highpeakman

I know this is not a new gripe but...Car Insurance renewal is so infuriating. 20% up on last year, Apply as new customer and it's 20% less as is every other company. Discount for staying is only 5%. Every year we have to waste so much time applying to be "new" customers for different companies. Why?????

Memo to Self: Repeat after me - I must finish projects before starting new ones! (Just found 8 old locos in various states at back of the cupboard - mostly tender drive). Reassembly session and Ewhatsit I think.

Arranging to replace a pair of expensive tyres that have worn quickly. Told by tyre supplier that a second set of tyres never lasts as long as the factory original set! Don't think I agree, what do others think?

Staying in Seaton for a few days so decided to visit Pecorama. Expected to see at least one layout demonstrating the latest modelling standards and using latest bits available. Very disappointed though. Few layouts with a "clean, text book" standard looking to be straight from the catalogue and poor running with trains stopping/starting abruptly in the stations and yards (some not running at all). No apparent use of modern control systems to make things more interesting/realistic. Am...

HMRC - VAT returns - What can you say? All sunbmissions done correctly weeks ago. Chasing gets answers like "maybe", "it should", "Yes, we know it's wrong but it should self correct", "Should sort itself out", "a glitch in the system", "We will do it urgently" still not done 4 weeks later.

Just spent the best part of yesterday looking for a small pack of custom made name and number plates. Finally, of course, found them in one of the first places I had looked (and subsequently twice more) right next to the workbench. Just how do these, supposedly inanimate, things manage to hide so well?

A d****head driving a lorry who was unable to read the large "Low Bridge" signs (complete with flashing lights) at Gainsborough has caused total disruption to rail, bus and many roads in the area.

One of the "mysteries of modelling": Just why do fishplates suddenly lose the ability to electrically connect track together? This is second time I've had to wire in a new dropper after months of use without a problem.

Festive Mince pies in Tesco on Wednesday, Christmas trees in department store display today in town! Come on, it's September still! Ridiculous!

Scampton Air Show is on just up the road but it has just started absolutely hammering down with rain. Feel so sorry for those watching the show. One thing about railway modelling as a hobby is that it is (usually!) a dry and warm hobby.

Had some grief with online banking over last week - not my fault. After explaining to bank in a nice, but positive way, the nice man in complaints dept said sorry and gave me a hundred quid. Now, what loco do I need next?

Grrrrrrrrrrr! Spent hours, swapping decoders about and testing on a Hornby Fowler Tank only to find the problem was a (large) solder bridge between two pins underneath the DCC plug. It ran perfectly on DC. Poor quality soldering job made me think I had two bad decoders.

Was advised today that the cause of a almost flat battery on my car is the "Smart" technology that it has fitted. Apparently this stops the alternator from spending too long charging the battery because that saves fuel. This happens even when the charge is low owing to short journeys. Smart? PAH!

Some say that the best way of learning is making mistakes. By that argument I should know everything after almost three score years and ten so why do I keep making them?

Those nice people at Notts Police have kindly sent me an invitation to go to one of their Speed Awareness Courses. Oh well, could have been worse I suppose. (For clarification I was not caught in a residential area. 60 in a 50 limit on a straight and clear B road in the countryside). Guilty, no argument, but question is why we can't get them to put speed trap in our village from time to time.

Just got around to fitting a decoder to my Peckett and running it on layout for the first time. Runs so sweetly and looks fantastic. Hornby, you cracked it with this one!

Attended Doncaster Show this weekend. Great layouts and interesting stands. Generally enjoyable but why are so many visitors so inconsiderate to others? Barging, pushing and blocking stands is only part of it. In Worlds of their own. Left after 3 hours as getting so fed up with it. Old subject I know but fresh in mind again.

Wife is a Blue Badge Holder. At lunchtime we found disabled parking slot occupied by Nissan Navaro (Pick up truck as big as a 9F) but not displaying any blue badge. Probably because driver does not have ability to park such a big thing in a normal space! Such selfish actions make me mad!

Just collected my Peckett - Beautiful. Still a couple available in stock at Caistor Loco (at 3pm). They only arrived today.

Just put the winter duvet on the bed - may stay under it a lot longer in the morning if the forecast snow arrives. Roll on Spring!

My garden shed is possessed by a demon! Although I always (of course) put things away carefully and tidy when I go back all the electric cables are tangled around forks, spades, everything! And why is the last thing I used now at the back and underneath it all? I'm sure I didn't leave it like that.

Mobile phone: ring-ring. Hello. My names Julie and I understand you have been involved in a car accident. *****! How do we stop this outrageous, privacy invading rubbish?

Trying to reduce my library of railway books. Unfortunately there seems to be such stupidly low prices offered when selling online. Might not be bad though as the local hospice shop will benefit and hopefully they can get more for them.

Well that was fun!. My Bachmann Jinty threw a connection rod screw, dropped the rod and threw the wheel quartering out. Finally found the screw - where else but in the tunnel! All back together and sorted now but what a waste of an hour or so. Should I Loctite the screws?

Ordered my long desired Midland Compound from Locomotion over a week ago. Order acknowledged immediately but nothing heard since to indicate when I might get it though in spite of £7.50 del charge. Frustrating. Do we expect too much on delivery these days? Ordered DCC chip for it at same time and received that within 24 hours.