southern42

' morning all from red mask dragon land. Sunneeeeeeeeeeeee. Masks. Owz this? [Photo deleted] No, I was not avoiding the deadly bug but doing what I did on shed at Betws. Then, it protected me from the smoke and smut coming out of the loco chimney. Yesterday, it protected me from the dust, pollen and midges while cutting down the overgrown shrubs in the garden. Time to get ready to go brave it again! Fitt and Elfie taking appropriate measures. Enjoy your day best you can. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

Cold Old London - Rod Stewart

Still raining...so I shall have the sound of pitter-patter on the roof, gutter and window to lull me to sleep... ' night all and nos da.

' afternoon all from red dragon land. Looks like it is drying up. Still cloudy - and dark - and a bit on the windy side. I might as well carry on here. It was sunny and quite warm, yesterday, so the G word took precedence over the M word thus I made a bit more of a dent in the forest overgrown shrubs rather than sliding numbers onto a small bit of plastic. The more I cut back, the more I can see that I will probably have to cut them down to the ground. I did this quite a few years ago and they grew back amazingly quick. I had the intention back then to dig them up but they were so well rooted I did not bother! In another area... The Rock Rose is doing well and flowers almost every day. On the other hand, others are being eaten alive... This is the only bud remaining on the Hibiscus. I hope it gets to bloom. Then, there are the culprits on the broccoli - caught in action. While doing my bike ride on the terrace, I have been watching the cabbage white butterflies settling down on the broccoli all this week. Yesterday, I took a look at the underside of the leaves... ...munching away (not so) nicely, so they were. Not much will be left of that one... Since the broccoli self seeded from next-door, I shall not worry about it! If it makes it through until flowering next spring I shall be most impressed! Fitt and Elfie taking it all in their stride. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

' afternoon all from red dragon land. I heard about the closing of Track Shack from Ray. We had bought a few things from there and were delighted with the speedy service. Wishing all the best to Neil and his Fraggle Rock colleagues. I am currently watching the weather - trying to make use of some warm sunny weather to get some washing dried between showers! Give it another hour and it should be OK. I should be able to slot in a bike ride on the terrace as well. But now it is time for a mugadecaf before trying my hand at getting some transfers onto a small piece of plastic... Fitt and Elfie taking it steady. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

Further down sizing... 1. Resize the LCGB-REC headboard. 2. Resize the Thames Valley Rail Tour headboard and sharpen the lettering. 3. Re do mock-up. Before After Just a matter of a millimetre or two! And onto the next little job... Polly

‘ night all from red dragon land and nos da.

I’m scared shouted

' morning all from red dragon land. High teas. High...er...well...er...afternoon tea, anyway. Three, in my case. The closest I have come to what I call "posh" afternoon tea. The Lyons Tea Rooms in York (and we all know what York is famous for :-) as the smaller ones were packed! I don't remember much of it but we did remark on the napkins under the cups on the saucers! We were on holiday with the kids and Mum staying near Pickering and we all know what that is famous for as well! But for those who do not, a little hint: On taking a ride, we had an afternoon tea in the Tea Room in Goathland. The second location was inspired by all those afternoon teas in Agatha Christie TV programmes and a programme featuring the Art Deco architecture of The Washington, Mayfair. I met Mum up in London for a day out at the Natural History Museum with a C*******s Afternoon Tea for Two at The Washington. On Special Offer!!!!! The architecture and Deco finishings were truly fabulous but the original furniture coverings in the tea room were sadly in need of much restoration. It is looking so much smarter now, so job done, I guess. Delighted. The third was a birthday present for me a couple of years ago in Liverpool with Afternoon Tea for Four - us and two (grown-up) kids - at The Richmond. We have had our favourite afternoon teas at various places over the years. The most visited by us are probably The Pink Geranium in Kirkby Stephen when taking the kids to uni and back and the Coffee Mill in Chester. Locally, it is WAS (!) more usual to go for a coffee (and/or lunch) and a read of the m*d*ll*ng mags at the Beach Pavilion, Llanfairfechan which is currently still closed. When we first went here, it only had a small cafe area, the rest of the space given over to a gift shop, slot machines, and a pool table. Then it changed hands and the whole place was given over to cafe and it soon became very popular. We started going here regularly to support it during the Foot and Mouth outbreak when visitors from outside were banned from venturing onto/near farmland - essentially the top left hand corner of Wales and beyond... Life repeating itself only, this time, human infection rather than animals and worldwide, of course. Wow. And I only popped in to say hello! Fitt and Elfie ready for a panad (cuppa). Take care and play safe (out of the way of those deadly bugs!) _________ Best wishes Polly

The top lamp bracket is bolted onto the upper plate of the bunker from what I can make out from photos of other pannier tanks. Would they have attached something like this monkey wrench I have just found up for sale? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Monkey-Wrench-Vintage-Large-Adjustable-Wrench/262918467867?hash=item3d3729711b:g:WMoAAOSwXYtYtut9 Edit...bearing in mind that this one is somewhat on the rusty side!

Help solve the riddle of the wonky train reporting number. In two photos* taken at Staines West of the bunker end of pannier tank 9773, it looks like something is attached to the lamp bracket. At first, I assumed it was the handle end of a shovel poking out... but is it, rather, a gadget/tool (wrench?), placed over the lamp bracket, and on which was hung the number board? * 10th and 11th photos: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/staines_west/index2.shtml Polly

Mock-up of the train reporting number* and both headboards (all blutacked on) for going bunker first down the branch line. I cut out a final pair of reporting numbers (2nd & 3rd numbers, below) and mounted them on Sankey Scenics boards which I painted before glueing. The top number is my first attempt with Sankey Scenics characters and unpainted board, and is about 2mm longer than the final pair. The mock-up also shows the need to make the Thames Valley headboard a bit smaller. Second time easier? Since I still have the reporting number to do for 6106 and the brassy bits (lamp brackets) to add to both pannier tanks and large prairie, as well as make the 'slot boxes' for the headboards to go over the brackets, plus two locos to renumber to 9773 and 6106, not to mention a bit of weathering...I may be some time getting this little project completed. Plenty to do to keep me out of mischief the thread going. * And, yes, the reporting number should be at an angle, at the Three Bridges, anyway! I wonder if it was on straight when it left Southall? https://www.flickr.com/photos/trains-travel/41364425732/sizes/3k/ Polly

' morning all from red dragon land. Sunny. Something a bit different from me today. The porch is being treated to some floor tiles. Ray has spent a couple of days so far on laying a sterling board base and preparing the tiles to fit on top. Gluing them down is today's job. This will make the job of keeping the porch floor clean a whole lot easier - hopefully! Down a grass and gravel footpath and the throughway from the house to the coal bunker, it does have its problems, especially when it is wet out. The usual stuff on my to do list. Fitt and Elfie getting stuck in. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

Thanks, Baz. Kind of you to say so and thanks to you all for the ratings. Much appreciated. Hmm. I think this must be a special occasion - well, it is a 'special' train, after all. I doubt I will have time to do this with all my locos as much as I would like. Polly

...What were we saying about things taking longer than expected?.... This one seems to be no exception! So on with the train reporting number. First test with Sankey Scenics. This was great for getting a feel for the size, and for highlighting cutting and trimming expertise demanded at this scale, not to mention the need for a new blade for the scalpel! The test photo shows that the borders around the characters were not cut very accurately and thus made the board too long. There was also heavy ink bleed on the '6' which made it look more like an '8'. The '9' was no exception so using that upside down was no better. Next step. Considering the numbers on the actual loco. The first two characters are a smaller font size than the other two. Also, the positioning of the '0' is down on the sheet and the '6' is up on the sheet'. I found that the Universe typeface gave a suitable clearly defined character and did not give over to excessive ink bleed when I printed my own version, below. Interestingly, the '1' does not have a serif as above, so I substituted it with the letter 'I'. It is still a little too long and two more are in the making. Now for the mock-up with 9642 standing in for 9773, the reporting number on a blob of blutack, the headboard freestanding and using 9642's head lamp. Thanks for poop pooping in. _________ Best wishes Polly

I like it - Gerry and the Pacemakers

' morning all from red dragon land. Wey hey...the sun is out. It was a long day, yesterday. There was only an 8pm slot for click n collect from Tess Coe so, by the time all the items were sorted, it is was getting on a bit. Thankfully, the next few booked slots are at a more reasonable hour! OK, then. Bringing the seaside to you and all. Race you to the water's edge! Or, maybe, you would prefer a paddle in the muddy hollow in the adjacent field... or walk on them thar hills or even lament the loss of the 5-car SuperDuper to get you here - or to Dublin across the Briny. Some catching up to do on here...in the meantime... Fitt and Elfie coming along swimmingly. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

It is 10:00am. Website is down but I will begin, anyway. ' morning all from red dragon land. Yesterday's news. Yesterday's Picnic was had above the beach while the tide went out, the sea birds performed their floral flock dances over the marsh, and passenger carrying things rumbled along parallel metals on the other side of the trees behind us, out of sight, so I could not see if there were any actual passengers... Plenty of TfW services to and from Holyhead from/to Manchester, Crewe (for Euston - no SuperDuper direct train service, anymore), Shrewsbury, and Birmingham International (stopper via Shrewsbury). No interesting non-passenger stuff, this time. 14:00 Looking (roughly) NNW towards the Isle of Man, the sun just out of reach. Puffin Island on the right. You can just make out Penmon Light House in the Sound. The blip in between the lighthouse and the island is the red Perch Rock buoy. Yes, it is huge. 15:30 Looking west across the Lavan Sands, the navigable channel over on the far side of the Strait. A few yachts headed east earlier towards Conwy and the University Research Vessel Prince Madog came in through Puffin Sound heading for its berth at Menai Bridge. 15:48 The nature reserve is just left of the old Glan-y-mor Elias Level Crossing keeper's cottage. Today's news It is now 22.20 and Website seems to be up and running again. Wet and windy start to the day. Sun when I started this morning. Rain this afternoon, then again this evening. Bike ride on the terrace fitted in before lunch just before the sun disappeared. Some strong westerly gusts but at least I did not get blown off! Fifes blown this evening. Fitt and Elfie doing their bit. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Picnic Polly Just making sure I'm looking my best.

' morning all from red dragon land. Who's nicked the sun? Pine cone predictors forecast clear skies...and just as I was contemplating getting deckchairs and suncream out... Best day of the week, they said. Foiled again. Picnic lunch still on, though - half of it prepared last night, including the making of a bun loaf, and the half-baked baguettes finished off in the oven at 7am this morning. Just got to add the filling. Fitt and Elfie still working the calories off... Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

Thought I would let you know I was amused as a "like" rating did not cover this little bit. As one who lives in a "tourist" area...(keep out of my way)

' evening all from red dragon land. Bike ride and the G word today. Chopped up some more bamboo I cut down a couple of days ago. I reckon I will need a whole lot more than the three ex-cement bags full I have at the moment to cover the patch that will be rid of monbretia/crocosmia after flowering. Also more weeding - gee, they grow big quick! A veritable jungle in places. Fitt and Elfie perking up again with the sunshine. Keith and Tony, all the best and hope it goes well. Take care and play safe. _________ Best wishes Polly

Love me do - The Beatles

' morning all from red dragon land. Wet. Yesterday, I managed to squeeze in a bike ride on the terrace and ended up in spots of rain. I just got it in before the showers proper started, though. I missed the sunny bits when making a birthday cake to accompany the trifle, made earlier, which were virtually sent to one of the family. We liked them. Today. OH engaged in virtual MES business so time for toot on the flute...and a bit of hoovering...and maybe more... Well, you know how long these things take... Fitt and Elfie hanging in there. Take care and play safe __________ Best wishes Polly

Trash, garbage, not words I hear a lot these days. Not since I used to sit and watch Sesame Street with (and without!) the kids many, many moons ago. One could wonder why we love to dirty up any of our little things with flanged wheels, and the things that surround them...anything dirty or dingy or dusty....ragged, rotten or rusty...battered and worn...full of holes and torn...smelly and old...broken... We love trash!

Thanks, Chris. That makes me feel a whole lot better about it, even though I have been there many times before as well with more to come...