chrisf

Routes, by The Hut People. Sam Pirt plays piano accordion, Gary Hammond has almost 1,000 percussion instruments from which to choose including two squeaky toy pigs! Next up: Deserters, the 1992 CD from Oyster Band. Better late than never ... Chris

Good morning one and all It was a good trip to Wakefield. The 140 mile journey was accomplished in three hours outward including a stop for breakfast and 2h30m homeward without. It was good to find that an Olympic breakfast at Markham Moor is still £8 inclusive of tea, this offer having been discontinued at other Little Chefs. My bed and breakfast provider did not offer breakfast on Sunday morning but directed me to a place nearer Doncaster which offered unlimited food and tea for £6.18. Sadly it does not offer accommodation but hey, one cannot have everything. If I go where I am supposed to be going on Saturday next it will entail rising at 05.00 three weeks running. Hmmm. Let me muse on that. At the show there was lots to see, buy and inspire. I had an enjoyable cuppa with, among others, John Killybegs and spent ages nattering to him and many others. The plague of locusts that is the bring and buy stall never ceases to amaze me. Someone spent £445! I would love to know on what he spent it. The week ahead looks to be relatively quiet but something will surely arise to fill the gaps in the diary. As well as the perennial laundry and ironing round there might, just might, be a bit of remedial work in the garden. I was not listening to the Farming Today 5 day forecast just one because I was concentrating on this but it is undeniable that if there is to be any hope of a half decent crop of strawberries this year the interlopers in the strawberry bed will have to be removed, preferably without also removing the strawberry plants up to which they snuggle. This week or next I should also have a blood test as ordered by Sister Diabetes. Come to think of it, I also need to chase a letter confirming another medical appointment since I know the date and time but not the place. What a lot there is to read after two days away. Ho hum, best get on with it. Warm thoughts to all, especially those in distress. Chris

This is not a regular ERs post because I promised not to post today. However ... According to the RCTS South Wales branch there is a plan cooked up by two universities to harness the power from the batteries of electric cars parked at stations for railway electrification. Hmmm .... Back on Monday Chris, on 1st April

The wheelbase looks longer than that of a V11. As for custom transfers, I'm told that folk speak highly of Railtec. This may also provoke a response from CCtrans of this parish. Chris

Wishful thinking ... Chris

Indeed we do. The service, which PP and I experience twice a month, is normally exemplary with the grub in front of us within 15 minutes and inside us within another 15. This time there was no warning of a problem and we did not know that there was one until we asked, 30 minutes in. I have suggested to Wetherspoon Central that it is always a good idea for staff to level with customers in such a case. Chris

Good morning one and all Poorly Pal and I went to his local 'Spoons for our dinner yesterday. Most unusually, we had to wait almost 50 minutes for our food. There was no hint of a delay when it was ordered. I may draw the matter to the attention of head office later today. Apart from that it was a good day, with some useful progress in the m*d*ll*ng shed and an interesting presentation by Paul Chancellor of Colour-Rail which somehow contrived to include under the banner of 'modern traction' a shot of City of Truro and the Westward TV exhibition train of 1961! Today I need to do the fodder run, pack my overnight bag for Wakefield, draw some cash and catch up on last night's Archers, which I would have heard last night were it not for the sluggish service in 'Spoons. I had better not mention that in my complaint though. Tomorrow I head north at relatively stupid o'clock so may not have time to enter these hallowed portals. Warm thoughts to all. Chris

Good morning one and all Poorly Pal is making sandwiches for us both today. What goes between the slices of bread will depend on what is on special offer at Waitrose but it will be garnished with some chutney that I found on the WI stall in Bedford market. Tonight Paul Chancellor of Colour-Rail is speaking so that should be good. Somewhere between here and Bletchley is a snotty handkerchief that should have been in my trouser pocket when I got home. It is just as well that I tend to get hankies for my birthday, which may be one good reason for not celebrating birthdays. Perhaps it is in the car or in the road between here and the car. Who knows? Who cares? Gentle reader, you have more to concern you than such piffle. The talk on the last couple of pages abut mortgages brings back memories. In 1974 I bought a leasehold flat. The building society as it then was declined my request for a mortgage and I felt poorly rewarded for saving £10 a month. The council came to the rescue with a municipal mortgage at 14.875%. Ouch. When the time came to move on it took me six months to sell it. From deciding to sell the flat to moving into the house that I now own took 56 weeks and among other things led to my then girlfriend chucking me out for being untidy. Not a lot has changed except that the girlfriend has been married to someone else for many, many years. On that happy note, happy families to Dom and Elise and warm thoughts to all Chris

Candy owned the pottery adjoining Heathfield station, served by the sharply curved siding seen in many photographs. I could not tell you how authentic the PO wagon is or how long they lasted. Chris

Good morning one and all Polly's post above reminds me that a family of mallards has taken to waddling over to my local Tesco from wherever it is that they live. The other day two were sitting and one standing, balanced on one leg, on some brick paving which must have been quite warm despite the early hour. All three had their heads tucked round as if asleep. Aaaah ... Tonight sees a meeting of the HMRS area group in Bletchley, with a replacement speaker at short notice. Good. The original subject, wagon building in Gauge 3, was not that attractive a prospect. Those present ought also to discuss the proposed group cameo layout before it is too late. Whoops, I have alluded to m*d*ll*ng again. Tut tut. That activity will occupy me for part of tomorrow when I visit Poorly Pal. He and I have agreed that on my Thursday visits we will have sandwiches, returning to stir-fry cuisine on Tuesdays. The one whipped up by Mary Berry on her TV programme this week looks worthy of emulation and I have the book of the series. Food for thought, boom boom. It is time for my bath and I shall luxuriate away my aches and pains. Warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason. Chris

Good morning one and all Last night's concert with Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain was more than excellent and I have one more CD to go in the hessian bag awaiting its turn to be played. I have not seen Hogmanay TV since 2004 because I have been out of the country, in hotels where BBC1 is not always available. My loss I guess. The car is parked a bit close to a tree and getting into it could be tricky. To save time I will take it on the fodder run and with any luck a more amenable space will be available when I return. I have a a meeting in Welwyn this afternoon so the parking grief starts all over again this evening. Any other business: nil. Next meeting: tomorrow. Warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason. Chris

Oh heck, I remember that! Oh for the days of good old-fashioned modelling ... Chris

Good morning one and all Yesterday was recuperative, for which read unproductive. I managed to stay awake through Dr No before rustling up ribeye steak and the trimmings. This week is going to be busy. Today I need to collect another batch of meds and some milk, the latter because I thought on Friday that what was in the fridge would last till tomorrow. It won't. Tonight Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham are in concert at The Stables and I must remember to take with me the album of theirs that I bought two years ago and get it signed. On Tuesday there is a talk in Welwyn that I rather fancy attending, given by a friend. Wednesday sees another visit to Greater Milton Keynes for the HMRS area group. Thursday will be spent chez Poorly Pal and between now and then I will remember who the speaker is at Stevenage Locomotive Society that evening. Friday should be relatively tranquil and at stupid o'clock on Saturday, All Fools Day, I head for Wakefield and Scalefour North for the weekend. Phew. Sometime in all of that I need to talk to Ffestiniog Travel. The prospectus for the Christmas Swiss trip arrived on Friday. The tour has undergone something of a reconstruction and not all of it is for the better. I need to be clear in my own mind what sort of customised version I want but it needs to be one that makes better use of the 15 day Swiss Pass than the 10 and a bit days currently offered. This may take more than one phone call. Something tells me that the changes are not all down to the formidable administratrix at FT so I shall try not to shoot the messenger. Warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason. Andyram, make that call. Chris

What time do you call this?! Good morning one and all After a 21 hour day yesterday [rise 04.00, bed 01.00] I could not shift my weary carcase from my bed so it is just as well that I have no pressing engagements today. The evening was spent at the Green Note in Camden once I had found it. It is another intimate venue with a good ambience [no real ale though]. Add The Hut People and you get a terrific atmosphere, particularly when the percussionist "played" two latex pigs which sort of grunted and accompanied another piece half-kneeling on the floor playing two copper saucepans. I'm looking forward to playing the new CD! The homeward journey was mixed, with some hilarity on the Northern Line involving two lads with broken legs, apparent victims of a misplaced meeting of skis and alcohol. Less hilarious was just missing the semi-fast train to Bedford and having to endure the all-stations with one coach locked out of use. The taxi driver at Bedford clearly did not relish being on duty at 00.30 and was such a grump that I gave him the exact fare instead of instructing him to keep the change. Before that, of course was Ally Pally. I need to make it clear that The Boss was at the 12.30 meet at my invitation. I bought two books and two packs of Microrod and met some but by no means all of the inmates present. A busy week lies ahead but more of that tomorrow. Warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason Chris

Yawn. Greetings. Up early enough for a brief visit before setting off for Ally Pally. See some of you there. Best wishes to all Chris

1. Buy a phone. Mine is a very basic Nokia which cost me £20. 2. Buy credit in £10 or £20 lumps. 3. Don't spend your whole life using it. Works for me! Chris

Those captivated by Madder Valley may like to know that it should be working on Good Friday, 14th April. Chris

Good morning one and all I had another go at registering for an alumni webshite yesterday so as to stay in touch with one of my old schools. The first attempt disappeared into cyberspace and I left it a month before trying again. This time it worked, sort of. The sections covering other schools and past jobs is flaky and relies on exact dates. This is not a good idea. Can you remember the date on which you started infants school? No, neither can I. I decided that incompleteness was better than fiction. We ought to be able to design user-friendly systems by now. Today will see the fodder run and the ironing, both chores which I prefer to complete speedily so as to leave time for more enjoyable things. An early night would be a good idea as I am off to London tomorrow for that well-known endurance test, Ally Pally, and a concert by the Hut People in Camden Town. Google Map will be my friend in the latter case. Tomorrow would not be a good day to sleep in as I did today and I will probably not post before I leave in the morning. As I type I hear a journalist busy getting splinters under her fingernails through scraping a barrel. So much is being dug up about the man who was shot after stabbing the policeman on Wednesday that I expect to hear the sound of a JCB at any minute. I do hope that the work of the police is not being hindered as a consequence. Spot the badly mixed metaphor, folks. Warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason. Chris

The GUVs which were converted had their flat ends replaced with bow ends. Jim Smith-Wright has done the conversion. I would give the web reference but I can't without logging out of RMweb! Chris

One little thing: E116s were not flush glazed. Chris

Good morning one and all I enjoyed the concert last night and added two CDs to the stash in the hessian bag. Earlier I had looked out a CD to take with me for signature. When I reached the venue I realised that it related to the concert that I am to see on Monday. Oh dear. As for yesterday's headline news, today's warm thoughts should be with the families and friends of the casualties. Carry on, London Chris

Good morning one and all I have now resized and cropped one of the photographs I took on Monday afternoon and it is my pleasure to share it with you. This is a warm and fitting tribute to my late father, Harry Foren [1919 – 2005]. In addition to being president of the Godmanchester Community Association he was for many years the Mace Bearer to the Town Mayor and looked dead important in his robes. 12 years after his passing I hope there are sufficient people in the town who remember him. About an hour after I took the photo I stopped at the Kettering West Little Chef for cod and chips. While I was waiting for it to be cooked the server sat down opposite me and asked if I had done anything nice that day. We’ll take that as a Yes. Tonight there is a concert at The Stables with Oysters 3, which I expect to enjoy. Why else would I attend? The usual warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason. Chris

It is also worth saving the packaging in which Christmas cards are sold in bulk, for the material appears to be acetate and would fit nicely behind an etched brass side or into a moulded rebate such as that on the Parkside Beetle. All you have to do then is find your stash when you need it. Howard, don't worry about finding joke where none was intended. These things happen. Chris

The ones he is selling at the moment are brass but those in his range which he cannot or will not make any more are plastic. Apologies for butting in. Chris

Good morning one and all I took a less than direct route to Kettering last night so as to take some photographs. At this time of the morning and state of wakefulness I do not trust myself with resizing and/or cropping images to post them here but they should get done today, all being well. The film show which was the reason for my trip to Kettering was suitably entertaining, thank goodness. After the fodder run today should be quiet but said expedition will not take place until I have had a nice soak in the bath, hopefully to remove aches and pains. Warm thoughts to all, particularly those in distress for whatever reason Chris