SM42

I awake this morning feeling a little better. The fatigue and shivers have gone but the chesty cough and blocked nose remain. A quick visit to the garden to assess the jobs out there that need doing whilst the weather is good; cut the grass, trim the hedge, clean the patio, paint the fences. Some of these might not get done. A look to the heavens revealed the vapour trails of four aeroplanes. Seems they are tracking a bit further west today, unusual to see them this far over. Andy

The bridge on the Tenbury branch was removed after the line closed so removing another for scrap wouldn't be an issue. Blow it up in summer, low water levels . Remove scrap at leisure. Or take it down piece by piece and blow the rest The river is not navigable at Arley The Bridgnorth bypass bridge IIRC was partly funded by the county council and the SVR had been saving up for a good number of years from when the bypass was proposed. Andy

Acrylics can have all sorts of wierd and wonderful stuff in them. It could be the solvent or the propellant. They are not all water based. I had a tin once that said don't overcoat enamels and acrylics. Not much use as modelling paint then. Andy

Despite my current medical predicament I am pleased to report that one task did get finished. I slowly painted ( it had to be a painting job) the lower fence at the front of SM42 Towers. I also did a bit of weeding as I went. I haven't tidied up as I retired knackered after I put the lid back on the paint tin. Hopefully I'll be over the worst by tomorrow. Andy

The lurgi has arrived at SM42 Towers. So many jobs won't get done today. Oh well, never mind. Andy

I left SM42 Towers just after 9.15 this morning. The neighbour was out washing their car. That were at the chammy leather stage I returned just after 2pm They were still at it. It does look very shiny though Andy

I use the supplied ground fixing, but dig a hole to put it in and then pack th soil back round it. Andy

A visit to Worcester today gave me chance to pop into the industrial estate by Shrub Hill I believe this was the site of the Heenan and Froude works accessed off the Vinegar branch. I'm not sure but the second could be part of the connection to McKenzie and Holland's works Andy

Back to bridge strikes. There was one in Wolverhampton a few weeks ago. The truck got through The only problem was that it was now between two low bridges and it wouldn't fit under either despite the damage and deflated tyres. I believe someone had to come out and convert it to a flat bed. Andy

Not aware of the river being used. I think most got delivered to marinas on the South coast. Definitely not the sort of thing you would win on Bullseye or be able to afford on a normal wage. Andy

I have a hard week ahead. In work tomorrow but off on a site visit so not the most taxing of days. Next shift then is Saturday. I may get some modelling in, I may not. There is some garden work to do and a day of spring cleaning at the club on Wednesday, other than that I am relatively task free. Not even any painting to do. I feel a bit lost. Andy

As it's a bank holiday, Mrs SM42 is off work. She is also in tidying mode, so I am on edge again. It is impossible to finish any task as I am constantly being hailed to come and look at, do, or make a decision on something else. Fortunately she has gone shopping so I might get an hour or so of respite Andy

There used to be a company that made such craft round here. We're at least 70 miles from the sea and the stuff they churned out wouldn't fit on the canal. It was not unusual to see a one or two leaving the factory the back of a low loader. It's also probably quicker and cheaper to move a boat by road than by water. Andy

But would you go to sea after using it? Andy

"Just a sharp scratch" Andy

It appears to be a fibreglass hull. If that's been damaged / crushed as a result , then very expensive. Andy

Glad to hear it A healthy sense of self presevation never goes amiss when working around a railway. Never trusting your colleagues, no matter how well you know them, not to make a mistake is always good practice. Andy

I suspect that the load was measured across the stern ( as it's convenient) forgetting that it tends to be narrower than the bit in the middle. Pure conjecture ofcourse but may explain it along with the using the wrong arch theory. Whatever happened, it's a rather expensive error. Andy

The velcro baby idea comng to a supermarket near you. The alternative is to vacuum pack them ( maintains freshness) and leave them by the door for collection later. Andy

I was presuming the colliery remained linked from the Ironbridge end ( handy bulk customer) and the Kidderminster end was lifted beyond the sugar factory at Foley Park. The section south of Bridgnorth falling into disuse when the collieries closed, but the infant SVR not having the funds to reopen it for some years after securing the Northern section and priorities being getting to Ironbridge and an end on junction with the national network. Quite recently the SVR opened a new terminus station on land acquired behind Madeley Jn signalbox following the closure of the Ironbridge Power Station. At some point, when funds allow, the new station building will be completed with the opening of the restaurant wing. Replacing the demolished Victoria Bridge would be a major obstacle along with various embankment failures on the southern section in the intervening years Another alternative scenario being the Hartlebury - Stourport- Bewdley section remained in use rather than the Kidderminster- Bewdley section We could go one further and forget the real and above imagined histories and presume the line to Tenbury remained lingering on into the 70s. Shropshire coal mining having ended in the 50s ( quite how my paternal grandfather would make a living through the 60s is open to conjecture,) killing the line towards Arley and Ditton Priors MOD remained, the reason for the line to stay open, (till the depot's closure, in the mid 70s) after a limited passenger service to Tenbury inevitably succumbed to the financially inevitable in the late 60s, despite BR's best cost cutting efforts. The line between Cleobury Mortimer and Tenbury lying intact but moribund for some years until the SVR raised the funds to extend through to Tenbury. The Ditton Priors branch then remained in use with the SVR with limited services traversing the line from Bewdley, priority being given to running a more intensive Kidderminster - Tenbury service Andy

Yes but we aren't sure what that's for. It might be a variation on S Andy

I find Mrs SM42's ride works well in Day mode, wont move in the dark in Night mode and when you put it in Race mode it goes backwards. Andy

Mrs SM42's ride is always filled with super. It's about 5% dearer but hje car goes 10% further per litre so my man maths says that's a good deal. It's also a lot nippier. Quote from Mrs SM42 when I first put some in," What have you done to Henry? ( for that is his name.) He's gone silly." We are currently part of the weekend away set. I am currently looking out over Manchester as I type, just back from the pub down the road where proper beer is available and it doesn't cost the earth. We've been on a coach trip to the lakes which we had bought us for Christmas and it started from Manchester, so we've made a weekend of it. Just hoping there are some trains home tomorrow. It is a Sunday so might be a bit hit and miss Andy

Father was also Home Guard and spent many an hour firewatching from the roof of the local cinema. He didn't get called up till late 1944 ,I think , and saw out the war in Libya and Palestine in the REME. Not enough service to get his WW2 medal but was in Palestine when the King David hotel was bombed and was lucky not to be there that day. Andy

A colleague recently asked if I would like to try some ( home made) tiffin It did make me smile, for reasons other than free cake Andy