wagonman

On the subject of awkward plug access, the VW Beetle took some, er, beating. Unless you had a special tool you almost had to take the engine out to get at the wretched things. From memory the van was even worse – the present Mrs W had a VW van we called the yellow peril. The brakes were feeble, the gear change like stirring lumpy porage, and all the while you were acutely aware there was but one layer of metal between you and the mayhem on the road. And to cap it all it was LHD. Crumple zone? That was you, mate. Ah, the stuff of nostalgia.

I remember opening the bonnet of a 2CV looking for the engine. Eventually found it cowering at the bottom of the large under-bonnet void.

Has anyone mentioned the need to carry a can of Swarfega?

That is no.5 which was the principal passenger loco for many years. It worked between Neath and Colbren Jc only, so far as I know.

All I know is that my current 9 year old VW Passat is vastly better – more reliable, more comfortable, much more powerful, slightly more frugal – than the 2 year old Ford Cortina I had in the early '70s. That was totally rubbish, so much so that I swore I'd never buy another Ford.

One of the George England pair I presume.

The above work describes the loco livery as "a rich red/brown" and the lining as "black with fine yellow lining. Buffers beams were vermilion lined in yellow ".

In 'The Neath & Brecon Railway' by Briwnant Jones, Dunstone, and Watkins (Gomer Press 2005)? I've just dug my copy out...

Am I right in thinking most/all of the services between Colbren Jcn and Brecon were provided by the Midland?

Which is fine until said old roadster breaks down which, from memory, they do quite regularly.

It was ironic since they were always. literally, one over the eight.

I still can't stop thinking that putting an Ayn Rand loving banker in charge of the NHS is not going to end well... #Bluestime

Just to keep the record straight, Holt Junction did have road access – it had to as there was considerable goods traffic there – and passenger access to the island pla=tform via a footbridge. Holt Junc.pdf

I find it hard to believe that Door Matt was the best candidate for the job, except that Johnson was fishing in a very small pool – basically fanatical Brexiters too dumb/compromised to challenge him for his job. The obvious flaw in that argument is Gove, but I suspect we will be hearing more on him soon. Much of the media harrumphing is down to the brazen hypocrisy – Prof Ferguson was obliged to resign for meeting his girlfriend, both of them unmarried, but Handjob can smooch his 'Aide' – a lady appointed at his behest (though I have no doubt she is more than adequately qualified to do her job, unlike the Minister) – contrary to his own regulations without any come-back. Obviously Johnson can't criticise him though...

The affair does raise a few interesting questions such as: 1. the photo was reputedly taken on 9 May so who has been sitting on it since – the Sun or the whistleblower – and why? 2. who put a CCTV camera in the Minister's office (assuming that is where it is) without his knowledge? 3. how did Door Matt get the job in the first place? 4. is Gina now totally screwed? She will probably lose her government sinecure but her main job is with the fashion house owned by...her husband.

There was also a racetrack at Holt/Halte but I think it was out of use before 1900.

Just for the record, the Cc mark came in in 1926 and the star in 1933. The former cost 1s. per wagon per annum (in 1930) and was to cover all shunting and siding charges; the 1933 scheme cost 1s 9d per wagon per year and was to "cover all charges incurred in moving wagons from one point to another for the purposes of loading, repairs or other purposes beyond the usual journey regulations". The idea was to minimise clerical overheads. All this, and more, in Chapter 1 of "The Private Owner Wagons of Somerset"... PS: Wiltshire volume just published. [/shameless plug]

Happy birthday from me too. Is this thread confined to septuagenarians? (I'm 75)

The Penzance turntable was probably the largest they could fit into what was a very confined space. Presumably that was why they had eventually to bite the bullet and build a new depot up the line at Long Rock. But many thanks – that was the photo I was thinking of. And thanks too to Russ for an even better view.

Don't forget that some GWR turntables used outrigger arms to increase the diameter. I've seen a photo somewhere of (?) Penzance shed in pre Long Rock days turning a Duke with the tender wheels on the outrigger. Tricky to model...

Jerry, this might help you. It's also from Lightmoor and has a chapter on Bath Stone wagons... https://lightmoor.co.uk/view-book.php?ref=L8887 (published on 30 May).

My word, we're delving deep into the the undergrowth of the knowledge jungle here...

A casus belli if ever I tasted one....

Chapter 9

I seem to remember Sir Thomas Beecham saying that he would try anything once – except inc*st and country dancing...