Danemouth

Talking of School Nativity Plays when my Granddaughter Isla was three she appeared in her first play as an angel. Her mum is deputy head of the school and arranged things to sit with us and watch Isla. At one point SWMBO whispered to our daughter "doesn't it make you proud to be a parent?". Isla chose this moment to start picking her nose :yes: Dave

What about Regent Super Green Paraffin? Our local greengrocer sold it -you took your can and he filled it from a tank behind the shop. Dave

Was he supposed to be supervising a learner driver? Cheers, Dave

Just thought I would pass on a warning to fellow ERs about the Coca-Cola Festive Truck touring the country at the moment. Yesterday afternoon and evening it was at a superstore on the north Cardiff junction of the M4 and managed to cause a total gridlock http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-35007071 My daughter, driving from the west on the M4 had her journey time extended by over an hour. She ended going one junction further along the motorway and then cutting across Cardiff. So if this truck is coming your way avoid the area! Regards, Dave

OK, so we're at the First Sunday in Advent. That means I can now start on enjoy my large collection of music celebrating the festive season. Currently Good King Wenceslas is trudging through the snow on the Feast of Stephen. Regards to you all, Dave

Or this version Wales In the beginning the Lord God Almighty turned to the Archangel Gabriel and said: “Gabby, today I am going to create a beautiful part of the Earth and I shall call it Wales. I will make a country of breath-taking blue lakes, rich green forests and dark beautiful mountains which from time to time will be snow covered. I will give it clear swift rivers which will overflow the salmon and trout. The land shall be lush and fertile on which people can raise cattle and sheep and grow food as well as being rich with precious metals and stones that will be much sought after the world over. I shall lay rich seams of coal for the inhabitants to mine. Around the coast I will make some of the most beautiful areas in the world, white sandy beaches and cliffs that will attract all manner of wildlife and lots of islands that will be a paradise to all who visit them. In the waters around the shores there will be an abundance of sea life. The people who live there will be called Welsh and will be the friendliest on Earth”. “Excuse me Lord” interrupted the Archangel Gabriel “don’t you think you are being a bit generous with these Welsh?”. “Don’t talk crap” replied the Lord, “wait until you see the bloody neighbours I’m giving them!”. Dave

Why bother Dom? We all know that God's Wonderful Railway was best ..................... Put on tin hat, body armour and run like h*ll :yes: :yes: Dave

Polly, Down in Kairdiff it's overcast, miserable and cold! Please send us some of your weather :yes: Regards, Dave

Dom, I continue to find your tram posts of great interest may I ask 2 questions please? How fast do they travel in normal service? and How long before you go solo? Regards, Dave

SWMBO replaced the felt mat on our dining table last week - got it from Argos. HTH, Dave

Rob, Over the past year my strong liking for tender engines, particularly Manors, Granges, Dukedogs & 43xx has been gradually replaced with a liking for Panniers and Prairies so as far as I am concerned you can keep 'em coming. Regards, Dave

Brian, IIRC that's in Grangetown! Dave

Tony, The college certainly seem to be ensuring the get maximum value plus in the lead up to your good lady's retirement - she's not been given the chance to wind down! Dave

When I started work in the Computer Centre of Wales Gas Board in 1965 there were several agencies around Wales where you could pay your gas bill. Stamped on the back of some payment receipts we processed was "Selwyn K. Parry, Blaina - Builder, Undertaker and authorised agent for Wales Gas Board". Apparently the combination of undertaker and builder was fairly common in the Valleys. Remember being an Assistant Scoutmaster about the same time - we had a summer camp in Eire. I was asked to collect something from the local ironmongers - this had a bar down one side of the shop and I was asked if I wanted a "little drop" while I waited. I next went to Ireland in 1997 by which time this sort of premise seems to have disappeared. Dave

I went to Tintern Abbey today. Returning down the M4 to Cardiff I managed to hit the heavy traffic that plagues it in the late afternoon between the Severn Bridge and Brynglas Tunnels. So there I was in the outside line doing 15 -20 mph when I spotted a German registered VW minbus. What attracted my attention was the side sliding door open with a chap looking out with no seatbelt - one heavy jolt and he would have been all over the road. For that I think he qualifies as a cockwomble. He did shut the door when speed picked up a bit. Dave

Talking of Bagpipes... During the last war my late father was out east in the Royal Navy and was attached to a Naval Commando Unit for a while. They had been out on a gruelling patrol and on returning to their base camp the Seaforth Highlanders said they would stand guard to allow all the commandos to get a good night's sleep. Anyway the Seaforth's duly changed the guard at 4 a.m. with bagpipes! Apparently said piper was hit by several boots being thrown at him! Dave

I show AV around camera clubs i.e. Two synchronised slide projectors with a specialist control unit made by Imatronic. The stereo soundtrack also needed a control track to drive the Imatronic so I bought a Teac 3440 4 track recorder weighing a half hundredweight in a flight case.Had to be careful carrying it unless you wanted a holiday in Hernia Bay staying in a Truss House! The 10.5 inch NAB reels impressed the audience. Switched to a Yamaha 4 channel cassette recorder when they became available. Still have a couple of them. I still show around the clubs but these days it's a laptop, digital projector, amplifier and speakers - about a quarter of the size of the original equipment. Dave

I always removed the sticker. Both my daughter and I have recently changed our cars and neither had the sticker in the rear window. Looking at other new cars that seems to be a trend. Regards, Dave.

Dom, I've enjoyed are continuing series of posts about the tram system. One question if I may please? How many passengers can these vehicles carry - for instance the big five car sets? Please keep the posts coming just like the trams, Regards, Dave

Absolutely right Stewart! I too am always saddened when one individual takes the joy out of the hobby of another member. Regards, Dave

I've got BT Infinity and avoid their interface. I use Thunderbird from Mozilla with the calender add-on and thoroughly recommend it. Dave

My BiL did tell me one other funeral story. He was road testing a hearse that he had repaired and each time he went around a corner there was a dreadful knocking - he thought that the suspension must be going. Got back to the garage and people from the undertakers were waiting for him. Turns out there was a storage compartment below the place where the coffin stands and the undertakers had forgotten that they had made a collection - it seems Bil had a passenger he knew nothing about. This story goes back to the 1960's When I passed my test in 1977 my first car was an Escort 1100 Mk 1 2 door. My Aunt had bought it new in 1972 but suffered poor health, so at 5 years old in had only done 6,000 miles. Had to replace the tyres - the inner walls had cracks and a new battery. Still remember that car with affection. Replaced it a couple of years later with a brand new Allegro - kept that just nine months - a truly awful car. Dave

Perhaps a little OT but I was talking to my BiL yesterday. He trained as a motor fitter and worked at a main dealer in south Wales. They serviced the cars, especially hearses for a local undertaker. Periodically one of these vehicles would be brought in when it wasn't running well. The first action was for the fitter to take it up onto the motorway and give it a blast for ten miles. Usually fixed the problems having blown all the muck out of the engine. Or the lady with a newish Standard complaining about excessive fuel consumption and it was obvious it needed a decoke. So the Workshop Manager went out for a drive with her, she gets into the car, pulls out the choke and hangs her handbag on it - seems that she thought that was what the knob was for. Say no more .... How many young drivers even know what a choke is for, never mind using it? Dave

Had a few days break in London with SWMBO - a very pleasant change of scene though I would hate to live there or visit on a regular basis. Generic congratulations, commiserations and sympathy to you all - there is no way I can catch up through 24+ pages! Stayed in The Grosvenor, the station hotel for Victoria. Along the corridors where modern B & W prints of railway bits and pieces such as steam loco details, suitcases and trackwork. Really caught my eye. Didn't take the car, used the HST instead. When the GWML is electrified I do hope they make more space for passenger's suitcases. Coming back yesterday I noticed halfway up one of the cuttings on the approach to Severn tunnel a blue T*rd Tardis on it's own apparently miles from anywhere - wonder why it's there? Regards to you all, Dave

Steve, Nice video with you at the en of it! "Doddy171" as a user name - expect some stick the next time I see you :yes: :) Dave