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Half the issue with me is the rise of the digital camera. I have said before that I think it has made many photographers lazy. Take the shot and sort any problems out on the computer is the way now. I spent a short while this afternoon looking at a few pre digital magazines. It just confirmed my view that the technology is now so good that a huge, totally pin sharp image from a camera at eye level to a model person is easily done. It is usually the view with the camera placed within the layout that needs the backscene digitally manipulated. That is because the layouts are just not designed to be viewed from there. When cameras couldn't take those shots and the photographer usually had a tripod standing alongside the layout giving the same view that a person looking at the layout got, then such trickery wasn;'t needed. I actually prefer many of the older images, which are not 100% focussed over a 30ft long layout, which have a clear focal point and a surround that is not quite as sharp to frame it. My eyes work like that too, which is why I prefer them. I don't see everything pin sharp across my whole field of view. I will never be a great photographer and I don't have anything better than a point and shoot camera but this shot illustrates what I mean. Other than setting the camera at "black and white" this has had no digital manipulation. It was framed to miss the top of the backscene and the baseboard edge. The background goes out of focus but I actually prefer that as it is how my eyes work!

ECML yet again today, starting at Essendine on Stoke Bank and ending atGamston, just south of Retford. Essendine Class 254 Newcastle to Kings X Aug 83 J8044.jpg Stoke Summit (near) Class 55 9021 Newcastle to Kings X March 73 J3155.jpg Grantham Class 254 up April 83 J7866.jpg Hougham Class 47 up June 78 C3912.jpg Gamston Class 254 down June 79 J6523.jpg David

Indeed it's difficult to see these as a positive development for the hobby.

A rather dull and grey start to the day in North Hipposhire, which matches my present mood. Although I've got plenty to keep me occupied for the foreseeable future, the present situation is quite depressing and I am aware of the black canine trying to get out of its kennel. So far, though, I've kept it locked up. On a more positive note, since my Dad is a couple of months shy of his 98th birthday we are expecting that he will be getting his first vaccination shot fairly soon, so that should ease one of the nagging worries at the back of my mind. At the moment he is living with us and either Jill or myself are going to his house almost daily to check the mail and his phone messages for news on that front but so far nothing. Funny how things change - on New Year's Day I was feeling quite optimistic but over the last few days that has evaporated. At least I've got ERs and other RMW threads as well as visits to the workshop to keep me going; I pity the poor souls who have nothing like that. Apologies for the downbeat post. I'll try to be more cheerful next time. Dave

Good morning all, Dull, dismal and damp yet again. A chilly, breezy, cloudy day with more outbreaks of rain is on offer. Looks like a walk to the nearest shop is required as milk and bread are running out. The visit to The Shed was not very successful so will try again today but the little mojo I've found is stuttering. Not very happy at the moment (who is?) and the dark animal is stirring. Have a good one, Bob. P.S. Thanks Bear, at least the offer of nearly new walnuts made me smile.

Oh-oh, looks like Covid might be out of the bag here. 6 new positives overnight, three new venues of contact, all very worrying. Buqqer. All those identified as the 'spreaders' were essential workers/returning residents who had come from 'across' i.e. your bit, had already isolated for 14 days, so either they are catching it off someone/something else, or the new variant is infectious for more than 14 days.

Dear Hornby I can vouch this is definitely a generic tank engine.

Greetings one and all Here is a tale of missed opportunities. One of my closest friends was due to spend the festive season with his brother in Bishops Stortford. I did not know until last night that he had to abort the visit because someone in the brother’s household was self-isolating. My friend did not know until last night that the Government had effectively cancelled my Christmas dinner at short notice. We live less than half a mile apart. Neither thought to tell the other what had happened. Oh dear. Amid the latest high level hoo-hah I have some news of my poorly aunt. I understand that she is still in her care home and has been provided with oxygen should she need it. I am told that she has been spending most of the day asleep. I can’t say I blame her, for this is not a good time to be awake. If she knew, I am sure that she would have been very touched by all the good wishes. Best wishes to all, with the possible exception of the headless chickens who rule us. Chris

There's been quite a lot of progress since my last posting!

I had to head out yesterday and this morning and couldn't tell the difference between traffic levels or people on the pavements. Many people not wearing masks and/or distancing. Lots of youngsters roaming about in groups, obviously taking advantage of school closures to 'hang out' or play football. If it wasn't for having to go out to deal with estate administration or collect prescriptions, I would rather like to hunker down for all of January, not go out at all and see if anyone's left standing when I emerge. I know the feeling only too well. But keep trying and at the risk of sounding all hippie, plenty of positive vibes? Or if you prefer something more highbrow, take Marcus Aurelius' advice and avoid too much introspection. (Leave thinking to horses, they've bigger heads). Days like that (and many of us seem to be getting more than our fair share right now) make me appreciate Early Risers and a few other quality threads on RMW. They do help, especially on a bad day. And if there's anything we can help with? If things had been quieter in the last couple of years, I might have my photos in better order and be able to post daily, but meanwhile, one frame with memories of a better time:

Hooray. Who cares about other announcements; when mine is that my refurbished laptop has arrived and I am no longer constrained by the tiny iPhone screen or the lack of a working trackpad?

Good evening everyone Weather wise, like the last few days, it’s never really got much above the 4C today, although we did have a little rain this afternoon, thankfully it didn’t last long. Sheila’s package arrived this morning quite early, so I was able to go to the workshop to get the few bits to enable me to alter the turntable control panel. Once I’d got everything, I made a start on the alterations. I’ve changed the 12v power supply to 5v, the socket is the same for both, so all I needed to do was move some of the wiring around and also the cable identification numbers. The end resulting in the panel now DOES NOT cut out, result! I’ve then changed the wiring for the new 12v power supply to the turntable motor control circuit. I then built the new 3v power supply board, it just needs testing as I’d not been able to do that this afternoon. However, once I’d packed up for the day and whilst I was having my afternoon muggertea, I decided that if I changed one of the resistors for a variable resistor, I would be able to fine tune the speed that the turntable revolves at, instead of it being a fixed speed. I’m pretty certain I have a small potentiometer in the workshop, so I’ll try and dig that out tomorrow and have a play. Below is a photo of the turntable control panel powered up. As you all know, we’ve now entered yet another lockdown, at this rate I’ll be turning into a professional Hermit!

Morning all, This site appears to be suffering the go-slow and drop-out syndrome presumably due to all the kiddywinks wanting to find out about the exciting news from Hornby. But worst of all every time I try to open my PMs the whole shooting match collapses with a 522 error message, very odd. Anyway here we are again in Lockdown and what's happening outside in our quiet residential road doesn't look any different from before we were locked down. Maybe if the dumbos actually worked out why these lockdowns keep happening they would follow the rules and guidance and the lockdowns wouldn't happen - some hope. On a brighter note our weather remains dry but distinctly nippy and i think I'll refrain from going outdoors in a tee shirt and shorts today. Herself has expressed a wish to go to Tesco for certain essential supplies - basically vegetables and to top up the diminishing reserves of cat food. But the buyers of panics will no doubt be out in force so it's a matter of thinking about going in the near future and herself queueing for an eternity or going later and finding the shelves empty - Catch 22 updated to 2021. Fortunately our carefully built up reserve stocks of various things such as toilet rolls, kitchen rolls and cat litter remove the need to look for some things that seem popular with the buyers of panics but apparently adding to the stock of bread flour. is also in mind as it does tend to get used at a steady rate. In an odd coincidence my leg cramps have also been making themselves known a bit more frequently of late although nothing has changed to bring them on as far as I can think. If they carry on coming out to bite I shall go back on a nightly dose of Dioralyte which does seem to help (even if it allegedly causes problems elsewhere). I suppose it's really all down to the unstoppable effect of tempus fugiting or whatever it does that adds to one's age so it's really a matter of cussing and bearing it. Right off to - very slowly - try to look elsewj here on RMweb temporarily avoiding the waiting PMs and having to start the whole shebang again. Have a good day w one and all and stay saf.e

I don’t want to teach any experienced person how to suck eggs, but have you ever considered the eczema flare ups to be linked to what you may have eaten? I only ask this question because I slowly discovered that mine are. I know tinned tomatoes have that effect, probably due to the citric acid preservative. I tried an exact replica spagbol using fresh tomatoes with no skin reaction at all. Since then , I am convinced supermarket battered fish is also a culprit, and a certain brand of soy sauce. I had thought highly spiced curries might send the itchiness into overdrive, but so far there has been no reaction which is a relief. I conclude that my eczema is triggered by a very narrow set of food additives in addition to the usual stress/excitement/worried scenarios. Bright and breezy again here in North Somerset. I finished ‘Hungry’ by Grace Dent and was reduced to tears by the last few pages; so in order to have a complete change I started a 1000 piece jigsaw I had bought for my Dad prior to his sight deteriorating and care home entry. The puzzle was still in its box covered in cellophane. The puzzle picture is of a Vulcan flying over fields, which is going to be rather difficult I suspect; although with increasing lockdown, having lots of spare time is going to be the order of the day again. The March/April lockdown last year was ok, in that I spent a lot of time in the garden, but that is not going to happen during a January northeasterly. I have even heard rumours of another sudden stratospheric warming (SSW), which brought the beast from the east two years ago. Hibernating with a jigsaw puzzle appears to be a very logical strategy.

So Bear has the all-clear to remove the bit of string stretched between a couple of drawing pins? Oh good. Should take all of ten seconds, and no loft ladders involved. Cake? Oh good.....

Good moaning from Crabtree land. I can at least relate 1 positive result of Covid. The Cliff Richard Calendar that my supposedly darling daughter, usually sends to her mother, has not arrived due to Covid related logistical issues. As we need an appointment calendar, the kitchen wall is now graced by the Official Union Pacific Calendar. January is a lovely photo of the Big Boy in a snowy setting. That's a result. The less charitable explanation for the non appearance of Riff Pilchard, is that they didn't have enough time to photoshop all the wrinkles out. Anyway, the shed floor got painted, or at least part of it. The builder finished and there are no leaks, though I did have to make up a soldered joint to replace a compression fitting. This morning I'm off shopping to The Danglies and Beth is off to the GP. Her consultant changed her diabetic medication beforecChristmas and she isvhaving a torid time of it at the moment. We hope to get something sorted. Anyway, goodvluck to you all. Bon Courage. Jamie

Morning, 3c again but no frost today, just...cold. Jamie's mention of restorative justice brings to mind that it was one of our sharpest tools in the youth justice team, it is fair to say the young offenders hated doing it - therefore it was a good deterrent. One of the bobbies in the team was a dab hand at getting the said young offenders working hard - he was a big lad! It proved to be more effective as a deterrent to re-offending than any other actions, and of course didn't leave a young person with a criminal record that could be a real issue in a few years time for them. The real recidivists of course would soon come back to our notice, and that could lead on to more severe action in the legal system, but it worked a treat for the low level stuff. The hip is protesting greatly this morning, had a rough night so I can't see a very active day being had.

Ey up! For the first time in ages woken by cramp in my leg.. it still hurts...ouch! I shall try taking ann an ibuprofen tablet and some diet indian tonic water when I get downstairs. Lots of traffic outside.. lockdown? Wor lockdown? Private jet has just landed at the airport from Antigua. I bet they don't go through customs and would suspect that they might not bother isolating, Pah! Most Brits seem to understand that you need to think of others. A minority are self centred and selfish to the point of putting us all at risk. How to change that? ( and I don't think that hanging them would work at all). As for today, herself is going to go in to help get the shop she volunteers in clean and secure. I shall get my cramp sorted then may do a bit of reading.. or then again I may do some modelling. Decisions, decisions. Dr Eldest Herbert is busy recording lectures and preparing to mark exam papers. He has made some progress on his book which is good news and is applying for jobs in academia as his current contract runs out this summer. Stay safe! Hoping that everyone is ok. @chrisf I wish your aunt well. Baz

HAPPY NEW YEAR! At a time when we've just gone back in lockdown I think we all need things to look forward to so I’m making my latest project public on here in the hope that it might interest, entertain or even amuse a few people. To put it in a nutshell I’m building a 2mm finescale exhibition layout of York Station which will make its first public appearance at York Show Easter 2022 2023 - see post 30/12/21. Regular attenders at exhibitions over the last 15 years or so may well have come across my previous layouts: Blea Moor – transition era Settle & Carlisle in finescale OO: and, up until about a year ago and back at exhibitions again soon, Laramie Engine Terminal – 1950s Union Pacific in American O scale: The new layout (provisionally named ‘This is York’ - the name occurred to me before I discovered there's a BTC film of the same name) will take design elements from both these layouts to present the view from the INSIDE of the overall roof of York Station during the LNER days of the 1930s: The view is the one you get when standing on the platform by the entrance to the station. The roof will be 'peeled open' (as seen in the photo) to allow this view. The open air parts of the platforms will be visible through the ends of the roof which will be modelled uncompressed. The current position is that a full sized mock up has been built (photo above), the fiddle yard is built and working, some stock is built and much more is part built. So there is MUCH to do! More will follow……...

or it incubates for more than 14 days before becoming infectious. Worrying when FR has had so few cases. Our former neighbour who lives on FR was OK at Christmas when we received a card from her. She's well into her 90s and moved to be near her daughter during 2019. She was very lively, all the more so given her age, and would have preferred not to move, but keeping a 3 bed semi going was probably a little too much for her. She said she didn't really like "all those little lanes"; presumably the sumptuous boulevards of the boring borough were more her thing! Incidentally, her husband made it past a century before he did a few years ago.

Apologies, I'm a bit late to the 'I'll show you mine' party but here goes. Last winter we had windows fitted in place of our garage doors and converted the former garage into a hobbies room. So I now have a separate railway room and a workbench in the hobby room which has made a huge difference. This is my railway room, much use is made of storage under the layout and the ubiquitous 'Really useful boxes' hold both stock and modelling "stuff". The track diagrams and route indicators are almost ready to be mounted on the wall, and the junk in the far corner occupies the space where a turntable will be installed... both projects for this new lockdown, I think. This is my new workspace in the converted garage. I have all the stuff for different activities in separate boxes, and pack it away when not in use to prevent clutter becoming excessive. A plate girder bridge kit under construction on the cutting mat. A Heljan Class 35 on the rolling road, having its chip modified using the Lok-programmer and PC. The spray booth is a new acquisition, awaiting an extractor fan as I nearly asphyxiated myself using it for the first time a couple of weeks ago! A workbench with a view as well! Faithful companion, an almost permanent fixture when I'm modelling. She doesn't like the Dremel but is pretty tolerant about everything else. I think I've at least as much clutter as everyone else has shown, its just mostly hidden away in those (really useful) plastic boxes!

I put finger to tablet too soon. To the Danglies I have been, and returned with a promo offer of 64 loo rolls for €12, which will keep us going for many months. I also got the other things that we needed as well as a few things that I wanted. After all, Bricomarché is next door to Intermarche, it would have been rude not to call in. When I got back, I cursed La Poste, the dreaded Cliff Richard calendar had arrived, however the pill was sweetened by there being a steam train one for me, as well as a grandparent card. However all is not lost. The UP calendar has already been marked up with the next two months of appointments so it's staying on the wall, Riff has been banished to the inside of the crockery cupboard door. Beth calls that the closet, I dare not comment. Beth had a good long chat with the Dr and seems a bit happier. The afternoon's task of taking the tree down now awaits my attention. News on the vacvine front, apparently Les Pompiers are going to be used. As theybrun the emergency ambulance service that seemsclike a good idea. Jamie

Hmmm

A plonk to start our day.

Well our government have reacted rather quicker than the UK version, 3 weeks circuit breaker lockdown from midnight tomorrow. The infections yesterday are not related to the ones detected at Christmas, which have been controlled successfully. Hence the flap, they don't yet know the source of this one, which appears to be in Ramsey just down the road from us. All would be OK really if it wasn't for the idiots panic buying, the Chief Minister pointed out in his address that the UK has been in the same state for quite some time and the supply lines are not compromised, so nothing has changed from that viewpoint, but.......no bread or bog rolls to be seen, traffic jams in the supermarket carparks, security staff on the doors now. #sigh# In a couple of days it will all be replenished and there will be a lot of wasted food - again.

If the latest figures don't wake up some of the cockwombles then they really do have sh1tferbrains and there's no hope: 3 in 10 hospital beds are occupied by C-19 patients; in some hospitals it's 6 in 10. 1 in 50 have the virus; in London this is 1 in 30 (Figures are from ONS sampling data - which includes a certain Bear) Bear feels the need for LDC to calm his nerves.... Oh sh1t....no LDC. Things really ARE serious.

For all those feeling a bit down in the dumps for whatever reason, here's my attempt at something humourous. If you're a cup half full sort of person; you probably need a smaller bra

Moaning all... Been absent for no particular identifiable reason was busy doing not much over the weekend, spent inordinate amounts of time on Zoom; 1) First EVER with my brother and his family - they seldom if ever respond to birthday/christmas cards so quelle surprise when asked by the Mrs if they like to have a Zoom meeting, they A) Replied, and B) said yes!! must be the New Year affect, who knows. 2) Zoom with our long time friends in the UK, catching up on Drumpf, Boris the nob etc. 3) Zoom dinner and part #4 of our murder-mystery game with our friends in Arizona. One more suspect removed from the list... I have determined that the New Year hasn't done anything to make IT support staff smarter - no surprises there, right. Having waited since 29th Dec for help, via email, never heard. Yesterday PHONED them, had to leave a message, 4 hours later they returned call. Spent an unsuccessful hour attempting to get me connected. "Escalated it" to the guy I originally requested help from, who directed me to the Help desk... you get the picture. This AM replying to an email sent to HIM with the details of the issue, he asked what the problem was - I nearly replied INCOMPETENCE!!! I've now escalated it to the head of Finance (who I work for at the client) and I suspect given my outlining of ALL the steps so far, someone might bet a boLLocking, if I was part of the management there I'd be firing one or more idiots!!! SO I'll wait, may even just take the rest of the day off and !@$!#@%$!#$ them... -9 and sunny first thing, heading for -1 and the next few days will be a warm spell reaching into the heady +1 - +2 range Hope the lockdown is going as expected, whatever that might be , stay safe everyone.

Good morning everyone A dull start to the day, there is no frost this morning and only a few bits of snow in some of the planters is all that remains, but it hasn’t warmed up greatly, it’s still only 2C out there. It was suggested that I should carry on and finish the turntable control panel and leave the cellar work until next week, I thought it a good idea and so will do so. Hopefully by the end of the week it should all be finished, although I may not have completed the lettering on the panel front. So time to head to the workshop and look for that variable resistor I'm convinced I’ve got in a box of bits! Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. Brian (your trainee professional hermit)

Bear's goobers are in fine shape, thankfully. Certainly better than his knowledge of big words, having had to Google the meaning of "edentulous"..... Bear does have a dislike of yukky, ikky tastes such as those presented by coffee (seriously ikky), cream (yukky, but see note below) and walnuts (no thanks; iddy diddy bits in small amount are passable, however, in order to achieve the greater good - i.e. scoffing what's around the nuts, namely cake). Large walnuts in substances such as cake can always have the cake sucked off, however. Anyone want some nearly new walnuts? Note: Buttercream is most definitely firmly "on" the yummy list, however

I’m quite pleased with the bridge position, looks like I’ve managed to position it just the right distance from the curve to give the impression that the coaches exit on a straight....if that makes sense? I didn’t want it to be obvious that the line curves after the bridge (especially as I was forced to use 2nd radius curves due to the space available)

And tonight, we have the arrival of the Birmingham-Ely. Which passes another of those locos with a 4 at the front, this one on an M&GN Yarmouth train.

Can Bear detect a smidgeon of unhappiness by any chance? Bear prescribes oodles of LDC, preferably with several scoops of Ice Cream on the side. It won't fix the cockwombles but (a) you can smirk in the knowledge that they ain't got none, and (b) it'll make you a lot less p1ssed off and will greatly assist in achieving a "I really DON'T GIVE A SH1T mindset. Works for this Bear

Locusts are out - supermarkets getting stripped bare, traffic jams at every one. There hasn't even been an announcement yet about the government's intentions. Words fail me.

the new man next door does "bathroom fitting and refurbishment".. he may do that but he cannot chase wring into a party wall very well.... PAH! He had a wall replastered and is now.. digging great grroves in it.. I wonder if he is one of Doris's mates?? Baz

My Uncle used to play that, though not quite as well. And definitely without that look....... He wasn't know as Uncle Psycho for nothing. Think Lurch out of the Addams Family..... Buddy next door + SWMBO have a place in the south of France: Him: Flat Her: Apartment Him: Balcony Her: Terrace You get the idea.....

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The sore foot has kept me up most of the night, managed to get a couple of hours sleep first thing and followed by some cat-naps. Weather is not very promising with wintery showers predicted but its dry at the moment. Time to run a bath, be back later.

Although many of the Buckingham articles were in the magazines before I was born, my dad was a modeller and I often used to thumb through his old copies. My favourites were also Buckingham and Borchester but there were many others too. Some haven't stood the test of time and when I look back at the magazines now, they look very dated. Others just have an indefinable something that still works for me today. The first time I got to visit Peter Denny in Truro, when he was already in his high 80s in terms of age, I was so pleased to be able to tell him how much he had influenced me and that my modelling the Great Central Railway in pre-grouping times, in EM, was as much due to him as anything. I said that I hoped he didn't mind but I had brought along something and wondered if he would sign it for me. With a huge twinkle in his eye, he just chuckled and said "I hope you haven't brought every article, I should take all afternoon to sign them." There were nearly 200 in total, including ones in Japanese and American magazines, plus appearances on the telly. So my signed copy of the Wild Swan book is a very prized possession. Spending a couple of hours working Grandborough Junction with Peter working Buckingham is a memory I hope I never lose. I never got to say "Thank you" in person to Frank Dyer but his series in the MRJ is something I still read and the Borchester Market special issue is much thumbed. I think that the reason I admired them both is the fact that they were the ultimate all rounders to my eyes. There didn't seem to be any job on a model railway that they didn't do for themselves. Modelling standards have clearly moved on since those days and a Denny or Dyer loco would be no more than "average" compared to what is around today but to me, especially the Buckingham locos, they are like old friends that I care for very much. Each one has a personality and responds to the controller differently but if you really get to know them inside out, so you learn how to get the best from them, they will still run very nicely indeed. The oldest is now in its 75th year and still going strong!

I have managed to cheer myself up by reading some of the latest Viz annual. I have a Roger Mellie special and a Private Eye annual to go at too. I used to read one of Jamies former mobs Viz before i delivered it on my paper round when i was a lot younger. I had been trying to see what the new Hornby range has in store even though i muddle in N i cant get on the website at the minute but have seen mention of Playtrains range. Me and my brother had a set in a playtrains range many years ago it had orange plastic track a bit like the Tomy Thomas range. You could have clockwork or digital (push along with finger)

Morning all. We actually begin the new stay at home instructions with a couple of trips out. Today to collect medication and tomorrow to visit the Heart Failure Clinic. I think the appointment tomorrow is a reasonable excuse to travel. To answer Q’s query. Clinically extremely vulnerable people get NHS texts and follow up letters from Matt Hancock and Robert Jenrick . A few little parcels are arriving this morning, batteries, Velcro and needles. All of which have been used and we don’t have spares. The needle wasn’t used so much as lost in action. Tony

Eek! Poor Hattons, they really don't deserve this snub IMO.

Ah time to type this in again, again a comment from The lurker deleted what I was typing.. but the comment from Il Dottore didn't delete anything ... why? Mooring Awl Inner Temple Hare, 4.5 hours sleep when I woke with main from my left arm, I think I slept on it wrongly, then to the sofa where I got another 1.5 hours sleep as the pains subsided.. Ben the unsure Collie happily went out with me, but then a gust of wind tore through and he came to me for reassurance before continuing on patrol.. The easterly wind has piled up the North sea against the coast, so the river water isn't escaping, the Northern broads are on flood alert, it's just topping the quay in Wroxham, across the car park and just enough on the road to cause tyre spray. The roads are slightly quieter today.. Cockwomble 1, polishes the boot of my car for some distance then overtakes on Double whites.. I was doing the speed limit.. Cockwomble 2 on the radio, says the Vulnerable have to shield , then in the same report says, only the Extremely Vulnerable have to shield.. Now What is it? it's important as I'm Vulnerable... Since here I've looked it up and it's just the Extremely Vulnerable, which is a shame... I could do with more Keel building time.. Today is the 12th Night of Christmas and this evening you should take the decorations down.. It's a day of importance to the Bear, the Hippo and Il Dottore... For today King Cake aka Twelfth Cake should be eaten.. I've measured 100M Ohms and now Zero Ohms (0.0000230 Ohms) this morning. Time to work down from 19k Ohms to 1 Ohm.

Oh Dear. An edentulous bear, surely not? Or merely an inexplicable (and possibly phobic) dislike of hazelnuts and other fine cake ingredients - such as coffee, cream* and walnuts? * one can speculate if this aversion to cream in cakes is due to the fact that too often in the UK, synthetic “cream” is found in the patisserie, instead of the real stuff. And as we know bad childhood experiences shape the adult...

When I first edited this picture I sat back and thought it looked like you where looking through the drivers vison slit on a tank. So I 'wobbled' the edges and faded it a bit. Looks better but.......well here it is anyway.

Greetings all from a cold and grey Sidcup where the earlier sleet/drizzle seems to have ended for now. Younger Lurker seems to be coping Ok with his first day of the home schooling - i have not had to intervene too much which is good. Mrs Lurker said that the problem at school was the kids being dropped off when parent had not said they were coming in - or on a day when they were not supposed to be in. Oh and the heating had broken. One of the head's children has contracted the virus so she and her caretaker husband (funny how the contract was re-awarded on her appointment) are isolating. So I guess the heating will stay broken! I had a quick look at the new releases from the purveyors of red boxes. The Maunsell dining cars look nice.

Post has been with a new toy catalogue ... ... from Toolstation

No, that wasn't the case. Measurement and survey of details were taken from Stroudley examples at both the Bluebell Railway and at the Mid-Hants in November 2019, which were used as the basis for this range of coaches. Prototypically, the Stroudleyesque 4w Brake that Edwardian is admiring should have been on a shorter chassis, but a bit like Les Dawson's piano playing, all the notes are there, just not in the right order...

Mind you some r-mails seem to be taking their time too - I have just had one telling me that one of Mrs Lurker’s Christmas presents is out for delivery; it arrived as originally arranged on 23 December! Younger Lurker starts home school today for the first time at his new school; work will be released in line with the timetable. The promised extra details for Year 7 have not been forthcoming but I expect we will muddle through! have a good day all!

Morning, at least the clock says it is. The sky and my head say differently; goodnight!

Today I cut the slit in the Branch trackbed for the superelevation, then extended the short joist under the Chapel Sidings to support the branch just on the Down side of the toe of 41B points. I then decided it would make sense to relay the temporary Up and Down Branch Spurs on their correct alignment. First, having lifted the tracks for the second time in two days, I found a small offcut of 9mm ply that would extend the Up Branch Spur just enough to get the full long clay train - 42xx + two Toads + 10 clay tips - in. I used another piece of ply to support the joint and moved the temporary joist and riser to support the extended Spurs. After that, I laid the temporary tracks on both Spurs but without 41A and 41B points at this stage, as these need some fettling before they're ready to reuse. Here are the relaid tracks from the end looking Up and from the side. You can see that I also put a further piece of ply in place temporarily to catch anything that might fall off. Finally here is the long clay train tucked into the Up Branch Spur, pretending to be at St Dennis Junction awaiting its path back to St Enodoc, Porthmellyn Road and on to Tregissey. That's it for construction for the time being until I get some more timber to make up the St Enodoc L-girders. In the meantime I'll turn to other things, like the platforms. In preparation, I've looked through lots of photos showing the relationship between the various buildings and station furniture at Par, to get the relative positions roughly the same at Porthmellyn Road.