APOLLO

So glad I'm nearly 72 and long retired. From leaving school to retirement. 40 odd years in the Gas industry, at the sharp end, all my bosses (good, bad and in between) were qualified and experienced engineers. They were well respected. They earned it. My gangs were a mix, local lads, Irish contractors, We all got on together, got stuck in and got the job done. Superb people all (well, most !!). My office was the great outdoors. When on call (one week in four) home was a dream, I rareley got there. The customer was king, and rightly so. Safety, security of supply and customer care was our mantra. We were very well paid (but we put the hours in). When everyone else were snugged up in bed fast asleep the teams and I were out there in the cold dark and wet keeping you all warm. We survived on tea, fish and chips (and Pies !!). Would I do it all again ? - Hell YES, but not as a young man nowadays. The gas industry today is FUBAR. Gas is demonised and will be gone soon, rightly or wrongly. Our best leader was Sir Denis Rooke, he was an experienced gas engineer who led British Gas at privatisation in 1986 and kept the industry intact (and for a few years onwards) when Maggie Thatcher wanted to dissect it. Of course the dissection eventually took place, and now, far, far worse, the industry is villified and in decline. Well done Greeta & Co. How dare you !!!!!!!! Brit15

Best thing in Whitby !! Brit15

My Rover V8 drifts to the left when approaching a petrol station !!!!! Brit15

The old Tyneside Electric trains were well known (and often photographed) running with their passenger SLIDING doors wide open. Geordies were made of stern stuff back then !! https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47684379182_74a2cf152f_b.jpg Brit15

Wasn't there more than one case many years ago.of Mk1 doors opening on there own on the electrified WCML due to body flexing at high speed, a couple of fatalities occured also. Brit15

There were three banking locations in Wigan, up to the end of steam around 1967 when Springs Branch closed to steam. All locos from Springs Branch or Wigan L&Y Prescott St sheds. WCML North Wigan NW to Srandish Jcn, a few freight trains banked usually by the Wigan NW station pilot, Jinty or Black 5 etc Whelley Loop (Wigan NW Avoiding line) Northbound Bamfurlong to Roundhouse sidings, Whelley, sometimes on up to Standish Jcn. Usually a Black 8 or 5 or a WD 2-8-0. Pemberton Lop Line (L&Y Wigan Wallgate avoiding line Hindley - Pemberton) bankers from Westwood Park west to Orrell on the coal trains bound for Aintree Liverpool. Usually a 4F 0-6-0 Tender loco. This ended around 1964 Brit15

I forgot to mention I do really like your gloomy, rainy dramatic skies, very S&C indeed. Mid 60's was my first trip on the S&C, the 12.0 stopper from Hellifield to Carlisle. The S&C is in seemingly good shape these days, especially the stations. I once modelled Garsdale, the control panel was better than the layout !!!! Brit15

When your train stops at the exact location for a photo out of the window from your seat. Perfect weather also, a rare sunny day "up there" !! Ist Sept 2022, 1450 Carlisle -Leeds. Brit15

DD Guarantee https://www.directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-guarantee/ And as per Lloyds https://www.lloydsbank.com/current-accounts/help-and-guidance/what-is-a-direct-debit.html#:~:text=Secure - Direct Debit payments are,payments refunded back to you. Pros Quick and easy - Direct Debits automatically take payments from your account. This can save you time and means you don’t have to manually pay your bills each month. Save money - Many utility companies offer a Direct Debit discount. This gives customers a small percentage off their payments when using a Direct Debit. Secure - Direct Debit payments are protected by The Direct Debit Guarantee. This is offered by all banks and means you’ll have any incorrect payments refunded back to you. Cons Charges - If you don't have enough money to cover your Direct Debits, you could be charged by your bank or go into your overdraft. Before this happens, you have until 2:30 pm to pay the money into your account to avoid charges - this is called the ‘retry process’. Lack of control - Because companies will withdraw your Direct Debit payments automatically on the agreed date, whether the money is in your account or not, you could run the risk of becoming overdrawn. Easy to forget - The term ‘out of sight, out of mind’ can often apply to Direct Debits, so you’re more likely to accept whatever is withdrawn from your account without questioning whether you’ve been over-charged. Brit15

What a gem "Bawtry" is, no doubt many years of enjoyable work. I too like the angled buildings. As others say, please show us a little more when you can. Brit15

Ahh, Commentary, like the legendary Eddie Waring, whose famous lines were “Up ‘n’ under”, “Ee’s gone for the early bath”, ”It’s a full coat colder on the East Coast” “You’re looking at one ton of rugby – meat, brawn, muscle, brain – the lot of it” ”It’s a knockout” ”Stop your kidding Australia” “Eeee, he’s a pocket battleship.” “This lad’s a butcher – but I’ve never had any of his meat.” And his classic "As the shadows grow longer" spoken during a floodlit night match !!! Brit15

One for the Ozzies. The other week sat in the living room with my laptop (as now), wife flicking through the chanels on TV, up came a live rugby league match, Wigan V Penrith, who the hell is Penrith I said?, they don't play RL (Thinking Penrith up north in Cumberland). Then it dawned it was the World Cup challenge match !!! Dooooohh - dozy me. Yes Wigan won. Of course years ago I would have been there cheering Wigan on - after all I went to Wembley 8 consecutive years 1998 - 95, and saw Wigan win 8 times on the trot (and then loose against Sheffield just after !!!). We always used the special trains, Wigan NW to Wembley Central, often two or more trains ran, always full, never an ounce of trouble, very happy days. Somehow I have lost interest over the last years, the demise of Central Park (named after The Great Central Railway who sold the land to the club after the planned extension north from Wigan Central was dropped), the soul less new stadium, mates gone over the years etc. I must "try" harder !!! Brit15

We Wiganers are quite friendly. We teach visitors how to communicate at Wigan North Western before you get out of the station !! Brit15

We have our own passports in Wigan !! As to ID, why ? - I know who I am !! (everyone else can sod off !!). Brit15

I always liked the old NE region colours of light blue & white with orange nameboards. Many of there colour light signals with long hoods were distinctive to the region also. I have one of the last NE region timetables with an orange cover, from 1967 if I remember. Not very thick compared to others !! Brit15

There's only one game worth watching. RIP Inga. Brit15

As I mentioned David Jenkinson earlier, I was doing a bit of Googling and found this interesting little video. Brit15

Buckingham is a superb layout I have been a fan of since the 1960's. I'm glad it still exists. I still have the Railway Modeller "Denny Special" in which his gas works always intrigued me - perhaps persuading me to join "The North Western Gas Board" as an apprentice technician at Wigan gas works back in 1969. Peter's method of making gas holders got me into bother with my mum, laminating / gluing layers of cardboard round two cooking pans of differing diameter !!!! Other layouts that fascinated me in the 60's were Frank Dyers "Borchester" and David Jenkinsons S&C layouts, often mentioned on here. Here is another short interesting passenger train on my O gauge layout. Lead Loco is an Atlas F9 painted by me B unit is a home made unit from two A units, still awaiting final painting / lettering The Baggage car is a Williams cast resin body, painted & finished by me. The green combine is a La Belle wood kit, nicely built and finished, an ebay bargain. Finally the last coach I bought as an unfinished home made shell from Norman Wissendens shop many years ago. It was glazed and painted but needed a roof, interior, bogies and couplings. The roof is a solid piece of wood, the observation end needs a bit more sanding / filling. Finished in Southern Pacific "Daylight" livery, just needs lettering. Interior seats etc from a Bachman Underground Ernie building !!! The prototype had a flatish roof. Such short, mixed consist trains were common up to the 60's or so all over the USA. Brit15

And that comment opens a whole new subject - running strange, unusual but prototypical trains (long or perhaps preferably short). Mix of stock / loco power etc. Anyone run them ? - I do on occasions. One offs though (as per prototype). Here's one, on the high mine branch where it should not be - a test run !! Loco is a Rock Island (ex Union Pacific) F Unit as per prototype. The Coach (Combine) is a presumed hand built ebay bargain as is the Caboose / Flanger. An odd assortment but a short train that, to me, "looks right". Brit15

July 1971, age 19, steam hunting in Germany, first stop Hamburg. We spied this Deutsche Reichsbahn loco on a Berlin bound train and I took these photos with some trepidation, thinking the guy on the steps was Gestapo !!! Trips behind steam Hamburg to Westerland, Rheine to Norddeich and Koblenz to Trier followed. A most enjoyable holiday and first trip overseas (by boat from Harwich to Hook V Holland) I bought a Rokal TT pacific in Trier and was a little miffed when I found out it would not run through my Tri-ang TT pointwork. Not to be outdone I fitted the outside loop with modified GEM points ans all ran OK (altered the guard rails inwards a tad). I still have the loco in a display case. Brit15

Holiday to Germany 2006, the fantastic Technik museum at Speyer. This is the first exhibit in the entrance foyer, recognise it ? Why it's the engine that won WW2, better than any German engine they admit !!! There's even a Jag or two in there !! And some locos, like this monster. A huge model railway layout also. Can anyone translate this ? It was on the one of the coaches below. Das U boat englander crew !! Well worth a visit if you are over there. Brit15

The bridge over the River Kwai would make a good model - Nothing like in the film though. The nearby museum is well worth a visit. The military cemetery across the road is very well kept. Brit15

Pendolino bogies are powered, and in my experience they run smooth and quiet at all speeds, and through point work etc. Also they are getting on a bit in age now. NOT looking forward to their replacements. And HOW will HS2 stock perform ? Brit15

There is a common sense / safety balance to be drawn between the two "extremes", erring of course on the side of safety. Agree the safety culture is not very advanced in Thailand. Brit15

Thai railways cope just fine during floods - Diesel Hydraulics !!! Brit15