APOLLO

Everything below is fact. I won't write my thoughts as they seem to offend some. In China many thousands of EV's are piling up in storage, like the millions of bikes. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2023-china-ev-graveyards/?leadSource=uverify wall https://electrek.co/2023/09/22/lesson-take-china-abandoned-electric-car Efficient use of the planets valuable resources, and the resultant CO2 (etc) spewed into the atmosphere during manufacture. ? Back on topic, and this is just Northern. No wonder the pattern of rail travel is changing !! https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/strikes I wonder if China can send us a couple of million bikes !!!!!!!!!! Meanwhile in "Global Warming" Britain https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-67605553 Also, very cold and little wind last week or so, electricity generation by gas maxed out, as indeed was the gas grid. Solar did help a little when it was sunny !! https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/11/30/gas-network-maximum-capacity-cold-snap-hits/ https://electricinsights.co.uk/#/dashboard?&_k=s804by Last weeks figs - can we REALLY do away with gas I honestly ask ? (and don't mention more windfarms / solar). Brit15

Very well written DY444. I agree with every point. And yes the above is on topic, as people are "forced" (economically) out of their cars on to public transport, we all need a PT system that is fit for purpose. We don't seem to be going in that direction, especially our railways. Brit15

No but I'm considering converting it to a wood burner !! Brit15

Short tunnel. The lining was difficult being on a curve and had to clear high / long stock. It's lined with plaster and sprayed black. Built 2001 and still OK. This is O gauge. Track is loose ballasted with bird cage grit, not one problem to date, and makes track realignment / alterations a doddle. Track is Peco. Brit15

I'll not take the bait. Sunny day, I'll give the '73 Rover 3.5 Litre V8 a run, but where to ? - Why, the petrol station of course !! Brit15

Re the above it's plainly obvious that price gouging and discouragement to travel is becoming the norm (non acceptance of railcards etc). The Gov pushed back the petrol / diesel car ban to 2035, but yesterday Gov voted through a bill to fine manufacturers if they do not meet high EV production versus Petrol / Diesel production. Read this, dated 28 Nov 23. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-sets-out-path-to-zero-emission-vehicles-by-2035 See my previous post. Still valid. Brit15

If that is the future of AI gawd help us all !!!! Brit15

Allocated to Springs Branch, Wigan !! Brit15

I have found the cheap (around £3 / pair) reading glasses from such as B&M (etc) very useful for close focus. Try a few and choose one or two (distance dependant). I have a set in the loft for my OO and one in the garage for my O layout (used a lot less !!). For info I normally wear glasses and have two sets, one for driving / distance and one for reading / computer. The ones above I use for very close, 3" - 6" eye to object. Brit15

Not very well - I remember going to Ribblehead station on a very wet and windy December day looking for the Hornby shop !!! All I got was Pneumonia !!!. Brit15

I've been a Tri-ang / Hornby fan and buyer for around 60 of my 71 years. Starting off in TT back around 1960 was exciting, but very soon after they stopped making it and I was increasingly getting a little fed up as shop stocks etc ran out. Starting work in 69 and moving house in 1972 that was it - all my TT packed was away, it was mostly worn out anyway. I still have it all, and I had a look recently at the new TT120 but it's incompatible with my old TT3, and as Ian Hunter sang, Once bitten twice shy. In all honesty I'll give it just a few years, a passing fad. Hope I'm wrong. I started in OO in 1972, the range of OO manufacturers and models back then was a revelation compared to TT. Later I tried a bit of N/American HO but now I have mostly completed layouts British OO in the loft and N/American O in the garage. I have lots of Hornby OO (along with many other makes) acquired over the years, and I'm pleased with most, both accuracy and running etc. I buy little these days, basically I have what I need. Hornby Railroad was always a winner for me, superb value for money, The 9F's, Black 5's etc are staple stuff and real value for money. Long may it continue. Good luck Hornby. Brit15

i heard there are Pacers being held in strategic reserve at Springs Branch for HS2 !!!!!!!!!!! Brit15

I thought Bisto was going to make them, being a Government contract !!!! Brit15

Very interesting, found this online, worth a look, https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiff-penarth-tunnel-history-secret-20848504 Brit15

They could in the interim make these - a "spade ready" ready £££millions market to Government !!!!! Brit15

Brit15

Many years ago (1963) when Manchester Piccadilly was electrified I remember a visit to the then new ticket office with my sister and father booking holiday tickets to Newquay for my sister & friend and Ilfracombe for my elder brother and myself. A huge table top like machine with two slideable "cursors" picked the station and printed the tickets. Never seen anything like that since. At least it was quick and worked !! On the day an electric loco hauled us to Crewe, A Black 5 to Shrewsbury and a Warship on to Exeter, change train for a ride behind a Spam Can to Ilfracombe, sister & her mate carried on to Newquay. Dad and Mum drove down from Wigan in the small Austin, no motorways !!. Dad had enough after this, he traded the "Galloping maggot" (as we called it) in for a Mk 7 Jag !! Brit15

Being an ex Gas engineer I'm not very nautical, and working for 20 years in Warrington MSC always stood for Manchester Ship Canal !! A little tale. Back in the 70's we had two cast iron gas mains that went under the MSC via shafts and a tunnel at Stockton Heath. Just before every Christmas we had to ask MSC to put the pumps on and clear the shafts etc (water built up to canal level) so we could inspect the mains and drain any water ingress at the syphons (drain points). A mucky, somewhat risky job down & up a 80 odd foot cast iron ladder with electricity & post office cables impeding but we were young and daft then pre HSE days !!. The reason we did it in December is that one Christmas they flooded and cut gas to the area south of the canal off causing havoc. The boss liked his turkey & stuffing, so December was always inspection time. !!!!! Anyway down in the tunnel one year a Manchester Liners ship & tug went overhead, we could hear it, a bit like being a submarine commander !!. Couple of years later the safety officer visited and banned us from entry - a VERY expensive re routing of gas supply over the railway bridge below was carried out and these old mains cut off. No more fun. On a lighter note the most pleasant trip on a boat I (and family) have ever had was a cruise down the Chao Phraya River in Thailand from Ayutthaya to Bangkok which included a superb Thai buffet lunch. A million miles from Warrington on a frosty December day. Brit15

Well I do hope I'm wrong, but at school here in Wigan they taught us that 2+2 = 4 !!!!!!!!!! I'll leave it at that. Brit15

Yes rover tickets are hard to get. Last year I bought a 4(days) in 8 "Freedom of the North West" rover , a bargain with my senior railcard at just under £60. The area covered the triangle Liverpool - Chester - Warrington - Wigan - Manchester - Leeds - Carlisle and everything within, WCML, Settle & Carlisle, Cumbrian Coast etc. 4 wonderful days out, I managed to travel on the S&C every day / Cumbrian Coast line twice and the Bentham line (Skipton to Lancaster). I really enjoyed every day. Buying the ticket at Wigan NW was a bit of a faff, but the helpful staff eventually found the ticket and issued it, even threw in a couple of timetable booklets. God knows how I could have bought that ticket otherwise. Can't fathom if it's available on line or at a ticket machine. Poor marketing of a superb product. https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tickets-railcards-offers/promotions/freedom-of-the-north-west-4-in-8-day/ https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/sites/default/files/2022-10/North West Rover map NEW.pdf Be doing that again in the spring. Brit15

It's very, very sad reading the above and other posts in this thread. Our railways seem to be in full on dumb down / service reduction (etc)mode in all respects. Ticket costs and availability (ticket machines not fit for purpose) and the near criminal scrapping of perfectly serviceable stock. That some stock was refurbished etc then immediately scrapped makes my blood boil. The TPE loco & coach fiasco also comes to mind. Also the ongoing rail strikes have harmed the industry severeley and blame is on BOTH sides to varying degrees. We are being sold the (lie, exagguration ? who knows) of climate change / net zero / demonisation of oil, natural gas, coal etc. It's getting sillier by the year. What a demon I have been during my 40+ year career being responsible for many, many miles of new and replacement gas mains and gas network expansion to numerous non gas areas. All for nought now it seems. There will be no living soon for most (99.99% of us). No gas boilers (coming to Oxford in a couple of years Google it), electric cars that most can't afford (or want), 15 minute cities (again Oxford etc). Our public transport is quite simply a joke for many (yes some areas are better than others). The HS2 fiasco is just plainly unbeleiveable. "They" do not want us to travel (etc). Not a conspiracy theory its plainly obvious. "They" being the various governments, local authorities etc under the spell of the WEF (and other agencies) - yes the WEF who openly state on their website that "You will own nothing and be happy" (and freeze to death in your 15 minute city) eating insect burgers (Had one of those over in Thailand once - the less said the better !!). I cannot see anything getting better anytime soon transportation and energy wise. The situation willl continue to deteriorate. Covid was the catalyst that started all this, NOT the reason. Brit15

Ahh Lieutenant Pigeon, brings back memories. Just started drinking (legally !!) and Joe, the Landlord in the local got a bit fed up of us lot putting this record on the Juke Box and singing along "Ohhh Mouldy old Joe" Happy days. Brit15

Anyone else daft enough to buy this LP in the 70's ? Top stuff - stereo and all !!!!! Brit15

Just finished listening this to the very end. VERY informative by those who are in the know. I don't usually subscribe to Youtube channels but I have to this. What a state this country is in. Still the smiling assasin didn't put beer duty up today, whoopee !!!!!! Brit15

Nice prototype clickety clack here plus a Deltic !! Brit15