Bernard Lamb

It's even longer since I was involved with one of these major contractors. It looks as though the contracts have become even worse than they were then. Back then we had to label all material on site with the name of the owner. There were even large jobs where a company was created just to own steel stock. That way if there was any problem involving a company collapsing it would be clear to the Receiver as to who owned what and the material could be claimed and taken off site without problems. The Receiver would argue regarding ownership but if the paperwork was in order any problems were soon overcome. It is beginning to look as though Carillion got too greedy and arrogant and thought that they could bully people just as they liked. Ironic in a way that is was the banks that pulled the plug. Bernard

A proper diamond sharpening stone will cost you rather more than £1. The local county show had a chap selling a selection of them and I bought a couple a few years ago. Expensive, but they do seem to work. Amazon offer a small selection but I have no idea as to what they are like. Bernard

Very feasible, however I imagine that a good proportion of those doing the shouting will then start moaning about the price. Bernard

Or, to put it another way. It would seem that they are rather better at doing their job than the bosses of Carillion are at doing theirs. You might not like the rules but that is the way the cookie crumbles. As long as it was not done with insider information of course. As this has been rumbling on for months that scenario can be discounted. Bernard

This seems to be developing into a right old mess. My normally reliable pension experts state that only some of the Carillion companies have gone into liquidation as of this morning. That means the pension liabilities will come under the PPF and the clock is ticking regarding the period required for sorting things out. Other parts of the company have not yet entered that phase. Bernard

I was thinking more on literary rather than musical lines. Hemingway or Donne? Indeed the bell doth toll. Bernard

I am finding it difficult to get any figures re the situation. It does seem that a major problem is with NHS work. Involving SERCO is not my idea of a solution going on my past experience. I don't see outside money coming in at the required rate so it would seem to be an X shares for 1 scenario or it all goes to pices.I would like to see what the costs are on the HS2 part as if they are not doing as well as intended on that job that could indicate a very expensive outcome. Monday might produce some news. Regarding pensions. At least there is now the PPF and FAS to provide a reasonable amount of help. When I lost everything three weeks before I was due to retire in 2003 there was nothing to fall back on. Four years of campaigning eventually got a result. There is a loss, however, let's put it this way, I don't need to worry about being able to afford a Bachmann crane. If you are worried, there is a safety net in place, not perfect but a big relief to have a scheme in place. Bernard

From time to time I hire the local rugby club. I go through my requirements with the manager and agree a price. On the day tea and coffee is available. We never bother to count how many cups are consumed. The manager receives enquires from some people who argue the toss over the last penny and then push the point by claiming that they are a charity. He politely points out that the rugby club is also a charity and takes them for every penny he can. As I wrote earlier, you can often get a better deal by not wasting peoples time with haggling. Bernard

Quite so. It started to go down the pan when some lefty social reformer got them to put a roof on the peasant class vehicles. Bernard

Me for a start. Houses in my road come on the market very infrequently. I have been here for 38 years and five families out of the 15 houses were living there before I moved in. I saw it around 2pm and had been to the solicitor, the bank and the building society and every thing was agreed by 4.15. I might have got a bit off the price but given what it was and where it was I was not prepared to take that chance. Regarding haggling in general. At work we used a major supplier of NDT equipment, in particular ultrasonic apparatus for weld inspection. A new Chief engineer stuck his oar in and enquired about discounts. immediately all technical aid ceased. I fortunately had a contact and maintained a good personal relationship with the supplier but had to keep it under my hat officially. It was made quite clear to me and the Chief Engineer that haggling was not the way things were done. I had another example of receiving a phone call at around 4 pm asking about some very scarce steel tube. It was rolled in Sweden and was not going to be produced for 6 months. I located a supply through a contact and gave the chap a price. He ranted that I was asking for a 50% premium. I told him the price would double if he did not accept within a very short period of time. He continued to rant and eventually reluctantly gave in but threatened to report my attitude to the MD. Next morning I bumped into the MD in the canteen. He just smiled and told me he had told the chap that he would get on better if he didn't try to upset me. Haggling can work but if you persist in some circumstances it can cost you dear. The thing is you will probably never know. Bernard

This loco and 65316 worked as station pilots and performed shunting duties at Hawick in the late 1950s going by various photographs and notes that I can find. 65316 was seen as far south as Carlisle on a two coach passenger train, presumably due to the failure of the normal machine. It does open up the possibilities. Clue for a hunt for more unexpected duties and/or locations. Bernard

As long as it was not Esther Bunting. Caution if you google her. I am a friend of her family for those who might query how I know about such things. Sightings today, Buzzard, Red Kite, Heron and at least 20 Canada Geese. Glad they carried on and are now fouling the local council flower beds rather than my lawn. Bernard

It is in general much more appropriate in Germany where several of the eras are defined by political changes. Bernard

I never trusted government statistics since the time I used to write provenance of origin certificates for export orders. You never put down a deliberate untruth of course but on the other hand you needed to be rather economical with the words used in the descriptions at times. Regarding new jobs in central London. Many occupied sheds are appearing in gardens as are fitted out garages. That accounts for where quite a few people now live.The increase in cycling for commuting has vastly increased. That must account for a decline in local rail and bus passengers. As a life long cyclist there is no way I would ride in central London these days. Although more people than ever are in employment I wonder if the total hours worked has in creased. See comments by others on part time work. Then there are on the move jobs such as Uber and Deliveroo. How many people does that cover and what actual rate of payment in relation to hours and numbers of people is involved. On top of that there will be a pension problem building up and a care problem as I cannot balance the earnings as I perceive them to provide enough savings to cover either need in the long term. As you say Mike more questions than answers. Bernard

Some people called it an error while others regarded it as a compromise forced on Hornby by tooling and production methods and the difficult balancing act between getting it right and keeping the cost within reasonable limits. There were far more fundamental points needing correction as I saw that model but these tended to be overlooked. To me that is all part of the fun of modelling and I am sure whichever version of a J36 I do purchase I will have to alter something for my date and location. One choice of fitted and two for freight only on going through a series of photographs at the moment. Bernard

At least 3 more price increases to come by then. Followed by a newly introduced import duty in March 2019. I am sure we can think of a few more reasons/excuses to up it a bit more. Bernard

Try finding out the cost of health care in Germany if you want a real shock. Old houses do have big cellars and most modern city apartment blocks have off street underground parking but only a small storage space. Bernard

You have lost me there regarding a coreless motor. Bernard

May I expand your first line by adding "at the appropriate date". The type of braking systems are another detail that altered several times on some machines and can catch out the unwary. As with the J15 a check on the cab fittings suiting the visible fittings needs to be carried out when the models arrive or detailed photographs are available. As for the second line, very much so. Bernard

I have not seen a mention of the Pumpherston tank wagon. This with other recent offerings makes a Scottish Oil Shale layout a possibility in RTR. Now who would have thought that even a year ago. J36 for the national system and the Barclay for the works and mines. A rake of these new tanks and a toad and PO or 16 tonners, depending on period, and away you go. What load could a J36 handle? I have seen photographs of some mineral trains that must load to around 30 wagons. Bernard

There is no problem with the supplied wheels on any modern RTR stock when running on C & L track. A few very early Bachmann wheels bumped on some chairs, the tender on the Austerity being the only one I have come across. I do sometimes wonder where these myths originate. Bernard

Not just a suggestion. The article quotes the first profit warning as being last July. That ties in with when I first read about the problems. Bernard

I did pick up the Didcot shot. Although some locations were not known to me. In the respect of adult versus children entertainment I find it rather like a pantomime with different scenes giving different responses. I particularly enjoyed the street furniture in Chalk Farm, or as the upmarket current residents call it, Primrose Hill. But then I have as, some would say, an unnatural interest in architectural detail. I do think the union that is supposed to be looking after the Bin Man, should get down to negotiating a reduction in the extraordinary length of his round. The timing of the marmalade making was also a bit out as the Seville Oranges are only in season just around the present date. In general I found the whole film very entertaining and very well cast and produced. Bernard

Received an email update from The Whitechapel Gallery. They are holding an exhibition about the new public art that will be appearing with the opening of the line. Exhibition opens 13th March. I will report further after that date. Bernard