Gwiwer

As indeed here has been all day at the Hill of Strawberries despite the Met Office texting a "Yellow Warning of rain" during morning coffee. Currently this is also the Hill of Tomatoes as the crop is ripening nicely. Quiet day preparing for our container delivery. Until an hour ago when I received word that Australian neighbour (now in The Never Lands near Hamster Jam) was concerned her daughter (20) had not returned punctually from her final exam. Daughter's train has been involved in an incident - apparently a suicide - with a person with daughter delayed by three hours and unavoidably sat in full view of the aftermath for most of that time. Support has been offered as regretably I have more than enough experience in this field. Daughter and family have my secret number - the one I will answer 24/7 unless circumstances prevent it - with advice to call and talk any time now or in the future. Daughter says the noise was the worst thing. I'm afraid these things often leave a lifelong scar. Trauma manifests in untild ways at unbidden times. For what it's worth at least she was on the way home from the final exam and doesn't have to make that journey again for some time. Off to mother's tomorrow. Sister advises we have a trip arranged to the crematorium to discuss ashes and memorials. Such things must perforce be done. Best wishes to all.

Ah but with manual (or "stick-shift" for our American friends) you drive the vehicle whereas an automatic only requires you to go, stop and aim it. Automatics can send the driver into autopilot mode or lend them to be more easily distracted especially when on holiday and watching the scenery. Nothing backward about driving a manual. It can demonstrate a higher level of skill and roadcraft. Unless you mistime your change-down with 20 feet of clutch linkage on a fully loaded bus in which case you will hear a loud graunching noise, followed by your own almost-silent profanity, followed by a cheer from the passengers. And you have to go back and pick up the bits later Before tacklng British roads make sure you can drive in reverse. Not just reverse-park, which you will have to do a lot of, but actually driving backwards to allow an oncoming vehicle through a narrow spot. No-one will thank you (and many will not back up) if you push through when the other party has right of way.

A few from my observations:3-car class 119+DTS+3-car 117 on the Paddington - Bourne End train Bubble+DTS+Bubble noted several times over the years on Southall/Reading class 117 rosters. Always seen with the trailer amidships - would this be to replicate the power distribution of a 117 as the trailer could otherwise be in any position? 4-car 117 with 101 trailer added + bubble + DTS (still short on power compared with two 117s) Power twin 120 + DTS on a Bristol - Salisbury stopper.

Good Morning and welcome to Moanday Congratulations to Debs and her Passepartout - I wish you a memorable day for all the right reasons Commiserations to Dd - sorry to hear about the back problem; as that is one part that doesn't trouble me I'm afraid I have no useful advice to offer. Domestic engineering duties are required today with a slight shuffle of the minimal furnishings we have lived with thus far upon the Hill. The container arrives on Thursday and I still have no idea how we are going to get everything into the flat. I have thought for some time that SWMBO is using a different measuring device to mine. Hers being graduated in units called "Wishful Thinking". We'll see. Here tomorrow. Away at mother's on Wednesday then busy with the container-load. I might be MIA for a few days. Best wishes to all

Yes indeed. But I prefer the full-fronted models

We had one like that. An old boy we had inherited with his one-man-one-bus business. We had given his run a route number and altered it slightly to fit our network. He also got to drive which ever vehicle was assigned as his own steed had comprehensively failed its required tests. As he said (translated from a very thick dialect) "I know where I'm going. I've always gone there. My passengers know where I'm going as well. Can't see any point telling all those "furriners" coz it ain't their bus". Numerals and destination were invariably left set as he found them no matter what that suggested. Then, long before then and to this day it is a legal requirement for any vehicle plying a fixed route for hire and reward to display its destination.

Definitely interested. Top two are Bristol L-series unless I'm much mistaken. We had similar in Cornwall. Half-cab single-deckers where you got on at the back and paid the conductor. Not sure about the third one though. Ours turned up on the Lands End run, sometimes in pairs if it was busy. Then we moved up to Fareham and found Hants & Dorset also had some which we saw variously on the Lee-on-Solent or Catisfield runs. But where ever you found them they seemed to be going to a place named after the operator. As Dd's top view shows. Or as seen in Penzance on the 1 to Western National. In Fareham on the 73 to Hants & Dorset. And as also see once in Bridport not even displaying a route number but proudly going to somewhere called Southern National. I'm sure the passengers aboard knew where that was. Had a cockwomble moment t'other day while changing buses in Sutton. Obliged to cross a side-road still with a distinct limp I checked all was clear and hobbled forth. Blue boy-racer car comes screeching around stationary bus using the wrong side of the road and swerves, fish-tailing, into the side turning with me part-way across. "Driver" (for want of a better term) raised two fingers in salute and yelled a few choice words in my direction. I returned the salute as it seemed to be the polite thing to do. Car narrowly missed a hastily-moving me. And was hotly pursued by two more cars. These were displaying blue flashing lights .........

Morning all. Bacon and eggs enjoyed. Mug of tea (Sainsbury's, not Yorkshire despite that being readily available) likewise. Nearby party last night precluded sleep before midnight though they were somewhat responsible in going indoors and quietening down then. Sleep followed until the cat arrived for his 4am bouncy-castle session. Beautiful day here. The gentle twitter of birds, the distant chatter of children and the aroma of summer flowers. A stroll past the money-printer shall be required later on the way to Strawberry Hill House. Thoughts definitely with our antipodean friends as it's been uncommonly cold in places. Melbourne, which seldom freezes, has endured -5C. Oven-sacrificed cluckbird is on the menu for later. Enjoy the day.

Deepest sympathies to Nidge. I can relate sonewhat to your sense of loss having had my dear father depart in his 90th year during March. Still awaiting mum's decision on what to do with his ashes. For what it's worth you are never alone with ERs. Always happy to talk here or in private. For the rest of us it's goodnight from me, and it's goodnight from him.

Am I right in thinking that the basic (formerly) free-of-charge PB account set quotas for both maximum hosted data and hits? That being the case it would be possible to have just a single image hosted but if it happened to attract a vast number of hits - let's say it was especially unique or newsworthy - your total traffic quota would be exceeded and all anyone could then see would be a PB message.

Morning all Would have been here earlier but my services were required elsewhere. SWMBO typically does her banking of a Saturday morning and found when the Australian account was inspected that she had been relived of $7000. All in $1000 ATM withdrawals, daily over the past week and from a location neither of us has ever visited. Cue wailing, gnashing of teeth and a call to the fraud team at Australian bank. It should all come good in a couple of days and replacement cards are already ordered. I have to say I couldn't fault the bank person's empathy and service. Someone has, it seems, been either very clever or very opportunistic as no card has ever been lost, shared or otherwise misused. We think mail to the Australian address might have been interfered with though it should not have been sent there in the first place. Hey ho. Decent sleep though interrupted at times by a bouncy cat. Now a grey but comfortably warm day for a trip to the Twickenham Green Fete up the road. Tomorrow is the annual Strawberry Hill House Fun Day offering food and music in addition to a chance to visit this strange but fascinating place. Best wishes to all. Back soon.

In fairness I should perhaps add that I am rather partial to a plate of haggis and neeps. Accompanied by one of the finer island malts. And of a haggis supper provided it is accompanied by a reasonable 70/- ale and not by a knuckle sandwich from one of Glesgie's finest!

Avoid haggis. It's bloody offal

I will not be held to ransom by anyone. I have a large number of images hosted at Photobucket but haven't added more for the past couple of years. The site began to show signs of creaking and groaning, overload / underresource and randomly refused me access to my account - despite the fact it was paid for due to the volume of material stored. Images correctly linked would randomly not display in a post made on other sites. Since then I have happily used SmugMug. Again it costs me because of the space I occupy on their servers which is fair enough. But - once you get used to some of the slightly quirky aspects of its functionality - it's a good place and I can also take advantage of their professional side for a commercial venture at no extra cost. Photobucket effectively copied SmugMug's lead here but have been playing catch-up all along. Since no-one has yet asked me where a particular image has gone and as they now seem keen to extort ridiculous amounts to allow what has largely been free until now they can take my account and cast it into cyberspace. I have all my originals.

I have a good many images hosted on Photobucket but have not added more for the past couple of years. I sensed that all was not well in PB-land when images which were hosted there failed randomly to display on other sites. I also found the site slowed to a crawl acting as though it was overloaded and/or under-resourced. That meant I was unable to readily copy links among other things. The volume of storage and hits my account attracted means it also has to be paid for. I terminated payments as of 1st January this year since I no longer actively use the facility and no-one has yet asked me why a particular post (which might be on one of many sites and catering for many interests) has an image missing or what it might be. I suspect they are in difficulty. Flickr is the No. 1 host site but SmugMug offers a good service, was several steps ahead of PB (who have gamely tried to play catch-up) and therefore SM remains my host of choice. Again not free due to the amount of space I occupy on their servers but also because I can use them as a host site for a commercial venture at no additional cost.

Evening all. Discovered this morning that for the first time in almost a month I could get another pair of shoes on. During the dreaded foot-rot I have only been able to wear one pair, somewhat large-for-size, and not always even those. The trainers went on quite easily today so I did what many of us take for granted, what most others of us take as a necessary if perhaps uncomfortable function of life but what I have not been able to do for over three weeks. I went for a walk Having previously and deviously plotted a day enjoying some of the most obscure and infrequent bus routes London has to offer I duly set forth on the 35-minute trek to the starting point. I couldn't have got there by bus even had I wished to do so as this is a road served by just two trips a week and some distance from any other transport option. So the 969 was duly ridden, complete with most obliging and friendly driver more than willing to step out of the vehicle to load the numerous shopping trolleys for his passengers. After lunch the only other such route in London, the 965, was also sampled which manages three trips a week to the isolated mobile-home location of Riverhill. These two are the only survivors of a once large network of Mobility Bus routes which penetrated where others didn't and offered easy access ramps (with an assistant on board at one time) long before such things became a legal requirement. The current network serves most places the mobility routes once ran and for the few still unable to use regular bus services there are the red Dial-Ride welfare buses. So these two are the final survivors and probably haven't a long- term future. The 969 was busy - indeed all but full - but the 965 carried only three passengers. A day out on the buses is something I used to enjoy as a young'un and it brought back memories as we turned out or Rocks Lane where I used to wait for an RT on the 72 to Tolworth clutching my blue card "Red Rover" ticket outside the Red Rover pub. Both are long gone. So things are improving. Long may that continue. Good night all.

Morning all Slept well again and the feet are now back to "discomfort" rather than "pain". A good day yesterday finding mother up and about, fending for herself and even having managed a little ironing. Word from ailing aunt, her sister, is also quite good in that she has had her medication "rebalanced" and while still in hospital has pulled back from the brink to also be self-reliant and off the machine which goes ping. Grey and damp day here. SWMBO has developed a cold and will be staying home. I foresee a need for a trip to the local pharmacy. And of course as we are a partnership of equals I look forward to receiving it. Significant news emerging from Australia where Cardinal Pell, trusted envoy to the Vatican, is to join those of the Catholic church charged with serious offences against young people in their care. It's taken a long time but justice is coming. Best wishes to all.

I understood we were currently talking about headboard clips. These are on the front ends. "Talisman" clips refer to those used subsequent to Talisman's demise at West Ealing and are on the battery boxes of later survivors only and which are below the body side panels amidships. Regarding the weathering the current offering from Hattons appears to exactly replicate the privately-commissioned version as I noted above. It's not even "similar to" but appears to have been a request by one party to the factory to "make it look exactly like this".

Morning all. Much to my surprise refreshing sleep has occurred. Pain in feet subsiding to manageable level once again. The yellow warning of rain has been cancelled The blue warning of toast and marmalade remains in force The orange and white warning of very bouncy cat has been upgraded to a Tigger Alert The sky blue pink with purple polka dots warning has been ignored due to being plain ridiculous. A day at mother's is forecast. Back in time for more bed. Be good while I'm out.

Let's try this once more. Why am I in bed at night? To sleep. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeep Here's hoping. G'night all

Morning all from the Hill of Strawberries. Somewhat late again account the worst night of late attempting to rest and sleep. Failed on both counts. The cat seems to think I am some sort of nocturnal bouncy castle. What really did for me last night was his jump from somewhere landing fully on the be-gouted left foot. I emitted some sort of noise which scared him away and used a couple of very rude words indeed. Foot then throbbed and pain levels increased through the night. Once more I have had to catch up on sleep during the morning. Overall last night set me back a day or two on the road to recovery. Still no further news from ailing aunt and I shall be making my now-weekly visit to mother's tomorrow pain or no. The tomatoes we planted in pots outside the kitchen window are already blushing and should be ready to harvest any day. Noisy f*****g neighbour has just vocally announced her return from a trip overseas. If I time it right I'll be round at the postal orifice during the afternoon performance. Stay well. Or as well as your circumstances allow. Happy Cheeseday.

Interestingly Hattons has offered numerous Westerns with rather good weathering which appears to match exactly that commissioned by Kernow MRC from Mercig Studios for their own exclusive (and premium priced) models. Not being party to any comnercial arrangements I cannot make any further comment.

Tony - sorry to hear the diagnosis as that can be particularly nasty. Do rest, take medical advice and allow recovery to take it's course. The one thing I have learned about my own affliction is that no matter how painful it is right now it will improve with rest and lots of water. GDB - understood sir and good to know you are still with us. Hard to avoid potty-licks at such times but we should confine ourselves to simple statements of fact if we say anything at all. Academia - yes some folk make a living and a decent career out of it. Cousin's husband is in possession of his third PhD, is on the board of two universities, in Germany he would be styled Herr Doktor Doktor Doktor F********l but here he is just Professor. Or to family he's always been John. Which reminds me the Good Lady has her final seminar booked for October after which she submits here own work and hopefully gains the accolade of Dr. Mrs. Gwiwer. G'night all. Hoping to sleep at the third attempt.

Morning all. Moanday has dawned. Nothing to see here. Move along please. Another attempt at nocturnal eyelid inspection failed due to pain the the feet becoming jiggly leg syndrome. Network Fail's second night of doing stuff at the level crossing with intermittent loud noise hasn't helped. A lightweight agenda today requires a round of domestic engineering and a trip to the postal orifice. Currently the sun is shining and the lavendar is covered in bees. If HM Floating Airport happens past the end of the road you might see me on the news. She would have trouble getting under Richmond Bridge for sure! Best wishes to all.

Progress. Managed to shuffle, slowly and painfully, the mile-and-a-half to Eel Pie Island to check out today what I missed yesterday. An extremely eclectic blend of old and new buildings hotch-potched upon an island in the Thames otherwise home to a good many quite mature trees. Walking through a still-functional boat repair shed (which doubles as an art gallery) one reaches a ramshackle assortment of buildings, some solid and others much less so, which is home to a small number of artists. Enough to see though nothing required liberating for the trip home. And with a delightfully quaint set up at the very end offering salmon, cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches (with fresh "locally grown" dill) and Pimms or Nescafe alongside various paintings. Then it was the shuffle back including making the obligatory stop to purchase tonight's meal Both feet are still attached but know they've been out!!!