Happy Hippo

Stewart, It's very simple. They (BT) have promised this number since last Monday, but still haven't got around to either sorting out the technical side of things or bothered to allocated the number yet. So much for the 48 hour delivery time! Assurances that it would be installed by Wednesday, and then yesterday, have fallen flat Therefore, all the advertizing material; new phone listings; changes to existing advertising; advising existing clients of the new number, plus designing/redesigning stationery, plus the requisite website changes cannot go ahead until the new number has been allocated. We just need the number so we can move things forward, but BT won't allocate until the callsign line is set up. And then you wonder why small businesses are struggling to survive...............? It is very frustrating. Having said that, the BT staff I have spoken to have been very polite and helpful and I also discovered the reference number you get from sales is completely different to the ones used bythe techies, which initially led to some confusion. Regards Richard

I can only offer Ashers my sympathy about her eye problem. I tend to find mine get sore and itchy when it is cold, and i have a cold or am tired, but I hope all is well and the problem is resolved quickly. The 26xx rods still have not turned up, so I've ordered a new kit. Having seen all the ranting and raving about the 42/5205/72xx locos on the Hornby thread has strengthened my resolve, and I've gone ahead an pre ordered a 5205.(Blame the Stationmaster, 'cause he said I needed two.) I've got to the stage where I don't care whether it has a moulded smokebox dart or unsprung buffers: As long as it is black with 10 wheels and will pull a lot of mineral wagons whilst looking vaguely like an ex GWR loco at normal viewing distances I'll be a happy hippo. Despite my polite conversations with BT about our 'callsign' (incoming business only) number, I have had little success. since it is now well overdue, BT will be getting 'incoming' on Monday morning. Only problem is I no longer have the resources or authority to call in the 155 mm variety to shake them up. Regards Richard

If it had been the first, it would have gone down like a lead balloon! Regards Richard

Gordon, Why did you say your SiL was married to your wife? I'll get my anorak (which is married to my gloves and scarf) Regards Richard

I suppose vacuum cleaners/Henri(the French version)/Ddyson(Welsh!) are very much down to how you get on with them. We bought a Pan(ts)asonic on recommendation, and it was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. The Dyson that replaced it would suck the paint off the walls given half a chance! Ours has recently been stripped and inspected,but was found not guilty, so the whereabouts of the 26xx coupling rods still remain a mystery! After a frustraighting morning trying to sort out a callsign telephone number with BT, allegedly i'll get it tomorrow. I'm off to walk Elsa now, but it feels a tad nippy outside so a hat and gloves would seem prudent. Regards Richard

Andy, What about flushing for the biguns? I suspect your pin has gone to the same place as those 26xx rods I mentioned yesterday! Lord Lucan is building himself a loco! Regards Richard

Debs, You spoil your Collies! But what are you going to eat tonight? Gruel, and a nice bit of gristle, or merely some dry bread and margarine? Elsa is getting the remains of the cold pork loin, whilst we should be getting some tuna steaks. Regards Richard

Andy, The only mathematical modelling i ever did on clothing systems was very simple: 36-24-36! Quite a bit of fog here this morning, and the cars have that rime all over the windscreens and windows. I hope Mike's has an 'Enterprising' trip to Swindon: But drinking in a Pub called 'The Glue Pot'? The name should have warned him! The day before yesterday I made up a set of coupling rods for an Aberdare 26xx (Old K's kit). Could I find them yesterday? I've put them somewhere safe...........so safe I can't find them. Fortunately I was going to order some stuff from Alan Gibson this week, so it looks like I'll be ordering up a new rod kit as well. I would hazard a guess that as soon as the new rod kit arrives, the old ones will suddenly decide to make an appearance! Regards Richard

Having re read most of today's offerings I am convinced that Mike, the Stationmaster, navigates not by inertia navigator, not by map and compass, not even by the newfangled GPS. Nay, he navigates by restaurants! Regards Richard

Drinking straws might be an option. Save them doing the boring? And other news............... Bit of a grey start here, although the cloud is very high, and the sun is beginning to make it's presence felt. However a dry sunny and slightly breezy weekend has done wonders in the garde. The lawn can now be walked on without water oozing up each side of your boots, and the small lakes at the side of the garden have now disappeared. Even some crocus are showing through from beneath the groud. but of the daffodils, absolutely no sign whatsovever. Yesterday's fine afternoon saw the final demise of my outdoor line, all the track removed from the boards. All the rail and the point levers will be reused in the next reincarnation, but the sleepers will go to the bonfire. The kind gift of a huge bag of .5" track spikes from a friend in the States means the existing spikes, most of which are 75% rust will be scrapped. Since some of them were second hand when I got them, and have still served me for two railways, means they have more than paid for themselves. A tidy up of the site is now required before I start re surveying for the rebuild. (I'm keeping it small and simple.) I'll second Ian's comments today about about the news ratio. Regards Richard

Just received an email from a friend of mine who flies helicopters out of Aberdeen. Last week he had electricity problems whilst flying.............a lightning strike! Apparently the repair bill for the airframe is not far short of DD's supply replacement for his village! Back in sunny(yes,Sunny!)Horton, we have a still calm morning with lots of blue sky. One hopes that we get a nice bright day so that it can start the task of drying out the sodden ground. A close inspection yesterday saw the fruit bed at the end of the garden sitting in a large pool of water. The dip that the boundary hedge sits in remains waterlogged, and the access lane to next door's paddock is also awash. any foray beyond the path boundaries is wellington boot territory (or wet suit and flippers). On a more humourous note; listening to the BBC local news this morning, hey mentioned that Mo Farah was coming to Birmingham prior to his competing in the British Grand Prix. I know the man was fast over a distance, but I didn't know he was that fast! Regards Richard

Well it is snowing quite hard here at the moment. I decided to take the dog for a walk this morning rather thanlater on today because of the snow, but although it falls from the sky in great qualntities, it's adhesion to the ground is minimal. I have managed to find the workbench in my workshop. It was hidden under a pile of Alan Gibson bits and pieces. However, as Debs has pointed out it is now Lent, and I have to give up a pleasure, the tidying will now have to wait until after Easter. Reading about the treadmill for military fitness tests was a bit of a shock. all these new fangled contraptions cant beat a full Bergen, webbing, rifle, and a gentle stroll across the sunny Brecon Beacons. Regards Richard PS I lied about the Brecon Beacons ever being sunny

Istr that the 'advice centre' mentioned above is also a great place to sit down and ponder over some rather awkward crossword clues with Mrs Stationmaster. Regards Richard

Yesterday evening was spent wiring in the fiddle yard roads at the 'west end' of our club layout. The person who started the job, didn't leave a diagram or colour code of what was what! We think we've managed to work out what he had done, and now have the colour coding done for the rest of the layout. All that is left is to wire the rest in, although I still feel we ought to have un-soldered his work and started again. Still the wiring gurus having applied various test meters to the rails assure me it will work. Today we have no breeze but the sun is hiding somewhere over the 10/10 cloud cover. The swimming pool in the corner of the garden is finally beginning to drain away, and I can see the Obergrumpenfuhrer (who has a cold) directing me outside for a bit of general garden titivation. Any serious work is only permitted under direct supervision, as i have a habit of doing either the wrong thing or going OTT with the task in hand ie: 'I told you to prune that bush, not cut the damned thing down!" I've come to the conclusion that I'm not very bright, but I can lift heavy things and am good at digging holes. Regards Richard

I was away for the weekend, hence my invisibility, but some years ago,I had a similar experience to the friend of Ashers!(Who I now know to be a puppetmeister as well as all her other talents) I was driving to a conference, and as I approached the road leading to the venue, a middle aged lady (she was younger than me)on the nearside pavement, started frantically waving at me. Thinking something was wrong, I immediately pulled over, whereupon she opened the door sat down and fastened her seat belt! So I said: 'I didn't expect to get a guide to escort me into the conference'. She looked at me, and suddenly realised I was not the person she thought I was, I just had the same coloured car! So with many apologies, she retreated from the vehicle, but it was a little worrying that she'd willingly got into my vehicle without realising it was the wrong one. The overnight snow is already thawing, but the day remains gloomy and overcast. I now need to get out into my rather cluttered workshop, and see if i can find the bench! I know it is in there somewhere! Regards Richard

There is probably something on the internet about that as well....................probably Danish in origin! Regards Richard

I doubt it was a bigfoot, it was more likely to be one of the giant sub species of Araf? These tend to live in the forestry blocks rather than the road side hedge that the more common Pygmy Araf frequent. The Welsh are very protective of these shy creatures, as is evidenced by the multitude of road signs which state: 'SLOW ARAF'.(or ARAF SLOW, depending whether you are in N or S Wales) It's a bit blustery here today, although the sun is peeping out from behind a cloud. Regards Richard

Andy, that sounds really good. Obviously you are wasting talent with a supermarket checkout role You should audition for a role in one of Ashers' forthcoming plays: ROAD RUNNER! Beep beep! Richard

Morning all, Commiserations and congratulations as appropriate (I've not read through the last 3 days worth of ER so would not wish to appear trite or uncaring) Yesterday I went to the Stafford exhibition. It was a good show, but I wish that they'd put out a seating area for the easily tired to sit down for a few minutes. they certainly had the space: But it is a recurring problem with most exhibitions. What was worrying was my enhanced awareness of railway operating faux pas! Signals only being operated when remembered, the wrong signals being pulled off for certain movements: Even freight trains being formed up with the continuous braked stock not being placed behind the loco, but being left at the tail end of the train. Yes, I know it's their railway, but I'm pretty sure I now have an advanced stage of Anoraxia.(And I probably caught it from Mike The Stationmaster!) Regards Richard

Ashers, So this is how you fund your lavish jet setting trips over seas. You get frequent flyer awards............... Regards Richard

Ian, I never realised you were quite so old, did you ever meet Sir Edward Watkin? Regards Richard

The only time I say 'ook' is when I belt my hand with something hard. I invariably use an 'F' to prefix though! Weather here is quite mild and getting brighter. the sun has obviously decided that Shropshire is a good place to come on holiday. Trouble is he only gets 14 days a year off, so I'm calling this mild spell 'The Summer'! My cutters have arrived, so now I can start building something with a bit more sophistication than a torn cornflakes box. However, this will have to wait until the more important domestic duties have taken place. Regards Richard

Well, it started of as grey wet and windy (Well you get like that on a diet of spinach and sprouts!) But the wind has abated, having blown most of the clouds on their way, and the sun is making a feeble attempt at breaking through. Much fun was had yesterday evening as I gave 'The Apprentice' a print of one of the free downloads offered by Scalescene. We ought to finish it next week, providing the message 'use glue sparingly' is adhered to (yes, I know, a pun), as sparingly does not mean: I don't want any spare glue left over! Like other ERs, I await various packages containing tools, spares and rolling stock, but I will just give the stock the once over, then consign it to the storage box until the opportunity presents itself to do some work on it. My son has the day off today, so he has promised to relay the laminate floor in our spare room, so I'm now off to get a crowbar to lever him out of bed. Regards Richard

Not as happy as I am I've heard they can be a right pain in the posterior! Regards Richard

I go to the doctors surgery, stand in the queue, and listen to those in front of me who are grunting, groaning, f*rting and belching and generally giving the receptionists a hard time. When it's my turn I give the receptionist a big smile, and say : 'Good morning, I wonder if you could help me please?' I never seem to have a problem with the receptionists who seem very keen to help me. Perhaps it's because I flutter my eyelashes at them! (It's a glaucoma treatment side effect joke). Regards Richard