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Good morning folks, So, if I have got it correct, we now have an announcement for a video pre-announcement of an announcement? 🤔 Confused of Derby. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, The bear’s lower bandolier looks like it’s carrying 20mm cannon ammo, so maybe a Hispano Suiza ex Spitfire weapon would be suitable. Although Bf109s and Fw190s also toted 20mm cannons, which may be more readily available for certain European locations? Cheers, Nigel.

Changing Man - Paul Weller.

Good evening folks, As per my post this morning and as requested by Andy AYMod :), I have attached photos of my 'as-new' WoR NCB internal users in the company of my also unweathered 1509 pannier of Coventry Colliery. Also attached are photos of my Coventry & Warwickshire coalfield plus a selection of Warwickshire open wagon users. Most are Bachmann, as you would expect except for the Arley and Coventry Colliery ones which are Oxford. Also sneaking in are two Slaters/POWsides opens for Binley & Exhall collieries. The grey Griff one is a special for the Midland Railway Society, whilst the black Griff one is the new Rapido 5-plank open. Looking forward to the Rapido second run when the Lockhurst Lane Co-op one appears. As well as getting this lot dirtyficated I also have three more Slaters 6/7-plank opens to complete. Not sure whether to make these as more NCB internal users or go down the POWsides route for other Warwickshire collieries (Baddesley, Birch Coppice, etc). Cheers, Nigel. Edit: I forgot to include my little green Peckett, Forest No 1 in the photo, worked at Charity Colliery, Bedworth (doh!)

Good afternoon folks, Spark arrestor? Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, Phew, I am glad it was not just me removing lamps from the holders on overnight trains on bashing trips down to PZ or up to Scotland. As all good railway men know, the compartments were lit by lamps and bulbs grow in the ground 😆 Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Just like Covkid, my three arrived safely and unexpectedly this morning with the post. 35, 64 and 108 also ready for weathering and will keep 1509 company on my shunting plank. As another ex-Coventry kid it only seems proper 😁 Good job from both Andys and Corbs. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Although my dad's family originated in Ireland and my mum's had a flirtation with Botany Bay, for at least three generations both sides were born and lived in England (Kent, then the Midlands). Wherever it is possible I identify as English. England is my football, rugby and cricket team. I resent the distortion of 'English values ' by the Sun-toting gammons and agree that the likes of Tommy Robinson, et al give English a toxicity it doesn't deserve. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, When I was visiting Barcelona with my sister in April 1993 it just happened to be St George's day. The Catalans also celebrate St George as Sint Jordi, on April 23rd. There were people wandering the streets handing out red roses to young women, which my sister was at the time. I celebrated by having a glass or two of Estrella.😄 Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, Perhaps PB1 is like Schrodinger's cat, both there and not there at the same time 🤔 Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning 2ManySpams, Yes, we were, by a VAR decision to give a player offside by a toenail. In the 'good old days ' the benefit of the doubt would have been given to the attacking side (Coventry) but that no longer applies. Mark Robins and the team did the City proud. PUSB. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon Robin, Everything crossed, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Good luck to Mark and the boys! PUSB. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, The photos don't show any red cards on the wagons, unless they were on the other side. A red card would mean the wagon(s) was not permitted to move until repair work has been completed satisfactorily, unless it was 'wheel-skated ' at reduced speed to a repair location. So, no red card means the wagons should be okay to be moved in those sidings. Unless someone knows better? Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, Order plaice-d (I'll stop now) for a blue spot version, to keep my two Parkside fish vans company (LNER and LMS types). Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, A Brighton K or a River/U/U1 would be brill, perhaps we will have to let Andy & Co. mullet over? Pre or post-groupper ing, either way they would be snapper-ed up. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, If I start playing 'Take me to the river' (Talking Heads version) will that help? Cheers, Nigel.

Good evening folks, I for one will be perch-ed here waiting, if you're looking forward to something exciting it will be worth a zander. What time will the frothing pike? 🤔 Cheers, Nigel. Where's the groan button when you need it?

Good morning folks, The Boss (SWMBO) was recently a patient at the QMC Nottingham for the removal of a meningioma (benign brain tumour). Having it discovered in 2018 the subsequent annual reviews showed minor growth until last year when the advice was it was time to get it out. The consultant, who also covers child neurosurgery, is not what you would consider an 'old school ' consultant, so no suits/ties but rather more relaxed and colourful clothes as befits someone who deals regularly with children. He is the East Midlands lead for child neurosurgery but talks to everyone in a calm, pleasant manner. Having open surgery he managed to remove all but a few tumour cells, as shown in the subsequent post -op scan. So, it is possible to have an A1 surgeon without grumpiness. Although, at her first consultation, the Boss was initially disappointed to be waiting to see a 'Mr ' rather than a Dr '. Until I explained that the consultant was a Mr, so she was getting an expert to review her condition. The QMC has had a bad press over maternity services but the care the Boss has received has been brilliant, including a post-op assessment some 7 weeks after surgery. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Wrt seatbelts on trains, RSSB conducted an investigation into seatbelt fitting as a result of passengers being ejected from the Mk3 coaches at the Ufton Nervet crash (suicidal driver parked on a level crossing). I was at AEA Technology Rail at the time, which included a large number of BR Research staff. We conducted the research/investigation (can't remember the RSSB T project number) but the conclusion was not to fit seatbelts. More focus was placed on retaining passengers within the tube, by providing suitable glazing. Not sure if an further work has been done on this since 2005/6. Cheers, Nigel.

Good evening folks, I had the same response as Nick Lawson to an order placed early last year (2023), the order arrived some 3-4 months later (after 2 emails trying to get an update on delivery). This was for a pre-decalled wagon kit, but the corner of one of the sides with the colliery name was faded/cut off. Not the same quality as the one supplied in 2022. There were some other Coventry/Warwickshire names I was interested in, but one is now being produced by Rapido at a similar price so that's where my money is going. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, In other reports this morning, the True Blues considered setting up an app that gave out the personal details of all party members in return for a donation to their coffers. Not sure how this squared with data protection rules but as money-grabbing bar stewards that's got to be up there with the orange man-baby and his 400 dollar trainers! Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning black and decker boy, Thanks for the information about the new EU travel rules, sounds like another Bu99erit bonus! Mods: Please delete if too political. Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning Colin, Enjoy Antwerp, it's a lovely place around the old market square and with an interesting maritime museum down by the river. Plenty of places to eat and drink. As you say, the station itself is wonderful. The Boss and I went in 2001 and SNCB were digging out the lower level for the high-speed line platforms. All above was working as normal! I can recommend the Open Air Museum at Arnhem, just over the border, for a day out. The entrance fee included two round trips on the tram that runs round the site, which is like Beamish, full of old Dutch buildings. Cheers, Nigel.

Good afternoon folks, In a similar vein to Happy Hippo, I once had a UFO experience after a rather long August Bank Holiday marinating my liver with Bass. It was quite dark when we were finally ejected from the Black Horse pub. Walking along the main road home (I was on the pavement) I noticed a bright, white light in front of me. As it came closer I was convinced that it was aliens coming for me. Only when it was right on top of me was it revealed to be the police helicopter. The walk home after that encounter was a lot more sober 😂 Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks, Like Andy (SM42), I like to pick up and use the local language for please, thank you and beer. Since the latter is similar in many European languages (bier, birra, etc) it's not too difficult 😊 Although the Czech word pivo was a bit of a curveball. A long-distant (1993) Euro rail weekender to Prague, Budapest and Vienna resulted in my reverting to German to get some food ordered. Having travelled to Kralupy north of Prague (not sure why?) the only place open to eat was the station cafe. One of my travelling buddies was vegetarian, so the meat and tinned veg lunch was not an option. The cook had no English and our Czech was limited (see above), so I ended up ordering a cheese omelette and potato salad in German. Surprisingly the meal actually ordered arrived. The waitress advised later that I could have ordered in Russian, but that was a non-starter. Cheers, Nigel.