colin penfold

I lived on a farm in the 80s with some really aggressive resident geese. The ringleader used to run alongside my car ( a rover P6 ) pecking the hubcaps so hard you could hear the clanging inside the car. One day it stood in front of the car and made me stop. I waited for several minutes for it to move away then drove forward dead slow (wasnt getting out of the car to check - it would have had me!) It was too determined for its own good and stood its ground. P6 is quite a heavy car ) The rest of the goose gang were much more amenable after the ringleader died and started laying eggs so the lady of the manor forgave me!

you're nuts

how about a replay two or three days later, on a neutral ground (sorry I'm an old git)

I remember what a treat it used to be when a 2 SAP turned up on the shepperton branch when I was a kid. The compartments and seats were so much more comfy than the SUBs or EPBs, plus the novelty value! Having just had my 50th Birthday treat of a 6 course meal in Pullman Barbara on the KESR Wealden Pullman, I think I will say any "proper" pullman carriage, preferably with food and drink brought to my seat (given that i will be 90 by then!!!)

On Drogba, I think he is not only an awesome talent but one of the most honest players out there (pause for laughter to die down!) Seriously, he treats his opponents with respect, you rarely see him out of order or trying to hurt people. Last night he was helping players up out of challenges , and his treatment of Robben after the game was amazing - comforting him about the missed penalty. I know he has a massive ego and likes to be noticed (tell me a player in the top league that doesn't) but that's where the rolling about on the floor comes from - he's just attention seeking. Rarely do you see him try to get a foul or an opponent booked, he just wants our cute girly physio to stroke his leg!!!! I don't quite understand the contract thing with Drogba. Chelsea want to give him a year's contract, he wants two. If we let him go now, we get no money for him. If we give him a year's contract he goes on a free next year. If we give him two and sell him after a year we get his service for a year and then what? £5 million transfer fee. I must have missed something. Roman, sign him up....... On the CL qualification - I see it quite simply. When they divvy up the slots for the competition, they should put one aside for the winner. Then divvy the rest up by country. That way at he beginning of the season, everyone would know for sure if they finish in whatever place in their league, they are in. It's no suprise there is a winner this year - there always is!!! Kevin, your crystal ball was working well - Alan Mullery just said on Sky we were lucky to get through and win it on penalties. Sour grapes or what? I thought he was a super professional as a player and would have expected better of him.

As a Chelsea fan I say thanks for the kind words ) Can't believe we showed them so much respect and felt we were a bit negative at times, but perhaps the boys were just waiting to beat the Germans at penalties!!!! Sorry to any Spurs fans out there - it's rotten for you and there should be a spot for the winners above and beyond the pre-planned qualifying slots so this never happens again. If you finish in a qualifying slot you should be in. They also said Chelsea don't have to play in the qualifying round so there is a team somewhere in Europe that will have to play an extra round that they were not expecting. BTW did you see that English hater Platini giving out the medals - hope it choked him.

and look how tight those curves are - soooooo unrealistic!

I feel sad for Petr Cech - made the save of the season and nobody is talking about it because of the goal line question. Brilliant save. As to the thickness of the line versus the thickness of the post, they are the same so the photo on here says no goal. Unlike the one we got against Spurs, which should never have been given, there is nothing on that picture to suggest that a goal should have been given. It inconclusive and the benefit of the doubt went the right way. The reality is photos and tv stills are not 100% accurate, and the linesman doesn't even get them to look at. That's why I do agree we need the proper technology.

Yeah I think Frank Lampard has it after the England goal he never got, or the one the scousers got over us in the Champs League. Whole ball over the whole line, not this time. Still, definitely time for Goal Line Technology

Dont understand this - The cup final is today and there should be no premier league fixtures AT ALL. So why do Arsenal and Norwich play this lunchtime when all the others play tomorrow? The sky haters will no doubt come in with a chorus of "because of the telly" but here's the thing - it's not on telly. Go figure. Apart from the FA being more disorganised and clueless than a headless chicken with dementia and concussion, WHY??????

I think you are spot on. I have read a lot of the history of Colonel Stephens and his railways and had he lived and worked long enough he would certainly have been front of the queue for these locos and the mark 1 coaches on withdrawal too! I think that the KESR created a smashing light railway atmosphere by picking up bits and pieces in a stephens-like approach as opposed to trying the impossible of recreating what the KESR's trains looked like in its heyday. The KESR inspired my interest in Col. Stephens as well as prompting me to work there as a volunteer in my teens. Plus, austerities make lots of noise and smoke and make you smile:

Nice one. Glad you liked my shots. I'm sorry I cant help with the route of the MGR as this was far from my regular stomping ground. The only help I can give is that it was a wednesday morning. I had arrived on the sleeper from London, popped to Haymarket for a look at the newly introduced Glasgow-Edinburgh push pull trains, then up to Princes Street Gardens for these shots. They are posted here in time order so given that the MGR was the first shot at this location, probably around 930am. The strongest memory is how very cold it was! I did see a couple of brass monkeys pestering the local PWay crew for a loan of their welding gear..........

Hi, Thought some photos from January 1980 might get your creative juices flowing. Yes the white sleepers are covered with a very sharp frost! With apologies for the quality (due to film deterioration and poor conditions on the day) 0444 26001 26007 0445 25033 0446 40101 0448 40086 0449 40 (unknown number) 0450 40 (unknown number) 0451 55018 ballymoss

Hi, Kevin Holland's very interesting article on SR Coach formations in Model Rail this month categorically states that "no SR Maunsell or Bullied coaches received this (Blue and Grey) livery" Hope this helps

the forseeable future

the world is your oyster but your future's a clam

just outside bognor

down in the bunker - the steve gibbons band

this train don't stop there anymore - elton john ( yeeessss - got a train title in!!!!!!!! )

time for action - secret affair

sunshine - alexander o'neal

back home - the england 1970 world cup squad (nobody said the songs had to be any good!!!!

black velvet band - dubliners

Or how about taking a video camera and acting like the whole exhibition was set up for you to practice your cameramanship rather than for people to enjoy the models. You could stand with your elbows sticking out at eye level and try to dominate a 180 degree arc to pan your shots of every passing train. Be careful though because apart from getting lynched people might just notice in the viewfinder over your shoulder that not only are you a pain in the a**se but you also have no idea how to operate the camera either!!!!

Hey, lots of possibilities - a tesco value layout using secondhand track and all Hornby Railroad locos or a finest layout with hanbuilt track and those £1000 quid A4s