SM42

How odd that both of Scotland's arguably most (in)famous clans should both end up in the food industry. Probably why you don't see much soup on the menu at McD's Andy

And being a cyclist, has no speed limit, rather like the road Andy

Tomorrow's jobs list is in. 1. Take Mrs SM42 to work 2. Move 1 ton of building sand off the drive and into the back garden 3. Move 40 slabs off the drive to the garden 4. Repair toilet door frame ( 14 years in the waiting that one) 5. Book car in for its 116,000 mile service 6. Collect Mrs SM42 along with various items belonging to the now closed Polish Saturday School from storage in church hall next to where she works . Where we are going to store this who knows) After 4pm I may be able to relax a bit Andy

Ah yes but I have just arrived at SM42 Towers. If I had left later then I wouldn't be home yet and dinner would be spoiled. It was indeed good to add more faces to names and I've had a good day out . It occurred to me on the way home, that the last time I got off a train in Crewe, Cross Country were using 47s and 86s, ( I fact I don't think Cross Country had been invented) and I probably got there on a 310 unit. Andy

A scene around 10 minutes before an exhibition closes at a layout using tension lock couplings Andy

Making a jig for hhx underframe is probably hhe best way forward. What stopped me on the catfish was cutting down the one upright hopper support to the right length ( as it shares parts with the dogfish) It defeated me at the time and was stored till I worked out how to do it accurately . The hopper support being part of the sidebar makes it harder to get square as they get in the way. Thd mermaid I found quite straightforward with a bit of care. What I can't understand about some Cambrian kits was the separate W iron moulding. It just made getting it all square more complicated Andy

As far as a certain US fast food outlet with a Scottish sounding name goes I have partaken several times. Once way back when it was new and I was in short trousers ( what's all this salad stuff?) Once for breakfast as it was all that was around and several times for ice cream In fact we have a branch within walking distance and occasionally we will wander down after dinner for pudding. About the best thing they do in there in my opinion. Andy

Broken springs are a phenomenon that has plagued the European car market for some years. It is I believe caused by building to a price and not finishing the spring like what they used to, to save a few pennies on each corner. European makes ( iincluding those under an American umbrella) tend to be worst affected by all accounts. The Mazak rot of the car industry if you like Andy

Good lord! Think of the children Andy

I sort of fell into further education in the "what else to do" style. I studied economics, drank beer, learned to cook and look after myself ( by necessity) and made friends, all by trying to work out what I wanted to do with my life. Ultimately I left into a recession I didn't see coming and spent a while signing on till I secured a job for which a degree was not a prerequisite. I'm still there 30 years later. I was in one of the last few intakes of students before it became a way of keeping people off the unemployment figures for a couple of years. There are that many studying now that I feel it has devalued the degree. Where an o level used to be an essential possession for a job hunter, now it's a degree. We've had our share of the hopeless but generally the grads that have passed through our department have been keen to learn and picked things up well. Unfortunately the hopeless have tarnished the reputation of the rest. Andy

I have a vague recollection of reports that one of the solebar moulding is a tad longer. One reason why I have several unbuilt. As to solutions, I'm afraid I have not looked into this. Andy

Or his driver hadn't taken a wrong turn. Andy

It's also quite possible that he would not be, ( less than 2 hours after getting into bed after after night shift, ) swapping insurance details over the phone with a young lady who has just scuffed the rear of Mrs SM42's ride. Henry is sporting the little crumpled look this morning. Fortunately only metal has been crumpled and nothing else Andy

For a personal alternative history The Russian revolution of 1917 was put down by the Tsar, but alarmed by what had happened, introduced sweeping reforms to placate the masses and ultimately Russia developed a political system very similar to that of Great Britain. The net result being that Lenin, Stalin et al never came to power A few years later and an Austrian corporal got nowhere in his political ambition and Germany continued on its way with the Kaiser in charge and the middle of the 20th century saw peace throughout central Europe. As a result of this Mrs SM42's uncle was not being shot at by either Russians or Germans and did not find himself seeking the comparative safety of British shores. He did not meet and marry and English woman and thus 50 years later his niece had no reason to visit the UK. A certain SM42 would possibly still be single, maybe have married an English woman, not had a compelling reason to visit Poland regularly and thus not discovered the delights of Polish cuisine, Polish culture and of course the PKP. Thus the thought of getting onto that slippery slope of modelling PKP may not have even have begun to speculate about crossing his mind. He most likely would not be known as SM42 Maybe I would have been richer, maybe not, but I would certainly have been poorer in terms of culture, travel and life experience Andy

I'm trying to identify the coaching stock. The last two look like they could possibly be type 111 and quite common even now, but the first has me stumped It appears to be in blue WARS livery but the windows look very odd. The roof ventilators support the fact it is some sort of catering vehicle Perhaps the angle of the photo makes it look odd. Andy

I used to get sent self assessment forms. After a couple of years I got fed up with this and called them ( it was easier to do in those days) I asked why they kept sending me forms. The reason I was asking was because there is a wonderful system called PAYE, maybe they had heard of it. They stopped sending me forms. Andy

I hear all the other layouts are not bothering with lighting. No point Andy

I shall also be heading to Macclesfield to meet up with an old school friend and take in an exhibition as a bonus Andy

Only if it can't be bought from a supplier in the UK. It may be made in China though Andy

I haven't but I don't think I've spent more than £100 in total. If I can find what I want local, I will. If not I'll go direct to the seller wherever they are. Sometimes, you have little choice. Andy

In other news my Polish book of locos and units arrived yesterday, so I can now go back to being 10 again, underlining numbers and chasing locos round Poland. Andy

Tomorrow morning's jobs have been allocated. 1 ton of sand, two bags of cement and 100 slabs to be ordered for the restoration of the patio that was wrecked during the construction of thd East wing. Then it's back to that old favourite. Prep for more painting. Yay. The west wing has a deadline now. Got to get a move on. Oh and I've got three shelves to put up, one to build and install in the airing cupboard and paint said cupboard. And in bed by lunch to prep for another run of night shifts. Never a dull moment at SM42 Towers. Andy

As a colleague of mine would say Ooooooooooooooooh. Andy

I'm looking forward to 1985 in that case. Andy

The problem with the ULEZ expansion is that some doubtful data has been used to justify it, such as boroughs now to be included having higher death rates than Central boroughs, ignoring the fact that they have generally older populations and thus will see more deaths amongst an older population. The lower death rates of the generally younger generation in the current zone, being put forward as proof of its effectiveness. Of course the most polluted part of London is the all electric Underground. This shows the pollution problem is far more complex than method of propulsion. Tackling the biggest pollution source ( central heating) is not politically palatable. Road traffic is an easier target. I wonder if we can get a free pass on a rainy day when the pollutants are washed out of the air It was also interesting to see that Birmingham's most polluted areas are within its low emission zone. The worst bit of such schemes on a personal level is that my car is not compliant. Mrs SM42's is but has higher emissions. Andy