jonny777

I need to take a close-up photo of my face with an iPhone, for passport renewal purposes; but the "helpful" people at Apple have programmed the most annoying function ever into the phone. Whenever it recognises a face shape, it adds a blue box around it, so that I can tag myself (or anyone else) in photos I post online. I don't want to post endless photos of my face online. I want a clear photo with no additions for my passport. Does anyone know how to turn this nonsense off, before I take it to an Apple centre and ram it up the @rse of the nearest employee? Any internet search including 'face id box' just returns billions of 'how to use face id on an iPhone', which are not of any use to me.

For me, it is simply decades of experience. If I go out in my car, I can guarantee without fail that I will not be tailgated by a Nissan Micra, or Skoda Fabia at any point on my journey. However, I can be pretty sure that, after a few miles, if I am unlucky enough to be caught up by a BMW then its driver will need to show me that I am slowing him down, and I need to get out of his way, so that he can race to the next car at the speed he has designated as safe, and repeat the process all over again. BMWs are not the only cars to do this, many Audi drivers are the same. It is as if they constantly wish to demonstrate to other road users how a car *should* be driven. In the days when I sometimes cycled to work in good weather, there were many times when I was almost forced into the hedge by an impatient driver who certainly was not going to wait for a gap in oncoming traffic at 15mph in order to overtake me - so they didn't. 99 times out of 100 I would have the car confirmed as a BMW, Audi or Range Rover; as they sped by within inches of my pedal.

Dull and damp here in North Somerset. I'm finally getting back to normal after the activity surrounding funeral arrangements, and sorting my Dad's estate finances. It is amazing how wide and varied some people's investments are/were. Many of Dad's shareholdings were still registered at his Heckington address even though he has not lived there for 16 years. Maybe the innocent folk, who have been getting post addressed to him, will now find it all stops? Things are made even more complex because Dad married twice. I am executor; my brother is not, but my step brother is. We all live hundreds of miles from each other, and sometimes institutions insist that online copies of signed documents are not enough, so that forms have to be posted, signed, posted back, checked, then posted to the relevant organisation. Anyway, today is Friday 13th, so I may hibernate for 24 hours - not that I'm superstitious or anything like that.

That is excellent, as 69814 was a Grantham engine from 1954 to early 1960.

Well I have pre-ordered two. The fun starts now; trying to find photos of any locos other than 69820 (which is the rtr version announced) that gained a late BR crest before being withdrawn.

Oh, wow!

There were three oval plaques made for Mallard, after its record run. The spare appeared on Antiques Roadshow a few weeks back. However, it was not valued as highly as I expected, because it had never been carried by the locomotive.

Dry and bright here in North Somerset, although on the weather radar - rain appears to be approaching from the west. Grandchildren have gone home now, and grandparents appreciating the peace and quiet. How we coped with three primary school children when our kids were young, I don't know; but I don't remember it being quite such a persistent demand for instant entertainment or gratification. I do believe that the invention of small screens on phones and tablets has removed any need for children using their own imaginations. Life seems to be so boring without a highly coloured, big eyed, US/Japanese cartoon character to watch. And I wouldn't even try to imagine what they would do when faced with Meccano or Bayko, which kept me quiet for hours. Yes there is Lego, but all that seems to emerge from a 2 minute construction session (after which it becomes 'boring') is a big tower consisting of a large number of bricks piled one on top of the other. And I lost count of the number of occasions, ten minutes after breakfast or lunch, when the "I'm hungry" or "Can I have a snack?" whining started.

It is a common misconception that all cattle methane is produced by farting cows, but the truth is that the majority is exhaled in their breath as a result of the fermentation process. I'm not sure how a cow can be described as overfed. Does anyone have data on the amounts of grass that a cow should eat each day?

It was somewhat amusing to see the reaction of certain regular travellers who considered the compartment was designed personally for their sole use. I remember on a coastal trip from Brighton, probably to Eastbourne or Hastings many years ago, a person seemed completely put out when he opened the outside carriage door to discover me, SWMBO and three lively children occupying most of the seats. He looked at us with a stare of disdain, which is understandable after having stood at the precise point on the platform where he knew the carriage door would stop. To give him credit, he did sit it out in the corner for a while, but was probably relieved to get out at his destination.

I remember getting an overnight train from Preston in 1978, after a mate and I had spent the day on the station. We found an empty Mk1 compartment, pulled down the blinds turned the heating to max and shut the door. With us both laid out across the seats each side of the compartment, and thought we may get a few hours of shuteye before Euston. However, first stop was Wigan; and within minutes of the train stopping, the compartment door opened and in walked some kind of local man mountain, who proclaimed "it's hot in here" and opened the window, then turned off the heating. FFS!! As we left Wigan for Warrington, we got up and went down the carriage where we soon found another empty compartment, shut the door, turned on the heater, etc., and repeated the whole process again. Fortunately, we were not disturbed again, apart from a ticket inspector at one point.

D6562 and D6515 await departure with an Exeter to Waterloo service in 1970. Photographer unknown, my collection.

It all sounds good, but wouldn't have been easier to escort her along to the BG or BSK where wider doors are available?

D6529 and D6521 on PW duties at Bickley - September 24th 1961. No notes on image, but possibly a Norman Preedy shot.

Second class compartments were good for sleeping, at least in my experience - but only if there were two people per compartment, one each side. I remember on a very exhausting three day tour of Scotland by train, I fell asleep on the way to Georgemas Junc with the sound of a 26 throbbing away through the open windows. Excellent.

Dry and bright in North Somerset. A few rumbles of thunder yesterday afternoon, but no rain. Granddaughter is here to stay for a few days, which should result in an exhausted grandpa. She has already whispered in my ear that she knows my father died in the middle of the night, and she was very upset. Isn't that sweet? She is only 7.

At Sleaford in the 1960s, it was a regular job for one of the porters to walk out onto the platform and shout "Boston train. All stations to Boston" (or equivalent if the train was heading for Grantham or Lincoln). As people have hinted, at large stations with overall roofs, it was impossible to understand what the announcer was saying because the sound just echoed back and forth and mixed with the general noise of steam, diesel, platform whistles, engine whistles, etc. If a Deltic was moving under the roof at Kings Cross, it was difficult to hear any other noise, let alone the station announcer. I presume the same applied at York, Newcastle and Edinburgh; but I didn't visit those stations regularly (more's the pity).

Dull and misty here in North Somerset, but not sure if there is any precipitation as I am not tempted to go outside. Have the delightful task of arranging a funeral, but one relative seems to have put a spanner in the works by implying that my father had reserved a plot in Bourne cemetery next to my mother for his ashes. This is the first I have heard of it, and he certainly did not mention anything to me. However, I may have to find out. I have no idea who might know, but I will start with a call to the town council.

Cool and showery in North Somerset. 6.5mm rain since sunrise. At least the sun comes out between showers which is nice. A squirrel is trying to get at my nuts, but is having some trouble.

Oh no! That is terrible. Cancer is such a cowardly thing. It seems to delight in occupying certain secret areas, and only coming out into the open when it has multiplied muchly. Best wishes for an optimistic diagnosis. The medics can work wonders these days.

Dry and bright here in North Somerset, though rather cool at 16C. I know that I complained bitterly when we had a week of consecutive 28/29/30C, but there was no need for the weather to go to the complete opposite extreme. Yesterday was more akin to October than July.

Thankyou all, for your sympathetic comments. They are much appreciated. While I can't say that Dad's passing came as a shock, it is strange to think that he is not here any more. He did well really, almost 98 and outlived both his wives (one after the other, you understand). Mum died in 1994 aged only 70, and so he lived 27 years after her death, married a second time but stepmum died in 2007 aged 82. He retired at 60 in 1983, so he certainly had his moneys' worth from the state. Now, I have to sort out his chaotic finances, as in later life he bought a shredder and with failing eyesight he shredded lots of documents he ought to have kept.

Dull, wet and windy in North Somerset. Quite appropriate really as Dad passed away overnight, just two weeks short of his 98th birthday. I don't think it has quite sunk in yet, but have lots of phone calls to make. Back later.

Thanks for this. I had decided that although it is illegal for money to be taken out of the deceased's bank account by an executor without some form of authority (mostly probate), there is nothing I can find to say money cannot be paid in. The Will only leaves the property to a surviving spouse, and there is none; so the house sale just adds to the estate. However, Dad seems to be hanging on today according to my brother who has seen him just recently, so I will take that as an optimistic sign.

Thanks for this. I had decided that although it is illegal for money to be taken out of the deceased's bank account by an executor without some form of authority (mostly probate), there is nothing I can find to say money cannot be paid in. The Will only leaves the property to a surviving spouse, and there is none; so the house sale just adds to the estate. However, Dad seems to be hanging on today according to my brother who has seen him just recently, so I will take that as an optimistic sign.