bbishop

Polly, the smokebox door looks French. Bill

Standing next to "The Commentator"? Bill

or the Carswell Turnstone. Bill

Bit of a tradition in the Church of England, Tony, and we are a "traditional" organisation. When I speak to a bishop, I only use their Christian (*) name and I still get the occasional "Hrrrmph" from traditionalists. I think, at the last survey, all bishops believed in God. Not necessarily true in the past. Bill

Evening awl, So home from three days at Lord's. Wednesday and Thursday were pretty intense with a lot of casualties, literally green up from one call and off to the next. I barely saw any cricket, just occasional glimpses of a screen, with a mental note of "what is the score?". I don't know how many of you know Lord's, but there is an amazing camaraderie within the ground, especially between first aiders and stewards. Today I saw most of the game, with the Irish Demolition Derby, and then had to wait for two hours until the bars closed. I'm unsure it helped the selectors much, with presumably Anderson and Archer opening, plus Stokes and a spinner, leaving Broad, Curren, Stone and Woakes to compete for one place. Jimmy was practicing each day, and there didn't seem anything wrong with his action. Very sad about John and Sandy's news. Bill

very hot and very busy at Lord's today. Bill

Whacked. Hotter tomorrow. Bill

John, Sorry about your news. Bill

Best wishes to Aditi. I'll be missing for four days, with the Ireland test match at Lords. I may be busy! Bill

Araldite Rapid has improved over the intervening 50 years. Certainly, I'll be using it during the sermon tomorrow, to stick an ear back onto the crib donkey. Bill

We've had a short shower. Off to Lord's soon for the T20, just don't know how many punters will turn up. May be damp ..... Bill

After the acquisition of a marriage license. Bill

Especially as he only had one head. Bill

Morning awl, Many thanks for your support, especially to Tony, Baz and Jamie for their PMs and the latter for his phone call. I think the issue has died a natural death, but just knowing that I had a support network ..... But I'm a volunteer, and can just walk away ..... Anyway, the World Cup is now history. It was quite a day! It was raining that morning, leaving a humid atmosphere, so it was basically a bowler's pitch. Bowl a full length and even the white ball was moving a fraction Not that Archer thought so - a series of head high wides. For whatever reason, it seemed to be a left hander's pitch - Nicholls, Latham, Stokes all scored runs. It wasn't a pitch for fast bowlers, the fast mediums were getting the balls to stop a fraction - certainly Boult should not have bowled the Super over. But I think New Zealand lost because they didn't have a top class spinner, Neesham bowled most of the fifth bowler overs, and leaked runs, but Santner could have gone for more. I didn't see the Super overs, but had my back to the game, treating a very ill patient who insisted in watching the game. A difficult to find pulse, which was changing ball by ball, but finally enough beats to record a figure which was nearly replicated by the Paramedic's lifepack. Result! We were called earlier to the Media Centre, to the broadcasting floor, so was in close proximity to several past, and one present, England players. What did I think of my five World Cup games? Good cricket, mainly sober spectators (especially Pakistan vs Bangladesh, where one of my patients had a scald from a cup of tea), bloody awful racket from the music (especially the Simply Red look but not soundalike), play held up by on ground advertising. Bring on the Tests - oh shucks I have a Twenty 20 on Thursday, but at least that's only a couple of hours of purgatory. Bill

In my opinion, no, I preferred the Ladies final a couple of years back. I got to see the end of the Ladies game as well. I spent the super overs in the Compton stand, but with my back to the game, treating a rather sick person. Bill

Yes KZ, I was carrying an AED around the ground. I will post comprehensively in ER sometime later. Bill

Was anyone else actually there? Bill

Having a few personal problems at the moment, not for discussion but I may need some electronic ears sometime. Bill

So Richard Maunsell was very much a Managing Engineer, bringing together a team to run the mechanicals of the SECR. Then, with the addition of Finlayson from the LSWR, continuing on the Southern Railway for perhaps a decade. It was only in the mid 1930's that the team ran out of ideas, resulting in the Q class - basically a copy of the 20 year old 4F. Finlayson is the understated member of the team, but it is fairly obvious that the Arthurs, Nelsons and Schools were initiated at his board. In many ways, it was a pity that Bulleid didn't follow Maunsell's example. Bill

Lime Street is a most magnificent model. But is it an exhibition layout or a working diorama? The problem lies in the prototype track plan, which really only allows one movement at a time, a problem on a 50 foot (?) layout. I spent a couple of hours looking at it last Warley; not for the operation, merely for the quality of the modelling. Bill

A fang failure may involve a visit to the fosse. Bill

Chris, The last group went through about 7pm, then the "unaffiliated" came past and I was expecting to see you. Except these were only a hundred odd waifs and strays, then the stewards and it was all over. I hadn't realised that you were assigned and just assumed you had had an earlier discussion with the Routemaster bus. In truth, 90 minutes were sufficient for my knees and my bladder, and was relieved there was a loo on my train. Bill

Trevor Nunn is another superb modeller, working in S Scale (sic); initially with East Lynn and now with Troyland. Bill

Evening awl, So I did get the train up to London about lunchtime, to the National Gallery, then to the Old Coffee House to do my German homework, delayed in the Charing Cross Road assisting an LAS truck to do a three point turn and found a perch in Trafalgar Square about 5:15. Didn't spot anyone I knew, a slightly worrying note was the number of buses taking part in the procession ..... Off to bed, Bill

Morning awl, Another long day at Lord's yesterday. Pakistan v Bangladesh, so minimal alcohol. The latter have the most gorgeous national anthem, it thrums along gently for about 20 minutes. I had two casualties, a spilt cup of tea (it was Pakistan v Bangladesh!) and a kid hit in the face by one of those stupid sticks that you are meant to smack together to make a racket but that any normal kid would regard as a weapon of opportunity. This one's sibling did. Sort of up late, then listened to the Radio 3 analysis of the Rite of Spring in the bath. (Next week it's Strauss' Four Last Songs - unpleasant man and crap composer until he was in his eighties, then two wonderful works, Metamorphosen and the Songs.) So to today. I might toddle up to London. Remember at weekends they still run Routemasters on the number 15, so perhaps I should check on Chris' safety? Back later, maybe? Bill