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Well folks, Cwm Prysor took the biggest steps towards completion. September 2014, saw me pondering a location to model, my thoughts very much on somewhere Welsh, when a good friend suggested the Bala Branch, and kindly lent me a number of books. There have been several ups and downs....but we are at this stage, something I honestly didn't think I'd manage to do justice to. The final leg is here.... some individual sprucing of tufts, and the section of heather along the cutting edge. The drystone walls near the station is probably the next big addition, followed by the painting, weathering and fitting of the crossing gates (kindly designed and printed by @Quarryscapes). I've also to add the station fencing, signal rodding and GWR line side fencing. The back scene will be in the capable hands of John (of P4 Leeman Road fame) before finally......fitting the Scot's Pines and Telegraph poles. So, to show how things currently look....picture the scene. It's a cold November afternoon.... the nights are drawing in, and first 5774 approaches Cwm Prysor with the 2:20pm off Blaenau Ffestiniog. An hour or so later, 9793 prepares for the Guard to pin down the brakes on the decent to Trawsfynydd. The wind is howling and the sky is darkening..... was that a snowflake I felt on my neck?

The driver begins to apply the brakes, as 5774 approaches the lonely halt at Cwm Prysor with the 7.12am off Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Cramlington today, so we are still in Northumberland but back on the ECML between Newcastle and Morpeth. The area has changed over the years, photos 1 and 2 would now have more trees while photo 3 now has undergrowth and a much bigger fence. The staion building in photos 4 and 5 was demolished and replaced by a bus shelter. The goods shed has also been removed. You will notice that the footbridge was replaced during the time between the fourth and fifth photos. Cramlington Class 46 up Dec 80 J7310.jpg Cramlington 43150 down 13th April 88 C9438.jpg Cramlington 43179 up 29th Oct 87 C9233.jpg Cramlington Class 101 S802 Morpeth to Newcastle Aug 88 J9659.jpg Cramlington 143004 Morpeth to Newcastle May 89 J09903.jpg David

Same picture of 2251 but slightly different angle to get more of the derelict house in.

There is nothing quite like the sound of a loosely fitted goods banging and clanking as the descent to Trawsfynydd begins.

If anyone thinks that wearing a face mask of the type currently being encouraged by HMG is uncomfortable, try wearing a close fitting rubber oxygen mask of the kind fast jet aircrew have to use for hours on end - and unlike the films you don't let the thing dangle down and just put it up to your face when speaking. There was an even worse piece of kit which was an aircrew NBC (nuclear, biological & chemical) suit which has an overall rubber hood with a close fitting neck seal and built-in oxygen mask and has a clear polycarbonate faceplate. During peacetime training it could only be worn by one aircrew member in a two-seat aircraft with a safety pilot who was not wearing one, it was that bad. This morning Jill has ventured out to the market for the first time since lockdown started. Up to now we have been getting deliveries from the market traders but she thinks that it is unfair to keep asking them to go out of their way like that so , suitably masked, off she went. I must confess that I am a bit uneasy about it but I suppose she is a grown up and can take as much precaution as possible. Have a good Wednesday people. Dave

The rather dodgy start made by the A3's on the GC LE, is represented on our model by Ken Sayces 60051 Blink Bonny. The model is a Finny kit and runs on one of the odd workings, when nobody really new what to do with the Pacifics. The locomotive worked the Northbound Master Cutler all the way to Leicester, and worked back light engine all the way to Neasden! This light engine movement is part of the mainline sequence. The loco should really be a lot dirtier but hey ho. Photo courtesy of Derek Shore.

Whichever way up I wear it, the ear loops get entangled with my hearing aids. Pah!

Good morning. Pictures first as usual. A Top Shed V2 with a KX- Dringhouses Class C. and another KX engine, A3 Tracery, brings the FO Catterick leave train through.

One thing that I was going to mention is that I finally had a reply from a friend who had the virus early on in the outbreak and was recovering before taking a turn for the worse with side effects from the virus. I had been trying to get in touch for over a month ( I don't have his current landline number) and on Monday evening he finally responded, so that was a relief. He's recovering again and only been feeling well enough to do things the last couple of days. Will be good to see him at some point for the first time this year although he's not yet fit enough to meet up with other model railway club members for a pint this weekend. I doubt that there will even be the max limit of 6 of us.

Afternoon All Sorry for the absence - this is getting to be a habit. Generic greetings are, as usual, on offer. Redecoration continues, and I am pleased to say that our bedroom is now completed and looking very good indeed. Not a great deal else to report, but the living room and downstairs loo have also been painted as part of the lockdown home refurbishment - these are, apparently, temporary, as they are going to be redone again - living room in wallpaper, but we have nothing suitable in stock - my suggestion that we should just pick random rolls from the cupboard, and paste them up willy nilly was far from well received. Regards to All Stewart

Regarding Holker Hall at Nottingham Victoria, look at the lady in the carriage on the right: 6911_NottVic by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Vacuum duly cleansed; lunch of baked beans & sausages consumed (stock down to only 2 tins - shopping list duly addended); modelling token fund duly enlivened thanks to reimbursement by a company in that area of business in respect of monies I had previously had spent on their behalf for certain research material; this evening's sausage casserole suspended and replaced by salad because 'Downton Abbey will be commencing at 18.00 and the catering dept is not allowed to miss it (neither am I); the lad has ventured out for the day for his weekly tuition and review session with his apprentice (no doubt his Swiss employers are getting subsidy for that but it does mean she has a job, with the prospect of permanent employment, to go with her college course). And I previously forgot to mention that following a retirement in said country the lad will apparently also be taking over the recruitment work for the company's organisation in Switzerland -maybe they'll give him an executive jet to enable him to get around his 'internal customers' as he has had to cancel several panned trips already this year. Talking of which there fortunately continues to be an apparent dearth of the noisy overhead flying cigar tubes along with the recent good new that LHR is to close a runway until October (no doubt a chance for maintenance?) wjhich will make if t much harder to present a case for the third runweay. On the veg front - the first lot of onions were lifted yesterday and are drying out; one more official spud plant to lift and as good as ready although the unofficial ones are some way behind; a few more runner beans picked yesterday and there are now at least two ladybirds in residence on the plants - very nice of them to arrive to deal with the pests; carrots continue to be harvested in profusion; cucumbers continue to be harvested in embarrassingly profuse quantities; loads of tomatoes (mostly Marmand) but little sign of ripening as yet. Weather cloudy Enjoy te remainder of the day and remember to stay safe (and wear your mask the right way up to reduce the chances for it misting your specs).

Good afternoon Tony, It's not your fault, and it's only an 'accident' of the time of birth. By that, I mean you're not old enough to have done what I did (at Retford). That is disregard what's happening in the sidings (movement in which was quite rare) and watch the succession (indeed, procession) of steam-hauled expresses racing through! I know you found Roy Jackson's Retford dull and boring to operate, but that's what it was really like. Apart from the stopping east/west services and the two-hourly Leeds stoppers on the main line, it was one long distance, non-stop express after another. A 'watch the trains go by' layout without equal in my view. To many as well, Little Bytham would appear boring to operate. A few stoppers, and sporadic shunting by the pick-up, with everything else (95%?) just bowling through non-stop, those expresses going south at very high speed. However, since I'm definitely NOT a layout operator, it suits me down to my boots. To me, the greatest 'satisfaction' in this great hobby is to set a road, clear the appropriate signals, open the throttle and watch a locomotive I've made (most important) hauling a train I've also made (also important), easily, quietly, smoothly and quickly. How can any 'interesting' shunting activities beat that? Each to their own, I suppose. It would be wonderful to claim that I also painted this loco, but I'm not in Mr. Rathbone's league. Regards, Tony.

Afternoon all. I understand from a pal who used to deal with the licences taht you need a licence to abstaract water from the Thames although I presume that only applies to commercial users. For Flavio's information out pharmacist has to carry out an annual check talking through with us the various medications we take, asking about side effects plus general health question and so on - the form he completes runs to a couple of sides of A4. I understood from him that it is a requirement, not just something that Tesco pharmacy do off their own back and it is additional to medication reviews with the GP. Must go - the vacuum apparently needs to cleaned and I'm on the ground floor team - of one. Have a good day.

Greetings one and all On a whim yesterday I visited Currys PC World to look for a suitable CD player. Such are the troubled times that the shop has plenty of items on display but very little actually in stock. This did not stop me choosing something suitable, which I have ordered and which will arrive later in the week. What I chose is described as a boom box. It has a CD player perched atop a DAB/FM radio and will do nicely. I have been getting withdrawal symptoms since I played some trax by Maz O’Connor in the car on my way back from Cambridge a few weeks ago. Not until yesterday did I feel able to do anything about it, for since lockdown began I have found self-motivation difficult. Much music sits in the hessian bag awaiting my pleasure. Will I enjoy it more than daytime TV? Now there’s a question. I wonder whether anyone has ever accused some of our politicians of being decisive? The edict about compulsory face masks that has been dragged screaming out of D*wn*ng Str**t will surely divide opinion, as it already has within the scientific community and corridors of power. I detest the things, by which of course I mean masks and not politicians. Oh, wait … If ever there was a decision that was reached after careful evaluation of all the available evidence, this was not it. I cannot help wondering how carefully some other decisions have been reached. I must not specify which, though, for that would be politics and I might get into trouble. Tonight there is another virtual Area Group meeting, thanks to Zoom and some people who know how to use it. We should have had our quarterly informal lunch in a pub today. Maybe something so bold and sociable will be feasible in three months’ time. Best wishes to all Chris

Some of my neighbors were getting slightly irrigated because their irrigation system that delivers water from the lake went kaput (the same heifers have never allowed us to connect to said system). They called the local water pump outfit but they can't come out for two weeks because some of their members have been struck down with the virus and the whole outfit is in lock-down. In desperation they drew straws and called me After some meter testing I determined that one of the motor overload circuit breakers was banjaxed - bypassing it briefly confirmed that the pump was still working. I also confirmed that the last twinky from the pump company had wired an illegal configuration across the pressure switch contacts. That didn't cause the other problem but it could easily kill someone. I'll help them get it working again but the whole thing is a mess. And it is potentially lethal (and that's not a play on words.) These systems put a pump in the lake that is intended to be put down a well bored into rock. That's quite safe in a well bored into rock but it's bloody dangerous in a lake. Salt water would be bad enough but fresh water is a lot more dangerous (humans have much less resistance than fresh water). The brilliant engineers and scientists elected to run this state decided it was okydoky to roll the dice with a few citizens' lives and ignore the National Electrical Code (Come on! What did Ohm really know?) The only fail-safe way to do it is to suck water from the lake with a shore mounted suction pump then boost the water pressure with a second stage pump. The snag is that, due to insufficient atmospheric pressure, the suction pump can't be more than a few feet above lake level, and that creates all sorts of real-estate issues.

The first masks I tried (Ebay jobbies) were hopeless; I then started making masks as shown here: - result: No steaming up , all sewn on my Mum's 1916 Singer sewing machine using a rather natty Tigger cloth. (For info, I made the elastic loops a little longer than quoted - 7" from memory, and also left the hole for turning it inside out a bit wider than quoted). My local Co-op started selling - wait for it - hard boiled eggs. I now notice they sell poached eggs. WTF?? In other news, this Bear has been awake since half 3, and gave up & got up at half four. Not a problem really, as it'll get me up the ladder and painting the conservatory fascia at half six. Then there's the 26 bags of slate & shingle due sometime today to shift, so about 650Kg. Busy Bear day.

So how does Bear download "how to drive a 3d Printer to make it do very clever things" into his bonce without spending the next five years trying, swearing, shouting, throwing it thru' the window......? In other news, and as I've got the guttering off the (hardwood) Conservatory I thought I'd give the fascia board a coat of paint, though it doesn't actually need it. Only to discover the paint required for the job has "gone yukky" (technical decorating term) and is only fit for the bin. I then discover that said paint (Jotun Demidekkk - now there's a name...) is no longer available in 1L tins, it has to be 3L. At seventy quid a pop...... Bvgger. Then the slate and shingle for the garden arrived - 650 kilos of the stuff. Only 200 kilos, plus six paving slabs and 140L of Compost is destined for my mate over the road - the best part of 100 yards away. And he has a bvggered arm (he won that in Paris some years ago, whilst on a long weekend - a motorcyclist went thru' a red light at a crossing and hit him). Arm never the same since, and not much use now. Brownie points earnt. Then my 400 kilos has to go round the back of my house, the best part of another 100 yards. Sid the Sack Barrow looking decidedly forlorn after all this excitement. Bear looking dead.

My boats gone from it's mooring the motor boat that is.. (as seen on the Sailing club web cam) This is where it gets expensive.. it's gone for a lift -antifoul- boating equivalent of the MOT. I also note from the club Web cam there appears to be an intruder on the club quay... The name on that motor boat is that of a hire craft.. the same as someone else parking on your driveway with out permission. Very busy on the broads at the moment , i'm guessing they couldn't get on the village staithe..

' morning all from red dragon land. Wet. Yesterday, I managed to squeeze in a bike ride on the terrace and ended up in spots of rain. I just got it in before the showers proper started, though. I missed the sunny bits when making a birthday cake to accompany the trifle, made earlier, which were virtually sent to one of the family. We liked them. Today. OH engaged in virtual MES business so time for toot on the flute...and a bit of hoovering...and maybe more... Well, you know how long these things take... Fitt and Elfie hanging in there. Take care and play safe __________ Best wishes Polly

Going to the shop gets me out of the house. I was able to examine display samples at close quarters and make an informed choice, given that I had only the vaguest idea of what I wanted. It's so good that there is still more than one way of making purchases. Chris

Morning from a cloudy Bristol. This week we should have been in St Louis at the NMRA convention but a good day was had yesterday apart from mask wearing on the train to Bath. We had a choice of many empty coaches on the GWR service. Oddly there's one way on and one way off but not arrows within the coach to say which and it alternates from each side of the coach, so not quite sure how that works if trains are busier. Both Temple meads and Bath stations were very quiet with no buffets or shops open at either. The first pub we went in Bath was very much the same as before and had a good range of ales as usual. The next, Graze which is adjacent bath station they want you to use the app to order but it took way too long to download and install that we just ordered via the staff. Our return train trip was to Clifton Down station via Temple Meads. Again doors marked no exit / entry but alternating on each side of the coach so something to get used to. However we wont be making many train journeys whilst wearing mask is mandatory as I was out of breath climbing the steps from the subway at Temple Meads and had to remove it for a while. I know its not mandatory on the station but all staff and passengers had them on before entering the station. More good pubs were visited including one in the old station building at Clifton Down. We also paid a visit to the Colston Arms that has a banner over the name ' Ye Olde Pubby McDrunkface' I guess to avoid someone trying to dump it in the docks. Very nice pub inside and a favourite Bristol Beer Factory Stout was on. We had food in the nearby Zero Degrees but they now add a service charge onto the bill. We could have argued although service was good and their pizzas superb but will just avoid in future. Next was a brew pub but looks like no decent beer at the moment and after installing the app that was awful to navigate we didn't stay and finished the evening in nearby Brewdog on some superb dark beers including two strong ones from the USA. Today we might go via Tintern on our way to Worcester.

Only if I'm really desperate.

Evening all, CT scan done today, which will hopefully confirm that the lymphoma has not returned while I have been on the maintenance treatment for the last 2 years. Appointment with consultant to discuss results is in a couple of weeks. The CT scan meant that I had to wear a face mask for the first time during the current pandemic. I didn’t find it a problem, except for the glasses steaming up the whole time Weather here continues to be as carp as it has been for a good part of June and all of July so far, ie damp, breezy and cool. Despite this, we managed a walk out this afternoon. Also done today was more picking of blackcurrants and loganberries, and more size reduction of the old shed. It is slowly being cut up and stored in the new shed, pending being used as fuel in the woodburner!

We used to do what we called a supplementary Combat Fitness Test, just for fun. The usual 8 miles in two hours or less carrying fighting order webbing, weapons, ammunition etc, but rather than carry the NBC kit we wore it, including the S10. We had tried it previously using the old S6 respirator but on that run, after 3 miles it was obvious that if we carried on we would not finish (alive). It was impossible to get enough air into the lungs through the mask and filter. The improvement of the S10 over the earlier model was very noticeable. Whoever had redesigned the breathing valves had done an exceptional job. I suppose I really ought to take the respirator off now as it's been a long time.

The worm gear on the right is printed in PETG filament (PolyEthylene Terephthalate Glycol if you must know ) It's very strong and hard wearing. The hole is enlarged to accommodate a metal bush. It would be possible to print the same thing in resin but it would be pretty useless. Assuming the teeth didn't immediately break off they would wear away in no time. So it very much depends on what you intend to do with the objects you print.

Christmas is cancelled.. Well. It is in the little village of Thursford in Norfolk. It has a traction engine and fairground museum.. More importantly it receives 30 coach loads of people a day in November and December , the owner arranges a traditional variety Christmas show at a theatre between the exhibits. Exceedingly popular, it's 100,000 tickets are often sold out in a couple of weeks, before the previous years show. 90% of the visitors are from outside Norfolk, it's going to hit the local hotels, b&bs etc.. Rehearsals would have started September.. Not this year...

Thanks for the tip. I had a look at the YouTube video and it is a most impressive piece of kit. My only concern would be is how manageable, in terms of painting, filing and glueing, is the resulting resin model. I showed the video to Mrs iD and, unusually, there wasn’t an automatic “no you can’t have that“. Of course, this initial acceptance could mean that, were I to buy the printer, I might have to fight Mrs iD for its use...

Sounds about right for many. And for those and others "Immoral" can replace or supplement "Immortal" If this morning's news is anything to go by we may at least have only to wait 80 more years to be rid of the young generation as the birth rate falls through floors and populations are predicted to shrink dramatically. I don't suppose I shall be around to enjoy the lack of "yoof" The village pharmacy would only be a drive-through if someone (see previous paragraph, perhaps) were to conduct their vehicle at right-angles to the carriageway, avoid the large horse-chestnut tree right outside and then enter via the window. Leaving would be by way of the dispensary and back door hopefully stopping before meeting our own back fence a few metres beyond. The regular pharmacist does not wear a face-covering but is careful to stand at such distance as the small premises allow from you. The card-reader for payment is set up to offer at least one metre separation between customer and shopkeeper but he continues to use his private consultation room for essential face-to-face sessions. Today we had the locum behind the counter who is sporting one of those offensive-looking angled-outward face shields meaning lips and expressions can be seen but one must remember to stand farther back than normal when dispensing to avoid collision between shield and shelf. The accidental moment of contact was, I am afraid to say, mildly amusing to witness. The UK hasn't taken to "drive-thru" services in the way that the US and Australia in particular have done. My Australian memories are still scarred with the sights of utes and trailers queuing at drive-through "bottle-o" (off-licence) venues at which many hundreds of dollars might be spent per transaction when topping up for the weekend. It was nothing to watch a trailer being loaded with 20 - 30 slabs (that's 30 tinnies / stubbies per slab) of beer, several cases and casks ofd wine and numerous bottles of spirits and mixers. The mixers were for the kids of course The rest was for the Saturday barbie. Which probably lasted from mid afternoon until the following sunrise. Nothing else much to report on thus far today. We breathe, we stand up, we get paid. And for those we are thankful. Best wishes to all and generous thoughts to those who have difficulty with any of items one to three.

My last post seems to have disappeared. I don’t think it contained anything likely to have been deemed of interest to moderators. It is rather overcast here, looks as if it could rain but forecast not to. The coronary unit at Basildon Hospital rang me last night for a chat so I am glad things are beginning to happen. Still no dates but Basildon rather than Southend is where they do things rather than just investigate. Not a lot happening today. Lots of recycling lorries and postal vehicles. No packages for me but Aditi’s packet of seeds arrived. Tony

Morning yet again from Estuary-Land. Took the car in and they dropped me off back home at ten. The printer part turned up about an hour ago and a check revealed that all is well. While I was on e-bay I looked up the make and model of laser printer that I have to see what the price was (second hand). A completely refurbished one was £499:99 which IIRC was about the same as I paid for the one I have new about 8 years ago. There was also one that hadn't been used for six months and looked very tatty for £52, probably needing even more attention than my present one. While I was about it I had a look at some 3D printers and just got confused, I think I'll ask the engineer when he comes to do my laser printer what he would suggest. Just heard from the workshop servicing my car, it needs new tyres on the front for the MoT £90 fitted but the car now won't be available until tomorrow.

Duvet wrestling day today. I followed the advice given a fortnight ago by that jolly nice chap Bigwordsmith, and..... "you're too smart for me guv", it said, and submitted meekly. Thanks Peter. Mid morning photo again features Tracery, one of my favourite A3s, as well as being one of the best. She deserves the Tim treatment, and will get it, eventually.

Interesting that what I have thought were called "HAZMAT Suits" are "NBC Suits", although I think the main difference (possibly and I'm wildly guessing here) is the robustness of the material and whether or not in comes in a fetching camo colour. A quick troll of t'interweb came up with the following: Civvie Military And for the truly paranoid, may suggest that this website may be of assistance to making you feel safe: https://bestsurvival.org/best-hazmat-suit/ I'm not sure what would be scarier: someone turning up in a yellow Level A suit, or someone turning up in the military equivalent. I suppose it would be down to what SciFi Horror movies one has watched. And those wishing to while away a fear-filled afternoon then this listing (https://www.imdb.com/search/keyword/?keywords=hazmat-suit) will direct you to a rather ecletic mix of films. Some are obviously relevant (e.g. Contagion, Outbreak, The Girl With All The Gifts) others (Space Jam) less so. I'm off to have lunch and then into the cellar to check on the status of the air raid shelter (like most Swiss houses built during the cold war, it does actually have an air raid shelter) and if Amazon delivers before the weekend, I shall have my very own, Zombie proof, NBC shelter....

She'll be upsetting her fellow passengers looking at her Ian Allan Combined volume by shouting "It's a cop" !!!! Then again ------------- Brit15

Ey up! Wearing a mask.. I have no ptoblem with doing that. You can spray or cover your glasses lenses with anti mist.. but get the mask fitted snuggly over the top of the nose..that helps! If anyone thinks a mask is awful I did once, for a bizarre reason, try to play soccer in a full NBC suit complete with an S10 respirator. A great way of losing weight rapidly! Today sees a visit my layout collaborator. I have managed to get all the necessary supplies so hopefully things will be achieved. First though, time to sanitise the house (wipe/danitize all surfaces and doors ..apparently it also includes me hoovering ..pah! Right I need to carpe diem..I hope you can too! Baz

I thought the expression (for teenagers at least) was “immune, immortal and infertile”.

It's probably better to withdraw water from the lake for irrigation rather than from the aquifer. Clearly both are connected but excessive use of lake water will be a lot more obvious than aquifer depletion. There is a lot of water here. Irrigation from lake water will result in elevated humidity but the effects will be very localized. We're are only talking about properties within hundreds of feet of the lake, and the need for irrigation is limited to a couple of months in the Summer. I think our little community should have a single safe extraction (lift pump) point and distribute irrigation water to all who want it. I'm going to propose that (I happen to be the pres of our potable water system) but I suspect it won't go too far

I edited the original post here because I thought it was to political. And also, why would you go out and pay for a grilled cheese? They are some of the easiest meals to make at home!

Not sure that the face mask exemptions make any sense at all. No logic ..mind you..the same can be said about the decisions not being made at the moment. The beach at crimdon was quite interesting varying from hard enough to play cricket on to very difficult to walk onin the dunes. When younger we used to train for rugby by putting a rucksack with stones in on our backs and then trying to run up the dunes..very hard work! Had a strange evening..still don't feel 100% again..may need to get this investigated... Baz

The Richard Scarry books were great and the kids loved them ... wonder where they are in terms of the grandchildren. Congrats and condolences where needed folks as this is the first time for a while that a post has been accepted although am building a new 'layabout Cadley that is keeping me busy and out of SWMBOs way.

I'm on my second 3D printer. It's one of the computer controlled glue gun variety rather than the messy (and stinky) UV cured resin type. It's actually very good and it can produce parts that are just as robust or even more robust than injection molded parts. It does not have the same resolution as a resin printer but it's more than adequate for a lot of things. Before investing in a printer it might be a good idea to submit a few models to one of the print houses (e.g. Shapeways) and evaluate the prints to see if they meet your expectations in terms of detail, finish, strength etc.

Oh my... Pass the brain bleach!

Now that requires an explanation... The turntable at the South end of Nottingham Victoria was used in the beginning. But, for a Hall, it was a really tight fit and one day the inevitable happened and 6911 Holker Hall came off the turntable, mid-turn, with the rear axle of its tender. The Colwick breakdown crane and team were called and promptly turned up with crane and all with a B1. If the turntable track had been lined up with the exit road, it would have been a simple task of giving the Hall some forward 'welly' after chocking up the rear axle. As it was that would simply lead to the Hall coming off the other end into the well. The foreman of the breakdown gang was a bright bloke though and after looking at the situation realised that if he pulled his B1 forward on the adjacent road to the turntable, its left hand buffer lined up with the Halls left hand buffer. So he pulled the B1 forward to the required positiion and then was confident enough re-rail the tender under the Halls own power, the buffers of the two engines coming together. The Hall came off the turntable seemingly no worse for wear and proceeded to Annesley for inspection before returning light engine to Banbury. This whole episode was caught on film by David Swale and is on you tube (somewhere). I also have a copy of it (I used to visit Dave's house in Claydon in the early 1990s and he kindly let me video many of his films). If I can find it, I post it. Anyway, to cut the story short, the Halls used the Bulwell Common-Basford North-Bagthorpe triangle to turn after that. The Halls used to come up on the Poole-Bradford on Saturdays about 4pm if I remember correctly and run back light engine about 4-50 ahead of the 5-15 to Marylebone usually headed by a Scot in 1964.

I know somebody who did just that! It was an "accident" (although losing control of the car while reversing at high-speed up a one-way street is perhaps an incident rather than an accident). Anyway, the local police took it as rather more sinister than they might have done for any other retail premises and it all got rather nasty. Made more complex by the fact that it was a company car and it should have been 200 miles away. As I had seen the culprit only a short time before the incident, it ended up reflecting badly on me and had very negative (and unfair) consequences on my career.

This, sadly, is too true. I think it is interesting to observe that many of the very wealthy nowadays are what In former times (say late Georgian, early Victorian) would’ve been considered “of the middling sort” (i.e. middle-class) And, as I see it, the “self entitled middle class” have done much over the last 50 years to destroy the few ladders that existed to allow people to climb out of poverty. It’s all very well to have “World beating educational establishments” but not very helpful if the majority of the population are denied a decent education in the educational establishments that they do have access to. In this regard countries like South Korea and Japan are much better than many European countries. They regard education as incredibly important, even for the lowest of society, and they insure that their education system is demanding and rigourous. Which is not a description that one could apply to many areas of the education systems of many western European countries and the US. From my observations I think that there are a number of social, cultural and political reasons for the differences in the way education is viewed. But a subject for another time I would think When I was travelling an awful lot to the US (about once or twice a month over a period of four or five years) I did find it amusing how so many regional airports claimed they were “international”. Upon close inspection I found that this often meant that they got a flight in from Canada or Mexico about once a week (sometimes as much as once per day). Technically the description “international“ was accurate, although the airport in question was not what most seasoned international travellers would recognise as such Full PPE isn’t that bad to wear (again it’s something you get used to wearing) what is really demanding to wear is full HAZMAT gear (The whole body, self-contained with own air supply, yellow jobbies that sometimes pop-up at the beginning of various zombie movies or films about scientist doing what they shouldn’t do). I used it once (training) and I’m glad I never had to use it “in action“ That also happens in Switzerland. In fact pharmacists, by law, must discuss the medication that they are dispensing with the person receiving that medication. I am in the fortunate position, being “in the biz“ so to speak, that I am usually as familiar with the drug as the pharmacist. And with my GP I sometimes have erudite discussions about which NSAID (or analgesic or.... etc.) would be the best prescription choice. My GP friend, upon seeing a photo in the news of a bunch of these - for want of a better term - “poorly informed” individuals waving their AK-47s around asked “what do they think they are going to do? Shoot the virus to death?” When I lived in the US, one of the things that Florida was renowned for was that it was the place where America went to retire (things may have changed). With such a large elderly population one would’ve thought Florida, of all places, would’ve been extremely attentive to the measures taken to stop the spread of the virus. I too have that book. I’ve just started reading it and - as with most of my history books - I need to be “intellectually in the mood” to read it, so - as with the recent biography of Hitler - I am dipping into SPQR as and when I’m “up for it”. I know you can’t compare apples and oranges, but I suspect the Romans (of both Republic and Empire) would have made short shrift of many of those modern curses that often vex us on ER.... More robust times indeed. I have never really seen the point of “drive thru”, even when I was with the Rescue Squad, we’d always go in to the fast food joint to get our order. Bill Bryson gave, in one of his amusing and informative books, a very wry description of the drawbacks of “drive thru” service. Anyway, off to unleash the Wolfpack and then off to work... iD

My pneumatic grease gun, Norma, packed in some time ago. My tractor's loader and backhoe have a lot of grease points. Pneumatic Norma receives pressurized air from Edward the Compressor. I spent the morning trying to fix the grease gun. After a lot of faffing around and wasted grease I eventually discovered that there's supposed to be a nonreturn valve in the end of the delivery tube where it attaches to the gun. Unfortunately the ball bearing in mine had escaped past the spring, travelled the length of the tube and created a nonleave valve at the other end. That valve is pretty much redundant so I just removed it to solve the problem.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Had to skip through the posts this morning so if I've missed anything important my apologies. The reason is that I booked my car in for a service/mot at 10 this morning and I've just received an e-mail from DHL saying one of the components for the printer that I ordered yesterday will be delivered between 10:25 and 12:25 from Germany!

Yes, normally you can walk in which is what I normally do but I think that's not an option at the moment. I could talk to the pharmacist by phone if necessary.

Good evening everyone The painting of the bench parts is now complete and hopefully, it the weather is kind, I’ll be able to assemble it tomorrow morning. Just before I’d started painting I took a delivery of a package I was expecting, a few bits and pieces but it included an extension lead that will enable me to connect the HiFi set up to the PC, thus allowing me to digitise some of my old vinyl records. So, once the painting had been finished I was able to get everything connected to the computer. Over the next day or so, I’ll dig out a couple of old LP’s and give everything a try. After dinner I headed to the workshop to put away the rest of the order. I also made a start on replacing the temporary connection between the turntable and controller with a more permanent version. Despite the fact that I only need 6 cores, the cable I’m using (salvaged from the off cut during an instrumentation install) is 8 core, so I’ve gone for 8 pin DIN plug and sockets. The lead will have a plug on each end, both the turntable and the control panel will have sockets, the plugs and sockets are bayonet type and can be locked in position, reducing the risk of accidentally pulling one end out. So far the turntable has had a socket fitted, I’ve wired all 8 pins up, leaving the 2 unused wires as spare, should I want to add another exit road, the rest is yet to do. Goodnight all