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I've tried crocodile which was quite nice. It was farmed and the guide at the crocodile farm explained that it tastes like whatever they feed them. If they feed them on fish, it tastes like fish. If they feed them on chickens, it tastes like chicken. Then completely deadpan he said "so the wild ones out there taste like American tourist".

It’s plainly obvious that if you’re looking for evidence of the scale taking off or whatever, you aren’t necessarily going to find it in places like here for a multitude of reasons. The whole point was to grow the hobby and get new people in - that those people aren’t joining internet forums to document their layouts isn’t surprising, if the demographics are trending younger than with the existing scales. Comments like those dismissing train set operators probably don’t help encourage people either. People do steer clear of here various reasons.

The new Chinese chassis has been dismantled and cut down to fit the shortened body as per the scrap chassis. There are some minor tooling differences between the two but nothing of major consequence. I was a bit miffed to discover than the new chassis uses much larger-diameter coupling rod pins than the old one, so with the connecting rods removed there was no chance of using the front 'single-rod' pins from the latter to replace the rear 'double-rod' pins on the former, hence the addition of three small Peco fibre washers per side to pack them out; these needed filing out a little to fit, and will be painted (or Sharpied) black later. The old chassis' cast motor bracket shows evidence of a vicious attack by the Dremel! It was easier to use this one than the new one with 'antlers' alongside. Even so it needed filing flat on top and a groove cut with a spiral burr to guide the largest grinding wheel I have. This will now accept the motor in the upright position instead of on its side, although the motor casing is now only around 1.5mm above the rear wheels so I must beware of more grinding causing a short-circuit! I THINK the gears are meshing OK but I can't be certain until I've attached motor to bracket and the brass pin and soldered wire will hopefully enable this (yesterday I tried tying the two together with a piece of fairly thick nickel silver wire through this hole but it worked too well, pulling down the front of the motor so that the armature wouldn't turn freely - undo, undo!) Some way to go yet as, despite filing down the lump of plastic between the contacts as much as I dare, the motor is still a tight fit inside the body. One step at a time.......

Had 'gator tail in the Old Orleans in Cardiff years ago, not bad but I'd prefer conger eel if we are talking about that sort of thing. Old Orleans was a great night out though, the sort of seriously messy stick your face in it eating I love, they give you a full length polythene bib at the start of proceedings so you know it's going to be good! The place is a Harvester now, and I've no objection to Harvester but Orleans was much more characterful. And they were a dab hand with gumbo.

However a rail season ticket between two stations also enables the holder to travel to intermediate stations. When I commuted regularly between Reading and Bracknell, if I wanted to go to Wokingham on the Saturday, I would use my season ticket to go there rather than buying an off peak return, so the two are analagous. My real concern though with regards to VAT is for those railways who sell a booked ticket where you have to return immediately on the same train you travelled out on - often with insufficient time between arrival and departure to step outside the confines of the station. To my mind, that no longer constitutes "public transport".

Come over here and ask about "golden parachutes".

Not so...

Picking up on this again, I suppose another consideration is that not everyone will visit again within a year of their original visit, even if they are an annual pass holder. You could even look at what percentage of people visit again, how many times, from what demographics or areas of the country etc. etc. and what effect this has overall. But that’s the sort of visitor data you probably only get if you’ve already been running the annual pass scheme for a few years.

That’s what I thought. And now that I think about it the only places that I’ve visited (and nowhere I’ve ever worked) that did something like this were selling the annual pass at a slightly higher price than the day one (probably by an amount equivalent to the 10% donation, and eligible for Gift Aid, but not actually requiring Gift Aid to be used), which is different from Gift Aid where the actual price paid by the visitor is the same as a day ticket, as we’ve been discussing. As above, this is the main issue that I had with it as well. If it was on a small, fairly short railway that had relatively low visitor numbers and plenty of unused capacity (such that most trains run half empty, perhaps) and felt that it would benefit substantially from secondary spend etc. from returning visitors then it would make sense, but I was under the impression that the NYMR isn’t really like that and that capacity is sometimes quite tight. I’m also reminded (by analogy) of a Nat Pres discussion about people who bought shares in heritage railway companies ages ago, really as a form of donation, but where the cost of servicing the shareholders/donors now substantially outweighs the value of the original donation. As a heritage charity (where community engagement, education etc. is important as well making money - indeed in a lot of cases it should be the reason why they need the money, not the other way round), the cost is also one more barrier to entry for a lot of potential visitors (as similarly discussed elsewhere within several museum organisations that have to charge for admission because they need the funding from admission charges, but still dislike the way that this prices people out). On the other hand, if the organisation really needs the money there may have to be a point where it is calculated that selling to a smaller number of people who can and will pay the higher price is more financially viable than selling to more people at a lower price. The annual pass system is used in other museums and tourist attractions so I don’t really have a problem with it from that perspective, it’s just that in the NYMR’s operation the cost of providing extra capacity can be directly attributed to the visitors who then use that capacity (some of whom will now be repeat visitors with annual passes riding “for free”, so to speak), whereas in other kinds of museum operation adding in more visitors and needing to serve them will not particularly create capacity issues or obviously and immediately increase costs in the same way.

Oh yes it is. Number 501388. Is that the NYMR PLC, or the NYMHRT? My understanding was that the NYMR PLC is the operating arm, the entity that operates the railway. The NYMHRT (and correct me if I'm wrong) is the charity, and the owner of the assets, and I believe at the start, was the sole owner of the NYMR PLC. Which one sells the tickets to the attraction?

Make me wonder about starting a new website. useless-management.co.uk In which we feature case studies of the rich and infamous, and the "Most Muppetry" awards for UK senior management failures. And the nominations are ... ???

After a bit of fiddling there is now a working somersault signal on the Belle Isle Down signal bridge on CF. There will be another arm working (these two signal a conflicting route) and the other 6-8 can be in fixed positions. I’ll try and take construction photos when the next one is being made. The signal arm was chemically blackened to prevent it being soldered solid. The video shows it simply being pulled on its connecting rodding. There will need to be some cranks and linkages across the bridge to activate it. Tim

But only in the UK can a manager get that kind of money for running a company into the ground.

At last, a bit of a break in the weather! The past two weeks, I've managed to get out three times a week without getting soaked. This week, we (that's Mrs F and me) are on holiday so we're expecting the rain to start again, but so far so good. Today we drove down to Talybont-on-Usk for a ride in the Bannau Brycheiniog national park, which included the Brinore Tramway and The Gap descent. Excellent facilities at the Bike Hub in Talybont village too.

Thank you Nigel, I was wondering if it was my set up when it took so long to read in. Mine is still my main computer, but once Win 10 security updates cease, that is its intended destination. Paul.

I get home to find swmbo accidentally saw a bit of the British entry which seems to about men " enjoying themselves" in public toilets. She was most unimpressed , I suspect that the entry will go down like a lead balloon in many countries.. null points.. Personally if I had unlimited money for an amphibious aircraft, it would be an updated Sunderland.. The flying porcupine was most civilised in having a kitchen on board and six bunks... Just back from the MRC where en route I see signs.. road closed for three days from 20th May... Same place as last time... The MRC went well, I do like this UV activated glue, it doesn't set till you point the mini torch at it. Then it sets almost instantly.. Muggachoccy gone Goodnight Awl.

Last time I did that journey, it was on a fast craft. The really odd bit, is I now often travel from Fraggle Rock (the Isle of Man) to the UK on the self same craft! The other side of the world, same ship. At that time we were considering emigration, to NZ or the IoM!

Probably the Cajun spices!

And the emoji also needs to recognise the wonderful sound that would emanate from that Maserati engine and the exhaust note too.

Some more Great Northern items, I came across a photo of the old Hertford (North) GNR station, on the branch from Welwyn G.C. This was superseded by another station of the same name when the Loop line was opened. The thing about it is the four P.O. wagons all from the same pit near Ammanford in South Wales, demonstrating how the specialised need for Anthracite coal could lead to quite involved journeys. There’s a large brewery immediately behind the station. (Peco have it in their range)

What's the emoji for, "Oh my God that might only be a car but it is achingly beautiful"?

It's because a worldwide market sets the remuneration of directors of international companies such as P&O for executives rather than a local UK one.

Well, I got the clothes drier sorted out for our friend much more easily than I anticipated as her son who visited at the weekend had dug a hole for the socket to go in so all I had to do was mix up a bit of concrete using some ready mix cement in a bag with gravel, put the socket in the hole and pack the concrete round it. The steel socket is powder coated so it should last for a good while. We then went out for lunch before taking her to look for a bookcase and found one that she liked that will be delivered on Thursday. It's a flatpack job though so I'll be back there on Friday to put it together. On the way home Jill started feeling icky so I've been administering some TLC and she's had a kip on the settee with a hot water bottle . That seems to have helped and she is now at the tea, toast and cake stage. All in all an eventful day. Dave

I feel the need for another work trip Whilst most of my colleagues are in Neumunster 30mins north of Hamburg we have a rather nice office conveniently situated as you can see My then boss treated me to a visit to the office and MW in 2022 repaid with Portsmouth dockyard and Victory We did a late afternoon visit but in the end were thrown out at closing time somehow we had spent 5hrs there

Imagine how gobsmacked I was when this Series 1 1964 Maserati Sebring turned up at a local meet this evening, rare enough to start with but even rarer in RHD...

I'm really not sure what anyone can do that's worth that sort of money! The Prime Minister's salary is about £150,000 so how is running a moderate-sized ferry company worth 3 times as much as running a country of 67 million people? But perhaps we shouldn't stray into politics... Mol

The behind-the-scenes tour is well worth booking too, it gives you a different perspective on the challenges of making it all work and keeping it all working! And you get to see the zombies in the graveyard (which only those who have been on the behind-the-scenes tour will understand).

Does anyone know what a P&O director does that is worth £500K a year? https://www.bbc.co.uk/articles/ceq3pw038g8o

I have been doing a little modelling. I am supposed to be making windows for Mr Price's house, but I have not been too well recently and when I had some time to do some modelling I wanted something where I did not have to think too much. Added to that, Tony, @brumtb, has just got a book on Siphons, and although I am progressing the two I have, very slowly, I thought I would try and finish them. This is the last image I have shown with the roof on, and painted with shellac. I have not been very diligent about taking pictures, but I do not think I have missed too much out. These are the springs that came with the kit, and in the top left is a Dart Castings' spring. Notice the size difference. I had laminated them all, but as you see there are only five. This is because they were too flimsy to put in after I had put the W irons in place. If I made one again I might just try and put them in at the same time as the W irons. The view from Underneath. You can see that the whitemetal springs do not really fit, so the paper ones would have been flat, but would have to go in at the same time as there is no room between the W irons and the edge of the MDF base. I had to cut the whitemetal springs to fit over the edge and around the W irons. I have also trimmed, at @Mikkel's suggestion the brakes, and have only broken one of them. This was carefully put aside in a container with useful bits to be firmly fixed at the next modelling session. Before the modelling session I was asked to tidy my modelling desk as we had visitors and yes, it has been put somewhere safe. When I find it, I will fix it in place. I have also put in a vacuum brake cylinder. I drilled a hole and pushed the Dart Castings cylinder into it, fixing it, like the springs, with superglue. All the springs in place. I have used my patent six wheel system which is a variant of the MJT six wheel wagon system. It might have been better, to remove the W irons for the central wheel from its holder as it raises the central wheel up a fraction. When I got this far I tried it on the layout and found that on the point leaving the fiddle yard when the point was set at the smallest radius. it derailed. I checked and the siphon rocked with the central wheel as pivot. The W iron support, I noticed was higher in the centre, and was raising the wire that keeps the central axis in place. I filed down the central part and now it seems to be fine. If it is not, then I shall have to take more drastic action, but probably behind closed doors. Next time, the central axis will just have W irons. Finally, I have fitted the top stepboards, I think that is what they are called. 10 x 125 thou Evergreen strips, firstly stuck in place with PVA, then superglued when the PVA was dry. The lower stepboards next, for, perhaps, the next time. If you have been, thanks for looking.

Absolutely phenomenal amount of modelling and engineering ingenuity to get this to actually work...... I was going to say how unrealistic it was, with a non-Red Bull car winning the race, but writing this 2 days after the 2024 Miami grand prix, and well, it can happen I suppose......

A few black and white photos for teatime. Basford Gas Works Ruston 4wds Victoria c1952 JVol4135 Bobbers Mill 8F up mineral c1952 JVol4136 Bullwell 8F 48502 up goods c1951 JVol1116 Cinderhill Nottingham to Mansfield line view south c1952 JVol2186 Loughborough Class 5 down goods c1949 JVol2250 David

The lack of branding and orange stripe gives it away as an unbranded TP one. As does this picture… but thanks anyways. It’s more the running numbers I’m after. The 2nd coach appears to be a 2C looking at the roof vents.

First time I ever saw Jimmy Carr on tv I thought there was something off about him, he made my flesh crawl instinctively. I have to own that he is a superbly accomplished professional standup comic who has studied his craft hard and well; his academic knowledge of it is of a very high level. But, he seem to me to be sleaze personified, and I do not have the impression that this is a persona, it's him. Deeply unpleasant sexual innuendo, coupled with with arrogance and an overwhelming smugness, come-uppance long overdue. I don't like 'im,

steve

Well worth visit if you’re in the area. https://www.canalmuseum.org.uk The ice wells were the source of information for our cart. Tim

i don’t recall anyone even hitting at the rights of the company and its decisions about chosen livery applied to their property. They can paint it in pink and turquoise dazzle camouflage for all I care. However I’d still be free to comment on the livery.

Went to local shop, picked up a new helmet, got one with the MIPS interior and have attached my gopro and light already. Old helmet is damaged so I can't trust it, bought a new one as heading up to Scotland to ride. I could have gotten cheaper online, but the helmet is something that I need to buy in person to get the fit right. Also, crash replacement guarantee lol! While I was there, did take a look at the bikes available to see what I can get when I have the money to upgrade my steed. Seem to be able to get a decent hard-tail for £1k (my budget). If I can get a full suspension for that or a few quid more I'd be happy enough. Off to Scotland this week and the bike is coming with me. Think I got a good deal.

I saw Jimmy Carr live on stage the other day. Below are the edited highlights from his show, taking into account the warning at the top of the page about sexist, racist and religious jokes: "Hello, I'm Jimmy Carr." . . . . . . . . . . . . . "Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience - good night!"

Came back to bite you?

TBH, I've taken the last few posts as pointing out the laxity in other nations rather than any excesses in the UK. Not just on the "Big Railway" either. I yesterday visited the D&EPG's works on the WSR, and was stuck that everything I saw tallied with what I have seen in their commercial counterparts. John

A set of what are really reference photos of Crianlarich in 1973, 85 and 86. Some were taken from the train - I only used to put my head out of the window of a Mk1 door at places where I knew there was a safe clearance! Crianlarich view south July 73 C1349 Crianlarich July 73 C1351 Crianlarich loco shed 11th May 85 C6843 Crianlarich 11th May 85 C6844 Crianlarich 11th May 85 C6894 Crianlarich 11th Oct 86 C8056 David

The road by West Lodge ran around the perimeter of the estate and joined the old A41 at Hunton Bridge by St. Pauls Church. Some of The Grove land was used for constructing the M25. I only used the car to reach The Grove a few times but turning right at Hunton Bridge was easier that trying to turn right off the Hempstead Road, Hunton Bridge having traffic lights. The Golf Course would have seen total removal of the huts and other noticeable landmarks shown in the 1941 map. The Golf course seems to cover most of the estate which was in BR hands up until privatisation. One notable landmark was the lake which in the 1980s was filled in. There was a dip in the road where I was told was where a second bridge which had been removed. The lake was joined in the1941map but it is now divided in two. The hump back canal bridge now seems less severe that it was. Closer inspection of google maps has allowed me to ascertain that the Stable block (shown as The Stables on google) remains with its clock tower still exists amongst more recent additions. It is the square shown in the centre of the 1941 map with the canteen marked behind it.

Swayfiled on the ECML on Stoke Bank for this teatime. Swayfield Class 47 11.50 Edinburgh to Kings X Sept 71 J2770 Swayfield Class 55 9012 16.00 Kings X to Edinburgh "The Talisman" May 72 J2918 Swayfield Class 55 9020 16.05 Kings X to Harrogate "THe Torkshire Pullman May 72 J2919 Swayfield Class 47 1987 18.30 Kings X to Hull July 72 J2955 Swayfield Class 47 No 1109 12.40 down Kings X to Hull Oct 72 J3112 David

Stanier stunner 46245 'City of London' rolls onto shed

I was addicted to the "Hokey-Cokey" but I've turned myself around...

Yeah, its not discouraging me to try and push what I can do, but I think I need to be sensible and make smaller steps. Like you say I noticed how my body position did seem to put my weight forward, and of course I was still seated. I'll continue practicing little jumps off kerbs etc and build up confidence and technique.

They don't show the bit where he offered to grease her nipples.

Just preordered a Port of London Authority one from Rails. I seem to have fallen down an industrial shunter hole. Wallet is hurt, but not as hurt as if I were on a Merchant Navy spending spree! Looking forward to this. Also couldn't resist the Cadburys vent van to go with it. (pre-order)

I don't have that many pics of 14" Hawthorns in the collection taken by me- though I could get a generous few dozen more from the books in the other room. Looking at my own collection (about 10 or so images of different locos) I can confidently say this about the details on these. No two were the same. Not only that, but one Durham County NCB loco seems to have swapped its saddle tank between the two pics I took of it.... Errors and omissions? These are industrial locos, which with very few exceptions never went back to their place of manufacture for an overhaul and didn't take long to gain embellishments or lose bits. A class of 50 identical locos leaving works would become 50 individuals before they were ten years old. Les