OnTheBranchline

One more race gents, Ferrari are only 4 points behind Mercedes (probably would be ahead in if Sainz didn’t get that insane penalty from the drain cover debacle). Quick mention to the quietest man in the race: Lance Stroll went from P19 to P5 - sure helped by the first lap chaos and the safety car pit stops but still a stellar drive.

You knew what I meant… 🙄

I’m sure the Bellagio paid a lot of money to host the post race interviews.

Now that was a much better race than I thought it would be…

Anyone want to own a WW1/WW2 watchtower (7 stories 3 bedrooms for 500K)? https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142063820#/?channel=RES_BUY Add any that you find weird or interesting?

In Steam Days May 2013, the 47xx class article Part 1 talks about the previously barred 47xx class being let through Severn Tunnel Junction: "In October 1942 the '4700' class 2-8-0s were believed to be working a Paddington-Bristol-North & West-Shrewsbury-Birkenhead-Greenford circuit. To follow such a circuit, '4700s' had to be allowed through the Severn Tunnel. So much for the normal peacetime prohibition, invariably applied right up until No 4701 was on its last journey to the scrapyard." The article also talked about "4700, 4703, 4706, and 4707 were noted working to Cardiff in October 1941 (source - The Railway Observer)".

Verstappen: New F1 races shouldn't be substitute for getting "s***faced" in Ibiza. His monologue from the end of the post-qualifying conference: "I can go on for a long time, but I feel like of course a kind of show element is important, but I like emotion,” Verstappen said after qualifying when asked for his overall assessment of the Las Vegas weekend so far. “For me, when I was a little kid it was about the emotion of the sport, what I fell in love with and not the show of the sport around it because I think as a real racer, that shouldn’t really matter. “First of all a racing car, a Formula 1 car anyway on a street circuit, I think doesn’t really come alive. It’s not that exciting. “I think it’s more about just proper racetracks. You know, when you go to Spa, Monza, these kind of places, they have a lot of emotion and passion. “And for me, seeing the fans there is incredible and for us as well, when I jump in the car there, I’m fired up and I love driving around these kinds of places. “Of course, I understand that fans need maybe something to do as well around the track, but I think it’s more important that you actually make them understand what we do a sport because most of them just come to have a party, drink, see a DJ play or a performance act. “I can do that all over the world. I can go to Ibiza and get completely sh*tfaced and have a good time. “But that’s what happens and actually people, they come, and they become a fan of what? They want to see maybe their favourite artist and have a few drinks with their mates and then go out and have a crazy night out. “But they don’t actually understand what we are doing and what we are putting on the line to perform. “And I think if you would actually invest more time into the actual sport, what we’re actually trying to achieve here, too, as a little kid, we grew up wanting to be a World Champion. “If I think the sport would put more focus on to these kinds of things and also explain more what the team is doing throughout the season, what they are achieving, what they’re working for, these kinds of things I find way more important to look at than just having all these random shows all over the place. “For me, it’s not what I’m very passionate about, and I like passion and emotion with these kinds of places. “I love Vegas, but not to drive an F1 car. I love to go out, have a few drinks, throw everything on red or whatever, to be a bit crazy and have nice food. “But like I said, emotion, passion, it’s not there compared to some old school tracks.”

Finally. Williams have found a track where they don’t have to care about downforce. What a job by both drivers. Fingers crossed they don’t take each other out at the start.

Probably no refunds either because F1 will argue the "safety issue".

Can we go back to India or Turkey - now those were proper circuits. Even Korea was better than this.

Rules of Acquisition #1 "Once you have their money, never give it back." (it’s from Star Trek)

Cadillac to enter Formula 1 as seventh power unit manufacturer in 2028

Rob Smedley: “There is absolutely no reason why we can’t have a female Formula 1 world champion”

Congrats to the bloke who snatched up a Dapol GWR Railcar with added passengers DCC Fitted pre-owned for 86 quid - you were faster than I was.

What about four feet deep?

Nice subtle plug, Sam 🤣

It's a weird trend that it'll say both DCC Ready and DCC Fitted in the description - but I've been assured that it's DCC Fitted.

I saw on a Facebook group that Hornby had gotten the body/firebox shape wrong for the 28xx/2884 class in order to make the motor fit. I searched on here and I didn't see any discussion of it. Is this true or is this someone's rambling that I should ignore?

Summer '24 yes but which century? I'll get me coat

Not exactly a nice thing to do when someone shows genuine interest in something?

Did you want to tell them or shall I? 🤣