BMacdermott

Hello David Some 'googling' suggests that 'my incident' was the first official use of STN in this way. Brian

Hello everyone Talking about 'tapes', I recorded the 1975 hi-jacking of a Manchester-Heathrow flight. I took the tape into work the next day...only for my colleague's tape player to chew the cassette to pieces! Sadly, I didn't know the 'chewing' was happening until it was far too late!. I wish I had kept it as - with today's technology - it could probably have been 'recovered'. I believe the hi-jacker wanted to go Paris after having landed at LHR, but the authorities hatched a cunning plan to go to Stansted - which was much less busy in those days, of course. I have a feeling that a Trident full of 'LHR Top Brass' was sent up after it - but why, I don't know. Brian

Hello Jol and Tony According to my (big) Oxford Dictionary of English a Broad Church (correct with capitals) is: A tradition or group within the Anglican Church favouring a liberal interpretation of doctrine, or A group or doctrine which allows for and caters to a wide range of opinions of people. Brian

Hello everyone KR Models has announced the 'Bellerophon' loco - this took Second Place. We wish KR Models every success with the project. Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

Hello everyone All the best to KR Models with these announcements. The 'Bellerophon' steam loco took Second Place in The Quirky Poll 2020. Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

Hello everyone If you have 48 minutes to spare, you may like this After Dinner Speech! Edited to add: Please be aware it was recorded maybe 40 years ago. Some places may have what would nowadays be called either 'offensive' or 'not politically correct' language (but no swearing). These are very few but I felt best to advise. Brian

Hello Peter Hope you are well. Presumably, the CorrPMV is not the only vehicle (as it did not have Guard facilities). Brian

Hello everyone Congratulations to Hornby on updating this welcome and undoubtedly popular model! The vehicle has been High Polling in (what was) The Annual 00 Wishlist Poll for many years. Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

Hello Simon Link to Gov website below may be of use?? Brian https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency

Hello Dagworth I just did - before I advised you to look. Are you having a problem that I'm not? Brian

Hello Dagworth Stated at the bottom of the results (as we always did with 'the main Poll'). Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

Results - The Quirky Poll 2020 Hello everyone Firstly, The Quirky Poll Team would like to thank all the voters in this Poll and to wish all readers a safe and happy 2021! Ok...the results are ready for you on the attached PDF! Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team) Results - The Quirky Poll 2020.pdf

Hello again rob The pic below should bring back memories! I have stuck yellow strips on the old route. Photo is in the book: Heathrow in Pictures, by Adrian M Balch (The History Press). Brian

Hello rob I wonder if it was primarily a matter of security. It was a big, wide open entrance to 'air side'. It was great to be able to watch planes cross in front of you! I have looked though the book Heathrow: From Tents to Terminal 5. The author is a Chartered Civil & Structural Engineer, so the book is written from the buildings and infrastructure perspective. Sadly, I can't find any reference there but a quick bit of googling suggests closure was early 2006. Brian

Hello Andrew If you go into the link I supplied via PDF, they show all manner of chain. My photo was a 'sample'. Brian

Hello again Andrew Try via this PDF. Brian Panda Hall.pdf

Hello Andrew That was very interesting to have a look into! Try www.pandahall.com. Photo from one of their pages (which I can't seem to 'link' here!) Brian

Hello Andrew There are some very good close-up photos of chains (on wagons) in: The British Railways Collection, British Railways Wagons, Their Loads & Loading. Bill Grant and Bill Taylor. Silver Link Publishing. Brian

Hello Dennis WD 2-8-0 No.90693 was 'clearance tested' over the S&D with a brake van on 9 December 1958. In January 1959, sister loco No.90125 arrived for a test working on the 11.00am Bath (Green Park)-Evercreech Junction goods. She was booked to work the train on 21 January but 'went off the boil' and had be worked back on shed by No.53804, which duly worked the train. No.90125 did work the train on 22 January. Behind the loco was a 4-wheel fitted van, then an SR Van BY, three SR 4-wheel 'utility vans' and another fitted van - highly unusual on S&D freight trains - then about 30 or so mixed wagons and vans. To quote briefly from one of Ivo Peters' albums: Off they set, gingerly, from Shepton Mallet, but by Prestleigh speed was building up at an alarming rate and the engine no longer had control of the train. Somewhat disturbed, the inspector called out to the driver, "Will you be able to pull up by the junction, driver?" to which he got the very abrupt reply , "Junction be b.....! We will be b.... lucky if we have stopped by Cole!" Whereupon the vacuum fitted vans were hastily brought into action...and the 'Austerity' 8Fs were not seen again on the S&D. Once upon a time, the Log Book of the Bath (Green Park) Shed Running Foreman was in my possession but, sadly, that started a month later than these trips. Brian

Hello Andrew My point was that this thread is about 'learning'...if, as you say, you 'know nothing about the S&D', it is well worth looking into. I didn't mention 'contributing'. Brian

Hello Andrew Well...therein lies a vast new world of research and information for you! Brian

Hello everyone Many thanks to all who voted. The Poll is now closed and I am working on the results, which I hope to publish about midday tomorrow, 1 January 2021. Look for: Results - The Quirky Poll 2020. Note to Andy: Grateful if this thread can be 'locked off''. Many thanks. Brian

Hello again John I forgot to say that we preview the results location in my original post on page 1 - see below. Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team) We aim to publish the results in the usual Poll Team format as soon as we can on 1 January 2021 – look for the title: Results – The Quirky Poll 2020.

Hello John What normally happens is that I post a link to the Results here, then get Andy to 'close off' this thread. Seems to have worked fine for all our previous Polls. Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)

Hello John The point is taken and understood but we always publish Poll results under a separate heading for clarity. Some people are more interested in the results rather than the list. Brian (on behalf of The Quirky Poll Team)