great central

Wouldn't buffers be a bit on the hard side for car suspension? Maybe that's what the hire car I had last week had in?

Can be quite busy, commuters mostly to Nottingham in the week and shoppers, especially teenagers on Saturdays. Good number of school kids as well in the week

And some of us are still waiting for electrification, now doubt I'll see Nottingham wired in my lifetime...... It'd be at the wrong station anyway!

EMT running until, most likely, August next year, been that many add ons and extensions I'm not even sure myself. I'll just put a different tie on the next day I suppose

Which illustrates the point I made a while back about a successful franchise bidder being given a contract to sign, knowing full well that they will be held rigidly to everything written in that contract including things they might not personally want.

I would have thought an apology might be more apt rather than saying you don't take life too seriously and not to read any more of your posts. I can assure you I don't take offence easily, working on the railway I wouldn't last long if I did, in fact I think this is possibly the first time since RMweb began I have felt annoyed enough by something to risk getting embroiled in an argument. It's all about a little sensitivity and good taste on a well respected public forum, there are lots of things we discuss at work which would probably upset a good many people if placed in the public domain. I shall say nothing more.

Report sent........................... I did think of adding something here about another sound analogy but it would have caused, quite rightly, absolute outrage and probably got me banned..........

Agreed with a thread title like that I wouldn't even offer advice if I was able, possibly says something about the person who can even think that up!!

From little snippets I hear, so could be total spherical objects, the bidder is given the contract to sign and that's pretty much it. If they don't sign it someone else will. I do know from a senior manager some years ago that a question was asked regarding a minor alteration which would actually have improved things for passengers. On asking the DaFT of the time about it they were told 'if you do that you're breeching your contract and will be fined for it'. There are many things I hear about but obviously confidentiality means I can't put them on here. In the same way the company will have written into their contract what they can and can't say in public.

And when they do, don't seem to last long. Watching a BMW trying to keep up with a pack of Sierras in one formula (no idea which there's so many) at Great Yarmouth is entertaining. It's absolutely hopeless but the driver's been trying for at least two seasons, often doesn't last the full race distance before expiring

I'm sure there's a lot more to this, as I understand it Network Rail haven't exactly over performed and who holds their purse strings? There's been quite a lot of infrastructure failures, possibly due to deferred maintenance, which is going to impact on performance figures, the passengers anger being directed at the TOC as that's the face they see every day. Most maintenance now seems to be reactive, only my opinion of course

Well when you're faced with a scrappage scheme for cars up to 2010 as I heard recently on the radio, 14 years is positively ancient. I'm sure many more future classics will succumb to the great emissions god than will end up on the banger track.

Not over keen myself, only thought is should a lot of very common cars just be stripped slowly for the odd part or at least have the chance for one last bit of glory. When it comes to cars that are becoming rare I agree entirely but if a buyer can't be found,..... I've had 4 various R8 type Rovers, lovely cars but all becoming end of life when I had them, maybe I'm a cheapskate? When I see a similar type on the track I feel a tinge of sadness, but feel nothing for the likes of Ford Focus, Fiesta, Ka or anything else common and current. As for anything German getting smashed up, bring it on!!!

Not too familiar with the various diagrams but looks like a Gresley carriage, I believe there was one known as something like a locker brake vehicle. It had a normal guards compartment with little more than a locker for parcels and luggage. The rest of the carriage being passenger accommodation. Someone with greater knowledge will no doubt be along soon

Volvo estates, very much the preferred chariot for banger racers, amazing there's any left at all! Just look up unlimited bangers on YouTube

I know my mojo has been missing for a long time, found some idea how long earlier today. I bought a compressor intending to get on with weathering the many models I have, not to mention spraying the O gauge class 76 kit I was building at the time. The compressor has sat unopened in the upstairs loo (don't ask why!) since I bought it. Opening the top flap this afternoon I found the original credit card chitty, dated 28th February 2011. At the time I was insulating and lining the shed to use as a spraying room, all going well until a stray cat appeared and moved into the shed, after the wife's idea was to feed it in there, thinking we'd be able to bring it into the house before long. Still can't get near it so the shed is out of bounds to me. Around the same time there were major upheavals at the club which meant that I had to back off from work on the layout I had been working on to concentrate on getting things back on an even keel. Another member then took on what I had been working on, but still hasn't completed it to this day, although I've no wish to take it back on, as my ideas and methods have been turned upside down. Every so often I try to pick up on something and make progress but it usually ends in another step backwards, I've stripped two sets of brass gears trying to get locos running in the last year or so. Being honest with myself I've built lots of loco kits, although only a few have actually run on a layout, most nothing more than static test runs so who knows if they do actually work or not? Added to the fact some of them go back well over 30 years I don't think they're up to current standards and I can't be bothered to update them all, especially with little prospect of a decent appropriate layout to run them on. The class 76 I gave back to it's designer on his retirement to finish for himself, I believe it is now more or less done. Went to Stafford show yesterday to try to find some enthusiasm, excellent show with very good layouts I might add, but came away still feeling nothing in terms of motivation. I spend most evenings on my own, wife goes to bed around 6 to talk to friends on her laptop, watch the telly or play games on her phone. Thoroughly enjoy being at work, I reach 65 in April, no intention of retirement, partly because I can't afford it, but almost totally because I don't want to! I've been toying with the idea of selling everything but then again I see my railway stuff as the only personal legacy I can pass on to my son, he's not interested but if nothing else he can sell it and get himself a good few pounds. So that leaves me still with a room full of stuff for which I have no apparent use and little other than frustrated at the situation at the same time. Maybe I'll try to do something soon, maybe I won't, not helping my state of mind either way. I'm rambling now so time to stop and press pist

I seem to remember stopping there when I did a couple of trips over the top shortly before passenger services were withdrawn. Platform only a couple of coach lengths

I was told something similar many years ago about a diesel being dragged by a steam locomotive. The diesel wasn't passed for mainline running but the steam locomotive was. The diesel was 'helping' a bit at times;-)

Possibly but I've got to the stage of feeling that whatever I think or do will make no difference in the great scheme of things, so I just pick up on the odd news items on the radio, usually Planet Rock, or in whatever newspapers I happen to pick up while at work. Most current affairs and global stuff I find thoroughly depressing, all pointing to one inevitable outcome that mankind will destroy the planet eventually. Let's face it, it only takes a couple of d#*kheads in two opposing governments to decide they're not going to take any more........ Precious little the proverbial man in the street can do about it. Depressing point of view, yes it most certainly is, and I have no wish to be reminded about it on an almost hourly basis. Sorry if this is too political, if the mods are unhappy with it please remove.

Certainly as you run into Sheffield midland, the walls are all stone, the only wall in the station being opposite platform 8, I think that is also stone, but as I'm usually engaged in station duties I don't take too much notice.

I must be unusual, I don't have likes and dislikes in TV presenters, mainly because I don't watch the evil eyed beast, it's often on when I'm in the room but I do my best to ignore it. Do I feel I'm missing out? Not by what I read in the papers and other media

It'll be a timing or pathing stop, shown in the working timetable and driver's and possibly guards jobcards. We have one at Bestwood Junction on one of the evening Worksop services, to allow a service in the opposite direction to clear the single line to Kirkby in Ashfield. Shouldn't appear on the public timetable though

Looks like it's Wombling free at some time in the future. Hat, check, Fur coat, check, On my way! Orinoco W. Omble

Crikey didn't realise Pete Townshend was a loco driver in his spare time:-)

Re: Daewoo Matiz, a couple of years ago at Great Yarmouth in one of their regular caravan destruction derbies, a Matiz was towing the biggest caravan on the circuit, something like a 20 footer. The final result was a draw between the Matiz and a Zafira which had one of the smallest caravans in tow when they became locked together although both were still running (just). The caravans being nothing but a bare frame by now of course.