SM42

How about Pelham St Jn, Lincoln Andy

I believe Time Interval Working did last until around 1992 as the very last resort if all other methods of working around a block failure were not available. As has been mentioned above the new method Emergency Special Working which does away with the need for so many personnel lineside and in theory should be quicker to set up and need less short term planning of staff deployment which is always problematic. However that day the conditions to implement this couldn't be met immediately. The planning of services around any major disrupition (and minor ones for that matter) is fraught with complexity due to train crew and stock diagrams and the effects can last for many hours after restoration of normal working while everything and everyone get back in place ready for the next day or rush hour. As for self diganosis of faults on new signalling systems, yes it can narrow down where to look by flagging up where in the system the failure is but it still needs someone to go out there and find out why that bit of kit has failed. This is not always that simple to diagnose. It's a bit like part of your layout not working. You know where, but not why and there are numerous possible causes. I have known a similar failure that occurred at random over a number of weeks in one area and fixed itself just as quickly as it failed each time. Much time and effort was expended at trying to find out what on earth was going on. They could see what was happening on the diagnostics but not why. The techs looked everywhere and even considered interference from electricity board power lines arcing to nearby trees blowing in the wind. The cause was eventually found by accident when the techs went out to a simpler failure in the same area and the major failure ocurred whilst they were working on it. The cause was rodent damage to cables in a place no-one would ever think to look (a signal head) causing interference in the signalling circuits. Every time the furry miscreant scuttled past or had a nibble it all went wrong, when they left it all returned to normal. Andy

But I might win . Andy

Never mind, I'll just take solace in the lottery win then. Now where can I spend a fiver without it changing my life? Andy

Do I win a prize? A year's subscription to Nudger Weekly perhaps? Andy (feeling smug)

That second van in the train looks little nudged (a nudgette) though compared to the others. Andy

Cucumber Nudge The greenhouse's answer to Crocodile Dundee. Andy

Now I'm confused. A swat isn't a shunt but a shunt is an overnudge? Isn't a swat a basic form of extreme shunt?* Did I miss a page? Andy *Extreme shunting should only be carried out by trained professionals and certainly should not be attempted at home unsupervised. edit for nudging the wrong letter in, nudging one out and a punctuation nudge too. Almost the full set.

I find fly nudging a problem as the nudgee tends to fly off before the nudger can get into a suitable position to nudge. Now with a big swatter it is easier to shunt them as they definitely gain momentum. Andy

The British family getting on a bus at the airport in an Italian city with a dodgy tower asking for 3 tickets to Pizza was quite amusing. Don't even start me on shitake mushrooms. What's really important is however you pronounce Heljan (Yay! back on topic,) as long as people understand what you are blathering on about, it doesn't matter too much, (Well perhaps more to the Danes ) and pronouncing it with a y in the middle when you are not Danish (did we establish the Danish pronounciation?) or from the further parts Europe, probably makes people think you are a pretentious twit. As a small digression, Mrs SM42's best was asking what "Krevy" was like as a town. It took a while to realise she meant Crewe. I can't go up the M6 now without silent chuckle around junction 16 Andy

Have you considered the GWR route to Worcester Shrub Hill or perhaps Evesham ? Not too far from Redditch (about the same journey time to Evesham as to International) for a lift home and would avoid using the underground. Just change off the HEX at Paddington. I accept the door to door time may be longer than via Euston, but I would rather take longer with less, stressful connections. You should be able to make the 2022hrs with good run through the airport failing that the 2148hrs for extra leeway Andy

There were at least three rail served sand quarries in Kidderminster. There was one behind the engine shed and possibly this now has two blocks of flats built in it facing Chester Rd South. One opposite the engine shed on the SVR branch (off Hoo Rd by the SVR bridge) and another behind what is now the SVR carriage shed and is now a housing estate in a hole There is conjecture that the sand was sent off for casting use at Swindon works from the former. How much processing took place beforehand I don't know As a child I regularly played in the remains of these two quarries and recall the concrete remnants of a building at the one next to the current SVR yard. My dad used to make reference to the noise of the stone cracker as gravel was also produced so this may explain these remains The one opposite the old shed was more fun as you had to dodge round the JCB working what was now a landfill site. There was no evidence of any former infrastructure at this one, but it is still there, filled in (with god knows what with but I recall numerous scorched tin cans from the local waste incinerator and random piles of earth) and covered in methane vents and trees. IIRC from old maps these all had a single standard gauge siding serving them. Back in the 1980s when Kidderminster still had a goods yard there was a brick and concrete ramp alongside on of the sidings, (probably in the current SVR car park now) wide enough for a lorry and this allowed a tipper truck to tip sand into BR steel highs, however by this time both the above quarries had long closed so where it came from I do not know. Andy

The railway is still walked on a regular basis. Trains can't see everything yet as Dunsignalling said I think it will be a while yet before they are fully extinct. However actual walking may become rarer. I believe there have been trials using a small motorised vehicle, but not on open running lines obviously. Wheeltappers still exist in some parts of Europe. The shunter is an endagered species too now. Andy

I believe there was some sort of obstruction further south on the up line and the Pendolino was sent back to Crewe to await the line to be cleared. It seems to have crossed over to the down to travel in the right direction from Basford Hall to Crewe station (much easier that way) based on your account. Andy

In An illustrated history of Stoke and North Staffordshire Railways there is a picture of 8F (48600) on coal train from Holditch passing Knutton which according to the caption is heading possibly for Ironbridge . dated Jan 1965. How accurate the caption is I shall leave for you to decide, but may explain some of Davey's recollections. Andy

Having a bottom link made of steel, a lightly magnetised needle file or similar implement can be used to pick up the coupling and drop it over the hook of the adjacent vehicle The problem if your magnet is too strong is that you cannot easily release the coupling. Just enough oomph to lift the weight of the coupling is ideal and then your coupling will release from the magnet with a slight twist, the link being over the hook providing the resistance to release the coupling. Andy

In a certain country that nestles between Germany and Belarus I've heard Peco become Petso and Piko is Pee-ko, with a hard emphasis on the i sound and a short o (which is hard to write phonetically) Oh and it's Helyan to me. But then I've been indoctrinated into turning Js into Ys in any language other than English and French Andy

Thanks Phil Although I live within earshot of the SVR it's like anything on the doorstep, you just take it for granted. I thought it didn't look like your typical ballast drop. Andy

Ok. I've got to ask What was the GBRf 66 and hoppers doing there. I saw it heading over Falling Sands back towards Kiddy and it did look odd with the plough brake hung on the back. Andy

Seems we have drifted to film sets too now. As we all know, the Armathwaite is the device that keeps the bedsheet tightly wrapped around the actress, just under her armpits, during bedroom scenes in films. Andy

Does Staines West fit? Andy

I had the same message as the OP last week, again on RMWeb. Being a bear of simple brain I used the age old and got to solution of most IT departments, the shut down an restart technique, followed by a scan that found nought Been alright since (maybe spoke too soon here) I've had similar but different things pop up before on RMWeb but that may be just down to the fact it is the site I look at most and it could happen on any site. RMWeb just has a better chance of being open at the time All suggestions made up thread noted. Thanks everyone Andy

ColWALL AsCOTt under Wychwood S (POND)on CARlton KetteRING South WIGston SPOONer Row West HampsTEAd (Don't mind if I do. White, no sugar please) Andy

RUGeley Town JEWELLERY Quarter PENkridge WhitLOCKs End Milton KEYnes HATton HALL Green (dodgy) SPRING Road (pushing it a bit here) YARDley Wood (pushing it further) KENILworth (now it's really broken) Seer Green and JORDANS (Does cereal count?) Andy

The A2 isn't that bad! The M20 is worse. If you're down Wernigerode way you could also pop over to Brakel and ModellBundesBahn. Managed to pop in there on way out last year. Well worth a look. (You may of course already be aware of this ) And then there is Modelbahnshop in Detmold not too far away too if continental floats your boat Have fun and safe journey Andy