Ramblin Rich

You need the usher(ette) to come front of house to sell tubs of ice cream 😋

You could start a company with thst name! Oh, wait....

The ones along the bottom of the ship are the South Shields

Many thanks for posting up the exhibition images. I doubt we will see so many Rice layouts together again, more's the pity....

Here's a Facebook post of Chapelton on the Exeter to Barnstaple line around 1977. Class 31, 4x BR mk1s (I think SO, BSK, CK, CK) with a CCT bringing up the rear. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10228682334141851&set=gm.5700738233290647&idorvanity=476779799019876

"They peel them with their metal knives Boil them for twenty of their minutes Then they smash them all to bits They are clearly a most primitive people.’

Any ex-SR vans, BR GUV and CCT, outside frame Siphon G and 50ft LMS full brakes are suitable for 1970s and early 1980s. There were Siphon Gs with ETH fittings used for newspapers, usually ran down to Barnstaple on a train around 03.00 from Exeter. There was also a set of Fruit D vans specifically kept for Exeter to Barnstaple parcels traffic labelled as such, with TDB (ie engineers) numbers. Bit strange but a distinctive feature. Edit: I can see you have a Fruit D in the rake already 😁

There was a thread a few years ago about DMU tail traffic which included this post of a Cross Country unit towing a CCT at Caersws on the Cambrian line:

Having backtracked, it looks like that site is no longer working, but my copy of the caption said possibly HAA and HBA so ties in with what Kevin pointed to.

That's really interesting Kevin. Thanks for the Facebook group suggestion. I only joined recently for some local information but that's worth a look. A long way back in this thread I found a picture in the 'Cyberheritage' site of 2 modern hoppers at Barnstaple, possibly for trial to MMeeth. I'll see if I can find it again. PS thanks all for reawakening the thread, always glad of more info 😀

Brilliant matching of colours and tones on main scene with the background. You can't see the join (as Eric Morcambe used to say!)

Here's another, Richmond Walk in Plymouth, the remains of the Stonehouse branch. Slightly confusing due to the shadows from boat masts, but definitely rails in the road. There's a very substantial wall across the route to the left side of the road now! https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cr1a85APQRrBUNkf8

Just seen this one in the Disused Stations group on Facebook. Llangeinor on the Tondu to Blaengarw line. Picture from November 2022, but looking back at older images it's obviously got a lot more overgrown in recent years. Theoretically only 'out of use'! https://maps.app.goo.gl/pVCyZWDbCXmSN6dn8

I read the same about Disney canning 'Nautilus', a show based on Captain Nemo. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/aug/29/disney-plus-nautilus-tv-show-series-scrapped-gold-coast-why Something to do with reducing tax liabilities. It does show that the idea of always being able to access shows on streaming services, may not be true in the long term.

Sorry if I'm jumping in with a new topic but: I was coming down the M5 last Thursday (tail end of storm Ciaran). There's a 60mph section south of junction 8 / Strensham services with average speed cameras, so I set the cruise control to 60 and stayed in the left lane - there's only 2 lanes currently until the slip road up from the M50 joins in. Very quickly, I was being hassled by an HGV driving very close to the back of our car. I had nowhere to go and just stuck to the limit - 60mph - which HGV driver was matching, but obviously wanted to go faster. As soon as the 3rd lane came in, I pulled left into that lane & the HGV started to pull past. Unfortunately the speed limit ended there so I just gently accelerated up to 70 and left them behind - for which I got a very angry blare on the horn and a on set of full beam & spot lights flashed. So, I did nothing wrong here, but there is currently a radio ad campaign exhorting us to stay out of blind spots around HGVs and including saying there is one in front of the truck. I was probably in that due to the proximity of the truck - but i did not put myself there. Really wish I had a dashcam, because the actions were downright dangerous in my mind - especially considering the wind strength at the time. HGVs have a hard life and we do depend on them - but some are definitely more professional than others.

That's great news if it goes ahead! I'll book a space by the barrier straight away 😉

Is that making Grumpy, Happy?

On a slightly nicer note, HLJ features in the G0G virtual exhibition today https://www.gaugeoguild.com/guildevents/doku.php?id=virtual2023:layouts:heaton

Unfortunately the older sea wall towards Langstone Rock has suffered damage and the walkway is closed north of Coastguards Footbridge. Pictures show the coping stones lifted off the top of the wall / edge of the path. Similarly closed north of Sprey Point Point. Facebook lonk: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0DhS8qf3XLhNhTS7yPNPKA9FugNRbxKPM3HgNmpAL2GTpMt9G4HRZGtix6z2oTVy8l&id=100057845071374&sfnsn=scwspmo Even given Mike Stationmaster's comment on sea and wind direction, its surprising this happened now and not during storm Babet - although that may well have started the process.

Dats or Cogs? Reminds me of an old joke about airfreighting Nissan gearboxes 😉

I found that one a while back and kept a note! It's in the Derby Sulzers website, about ½ way down this page. https://www.derbysulzers.com/devon1.html

Late afternoon today (29/10/2023) walkers contemplate the rough seas and ignore 150 202 and 150 246 as they approach Teignmouth at 15.55 The low sun highlights the yellow end as the train curves in towards the station (Yes it's a 3/4 view!)

I want to see the suggestions!

We're mixing routes a bit. 1930s Dawlish avoiding route would rejoin at Newton Abbot and so, would still have served Torbay etc. North Dartmoor route via Okehampton and Tavistock would not.

80k as an electrician! I'm in wrong job 🤪 Presumably USA rates....