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Past the farm she sweeps....

Today's photos are a few miles south at Morpeth, still in Northumberland. Morpeth 47018 up p w Nov 86 J8731.jpg The loco is in railfreight grey not an odd pinky green! Morpeth 56112 up coal Dec 87 J9389.jpg Morpeth 43075 Kings X to Glasgow QS Aug 88 J9640.jpg Morpeth 43063 up 26th Jan 91 C15559.jpg Morpeth 37083 29th Oct 92 C18120.jpg David

Dark and dismal today, but no complaints, as mid September has been lovely. Still up in the air, and looking down now on Sir Murrough Wilson waiting in the bay. But 60002 isn't waiting for this though. Patrick Stirling is at the head of a West Riding relief.

One more look at the Elizabethan. I got the ISO and white balance a bit better on this one. Then off to the other end and back up in the air to look down on the Claud in number 1 bay.

Greetings one and all I hope you will forgive me for not feeling positive but those who rule us have made doing so even more difficult with the latest announcements about that ruddy virus. How, pray, do we all pull together when we are isolated and socially distanced? Never were so many policies reversed so quickly ... Today I have my telephone diabetes review. When that is over and done I shall phone the Stalag and book an appointment for my flu jab. It seems that the vaccination programme is well under way, for there are placards directing those due to have holes drilled in their arms to a path alongside the building. I shall find out for myself where it leads in due course. Meanwhile, in a few days' time, I should receive a letter from the travel company about my Swiss trip over C*****mas and New Year. It is realistic, and in my nature, to expect the worst. Best wishes to all. Marvin the paranoid android sends his love Chris

At least you have enough common sense to take precautions Tony...seems we are a nation with a lot of inhabitants who have zero common sense... Baz

I am very happy with the GP NHS service we get. I do know that NHS provision can be a bit postcode variable but we are fortunate. Tony

Ey up! Yestersay was a "friendly" ..good job it was as I gave someone out and received a torrent of abuse.. I suggested to their skipper what would have happened in a League Game .. probably a Level 2 event which would mean up to a 6 match ban..... So I had a calming pint of J W Lees beer ..then another and herself drove beastie home...She enjoyed that..then went for a curry in a very well otganised Sheesh Mahal on Kirkstall Road. But boy was I tired! New tablets are kicking in..a blood glucose tester will be procuured tomorrow then...we shall see.. Good luck with Sister Drac on the phone @chrisf. She can't do much in the grimacing/finger pointing lark over the phone. As part of my guinea pig activities I will be receiving an overview of the findings from the last 3 year tests. Apparently they have some good results regarding how much diabetes does or does notaffect the heart muscles. Today will be a busy one. A plumber is coming to look at some work, a delivery from the wine society is scheduled, her indoors is off to collect some materials and, as for me, housework (unspecified) must be done.... Please stay safe ! Enjoy whatever you do! Positive thoughts to all ERs Baz

Me first. Please!!! This week gets better as it goes along. Not. Yesterday I presented myself at the tooth-wrangler as advised by their own staff. They had no record of my appointment. They remembered calling me back after the initial conversation to offer me tomorrow morning instead of afternoon which I declined. They denied calling me to change that to yesterday afternoon. I was able to show them the call log on my phone which they agreed was their number but they were unable to accommodate me unless I waited two hours for a 15-minute "assessment". Thanks (and I know you were trying to offer as much as you could) but no. I have already assessed my broken molar as being broken and requiring more than 15 minutes of time. Also waiting two hours in their premises is not permitted therefore I would have had to find somewhere outside. Not too hard on a nice day in Richmond as it has the Thames and a rather nice green among other things. But. So it was straight back to the Hill of Strawberries on the next train. I then tried to update the supermarket order for Friday. Ocado's website was not playing. It allowed me access to the "Edit Order" function but all attempts to check out were flicked to the "Please Book Delivery" page. And guess what - there are no slots to be had thanks to the "uptick" (A Gummint Key Word) in panic-buying. Their customer help line offered only a recorded announcement "We are experiencing abnormal call volumes and the queue is full. Please contact us via the web-chat link" I tried. Web-chat has been turned off no doubt in response to the abnormal number of disgruntled customers. I found their Facebook page and noted a comment which that platform auto-generates based upon response; "Normally replies within one hour". So I left a message. Something like 19 hours later I got a message today telling me that I had been trying to place a new order not edit an existing one. Untrue - I am a frequent customer who is now well-versed in the ways of their website and knew what I was doing. By now the site had self-rectified at the point-of-use (no doubt paying some IT people a night's worth of overtime) and I was able to update and checkout as normal before replying to the message telling them that they were wrong and - as per Customer Service Rule 1 - I was right. The customer always is - allegedly. Meanwhile I had managed to book a Waitrose delivery in order to cover bases and obtain some items Ocado no longer offers since switching allegiance to M&S. Now we have both coming on Friday though there is little overlap and there is still some hedging of bets over future availability of deliveries. If the Swiss are as efficient as their German neighbours are famed for then I for one would be happy to return there. It is many years since I flew into Zurich, encountered my first trams and was placed on a coach to our Austrian destination which took us by way of Winterthur and St. Gallen and some working vapour-powered traction which long since deserted the British main lines and by then even the London Transport network. At risk of bursting forth into song in the manner of Julie Andrews I would dearly love to get back to that part of the world. Maybe even revisit the delightfully-named Palüdbahn-Bergstation which remains the only spot on the planet where I have failed to remain upright on skis. The fall was staged for a photo; I have naturally excellent balance and was always good on the slopes. But it's been many years .....

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. The gas engineer has been, installed the new boiler so now I have heat and hot water. A few things to do then its a long warm soak in the bath.

It's not wrong. The daft hound and I got thoroughly wet through earlier on. He doesn't have the sense to not want to go out. Having said that, it is still quite warm so strangely refreshing. As someone once pointed out, if it wasn't for the rain we would all be eulogising about brown and parched rather than green and pleasant.

Morning. Taken Mrs NHN to Raaaamsey early doors to meet a mate who is taking her to work today, so they can have a breakfast natter first. Sunny here now, but a stiff breeze, looking at the rainfall radar we're on a roll here, and my old neck of the woods has 'red' rain. Also arranged an increase in my broadband package, retirement has seen my data allowance munched up well before the end of the month. I blame RMWeb and Youtoob, where I have been following a bunch of mad Yanks drag racing cars, all funded from....youtoob monies. A lot of it, apparently. So I'm paying for my own entertainment basically, although I am unlikely to use any of the products advertised within the films. We'll see if Manx Telecom manage the upgrade well, new router etc, as TBH they couldn't organise consumption of alcohol in a brewery as a rule. The lad at the call centre was helpful, as normal but the arrival of both the router and its set up will test their mettle, this is usually where they crash and burn. Flu jabs en mass here early next month, as we basically have no covid on the island it is queue up at the local Courthouse like sheep at the sheep dip, to be stabbed hopefully by the delightful Giselle. We've had it for years as Debs has had serious pneumonia previously and errr I can't recall whey I got put on the list now but fingers crossed we haven't had a bad flu since. I would get it anyway now, with the diabetes. On the subject of which.....a local bloke I was at sea with that lives here has serious eyesight issues due to previously uncontrolled T2, the treatment he is undergoing to try to save his sight is unpleasant, I won't detail it here. It certainly ensures I look after my blood glucose.....eeeuuww.

Good morning all, We had quite a heavy shower earlier and there is more to come. Sounds about right as I spent two hours cleaning the car yesterday and it was gleaming! Bank was successfully relieved of some cash and then the butcher relieved me of money to pay for some very nice looking fillet and sirloin steak which has been put in the freezer for future consumption. He's not cheap but the quality is superb. Only used an electric razor when I was about 16/17. Since then I've wet shaved and couldn't ever consider going back. I don't feel fully awake and refreshed until I've had a "proper" shave. Thought I'd grow a beard on a couple of occasions but after only a few hours without shaving I couldn't stand it and gave up! Today I shall be contacting messrs eSpares about the main oven door seal I ordered but they've sent a top oven seal. Needless to say (although I will) one is half the size of t'other. Time for some breakfast so farewell for now, Have a good one, Bob.

Good moaning from a still rather dark Charente. Up earlier than usual this morning for good reason. First of all Chris, I hope that the review and other things go well. Yesterday a great and rather alcoholic lunch was eaten with 5 friends. Got there 12.30, walked home at 17.00. Not bad. Eydlid inspection then ensued followed by an evening of telly catch up. Breakfast is now being consumed then in half an hour I'm off to meet my mate Andy for a day of trainspotting in Tours, it should be a good day. Sandwiches have been mafe, the flask will be done soon. The gizmo for the autoroute tolls has been transferred to the Volvo. Regards to all. Jamie

Aww, sounds like someone needs a Koala video...

Depends. If you have a skill that Switzerland needs, your (future) employer will do all the paperwork and get the appropriate visa (a B Permit to start off with [has many limitations, e.g. only can live in same kanton as where you work] and then it can be changed to a C Permit after 5 years). You can also can retire to Switzerland on the category D national visa if you: can prove you have adequate resources to support your retirement in Switzerland take out a health insurance policy demonstrate close personal ties to Switzerland, such as family members living in the country, owning real estate (my Italics) or making frequent trips to Switzerland Whether or not a deep, longstanding and abiding love-affair/fascination with the SBB CFF FFS counts as a "close personal tie" I wouldn't even begin to speculate upon it. iD p.s. If you have to brings supplies of a thick, viscous, brown paste in a small jar, then it has to be Bovril! p.p.s. in addition to Pork Pies, Black Pudding and Haggis are also most welcome.

Afternoon All Sorry, but due to circumstances within my control, I have had to skip a few pages - so not all posts read or rated. Ian the boiler installation expert from Homeserve has consigned my old Worcester boiler to scrap, blasted a new hole in the kitchen wall, and is now cementing same as the flue is in a different position and has just hung a new Worcester boiler in its place. - all in exchange for £2500. Back tomorrow, as I must go down and see what is going on. Regards to All Stewart

Its not been chuckinitdarn here..it has been hoyingitdown! Man the lifeboats! Baz

Morning all, Like many others the latest 'restrictions' make no difference and I think folk who are shouting about their 'loss of liberty' would probably be doing society a greater service if they obeyed, and had obeyed, the existing rules and guidance; but thousands didn't so we're now where we are. Tony is, I agree, being eminently sensible and I still try to stick to the advice the surgery gave a couple of months back Including as part of my diabetic review as it happens - so social distanacing is 2 metres, try to avoid being indoors with groups of people especially where there is no air circulating and wear a mask when you're supposed to according to the guidance. Enough of that. We had sone rain overnight which wasn't forecast but equally wasn't unexpected as iI started too get a feeling of moisture in the air when adding some stuff to the recycling bin at about 19.30. there was also an excellent Miss Marple repeat on last night although I missed a little bit near the end because the dumbo cat had managed to get out through the cat flap (which has a large air hose through it plus various obstacles) and of course she couldn't get herself back in so I had to go and open the human door for her. Cat suitably instructed for the future but she will no doubt take no notice at all of said instruction. I am informed that I am to be shorn today and I must admit if t would be nice to have some hair trimmed off with all the heat there is on the ground floor at present. Even more electricity is being expended on fans in other rooms trying to keep them cool. And the binmen, most unusually, haven't bin yet - very odd as they are normally doing the garden bins no later than 08.15 although the food waste and recycling bins are always dealt with later. But on a much cheerier note I am about to commence my 3rd muggatea of the day. Have a good day one and all and stay safe

Good morning everyone Well I chose the right days t spend in the garden, we’ve had rain overnight and it’s still falling, but only lightly, so indoor tasks will be the order of the day. I need to have a look at the computer as the sound card doesn’t seem to be working properly. It will play ok and I can copy/read CDs ok, but when I try to copy vinyl, there is no sound! I opened the back of the computer a few weeks ago and gave it a good clean before I moved it into the ‘New office’ so I wonder if I’ve knocked a connection or two. Anyway I’ll unplug it all and have a good look at it this morning. Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. Brian

Thank you Bob, and I thought it was me giving my Car it's almost annual wash that had caused the rain over night. Mine too was gleaming and I was so pleased I went out at tea time for another look at it before dark. that's when I felt it, it was in the air, there was moisture above, the Car looked damp, and I was gutted. Now the Sun thing is shining and I'll probably go and give it a wipe over shortly as you can bet your bottom dollar the rain had Sahara Dust in it leaving my beautiful gleaming shining specimen decidedly spotty.

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple hare, 802/502 4.5 hours sleep plus some intermittent dozing, not good. Rain is of course expected and my hands agreed. But more painful was my back, which for some reason started complaining yesterday afternoon at work. I wasn't even doing anything, just sitting at the bench calibrating.. The new virus rules as such make absolutely no difference to me, and I suspect many on here. They are obviously aimed at the pubbers and clubbers partying on into the night. It won't make that much difference to the pub restaurants round here either as there's not many that want their expensive meal at 22:00 or later.. As for working from home, a great many still were WFH and the engineering design side here still were only two physical hardware engineers have been in and one of them is on 3 days a week anyway on his run down to retirement. My boss said had we had a deputy that's what he would be doing, in some ways that's pushing him to leave earlier. As for myself, I'm way too low a grade to be allowed such things, so still 502 working days left. Our vaccinations are drive through at the surgery, from the notice on the wall of the dispensary tent, it said stay in your car, wind your window down, roll up your sleeve, and they'll poke a hole in you there. It should be interesting though trying to get past that queue, to get to the dispensary though. I don't think many in North Norfolk have stopped either shielding or being careful, everyone I know has only gone out masked for essential purposes like shopping , doctors, sailing and railway muddliing. Ben the reluctant Collie went out for his patrol, but was happier when he found a rabbit to chase halfway round.. It was overcast and still dry then, but it started drizzling on the way in, heavy rain is not forecast till this afternoon. One cockwomble on the way in, came hurtling , up to the back of the car in the first village I came to, boot polished for several hundred yards, then dropped back, then a few hundred yards later started accelerating again. I was glad to turn off and leave him behind.. There are yet again traffic lights near Wayford bridge, they went up 2 days ago and so far... absolutely no sign of any work going on.. As for work.. Time to head down to the lab and see how the cross check has done on the new equipment..

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Heard something banging in the breeze out in the back garden this evening. Went out to investigate and found that the side gate bolt wasn't engaging. A quick look with the aid of a torch revealed an almost one inch gap between gate and post. I pretty certain that the gate has shrunk as it hasn't rained for ages around here so I've left a slab leaning against the gate to stop it rattling. Rain is predicted soon so I'll keep an eye on it but it looks as if I will have to move the bolt.

Just had some good news. A family member of two of my staff has tested negative for Covid which is a blessing as we can’t manage without them. To tell the truth this was one of the things on my mind recently and disturbing my sleep, so hopefully a better nights sleep tonight. Been off today and will be off tomorrow and need to arrange with my part time pharmacist what’s going to happen the rest of the week. Haven’t heard from the pharmacist manager who is on compassionate leave but said he would be back on Monday. I got people ringing up Constantly wanting to know if they can book in for a flu jab but don’t want to do anything until managers arrives back. He's not been in touch recently but a funeral is to take place so I need to tread very carefully and make sure he’s in the right frame of mind. What I find frustrating is that under the pharmacy flu service only a pharmacist can administer the vaccine. I have the vaccines, I have the patients, all waiting but no pharmacist qualified to do the administration. Two practice nurses I know, who do this job at their respective practices have volunteered to help me out but according to my terms of service it’s got to be done by an appropriately trained pharmacist. Grrrrrrrr. I hope there is going to be a bit more flexibility when the Covid vaccine becomes available. Anyway, Goodnight, Robert

Why is it I always seem to build rolling stock in threes, does anyone else have this quirk? Firstly I completed my Norwich & Brandon Railway corn wagon kit. This one was from a lovely drawing in the HMRS collection of a frankly very rare beastie. An act of parliament authorising the construction of the N&BR was passed on 10th May 1844. The contractors were Grissell & Peto, consultant engineers Robert Stephenson and George Parker Bidder. Officially opened on 29th July 1845 the railway had already lost its title to the Norfolk Railway following a merger with the Yarmouth & Norwich Railway a month earlier. In the meantime the Eastern Counties Railway was making great progress and eventually swallowed up the NR in 1848, the assortment of Eastern Counties lines amalgamating to form the Great Eastern Railway in 1862. Thanks to Simon Turner for making the excellent masters for this and the next two kits as well. The second is a Midland Railway end door goods wagon of 1847. The drawing reputedly originated from Derby works and is dated 1847 but beyond that we know very little. The wagon is certainly typical for the period with wooden head buffers, a simple drop lever wooden brake and doors in one end pointing to a period when wagon turntables were plentiful and turning such a vehicle before or after loading was commonplace. Often loads would be sheeted over and the high round ends provide support for a canvas. The third is a little different, an open carriage truck of the London & Birmingham Railway. This one has a delivery to make, a cabriolet by James Braby of Lambeth to his 1837 patent no.7279. The patent document shows several vehicles including a very charming omnibus, Shillibeer style, which I may well be tempted to model at some point. Braby started out as a road carriage builder but found himself drawn into railway carriage building like many of his contemporaries and supplied several early railways with carriages. They're photographed at Bricklayers Arms. Please don't ask how on earth they came to be south of the Thames in 1845...! Now I have to find three more things to make!

Moaning! Yesterday I was relieved of what little hair I have, courtesy the Mrs, as apparently I was looking rather "unruly"! Fat chance! I'm too old to be considered that I'm sure We attempted to get our flu shots yesterday, needed to pick up prescriptions so made sense to also get the shot, "high dose" flu shot for us older folks was/is apparently all gone, living in a suburb composed of mostly old farts means you have to be quick off the mark to get them when they're there - getting more towards the end of the week we were told, can't request or be placed on a list for one, you must call and check if they're available, then race there before the other buqqers beat you to it! Oh well Work, once again bit me in the arse with their IT department appearing to play tricks with my VPN access again - when WILL THEY LEARN, I've been doing this for 5 years now. Refused access, login failed and I'm just sitting here waiting to hear back from the idiots support staff. 15 and sunny first thing, headed for 28. Carry on...I'll sit patiently and wait for VPN access <yawn>

Again, just a couple, still covering sickness, MOD crewe to Leamington which was light loco and actually continued to Eastleigh without stopping at kineton as there was no traffic to be added I should end up with it again in the morning to Donnington near telford 66752 I then got asked to do an extra move at the end of the job hams hall to landor st with 66789 which wa s then carrying on to Gloucester to pick up some vehicles to take to sims metals in newport landor to telford then Hereford tomorrow (best part of that job being I get to go to hereford models before my train home!)

Went to give blood; turned up at the appointed hour to find several people queueing. Within 10 minutes the whole session had been cancelled due to an earlier "incident". This is the third session I was due to attend that has been cancelled this year. I wonder what it is doing to supplies?

Ask ChrisF for details how to get there,,, take some pork pies too..

Right that's it I'm emigrating to Switzerland. Anybody else is welcome to join me. Will arrange emergency food parcels to include items such Yorkshire tea bags, marmite and selection of cheeses to keep the natives pacified.

A most efficient visit to my GP this morning. I had an appointment with the "Boy Doctor" (so nicknamed by me as he took over from my friend, and contemporary, and is young enough to be my son) to check liver function after being placed on a new, slow acting, therapy (the therapy will last for a year and has potential for liver toxicity). So I rolled up, masked, walked straight in, sanitised my hands with the practice provided sanitiser, spoke to the receptionist (behind a plexiglass screen) who pointed me to the practice's lab. As I entered the lab, the technician donned a mask and a pair of gloves, sat me down, did a finger stick - taking a capillary tube's worth of blood, put a small band aid on my finger and sent me to the waiting room. In the waiting room the chairs were arranged so that there was a blocked chair between occupiable chairs (so something like OXOXO - where X is blocked). In the 10 minutes I waited for the GP (somehow all GPs, especially the good ones, always run late), the receptionists/admins (two) took calls from patients and made appointments for them (for tomorrow, Friday, next Monday, next Tuesday but certainly NOT for "in 6 - 8 weeks time"...). The boy doctor (masked) collected me and in his office/examination room, we discussed the results of the LFTs (Liver Function Tests) all analysed and results provided as I waited - and, happily, all LFTs were all WNL. We briefly reviewed my NSAID use and mutually agreed to change to a higher dose - long acting version (which was provided to me in the practice, as they dispense - on the spot - certain common medications) and we mutally agreed for another appointment in 12 weeks for a precautionary LFT screen. Briefly chatted about my current project (an Oncolytic virus) and made our goodbyes. No hysteria (they weren't spraying everything with disinfectant every 5 minutes), no needing to try to get past a demon doorkeeper, mutually agreeable appointment times, no needing to cross half the Kanton for a blood test (although there are a few tests, using radioactive or iodine based tracers, that must be done in specialised centres - usually a large hospital), lab results while you wait and - if prescribed a commonly used medication - no need to add a trip to a Dispensing Chemist. So in all, a very Happy Bunny. And then I remembered the posts about NHS GP Visits from ChrisF, The Stationmaster and many others on ER......

Glorious morning here, summers back, though a tad chilly, a slight frost over night nipped the fushias in pots, these have been moved into the greenhouse now. What is this razor thing you guys mention? I grew a Frank Zappa moustache in 1967, which became a goatee then a full beard in 1970 and I haven't shaved since with one exception in 1972 when I was bored one day. I do however occasional trim the fuzz with with a battery trimmer. Off to make the most of the day the jobs can wait till tomorrow, stay safe all.

Morning all. My weather app suggests it is going to rain soon. I won’t have to get wet though as our bin bags are out already. They don’t contain anything of interest to foxes or cats so they were put out last night. We got letters about our flu jabs yesterday. We need to attend in a couple of weeks. We have been given an hour long appointment slot. We are not going anywhere today though I suspect Aditi will be keen to encourage me to have a walk somewhere. The prime minister mentioned that I don’t have to shield anymore. I still have the same immunosuppressive medication, Covid cases are increasing (even here ) so I think I will carry on being extra careful. Tony

Good Afternoon all Its raining stairrods here youngest finishes school early Wednesdays for deep clean. Both he and his mum came back in like drowned rats. Not a lot occuring here today

Many years ago I had a number or part built 3.5" and 5" gauge locos. I had been given these, sadly, by the widows of model engineers who had gone to that greatest of railway workshops. (Up or down which ever takes your fancy). I never had any use for these as I had neither the workshop facilities nor the time to finish them off. So I gave them away to others who were looking for projects to work with. although I was offered money, I took nothing, not wanting to profit from the generosity of those who's given them to me originally. Since then, I seem to have been looked down upon very favourably, and today was a fine example. I have just been given about £400 worth of various Albion Alloy metal section, both spray and tins of Humbrol paints, various fluxes metal blacks and solder and a storage rack/cabinet. 'I know you will use this stuff, or get it to people who will use it and appreciate it. Just give a donation to the Air Ambulance' was the request. So perhaps it is true that you reap what you sow.

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Gas engineer was here first thing and is busy removing the old boiler. I thought it was a simple one for one exchange but no, the old boiler is no longer made so alterations will have to be made to fit the new one including a re-positioned flue. The only thing is I didn't get to clean my teeth before the water was turned off and the mouth is feeling a bit yucky. Thats it for now, be back later.

Thank you for the advice. The aubergines will become marrows, and thus almost everything visible here will become green. I suppose that's why it's called a greengrocer. Little modelling has been done over the weekend, as I've been away from home, but a thoroughly pleasant evening or two of heraldry and graphic design with @Corbs has resulted in the Great Southern Railway now having a proper garter crest, with the coats of arms of Guildford on the left (pre-1930 arms were a bit difficult to find!) and the coat of arms of Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (also Earl of Sussex), owner of Bagshot Lodge, to represent Bagshot at the other end of the line. Bagshot did have its coat of arms granted until 1960, so while it is lovely, it's rather too early at the turn of the century! Anyway, without further ado, Corbs' handiwork:

I think the Viz version of that poster is more accurate.... https://www.moretvicar.com/collection/earthenware-mugs/product/skegness-mug?cc=viz-social&fbclid=IwAR0B6Am1Qj5yb1ps-fvqh9Is2u4YCc3G3r-IWF_3t8bTMLnaNtUQ_R28ccw

I'm waiting for the same to happen here this Friday after two weeks of no hot water.

Our experts were Martin and Colin. Any mess they made they cleared up. They didn’t have to make a new flue hole but did need a new hole for a condensate pipe. We didn’t want a combi boiler and some of the expensive shower units we had required the new boiler to be an open system so we had new hot tank and header tank. We had a water softener fitted too. All for a lot less than the quite from any of the big gas companies. We had a Vaillant boiler fitted. Tony

Whilst not wishing to extend your anguish I too am aware of that treatment involving needles and eyes and would not wish it on anyone.

I take your point entirely, Graham. And I might have missed what Tony was actually trying to illustrate. However, I'm coming at the 'discussion' from the point of view of a photographer; of both real railways and, particularly, model railways. When I look at all the photographs of the real thing I've exposed, many of which have been published, very few are taken from a typical 'model railway viewpoint'. There's one looking out over Durham viaduct from the cathedral, a distant view of The Royal Border Bridge, a shot of the Waverley from Edinburgh Castle and a view looking into Dove Holes, among others, but very few more. 99% (maybe more) are from the classic three quarter front view, with the locos/trains taking centre stage (I've obviously not been 'creative' enough in my taking of pictures). Time was when almost all model railway photographs were taken from 'helicopters' (none better illustrated than the technically-peerless work of Brian Monaghan). Almost all of Brian's work showed an operator's or spectator's viewpoint of a model railway. I don't know who quite 'invented' the eye-level approach to model railway photography (Barry Norman?), but that's what I've always tried to do in the main. In a way, it's the acid test in my opinion, especially if one is taking pictures of a model based on an actual prototype. How 'real' does the scene look (not just a loco and train) in comparison with the 'real' thing? Take your own Grantham, for instance................... Taken a few years ago now (with a few of the 'usual suspects' in evidence), these angles represent normal 'operating' positions or normal 'viewing' positions. That said, in no way could they be considered 'realistic' (I've never seen any prototype pictures of Grantham taken from these angles; has anyone?). However, get the camera down to eye level................................ Or even below (all the most-interesting model railways, in my opinion, model topography BELOW the trackbed as well as level with it or above). Granted, in all the 'realistic' images I've taken out the background 'clutter' (though nothing on the models has been altered). I know what I've presented is tangential to the discussion, but it comes back to my usual question.................. How realistic can we make our models look in a picture? A much easier question to answer if our models are based on actual prototypes. Regards, Tony.

I have viewed several already this morning! This one is so good. Thank you for the kind thought. Chris

A double-night's Night Owl from the Piedmont as I lost my interweb connectivity last night.

Good evening everyone Well I’ve managed to get plenty done in the garden, the plants I wanted to lift, divide and reposition have been done. I originally planted 3 ‘meadow sweet’ in 3 separate positions about 3 years ago. These have grown into fairly large clumps, each clump having about 6-8 plants each. Once I’d lifted each clump, it was divided into 2 and I now have 6 clumps, each having 3-4 each. I also lifted a small hydrangea and 2 small euonymus plants, these have also been repositioned. This evening we had a pleasant surprise when I went to answer the door, it was Vickie, she was out on her daily walk and decided to call for a chat. She refused to come inside (local lockdown regs) so we stood at the door for well over an hour chatting, it really perked us both up. The ivy on the front door step is unnamed, thankfully Sheila doesn’t watch any soaps, so the temptation to do so wasn’t there. However, calling an ivy ‘Ivy’ doesn’t have the same ring anyway! Goodnight all

The doctor that I use is a member of a small PA and the head honcho is, I was told by my doctor, a big fan of nuclear medicine. So when I had to have some test that required a radioactive tracer, it was done right there. He had purchased a large multi-million dollar "scanner" and all I did was report to a different door on the day of the test, no traveling to a distant hospital. As for lab work, most blood/urine work is done on premises. After the second time that I had some done, I decided to eat a meal on my way home; by the time I got home about an hour later, the results were already posted on the MUSC* website's patient portal for my enlightenment. *Medical University of South Carolina

Visible pantie line?

Snap! but mine was in the loft so making a mess didn't matter so much. And the boiler installation expert was Michael.

Couldn't have put it better myself, although I'm not so bothered about making things. I'll happily buy things ready-made to gain time that I can spend making things I can't buy.

I think that if you ask a dozen modellers their thoughts about why they build model railways you will get a dozen different answers. Recreating a scene from the real railway as accurately as possible is nowhere on my radar, yet for others, it is the ultimate goal. Mine would to have some decent quality models, preferably ones I have made, blending them together into a believable layout, based firmly on real practice, that holds my interest when it is time to operate it. Many very well known layouts fall down on that last bit but Buckingham satisfies everything apart from the bit about me making them, although the tasks involved in keeping it running are almost as much fun as making things.