Budgie

There are two answers to this: No. Let nature (red in tooth and claw) take its course. Yes, on the side of the magpies. Grey squirrels are an introduced species, and you are allowed to kill them humanely. Note that if you capture one, you are not allowed to release it back into the wild.

The B set is all very well, but it doesn't suffice for 5-coach sets as used in the Cardiff Valleys and 4-coach sets as used elsewhere.

I would never buy screws from a DIY supermarket. I get mine from Screwfix, and I've had no trouble with them. Incidentally, for very small woodscrews (sizes 0, 1 and 2) I go to Modelfixings (usual disclaimer).

I'll tell you what: let me buy the DJM version, and I'll sell the empty box to you for the price I paid.

You'd better believe them. http://www.syslog.com/~jwilson/pics-i-like/-wheel.jpg

Certainly not in place of them. After will do, or preferably alongside.

Where are the non-gangwayed equivalents?

Meccano used to sell one of those: 36c Drift (for levering bolt holes into line).

Aha! I think I now see your problem. The back-to-back measurement of a wheelset should have nothing to do with whether you get short circuits or not, because no wheel should be touching rails of both polarities at the same time; and if coupled wheels are electrically connected then the whole side of coupled wheels should be in contact with just a single polarity at the rails.

So what would you do instead? Third-rail electrification?

because they're numpties

Off topic here, but just as a matter of interest, how much does Colas get paid for having a couple of class 66s hanging around outside London Bridge doing nothing for the best part of a fortnight?

Yours?

Talking of Noah's Ark, can someone explain to me how the Kangaroo, Wallaby, Platypus, etc., all got from Australia to Turkey to be on the ark before the flood, and how they all got back to Australia without getting lost on the way back afterwards?

Did these survive to run on BR? And in green?

Overheard in a grocery store somewhere in the USA. A woman is speaking on her mobile phone in another language. After she hangs up, a white man in front of her in the queue in front of her speaks up. Man: "I didn't want to say anything while you were on the phone, but you're in America now. You need to speak English". Woman: "Excuse me?" Man, very slowly: "If you want to speak Mexican, go back to Mexico. In America, we speak English." Woman: "Sir, I was speaking Navajo. If you want to speak English, go back to England."

Isn't the Belgian one, being a non-standard value, also a collectors'-only version?

If we don't, we jolly well ought to have.

Did these coaches run in sets? You can run anything you like and it is likely to have been correct at some time or another.

The easy way to avoid their being sunk is to fill them with high explosive. After the first few, there will be no more.

What's going to happen to the line when deliveries finish?

I don't know how they are allowed to continue advertising that. It has been exposed more than once as not worth what you pay for it. It's no surprise they can afford to hire Parky for that advert.

Why are you using light bulbs to protect your circuits from overloads/short circuits? I ask, because they do not remove the overload/short circuit; they just limit the current in the circuit. However, that current could well be the full amount that your DCC system puts out, i.e. 5 amps, which can do a lot of harm to your layout or the stock on it. You might like to look at http://www.mrol.com.au/Articles/DCC/LightBulbs.aspx and http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track.htm#5-4%20Bulb

BEST POEM IN THE WORLD I was shocked, confused, bewildered As I entered Heaven's door, Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its décor. But it was the folks in Heaven Who made me splutter and gasp -- The thieves, the liars, the sinners, The alcoholics and the trash. There stood the kid from seventh grade Who swiped my lunch money twice. Next to him was my old neighbour Who never said anything nice. Bob, who I always thought Was rotting away in hell, Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, Looking incredibly well. I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal? I would love to hear your take. How'd all these sinners get up here? You must've made a mistake. And why is everyone so quiet, So sombre -- give me a clue.' 'Hush, child,' he said, 'they're all in shock! No one thought they'd see you.' ~~Author Unknown

At least it'll keep me out of trouble!