PeterBB

Happy birthday Mrs Baz, and Mrs Grandadbob.

Wow, actually got it right - need to record that in triplicate because that sort of thing is so unusual.

When the battery runs out ... that is its 'life time' - simple!

So do we!

@polybear Agree this is a problem - bet the 'so called students' used the sort of language they complained aboout most of the time. Unfortunately senior management seems to support these kind of students regardless of the real facts and as a result in this and other cases obviously lose good committed members of staff. Some time ago you may remember my comment on refusal to sign off students on the £30/week they were getting as they were not doing the work required as they said 'I turned up' was good enough. They were not happy and 'moaned' and said that 'all the others signed'. That was easily countered by 'Prove that you have done the work to merit a signature' and although they complained 'higher up' never signed the particluar sessions off. There are still youngsters around who think the world owes them a living.

So, let's have MV as an option post 16-18 for those not interested in 'A' levels - teachers pay is greater than the equivalent college pay. Thinking on why not more relevant to actual work crafts person training for the 16-18 non-academic set in schools. There was a politician who thiought that having everybody with a degree would be beneficial and the latest 'changes' in education look like downgradin by removing the nearest 'mode to work' courses that do currently work. Looks like this became a rant.

@polybear 'Agreed - the two Colleges I've attended in recent years (for the M.E. Group) can't get Tutors for love nor money; problems include: (a) they need to know the subject, (b) be able to teach, (c) have a teaching qualification, and (d) be happy to accept less gronkits than they can probably earn in the real world.' c) is the one that especially causes the problems in terms of how much they can be paid. MV normally have qualified by the apprentice route and definitely have the skills but not all are able to pass on information and will not take 'guidance' on the manner in which they approach students (even although how some of them get enrolled was/is sometimes a mystery (£sd is the college need as compared with schools they are insufficently appropriately funded and pay still lags far behind that of the schools).

DEpends on the subject being taught and the hours deemed necessary. MV normally has a fair number of tutors but some garage workers are able to supplement their current 'better' earnings by also tutoring, making sure the best obtain placements in their garages and then employing them afterwards ... it happens. In later years I 'employed' additional (session paid) PT s when demand exceeded staff availability ... all were known to me as suitable for the tasks and all were very appy to take part.

By 'accident' some elderberry wine was made about 45+ years ago - I am tea total - and stored in a stair cupboard by ex. Some years later ex's father came to visit and it was remembered and dug out. He drank some, declared it really good, had a second glass and took the rest home with him.

@bluemoon-jon I know you knew about Deesdale Road early on. Your reply made me second thoughts about how I saw/see it. I had made 3 designs to try to incorporate it E2E but was not happy with any of them hence the previous post. SWMBO keeps asking when am I going to build a round/roundy so that the GKs can see trains going round and have a play. I have known Deesdale since its inception and have now worked out that a second track could be laid behind it at the back (against the wall) in what is normally the 'fiddle yard' and a new 'layout' added to it in the room with fiddle yards either side. That being the case I will keep it. Thank you for your interest and the mind concentration that it caused.

Its unusual for me to be ERing at times relevant to respond to 'Good night' until the day after.

Wharever you do it is not a good idea to have carpet in the bathroom ... its impossible for it not to get wet and ... however Rule 1 applies in your own home.

Until recently totally overwhelmed with posts and time limited I now try to skim and obviously miss some but was formally in the habit of reading all posts. The other thing that strikes is the number of former posters that we no longer hear about e.g. Simon of the Ratty. Baz and Jamie also mentioned others who we have missed. Sometimes also find that the mouse 'click' does not register a comment so these days do not try again.

Hi Guys, Started to read and then discovered that there were hundreds of responses aand well over a week so jumped to the last page eventually. The bullying stories have recalled much and yes, the fightback seems to be the one who gets the hassle. However a then young son had a problem with a bully so I told him to hit him on the nose next time. We had a telephone call a little while later of the order that son had come in, walked up to the bully and thumped him good and hard on the nose. My reply was sorry it upset you but I do not think he will be bullied again. Secondary school came and a guy a few years up bullied and we wrote to the school. While waiting for a reply that at the time had not come we were telephoned to say that our son had hit the said bully (she did not use 'bully' but I did) so hard that he had been sent to hospital. My response was basically if you had taken notice of my letter and done something about it ... I was proud that he had responded so trusted that they would take a more active role in taking action when bullying had been reported. The said bully had had another go at him and GD after the ealier incident shown him what to do - well done GD. He never had any more trouble at 'senior school'.

Yes Andy, a second line would be an advantage. I have drawn up 3 plans so far trying to make a second line fit in with the current track plan - you will remember that the station has a terminal platfrom and at an earlier stage two lines could be hidden behind the factory fronts so there is a possibility but none have satisfied yet in terms of 'easy' 4' track meeting lengths. I am also thinking of a bone style double track to avoid the necessity of either ducking under or having a hinged section. The ends would be 4' x 4' but would be accessible. The hinge section on Rothleigh (and Swithmore) never failed to meet track during its 7 years 'never completed' build before the move - it had big brass hinges - and I discovered this week that 22' of its variable baseboards are here. Also noted your comments on breaking up 'T'. I will hopefully add some replacement pictures of Cadley as i have been unable to replace the ones 'lost' on the software move.

Cadley Hill up and running but not too well. It used to run with two trestles but the hinge end doesn't quite met up at the same level as the 5' section. Nothing seems to be wrong but a third trestle has now been made out of bits and pieces/odds and ends. Not yet put into place as there seems to be power on one of the tracks. Over the last few months still having a DC loco or two have run it with and old 'Bachmann 5' and old Hornby controllers. Not too sucessful because the potentionmeters all seem to have a fault either just go straight to full power or only work one way but it was fun to run the locos. I run it with a Prodigy but added a support for an EZ Command Conttrol Centre with the controller area. It worked quite well but the drawback wa renumber ing locos (with the prodigy) to run them. The thought was to sell it with the EZ and an old loco a few wagins and a coach or two as a goung layout. Would that be practical or a good idea? Or just take it apart remembering that it was a project to do something during 'lockdown' ?

Deesdale Road is up and running but after so long stored up needs quite a lot of attention. Had a visitor who somehow or other managed to knock a section off but with the amount of space available at that end still puzzled to how he managed to brake bits off - even more work now required. Begs the question - should it be dismantled and 'rebuilt' as it has evolved since its ealiest single 4' setion via Andy Peters in 2010 (mine since early 2012 and evolved over time?). SWMBO says "Why not build one that goes round, its better when you can see them running all the time" - Like that idea as it appeals to grandchildren while also being able to run end 2 end. Looking to see what is available have discovered 22' of the original baseboards for Rothleigh (and Swithmore) although they are of varying lengths and widths consistent with the then garage space but ...

Still no GDB.

Kidney problems from age 5, parents looked after me so no added salt. Now 80 and have not needed a transplant - helped no doubt by my limited but safe diet and SWMBO who very often cooks a different meal that she can enjoy apart from things that set off allergies. Not having added salt, fish and chips and the very rare gourmet of a packet of salt crisps excepted, has helped keep hypertension in check.

In San Francisco with John Pettit (Yellow Cab Company and friend of a friend). I was taken out for a steak meal and they asked me at the table 'is this alright sir' or whatever they say to which my reply (it being far too much) was to proceed further for more. It took quite a while before they realised that I was saying 'less please'. Once sorted it was the best meal of my trip (back packing across Canada and round the USA) in 1967.

Yes, Norton picked up McAfee that had already been removed. It then took 'the experts' a time or two to find other McAfee bits and pieces that were a bthe time stopping Norton from installing. On a different count the regular message from the accountants came up as a 'known untrusted site' that was very disturbing. This was reported to the accountant firm who thanked me for pointing it out ... the end result - others had also reported it to them so they went back to their provider and it turned out that a change somewhere in Google had caused it. It was plasing that they sent sent me an email confirming that - hence how I found out that I was not the only one to report it.

Hi Guys, you may guess hat we have had a few days with neither mobile nor internet access. Tried to skim through and then noticed just how many pages since last home ... too many to work through. It seems AV has had a field day so my comment will be that the 'normal' remover apps or whatever they call them do not cleaer everything and that specuicfic detailed investigation is needed to get rid ... especially McAfee. Have a call so must leave already will return later

Where is GDB?

Central purchasing has its positives but when you need something 'small' or 'now' the delays and downtime seem extraordinarily long and, yes, I agree that often it is much more expensive overall.

This type is the usual accountants who look at saving pennies without looking at the bigger picture. It has meant getting rid of quality useful stuff because it took 'too much space' ... then required, where is it? and cost the earth (what would the value of the only King's ransome that came to mind - that of Richard in the 12th century be worth in todays monies?) to replace with inferior quality disposable stuff. Sounds like a rant.