byron

I thought Jack Daniel's was sheepdip. Mike

Wonderful- einfach spitze! Mike

Some odd comments here. The rail freight scene in Germany is very competative. There are over a dozen companies competing against the DB, a look at some of the German web sites will confirm this. At least four national railways have freight services in Germany! As for UK operations getting paths, one (DB) will have no problems. Once you have a path then what? Where do you get traction? Please sir may I hire a locofromyou to compete against you? No way. Train crew? where do you get these from? Remember they need route knowledge and traction knowledge,and the ability to speak in tongues. Running a train is not like running a white van! Mike

That would be a bit of a "pane" then! Mike

A good time to gently bring in a "birds & bees" chat perhaps. Mike

Sorry Stewart, Of all the drinks around, single malt is recommended for Jock. When I was on dialysis, I shared a ward with a Headmaster - we were restricted to a few sips of liquid at a time, and about a teacup full at most per 24 hours! Superwife thought scotch would make the suffering easier - it did. A couple of nights into the routine, ward Sister caught the two of us and went gently insane. As luck would have it, our specialist Doctor called in and told the Sister that we were doing the most intelligent thing he had seen. Mike

All the best Jock - remember, in 20 years you can tell us how you are coping. Mike

Jock, do not worry too much about running on one kidney. I have been doing that for almost 20 years, and it isn't even mine! These renal quacks really know their game, I haver never seen such dedication. Now if I could find a doctor to keep the rest of me working!!!!! :no: Mike

I often wonder how these guides would find anything to say if it was not for the Germans. How many years have passed? Mike

Far too many years ago, the Met office phoned each Control room ith a weather forcast in winter - too help us stop the job better keep things moving. The forcast took the form of a simple 1 2 3, where 1=snow, 2=frost, 3=fog. The forast came as 1=nil, 2=nil, 3==nil, which was interesting as we had about a foot of snow, and it was still falling. When this was pointed out, the chap in the Met office was heard opening a window, and promptly gave an ammended forcast of 1=heavy....... It was things like this that made it all worth while (even better was 2 nights later delaying sweet Maggie for 90" - but that is best told over a Whiskey. Mike

I have video from 1989 (Westbury) showing one in blue/grey. Mike

The "foodstall" is the WinterSportVerein-Winter sports club. Mike

What fun this and related threads are! As a modeller of German railways, I could not care less what is on its way, but enjoy reading every post (is there a nurse in the house?). Is all the frothing a British thing? I do not recall the same excitement in Germany. Damn good marketing anyway. When does the next thread start? Mike

A Brakevan was required - the train went forward class9 (unfitted)! Mike

As a prototype for everything exists, these fine wagons can even be steam hauled. Way back in the days when there was still steam on the WCML, a Scotland bound freightliner failed at Nuneaton. First Control rule has always been get it off yer patch (in my case as Main Line South section Controller in Stoke Control, this was Norton Bridge - but I play fair, so Crewe it was. As the only loco available was a 9F on an engineers trip, it was used to remove the 47. This is where the observant amonst you will say "just a minute, the 9F was vac braked, and the train air braked". So the PW trains brake van was attached rear, the 9F coupled up, train lights "dropped" to a class 9 and off we go. 70 late away from Nuneaton. No available air braked loco at Crewe (often wondered why there was a shed there) so the Nuneaton men were sweet talked to work on with the booked driver as route knowledge pilot. The 9F worked to Carlisle (far enough off the patch) where it arrived on time. It may have been that they poor guard had a rougher ride than in the back cab of a warm diesel, but it seems the rest of the crew enjoyed the trip (and the overtime for the Nuneaton men). The electification may have been delayed by a bit, but that is what Sundays were for. Mike

To my knowledge the York to Salop postal was Deltic hauled all the way to Salop on three occasions (I was on duty). It depended on the York driver, as he needed to be piloted for route knowledge. It may well have happened more often when I was tucked up in bed and had little interest in the chaos smooth working of the Stoke division. Mike

A Taste of Honey - Hank Marvin

Ah yes, knock Germany all you want, but they scored more goals in this one game than England did in the last two world cups! Deutschland vor, noch ein tor! Mike

At a guess - a UK based Safari Park. Mike

Can you have too manyGuinnesses?

The very best of luck and good fortune to you. A great project. And when Boris's railway is playing diesel gala's, there will be steam about. Should be a great addition to the area. Mike

No hoax - not only has this been posted a few times (I understand) on this forum, it has made it's way round Europe as well. The Drehscheibe forum was where I first saw it, and it was reported to have been photographed in Holland. This fits with the croissing lights/signage. German built fire engines are used in Holland. We may mock, but in the heat of the moment (sorry) automatic responses to training tend to take over. Mike

That is why - in Europe at least - most of the assembly work on our models (Roco/Fleischmann/Piko/Maerklin/Trix) is done by ladies. Mike

Many more years ago than I care to remember, Control used to get a 1 2 3 weather forecast from the Met office (1= snow, 2= frost 3= fog) It was to help us gcall out the required staff (remember those days when such a luxury existed). One night I took the call and was told 1nil 2nil 3nil. At that moment there was 6" of snow on the ground and a blizzard blowing. My gentle and courteous comment (Controllers were renowned for their charm) to the actual facts resulted in "wait a moment". There was the distinct sound of a window opening. A cheerful voice the announced ..... "here is an amended forecast". If only we could go back to the innocence and fun of those days. Mike

It will never work in German - swap nuts for eggs! Mike