New Haven Neil

@iL Dottore IIRC you started an 'Underground' cameo - how about watching the 'Secrets of the UndergrounD' TV prog on catch-up and.....finishing it? It had a rather special feel to it, the work you had done was rather good and inspirational. Not sure why I find the Underground so interesting, but it fascinates me. I'd love to go on one of those trips around the secret parts (ie unused/abandoned), even better if it was with Siddy Holloway....

Morning, from a dry, 13c rock which houses a frustrated Fraggle. Bl**dy boiler engineer didn't turn up yesterday after leaving a message promising to change a component in the boiler he has been going to do for ages. Chased him to eventually get some excuse about his van, why can't these people call customers to let us know they are delayed? He will allegedly arrive this afternoon after lunch, NHN is thinking it is the last time we use him (his firm actually fitted the boiler when the house was built, but the fitter has left recently - clue there) if he doesn't arrive. This morning is a trip to the Bright Lights of Royal Ramsey, running errands and maybe a sneaky lunch somewhere. I also need to kick the ar$e of the dealer supplying my new bike, which has still not arrived despite it now being past the promised delivery date. This may or may not be his fault, but again he is notorious for a lackadaisical attitude to customer service - but in this case there's no alternative. I could go 'across' for one but it would add about £500 to the price, ferry travel and van hire.

Oh well, in for a penny.....

You'll be having Hutchy with the hutch cab of course, in blue? Nice work BTW Mike!

Morning, stuck in awaiting 'boiler man' for service and modulating valve replacement, and delivery of firewood. So of course its 21c and really nice out, and I could be out enjoying myself. Pah. CV cases here seemingly under control, high level of vaccination (90% at least 1 dose) proving effective. Thought this might interest our resident statistician.

To finish the day, this is where the unmentionable miniature railway we attended yesterday is located.

....and in the grounds of a lush house - Dave and HH to take note!

......is handy for trainspotting itself......

Evening orl. A bit knackered, kayak expedition! The little railway yesterday...

Crikey John, take care mate, that's quite a list. Moring world, dry at last (outside) and 18c. Meeting up with friends for a kayak adventure all the way down to Port Erin, then a slap up dinner in the posh hotel down there, trad British Sunday dinner but it is of markedly high quality. The Maitre'd is the same guy that served us there as the carving chef on our first visit here in 1986. Nice old boy, very proud of his hotel service. The visit to the railway yesterday was rather wet, but it is a stunning setting with the IoM train making a pass just as we were by the line too. Photos later this evening on Night Mail, not risking it here!

Morning, it persisteth down. 40mm so far and still at it. Typical, as a trip to the deep south is on the cards to visit a private, and extensive, 7 1/4" railway today. We're still going, as we've been waiting a long time to see it. USA diesels job (the owner is American) although they used to have a steamer, not sure if they still do. Those of you (Dave!) who have ridden on the IoM steam railway may have seen this line as it is right next to the 'main line' near Port Soderick. In other news....ah....um....there is none.

Oh my sainted aunt......just stumbled on your thread, faaantastic little layout and I thought Cwm Prysor was good (you inspired me to buy the book) ....crikey, this is just stunning. You have captured the appearance of my favourite narrow gauge railway to a T, just blown out of the water with this. Oh for a fraction of your skill. I'm in awe.

Well it is still dry in the northern prairies here, but apparently it is persisting down elsewhere on the rock. The afternoon's excitement will be a ride on the 500V DC transport method to the Big City (where re-opening scheduled for today of the rebuilt, ie ruined, promenade - 3 years - has been delayed yet again) to meet Mrs NHN from work. Then a ride back! It's all go I'll have you know.

Morning, form a misty above 300 feet rock, 17c and likely to stay that way. Pleut predicted later this morning, same all day tomorrow #sigh# but OK Sunday when a kayak expedition is planned. The OF's bike club has defaulted to a full Manx in the local cafe, due to said pleut. I'd say Chris's news is OK too, new medication should help keep it at bay. Completed the.*&^% kit and sent it on its hideous way this morning, I do hate doing those things. Best to get checked, just the same, it's free and may save a life. Access to the NHS covid appy thing not yet available to Fraggles, but is promised 'soon'. So is Christmas. No doubt I will have the same luck as our resident white bear when it does arrive, this is normal for me having as I do the IT skills of a carrot.

Certainly my and my father's opinion of B&W engines was very low! Brutal things, and when one of those valve springs went, duck!

Spiffing film! Customers are never that polite of course. I recall getting shouted at because of my trains interfering with the TV downstairs, so much for Triang's suppressors.

Seriously - a friend just around the corner here that we sponsor took a Bonneville record with a turbocharged Bullet four years ago, despite the rider forgetting to change into top gear on one run and blowing the best engine to smithereens. It did take a record with a standard engine bar a Carillo rod and machined down piston, it's on the right here. As a group they hold several Bonneville records, the clue is to enter a little contested class in the case of the Bullet, but they do go very fast indeed with some of the bikes - Chris also fell off very fast indeed......hence the wheelchair! He's going back though. This is a 'busa chassis with a turbo's Yamaha Thundercat 600 motor, makes 315hp at the back wheel. Yes, 315.

Morning, mizzle cleared but it is very damp out, 13c earlier up to 16 now. Not a great forecast for the next few days either, bike and kayak plans look to be scuppered. Back to that brass loco kit then! Also have the joys of the 'sh!t kit' this week, eeuuw We still have the three flaps type, I have heard there are other versions now. Best wishes for your call Chris, the status quo sounds like a good outcome to hope for.

Keith, other than general hull shape and overall size, they 're really quite different. The Warwickshire was cargo only, no passengers, therefore much less accommodation space, and was a motor ship (Doxford 6 cyl opposed piston diesel) as opposed to the steam turbine Chitral. What non seafarers call a 'tramp steamer' - tramp yes, steam no! The Chitral was (for the time) a fairly posh liner. Liner meaning operated on a regular route as opposed to cruising. About the same horsepower and service speed, although in fact the Warwick was a knot or two faster than she should have been, the engine was an experimental upgrade and even when near the end of her life when I sailed on her she often logged 19 knots, she was the fastest of Bibby's 26 ships at the time. Her horsepower rating was conservative due to the experimental upgrade to the turbocharging system not being accounted for in case it didn't work and had to revert to the older layout! The old girl could fair go. The loco, well yes Tony, it may be green....or white...or blue, not decided yet which livery it will carry, but Lawrence is spot on, Harton number 2 or 10 (identical twins), in 7mm scale. It's tiny!

This is more an industrial line!

Can you tell what it is yet? Me neither....

Yes that is true. They also have senior engineering staff that were poached from Triumph. The little Meteor 350 does handle very well indeed, out of all proportion to its appearance, a case of the sum being more than the parts for sure. It isn't very fast (very not very fast!) but is an absolute pleasure to ride. A strange bedfellow to our other bikes, but looking forward to mine arriving.

Aaaah that awakens memories.....we often visited Japan when I was in the Merch, and those toilets......the one thing I didn't like about Japan! A fascinating country, which we intend to visit when Mrs NHN retires, she hasn't been there but really wants to do so. I haven't mentioned the bogs..... Although we regularly took LPG to Japan from the gulf, my best memories were on my one and only trip on general cargo, which involved loading in 11 ports in Japan. Fantastic couple of weeks, almost a month in fact. Happy days. This old tub, from when ships looked like ships.

Friend visited, doing really quite well, holding his own which is great news. He's a nice bloke and as he was a theatre scrub nurse, understands only too well what is happening to his body. As t' Wimslow chap describes, mizzle is the default weather setting oop north at the moment, sick of it. So much for August. Our grass also is in need of attention, and is reaching a length that is going to make it difficult to cut. Pah.

Morning, rather soggy here, mizzly and 15c, OK for late October. Pah. Sounds like Jamie has just had the other C mildly, thankfully. The American youtoobers I follow (drag racers) have been denying it all year (typically Florida) and....now have all caught it. The comments have been interesting to say the least, denyers versus 'believers'. I'm off to see a train pal now who isn't too well either, but with the really nasty C. Life's not fair sometimes.