Anthony

Brian, my voting goes:- 4,5,7 and 10 As a confirmed locoholic, I have restrained myself to those that are essential in my terms. I must not weaken, I must not......... Anthony

I have to vote for Swanage to Wareham, as I used to go to school on that route - rest of the journey in the headmasters' open-top Lagonda or Bentley!

Kimbolton Castle

Eton - no comment! Anthony

Has to be The Fitzwilliam, covers the area I grew up in, endless hours spent being carted off to follow. Would have voted for Huntingdonshire if I hadn't missed the boat!

We have been short of small birds for the last few weeks here in South West London, which seems in inverse proportion to the scores and scores (many a murder?) of crows that seem to have started to prefer our gardens to the common but 100 yards away. The crows are beginning to become areal and unattractive menace, but there doesn't seem to much we can do about it. Mind you, our occasionally visiting Sparrowhawk this morning did scatter those Goldfinches around pretty rapidly! Anthony

I do appreciate a fellow locoholic!!!

It has to be Offord and Buckden, where I spent my younger days 'spotting - allowed, of course, in the late '50s and early '60s to bicycle the mile or so from Buckden itself. A simple station, with a coal yard run by Dick, who used to hit the ball many a mile playing for Huntingdon with my older brother. The joy of standing on the overbridge getting smoked out, all accompanied by the views of Offord D'Arcy church (now sadly redundant) and the River Ouse - aah, happy days, except when a bully known as Spanner scribbled all over my book in which I recorded loco numbers, before underlining them at home. Anthony

Has to be Swaffham - in order to preserve my marriage, as my wife is from there! Anthony

I put out some what are described as superior fat balls, hoping to entice Long-Tailed Tits, who occasionally pass through the garden here in London SW16, but our local Greater Spotted Woodpeckers have found them and are getting through 3 balls a day, which I suppose makes a change from them emptying the seed feeders, but , inevitably, I haven't seen a single LTT since I put them out 2 weeks ago! At least I am pretty sure I saw a Coal Tit yesterday, so not all is bad! Anthony

Definitely like the wide screen! Anthony

The platform lamps? Just a quick 'thank you' again - I feel a thumbs up isn't really adequate to express the joy you give. Anthony

As this is a most uplifting thread, I thought I would just post an instance of heart-warming behaviour in these troubled times. I bought a Springside Ferguson tractor off eBay and in thanking the seller, mentioned that it would give me something to do during our self-imposed isolation. Not only did he then include another kit without charge, but he also refunded me the total postage costs. I find this overwhelmingly kind and of course can never thank him enough, although I have tried (eBay feedback is so limited in length). If he reads this he knows who he is, so thank you again. It does more than anything else put into perspective the blithering idiots who clearly haven't got the sense they were born with and have forced the government to close down pubs and so on. Keep safe and well, one and all Anthony

Yippee! First time I've been first to 'like'!! You can tell I'm locked up, can't you! Thank you, Gilbert, for keeping your wonderful thread of 'real' life going amongst all the abnormality of these days. Do hope you keep safe and well. Anthony

Perhaps worth a quick mention that when the time comes, as it inevitably will, the new B1 chassis is an exact fit into the old bodies, so no re-naming or weathering is wasted. Anthony

I have to say, at the risk of teaching many grandmothers how to suck eggs, that I find the only type that has any real effect is CatWatch as recommended by the RHS and it has to be the mains-powered version - not 100%, but it seems to stop them spending time in the garden. The other thing to make sure of is the device has a very clear field of vision, and if not (as in my case) get 2 or more, which can be run from one plug. Also worth moving them around a little from time to time so the wretched animals don't learn how to avoid them. Incidentally, I also find the FoxWatch from the same stable pretty effective, although the urban fox is extremely thick in head and skin. I have quite a lot of experience of people who haven't followed my advice, and so have suffered............. Anthony

Off topic from the recent discussion, I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same problem as I with their N7? I have had two instances of them just "dying" on me. The first was when it had been running forwards for a couple of hours - I went to accelerate it, and it stopped dead. The second time the replacement had been running for only 10 minutes bunker-first when I found it at a dead stop and totally unresponsive. I am running on DCC, but have checked the loco on DC and it is still dead. The chip on both occasions has read perfectly, indeed even after resetting, I have checked the wiring, the pick-ups and so on, but can find nothing amiss. This has not happened with 130-odd other locomotives on my layout. I should add here that Little Dan at Derails has been wonderful in replacing the first one, but before I trouble him again, I thought to double-check if there is a known issue?

Great stuff, Andy - the more ECML, the better! Love all your stock. Anthony

Hmm - no cricket would be my concern, but perhaps rhyming would be the greatest challenge!

Gilbert This came to mind as you mentioned trying to photograph at this time of year:- NOVEMBER No sun - no moon! No morn - no noon - No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day. No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, No comfortable feel in any member - No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! - November! Thomas Hood

Long live the ECML! Another intensive follower here!

Gilbert - as I tend to lurk rather than contribute, I am sure that I speak for many when I say "thank you" for all your pictures and general information about Peterborough North; I am amazed you ever find time to run trains, but I do so enjoy my twice-daily visits. I have had the same problem as you - I have just painted a chassis with Flat Black - I was not anticipating it would come up all shiny...........

It has to be said that we don't hold many shoots on Tooting Bec Common!

Jamie Am I right in guessing that your art teacher was Ley Kenyon? I have several of his water-colours, which are marvellous, and of which I purchased my first two at a charity fair in Chelsea in the 1970s. But, of course, the story behind him is every bit as interesting. Anthony

I don't think this has been covered in this topic before, but apologies if so. Since before the hot weather, my apple trees here in London SW have been visited by up to 20 rooks (I assume rooks in my ignorance, since would crows flock like this?) at a time, who have pecked away at the very unripe apples, to the extent that I expect to lose the whole crop. We have lived here for 20 years, and this is the first time that it has happened, so I wondered if anyone could explain this behaviour. I could have understood it if it had started in the heatwave, or if there were no ponds on the very adjacent common (there are many). I may be over-suspicious, but after I have persuaded them to depart, they seem to leave a sentinel on a neighbouring roof-top, waiting to give the all-clear..............