Oldddudders

I suggest a good look at what happens here.

Goodbye Jungle Telegraph - Brian Auger

I bought a Thorens TD150AB in 1968. Served me well, but I always longed for a better tone-arm. The SME3009 was the choice for those who could afford it, with a Shure V15/2 cartridge. I offer no evidence I would have noticed the difference in output!

A gay friend used to do a stand-up comedian routine at a pub on the Marston Vale. This went well until the night he announced "Tonight there is a birthday behind the bar", whereupon the two bar staff looked at each other and shook their heads. "One of the pork pies is 5 years old today!" And that was that for his booking.....

In the late '60s, early '70s, I would drink in the Sussex Oak at Warnham, but only if taken by a mate in his car, of whom there were two such. I had no taste for bitter at that stage, but it was evident that the brewery, Brickwoods, had a penchant for variable quality, from things the mates said. Don Cooper, the landlord, certainly knew what he was doing in the cellar, they said. Brickwoods were taken over by Whitbread, and, anecdotally, introduced all sorts of demon tech devices - like thermometers. While the Brickwoods product was now called Whitbread Trophy, it became absolutely predictable, I was told.

Do I recall an article in Trains mag something over 20 years ago, in which they pictured a 160, I think on the K&WVR, captioned "Alco? Baldwin? Lima? Yes!" or something like that. They had found the loco to include parts from all three builders. Inevitably each builder will have used his own techniques and methods of construction, outside-supplier parts etc. so the locos will have had detail differences for that reason alone.

This morning, and for the next three mornings, I am required by my Rheumatologist to drink 5 glasses of water, over and above my usual fluid intake. Tuesday, late morning, Nurse Corinne will attend chez moi to give me my annual infusion of Zoladronic acid, which takes about 20 minutes. My drink of choice these days is Chardonnay, whether in France or the UK. The bitter that I enjoyed for decades, as did late first wife Deb, now seems to go down more slowly than before. Being 75 does have its downsides!

"'Ere - what 'ave you 'ad in your 'and? 'Ave you really? Urrgh!"

Desert Dream - Tangerine Dream

Indistinguishable from certain cheeses, however....

Now come on Mick - is there something you have been frightened to tell us?

Unusual. A few decades ago, I recall a London Underground car-card ad campaign by a firm offering office air-con kit. They had a cartoon character called Mr Cool or similar. One of his lines was "I keep my socks in the fridge!" Perhaps we should have a fridge-content confessional on here?

Some more Bulleids would be nice, and Dia 2406 in particular. There were 3 times as many 2406s as 2405s, which they have already tooled. And each had a quite separate purpose, 2406s being "loose" vehicles, while 2405s were formed into two-sets 63-75 with a BTK, Dia 2123. These vehicles were predominately used on WoE services, both local and to Waterloo.

ISTR Scotland/Scotrail mandated retention toilets some time back.

Couldn't find it on Tesco online store. Brut v demi-sec is entirely a matter of taste. But on the odd occasion I bought demi-sec in error it was a matter for regret, so I am a true Brit.

In my mother's youth there was a joke about the impossibility of abolishing the Second Chamber (i.e. House of Lords) because of the number of Liberal peers.....

No doubt this gloomy environment is affecting all the TOCs. I became aware a few weeks back (from a member of XC traincrew at Plymouth) that my former colleague Tom Joyner had quit as XC MD. When people like him - as former traincrew - jump ship it's probably holed below the waterline.

A late friend feigned never to recall pub names, and would always identify such as "The Old Boot & Socks". Imagine his delight when he found a wine-bar near London Bridge called "The Boot & Flogger".

Sound thinking. Prosecco tends to be a bit less alcoholic than champoo, typically 10.5% rather than 12.5%, and is certainly more affordable. I buy sparkling Saumur, costing about £3.60 in my local Lidl, which is made by the same methode traditionelle as champoo, and has the same % alcohol. I think it has more depth to the taste than Prosecco. I have never seen sparkling Saumur on sale in UK supermarkets.

I suspect money is not the big draw for someone with such a history of success and thus £ reward. He will be more influenced by the best offer of facilities and investment in the ultra-high-tech kit needed to succeed. We know, for example, that Williams has been under-investing for years, may now be catching up. He would be unlikely to choose such a team, despite his scope to take them further up the grid.

Google "Coffin feedwater heater" images.

I have a little knowledge of horses and can say that as herd animals they react to each others' moods, hence mass-panic here, and as flight animals they run from the unknown if feeling threatened. That they ran into vehicles and damaged themselves is no surprise, as they really aren't very bright - my 6-month ownership of a donkey revealed he had twice their intelligence - so all the stuff they had already learned about traffic, streets and vehicles simply had no bearing on their behaviour. I hope their scars, mental and physical, can be healed soonest, but the former will take longer, I am sure.

I bet you were pi**ed off.....

Actually, this is sad. I am no Red Bull fan, and their domination doesn't do anything for me or the sport, but they are what they are, very good at C21 F1. Newey is that peerless human - a gifted creative with supreme tech capabilities. He thrives, like many other creative people, in an environment that is tranquil, stable, single-minded. If, as we are told, Horner's unwise woman-management skills have burst the bubble, I see that as sad. Whether the power struggle is really the root cause of all this, including the claims of the indignant lady employee, we may never know, but it does the sport no favours.

I've always liked the idea of German bingo - acht und achtzig, zwei dicke damen!