truffy

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

We're not all as clever as you.

There's nothing particularly clever about using what's right in front of you on the toolbar. Unless you have 'Bojo clevers'.

The full toolbar isn't available on a smartphone, but that button is one that makes the cut.

9 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Why aren't I surprised - typical of Govt and the CS who love to over-complicate things.  Maybe they don't know that the lengths of the months vary?

Mike, while I commend your later valiant attempt to get this thread back on topic, I should point out that there are some advantages to being paid on a set day each month. For example, it allows you to set the date for those fixed monthly payments, such as mortgage, to go out while your account is still flush with cash. 

1 minute ago, Barry O said:

You can't pick and paste with "these"

Huh? I just did. Or have I missed the point?

16 minutes ago, chris p bacon said:

 Try these 

[snip]

or these

[snip]

 

I just search for 'N20 12V motor' on ebay and all sorts of combinations come up.

And the problem with the handy-dandy texty linky thing is...?

Try these or these

(posted on a phone just to prove a petty point in the internet)

21 hours ago, robmcg said:

Are any or all of these pre-sold-out?   To me the grey versions are the most impressive and I'm interested in buying a version which actually ran.

19 hours ago, Hilux5972 said:

Hattons have all versions listed as sold out on pre-order. May be some still available out there somewhere. 

12 hours ago, bigherb said:

Hornby still have them all for pre order with free postage.

KMRC have all but the one that @robmcg has in mind available (R3840). I almost pooped myself when I got a 404 for it, but that's simply because it's no longer available, and my preorder is safe.

Rob, if I were you, I wouldn't procrastinate for too long. Hornby seems like a safe bet.

Derails have sold out their allocation, but are taking EOI for an expected extension (possibly as a result of the Rails fallout):

https://www.derails.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=w1&product_id=2608

2 hours ago, Pendennis said:

You're not an 'overseas' agent for SNCF are you?  They are paid twice in December, that's why they usually go on strike in November.

 

Most workers in France get double pay in December; its not a Christmas bonus, its because their annual income tax payment is due in January.  I can't be sure about other European countries, but the PAYE system is not at all common outside the UK.

I was led to believe that that is the reason why we get 13 instalments of annual salary in Switzerland. Although why people can't just put a monthly sum into a spare tax account, like I do, is anyone's guess. Legacy from a time when that wasn't so easy, I guess.

Eee, you had it privileged. ‘Olidays fer us were spent at t’bottom of garden, wit’ only an empty crisp packet for shelter. But we were ‘appy...and the shiverin’ kept us warm.

them were the days

But when you tell the kids of today, they don’t believe you. 

53 minutes ago, grahame said:

And oddly enough, the majority of beaches are where the land meets the sea so they're all quite easy to find and a little difficult to disguise and keep secret.

Exactly! You just keep going until your feet get wet!

Since moving to Switzerland, I’ve had to get used to being paid 13 times a year. Once every month, and two payments in December. I have no idea why that is. 

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

I'm still waiting for the oft-promised book...

 

The Clayton Job

Catch 92

Gone in 60 promises

On the origins of intellectual property

The curious incident of the Mk5s in the nighttime

 

You overlooked the most anticipated volume in the series: Shadows of the APT

(yes, it's a thing)

And, yet, the world turns.

7 minutes ago, dogbox321 said:

a tiny about of double sided tape or blutac/blacktac etc.

My guess is that it would have to be more substantial than that or they'll fall off. Otherwise hubcapgate will blow up like axleboxgate before it, with hubcaps falling off in tunnels, awkward scenic positions, etc. And nobody wants that.

3 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

Personally, I've long held the opinion that r-t-r locos in fancy liveries should be significantly more expensive to buy than simpler versions, purchasers of which effectively subsidise the former. In this instance, I'd consider a fifty quid premium over the plain black models to be not unreasonable. 

I agree with the idea of a premium for fancy liveries, although there are actually three tiers in the cases of this particular model, which rather complicates the situation: super-fancy (SECR silk); moderately fancy (SR, SECR grey scraped, BR lined); and plain black.

I don't think that I'd want to pay the same for the SR as for the SECR silk. But YMMV.

On 01/08/2020 at 11:11, Philou said:

Someone from our office went to the US and brought back some Hershey's 'chocolate'. It was truly awful compared to the then Cadbury's. Hershey's reminded me of condensed milk with some brown colourant in it.

I had a three month stint in the US back in the early 2000s. Craving proper chocolate, I was excited to find a box of Cadbury creme eggs in store. This was followed by a deflating disappointment when I bit into one. It’s only then that I read the fine print on the box: “made under licence by Hershey”

On 01/08/2020 at 16:59, wombatofludham said:

Hersheys?  The "chocolate" flavoured with real vomit.  Vile beyond description.

I believe that they add sodium butyrate to prevent heat spoilage. It’s that that gives the vomit notes. It also prevents enjoyment. 
 

Sorry for the OT

44 minutes ago, Johnfromoz said:

 

And not one mention of this product, such as ‘we’ve rechecked those for sale’ or ‘in fitting more with sound we’ve checked for running’.  Nope, a big solitary nothing.....

You did better than me. I got about a quarter of the way in, and he still hadn't said anything of note. At that point, my algorithm closed the browser tab.

I guess rambling is just the nature of unscripted live feeds.

It depends on how far back you have to go for the days to be “good old”. FOMO was invented after t’internet. Before that, there was only unidirectional marketing, which is like a flat white compared to a cappuccino...no froth. 

On 24/07/2020 at 16:55, hayfield said:

Use one of the many retailers who supply his products, they will be most pleased with your custom. Roxey Mouldings and 247 to name 2 who have given me sterling service

Alas, not so much now. Even Markit's retailers are having problems. I received a partial refund for an order with Roxey Mouldings, which included the following:

Quote

For many years I have extended the the number of their products that I stock. I have now waited over three months for my last order to be completed. I regret to say, I've had enough!

Dave then goes on to advise how to go about placing future orders. But it's clear that Roxey (and others?) are having similar frustrations with Markits.

Great products. I hope they don't disappear because of the owner's ambivalence/availability.

18 minutes ago, michael rhodes said:

This seems to be more of a problem with the heavier and better constructed Cavalex models and it doesn't happen with Bachman TEAs could this be because the trailing load of the better made wagons is heavier?

Have you tried adding a load to the Bachmann wagons to bring them up to the weight of the Cavalex?

Quote

In which the presenter demonstrates he doesn't know how to pronounce H properly.  It's just as irritating as the Hattons bloke who can't pronounce his th sounds.

On 28/08/2020 at 04:40, MGR Hooper! said:

Do we really need to point out errors when people may/may not have a speech defect??? Sorry that no one else is as perfect as you...

Is this an aitch vs. haitch thing? It's not a speech defect, it's a regional difference in pronunciation. Flat vowels bother me more, but that's just because I'm a southern pansy.

But this has just led be to appreciate, as a kettle man, how beautiful the HST really is. I'm glad that I have Hornby's FGW 125 (R2812) with dynamic lines carriages. It makes a truly eye-catching train.

9 hours ago, dogbox321 said:

Glad they have gone well, but only problem nowadays - lots of things say limited edition - but of how many?

 

20% of 500 = 100 left

 

20% of 200 = 40 left

 

In the good old days it was always 500!  Nowadays no-one gives quantities.  Likewise with no quantities mentioned, is it a limited edition or an exclusive production run - is there anything stopping Heljan doing another run for themselves in the proper Blue?  Just like Bachmann's tweaks on 66522 and RTC Class 24 "Experiment".

But, in "the good old days" FOMO wasn't a thing.

1 hour ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Please Lord, let it not be replaced by the resurrection of 'Simons Monologues' 

Could be worse. ‘Montana Muses’ anyone? 

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Photo caption says in BR days but no later than 1953 - so they certainly won't be in LCDR livery! If they were repainted every seven years or so, they would probably have been repainted two or three times in SECR days and maybe once or twice again in Southern days before conversion in 1934. My guess would be that when converted to camping coaches they were repainted in plain Southern green - but which shade is anybody's guess.

Actually, they wouldn’t have been LCDR livery anyway, since they would’ve gone into SECR pregrouping. Stupid me. 
 

I don’t know much use and love they would’ve received under SR, but they would certainly have been refurbished prior to camping use. So in that photo they would be green. But, as you say, whether Maunsell or malachite, or a variation of either it’s difficult to say. 

15 hours ago, maico said:

Quite a few of the older stock seems to have ended up as camping carriages

 

15 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

A few. On the LMS, old bogie carriages were preferred.

At least twelve ex-LCDR 6-wheelers on SR

https://sremg.org.uk/coach/camping.html

Although I’m not sure whether they’re wearing SR or LCDR livery. Probably the former. The latter isn’t among any of the first three batches. 

16 hours ago, adb968008 said:

Ive been thinking to do the DJM kit for years, 

Unfortunate typo? DJH, surely?

16 hours ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

Heljan seem to be developing a niche in small diesel shunters 

Ahhh, so much more positive and diplomatic than my initial thought, which was ‘ploughing the same old furrow’. 

Hmmm, I think I prefer the shade of green on Hornby's. The Rails/Dapol one seems to be edging uncomfortably towards malachite