Guius

Should we consider the environmental consequences of hundreds of thousands of fans travelling to watch a football matches each week? Its my opinion that matches should be played without admitting the public and allow 'free to view' access for all. Revenue could be gained from advertising, market forces will decide the value it places on such entertainment. Another benefit would be to lessen the ridiculous amounts of money paid to football players and their agents. Just think of the 'carbon footprint' unnecessarily clocked up each year in following this absurd activity. The above rule, of course, would not apply to travel accrued in visiting model railway exhibitions or preserved railways - naturally Guy

I've never owned a wrist watch. Guy

I feel I must come to the dear old Mails defence here... I can categorically affirm that on occasions the Mail may overstate, understate, misrepresent their interpretation of the facts, BUT I can say, without fear of contradiction and on more than one occasion that the date has been completely correct. Guy

Me too, I can usually make an acceptable job of most constructional jobs including brick/block laying but, plastering the merest patch of wall or, even worse ceiling is quiet beyond me. And I have honestly tried my best over many years of trying. Guy

Me too, my copy is falling apart will over use! Guy

Whilst not necessarily wishing to shift to railway related theme, I've been reading 'The North British Railway' by C Hamilton-Ellis. His style of prose is quiet antiquated to modern readers, I would say but still absorbing to anyone with an interest in Scottish Railways and all delivered to your door for less than the cost of a magazine. To some these old line histories written in the '50s and '60s seem a bit dry and tough going, but next time you se one on a charity shop shelf, give it a go, you might be surprised. Guy

Sorry to hear that you've been 'in dock' recently Barnaby, hope you find being part of a club fulfilling as well as a friendly atmosphere. I'm a bit envious of you having a O gauge club so close though, as my nearest is a 120 mile round trip! Guy

Quiet agree with those who suggest buying a flexible drive shaft and stand, makes a very handy tool into an indispensable piece of tackle. My only caveat being, buy the better quality of discs, burrs & c, it will pay in the long run I have found. Guy

Very fair point John, I forget how small N gauge tackle is Guy

No, go the other way - change to O gauge and your bank balance will run out before the available space does! Guy

Very true Reorte, I too have a large collection of bolts, nuts, bar, plate, stud, metric and imperial etc. etc. most of which I will never use, but I can confidently tackle jobs/projects knowing that I will be able to lay my hands on mostly what I need when I need it.. mostly I say, though not everything. To rehash Parkinson's Law - collections of stuff that will "come in handy" expands to fill the space available to house it. My golden rule now being, "It's no good having it if you can't find it" so my 'Stuff' is sorted and stored in Linbin type boxes and wall bars ... mostly Guy

Having said that Mike, there is an awful lot of masticaters about. Guy

Didn't someone get a Nobel Prize for inventing the blue LED quiet recently? Guy

I too, was caught out like that - very annoying indeed. My mission here after, has been to send as many prepaid/freepost junk mail return envelopes back (empty) as I can. Sad, I know, but it brings me a certain perverse pleasure (excluding reg. charities of course). Guy

I make up my own deodorant, 3 parts Jays Fluid to 1 part red Diesel - works a treat, the ladies find it irresistible. Guy

Oriana was the last of the liners built by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness bar one. She famously had afterdecks constructed in aluminium to save weight and was lavishly fitted out in the latest (50s) style. There is still many men and women living in Barrow-in-Furness who regard Oriana as the finest ship ever built in their home town and reminisce with pride when mention of this ship is made. Guy

Disrespect a Parlimentery Committee at your peril Mr Zuckerberg, I wonder If the Sergeant at Arms did the raid in his tail coat, stockings and frilly stock? Yes, do pass the popcorn Mark. Guy

But you haven't spent £420 just to find out you don't like cycling! Guy

The thing is with sporting/car/tech based purchases individuals can demonstrate their 'cool credentials' to those who are suggestible enough and thereby illicit approval from them, (helped along by facefook of course), unlike spending money on a railway related object or experience which is most definitely 'un-cool' and in turn my be the subject of derision - allegedly. Guy

All depends on how frequently you venture into your attic, battery powered lamps will only give you a fraction of the light you would get from a mains LED strip light fitting for instance. Its a fairly easy job to install a mains fitting and switch, presuming your lighting circuit is accessible. If you are not confidant doing it your self, it should be an hours work for an electrician (if you can get one for to come out for such a small job that is). Guy

If memory serves me right, there is some Pompeian graffiti along the lines off " young people are so disrespectful" and "what is the world coming to when the young act so frivolously" So it has always been thus. Guy

Yes, it probably does, but it doesn't develop 'spatial awareness' or the ability to perform tasks that include the 'Z axis', required to perform delicate, dextrous or craft like tasks. Grinling Gibbons, the great baroque wood carver said, that to make a first rate wood carver he liked his apprentices to start the craft no later than 8 years old. "Life so short and the craft so long to learn" William Morris Guy

You my have some cover (especially the bike) on your house insurance, it would be worth checking. Guy

Quiet true regarding the usefulness of the socio-economic groupings and their associated spending power. My local North West tv news yesterday reported on a drug dealer ( a mister big ) from Manchester, who had been given a long sentence, a 'proceeds of crime' seizure being part of his punishment. Police video of the interior of his home showed some of his ill gotten gains which included watches, signed football shirts and a closet containing nothing but snow white (pun intended) trainers. My point being is that his annual income would, no doubt, put him in the top 5% A B band, yet his total raison d'etre was centred round a few shiny sparkles, 20 pairs of pristine galoshes and a sweaty football shirt or two. Secretly, I was hoping he might have had the odd Matisse or Pre Raphaelite to redeem himself but no, just more sweaty red football shirts in frames. Such is life. Guy

For some, and I probably mean mostly men, the ability to spend large sums on 'cool' activities such as mountain biking, golf, snowboarding, motorbikes etc. is seen as a measure of not only wealth and status but an indication of being committed and wanting to be taken seriously in such endeavours. We can all think of individuals who indulge in 'virtue signalling' by having permanently fixed bike racks on their cars roof to give an impression of constant physical activity to all those that care to take notice of such things. The need to exhibit ones involvement in what is considered 'cool' and obversely disguise an interest in the 'uncool' stops a lot of people taking up our hobby. Guy