Bert Cheese

Nice...but should the cabside window frames not be brass on a MN?

Not sure if mentioned elsewhere but there could be yet another Class 50 heading for the SVR soon, 50007 having recently been sold to the Class 50 Alliance by Neil Boden. Seems a little odd to me as he hasn't owned it for long and must have spent a bit of money getting it shipshape again after years of non-investment under previous custodianship, apparently the plan is for mainline charter work after both main and aux/eth generators have been overhauled. *50017 could be for sale too apparently...various folk over on WNXX are of the opinion that Mr Boden only really wants to keep 50050 (D400) in the long term.

Black is good, an excellent base for the Loadhaul version we all really want!

The attention to detail looks promising when viewing the Hornby update...I notice a representation of the seldom seen Detroit displacement lubricator in one pic. Will 21C1 feature the short lived drivers bucket seat I wonder?

So assuming 5 of you going for a week? I'd say you need one more bottle...another Islay to balance the Speyside malts perhaps?

Sadly the scrapman will probably be the best option for these units...of course I'd like to see them back in their original form on the LSWR mainline but I'm probably a daft old git? Preservation will most likely involve the usual story of a couple of driving trailers being bought, one by a group in Yorkshire and another in Norfolk lets say...neither will have anything to do with the other and the vehicles will ultimately fall into disrepair before becoming the subject of much discussion on here in future years in the style of 50040 and now 45015.

I noticed this earlier today while nostalgically browsing bits and bobs from Chandlers Ford & Eastleigh of ye olde days... Hope all is well with Dave, I remember him looking fit for retirement when he had the shop in Chandlers Ford!

Those of us disappointed by the cancellation of this years Minehead beer festival may be interested to see that Somerset CAMRA will now be holding the festival at Quantock Brewery just outside Bishops Lydeard station: http://www.somerset.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=35461 The WSR are apparently offering discounted rover fares to CAMRA members, which is pretty rich of them all things considered...I think many will find accommodation nearer BL and give the railway a miss?

A lowly 12 for me...I clearly need to attend more beer festivals!

Waitrose have a few whiskys on offer at present, tonight's picks: Highland Park 12 y/o reduced from £35 to £28...I may have had the last one from Chandlers Ford branch though Bunnahabhain 12 y/o reduced from £37 to £29...a lighter Islay and very rarely seen at reduced pricing,it seemed rude not to indulge.

Go on then...a few taken at Farnborough 2008 from the archives...taken with a cheap & cheerful Nikon D40.

A bit of a disappointment today...I've been meaning to give the Lowland malts a chance for a while, and recently acquired some Auchentoshan American Oak while on offer from £30 down to £22 at Asda. Unfortunately it really isn't doing anything for me and seems quite bland.. I'm told it can be rescued by adding a splash of Laphroaig, but am reluctant to use my QC for such purposes! On a more positive note I was rather surprised to find Tesco stock Ardbeg 10 & Caol Ila 12 at reasonable prices, having a friend inside who can use her 10% staff discount makes them an even more attractive proposition when my stocks need replenishing...

Hopefully it won't lead to the closure or mothballing of distilleries as was seen in earlier slumps such as the early 80's. Many distilleries concentrate their output on hurriedly produced spirit for blending, and could be badly affected by this if they don't have stocks of aged single malts to offer instead.

A bit OT strictly, but while we have a bike thread up how about this beast? Essentially hand built by Wayne in pic 1, it is based around some huge HD lump that required a custom chain to be built after it shredded 2 off the shelf "heavy duty" versions. The level of detail has to be seen to be believed, the rear floats on air suspension in order for the mudguard to clear that rather large rear wheel! Taken in August 2005 I am told he has since built several other bikes (mostly to order) with even more extreme specs. Oh yes...it was loud, very loud

Oh yes...5 of us are going, albeit on the final Saturday as per last year. So easy to get to, and what a day out...Imperial stout aged in Islay whisky casks weighing in at 12% ABV and a texture like engine oil being the highlight, you'd be mad not to go!

A couple of pics from October 2005 showing my late father with the BSA A7 500 Twin he had owned since the 1960's. An early 1947 model with the vertical centre stand not found on later models (awkward to use and could potentially drop on the move with disastrous consequences!) He purchased this by chance from a sailor while working a boat train in Southampton Docks, and used it for a good few years to commute between Southampton and Eastleigh/Basingstoke sheds...this being the last of many bikes including a Panther and Royal Enfield that I know of. When I arrived in 1971 my mum coerced him into buying a car and the bike went into storage, occasionally run up and down the orchard in our old Allbrook house it fell into disuse under a sheet in the garage when we moved to Chandlers Ford in 1983 (Mum to blame again!) and was sold shortly after the pics were taken in the hope that someone else might be able to enjoy it.

Ah, if only Jonny....I was born in 1971 so missed seeing a Charlie (or any steam) at Eastleigh...I do remember when it had 4 proper platforms and the traversing luggage bridge on P1 though!

I've had a couple of bottles of Buckfast sitting in my ageing cupboard for around 2 years now...drinking the stuff has so far eluded me! The original intention was to relive our youth and a few of us chug it in the park or bandstand, before seeing what mystical effects might take place... One of my mates wife even got us some proper brown paper bags to wrap the bottles in, but Eastleigh council have now imposed a no public drinking byelaw which has put a dampener on things as arguing with a PCSO is probably not going to end in our favour... Drinking the stuff in a civilized environment (ie: indoors possibly using glasses) seems to be at odds with the very essence of Buckie, and any available sheds/summerhouses have been found to be waist deep in clutter when surveyed. Its hard work getting old

Definitely a qualifier for the "Tramp Juice" category of beer, though the 9% version is obviously the real thing along with other Superlagers and Barley wine style brews. Some are surprisingly tasty while others...best not try Tungsten or Tennant's Super. A few years ago 3 of us bought 4 cans of Carlsberg Special Brew on a whim and necked it as quickly as possible...the last one to finish having to have the remaining can (it was warm too... ) Sadly SB is a faded star these days, having had its ABV reduced last year in line with heavier taxation on strong ales. I did see this fine example a couple of weeks ago on Portsmouth Hard, not 100 yards away from HMS Warrior, it made me quite proud to be British

Looks to be coming on well in recent years, last time I visited was a chance fly-by in the hope of seeing 50029 & 50030...only to discover they had left for Matlock the week before!

More of interest here perhaps: http://www.railengineer.uk/2013/05/10/reshelling-a-455/

I have to admit driving home tonight was frustrating... Pompey to Eastleigh (24 miles) on the M27 at sub 70 due to a lane 3 oddball who would not exceed 70 or move to lane 2 despite a clear 1/2 mile gap ahead of him, undertaking not possible due to the long train of cars in L2 blocked by someone sat rigidly on the main offenders nearside rear quarter for most of the duration! On finally leaving at Eastleigh I went shopping at ASDA (Not by choice) and upon leaving encountered 2 cars ahead of me who must have let 30 cars apiece through the exit roundabout before daring to move off...I am relatively calm behind the wheel but found myself wondering if these people were waiting for a written invitation to move their ar$es when a bus/lorry could have safely entered the flow of traffic... This evenings referendum malarkey and ensuing discussions since have been a lot easier to deal with

A nice study there showing the direct access to the equipment area from the bodyside doors. When later converted to ED spec this arrangement caused a couple of hairy moments when engine related fires broke out, the only means of escape being through the cab droplight...

Another one gone, at £85.00 any previous indecision was swept aside and a blue D1012 should be winging its way to me soon. It'll replace the Heljan D1067 that I sold years ago now, though I was very tempted by D1004 in GSYP too... I'm glad I had a quick late night look around the site now!

I'd have to agree, having been very happy with my Dapol D63xx and MRA ballast wagons (an odd mix I know...) the damning reviews of the 73's were very disappointing. Having grown up surrounded by the real things I was eager to get my hands on around 5 or 6 of these but it seems unlikely now unless something drastic happens, I was a little taken aback to see them offered at around £140 in a local model shop yesterday...though I understand they will have to recover their costs to earn a living.