mezzoman253

I've had a reply to my email to W.H.Smith and they are looking into the discrepancy in cover price and till price. They offered me the £1 difference as a gift card, but I'd already been to the Basildon branch where they refund the £1 to our credit card. So hopefully you'll only pay £6.99 at Smith's now. Rob

I'm going to do just that tomorrow, but in Basildon as Lakeside is a bit further away and would cost more in fuel than the refund. I'll report back. Rob Edit: Have sent an email to W.H.Smith asking about the discrepancy and whether I can get the £1 refunded.

I bought a copy in Smiths at Lakeside today, plenty there. But it had £6.99 on it and only when we got home and the wife said" How much was your mag?'" did I realised we'd been charged £7.99, and then remembered the comment in the thread. So what's the story? Rob

Thank you, Rob

Hi Jo, Thanks for the info'. I was on holiday for a few days, so no idea of the traffic locally, or it seems, idea of a class 59 vs 66 :0) Rob

Unidentified class 66 heading towards Westbury, taken on Thursday 16/10/2014 at 14:58. From the hillside with the "White Horse" on it. If anyone can identify it by the time, I'd be grateful, thanks. Rob

Like many have said, I got into it when it was first broadcast by CH4. I then picked the Patriots, liked their strip. They weren't that great then, but have prospered recently. Each team seems to come to the fore eventually, mainly due to the system of allocating players and not just money. Something football could learn from. I quite liked the European league with the London Monarchs et al http://worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/index.html The only game I've been to was the Patriots vs Buccaneers at Wembley. Rob

Not nice being one of the "also rans" is it? Rob

Shades of Spurs when Klinsmann was there. You score 5 we'll score 6. But the balance between attack and defence isn't right, there's no defence. Never mind, borrow a few squllion quid, on past reputation, buy your way out, and carry on as normal. Rob

Long time since anything has happened on the layout, but I purchased from the classifieds a ViTrains Transrail class 37 from Jonas of this parish. I said to Steve I'd take some pic's and post them. I noticed that when I opened the box it looked smaller that the Bachmann's I already have, and nose to nose it's a little lower. Is it ride height or perhaps it's just the colour schemes? The buffers seem to be at the same level. I've taken some pic's of it along side a Bachmann 37, it's a very small difference but noticable. Anyone noticed this before? Rob Nose to nose. Awaiting next duty.

Only as good as your last game e.g. Germany v Argentina recently.

Were we so astounded by the 2-0 win last night that we haven't been able to comment on Englands performance yesterday evening? I thought they deserved the win but made hard work of it. Same old problems of giving the ball away unnecessarily. It was the 2nd youngest team England had ever fielded at senior level. Hopefully the progress can continue, long way to go though. Rob

Hi C&WR, Thanks for the nice comment. The sky was hand painted, the bit between the two buildings is a combination of suitable photos and the buildings scratch built using Wills sheets and basswood trim. A little bit of serendipity and the lighting make it believable. Oh for that to be the same for other areas of the layout, we try our best. Rob

One on the layout taken a while ago, but the light seemed very natural.

6th, 8th ?? All comes about because, due to Sky(we're going to take over the world), they don't all play on Saturday at 3 o'clock. WHU, Burnley & AV haven't been seen together in the top flight for some time, so easy to get confused. Replace one of the "a's" with a "t" of the AV sponsors and there you have it. Rob

I was looking at the "Berkhampstead Willy" thread and it lead me, via that page, to this. http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/28796590 I don't know what your view of this is, but if I take a video of a goal at a match, surely that video is different, albeit in angle or timing, from the one on the TV. If the Premiership clubs can't be bothered to police it in ground, then they can't be moaning about it breaching their "rights". I wonder if this was the real reason behind the "security" scare a Man U.recently. Like it or not social media and instant recording and uploading of events is the norm now and the old rules aren't suitable for the environment they are in. Maybe Sky et al should be buying video online at much cheaper prices than the Premiership is charging. As for "intellectual" rights, rather a contradiction in terms referring to some of the antics of some on the field. Rob

I wonder at the mentality of the Dutch. They only started to attack in the last 10 minutes of normal time and had sustained pressure for almost all of that. For most of the game Robben was wandering around ineffective. Van Persie looked unfit. They wanted Argentina to come at them and hit them on the counter. But they weren't daft enough to do that, so the stalemate. On balance the right team won, but only just, because of their trying to come forward, and, a bit of justice for the sKrullduggery of the previous shoot out. Rob

I think it was pretty clear from the start Brazil weren't the team everyone thought they were. Mexico showed that a determined, well organised side could challenge them. They were lucky to escape the group and then again in the early knock out stages. They have two world class players in Neymar and Tiago Silver, the rest aren't. The former was injured and the latter yellow carded as he "took one for the team" in the previous match, because his defence didn't do it's job. Germany played as a team, pressed and worked for each other. I said to SWMBO when the first goal went in "this could get embarrassing" and it did. I'm sorry for the Brazilian fans, but I think the hype got to many of them, and they expected their team to come through whatever. As a tournament it's broken several records, and should Holland prevail tonight, a team from outside S.America winning in that continent, a first too. Rob

About blooomin' time, to many "pundits" don't say what they should, in case they don't get asked to commentate or comment again. Rob

Holland weren't interested in playing football, only waiting for a mistake or over committed attack by Mexico, to get Robben in with his pace. Maybe they should have warnings in football for not attacking, like in Judo. They only started to play when they were a goal down, and luckily got 2 goals in the last ten minutes. Robben and robbed, only the last letter different, but essentially the same thing. The had at least 4 dives but the referee didn't book him for any of them. Why do I always start out optimistic for a World cup and then get steadily depressed as the stakes get higher. Rob

Am I missing something? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OO-Gauge-Bachmann-Scenecraft-44-040-Diesel-Fuelling-Point-/161347423820?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255 Available online from several dealers at around £15 give or take P&P. Rob

Yes, quite....................this could get Messi. Rob

Croatia deserved a draw at least, the penalty was an appalling decision. Neymar was lucky to only get a yellow, although Modric seemed to be looking for it, his eyes on the player not the ball. The disallowed goal was also a poor decision. The 'keeper didn't hold the ball that was crossed and bumped into the forward. Unfortunately the Brazilians will take heart from what was an average performance, if that had been Germany instead of Croatia I think they could have lost. But who knows, early days yet. Plenty of time for more bad decisions and blatant diving and if we're lucky an odd good game or two. It is the World Cup after all. Rob

The highlights were only 6 mins out of 90+, anything can be portrayed in that time. But admittedly we never showed much up front, mainly cos they were all on the parked bus at the back. A couple of Hammers positives from this season. We seem to have found a goalkeeper, the defence when fit didn't let too many in. Not rocket science to see where any money should be spent then. World cup soon, then it'll all start over again. Rob

Oooooh! The 687 from the Princess Alice, Forest Gate. They used to change over at Wanstead Park station south of the bridge. I was about 7 years old then and I can still smell the interior now. Thanks for rekindling those memories, great stuff. Rob