MrWolf Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 55 minutes ago, John Besley said: 'The Horses Mouth' perhaps.... I'd forgotten about that film, Alec Guinness in the adaptation of Joyce Cary's novel. Anyone who does a bit of painting (like I do) ought to find a copy, because they will have met characters like Gulley Jimson. My most recent encounter was being introduced to an erm, artist at a local pub, I got the third degree about my own work and when I enquired what he was working on at the moment his airy reply was: "I haven't painted anything for about five years, but I have been preparing canvases for when I am ready to make art..." At this his little entourage squeaked with delight. I smiled politely whilst quietly recalling my time in Africa. I carried a gun back then. 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 Dewchurch station in all its glory 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 Class 24 arrives at Dewchurch with a train from the Southern Region 10 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 Torquay Manor at rest 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 More household coal for the citizens of Dewchurch 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 Tea break 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nevermakeit Posted February 4 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 4 On 03/02/2024 at 07:44, Gopher said: More household coal for the citizens of Dewchurch A great scene! Where do the wagons come from, please? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 10 hours ago, Nevermakeit said: A great scene! Where do the wagons come from, please? Thanks for the compliment😀. The coal wagons are all Bachmann. I've simply weathered them and added coal loads. The two box vans behind are Oxford on the left and Bachmann on the right, again weathered by me. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 A tight turn into the goods yard 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37Oban Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 That gate post is going to get a bashing leaving some scratches on the trailer! Roja 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 3 hours ago, 37Oban said: That gate post is going to get a bashing leaving some scratches on the trailer! Roja Very true, it is a very tight turn, and can involve a bit of traffic control from the local bobby, to allow vehicles to swing out into the opposite lane. The three wheel Scarabs seem to manage it quite well though. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 Green Diesel day at Dewchurch (and not just any green diesels - Accurascale diesels), got the cattle excited. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 Great loco spotting position, especially when there are a couple of Panniers on view 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 Definitely the biggest building on the layout. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted February 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8 4 minutes ago, Gopher said: Definitely the biggest building on the layout. Hmm I'm temped to apply for a job there as charge hand in the press tool section. Regards Lez. 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 16 minutes ago, lezz01 said: Hmm I'm temped to apply for a job there as charge hand in the press tool section. Regards Lez. Job is yours Lez - when can you start ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted February 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8 Monday week mate. Now how many apprentices will I have to train? My preference would be no more than 3 at a time. Anymore than that will cut into my trainspotting time. Regards Lez. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted February 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8 All joking aside Peco were advertising for someone in the toolroom a couple of years ago. So out of curiosity I had a little look. I found to my dismay that I didn't even recognise it as a toolroom, they are very cutting edge and their toolroom is recognised as one of the most modern in the country. Everything and I mean everything is CNC computer controlled wizardry I doubt that their toolmakers even get their hands dirty. To put that into context my old firm that I did my papers at had no computers at all, not even in the drawing office or admin block. Sure the production shops had plugboard captains but that was all analogue no chips involved except for in the canteen. Seems I'm a dinosaur. Regards Lez. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponthir28 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Started my toolmaker apprenticeship in 1971. Retired a few years ago. The world of toolmaking moved on by a country mile. wire erosion machines sometime late seventies. Five axis’s milling now. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 2 hours ago, lezz01 said: Monday week mate. Now how many apprentices will I have to train? My preference would be no more than 3 at a time. Anymore than that will cut into my trainspotting time. Regards Lez. O.K. Lez, 3 apprentices it is. I'd keep an eye on one of them - nickname Gopher, cack handed sod, be amazed if he ever finishes his apprenticeship, without causing total chaos . Is £15 a week O.k for wages ? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted February 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8 1976 for me it started to change when my firm shut down in early 80. There was nothing else local so I joined the army. I served for 6 years and I went beck to engineering when I came out and things had changed so much I didn't last long before I went off and did something else. The skills I had learnt were not really applicable after 6 years. Hey ho that's the way the cookie crumbles I guess. I did a bit of merc stuff teaching how to be a soldier in various countries and doing a bit of MC courier work between contracts where I met my second wife and needed to settle down after a bit of this and that, mainly driving and another wife later I became a pharmacy technician and I've been doing that for 25 years now. Although I'm semi retired due to illness now. Regards Lez. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted February 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8 3 minutes ago, Gopher said: O.K. Lez, 3 apprentices it is. I'd keep an eye on one of them - nickname Gopher, cack handed sod, be amazed if he ever finishes his apprenticeship, without causing total chaos . Is £15 a week O.k for wages ? Lets call it £17/10s/6d shall we and ten days holiday a year the wife likes to spend some time by the sea and a visit to her folks once a year you understand. Lets see how we go and we can talk about full works foreman in 5 years or so when the old fella retires. Regards Lez. 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 1 hour ago, lezz01 said: All joking aside Peco were advertising for someone in the toolroom a couple of years ago. So out of curiosity I had a little look. I found to my dismay that I didn't even recognise it as a toolroom, they are very cutting edge and their toolroom is recognised as one of the most modern in the country. Everything and I mean everything is CNC computer controlled wizardry I doubt that their toolmakers even get their hands dirty. To put that into context my old firm that I did my papers at had no computers at all, not even in the drawing office or admin block. Sure the production shops had plugboard captains but that was all analogue no chips involved except for in the canteen. Seems I'm a dinosaur. Regards Lez. 1 hour ago, Ponthir28 said: Started my toolmaker apprenticeship in 1971. Retired a few years ago. The world of toolmaking moved on by a country mile. wire erosion machines sometime late seventies. Five axis’s milling now. I think it is the way of the world in so many industries. I spent most of my working life in Financial Services. The banks nowadays bear no resemblance to the one I joined in the 1970s. We had computers when I started, but still a lot of manual processes. They are disappearing from our high streets at a rapid rate, and have no desire to talk to their customers face to face, or even on the phone. Many (all) of their lending decisions are made by a computer algorithm. So I am clearly also part of the dinosaur club 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted February 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8 What used to be a job for life isn't good for 5 years now. I grew up in Bletchley and the biggest employer near us was Wolverton works, lads I was at school with went there thinking and being told that they were set for life but it's all gone now. Regards Lez. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 3 hours ago, lezz01 said: 1976 for me it started to change when my firm shut down in early 80. There was nothing else local so I joined the army. I served for 6 years and I went beck to engineering when I came out and things had changed so much I didn't last long before I went off and did something else. The skills I had learnt were not really applicable after 6 years. Hey ho that's the way the cookie crumbles I guess. I did a bit of merc stuff teaching how to be a soldier in various countries and doing a bit of MC courier work between contracts where I met my second wife and needed to settle down after a bit of this and that, mainly driving and another wife later I became a pharmacy technician and I've been doing that for 25 years now. Although I'm semi retired due to illness now. Regards Lez. That all sounds very familiar, except I'm 53 in May, substitute the apprenticeship for university and the pharmacy technician part for restoring / trading in vintage motorcycles and being an artist and that brings us up to date. My father was pushed into engineering as an apprentice toolmaker in 1956, hated it, survived the slow death of the Midlands manufacturing industry until 1988 and went driving lorries on multi drop work to schools, hospitals, prisons and other state controlled institutions for a lot more money and a lot less aggravation. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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