The Sound Gallery - Various Artists : a loungecore compilation from the '90s which kicked off a resurgence of interest in a whole heap of lost 'library' gems from the '60s and '70s, plenty of cheese to be had here and there but the majority of the tracks are full of life, style and panache. The session musicians on these recordings rarely did more than one take and the quality shines through. Some tracks are well known commercial themes but the remainder often sound like the score to a long lost spy film or a road movie that never was. Brilliant stuff if you're of a certain age. Scott Walker - Scott and Scott 4 : being a bit greedy here with two from the same artist but his debut LP from '67 is a joy, half covers and half self penned material, the songs all sound epic, heartfelt and very '60s in feel, while his fourth solo platter is all his own work and is one of the very few albums I can listen to from end to end. I recently read a biography of Scott which goes into great detail about how his solo LPS were recorded, he was much more than a singer and occasional writer, he was actually a very good arranger and producer with superb instincts. Both of these LPs are so well crafted, the way the typically '60s harpsichord dances over some of the songs is sublime, the strings are not overdone and that voice of his never fails to deliver. Creeping in at number eleven is.............. where to start....? Strong contenders are various works from The Byrds, The Doors, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, T-Rex, Bowie, Roxy Music, Love, etc, etc..........

Happy Birthday Rick and many more of them, I will raise a glass to you later. The car has been washed and so have I in the process. (bloody hose came apart) It badly needed washing (I didn't) but my shoulder is now complaining somewhat. I think that's enough exercise for today. I learnt about logarithms and much other mathematical stuff at school, none of which (apart from the basics) was any use whatsoever to me in my chosen career and is now mainly forgotten after 54 years. Had I taken a different path then it may well have come in useful. My musical tastes are very varied ranging from some classical, folk, a hint of country but mainly rock, soul and blues. I would be pushed to compile a list of "favourites" as it would be quite long.

It was lovely and sunny here earlier and then immediately after my first post everything went grey. Breakfast has been surrounded and demolished and coffee is now being supped. Seriously thinking about washing the car, steady on Bob! I think that'll be the first time this year! I'll think about it a bit more while I finish my coffee. And now the sky seems to be brightening up a tad.

Greetings one and all There were some good bits yesterday. On the way to Morrisons I heard someone I know on the Today programme – Jim Moray, a singer and producer who never ceases to surprise. In the shop some good tunes were coming out of the loudspeakers, among them “Reet Petite” by Jackie Wilson and “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers, which is on the shortlist for my Desert Island Discs should I ever be asked. I got home, unpacked the groceries and turned on the TV to be greeted by the fondly remembered Keith Floyd making groaty dick, a Black Country delicacy long ago immortalised in song by the late Bill Caddick. All that gave me as much of a lift as I could expect in one day. It helped to compensate for the two latest cancellations, the Welsh Railways Research Circle AGM in Rhiwderin and Scaleforum at Stoke Mandible. Neither was unexpected. Earlier in the week I had a phone call from the hospital to tell me that Professor Oncologist will keep his appointment with me on Thursday by phone call. Bang goes another chance to get out of the house. This brings me to the weekly diary of the parallel universe. Yesterday and today would have seen Expo-EM Spring in Bracknell, with revelry in the local ‘Spoons last night and an opportunity to berate what passes for town planning in the town. For most of the week Cambridge beer festival would have taken place in and around a marquee on Jesus Green. Wednesday night’s Area Group meeting will be virtual if Zoom behaves itself. On Friday there would have been a modest invasion of Docklands for a meeting of the Brains Trust, several of whom may be reading this. 10 favourite albums? That could take a while. Every time I try to make the definitive list of the 8 tracks that I would take to the mythical desert island I have trouble getting below 20. My taste is eclectic, ephemeral and obscure, as gentle readers may have realised, but let me chuck two candidates at you. The first is “A Christmas Gift For You”, the Phil Spector C*****mas album which was first released on the day in 1963 that JFK was shot. It has to be one of the most enduring albums ever made. Next comes “Midnight Mushrumps” by Gryphon. Prog rock meets the middle ages and the title track, all 19 minutes of it, still has the ability to send me into a trance 45 years after I first heard it. More soon, honest. Best wishes to all Chris

Interesting how statistics can be used to show what ever people want to show isn't it. The population here - 2018 estimate - is 11,613, 24.7% of the population is over 65% although the proportion of terraced housing to non-terraced is inevitably very different from Barrow. But again on bare statistics the Covid-19 death rate is way above the national average standing at 68 (per 100,000) although the actual number of deaths is small. All a matter of how figures are presented and some are very definitely misleading especially once the media have got hold of them and add their desired 'presentation' to the numbers. Anyway today did not include getting out the hedge trimmer. Mrs Stationmaster decreed that I should convey her to Tesco although I waited in the car park while she did the shopping. Not too long queueing to get in but she was in there an awful long time while I sat in/wandered round the car park watching other folk arrive, go shopping, and come back to their car with said shopping and depart long before herself reappeared. However the quantity she brought out definitely put the amateur shoppers in the shade. By the time we got that lot home and sorted, disinfected etc, or put into quarantine, and I'd cooked the mushrooms on toast for both of us we were well into the afternoon and it was too late and too darned hot to go out garden bashing. Maybe tomorrow?

Evening all. So a letter arrived a couple of weeks ago telling me that a pension pot had to be repaid to me. Technically this was one of the lowest paid and shortest term jobs I ever had; so not the largest sum any of us will have seen! Nevertheless I did the sensible thing and invested it offshore. An emporium on the IoM to be precise.

I , like every other boy in the school had a Thornton slide rule. OST people had their name scratched on with a scriber but mine was very nicely engraved by my Dad whose lovely handwriting and lettering was as good with an engraver as it was with a pen. We had to learn to use slide rules and mechanical calculators as the people in industry advised that was what was needed for school leavers. Oh and learn German which was predicted to be the requirement for technology and science jobs. I don’t know anything about Zermatt’s typhoid outbreak ( well in fact I didn’t but just read about it and it seems to have been the usual reasons) but Dad told me once he had been drinking from a tap “somewhere “ in Germany that was marked as drinking water when an army truck turned up and slapped a notice on it warning of typhoid. He was told he would be ok as he had drunk the water before the sign was attached.

Good afternoon. With the stress on “good”. Many thanks for all the anniversarial felicitations which are all very much appreciated. A surprise just now as we take afternoon tea on the lawn was all the neighbours at the other end of the block singing me a Happy Birthday. I wasn’t aware that any of them knew and have no social media connections there. Lovely. After lunch we walked around the Hill of Strawberries which is comfortably populous without being busy. Of note the golf course is open once more and populated by pairs instead of the more usual Sunday fourballs. I have taken active interest in the ten albums listed by others. My selection is by no means definitive nor is it necessarily my “top ten”. There are very many worthy contenders which didn’t make the cut. Some have been listed by other ERs. I have avoided “Various Artistes” compilations One album of note which isn’t in my ten is “Linda Ronstadt’s Duets” where she duets with numerous others to superb effect. The version of “Walk Away Renée” with Ann Savoy has me removing something from my eyes every time. Today’s offering is from the Australian band Colcannon. Extremely internet-shy and alad no longer with us since John Munro departed the stage of life so the best I can find is a download link and a single song video. http://colcannonstepitoutliveatthegovdownload.over-blog.com/2020/01/album-mp3-colcannon-step-it-out-live-at-the-gov-1998-free-album.html https://youtube.com/watch?v=tF7McLN89Ac

Good afternoon everyone Late up on (stop sniggering at the back) this morning, so a late breakfast was had. The weather is a bit dull at the moment, but the sun looks like it's about to break through the clouds. I've just watered the garden and im now sat in the workshop about to start working on the turntable indexing table. Happy birthday Rick. Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later.

I have a (currently furloughed) colleague who says he doesn't need maths. Yet day in, day out he's allegedly counting the items he's packing!! BODMAS and SOHCAHTOA invoke memories! Logarithms: reach for the Groan button NOW! As the species were leaving the Ark, Noah was wishing them well with the phrase: 'go forth and multiply'. As two snakes slid past, they retorted "we are adders and can not multiply". A few years later, Noah was wandering around checking on his former cargo when he came across a very large colony of adders. Isolating those who had been on the Ark, he challenged them how there were now so many when they had said they couldn't multiply. Their response: (as you've probably guessed by now) We used logarithms! Hat, coat, groan and cringe buttons ....

Morning all. It is sunny here. It hopefully will be warm enough to sit out. This creates an interesting choice. I have low vitamin D levels so I was advised to sit in the sun by the endocrinologist and to avoid sun by the dermatologist due to age related sun damage on my face. Aditi is enjoying sewing again. Her squirrel is making progress. I provided some plasticard for the feet and nose. Have a good day. Tony

Morning awl. The bright sunshine that greeted me when I surfaced an hour ago has disappeared behind clouds. I think that's the weather for the day. Today I shall attempt to get out on the bike or at least do some walking. I've been making a point of doing the latter over the last week and certainly feel better for it. As a regular gym goer but one who needs the social stimulation and motivation of group exercise classes, it's the only aspect of the current situation I've struggled with. I would have exercised yesterday too but was distracted by a couple of muddling projects. Nevertheless, some e*ay bargains have been suitably fettled and I'm quite pleased with my efforts. The unwanted job lot purchases were fettled and prepped last weekend and now await the next £1 fees offer. With a bank holiday coming up, I'm hoping that will be soon. One of them is quite gorgeous and a beautiful runner. It seems a shame to move it on but being in apple green I have no need for it. I ventured out to the supermarket yesterday for some basic essentials. In spite of the revised advice to wear masks in "some shops", I saw no increase in the number of mask wearers. I meanwhile, went the whole hog and donned the respirator mask I use for paint spraying. Not an eyelid was batted. Breakfast beckons. I have mushrooms to use up. As for local chip shop delicacies, I'd really, really like to be able to buy roe with my fish & chips. Unheard of down here. Regards to awl.

Now, I do realise that this is a tr@in free zone, but over in F@rcebook, this made me laugh.....

Mornin'all. Thought I might be the first, but alas no. Mind you had I logged in when I first woke...... Today's weather forecast for these parts is grey, grey and grey. Indeed as I type it is grey Good weather for fence painting, which is today's activity, along no doubt with bone throwing - where does he get all his energy? First cuppa had, might try for more shut eye, but if not there's laundry to put in, other 'domestics' to be attended to and breakfast to be had. Stay safe, stay well and show Sunday (it is Sunday?) who's boss. Bye for now, (almost) up an' at 'em.

It's a Punch and Judy booth. What you can't see is Mr Punch Wright telling everybody "That's the way to do it!".

I still use logarithms, albeit on my calculator. I work out "to the power of" by taking the log of the number, multiplying by the power, and using the "e to the x" function to take the antilog. In a rush to the LAS, Bill

Good evening everyone The weather improved significantly by dinner time quite with the sun coming out and warming the place up. Some progress has been made on the bases of the limit switches and they are now completely finished. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to fit them to the main base plate and wire them all up. I liked Rick’s idea about your favourite 10 albums and I’ve been giving it some serious thought, but try as I may, I’ve been unable to narrow it down to just 10, the best I could do was 15. These are listed below, but are in no particular order. Fire And Water - Free Souvenirs - Dan Fogelberg Fog On The Tyne - Lindisfarne Pipedream - Alan Hull Desperado - The Eagles Stampede - The Doobie Brothers Nether Lands - Dan Fogelberg Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd Takin’ It To The Streets - The Doobie Brothers But Seriously Folks - Joe Walsh Hotel California - The Eagles Silk Degrees - Boz Scaggs Year Of The Cat - Al Stewart Hounds If Love - Kate Bush Muddy Water Blues - Paul Rodgers Some of the above will no doubt be familiar to some, but there’ll be some that will be unknown to most. It’s a bit of a broad spectrum of music but I never tire of listening to any of the above, some of which are almost 50 years old! Goodnight all