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This afternoon features the Newcastle to Carlisle line in the 80s and 90s. Stocksfield 43103 Kings X to Edinburgh diverted via Carlisle April 89 J09882.jpg Corbridge 156451 Middlesbrough to Hexham 5th Aug 95 C20360.jpg Dilston crossing 143023 Hexham to Middlesbrough August 87 J9104.jpg Fourstones A4 4468 Mallard York Newcastle Carlisle York 27th Aug 88 C11499.jpg Haydon Bridge 156443 Carlisle to Newcastle 3rd Dec 94 C19890.jpg David

Cheers all. Felt decidedly bleh and deflated last night, so here's hoping I'll be able to turn my mind towards more agreeable things today. There's a few things around the garden we would like to check off this season, such as building a length of stone slab path. That might be something I could try doing this week. Face masks remain compulsory in shops over here, and also aboard public transport. The latter in particular but is turning into an issue for us on the staff front as, technically, only police forces are legally entitled to actually enforce wearing masks (defined exemptions exist, of course, which but must be proven with a physician's assessment) and removing uncooperative persons from vehicles, whereas staff can only "encourage compliance", if you will. Therefore, cases such as that of the bus driver from Bayonne who was beaten up by passengers refusing to wear masks and who eventually died hit a sore spot with many of our number. Including me, to be honest. I am quite sure that worries such as these are a contributing factor for my current state of not being as well as I'd prefer. Anyway, where's me coffee? Later.

Greetings one and all History was made yesterday. After the hearty breakfast so beloved of the condemned man I phoned the surgery to progress my enforced desire to order prescriptions on line. The lady who answered the phone was so helpful and entertaining, and, yes, there was laughter at more than one point in the conversation, that I almost believed that I was talking to someone other than Checkpoint Charlene. Perhaps she has not yet been taught how to be a harridan. There was nothing resembling an invitation to schlepp round to the surgery, for these days it is almost a no-go area. As for the NHS app, it appears to involve more rigmarole than anything else in Christendom and I will manage without it for the time being. It does seem rather stupid that I cannot access it from the laptop and have to use the mobile. For a while it looked as though it was all going mammaries up. I had been promised an e-mail telling me my user name and password but by 12 noon there was no sign of it. The lady that I had spoken to earlier told me that it had been re-sent. Where is the e-mail? Ah, there it is, in Messages, for it is a text. I tried logging in and logging out again and exploring the system for ordering meds. There now follow some famous last words: it all looks straightforward. I was told the name of the lady who had been so helpful earlier. Would you believe Charlene? Best wishes to all Chris

My love of operating was nurtured from a very early age. As some will be aware, my father is also a great railway enthusiast and railway modeller and his layouts have always leant towards operations. His layouts always run to a 24 hour timetable (his present one still does) - and it takes 24 hours to go through 24 hours, even if that means occasional (but not too many) moments of waiting for the clock to tick round. The night time hours are for sleeping car trains, fish trains, express freights (etc). As a train-mad child, I recall many a wet, rainy weekend day when we'd repair to the Model Railway Room after breakfast and start operating the layout. We'd start after breakfast at around 10 in the morning and restart the clock from wherever the last operating session had got up to, the locos and stock all ready to pick up where they'd previously left off. Lunch time would come and go with Mum bringing up a plate of sandwiches. Still we were shunting stock up in the station, locos were coming on and off shed. Even tea time (hot meal) wouldn't interrupt things, a convenient 'slack' time being arranged for the plated meals to be brought up as we continued on. At half 7 or 8, I'd nip out to get into my pyjamas and there'd be a final train agreed to be run before I went to bed. We'd been operating the layout - nay, running a railway - for 10 hours continuously. Locos had come off shed for a planned working, gone to the 'rest of the world', returned with their balanced working and come back on shed in that time. They'd been periods of intense activity, where keeping to time was a real challenge and required thinking ahead and they'd been quieter times when you could catch up with shunting or cycling locos around the shed (all needed to go over the ash pit, to the coaler, turned and be watered before being berthed in the shed building). A subsequent career on the railways only served to sharpen the awareness of how a railway is operated with hopefully a fair dose of that ploughed back into the subsequent layouts I've built. I guess we all have our own stories to tell that influence our own particular preferences within this great hobby of ours.

Good evening everyone By mid morning the painting was completed on the bench, so I packed up for the day. I then went outside to do a few little jobs in the garden. I’d just started a bit of dead heading when it started to rain, lightly at first, so I carried on, but just before dinner, it got heavier, so I packed up and went in for something to eat. As it was still raining after we’d eaten dinner, I pottered about in the cellar. I got out the old HiFi turntable and gave it a good clean before sorting out the power supply. It was part of an old (pioneer) stack system and needs a 12v dc supply, I just needed to sort out the connection, as the plug on the turntable didn’t match that on the new power supply. Once sorted I connected it to my amp and gave it a run. I just need to dig out my old vinyls now! After tea I completed the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, getting 99% of what was on the shopping list, the missing items can wait until next week as we’re not desperate, just getting low on them. Whilst I was there I managed to get the latest copy of RM which I’ve had a quick scan before we caught up on some recorded TV. Goodnight all

Two items that might be of interest. Mask wearing is not compulsory in shops over here but the DIY and more specialist shops insist on it, the supermarkets don't seem to bother though their staff wear them. Round the market on Sunday mask wearing is about 20%, mainly Brits. However the take up in shops seems to be increasing. The other thing that we have noticed is more contrails in the sky. Not as many there t=used to be but definitely a more regular occurrence. However our most regular flights are from the Armee de L'Air base at Cognac which has obviously kept it's basic training going through the pandemic. Jamie

Ey up! Would BRA Airline use elastic to start their engines? Are they part of the Airline empire which included MUCK airlines (They had a Shorts 330 which flew me from Bremen to Copenhagen once a long time ago...)? As it happens Jet2 restart flights tomorrow. Two flights already show between 2 and 3 hour delays for take off. Could this be a record? Tidy up day today as we have a layout building friend visiting tomorrow. Disinfectant and various other bug killing sprays and materials are at the ready. Noticeable absentees from here at the moment include GDB and Kingzance..hope they are both ok? Time to... kick Tuesday somewhere personal and get it fit for the successful completion of various tasks. Baz

Good moaning from down ere. The pool has finally emptied itself and the major hole has been found. On a seam as predicted. I now just have to get the liner out and folded up in case they need it back. If they don't it will become an extra internal groundsheet. Apart from that, not a lot happenned. I got some scanning done and the 14BA tap that I need has now arrived. Today is Bastille Day butvwe will not be going to the village drinkathon as Beth is still shielding. I may do some jobs this morning, though a bike ride is a possibility. First though it's time for breakfast. Regards to all. Jamie

Yippppeeedddooo! Gras has been cut, cleaning duties complete, revision complete for this morning and nanoblock wombat model completed. Now to do some bashing and bodging! Baz

Until a couple of days ago I'd forgotten that I lived on the flight path of 3 airports/fields. One has been relatively quiet recently - I assume because a couple of regular travellers moved from Windsor to California. The other airport had a natural down turn in traffic. And finally my roof tiles rattling at night was not me snoring but the boys in blue practicing with their Chinooks.

Morning All, It is a nice bright morning in this part of the world. The forecast is for around 30°C later this afternoon, with the chance of showers later on. There isn't a lot else to report, so have a good day everyone...

Ah. I know that feeling. My late father, never accustomed to current technology and who owned a laptop for the first time in his life in his 80s, referred to emails as "texts" which he had become adept at sending on his (unsmart) phone. He never understood the difference. Afternoon all. Happy Lunchtime to those in appropriate time-zones. Eggzontoast was enjoyed here. A damp night and a dry day so far and one which dawned with the news that face-coverings will be required in English shops soon. Unless exempt of course. The exemptions are the same as for public transport users namely all on-duty staff plus customers with certain medical, physical and welfare conditions and for those under 11 years old. There remains the difference across the Anglo-Scottish border in that north of it only those under 5 are exempt yet south of it those aged 5 - 10 are also exempted. And as with public transport use it has been confirmed that staff are not expected to police this. We have police for that, apparently. Shop staff have had enough abuse since the panic-buying sprees to last a lifetime and don't need to be burdened with something not even remotely within their job descriptions. I wear a home-made face-covering on my trips to and from work out of respect for others though I am exempt. I shall not be wearing one for the two-minute safari to the corner shop when the milk needs replenishing. The thought of training the cat to run errands has crossed our minds but could he be trusted with a bottle of milk??? Magazine article to write this afternoon. Muggercoffy to be drunk. Runner beans and courgettes to harvest. Potatoes to check on as they could be ready. Tomatoes fattening but not yet ripening. Best wishes to all and with special thoughts to our absentees hoping all is well.

The Yorkshire Pullman is seen this morning. Immaculate Lord Faringdon seems to be the regular engine at the moment. If you compare this with recent similar shots you will see that I have shopped out all the darkness under the bridge on this one, which I had previously stopped doing, as it is very difficult to deal with. Looking at this one, all it does is accentuate the sharp curve and nothingness at that end, so it might be better just to leave it as I have previously, do you think? The problem is that the more I close up gaps, the darker the remaining ones that obviously have to be left open, get.

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare, 873 / 546, A good nights sleep, till 01:40, then I was awoken by Ben the Unsettled Collie pacing the floor.. I got up and offered him out which he didn't want. Then I retired to the sofa, and Ben to his bed although Ben did get up a couple of times during the rest of the night he was a lot more settled. my total sleep about 6.5 hours.. Ben did want reassurance and cuddles out on patrol this morning, I wonder if he had, had more bad dreams.. On TV they were talking about the take up of mask wearing in the UK and reckoned is was 36% well from what I've seen it's more like 3.6 % or less. I will well come the enforced wearing of masks in shops if it does happen.. 50% cloud cover, recent rain, but otherwise a nice morning. At Norwich airport are a line of 6 HS146 aircraft marked up as BRA Airline, interestingly they are not listed as being part of the BRA fleet that I can find on the net, and BRA appears not to have any routes from Norway to the UK, they being a Norwegian company. While parked their tail cone airbrakes seem to open and close in the wind. The Boss had an unprogrammed working at home day yesterday, which was awkward, as he wanted to have a look at this weeks major equipment before I started, as it is I'm about half way through, if he comes in today.. We've been sent forms to fill in and emailed back every day , have we been in contact with anyone with the virus? etc... My desk has been surrounded by cardboard and plastic window separators between me and the partitioned corridors as have many others. The problem is it's playing havoc with the AC air flows and my desk is now a freezer.. Time to... Print off that form , sign it, Photo copy it, send it back..

I am quite sure there are businesses where people are more likely to behave in an uncooperative manner to begin with. Public transport, for example, has, in my impression, long been a field where customers are more likely to challenge staff authority, and to do so in a way which leaves a lot to be desired as to common manners. There may, of course, be varying levels to this tendency in different regions, but it is my impression, based on digesting numerous such reports (whether they be news, police bulletins and other) over the years on one hand and personal assessments from friends who are also working in public transport, that said tendency has, in fact, grown significantly at least over the past fifteen or so years. I suppose the underlying causes will be complex, but I cannot help but wonder whether factors such as deregulation, competition and the concomitant promotion of a customer/provider mindset (where of course "the customer is always right"…er, nope…) may play a fairly important role in this context.

I've been trying to get a few long standing projects finished. @Mallard60022 will be pleased to hear that the Unclassed saloon (D.2653) sides that he sold me over two years ago are finally very very close to being done. I've gone for one that was permanently reclassified second class. Don't look too hard, the number closest to the camera (left) is a bit wonky, but I'd destroyed my eyes with the seat numbers. This was also my first Donor side replacement project so there are a multitude of sins that i'm hoping some decent weathering will hide. I'm also working through my ex-LSWR maunsell rebuild stock

Morning All from a grey but calm and dry North Salopshire. This morning we will be going to our local organic farm for a walk and then to pick up some supplies from their shop - whilst wearing masks of course. Then this afternoon may well see some muddling; well, one can live in hope. Stay safe and well everyone. Time for muggocoffee to advance the waking up process. Dave

It'd be more helpful if they simply my asked potential customers if they'd been "feeling hot". IR measurement of facial skin temperature is not a reliable means of deducing core temperature (elevated, or otherwise). The accurate and accepted methods might put customers off though! Comparison of the 3 best methods (aural, rectal and thoracic) - and by "best" I don't mean pleasant* - show a range of roughly 0.25 deg. C. So you can imagine how far off skin temperature would be, before you throw in environmental and physical factors; cold or hot day, walked briskly or drove to pub... * all 3 at once is in a class of its own. The thoracic one is a wire up the nose and down tbe throat to the level of the heart. Try not to boff as it tickles the back of your throat. The aural one has to touch the ear drum then be moved back about 1mm. Again try not to boff. Technically for a rectal thermometer the worst that can happen is getting the lead caught in the wheel of an exercise bike and tearing the elastoplast off your inner thigh, followed by having a colleague hold you up by the scruff of your neck/ NBC suit whilst you reinsert the wire to the regulation depth. Happy days!

Heading off into the station

Ford has brought back the Bronco in the US. Don't know if it will be available in Europe. Judging from the number of Wranglers Jeep is selling around here I suspect Ford thought it better do something PDQ. I had an '89 Bronco and it certainly was a "go anywhere" vehicle if more than slightly "agricultural". It had four wheel drive but you had to stop and manually engage dog clutches at the front wheel hubs to supply power to the front. The drive shaft from the transfer case to the rear axle was very short and included the weirdest (but quite effective) constant-velocity joint I've ever seen. I imagine the new Bronco is completely different.

Baz, the plod were chasing kids on trail bikes up the beach at Crimdon. They had got themselves Yam WR450's and the voice-over was bigging them up like they were something really special - but they had trouble catching up to a kid on a two-stroke 'crosser. A bigger two stroke would have left them for dust. BoD, in an earlier series when the followed Interceptors in Essex, their ARV Sergeant (not seen on TV, he didn't want to be seen) at the time works for Trackshack now. Nice bloke. Hi Pete! (Lurks). Wet here this afternoon, Mrs NHN went to work on her bike this morning, when it was sunny - oops. This is of course, my fault.

12 and a half mile bike ride completed as I still intend to bag a Munroe whilst it's warmer up there(for those who are unaware bagging a Munroe is climbing a small mountain in Scotland), so need to get fitter, both the legs and the lungs. Mixture of sun and cloud making for a pleasant day doing some of the "G" word and there's some urgent inspection of the inside of ones eyelids to attend to next.....................

Conference presentation completed Now to listen to everyone else

I have had a fairly active day. The chair I ordered so I can sit down when playing trains or cars in the garage arrived. I assembled it. Some purchasers have complained about the instructions. I suspect they were confused by the extra parts ( for alternative versions of the chair) . However there were pictures. I then cut the front lawn. This is not a stressful task, the mower is light and the tiny lawn is flat. Aditi has now taken the mower next door to tidy up their front lawn while they are away. I did a bit of tinkering with the slot cars. Adding bits to a couple of kits. A blue car will probably leave the production line next. I am awaiting a part I am sure I lost on first Inspecting the kit. Slot car manufacturers seem to be very good at making and supplying spare parts. Tony

Have you ever seen the look on someone’s face who has just mouth pipetted bovine bile into their mouth?

I woke up to find SWMBO had woken a little earlier than me, which is unusual. Mugatea and for her and muggacoffee for me started the day. She made a very good point watching the news. Why, if wearing masks in shops is a good idea, are the government waiting for ten days after the announcement before implementing the rule. Surely it should be brought in as soon as possible? I have noticed that on the buses I have been on the capacity limits are being totally ignored by drivers and passengers. Also masks are being worn by most people but a high percentage only have them over their mouth and not their nose. It also appears that the masks are removed so they can make a phone call!

Morning all Another month passes and progress has been steady but not without problems! All the baseboards were reassembled in the shed after the paint spraying of the base colours for the trackwork and any board joint issues attended to for reliable running. The Z21 was set up to control all the points via an iPad, and two boosters fitted to give plenty of track power with the layout split into upper and lower districts. One evening myself, Rhysb and PaulRhB ran some trains to 'test' and find any running issues there may have been. Cue blue smoke and language!! After successful running for a couple of hours, one of the boosters 'let the smoke out' and there appeared to be no reason that we could find! Coupled with a few problems with point decoder failures it wasn't a good start! However, after consultation with James at DCC TrainAutomation a new booster was supplied in place of the early failure, as well as advice on the point decoder issue, (thanks James!) Touch wood, all seems to have settled down now and any running issues sorted (most needed paint removing from points). Last Sunday I started getting stock out of boxes and the video is of some of the first trains to run. As you will see it is possible to have four trains circulating at the same time. The HST and Class 50 are on the mainlines that descend to the FY below whilst the Thumper and 4TC/33 combo are on the reiief lines that complete a double track loop through Exford Park station on the left side of the shed. So I've made a start with 'testing' so expect more in the coming weeks as I ramp it up with more stock out of boxes for the first time in about 4 years!

Richard, it is good to see unusual wagons like the brake van, you should show us more. Are the rest of the wagons scratch built or is it just the brake van ? Well I got up early and put most of the loco back together. I still have a couple of parts to add or replace. The carpet monster ate one of the safty valves levers and the replacement I was making broke as I was cleaning it. I think painting the operating levers black has made a big difference IMO. I was disappointed when these locos were first announced that the plain black was not going to be a option. Then due to public demand, Minerva released a batch of plain black after I had already acquired my lined version. Perhaps Minerva has done me a favour because if plain black had been available I wouldn't have taken the trouble to repaint mine this shade of green. I need to replace the plastic coal in the bunker with real coal but where does one get some of that today. Obviously a heritage line but are any open ? I also so need to weather it to a well looked after but slightly run down example.

47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr Well, I needed something to power all those automotive trains through Didcot! The smart Railfreight Distribution Class 47s were often found in pairs on the car trains, as well as on the frequent MOD workings in the area and many a happy time was spent admiring the RfD 47s stabled at the heads of their respective trains in the yard, in between waiting for the screaming HSTs to pass! This week's candidates are 47053 Dollands Moor International and 47228 axial. 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr A natural starting point was the Bachmann RfD 47 of 2013-vintage, the 47365 model being heavily discounted a few years back, being had for as little as £49.99 - can you imagine that today! IMG_47053 and 47228 by James Makin2856 by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr The models had their numbers and names stripped using enamel thinners, before being given a coating of gloss varnish ready for the new branding to be added. Nameplates were sourced from the Fox and Shawplan range - some of which I'd had stored in my collection for over 15 years awaiting this moment! Instead of adding glue to fix the nameplates, my usual technique is to use matt varnish - a thin layer behind the plate, once set is enough to be battleproof! The benefit here being it gives you many hours to be 100% sure the plate is aligned and not wonky! 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr With some Florence on the iPod, out came the weathering paints - Humbrol 251 being especially good for the ingrained dirt on the locos, blended in with other shades for specific areas. 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr From right to left you can see the paint applied almost neat, to the initial wipe off (that gives the basis for streaking where needed) to the left-most wiped off part, the paint coming off with a cotton bud soaked in thinners. 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr Once the main weathering was done, the locos were reassembled and subjected to a final airbrush spray to highlight traffic grime and roof dirt, the blend of hand techniques mixing with the airbrush for the overall finish. 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr 47228 axial was an absolute favourite - as a thorough nameplate enthusiast, the unusual lower-case name and elongated backing had me hooked! 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr Modelled in late '90s condition, 47228 had gained the post-98 electrification warning flashes and lost it's classic Tinsley depot plaques by my modelling time period, with little bits of shadow surface rust remaining on the bodysides to show where they'd been. 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr Another subtle, but interesting detail was the rounded-rectangular buffers at the No.1 end, being made from regular Oleos being squared off and sanded to shape. 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr Up next is 47053 Dollands Moor International - what a filthy mess! 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr I do like it when the RfD locos would get into a state - some with deeply ingrained dirt running up most of the bodysides, and here the model of 47053 is done to match Flickr photos from Summer 1998 where it had significant bodyside staining, and just generally looking in need of a works visit that was never to come! 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr 47053 had a flush No.1 end headcode panel, so this was smoothed to start, and then little details such as the former plaque marks added, almost exactly the same as 47228 as it happens! 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr Bringing the story up to date for these locos, fortune was not on their side sadly - 47053 was officially withdrawn from EWS service in December 1998, and 47228 just a month later in January 1999. The locos were left to rot away for almost a decade until the scrap man finally called in 2007, both machines succumbing to the gas axe within months of each other at European Metal Recycling at Kingsbury. 47053 and 47228 by James Makin by James Makin - Account 2, on Flickr Although just a quick renumber and weathering blast, these locos have been great fun to do! There's something about the livery which still looks fresh even now, if only it was longer-lived! Cheers, James

Well, first day of new job was mixed. Social distancing means I couldn't actually sit with the trainer but opposite them... so I couldn't see the screens. Next time should be much better though as they're sorting it so we can sit sort of together. However, hopes of a new car are dashed as a new ulez charge in the city I now work means I'd have to pay £8 a day. Yet, the car has free / £30 road tax? Don't understand why they don't just base both charges off the same system. At least a new power supply should arrive tomorrow so I can finally add these pesky signals to the layout!

Sesame Street - love it. As for trash, this Bear was born to skip dive..... [One of the best times for skip diving was my first place of work at Hatfield, on a Tuesday after a Bank Holiday weekend; the skips there were the HUGE rectangular ones. Wives would say to husbands "You're getting the Garage/Shed cleared of cr@p this B/H weekend". Husbands bring it to work on the tuesday and chuck it in the skips (no CCTV in those days at work); my mate and I used to make daily visits to the skip and have a good root thru'..... Happy days.]

Trash, garbage, not words I hear a lot these days. Not since I used to sit and watch Sesame Street with (and without!) the kids many, many moons ago. One could wonder why we love to dirty up any of our little things with flanged wheels, and the things that surround them...anything dirty or dingy or dusty....ragged, rotten or rusty...battered and worn...full of holes and torn...smelly and old...broken... We love trash!

Would such a virus be called Cockvid?

Thank you, I was going to suggest Google street view as the school could not say anything about that. Winter photos are the best as there is little or no foliage to block a view; well, in most areas anyway as there are evergreens. BTW: That tower does not resemble any bottle kilns that I have seen pictures of. here is a link to a Wiki article on bottle kilns (also called ovens): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_oven Those in the Wiki article are more like the ones that I mentioned the ceramic insulators were made in. Note that the bottle kilns were replaced/supplemented by a style called a beehive kiln (for very obvious reasons ). Both of those were batch-processing. The tunnel kiln was developed and that really simplified the firing process as it is a continuous feed. The raw ware enters and slowly moves through the kiln and emerges as a finished product ready for shipping. Here are a couple of bottle kiln-fired insulators: Insulators (at least here in the US) were glazed in many colors; sometimes for circuit identification. Some power companies would use one color for the "hot" and a contrasting color for the neutral. Baltimore used brown for the phases and light blue for the neutral, Philadelphia was just the opposite.

Some more static grass arrived this morning, some very fine medium green. I literally went over a couple of patches to bring out the small sections of short green grass within the moorland landscape. I think I can take the newspaper down now, the bulk of the main grass work is finished.

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. The printer engineer has called and the printer is repairable at less cost than replacing it. The fault lies with the imaging unit, one of the rollers (black) has worn out but as is usual the whole unit has to be replaced. The engineer gave me the parts numbers and suggested I find them on e-bay which I did. It works out cheaper and quicker than him ordering the parts himself. When they arrive all I have to do is give him a call and he'll come and fit them. After he'd left I went to do a bit of tidying up in the garden and now I'm cream crackered. Muggatee and then an eyelid inspection is called for, be back later.

Or a petrol tank. Oops......

Morning all, Variable weather and yesterday evenings showers came to naught so I topped up some of the water butts but left room for more. It subsequently rained but having just checked one butt it clearly hadn't rained enough. More wet stuff is allegedly due today but i'll believe that when I see it. Mes Stationmaster is very uncomfortable wearing a mask so maybe the shopping will be thrown back in my direction? Hmm, that could be amusing but maybe I won't let her see the pork pies. poor behaviour on the part of some individuals on public transport is nothing new - the first time someone took a swing at me at work was in September 1966 but I stepped back so she missed, she got most upset because of what I'd said about confusing timetables for ships to Ireland. In later front line days we stood no. nonsense but had the benefit of a BT Police office on the station with a couple of good lads (and one useless one) so any folk who got out of line found themselves in the local Magistrates in a small Wiltshire town. Being a small town all the locals knew each other and not only was BR the largest employer locally but the brother of the Chairman of the bench was a former Goods Guard who was then working for one of the quarrying companies. Hence 'troublesome passengers' tended not to be locals and others who did get up in front of the beak were usually there in a multiplicity of charges. I think the record belonged to an Admiralty Civil Servant who attempted to join a moving train - as he ran after it he threw his briefcase in through an open window, he carried on running right down the platform ramp and as the train stopped he tried to climb aboard - until the station staff stopped him; he finished accused of a string of Byelaw offences ranging from attempting to join a train at other than a station platform to endangering life on the railway (throwing the briefcase) and he was convicted on all of them. A definite change from the all too common bomb scares of those days which although they never hurt anyone but put us on friendly terms with the local Army bomb disposal chaps. We also had a woman who jumped off the station platform and ran up and down the length of the platforms in the four foot - we posted someone at each end to stop her going further and achieving her intended Darwin Award. Fortunately it was a Sunday morning with very few trains about but that didn't save her from being taken away in the custody of staff from a certain medical establishment which duly Certified her on admission. All in the everyday life of a country junction, those were the days. Have a good day one and all and stay safe.

To give time for people who don't have them to get some. Remember that a lot of people are only going shopping once a week or less. I noticed last week that my local large Tesco had them on sale and bought a packet but that was the first time I'd seen them there (I bought some reusable cloth masks early on) The problem with masks is that people seem to think that wearing one protects them from the virus so they can safely be closer to others. It doesn't, it just reduces the risk by about 10%. That's not an argument against wearing them- I do in shops and on PT- but it is one in favour of proper public education about the risks. That may be a forlorn hope though. Even when TB had been a major killer for donkeys' years, buses and trams still had to have 'No Spitting' signs.

For everyone looking forward to this week's dawn chorus, Glad has a new commercial in rotation in the US. Happy rubbish collection day. Mine is Wednesday.

Evening Yesterday we wore face coverings for the first time on an empty bus from Exminster back to Exeter. It was far from comfortable so we will take some time getting used to wearing them. If shops become mandatory (as of a few minutes ago sound like it will be) then we will not be going shopping apart from food. Its not pleasant as it is. Amazon or Ebay will become our main source. A good few days walking in great weather but today was not so good sitting outside bars in Bristol with rain, far less beer choice in what used to be great beer places and £6.00 a pint. I don't see us being out travelling so much especially when we have better beers a walking distance from home. Also today we also had our first temperature check to enter a bar that had outside seating only. yet the next door bar we sat inside and no temperature check. The providing of personal info is also widely different on entering bars / pubs, but luckily very few ask for your address. Normally its just your name and tel number.

I'm guessing that you have....

Evening falls on Farnham Common engine shed. The 3 foot gauge South Bucks Light Railway. Strangely the fitters are just working on an old rectangular tank wagon, now used as a weed killing sprayer.

Submarines..propellors...nope they use oars..honest go check. NHN what were they doing in Crimdon Dene? (Not a patch on how it used to be whenn I worked there as a school holiday job.) As it happens I have to do some revision tomorrow as it is a long time since I wielded the fickle finger of fate doing some umpiring. Baz

Evening All, Sorry but I haven’t been able to keep up with the daily ramblings but hope everyone is keeping going. Working in the morning so goodnight, Robert

Afternoon all, Currently muggartea being had with some of those Mcvitie's things. These surprisingly are sold at some Walmarts. They are a bit like the whole English Cadbury's vs. American Cadbury's thing, personally find the ones on Amazon (most of which are imported) are better. The mail sadly did not contain any broad gauge engines today. According to the UPS Expedited shipping, the package has been given to the people at USPS. Well actually that happened two days ago. And from my calculations, it would only take about 5 hours to get a Parental Unit to drive me too the facility and back again, as said facility is just over the border in Texas. Oh well, it should be here tomorrow. In other more important news, I've switched High Schools (or secondary school for most of you, I think, ages 14-18). Well I actually hadn't started yet at the one I was going to, but now I am going to a different one, for various reasons. The "new" school is actually about 0.1 of a kilometre down the road from my old school, so I know it well. Both my future and past schools were built and founded in 1926, so are relatively similar. Said future one has a large brick turret, the interior of which looks very similar to that of Josiah Wedgwood's early bottle kilns, something that impressed me greatly on my "shadow" day. My old school had nothing like this, as the part I was in was built in the 40s. Well stay healthy, Douglas

The Up Queen of Scots tonight. Two views of Copley Hill A1 Abbotsford.

The other side, towards Bala.