Gwiwer

There and Skegness

Then there's the outback Queensland drawl. Where each word goes on for ages because it's so hot and steamy up there you don't hurry anything

The TC units were all considered to be electric multiple units because they were designed to be used with electric stock. The fact that they were also desgined to be used with diesel-electric locos was a bit of a grey area in classification terms particularly with regard to the 6TC 601 (which was not a Bournemouth line unit and only able to work with class 33 locos) and the 7TC 701 which was basically a seven-car loco-hauled set of carriages.

I cannot locate an instance of a diesel locomotive being used to haul or propel a failed class 205 unit in the 1988-1992 period. That is not to say it did not happen but most unusual workings of that sort were noted and reported. Even well into their old age the class 205 units were very reliable. Despite being a little sluggish and having to carry the power unit in what might otherwise have been passenger accommodation they could be considered one of their generation's most successful designs.

They certainly can be. Even bigger than an emu, standing taller than many humans and with a face only another cassowary could love! This is one of a pair which followed me up the street in Kuranda. Never ever expected to see Cassowaries as there are only around 1100 or so left on the planet. And another thing. Bl00dy IBIS. You think the world has a seagull problem? Try living with ibis. Huge airborne rats with razor-sharp curved bills that are great for ripping open bin bags.

Someone is bound to ask ..... Rule 55 requires that in the event of a train being brought to a stand at a signal the fireman shall make contact with the signalman to remind him of the presence of the train. Probably updated by now Those little six-sided white plates we sometimes see (and occasionally even model) on signals are "Rule 55 Exempt" plates which usually indicated that the location was equipped with track-circuiting. Which means that the signalman would be made aware of the train's presence on the TC diagram so personal or verbal contact was not required.

Morning all. The Hill is slowly wringing itself out and there is a shiny thing where yesterday's heavy clouds were. But oh boy is it cold. It's about 12C which is not an August temperature at all. Horse Chestnuts have been dropping brown leaves for a week or two now and Nature seems to know it's already well and truly Autumn. Heaters were on last night again but hopefully not required today. We are promised as many as 21 degrees of Celsius. Encouraging news from GDB. Sincerely hope that continues. Today is one for pressing the suit, being ironic with a good shirt and getting a few other things in order for Saturday when we scatter father's ashes. Tomorrow I shall be picking up and packing the hire car therefore probably absent from ERs for a day or two. The trip to Sussex also sees the final allocation of "stuff" as we have a few boxes to store at mother's and one for my sister. There are a few green enamel signs to pick up which I have had stored there since moving to Oz. Nothing of too much value and no plans to sell up. It will be good to finally have them back in my possession. Back later. Happy Thursday.

...... possibly Eric Treacy though he wasn't quite of the same carriage as Cross.

But there are rabbit-proof fences ........ ......... oh errrrrr ....... They're not actually rabbit-proof, it seems

Not quite Jeff The room is more or less sorted out now, if not exactly tidy with everything in its intended place. That does mean that I can now look around for some decent legs with which to support the boards. My hope is that I can coach-bolt these to the corners allowing easy-enough removal if needs be. The size and geography of the room is such that nothing which is not fairly flat or small can be got in or out; a baseboard with fixed legs would be captive but with removable ones it could be taken out if the project progresses to exhibition standards. My rolling stock lives in plastic tubs. These will be stacked two or three high according to size beneath the layout which must therefore stand at a suitable height. It won't be unduly high by layout standards but neither will it be possible to use standard table legs.

Australian embuggerances: 1. The Drop Bear. Only known defence is to apply Vegemite liberally behind the ears. Also the only safe use for Vegemite. 2. The Sheila. No known defence for the unsuspecting male - compliance with her demands is always advised if survival is required. 3. The Footie. Also known as egg-chasing or the testosterone religion. I mean how on earth does one take a corner kick on an oval. And since when does a goal score six??? 4. The Beer. Notoriously cold and revolting. Produces violence and severe hangovers. Can also produce excessive wind with or without solids included. You might be safe with a micro-brewery product. 5. The Bloke. Identified by his uniform of singlet, shorts, thongs (flip-flops, not those thongs), half-smoked roll-up and hair in an unkempt mullet style. Usually drives a beat-up Holden Commodore at least 20 years old. Biosecurity is taken seriously in Australia. Sort of. Its isolation means that it doesn't have many of the common pests and diseases known everywhere else. Its farming economy might not survive a serious outbreak of something nasty. You can't legally bring in anything edible (not even that pack of cough sweets/lollies/candy) unless you declare it to Customs and they approve. Mostly they're reasonable. Tell them you have a sealed pack of choccy biscuits you bought in London as a gift for your mother and they'll let it in. Try to sneak it through without declaring it and they'll nab it - those sniffer dogs they have in the terminals are rather good at their job. Travel into or out of the fruit-fly exclusion zone and you'll see signs and bins as shown in a post above. The chances of being stopped and checked are very very small though the penalties exceed a slap on the wrist if you're caught. Something like 80% of the world's venomous creatures live only in Australia but they're not out to hurt you. Unless you upset them by, for example, treading on a snake, swimming with the jellyfish or cuddling a funnel-web spider. In most urban areas you don't need to check under the toilet seat (though it is advised in a few places) and out bush you're lucky to even find a toilet seat - the dunny contains an oil barrel at which you stand or over which you squat. And if it's full to the line when it's your turn you take the shovel and bury the entire contents downwind. My (English) brother-in-law was out on a visit during which we took him to see some native wildlife. He ran away from an echidna (which is rather like a giant hedgehog) when it rattled its spines. He then found himself face-to-beak with an emu. "Wha ..... what .... what's that ....... ?????" uttered trembling BiL trying urgently to control his anal sphincter. He had imagined emus to be the same size as Rod Hull's little glove puppet!!! Australia is safe. 98% of the time. The other 2% is accounted for by all the blokes and sheilas you meet. Plus the occasional Hawthorn supporter. Enjoy it responsibly. Take nothing in and nothing out except memories and photos.

The cess has been described and defined above. I have always understood it to mean that area outside the outer-most rail and clear of the "table" which is the raised area of ballast which forms a part of the actual trackbed. Walking along the cess would have been considered a safe route for staff in the days before "Safe Walking Routes" were formally defined and identified by signs and yellow markings. One would walk along the smaller ballast used to form the base layer of the permanent way which extended over a greater width than the "table" of top ballast and which, in a cutting, often had a drainage ditch beside it and before the boundary fence was reached. There would have been places where cycling along the cess was possible and in some more isolated locations even necessary to reach remote signal boxes in a reasonable time from the nearest access point. It was more common to walk along the cess which was the preserve of the ganger, lengthman, some signalmen and other authorised staff whose duties took them onto the lineside. It was once possible for certain individuals, not being railway staff, to obtain a Permit to Walk Along the Cess for legitimate photographic or other purposes but these have not been issued since around the 1950s to the best of my knowledge. Many a classic railway photograph has been taken from the lineside cess and more than one from up a convenient signal post. Such things would today bring the railway to a complete stop on safety and security grounds.

It is still raining. Goodnight All.

The first song ever played on BBC Radio 1. By Tony Blackburn at 7am on 30th September 1967. I know because I was listening. You can go off some people, you know. Mid-summer, 14C and it hasn't stopped pouring down since late last night.

Morning all. It is wet. Very wet indeed. Enting down as we would say in Cornwall. Good to hear something positive from GDB. PhilJW I know those Rouemasters of which you speak as they were transferred onto my adopted favourite route (also well-known to Olddudders of this parish) the 414 when the 721 (Brentwood - Romford - London Aldgate) was converted to driver-only operation. A few survive in preservation; three of the 43 built I think it is. In other new it it still raining therefore coffee shall be taken and hibernation can be expected until Summer arrives.

It's Good Night from me. And it's Good Night from the Rhinestone Cowboy. R.I.P. Glen Cambpell.

My all-time favourite car to drive so far has been the Kia Cee'd. I had two at different times as rentals and could fault neither. We own (still) an Australian Kia Rio which we bought from the showroom with just 7 kms on the clock back in January 2002. it has been the best car we ever invested in. Cheap to buy - and we got a discount - and fairly economical to run. Minimal maintenance costs (it's up to 250,000 kms now and only on its second clutch, for example) and did everything we ever asked of it from town hops to lengthy interstate trips of several days. Sometimes in extreme weather too - searingly hot (and she never once got near to overheating) or torrentially wet (never stalled in water either). I'd usually recommend a Kia to anyone. Though the Hyundai i30 is basically a Cee'd chassis and mechanics with Hyundai's own but very similar body. They're pretty good too. I would not recommend South West Trains to anyone this afternoon. Service to and from Waterloo are in total disarray. No reason, explanation nor apology has been offered to those including myself waiting at Clapham Junction. Platform staff were conspicuous by their absence; there were two blue-jacketed "crowd controllers" who denied working for SWT, had no idea where the trains were going and even advised one passenger to "Take the Windsor train and change there for Heathrow". Fail. The information screens were no more helpful. Trains were all shown as "Delayed" or "Cancelled" but when one arrived the display changed to "Stand Clear - not stopping at this station". Nothing seemed to be running to the Kingston / Shepperton line until after an hour a train crept in showing Shepperton on the front - and which continued to creep right through without stopping. It had passengers aboard and some were in the doorways with fingers poised on the open buttons so clearly hoping to alight. No chance. With nothing else showing I ended up boarding the next train to Twickenham and bussing as close as I could to home. Very, very poor show, SWT, and Deity of Choice help those trying to get anywhere at 5pm if 2pm was anything to go by. Arrived back at the Hill over an hour later than intended. Delayed coffee now being enjoyed. Wonder if I can claim Delay Repay against my free travel pass? Back later. Until then .....

Good morning from the Up Relief Line platform at Acton Main Line. Having assisted SWMBO into work with some bulky items I am now making full use of my free London travel before the monsoon arrives. Watching the scene mid-way through a phased handover to electric traction and mid-way through a major livery change, plus a good assortment of freight, it's definitely varied and colourful. Wishing a good day to all and a safe dry one if the predicted weather arrives.

Depends on the individual trip requirements. Today was only Day One but there seemed to be no clear pattern. Loadings on the normal Shepp-via-Richmonds have actually been a bit lighter than usual.

Evening All Waited in as arranged for Mr Electrician. Mr. Electrician did not show. I rang the agent and reminded them that this was the fifth occasion on which I had waited in half (or all) of the day for someone they wished to come and do something but who has not shown up and has wasted my time. No apology. They re-booked him for tomorrow. I wasn't going to be home anyway tomorrow but at 4.30 came the call direct from the electrical firm to say their man had gone sick and wasn't coming tomorrow either. I offered my empathy at having a chap go sick. they asked of they could come in late September. I was very firm in my reply. "I do not have my work roster that far ahead. It's not your fault as your man went sick but I have now taken five days in the past three weeks off work waiting for people and only one has actually turned up. I am not prepared to make any more appointments." They saw my point. We left it with the electrician noting their file (as they said) that they would have to deal with the agent if they were serious about actually turning up. It has become very wet. I have received several texted alerts of forthcoming heavy rain. According to the Met Office we are expecting between 40 and 85 cms on Wednesday alone. I'll alert Noah. I suspect - nay hope - they mean mm and someone has got something a bit wrong. Never had too much trouble with hired cars as I book the mid-range (known as Band D) which is typically described as "Skoda Octavia or similar". You always get the "or similar". But not a thumping great SUV when you haven't booked one. Nor a bubble car either. Most often recently it's been a Hyundai i30, once a Dacia Duster. The next booking starts on Friday. Wonder what it will be this time round. Only one thing to do when the night is as deep and foul as it is. Eyelids require several hours inspection. Night all.

Apparently more 6-car trains west of Salisbury but no significant timetable changes. NR need to do something about the capacity before many more trains can be run. A longer loop at Tisbury, making it dynamic (able to manage a running cross rather than having one train await the other) is needed at the eastern end. Before the intended Devon Metro local service between Exeter and Honiton / Axminster can be provided there has to be some signalling work done through Honiton. If that service eventuates then London trains may make fewer calls with slightly reduced journey times. SWR has already indicated they intend to cut the London - Salisbury journey times but they haven't said how. Via me! Because the Wimbledon route is closed so Strawberry Hill benefits from extra trains as the Sheppertons are reversing at Kingston except for the normal handful which run "direct" via Richmond. Waiting at Richmond at 17.30 tonight I was pleased to hear clear announcements that the next train would be a "Direct Shepperton train NOT running via Kingston." The 17.29 is normally a Roundabout service but for now has been altered to a 17.30 Shepperton direct from Strawberry Hill to Fulwell.

Must remember that one!!

Today has taken a sharp turn for the better. I have just located a £16.15 fare from Strawberry Hill to Penzance including the cross-London tube hop. Even better is that this is on the very date and train I was looking for. I feel another home run coming on!

Problem with that is that in this day and age even some of the Lords might insist that their Ladies were referred to as such. And to avoid any directionism the Pullman car shall henceforth be named the Pushpullmanandwoman Car.

Morning all. Gloom and dampness abound on the Hill. The first full weekday peak during the Siege of Waterloo has not gone altogether smoothly with trains this way being anything up to half an hour late. SWMBO has set off hopefully in search of one while I stay home yet again waiting for someone. Today it is the person-to-test-the-electrics which is a part of the corporate ar$€ covering fallout from the Grenfell fire. No landlord wants to leave themselves open should the slightest thing happen. And quite rightly so. Other than that today has the makings of a quiet one. I wish Baz a speedy recovery from the cold. The Thai restaurant behind us may benefit from that remedy in due course And the best to us all.