jcredfer

Thank you for the information about the loco and those links. I hadn't seen the Stone Processing Plant before and like it a lot, very clever stuff. I had seen the Scrap-yard and remember the picture of the lorry driver, with his Lions football shirt, very well, the comments were spot-on. I hadn't made the connection with the recycled use of the locos, which was an interesting angle, too. I reckon, I will be back again... Thanks again.

I clearly wrote "parked, handbrake on and engine running" and did not mention stationary, in queues, traffic lights, junction, M25 car park - all of which would be illegal. Thank you, and it is "parked" which the police, in error, were saying they would prosecute.

Given that the vans are not likely to be going there, which part of the loco working would requires such a low cab roof? Please forgive me if that's already been answered, but 350 pages {at the speed(??)} my computer fails to reach.....

Difficult to avoid in some areas of the country. {Some of them run, along veins beneath the surface, in areas, seemingly otherwise completely civilised - on the surface!} I spent 11 years teaching in one such area - quite illuminating at times!!!

It looks like the police either exceeding their powers, or an individual policeman not being properly aware of what the law says. There was a similar spate in Wilts, regarding the use of mobile phones. Some officers were putting it about, quite broadly, that their Chief had said that folks would be prosecuted for use, even if they were parked, with engine running, out of gear and handbrake applied. The reason, given, apparently, that the driver was still in control of the car... apparently. It seems to have died out recently, perhaps due to someone advising them that they were going to look rather silly in Court, if they did {I haven't seen a report of a case being thrown out, but, in reality, it wouldn't pass the test to get into Court anyway}. Neither case does their reputation much good. A recent discussion, with a policeman who did know the law, took place in a local primary school. Locals and some regular road users, complained to the School about parents parking partly on the kerb, when bringing children into School {Some 30 to 40 yards}. When asked about it, he said that he was aware of the complaints and had checked to see if the cars had obstructed the pavement, which they did not do. He said that they were perfectly entitled to {quoting the Law} and added that he was much in favour of them continuing to do so, as it made passing cars do so in the single lane width left available. He added that the road through the village, being quite wide and straight, had a large number of cases of drivers breaking the speed limit at high speeds. He considered that the cars having to slow / pause to pass in the single lane actually made that part of the road safer for the parents and children, specifically at those times of the day. An obstruction, yes, but in this case quite a useful temporary one... interesting thought.

A rare picture indeed. I never thought I would get such a close view of her differential, as that..... 🧐

Indeed, that has been the case for decades..... I have taught such modules for many years. I wonder who told Sunak about such an inexcusable mathematical gulf and how that would disadvantage them, at the 6th form level. Re.. the included, statement that some 25% had skills as low as Infant school levels, then it would be logical to apply the remedy there. As a recent governor at a primary school, it was easy to note that there is a problem with Maths, English comprehension, or reading - for a few pupils. It was also observed that steps were put in place to assist them, as with all other primary schools. However, lack of basic resources, including time, staff, materials and the requirement to complete all the other parts of their education at the same time, puts serious limitations on what schools can achieve, for those experiencing difficulties in some part of the curriculum. Put it another way, the Targets set for school do not contain any realistic provision for assisting for pupils who have difficulties with any part of the curriculum. Such assistance, as is given, must be found from within the normal timetables. Perhaps Sunak might put his own maths to address that problem.

Interestingly, his solution is motivated by a % of pupils not having more than the very basic PRIMARY levels of skill... ..... ....6th Form solution????

Ummm... Pre-warmed petrol, that should get it flowing much quicker... ♨️.... 💥

Well worth demanding 1% comision on the sale of the house.

........... Oh dear!... Not you an' all!.. Please, stem the flow...

Some while ago, someone had a layout, which had a huge row of terraced houses, on a raised road, against the backscene. It looked like some of the multi tracks out of Paddington, with high arched walls and roads along the tops, although I can't recall the name. That one had made a play of different scenes in all the rooms, which could be lit up individually, to show their interiors. He didn't raise the rooves, but, similarly, had removable backs. [Oooh... that might well have been the fronts, either way the walls were removed in batches, several house fronts in one piece.]

Would you like to reconsider that remark?

My first German learned / taught to me... Zwei mal Bier bitter mit zwei mal Currywurst und mein Freund betzahlt. ...Didn't work very often...

Given 1066 and all that..... we could have been speaking Normanese [French - ish?] 🤣 A sign of the times, I guess, as they would have had to find a way of educating everyone to speak it. So they probably, broadly, spoke what the, English, majority already spoke, for everyday things, introducing their own, in their more isolated and wealthier existence. {Obviously not the ones imported since those Medieval times.} Maybe that's just a figment of imagination from the ones I know that are from there [toilet, onion, succeed, magnificent, tailor, abundant, riches, ornament, library, tenant, noble, compartment, apartment, jewel, master, vassal, modest {well, maybe not! 😉}, apothecary, salver, lineage, quality, apparel, notary, blouse, prize, massage, kerchief, orator, benevolent, venison + others, ointment, opulence, lackey, culture, tutor, lounge, patronage, superior, village, treachery.....] Some, or perhaps many will also be French corruptions of original Roman words, as are a goodly number of our words English corruptions of the Roman words learned over here. Does anyone know any detail as to what extent the general use of French words came across with the Normans and rapidity of it spreading?

One lucky guy [sat on the bank to the right], had to squeeze to the left, to avoid a medium size van coming the opposite way, taking up more room than it needed to. The road is narrow anyway, so the nearside front wheel went up the slope on the left-hand bank and was far up enough to cause the roll. Some of the soil scatter can be seen on the road-side, below the telegraph pole. To the side of the scatter, the route the wheel cut into the vegetation can just be seen.

Naa..... Green Bay Window Herbs..... 🙄

Now there's a man who knows the real meaning of the quality of life. Happy New Year to you and yours, Shaun... and to all those who visit your skills. 🥳

Specsavers appointment booked for next week!! 😅

That's never stopped Country singers... Or perhaps that should read, Country singers never stop. Yep, I am joking..... ..... Err, honest.....

That's very kind and a pretty tempting offer, however, in truth my offer, of a cheap ticket to Portland, was a sideways nod to the various UK transport / border workers strikes, on the day of the ticket. Hence, the ticket going very, very cheap. 😆 P.S. The Border strike seemed to have backfired, at least in some places, as the troops and Civil Servants dropped in, to cover, were more efficient and effective than those persons they temporarily replaced had been... by a long way!!! Travellers were well chuffed. ... Ooops!!! 🤣

It's possibly a small café, run by little old ladies, in black dresses, with small white, starched aprons and bonnets, the youngest of whom celebrated her 92nd birthday last week. 🥳

The loose nut on the steering wheel possibly didn't help much, either... In a similar vein, did anyone else notice the improvement in driving standards on the day of the last ambulance driver's strike? Better spacing behind others, sensible overtaking, not one dive in front clown, not one beyond the signed speed limit [well... not very much above 😆 ]... Even some more politeness when getting round obstructions. I even saw some BMW / Merc / Audi drivers had retro-fitted indicators. 😱

Is the second any different - given the mind set of those who mis-interpret the first? 😆

Oh dear me. Anyone like to buy a return Heathrow - Portland flight ticket for tomorrow?......... ...... goin' cheap, honest..... PM me for details. J