ikks

The Duchesses were very rarely piloted, south of Crewe, in my experience at least. In 19 visits to Tamworth and around half a dozen to Crewe 1958 and 59, I only ever saw it once, with City of London and Jubilee Palestine heading south through Tamworth. I do, however have a photo in one of my books of Duchess of Rutland being piloted by a 2P 4-4-0 leaving Crewe for the north...........The caption read that once past Preston the Duchess would be pulling the train and pushing the 2P. Never saw a double headed Princess though. Rgds..........Mike

Been waiting for this.........now ordered, put the credit card into the recycle bin as that's all about what it's worth now. Mike '

When I first came to Oz in 1971, I lived in Melbourne, in those days you could just about buy only Carlton and United products: Carlton Draught Fosters Lager Vic Bitter Abotts Lager Melbourne Bitter and maybe a couple I have forgotten..........I could not tell the difference between them, they were drinkable, cold and refreshing in the heat. Since moving to South Australia, I found Coopers beers fairly decent for affordable everyday drinking but there has been an explosion of "boutique breweries" here and to my mind the product is OK but not worth double the price. Every now and again I try a couple of different ones just for a change. Mike

I visited Grantham three times between 1959 and 1961, travelling from Derby Friargate, a painful journey which seemed to take an age, I went, really to see the streaks, first visit not one!!, second visit, eleven, almost one third of the class, third visit was memorable, we saw the first production Deltics but silly me, I thought that that they would supplement the steam fleet!! On the first and second visit we were chucked on to a Nottingham/Derby train about 4 pm. On the third, we left the station, went through the subway under the main lines, past the shed and sat on the road bridge until around 6 pm., when we got back on the station, we were given a right bollocking, asked where we had been and were ordered to catch the next train home........or else!!! Mike

Apologies Andy, no inference intended, just trying to have a bit of fun. Rgds......Mike

Andy, piease use your influence, I am 74, a Spinner ...........Soon!!. Mike

It was brilliant for its time..........I couldn't wait for the next episode. I think it reached us a bit later in Oz though. Mike

Wonder if he ever got it back or indeed wanted it!!!

I resisted for three whole days!!............now ordered, don't tell pleeeeeeeese Mike

Yes I am aware of that but those wheels on the first two with their large bosses gave them quite a different character to the othter members of the class. Incidentally one of my favourite ex-LMS classes(the unrebuilt ones), they always had an old fashioned elegant quaintness about them. Rgds....Mike

Didn;t 5500/5501 retain the original Claughton driving wheels?? Mike

Brilliant!!!

I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on the planet, apart from social distancing and regular hand sanitizing, my way of life has changed very little here in country South Australia. I am still able to visit friends, go fishing etc. etc., so I can't begin to comprehend what you folks are experiencing.........Anyway best wishes to all of you and let's hope this situation ends sooner rather than later. Rgds.....Mike

Not just a tyre centre but the organision we bought the car from. We signed up for a guaranteed service plan $200 plus parts for three years to protect the warranty conditions), anyway after four services, none of which cost less than six hundred dollars, we were advised that at the next service we wouldneed a new pollen filter, cost= $128 fitted. I drive an older model Prado and I mentioned this to my local mechanic when I took my car in. He said, hang on mate, rang his supplier ordered one........cost us $11.00, took him 30 seconds to exchange it for the old one and he did not charge us..............bloody crooks. We paid for young black suited blokes(all image!!) welcoming us and taking care of the car then to sit in a lounge drinking crap coffee whilst they were doing the "service". If i really let go on this Mr Yorker would never allow me to post on here again!! Mike

My goodness, what a bucket load of talent there, how many are still living?? Mike

My dad used take this for his lunch every day for as lomg as I can remember, don't think he would have ever exceeded 10 stone, I quite liked it every now and again but i could never come at chitterlings(hope that's the right spelling), grandad was a pig farmer and dad used to bring them home on a Wednesday night, sit at the table, strip them and eat them............the smell for me was enough to make you retch!!!!!!!!! Mike ;

It;s so easy to make, I made shitloads when a mate came back from the Riverland last year with a few boxes of oranges......the family have enough to last them ages!! and no, I wouldn't touch Vegemite/Marmite or any of that crap! Mike

Brilliant!!

I certainly dont, it can take as long as it need, if it results in a great model and from what I have seen so far, it looks to be a good 'un. Mike

Mike

My sister mentioned this in one of her emails, reading the above link it indicates that the place was dangerous, well it was always bloody dangerous, especially around closing time most weekends MIKE

Bloody nursery Jonno!!, the Mitre in Allenton Derby was a real pub...all spit no sawdust, one of the regulars when he wasn't barred, was a certain Danny Doherty { I called him sir!!), he bit a blokes ear off in an altercation in the pub car park, same guy chased a bloke probably 2 K's to Osmaston Road railway bridge and hung him over the top and when the police arrived and asked him what he was doing, he said "waiting for a train", true story. a couple of my mates had followed him and were there. His cousin Terry, a much "nicer" bloke worked mainly night shift at Derby Loco and was a little light fingered, anyway, he apparently decided to take home a set of safety valves to take to the "scrappers" from what, I think was a stanier 5, when he clocked on, on the next shift he was nicely persuaded to bring them back!!. Times were different then, a lot of these bokes had been through WW2, were not particuly well off and sometime when opportunity presented itself............. Most though, were decent blokes, although, when my parents learned that I frequented the Mitre, they were just a bit concerned, err!! no horrified.............Crims corner it was known as, I have since learned that many people would would never venture near the place. I, though, loved sitting there over a pint or six, listening to the railway/tradesmen relating their tales/experiences,(never of the war though},generally in fairly humorous terms Mike

Love this thread, really creative and skilled stuff..............wish you had been born in the red territory Terry..............Rgds Mike

one of these flew down our chimney in the lounge, was covered in soot..what a mess, two hours plus to clean up. Rgds........Mike

Thanks John Rgds....Mike