PeterBB

An update has occurred and access is back, but so many pages … hope all are progressing well. See ChrisF has managed to get a place on his long wished for 'journey of a lifetime' and hope it goes well. John DMU - you certainly haven't had the best recently but again hope all gets back to normal soon. Nice to see 'Pizza Pete' back on line - do not seem to have remembered much else so must be tired - Gresley and Wychnor in Wales but not Andy P, just what is the world coming to.

Snap - the only disadvantage(?) as a student was always being invited because a lift home was guaranteed … someone did once get some alcohol down me, I was ill for a week, and my wife really put down the next idiot (not aware of the previous incident but knew I did not touch the stuff) who thought it might be funny … just one of the things like coffee and spices that have to be avoided. Enjoyed the Great Model Railway Challenge.

On ties … I am beginning not to bother if I am just wearing a 'jacket' (OK plus the necessary!) but if wearing a suit I still feel undressed if not wearing a tie and like Mike, it normally these days, has to be 'relevant'. I still have three suits that fit - the third, the 'new one' was purchased to attend a wedding when all our stuff was in storage because of a 'failed' move. Our solicitor telephoned as our stuff was being loaded saying that he did not like the contract just delivered to him and told us he would not authorise payment to the vendors and not to move in. The people moving in to our house were already on their way. That 'new suit' is over twenty years old now but like the others is not worn too much these days, that is apart from funerals of which there are getting rather too many. On FA duties we used to have the 'clip-ons' and in days of yore sweated like mad in the summer because of the uniform that we had to wear. These days it is all 'workwear' and certainly for FA was more suitable, but on a parade - no way, just doesn't seem right and respectful. The official uniform too has changed from navy blue to grey but few volunteers will obtain it because it costs and the amount of wear it will get will not justify the cost (VFM I believe is still the buzz word).

Thanks to Jamie, iL Dottore and bbishop for their considerations. IL D - yours was much worse than ours but the end seemed to be 'beneficial'. On day 4, I had forgotten to mention that it was on Prime Delivery, we had had enough so went out about midday leaving a very big notice on the door for the He...s driver … yes you got it right … to leave the package in the cupboard although I did not think it would fit. Returning an hour or few later we had a 'ginormous' cardboard box half in the cupboard and the rest blocking the front door … WE HAD HAD A DELIVERY howbeit we had completed the task for which it had been ordered. Unpacking … well I like to form out my layouts on long lengths of packing paper and the box had absolute oodles of the stuff and of the continuous type about 50' or more so this will become my stock and all the 'little bits' will be recycled. At a rough guess the box was big enough to have contained five of the item that was ordered. Susan said that if anything was wrong with it it will go back … but it turned out to be of better quality than we thought and will be kept. Peter Edit = A's delivery type. Edit 2 = checking back all of the 'ticks' have gone missing again and internet showing signs of closing.

Jamie, That may well be the case - I've certainly heard of extensive delivery requirements for couriers stretching into late evening, circa the recent news about Amazon employees at warehouses, but if they are 'directed' to deliver then they are not self-employed and all that means. There is also the continuing problem of bad internet connection - how can so many businesses insist on internet based use when it is so unreliable? On this site I come back to find that previous 'ticks' are no longer recorded and a day out means that many are missed. Hope your packing goes well and that you have a safe return journey. Peter

Frustration setting in. Item ordered and informed delivery will be Friday 29th September … wait in 24 hours - no delivery. Check tracking progress and find that the last statement is 'Attempted to deliver' … and also asks on email for comment on 'quality of delivery' that had not taken place. It does also include a comment referring to the card left if an attempt was made (unsuccessfully) using reference left at the attempt on the card if no delivery to refer back to them… no card (someone isn't telling the truth). Day, in 24 hours … no delivery and again the tracking says that an attempt was made to deliver … again no card reference to contact them with … Just in case day 3 in 24 hours and still no delivery. Try to contact the delivery company (Her...s) and find that there is no way of personally contacting them in terms of their non-delivery but there were two comments on chasing down 1(among its options none of which were relevant to the dishonesty of its delivery statement) -ultimately if it has not arrived contact the seller 'It is them you have the contract with not us' and 2 the way down the 'legal' route'. Neither is satisfactory. The seller (Am …) who will ultimately refund, that is not what we want, only have effectively the same information that we have as far as delivery is concerned and referred us back to the courier company. What really galls me is that they have the cheek to say that an 'Attempt was made to deliver' when clearly that was not the case because their policy is that if they cannot deliver then they leave a card stating that they have been and were unable to deliver with a reference number on it. As I said above someone is not being quite truthful and we have been imprisoned for 3 days because we know the item is too big to leave … Rant over … unless it remains undelivered!

Remembered to find Dent when the computer was on and in RMweb … some great pictures and work … but like KL2 (or its 'replacement) nothing for a while. Hope all is well, Peter

Remember Trebudoc at an exhibition when with poor lighting it was a devil's own job to link and unlink when shunting.

Currently unable to view any of the downloads - others presumably have so it might happen eventually. Peter

Cold … cars covered in ice, time for coats. Belated congrats to those who have reached another milestone and commiserations to those in need. Not much else happening. Have a great day, cheers, Peter

Great to see Debs back but missing Rick's succinct epistles.

Good heavens did you say sunshine in Manchester? Seems to have sent the rain everywhere else.

Not quite … you were able to get it there and then rather than wait a fortnight for it to come from elsewhere.

Hi Guys, Great news John. Have managed to catch up on todays posts and Helene and Ali seem to figure quite a lot. In this area bin day has meant 'eventually find your bin or bits of your bin across or down the road' making driving a practice for chicanes. The powers that be tell us that everything is easier on 'tinternet' and that everything should be done on 'it'. The advantage of paper and telephone books is that you had something permanent to refer back to and could check things back. Paperless - no, the march of 'it' has increased the amount of paperwork time required, much in reality of little use, as nothing is done about it excepting that "We have done this for (your) information" tick boxing and increases stress levels of the "Didn't you read paragraph 219b on page 3024" type gibberish. If it is important why not just give that and not the irrelevant rubbish. The 'Virgyn' internet service 'here' is expensive, I have not compared it to my own 'provider,' but one never knows if it will be 'available' at all or for part of the day and it has definitely not been 'there' when needed a lot this last few days and I am told this is generally the case. So, until 'it' generally is totally reliable and consistent why bother with AI as it will do its 'own' thing and why do so many companies etc. assume that you have 'it' and demand that you use 'it'. It's lasted a few hours so I will catch up … when possible! Thanks for reading! Edit = spelling

Well Guys, Miss a few days because of intermittent and lack of internet access and pages and pages have gone by … I hope to be … well I said it intermittent - I will call in when practical so may not always reply. I have also noticed that a number 'likes' etc. have not registered so congratulations to those who have succeeded and best wishes and commiserations to those in less favourable circumstances. Cheers, Peter Edit = completed after dropout Second edit = spelling correction

Like others I also hate peanut butter.

Don't normally comment on visits and do not go that often but SVMRC at Loughborough last weekend and Leamington N this weekend ... 2 in a row! Both enjoyable and pockets lighter - excellent trader complement at Leamington as well as some very good models ... the promised rain DNA so it was a nice warm day.

Mark is an absolutely superb craftsman ... I also know from experience.

Unfortunately not been able to exhibit this year because of variable other commitments. Currently set up in our clubroom, for sale includes cradle and trestles but not stock or controller, but not part of our Mince Pie Weekend on 8th and 9th December 2018. Not on flyer is that the O Gauge Guild will have a presence. Hope to see some of you there, cheers, Peter

My apologies for missing O Gauge Guild off the flyer, Peter

Oops re above G&WMRG Open Weekend flyer .. missing on the flyer is a note that the O Gauge Guild will have a presence. Cheers, Peter

Normally normal rate - agree with comment above but read it after my post.

Visited Pen-y-Bont today and guys, you all know Andy can paint back scenes, and in my opinion this one is his best ever absolutely superb! Peter

At last I have a (final?) track plan after many attempts. It requires 28 points and I will rename the thread Rothleigh and Swithmore because while it is based on the original GCR plan Rule 1 has finally taken over because I think I can make the current one work well with Swithmore, bearing in mind the amount of stock currently stored on the 'original' will allow it to act as the fiddle yard. Acquisition of the points and the control board will, if the time interval between blogging relates, take some time. Anyway here's hoping I can add the plan - it said format was not allowed in the end so I photographed it and, hopefully it is present and the right way up!

Why would you do that? especially with 7mm and when its looking so good. If you must - sell it and start again - now its got an authentic Andy P painted background!