ikks

Great thread Jamie am thoroughly enjoying this....and learning!! Mike

Could not give a rats...........my darling Ruth and I have decided not to have a funeral.................cardboard box under a tree maybe......... unless Kim or Donald vaporizes us first Mike

Come in John Cleese Mike

Only one in the 1959 shed book was 41879, not sure about the cab though. Rgds.........Mike

I spend more time unblocking the thing than vacuuming and it's supposed to be a pet hair model!!. Mike

I usually message the seller and ask if they would make an exception always worked so far and yes I am prepared to wait longer for the item to get here. Rgds....Mike

I think that the original version of the chimney was very ordinary, I believe Hornby did make an attempt at improvement but to mind still not quite right.Larry(Coachman) Goddard of this Parish replaced one with I think a Brassmasters version and it transformed the Scot. I am amazed that so much of a model can be so right and chimney can be wrong(not just Hornby). Mike

Warne was an absolutely brilliant spin bowler......but that's where it has ended, a bloody dick of a bloke. I cannot understand why he is still given so much credence here in Oz, but then you look at Wayne Carey, Sam Newman and many others, great players at whichever sport they played but think they can do what they like no matter what. I can't stand the attitude. Mike

Hopefully if the little fat man with the funny hair sees this, he won't send his bombs this way as he will think we'all succumb to the local wildlife...........ho hum!! Hope to hear from you all in a months time Mike

If you think that's big, you should see the size of the fish we catch with it!!!!!! Mike

Yes a prototype for everything Mike

That is seriously scary!!!!! Mike

As one who saw all but four of the class, this is simply stunning.......oh I wish I had the skills!!!!! Mike

A place like no other on earth..............it is gorgeous.....happy retirement. Mike

We see many snakes on our property, mainly red bellied blacks but a few browns too, blacks are easy to spot and get out of your way very quickly.. just move away and so will they. Browns too, at least in my experience, unless cornered move off, more concerned about my animals than me. I always wear protective gear on my lower limbs in warm weather(wellies,thick socks, heavy boots and thick trousers........not all at once!!). worst month was 15 red bellies and two browns, that was a few years ago and to put it in context we only saw two blackies last season. See many redbacks in the shed, quite proud of that tho.........they don't like dirty places!!! and again very placid, just don't poke and handle them. To anyone contemplating a visit and I know this thread is a little tongue in cheek, don't hesitate, I came to this country 47 years ago and still wonder at the diversity and beauty of this land. I live on the Fleurieu Peninsular in South Australia(Google it!!) it is a superb place to live. Chris at High Level(great bloke) Googled it when I was discussing an order with him and in his beautiful Geordie accent said "it's just like England" which it is in Winter, except for the trees but the coast and the water are something special. So come and have look...............Oh and keep your eyes on your feet Rgds......Mike

I watched your layout Grantham progress from afar and having visited there in the fifties/early sixties ...what an incredible place to watch trains, often thought what could this man and his group do with the LMR now it seems we are to see......I am so looking forward to this. Rgds..Mike

My Italian friend's father kept a small barrel of Barbera under under his kitchen sink..........first glass was partaken at brunch, then lunch and then dinner usually with something more interesting to follow.......much more tasty than foibles Mike.........Sorry!!

I've tried that!!........................it doesn't work anymore ...it did work on the Peckett, Stanier mogul,the Wickam Trolley(considered cute!!) even the Garret but my cuticles are in danger of being nailed(no pun intended and any way I don't mean cuticles) to the outside balcony wall Mike

Hmmmmmmmmmm Mike(Who like Farren ca't wait for this one!!, only trouble being is that a big red 'un is going to stand out and will be difficult to conceal from SWBO!!) hints though have been subtly dropped and it is my Birthday in October.

I agree, we elect pollies to do our bidding, they are after all, our employees!!............they should do what we tell them to do, in this instance vote in Parliament, the majority are in favour. C'mon for goodness sake, we have lunatics in North Korea and the U.S threatening our very existence, priorities please............and.perspective please Sorry Mods , delete if you wish but I do feel strongly that they should not continue to absolve their responsibilities. Rgds......Mike

Thank you Coach for putting some perspective on this discussion, I saw all of the BR red/maroon pacifics, from those emerging from Crewe works to those which had been in revenue earning service for a while. During the period 1958-60 they were kept in a fairly respectable condition and my memories tell me that the colour was quite variable dependent on usage. The only really filthy Duchess I saw was at Crewe, 46234, I recall thinking at the time, how could they allow such a famous locomotive to get into such a dreadful condition but of course she was green although you would not have known. Off topic.....what is the correct pronunciation of 46230 Buccloo or Bucleesh or neither. Rgds,,,,,,,,Mike

We came on the"Milk Run" London,Frankfurt. Bahrain,Delhi, Bangkok, Singapore,Melbourne around 36 hours travel time and off the top of my head around 27 hours in the air, so the sammos whilst not furry didn't look particularly attractive. All this on a Boeing 707..........long bloody trip, many cans of Flag Ale were consumed en route. As an aside when we flew over the Northern Australian coastline, the Captain said over the intercom...........All of you migrants who wish to have a first view of your new home please look out of the aircraft windows on the left hand side.........but not all at once!!!!...........true story.

"Biosecurity is taken seriously in Australia. Sort of. Its isolation means that it doesn't have many of the common pests and diseases known everywhere else. Its farming economy might not survive a serious outbreak of something nasty. You can't legally bring in anything edible (not even that pack of cough sweets/lollies/candy) unless you declare it to Customs and they approve. Mostly they're reasonable. Tell them you have a sealed pack of choccy biscuits you bought in London as a gift for your mother and they'll let it in. Try to sneak it through without declaring it and they'll nab it - those sniffer dogs they have in the terminals are rather good at their job. Travel into or out of the fruit-fly exclusion zone and you'll see signs and bins as shown in a post above. The chances of being stopped and checked are very very small though the penalties exceed a slap on the wrist if you're caught." When my mate Dave arrived here in 1971(no sniffer dogs then!!), he attempted to pass through customs and was told to to open his bags, the ensuing search eventually revealed a rather soggy package at the bottom of his carry on luggage. A please explain followed! In the package were four cheese and tomato sandwiches lovingly prepared by his mum for the journey.....Dave had completely forgotten about them!!. The Customs official gingerly picked them up and deposited them into an appropriate receptacle and with a glare told Dave to move on. Mike

Great news I was wondering how I could justify one!!!!!!! Mike