Bernard Lamb

Good morning Tony. My gut feeling is that the people who inhabit this thread are not the sort of people who buy things for silly money on ebay. Lower prices., or a change of marketing strategy might help. But neither of those would be desirable options. On balance you would probably make better use of your time and talent by sticking to what you know best - steam locomotives. Bernard

Straying? The OP was about the definition and relevance of an emotive term. By the very nature of the source it was going to be political with a small p. I thought we were rocking along and all was sweetness and light, even though people had very different experiences. I feel it is shame you feel the need to add that comment. Personally I have found all posts interesting and it has opened my eyes to some aspects of the modern world that are knew to me. Bernard

Just Hitler? The UK was lucky. My mother in law would say that she put up with, and saw the end of, The Kaiser, Hitler and Erich Honecker and his bosses in Moscow. None of them, or anything that could come after them, was going to change her way of life. Very much a case of two fingers up to the lot of them. Head down and carry on. Bernard

Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware that they had produced it. I better try and find one.😃 The updated list of class numbers was issued on August 15th 1969 after discussions lasting a year or so. See attached scan. An article that I have seen quotes that new plates were to be fitted at the locomotive's own depot between Jan 1st and May 31st 1970. Looking at dated photographs this time slot seems to have been very much adhered to. Some machines were not changed. A few Leipzig P8s that were due for withdrawall remained in service until April 1972 with the old numbers for example. There was a 24 that should have become a 37 but did not, but that was an oddity. Some narrow gauge machines received a painted version of the last digit. I have no idea how long this style lasted. Probably not long as quite a few lines closed around that time. Bernard

That seems to be faily common. SWMBO has to write to the German pension people annually with a declaration from her GP saying that she is still alive. Bernard

SWMBO had to visit the bank yesterday. She had had two card payments over the phone turned down so wanted to check the situatiom. She explained to the counter staff and was then taken into a private room with the manager, to speak on the phone to the head office. She did not have a driving license or passport with her, so they went through a long identification proces. When the man at head office asked for her NI number she was beaten. However the branch manager saved the day, by pointing out to the man at head office, that if he looked at her statement he would see a payment from the state pension people and this identified her by her NI number. Bernard

Quite right. If I need to grovel to get more money then I will grovel to an olympic standard. When I had a spot of bother in respect of finances I was given the chance to apply to a special hardship fund. When I asked about the conditions I was told to do a good sob story and was also told that I should not have any difficulty in doing that. I laid it on thick and received a very nice lump sum, tax free of course, much to the annoyance of Gordon Brown who was very much against me and others in the same situation (loss of pension) getting any extra. Bernard

Having packed up work 20 years ago in April I am now going through that experience. Front room and living room finished. But I have now been ordered to re-upholster the dining chairs.😃 Bernard

An interesting thread with some quite divergent views. Quite by accident I worked in the private sector while SWMBO worked for the NHS. That way between us the swings and roundabouts of life saw us coming to retirement age in a reasonable financial situation. The house is paid for and we have some savings. I reckon the utilities come to around £6500 at present. Going by the quoted figures I would agree that we could live with dignity on that amount. With inflation estimated to be still at 7% when next years increase is set, then SWMBO will get a much larger increase than I will. Another year of similar inflation and I can see real problems for many. We take in a few airbnb clients as we have a spare room and bathroom. If pushed for cash we could expand on the numbers. The government allow an income of £7k per annum tax free if you have room and need cash. Worthwhile doing, particular;y so if you have a local industry that employs temporary workers. In our case local film studios and people going on courses at the ski centre. Bernard

I reckon that you are thinking of Masons. They supplied Midland Red paint to the original company and continued to supply it to the LMS and BR. You will find people who insist that the later colours are different but AFAIK the mix never changed. They were certinly around later than the 1970s as the last time I used them was around 1995. What I can safely say is that Midland Red when applied to a locomotive depicted less variation than NER Saxon Green. Bernard

.....and that is where the problem starts. From what I can gather there was no such thing. Various descriptions exist and the colour of NER green seems to have changed over time. The best I can find is in the NER record where there is a description of the paint useed on the Tennant 1463 when painted for preservation in 1925. RH Inness quotes a mix of equal parts of prussian blue and middle chrome yellow. If you mix two base materials together that have an acceptable range in their makeup then you automatically double the possible range. I find the photographs by AY of the samples well within the accepable range. It represents a lightish example on a bright day. On a dark day in the shade, the colour more usually seen, can appear very blue and cold. As observed in severak recent photographs on here. The Beamish version is a good example, even before it was neglected. I prefer sunny weather for my models and in real life. Once upon a time I was involved in photography, including weddings. The rule was to err on the warm side for flesh tones as this would appear to be more flattering to the bride in most cases. A four or five fold step to the red side would be lesss noticeable than one step to the blue. Bachmann and TMC seem to support my view. It might not, strictly speaking, be more representative but as a selling point, to the general public, it will work. Bernard

I look forward to seeing what you do. Mine is still on the work bench awaiting the fitting of the detail parts. I did notice a tendency for the bogie to twist, but have not, as yet engaged my brain as to what to do about it. Bernard

Good evening Tony. As a five year old the walk from Broad Street to the Southend line platforms at Liverpool Street was always an adventure. My young mind would have a great time imagining what terrors were lurking around the next dark corner. As for the puerile daubs. A few months ago my son in law introduced me to '10FOOT'. I wish that I could unsee it as I now come across it in all sorts of places. Bernard For those lucky souls who are unaware search for '10FOOT' at your peril.

Congratulations on seeing the light. I reached that point several years ago. I do hope that KR is going to make a contribution to Wills for the use of the image. Bernard

The dome does seem to look rather unrealistic. I think I should alter it as per the real thing.😃 Bernard

Another example of entrances between, or even through, buildings. Abbots Langley. Daventry Street, Marylebone. My daughter once lived in the flat with the window boxes. An interesting mixture of trade premises on the ground floor and basement with residential accommodation above. This row had no rear yards or access but the next street was a mews with facilities for handling horses and carriages. Nearholmer. Long age I knew a chap who was responsible for the decorating at Ascott House. When the people were away we would borrow some of the house plants. They had a superb collection of orchids back in the day. Bernard

Going on from Nearholmers last post. The local hunt kennels was about a mile along the road towards Wing and going back to when I was a teenager this is where the hunt met. I find it interesting to look at old streets in London. Working class streets that included small business premises had archways as per Linslade. More upmarket streets did not have arches and thus did not have stables as they were well enough off to hire transport when it was required. Bernard

Good evening Tony. I lived near Stock in Essex when I was very young and was told that the first building used at the local station was the oldest railway station in the world. That was at Ingatestone. The building dated from 1557. Any challengers? Bernard

From time to time details and identities can be changed in the long gestation period between the announcement of a model and its actual appearance. In this case TMC have been very open as to what they were doing. One model has been cancelled. They could have simply cancelled your order. Instead thay decided to offer you an alternative. As is quite a normal thing to do. You could have sent them a polite email saying that you were unable to accept their kind offer and thanking them for considering to offer you the nearest substitute. If you had done that you would not have received the second email. I would have thought that would have been a more ethical approach than coming on here and throwing your toys out of the pram. Well done TMC and Bachmann in bringing this model to market and catering for as many options as they have done. message to TMC. Do not let one moaner put you off. The vast majority appreciate what you are doing and how you are doing it. Bernard

That makes me think about how P4 modellers get on if they try to build an Austerity. The rear tender wheels have different flanges and are not interchangeable with the other axles. Bernard

You do not need to try and bend them. Take a small piece of black plastic card and push it into the guard for the brake lever on the outside of the lever. If you use a piece that is just thick enough to go in it will hold the brake lever inboard by a sufficient distance. Bernard

Things are moving. Just received an invoice and paid for mine. Bernard

Did you leave it out in the rain? Something must have caused it to shrink. While the Lima body does stand up rather well the under floor detail is from a galaxy far, far away. Bernrd

The John part came from a chap I knew who played with a band at a pub in Watford called The Horns. He went by the name of Long John Baldry. I imagine that is were Elton's interest in the football club originated. I also knew a couple who lived in Harrow who knew Elton by different names. The woman knew him as Reg, as she was at school with him amd her partner came across him later and so knew him as Elton. Bernard