travelintrev

Morning all, better night sleep last night , until some ars*ole rang the door bell at 5am! - my fellow apartment dwellers driver - he was of to the airport an early flight.... still it's hump day so let us hope it goes well? Trev.

Evening all, This new l/t of mine has got Windows 8 - which managed to upgrade it's self to 8.1 while I was in UK the other week. Took a while to get it were I wanted it - start screen now looks like my old XP-Pro did. Biggest gripe I have with it is finding the "off" button -- if all else fails cnt/alt/delete does! Anyway back to strange phone call and the like, many years ago I was sent to do some repairs on a Generator at a GCHQ out post in darkest Cornwall. In those days boss used to have to send fax with my name, D-o-B vehicle registration number etc. So I pulls up at the security lodge (MOD police) gets checked in , drives to reception..goes to sign in & find myself surrounded by two large guys in macs! . Asks - do you know your grandmothers maiden name? Nope, do you have any contact with (name of teacher who had been my form master at Secondary school (who was I later found out from his obituary a member of British Communist party) . Nope, These guys then came out with a list of other "trick" questions...once they were satisfied with me...let me carry on with the job. But they did seem to know an awful lot about me & mine. Never had any problem after that getting into any MOD base... Still nearly bed time, (GMT +1hr here) Sleep tight,mind the bugs dont bite! Trev.

Morning all, - is it Friday yet?....no ? Buqqer! Oh off to do battle with a client who wants to do the impossible, I'll need to tell him hes a plank (but nicely!) Whatever your day throws at you, try to make the most of it. Trev.

I do have some (somewhere) of the same location taken in 63/64's big snow storm --- As I had received my first 35mm camera- (Petri 7s) There are a couple to come of the Hemel branch too Thanks for the interest. Couple more points that may be of interest to some, in the valley below & to the north (Luton- wards) Was the "Leather Bottle" PH. In the back garden of which lived Kerr Stuart Wren "Pixie" - which I help re-tube as I was skinny enough at the time to get hands head and shoulders in side the fire box! . East Hyde (IIRC) sewage works had a 2' gauge rope worked tramway which was adjacent to Luton Hoo (GNR) station.. Trev.

Good morning and welcome to another week! Not much else to report (anyway Pete can fill you in on my nocturnal conversations!) Manged to scan the rest of the B/W photos, some I have upload. What ever you're up to lets hope you have good day, Trev.

Back again, because I've been reminded that I haven't told you about a strange phenomena that the GF & I experienced last night - well she did - stop sniggering at the back there! We speak on the phone each night (well my night her lunch time she's currently in California) well last night as normal she phones me and about after 30 seconds the line drops out (not unusual) ---- well for the next minute all she could here was my last sentence repeated over & over......all I had was a dead (but still connected) line... seems very strange? Is some one listening in, or are all calls to the U S of A from Ng recorded --- while neither of us are into "politics" we do try to make some sense of whats going on in the wider world. So we do discuss all manner of "things" ....Makes you wonder though? Be good , Trev (back to scanning)

While I as back in the UK the other week I grabbed a handfull of B & W Prints to scan when I got back to Ng. This lot are dated 20th March 1967 and where taken between Chiltern Green & Harpenden Junction. They note that the Tartan Arrow was a test train. Looks (if my memory is correct) like it is on the Up slow lines. I hope these are of interest to some one. Trev.

Afternoon all, Having spent the best part of the morning trying to persuade either of my two printer / scanners (A4 & A3 size) to do the job they're supposed to, well got one scanning & one printing! So now have manged to scan a load of B & W prints from the 60's and one from the early 70's - Just for NHN! a very sorry looking Sea Lion! (crap photo - sorry best I can do) The other scans I will up load in the appropriate place.

As promised a few scans of some of the W,C & P stock that I built in the late 80's to early 90's. Small Railcar chassis - Motor / gear Box K's HMP2 (?) Wheels ex-Trix Warship. Body Plasticard, figures - Slaters. Clevedon (The second of three built! - one for the layout other two commissions) This one has Slaters wheels the first one had cast iron turned on my trusty Unimat. Not sure on the motor. First one had Tri-ang X04 which caught fire at Wells Exhibition! ( " ere mister your trains on fire") Hesperus, (The Second one I built - commission job) Slaters wheels again not sure on motor / gears. I had at that time a large stock of industrial rated gears and escape motors. I remember taking the first Clevedon (Which is not much bigger than a 10 ton coal wagon) to the local (ish) GOG test track. Hoots of derision (many of the members at that time were yet to be convinced about the practicalities of "fine scale" 0 gauge! We were using code 100 rail on PCB sleepers) but Clevedon romped around the test track with 20 so wagons behind her! I also built one of the ex Furness Rly Singles and the MW "Portishead" , I did start on one of the Muir Hill tractors but the layout had run its life. (main boards were 6 foot by two, half inch thick chipboard tops on 2" x 1" oak framing at one foot spacings! Each needed four people to handle them.) Trev.

Morning all, Not yet gone through the Warley stuff - but does sound like some "interesting" reading? Pain in my back is now migrating to the top of my right leg......hmm. The army must have been busy during the night as there is very little left of the house. What ever you are up to today try and make the most of it, Trev.

Well , according to my flat mate who was watching the exercise from his balcony......Nigerian Army Equipment was in use! But what they didn't do was put any rubble in the pot holes in our road! Trev

Morning all, Disturbed nights sleep as the neighbours having demolished their house the other day got a tipper truck & loading shovel in at 2:00am to take away the rubble! Woke a whole lot of people around here so this morning sofar it is pretty quite. Off to work & shopping later this morning -- those going exhibiting (or visiting) hope the day goes well. (Having been involved with exhibiting my own (twice) and mates layouts (three times) layouts at Warley . I know it can be pretty stressful at times) Enjoy your day Trev.

Morning all, POETS day -and morning of Corporate C*** ahead...... Dick, that sounds like a very interesting project , and I guess many of us will be looking forward to your findings? Lets all try to make the most of what life throws at us? Trev.

I cant add anything to whats already been said by others. Difficult typing this through watery eyes. Rest in Peace Don.and thank you for being a cyber friend to us all. Trev

Morning all, Bad nights sleep as I found at one time I could not turn over or sit up! Bit scary to tell truth.But did manage to get up slowly this morning. Not much else to report - except it's still raining (heavy showers) and this is supposed to be the "dry" season. Butat least theres no frost or snow - if it does either here I shall be very worried! Still tomorrows POETS day, Lets just try to survives the day, Trev.

Good Morning all, Just going to add my thanks to Tim for keeping us updated on Dons condition, lets hope he recovers to re-join us? As might be expected the work e-mailbox filled up while I was on the plane yesterday, including the sad news that one of my former staff here (35.yo UK guy)passed away earlier this week - the dreaded C again. I must have twisted my back as I got out of the car yesterday morning as it was agony sleeping last night--.not much better this morning - anodomini creeping up I suppose? Hump day already, and looks like I've got a shed load of stuff to sort out..... Lets make the best of what ever life throws at us today, Trev.

Good morning all from a misty Schiphol Airport coffee lounge. About 3 hours to waste here then should be back on the dark continent this evening. Loved the FR/WHR photos B-t-w. One of my favourite locos has to be the new build (rebuild? as I understood that some bits of the original were incorporated) single Fairlie. Try to make the best of your busy lives today, Trev.

Morning all, Last day in dear ole blighty today for a while....not been the best of visits but hey ho. Nearly got the Garret finished though (I've had the kit since about 1964 (IIRC). Just needs boiler handrails as I carved the original moulded plastic ones off. Not sure what the day will bring - but will try and make the best of it , Trev.

Back again, Thought you might like this photo my GF sent me from her current hotel in California. It's a Hummingbird drinking from a water fountain. No fancy camera or tripod used. Now pups demanding walkies, and the suns coming out. Be good, (or careful!) Trev. (Edited for spelling)

Good morning all, & happy Sunday. Thats it for now, Trev.

Hi John, I guess you have seen this site: http://www.wcpr.org.uk/ Seems to be a lot of info. Cant find the few digital photos at the moment (they may be on one of my hard drives elsewhere in the world. ) But I may have them in my stuff in UK - but I'm only here for a couple more days. Regards Trev

Back again, today I have manage to wear the puppy out - 4k today! - for the time being. Lots of wet mud on the lanes though. Back to motor vehicles, I was working for the Perkins agent when the Maestro van came out - claimed to be the first high speed diesel that would do the three tons . 100mph (Mine did early one morning on the A30 West of Exeter) 100 Horse Power - only on the testbed! and 100mpg - never managed that. But the first ones had the air inlet low down at the front - South West Water found that out the hard way . Hit a deep puddle at high speed = air inlet works like water scope = knackered engine = no warranty = lots of work for my workshop! Oh happy days! Nice smells coming from the kitchen - beef stew & dumplings I understand, Be good Trev.

Hi John, As one of those from the Nailsea MRC that built the model featured in the BBC TV program I'm glad to see your efforts. I'm not sure what happened to the stock after I sold all mine (most of the locos small Railcar) . The filming of the layout took all day when we set the layout up in the Church hall for filming. Not to be out done by the BBC the local ITV (HTV?) also made a short piece on the line, that though involved setting the layout up on the old track bed in the Gordano valley. Trouble was every time the sun came out the code 100 rails spiked to wooden sleepers expanded and closed isolating joints up! So trains would only run when the sun went behind the clouds - which didnt please the director! Keep up the good work and dont forget to post some more photos please. - I'll see if I can find some of mine. Trevor. .

Morning all, ah yes the much (loved) 1974 Hillman Avenger - I had the estate version . There were four of us in the local model Railway club with Avengers all age wise with in 12 months off the production line and every single one was different, brakes, bulbs you-name-it! The fuel inlet in the carb had a little filter that would block on afairly regular basis - quick job with the right spanner even taught the wife how to remove & clean it! OK enough nostalgia for this morning, suns trying to shine so guess I'll be puppy walking again. Lets hope our day goes to plan, Trev.

Well as can be seen from the attached photos it's wasn't raining in this part of North Somerset this morning when I took the ex's 2 monthold puppy for a 4 k walk. (I'm knackrd - puppy isn't!) Temps currently 13c & Suns still shining! (Is it really November?).