bbishop

Are you on piece work rates? If so, yes.

Phil, how about a bottom of the range Yeti.

Could someone send me a PM when you lot stop posting pornography on TNM. I need to withdraw until then. Bill

Sorry, a bit late to this discussion as I use my Handy for brief conversations. I very much agree with Flavio. AS a CFR, I do not diagnose my patient. I merely use my skills and tools to determine whether my patient is "big sick", advise control, then keep the patient alive until the cavalry turns up. Ok, there can be a bit more than that at times, but always worth keeping to the "KISS" principle. And I might be panicking inside, but externally it is just "could I give you some oxygen, please?"

Two T20 games should have been played today at Lord's. An internal MCC game, in which a friend was playing, then Middlesex CC v Surrey CC. Both were Ladies matches. Sadly the rain won and I spent the afternoon in the First Aid room watching the Tour de France. But lovely to be in the Long Room when it was 90% occupied by the fair sex. Bill

Lord's again tomorrow.

The story isn't quite that simple! The 1925 transfers received tenders from '700' class locos and were 13' wheelbase. The 1928 transfers eceived tenders from K10 class locos and were 14' wheelbase. There were later transfers (both ways?) so 707 received a 14' wheelbase tender in 1955. Bill

Just a comment that the railway referred to is the Metropolitan District Railway.

I was on the television last night - the Women's T20 game at Lord's on one of the Sky channels. It can still be found on BBC sports on the webby thing. It is called Electric England at 1 min 50 secs, I am in the background in green as the Aussie fans leave. Bill

We have a girl's T20 game tomorrow evening. Definitely a late finish. Bill

When I received a promotion and a couple of regradings in my mid 30s, and had a little spare money, I looked into upgrading my pension. I had two options, AVCs or buying extra years (I joined the Post Office after university so wouldn't get the full 40 years). I chose the latter, a good thing because the AVC was with Equitable Life and I was able to take an enhanced (Whitley) pension at 50. Bill

I've just been lurking for a week because I had four days at Lord's at the Test match. Tickets cost north of £100 per day plus food and drink an extra £50 per day, Cost to me - nothing, but I did have to put in a 13 hour shift providing first aid. My skill set means they put me in a stand so I get to watch the game unless someone is ill. One "big sick", a couple of pissed and some cuts and bruises. But I got to watch about three quarters of the first four days. Bill

Might I wander back to the title of this thread? I've followed it with interest for a few days but, for reasons that will become clear, haven't posted until today. I paid into the company pension from day one and soon had a mortgage as well, so money was tight for over a decade until a promotion and a couple of regradings in my mid thirties. Redundancy at 46 was a double edged sword, I had to find a job, with one at "entry level" fitting the bill, until my first company pension cracked in at 50. I stayed in the second job until 58, when I had the opportunity to take a second pension. So I'm comfortably off, owning a house that is suitable until I need full time care, a 10 year old car, an enjoyable hobby and I volunteer in three roles - church sacristan, treasurer and trustee of a local charity and as a Community First Responder with the ambulance service. The latter allows me to be a first aider at Lord's cricket ground which meant I watched perhaps three quarters of the Ashes Test for the first four days. Yup, I had one "big sick" and a few other patients and was on duty from 6:30am until 7:30pm. However I got in for nothing and was fed and watered so I didn't pay £400 for tickets and perhaps £200 on food and drink. You puts in and you gets out. Bill

News from Lord's- the Monkey will be happy, meanwhile I had three Little Sicks. One day to go, certainly for me, probably for the game. Bill

Two days done at Lord's (a big sick yesterday), two to go. Bill

One day done at Lord's, three to go. With the rain falling, this could be a long one. Bill

Thanks Tony. Lord's hosts a week of Oxford v Cambridge, Army v Navy and Eton v Harrow. The first two are boys and girls T20, so possibly acceptable. The third is utterly obnoxious, with the "supporters " trying to kill each other with the Steward's having to keep them apart. Steward's and First Aiders hate the fixture and I point-blank refuse to cover it. Personally I would let them at each other for an hour then call the coroner.

Todhunter of Halscombe (aka Toddy, That Dog or That Bl00dy Dog), 1967 - 1985 had a heart attack at 13 and was on tablets for the rest of his life. Wrapped in a slice of Mars Bar. Being a typical Jack Russell, he returned from most walks with a muddy undercarriage, so a hose down under the yard tap, a shake, a towel down then dried in front of a gas fire. Yes, the house stank of wet dog, but otherwise he didn't smell. Bill

Gentle reminder, Tony, that there are two England Test captains and two coaches. Really part of the REPORT! Hopefully we will have a Women's Test Match at Lord's in the very near future. Bill

thought 1 - I've seen the LZV200 / LH101 at the club and no-one had any problems. I've just bought one and the instructions are tri-lingual: Deutsch, English, Frog. RRP is 409€. There is also the starter set at 99€, but I can't comment. thought 2 - I use Peco code 143 on Blindheim. This has Pandrols, rather than the bolts typically used on the Continent, but honestly not noticeable. The points don't have double sleepers under the frogs, which grates a little, but the deciding factor was cost - Peco bought with discount from a trader, whilst Lenz would be exported then re-imported. thought 3 - never seen it on native Lenz, but someone may produce the necessary electronics. Bill

If I were really bonkers, I could cover the teams' net sessions today and tomorrow. This is a real "meet the teams" opportunity. But four days is enough, by the end of Saturday I shall be aching. And the amount of cricket watched will be inversely proportional to the size of the crowd, the temperature in the stands and the volume of beer drunk.

Well I 've got four days coming up at Lord's.

Yes, he is still active and I was drinking with him yesterday. If you ring the home number you will probably get Stan, who is still happily building locomotives but is getting a teeny bit forgetful in his 92nd year. Bill

Presently playing real trains on the 7.5 inch Swanley New Barn Railway. I have an ex BR signal frame to play with. Ex Gloucester Road, Croydon? Bill

I learnt something extraordinary today; Hippos can't swim!