bbishop

Just received my "ticket" for the one day game at Lord's on 31 May. Followed by seven days of Test match cricket. Total cost - £0-00. Bill

Right guys, be careful with the "A800" jokes; some of us on the forum were born there. Bill

Still have my Monday duty, even though it's a bank holiday. But I'm not having to avoid double parked Chelsea tractors. Bill

Mere? B

Looks "industrial", so doubt if it is 685 and I'll leave to an expert. Bill

Well yes, why not. I spent 14 years performing DCF calculations for BT. It was Internal Rate of Return that required pen and paper (and later a calculator). Bill

First day at school was traumatic for most concerned. My birthday was a week after the start of the academic year, so I should have stayed at home until the following September. But my mother was Welsh. So on my fifth birthday my mother marched me into the headmistress's office, announced "'E's five today. 'E's yours", and marched straight out again. So I was left with Miss Heaven (and never was someone more misnamed) who rang the education office to find out that, technically, she had to take me. So I was put into a class, to find out I was the only one who could read and do sums. The advantage of a Welsh mother. Miss Heaven hated me thereafter. And I was expected to get home by myself. Cross one road on the "lollipop" and left, right, left opposite our house. Bill

Hi 'Nut et al, Two boroughs inside Andrew and modelling in 7mm. The Southern Region layout (Beaulieu) is stored in my shed and I'm working on my German layout (Höchstädt) in my garage. Also building O gauge stock for two friends' layouts (West Midlands - 1960 and South East London - 1913). Almost completely retired (just doing Christmas post) but Community First Responding and being Lay Chair of my deanery eats into my modelling time. Member of SEGOG (South East Gauge O Guild), the South Western Circle and the European Railways' Association). I'm happy to host an informal meeting of SECAG - maybe mid August? Bill

I think it is Mortlake, assumption based in having seen the photo in the past rather than knowledge of the location. Bill

Ian, Given the content of several previous postings, are you sure it's pork? Bill

Mal, Have a peek at the "What to look out for in Berlin" thread. Bill

Steve, Are you at Dortmund next month? Bill

Phil, just translated your address and realised that I was in your parish yesterday - funeral in the Bubb Lane crem. Second one this year, the other one was in January and I swam along the so-called path from the railway station. Bill

Thanks for the warning Ian. I'm off to Ally Pally tomorrow and forgot to do the necessary. So I've spent a couple of hours getting up a sweat by digging through last year's compost, then it's off to the take away for a vindaloo. Another one who only needs a tin of paint (SECR wagon brown) so I can fill the back pack with this afternoon's output. That will mean I get enough space to watch the layouts in peace and quiet. Bill

Coffee - industrial strength (at least three spoons) - black. And I need three of these every morning. Tea - just wave the tea bag over the mug - black, preferably with lemon. An occasional drink. Bill

Well yes, as a Community First Responder, I don't get to drive with blues" and so can be trapped behind a DPCT. A teensy bit infuriating when the text on the LAS radio has "cardiac arrest" and there ain't no alternative route. Not that your average DPCT takes much notice of blues; one must ensure that little darling successfully achieves the 10 yard walk from rear passenger door to school gate. I mean, it could be little darlings most energetic activity of the whole day. Not that I'm going anywhere today, as a neighbour's telephone wire is at waist height across my drive. Actually I can drive out but would need assistance in reversing back in again. So it's just the bike until further notice. Luckily my next CFR duty is next Monday. Bill DPCT = Double Parked Chelsea Tractor

And we were stuffed by a ricochet off Denis Law's bl**dy knee. Bill

Ian, I'm thinking of an Oompah band on Höchstädt. But it is set in the Franconian part of Bavaria so I'm not sure. What do Robert and Roderick think? Bill

I agree with the points raised by Joseph and Jack. On Höchstädt (DB, 1960) I am forced into an "S" shape to fit the tracks between the engine shed (on the arrivals end) and the station building. But it is visually an improvement over a dead straight layout. Also, if your centre track is for passenger use, then there should be a narrow platform and so the tracks could be slightly farther apart. Passengers didn't wait on the platform, but rather in the station building until the train was ready to depart. Bill

Is it Czech practice to use 3 way points? It is prototypical (and a space saver) to have them in Germany. Also, there is only one freight siding; I have three on Höchstädt, which definitely makes shunting more interesting. Bill

to start off the ER pack: loose - me hooker - Don tight - Cat Bill

Station Cat, Just out of interest, which side did you pack down? Bill

Waitrose! Two bottles of SA Gold for the Arms Park, a Tiger for Murrayfield and a German beer for Lansdowne Road.. Bill

Having a bit of a crisis. I've run out of Brains and couldn't find any in Sainsbury's this morning. What am I going to drink in front of the Six Nations tomorrow afternoon? Last week I successively (and successfully) drank Brains, 1664 and Guinness. Off to trawl the local Offies. Otherwise I may need your suggestions. Bill

There used to be a railway route towards Cornwall, perfectly secure from sea storms. So what did the post Marples idiots do? Handed it over to the successors of a Certain Railway Company, who promptly closed it! And then the planning authorities allowed houses to be built on the track bed. I despair. Bill