APOLLO

Out of interest what did these stickers indicate ? brit15

Here you go !! Brit15

Thin end of the wedge I fear - where will this end ?. Not looking good for city dwelling classic car owners in the future. Brit15

In my TT days (59-72) Tri-ang TT was getting increasingly hard to get, many shops stopped stocking it in the mid 60's. Choice was very limited compared to OO. When we moved house in 1972, all my TT was virtually worn out. I decided to go OO and never looked back. Still, I remember and certainly enjoyed my TT days. Brit15

I think the future is in Oyster type cards or your credit / debit card and / or mobile phone etc etc as a ticket. I have a Greater Manchester OAP concessionary pass, for use on buses trams & trains in the GMPTE area (includes Wigan). It has a built in chip (along with my photo). On trains I just present it. On trams I need to "touch in" at the start of the journey and "touch out" at the end. Simple. Fare paying passengers can buy similar cards or buy tickets at the tram stops (not sure if cash / card etc). I think this system is rolling out on our local buses also I can put money on my card if I need to use it before 09.30 mon - Fri (the evening peak does not apply to concession passes here). Oyster etc works in London millions of times a day and I hear of little / no problems or fuss there. We need a similar scheme on our railway network ASAP - and not different variations of it - we need a NATIONAL scheme , Cards, Cash, Phones, Retina Scan Fingerprints etc etc. Choice should be up to the individual. We have the technology. Brit15

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I've been on the Trans Pennine Express Wigan to Manchester train when a lady asked for and got a ticket from the guard, no problem at all, yet on the same train on another day the riot act is read if no valid ticket shown. There is no consistency and that is the problem. Varies from guard to guard even on the same operator's trains. Brit15

Just had a day out in Liverpool I visit the Hub Caps once a year !! Brit15

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Tax Tax Tax - straight to the Government to give / fritter away (or pay their pensions). Time sort the plastic problem out once and for all. 1 BAN the use of all plastic in throw away type packaging of all types, especially food / drinks etc.. (such things as our Hornby /. Bachmann trains OK as the plastic packaging is used to store the product (in the main). Tax that if you must - or indeed source environmentally friendly alternatives (cardboard). 2 BAN micro plastics from cosmetics etc (that get into the sea via sewage etc). 3. Sugar - Either force reductions in foods & drinks, or tax it or both.The tax earned here should go straight to the NHS and we (the public) need to see some accountability. Plastic is a valuable product made from oil - which won't last for ever. Brit15

Some good canal info here http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/peak/index.htm Brit15

I guess these would drown out any sermon !! Clinchfield Railroad (now CSX) Dante, Virginia USA (would make a nice model !!) Will the congregation Stop Look & Listen when leaving the Church !!!!! Brit15

Teachers, policemen and bankers - I'm surrounded by them !! - Nice folks as they are, sometimes conversation is difficult re "technical matters" of any description - I'm amazed how thick some "proffesional" folk are. As to engineer, my highest qualification is equal to HNC level , a 2 year block release course at Stretford Tech Manchester (after my ONC) endorsed by the Institute of Gas Engineers (which I'm not a member - they changed the qualification level before I finished my apprenticeship). I've always had the term engineer in my few job titles, and very little if any snobbery was evident in the Gas industry regarding use of the term engineer. We all were what we were, did what we did and knew / respected each other's roles, right up to the very top. That's how it was / should be. God knows what goes on these days. Brit15

If you buy stuff on line, check out the seller carefully. A friend has just spent £85, plus postage, on a pen*s enlarger. Seller sent him a magnifying glass. The only instructions were, "Do not use in sunlight." Brit15

Thinking and looking round my hometown, Wigan (which was built on engineering, mining & cotton) things certainly have changed, but we (Wigan) have certainly not lost all our engineering. True the mining has gone (the last pit in Wigan closed in the mid 60's), Cotton spinning went at roughly the same time, but there are still quite a lot of medium / small engineering firms around. Most are highly specialised and technical these days, and tend to be in modern industrial units. I drive past a few of these small industrial areas often - there are not many empty units. It's like most other things these days, constant change / adapting to new technology and customer demands. What happened 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago has little relevance today, and today's norm will not be the norm in the future also. This year on year change span is also decreasing quickly - i.e. change is getting exponential, especially in the engineering industry. Adapt or die. I don't like it (because I'm an old git & it's a bit alien to me) - but our young seem to be up to it (at least technology wise). Good luck to them, they (we) need good political management. One last thought - We (as a nation) should never be completely dependent on foreign manufacture of certain basic necessities, steel being one. If the furnace fires ever go out in the very last British steel works then God help us. Brit15

Thanks Edwardian, indeed it is. I thought (naturally) a proposed but never built railway !!! Brit15

Indeed a wonderful life you have Tony. To each there own is what I prescribe. My modelling etc is exactly what I like to do (or not do !!). But I like to see / learn from others. Things like crew I'm not too fussed with, but a correctly lamped loco is quite a visible thing and easy to do. Some (but not all) of my locos are lamped, but there is a dilemma when locos change duties, or go to the shed. Lamps should be changed to suit duties (but aren't on my OO layout). Bit like the passengers in carriages in carriage sidings thing mentioned above. As to Pullman colours, it has been mentioned before that Bachmann cream is a little too deep, Hornbys a little to light - but this is quite subjective. Since my OO layout is set around 1966, I have a mixed Pullman rake, Five Bachmann umber & cream with a couple of grey/blue reversed Pullmans and a Blue /Grey Mk1 full brake. Looks a right mess but this is how things were back then - (Hattons were selling the grey/blue Pullmans off cheaply a while ago - probably couldn't get rid of them !!). I have got used to it !! Brit15

What is the viaduct being constructed lower left for ? Brit15

I've had a few who have been nasty after I swore at them, phoning me back and threatening me - so beware. Much better to "take the pi*s out of them" - and no one takes the pi*s better than us Brits !!!. One day I'll be lucky and a delicious curry will be delivered !! Blimmin nuisance they are all the same. Brit15

If these callers (and some do) leave their numbers you can check / report them on this useful site (but if any action is taken I don't know). https://who-called.co.uk/ Beside my phone I have a cheap child's toy that plays awful screechy music when you press a button - great for putting them on hold while I "get the householder" !!!! Brit15

ello ello am I speaking to Mr ******* ? Yes, by gum you're quick, I've only just emailed the Golden River Vindaloo sorebum restaurant only a couple of minutes ago. I'll order a Chicken Rogan Josh with Nan and pillock rice, two twice hot vindaloo's with chips, 26 papadoms with a bucket of brown sticky chutney and four (repeat FOUR) extra strong toilet rolls, you know the ones a golden labrador wipes it's **** on. Beware - The sods never deliver. Brit15

The Pope on a visit to the UK had a rough week of meeting Politicians so he decided to go the seaside in Margate. When he arrived in his Pope mobile, he saw a man struggling for his life against a shark. Upon a closer look he noticed that it was Jeremy Corbyn. Horrified, he started to call for help when a speedboat pulled up alongside Mr. Corbyn, with Theresa May and Boris Johnson on board. Theresa May leant over and pulled him out. Then Theresa May and Boris Johnson beat the shark to death with baseball bats. They noticed the Pope and landed the boat on the beach. The Pope said to them, "I know there have been a lot of disagreements between your parties, but I can see that you respect and help each other in their hour of need. You have my blessings." The Pope then drove off. Theresa asked, "Who was that?" Boris said "That was the Pope Prime Minister, he is all knowing, in touch with God and Leader of the Catholic Church". Theresa May said, "Well that's all very well but clearly he knows nothing about shark fishing. How’s the bait holding up?" Brit15

If the ECML don't want them send them to Wigan, we'll use them on the Blackpool - Liverpool run (first at front or rear - we don't care) !!. Brit15

Tinfoil hat ? Try Tesco - Large stores are open 24hrs - but be careful at the checkout !! Brit15

And it all started with "Press button B to get your money back " !!! Brit15