Del

Autocar magazine had one on long-term test and were very impressed.

If I suffer an injury or loss from someone else's negligence and lose salary or have medical bills to pay, why shouldn't the person at fault pay? And why should I have to pay the costs for any legal action if I'm not at fault?

I wanted Academy director Tony Carr for the manager's job at West Ham, this was a perfect opportunity to get us back to our roots, playing proper football. If not him, then Hughton was my second choice. Allardyce is completely wrong for us. He's been brought in to do a job, and that's get back to the Prem ASAP, because the Daves are panicking about a half-empty Olympic Stadium. Unfortunately, this seems to be by bringing in a 'win-at-all-costs-and-screw-your heritage-and-tradition' mentality. Now, he has said: But I'm not holding my breath.

West Ham beat Man United 4-0, whereas Barcelona could only manage 3-1. Therefore, we're better than Barca

I had my iPod in my bag with it on, all we'd have needed was some speakers. Shame to be wise after the event... But we did have Lloyd humming it

I can tell you that Colin has very generously passed this extension board with the factory and branch onto me, minus the vehicles and figures. It's now sat on top of two bookcases in my spare room/den, with a class 33 on the Up line and an HBA in the abandoned neck. It looks a lot bigger in there than in a big exhibition hall! Not sure how I'm going to develop it yet, especially as it looks like we might be moving in a year or so and I'm hoping any possible new den will be a bit bigger!

I'm tempted to have a go at the platform end of one of the London terminii in 4mm... Specifically, these shots of... Broad Street http://www.disused-s...t/index65.shtml http://www.disused-s...t/index14.shtml

So a station forecourt, with associated bus stops, shops, taxi rank etc, where the only railway item is the station itself, would be OK?

From the club website: Personally, I'd like to see Hughton. He's a local lad, played for us for a while, knows what's needed to get out of that league.

I was willing to give Grant the benefit of the doubt, depending on how he spent in January, and come the end of the window, I was hopeful, especially with performances like the home games against Liverpool and Stoke. But it looks like he doesn't know how to motivate a team, or make important tactical changes, and it's that, as well as general poor performances from too many players, that have cost us. I'd be very surprised (but delighted) if Parker and Green stayed. I don't think Parker will go to Spurs, not sure they need him or that he'd want to.Cole *might* stay but to be honest, I don't really care. The players I want to stay are the lads like Collison and Tomkins, who are hungry for it.

He is bang (pardon the pun) out of order. Even if it was accidental (which I doubt), you would at least see if the lino was all right and help them up, even if it was a bloke!

The West Ham case was dealt under the rules of the Premier League, so there is no precedent in the Football League. The case was not that Tevez was owned by a third party but that a third party had influence over team matters (by unilaterally allowing Tevez to be sold if they wished, without West Ham's agreement). West Ham were told that this was not permitted and this agreement must be removed. However, they did not do so, but told the FA that they had. This is what West Ham were guilty of. However, the rules have now been changes and as I understand it, there is now no third-party ownership permitted in any of the English leagues.

I personally feel that Terry isn't actually that good a defender, and if we had a stronger set of centre-backs, he wouldn't be a first-choice. If everyone is fit and available, I can't see past Rio and Ledley King, then Woodgate and then Terry. 'But he throws himself in there, puts himself on the line!' everyone says. And why? Because a lot of the time, he's lost the attacker or got caught out of position or been turned and has to recover. Genuinely good defenders don't get in that position in the first place.

Having seen the Ratio signal control it in the latest Model Rail, I wondered if it could be used to control points. But then I found out they do a different point control kit. It's very cheap (less than £3 per unit) and seems very simple to build and use. But is it quite robust? Has anyone got any experiences of it, whether good or bad? I see on the old RMWeb that smudgeloco was going to investigate it...

Minories - when I first became seriously interested in modelling, all I could see were BLTs. But I had no experience of them, and I wanted to model something urban. And then I saw Minories in a planbook and went 'that's it!' Hedges Hill Cutting - I've always had an interest in SR 3rd-rail land, and seeing EMUs so well modelled in such a small space, made me think 'I could do that.' Still haven't, mind... Fisher Street to Victoria Bridge - April 1985 Railway Modeller. A 7'6" x 7'6" L-shaped layout, with Woodhead electrics and diesels, set in industrial Sourh Yorkshire. I still cannot work out how it all fitted in that space but I still want to try.

The Olympic Stadium could be a hideous mistake, or it could be the best thing any club has ever done. I'm hoping it's the latter! I'm still undecided but am leaning to being more pro than anti. Unfortunately, we can't really make any informed decisions until we see some detailed plans or designs. I've already emailed the club and asked to be listed for any upcoming Olympic Stadium tours, which they are hoping to sort out in the next couple of months. I must admit at half-time yesterday, I was beginning to get pig-sick of this season. I've bean a glass half-full kind guy all season, but the glass was rapidly emptying! *If* we can continue that kind of performance, we'll be OK. But I've been saying that after a few games e.g. Spurs, Wolves, Man Utd in the CC...

A colleague of mine plays for Hoddesdon... And for those interested, it appears that West Ham will be in pole position to take over the Olympic Stadium: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12412739

Whilst wandering around the Dartford show, I found a trader with various turned metal chimneys at £2 a go, so I selected a couple of likely candidates. Both look like they will suit, just a question now of which one I like the look of most.

I managed to drop my Dapol Pug and broke the chimney off, so I need a replacement. Does anyone make an exact replacement (pref.metal) or one that might be suitable? Would Dapol have spares, maybe from the old Airfix kit?

I'm sure that before kick-off the BBC were reporting that a senior board member had denied the 'Grant to be sacked' story. The Guardian certainly were, in fact it's still on their website.

Of all the names that are in the hat, I would prefer Hughton, followed by Hodgson or Jol. I really wouldn't be keen on O'Neill, and if they go for Allardyce, it'll be the last time they'll see me at the Boleyn. As for Grant, I think he's been shamefully treated. Not by the board, because he has a contract and if they want him to stay then they need do nothing. However, the way he has been hounded by the press and media is horrible. Yet through it all he has kept his dignity and not moaned or whinged. For what it's worth, I still think the way out of trouble for West Ham is Grant + money. We're two wins off mid-table, in a leading position in a Cup semi-final and still in another Cup competition. He's got seventeen squad players injured, his major summer signing (and midfield linchpin) hasn't played a minute after being injured on international duty, he's been on the end of some awful refereeing decisions which would have probably got him those two wins.

Apart from the bridge, this is exactly what my local station has. I suppose all clichés have a basis in reality.

Chris Hughton has been sacked by Newcastle United. Absolutely ridiculous decision, a young manager has got you through a huge upheaval with no money, stabilised them in the PL, has a win percentage of over 55% and you sack him. Mike Ashley, you are an idiot.

What's interesting to me is that the Dutch/Belgian bid got four votes in R1 but only two in R2. Which suggests (to me) that two votes went to them in R1 simply to shaft England.

Yeah, B Team...the same B Team that's won the thing for the last two years And a B Team with an average of 175 first-team appearances. Hammers with six changes from Saturday, no Parker, no Noble, a midfielder (Spector) who's not been in the first team since August, a starting eleven with two goals between them so far this season (before Tues) and a back four of three centre-halves and a right-winger. And an average of 174 first-team appearances. 9/2? Should have gone for the 4-0 (200-1) and Spector first scorer (50-1). Although I've heard a story of a guy who got 550-1 for 4-0 and Cole last scorer. Got drunk and put a score on it