Joseph_Pestell

And until local authorities are made to pay compensation to developers for these entirely unnecessary delays, the situation will continue. No minor planning application should need more than three months to resolve.

Is there a gas supply to the property?

Regional news today that families are asking for the area around the Floating Harbour to be made safer after man's body found (the third this year to drown there). What exactly do they have in mind? It's water, it's deep, and it's been there for a long time. I used to drink in a pub on Prince Street every evening but I never fell in.

We have had more than our fair share of battles with local planners and conservation officers over the years. There is not much wrong with the regulations and guidance, some of which has been modified in recent years. The problem mainly arises from bizarre interpretation of the regulations by some planners, and hopeless inconsistency. It's the inconsistent decisions which lead to people believing that corruption is involved. While I don't condone builders/developers who build something that has not been permitted, it is often the best solution if you want to bring the planners to their senses. Enforcement action is costly so they have to be very certain of winning before they will go down that route. So a retrospective application will often pass when an application made before building would not. Discussing this last week with a local builder, we both agreed that it is usually worth including something in the plans that you know the planners don't like. So he often puts in applications for dormers on jobs where all that is wanted is a Velux rooflight. The planners, happy that they have "won" on the dormer, let other things go. There are places where "garden-grabbing" is acceptable. With a suitable new access road, why not create infill housing where neighbours with large gardens are agreed about it. But that is quite a different matter from the sort of shed that Horsetan is having to put up with in his neighbours' gardens. LB Barnet should be threatened with legal action if they do not act in accordance with the law and enforce against these people. Finally, I do have evidence that corruption occurs. But it is rarely of the direct "used fivers in a brown envelope" kind. It is more about favours and influence.

As and when I get around to the big layout build, I think that I will invest the time in making up a jig of my own to thread longer lengths.

Just wondering how difficult it would be to use a DTSO as an autocoach while waiting for the rest of the unit.

Surely would not be too difficult to construct a carriage shed over the sidings at Harman's Cross.

Talking of Weymouth, the ferry terminal on the platform at Weymouth Harbour is up for let at the moment. Not quite sure what one might do with it.....

My school bus (1964) was a Bedford VAL, but not with a coach body like these. Belonged to the Bookham Coaches off-shoot of H R Richmond, now Epsom Coaches.

I think the unpredictability of our weather must be causing great difficulties for the bird population. There was a starling (??? as I am no ornithologist) having a feeding frenzy yesterday on our grassed parking area. The rain had clearly brought worms to the surface. But what has he been able to feed on during the past few very dry weeks?

You like to make absolutely sure, don't you.

Love that Harrington Cavalier. I think that Harrington were among the most stylish coachbuilders, both here and their French vehicles built IIRC in Dieppe.

You really wonder why someone would do this. If they want a steam bus, why not build from scratch?

I'm sure that I have seen details of a bus rally in South Wales. There were plenty of Welsh vehicles at the Bristol Bus Rally last year (June?). Takes place at the Park+Ride on the A4 towards Keynsham.

Just looking through Rightmove for a commercial property and seen that a well-known model railway (and other models) shop is currently available. I think that it is in premises that are rather too large for its current business. If there was someone on here interested in joining with me and another business partner, we could perhaps engineer an interesting deal. As ever, the stumbling block is likely to be stock value with Hornby devaluing the stocks held. But cross that bridge when we get to it. Please don't discuss on here. PM me.

Other Nord depots had similarly magnificent structures.

I was surprised to see that John Brewer had edited even more issues than CJF.

Is that trolleybus at Sandtoft a hybrid or completely converted to OHE operation? Would be interesting to convert some current buses so that they could operate from overhead on busy city centre routes. The "Boris Bus" looks rather more like a trolleybus than a Routemaster.

Just been having a look on internet. As you say, only vehicles are the lead car, second car and the one at the other end of the half-set. Might not be too difficult to make up the ordinary seating cars by cut-and-shut. Bar car would need an overlay though.

Yes, HO, as you would expect of a French producer. Am I right in thinking that Hornby never made any intermediate coaches for the Eurostar?

Yes, Apocopa is a one-man-band, Max. Been going for about 25 years now. Deliveries have been known to be slow but quality usually OK.

All of the major centres are compromised by having so much of the wrong type of rolling stock cluttering up what would have been a generous goods yard with a few wagons in it. So my vote has to go to one of the lesser stations such as Hampton Loade or Kingscote. Interesting to see a vote above for Harman's Cross, an entirely new station. I rather like the equally new (fake) Kidderminster.

The Antwerpen is also at Tesco. Been wondering whether to try it.

I don't think that I would have bothered with The Churchillian. The George is a nice pub.

Shame to lose the canal. Can it not go to the rear?