Oldddudders

Copied from a globetrotting acquaintance on Facebook : "Nightlife in Hanoi – yesterday I tried to re-visit my former favorite hangouts: „Spotted Cow“, „Relax Bar“, „New century“ – all gone! Even my absolute favorite is gone – there once was a bar where you could party into the wee hours, at least if there was no police crack-down. The name was, no joke, “Apocalypse Now”. The place was painted in black and the DJ was sitting in the remains of the canopy of a shot-down US Huey-Army-Helicopter doing the turntables." Some of us don't know we're born!

Sadly, Rick, all the Consulates have had the work taken away as far as I can see. Hence my last one was done in Paris, but alas no more.

Some are certainly impressively ignorant....

Since I believe John was Depot Engineer, Brighton, his professional credentials are impeccable!

TMI, but I bet you're tired!

Yes, Robert, my present passport was issued in Paris, but as you say that facility has been withdrawn. I might simply send it off using Sherry's address for return, but may be stuck in England for weeks if it takes too long! As far as couriers are concerned, dropping parcels at pickup points - e.g a local newsagent - is much practised here, even when you have paid for home delivery and are waiting. I had a very expensive item come from China, and it was left 15 miles away. The courier was a very well known international firm. The newsagent said this geezer was forever doing that as he was too lazy to search the rural roads for the home address.

and on the whole it was a very good year for the undertaker

ways to leave your lover

Morning all Some sad news on ERs recently, with friends and relatives suffering or even gone. I hope things improve for all those affected. Mild weather has helped me get the garden looking a little kempt, but as I expect to be away for three weeks from next Wednesday, I have no doubt by early May it will be a jungle! Grandadbob - compact camera sales worldwide have bombed in recent years, and millions of people not buying them can't be wrong! The phone camera is now the prevalent tool of choice, because we tend to have it with us at all times, and can post the pic on social media within seconds. That matters, apparently! Mirrorless cameras are not making the impact that had been hoped, and those without a real viewfinder are hardly more user-friendly than a compact. That leaves DSLRs, the cheapest of which are now slightly smaller and lighter, at least. I hope you find something you can enjoy. Renewing my passport, which expires in mid-September, is much on my mind. I hope to sort it out in the coming weeks in the UK. Simply sending it off from here is not on - it is my identity document, so must be carried at all times. I hope your week is progressing comfortably.

Ducky - I cannot imagine any wiring that would not work equally well with both DC & DCC. Indeed, the classic way of converting a layout is simply to unplug the DC kit and plug in the DCC setup, turning all section switches to 'on'. I'm sorry you feel you have a blind-spot about wiring, which most of us find tedious but at least logical. I certainly endorse talking to Digitrains, but do make an exact copy of your wiring in the affected zone so they have real facts to look at.

It looks very different now, with the South Devon Highway in much evidence. And it would suit me very well if SWT still ran to Paignton - I prefer the Waterloo route to Exeter, but always have to decamp from the 159 to catch some deplorable FGW DMU!

Bradley (RCTS Locomotives of the LB&SCR Vol 1) quotes 5 terriers as sold to Pauling in 1902, being nos 36, 39, 649, 652 and 657. The guard irons were removed, dumb buffers provided and tyre washing pipes. 36,39 and 649 were sold for scrap in October 1909, but Surrey and Thames "are thought" to have gone to La Plata, where an unidentified Terrier was observed at work in March 1920.

The Days of Wine and Roses - Henry Mancini

The Great Arrival - Sergio Mendes

Up A Lazy River - Mills Brothers

She has an interesting CV, actually. Born in Wiltshire, skool in Surrey (where we met), college in Birmingham, married in Michigan (to a Brit), then worked in Bedfordshire and Staffs before retiring to Torbay. And now has a semi-detached marriage, as her vicar put it, not without envy, she felt!

Parchman Farm - Mose Allison

Ooh! Matron!

Meanwhile, in ripoff France, these are being auctioned on ebay with starting prices over £2 each!

In London Transport speak, Mal is thinking of the Regent Low-Height, RLH. They felt like absolute heaps compared to the RT purchased in much larger numbers. Locum GP happy with my blood pressure but provided ongoing prescription. Listened to my heart etc and no fault found, apparently. Just got back from feeding dobbins when a hailstorm started. Lucky.

I think the problem with doing this is that it will stand out enormously in clarity against everything around it on the backscene, most of which is a bit indistinct as we would wish, making things worse rather than better. A backscene works best if it is a support to the foreground. This would bring that pole forward visually so it appears closer than the rest of the backscene. Not recommended from here, Rob.

Yes, that Brundle Kimster was the second reference I recall. Running out of talent seems to be a popular put-down for motor racing 'offs'.

And swapmeets etc, with tables full of bits, didn't really exist in them thar days, either. But then, sometimes now, the paint finish on many such modelling triumphs let them down - spoilt the ship, if you like. The ruse these days is to weather - but we don't all like that.

Amen to that (says this atheist!), but I am intrigued every time I hear a name combined with the -ster suffix. I recall Sherry's son-in-law doing the same with her daughter's name. Can anyone tell me the etymology, please?

The horse boxes look very fine. Are they Parkside? I have one somewhere half-built.