tetsudofan

Of the near 35 years that I lived and worked in the Far East I only worked in the Middle East for six months and that was spent in Bahrain. When I returned to the UK I travelled the fastest way possible on Concorde. Take off was interesting, taxied to the end of the runway and boom....... we were off. No noise restrictions over there. As we approached Beirut the Captain advised us that there was fighting going on there and that the air space over Beirut was closed...... but no problem for us he said, we will be climbing from 60,000 feet to 65,000 feet...... Landing at Heathrow was interesting, once we were on the ground the Captain told us that the descent and landing was fully automatic. Keith

There was only a choice of packet of bikkies and cup of tea or coffee. Agree with you regarding the anticipation, you just don't know what the result will be. The prep that I had was PLENVU. Precautions were taken regarding what could happen on the journey. Thinking of doing the same when I go to bed, just as I did last night and today. What did surprise me was that after the procedure they talked through the results and gave me a copy of the letter that goes to the GP. That has never happened before Keith

Yes, we are lucky on the 16 to Canterbury especially when we get 3 per hour although when they started the 16 Gold it was 4 per hour. It's very convenient getting to the Kent & Canterbury, seven minute walk to bus stop and ten minute walk at the other end to the hospital. Also have the option of the 17 going along what was Elham Valley Railway but think the service now is down to one every two hours. It's not so easy now to get to the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford by bus. Used to be two buses per hour which took around an hour but couple of years or so ago everything changed. It's still the 10 but it's only one per hour and starts its journey as a local service around Folkestone then down to Hythe and then visiting most of the local villages between there and Ashford taking around 90 minutes to the hospital. Have not used it since it changed.

I took precautions 🙂

I now know why some guy/s on here don't like the idea of a colonoscopy, the preparation stuff you have to take before the proceedure is foul!! Having reached the age of 75 two years ago my name was removed from the biannual Cancer Screening programme. I talked to my GP about this and, based upon my medical record, he thought that I should continue having regular check-ups. He arranged blood and poo checks (which were ok) and suggested that I should have a colonoscopy. To be honest I was not keen on it but having approached the GP I didn't have any choice. So yesterday at 6:00pm I had the first dose of the foul stuff followed at 6:00am this morning by the second dose. My appointment was at 1:15pm this afternoon so at 11:30am I took the no.16 bus over to Canterbury arriving at the hospital just before 1:00am. I was seen to as soon as arrived. As I live alone I was not allowed to be sedated but was fixed-up to the Entonox Gas supply (last time I had that was back in the 1950's at my dentists!!) and was asked if I would like to be fitted with a canula so the Endoscopist could pump something in if the need arose. The procedure started at 1:30pm and was finished by 2:00pm. During the procedure we were taIking about my time in Bombay when I needed a Government permit to purchase and consume foreign liquor (they guy knew how to keep me occupied) and then watched some of the procedure on the screen and was quite surprised to see how clean the inside of my body was!! Took a couple of sniffs of Entonox but the most painful part of the procedure was when they removed the canula getting caught up with the hairs on my arm. There was no sign of cancer (my main fear!) but they did find a few scattered diverticulum and four haemorrhoids (3rd degree). Advise was to have a high fiber diet and make sure I drink more fluids. Once I was in the Recovery Room they phoned my friend (all previously arranged) to ask him to come and collect me as they don't let any patients return home on the bus. All I can really say is that the assistance I received today was first class. There was nothing more they could have done for me. One happy bunny here! Keith

Snap, just the same here. One coach arrived yesterday followed by four more today loosely packed in four more boxes of differing sizes although all items were ordered at the same time. In the process of opening each of the boxes to ensure that all is ok.

Just received email from KR Models advising that they have finished processing my order which, I presume, means that my Fell is on the way 🙂. Keith

Sometimes the geographical features are not there so one has to improvise. First of all you need to find a pile of earth: Finding such a pile of earth helps if you are having an extension being built on the house: and then you start building a railway round said pile of earth: You can build some tunnels as well: ......and many years later you can stick a platform on the top of the pile so you can watch the trains go round..... Simples........ Keith

Not sure about "new train smell" but can relate to "train type smell" Going back to many years ago when boarding one of the original Series 0 Shinkansen trains (the original Bullet Train) back in the 1970/80s you were always greeted by a particular smell caused, I understand, by the type of plastic used on the coach interiors. Jumping forward some 35 years later whilst at the NRM at York I climbed aboard the Shinkansen Series 0 they have there ...... and I was greeted by the same smell! Keith

Email from DHL received at 07:53 this morning advising that delivery will be made between 10:01 and 11:01. Right I says, time to pop round the corner to collect my monthly prescription. Did that and returned home ten minutes ago to find a large box in the lobby waiting for me - delivery had been made at 09:30 somewhat earlier than expected. Time now for morning coffee and biscuits and then the box opening will commence...........😀 Keith

Same message just received down here in the southeast corner. Assuming that DHL will receive/collect the package during the course of the day it will be making it's way down here overnight and should arrive around lunchtime tomorrow, normal time that the DHL courier appears. Keith

At 6:00pm on Thursday August 9th, 2018, following an announcement on here and having bought some IRM models, I attended a presentation by Fran at The Model Railway Club in London (of which I'm not a member) to introduce IRM/Accurascale to the UK market. Three or four of the attendees were RM Web members (adb968008 was one of them), the rest of the attendees were MRC club members. I thought the atmosphere at the meeting was rather chilly and got the feeling that IRM/Accurascale would be facing quite a task to break into the UK market. The presentation ended with a video outlining the aims of IRM/Accurascale and details of the first models to be introduced to the UK market. In the closing seconds of the video a Deltic suddenly appeared on the screen but Fran did not pass any comments........ ....... and then three months later on November 21st, 2018 Accurascale announced the launch of the Cl.55 Deltic at the Warley exhibition. On Wednesday November 24th, 2018 I ordered my Deltic having in the meantime already ordered the HUO, PCV and PCA wagons. Think I was already hooked on Accurascale!! Keith

Yes, it is a small world at times. Back in 1966 soon after I had arrived in Hong Kong I joined a group to do a ramble on Lantau Island (now the home of Hong Kong Airport) only reached at that time by ferry. We climbed up to the top of Lantau Peak (second highest peak in Hong Kong) and sat down for our packed lunch. Got talking to the girl sitting beside me..... - Where is home in the UK? - London - Where in London? - south east - Where? - Mottingham - Where did you go to school? - Shooters Hill Grammar School - Did you learn Latin? - yes (for one year) - My father was your Latin teacher........ Keith

When I returned to the UK after living in Japan for 10 years I brought two stone Japanese Lanterns with me - the second one is of the Kasuga-style but made in Korea and purchased when I was living in Seoul. and more recently had this Japanese-style waiting room made for me to watch things that we are not allowed to talk about here....... Keith

To be honest I was wondering what they were and then it clicked, they were Korean chests that I brought back with me when I returned to the UK in 1999 having lived in Asia since 1966. They were awaiting for collection by a friend of mine who worked in the Pilgrims Hospice furniture shop and had found a buyer for them. Keith

Needless to say my sheds are all train related, this is the big one built to fit in between the previously laid track: Trains get their own entrance: The sub-shed is at the other end of the garden where the trains get to enter from the front: and finally somewhere to relax watching the trains: known as Platform 3: Keith

Yes, I've been there a couple of times on my way home after some retail therapy at The Hobby Shop in Faversham. I didn't just drop by but did so with the pre-approval of Hornby. The drive home from Hersden was cross country (the territory of the East Kent Railway) and made a change from using the A2/A260 Keith

Then you must be a Bachmann Collectors Club member..... Keith

Just checked my card account, was charged for two railcars with sound on Saturday. Be interesting to see when they arrive as sound-fitted versions don't normally get sent out until after all the non-sound versions have been sent out. Keith

My driving lessons back in mid-1966 were part of my 21st birthday presents. As Dad was a Driving Test Examiner (ex-Metropolitan Police Traffic Accident driver) he did not think it right that he could be seen giving me driving lessons so he paid for my lessons for which he chose one of the driving instructors who he knew was a first class instructor. My driving lessons however had to be curtailed as The Chartered Bank decided to ship me out to Hong Kong as soon as I was 21 and was able to sign a legal contract. Birthday was on the Friday, on Monday was told that I was being posted to Hong Kong and was to meet the Court of Directors to sign the contract on the Thursday and be told that I would be sailing ten days later. After a few months in Hong Kong I decided to take some driving lessons followed by the driving test which, much to surprise, was in three parts - a written test, a hill climb stopping and starting three times with parallel parking at the top and lastly a road test - quite different to the UK test. Four years later when I came back to the UK on furlough I had to take the UK test but, as I had a valid Hong Kong licence, I did not have to have an L plate on the car..... which, of course, was the car that the examiner asked me to read for the eye test. Dad was still an examiner then and made sure that I didn't do the test at his centre. Keith

Seeing the mention of "Miniskirts" reminds me of my time in Saigon in 1968/1969 when there seemed a be a competition between the youngest expatriate secretaries at the British Embassy as to who could wear the shortest miniskirt. Think the one of them who had some knickers made in the same material as the miniskirt was the winner. Those were the days........ Keith

Many thanks Andy, just noticed it when I posted on the Early Risers thread. Thanks again for your help, very much appreciated. Keith

Ooooh, just noticed, got my gold status back and no more adverts. Many thanks Andy. Keith

Great video, brings back many memories, riding down to Woolwich on the pushbike and taking the ferry across to North Woolwich only difference being that trolleybuses (instead of the Routemasters) were still in operation north of the river. Most of the time on board, as mentioned in the video, was spent watching what was going on in the engine room. The equipment down there was kept in immaculate condition. Never found out what was the purpose of the bit of fluff catching the pistons (or whatever they are called) every time they went round. Keith

Andy, Sorry to bother you but I seemed to have lost my Gold status, any chance of me getting it back? Am getting tired of "This Day in History" which seems to be living on the right-hand side of my screen. Please ask somebody in get rid of it. Many thanks. Keith