billy_anorak59

Court Cross-Examinations Excerpts - Q+As Question: What is your date of birth? Response: July 15th. Question: What year? Response: Every year. Question: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact? Response: Gucci sweats and Reeboks. Question: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up that morning? Response: He said, “Where am I Doris?” Question: And why did that upset you? Response: My name is Susan. Question: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning? Response: Did you actually pass the bar exam? Question: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he? Response: He's twenty. Question: She had three children, right? Response: Yes. Question: How many were boys? Response: None. Question: Were there any girls? Question: How was your first marriage terminated? Response: By death. Question: And by whose death was it terminated? Question: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice, which I sent to your attorney? Response: No, this is how I dress when I go to work. Question: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people? Response: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Question: Do you recall the time that you examined the body? Response: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m. Question: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time? Response: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy… Question: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? Response: No. Question: Did you check for blood pressure? Response: No. Question: Did you check for breathing? Response: No. Question: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy? Response: No. Question: How can you be so sure, Doctor? Response: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. Question: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless? Response: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere.

A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push. "Not a chance," says the husband, "it is 3:00 in the morning!" He slams the door and returns to bed. "Who was that?" asked his wife.. "Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers. "Did you help him?" she asks. "No, I did not, it’s 3am in the morning and it’s bloody pouring rain out there!" "Well, you have a short memory," says his wife. "Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us? "I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself! God loves drunk people too you know.” The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain. He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?" "Yes," comes back the answer. "Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband. "Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark. "Where are you?" asks the husband. "Over here on the swing."

Have you seen this one Gilbert? One to reproduce? I looked at it and thought 'I've seen that before somewhere...' https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgadsdon/6788951320/in/album-72157624322947536/ Just shows how accurate your layout is!

Wirral is where I grew up - my family comes from Hoylake, hence why I'm lurking around in the darkest corners of Rod's excellent forum thread. Being ex-Wirral, I am a member of a few Facebook sites which are nostalgic Wirral, and I shamelessly grabbed that picture as 'being useful one day'. I do love a good 'might-have-been', especially in an area I grew up in. The Post was dated 15 April 2018, and was found in the FB Group "Wirral in Old Photographs" A follow up response in that thread quoted the source as Hoylake Advertiser - any more than that wasn't mentioned, although one fellow posted this response after looking at the original post: Other responses of interest are: 'Here' turned out to be his home, so I'm non-the-wiser there. Also this: That's all I've got, but it's all food for thought and might be worth pursuing further?

I guess you've probably seen this, but this was the proposal for WK (1944 artist impression):

Railway Gazette Sept 1938:

I don't know if this is what you wanted, but here's a few of Rock Ferry I have to hand. I know not where I found most of them - if anyone objects to them being posted here, I'll remove. The first two were taken by a friend of mine in 1966/67. I have his permission to use them as I want, but I'll refrain from plastering his name all over the web, as he didn't give me permission for that!

Bit late I know, but here you go, Gilbert - embrace the gloom!

True or not? The Law at Christmas. If all the laws on the statute book were strictly enforced, Christmas would be the most boring day of the year in Britain. Doing almost anything on Christmas Day, even celebrating it in traditional fashion, is illegal. For centuries, governments have passed laws about Christmas, but none has ever bothered to repeal any. 1. Eating a Christmas dinner of more than three courses immediately puts you in violation of a law passed by Oliver Cromwell's Long Parliament of 1646. The same law bans the eating of mince pies and Christmas pudding on Christmas Day, describing both dishes as "abominable and idolatrous". 2. The Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551 makes it obligatory for everyone to attend a church service on "the Nativitie of our Lorde". The same law demands that everyone walk, not ride, to church and back. The police are empowered to confiscate any vehicle used for Christmas Day church attendance, sell them and distribute the proceeds to the poor. 3. The Unlawful Games Act of 1541 forbids all sports on Christmas Day except archery. Leaping and vaulting were later allowed, so officially these remain the only three sports in which you can legally participate to work up an appetite for your multi-course Christmas Dinner (which, remember, it is illegal for you to eat). Other sportsmen have since protested. However, they have succeeded only having the general veto underlined. Footballers of both varieties must keep their chasing of the round or oval ball within the confines of their own parish, for an act of 1625 states that "there shall be no meetings, assemblings or concourses of people out of their own parishes for any sporte or pastime whatsoever." This makes watching a sport, as well as playing one, illegal. 4. Those who frown on ball games may hope to "bag" their Christmas dinner. No dice. An act of 1831 states that "no person whatsoever shall kill or take any game or use any dog, gun, net or other engine or instrument for the purpose of killing or taking any game on Christmas Day." 5. Few are likely to argue with the law passed by Charles II in 1677, stating that on Christmas Day "noe servant, artificer, workeman, labourer or other person whatsoever shall do or exercise any worldy labours, business or worke of their ordinary callings." This means that anyone can work on Christmas Day, but not at their normal job. All who maintain the essential services, including the police, are breaking the law. 6. Even so, there are some advantages to Christmas. You cannot be served with a summons or pressed for a legal time-limit expiring on Christmas Day, as it does not count in the calculation of days for most legal purposes. You are safe until Boxing Day, which is only a statutory holiday and not one, like Christmas, by common law. Mind how you go…

African Press excerpts: The Cape Times (Cape Town): "I have promised to keep his identity confidential,' said Jack Maxim, a spokeswoman for the Sandton Sun Hotel, Johannesburg, "but I can confirm that he is no longer in our employment. We asked him to clean the lifts and he spent four days on the job. When I asked him why, he replied: 'Well, there are forty of them, two on each floor, and sometimes some of them aren't there'. Eventually, we realised that he thought each floor had a different lift, and he'd cleaned the same two twelve times. We had to let him go. It seemed best all round.” 2. The Star (Johannesburg): "The situation is absolutely under control," Transport Minister Ephraem Magagula told the Swaziland parliament in Mbabane. "Our nation's merchant navy is perfectly safe. We just don't know where it is, that's all." Replying to an MP's question, Minister Magagula admitted that the landlocked country had completely lost track of its only ship, the Swazimar: "We believe it is in a sea somewhere. At one time, we sent a team of men to look for it, but there was a problem with drink and they failed to find it, and so, technically, yes, we've lost it a bit. But I categorically reject all suggestions of incompetence on the part of this government. The Swazimar is a big ship painted in the sort of nice bright colours you can see at night. Mark my words, it will turn up. The right honourable gentleman opposite is a very naughty man, and he will laugh on the other side of his face when my ship comes in." 3. The Standard (Kenya): "What is all the fuss about?" Weseka Sambu asked a hastily convened news conference at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. "A technical hitch like this could have happened anywhere in the world. You people are not patriots. You just want to cause trouble." Mr Sambu, a spokesman for Kenya Airways, was speaking after the cancellation of a through flight from Kisumu, via Jomo Kenyatta, to Berlin: "The forty-two passengers had boarded the plane ready for take-off, when the pilot noticed one of the tyres was flat. Kenya Airways did not possess a spare tyre, and unfortunately the airport nitrogen canister was empty. A passenger suggested taking the tyre to a petrol station for inflation, but unluckily the jack had gone missing so we couldn't get the wheel off." "Our engineers tried heroically to reinflate the tyre with a bicycle pump, but had no luck, and the pilot even blew into the valve with his mouth, but he passed out. When I announced that the flight had to be abandoned, one of the passengers, Mr Mutu, suddenly struck me about the face with a life-jacket whistle and said we were a national disgrace. I told him he was being ridiculous, and that there was to be another flight in a fortnight. And, in the meantime, he would be able to enjoy the scenery around Kisumu, albeit at his own expense."

Speaking of sat-navs, don't buy a Bonnie Tyler voiced one either - they're rubbish too. Keeps telling me to turn around, and every now and then it falls apart.

Crewe Works - 1977... ...and 1979...

I know a fair bit about the action Jason, I've researched it quite a bit - and you're right, this particular aircraft was a big deal, as it had a new type of bomb sight that the RAF were extremely keen to get their hands on. Thanks for the thought.

Thanks for the reply - you may have something there - could it be a hastily knocked up platform to take the aircraft away on? - the ground there was reclaimed from the River Mersey and wasn't too stable for heavy loads to get to. This is the area in question (circle where the aircraft ended up - Mersey to the top): Although a crane did get to the site - maybe just for recovery to the wagon? Hmm, thinking about it - a bit of a long shot, that.

In October 1940, my father witnessed the shooting down of a German Junkers Ju88 at Bromborough Dock on the Wirral by 3 Hurricanes from 312 squadron, Speke. It was supposedly 'the fastest kill' of the Battle of Britain. This photograph is an enlargement of an image taken at the time.. In the background is a most peculiar wagon - it looks like a 3-plank or similar, but has a flat platform over the top, and for the life of me, I can't come up with an explanation of what it is and what is it for. Was it a wartime thing? Just wondering if any of the wagon experts can tell me - no reason really, just for interest, as one of those lads standing on it could have been my Dad (he was 13 at the time). If it helps, that wagon is stood on sidings that were part of the internal railway of Lever Brothers, and my Dad once told me that those sidings were used for tipping waste (He's no longer with us, so unfortunately I can't confirm that). Any ideas appreciated.

As I suspected, my note taking is screwed up again then - thanks for clearing that up for me!

Just stumbled on this one - interesting to see how this photo compares with the same loco I took at Crewe. I noticed it as this locos 'Arrow of Indecision' seems more indecisive than usual! I have the Crewe date down as 22/09/79 where the arrows look worn, but ba14eagle has his dated in 1986 where the arrows look much fresher. Did they actually repaint them in this condition? Same loco, same location, same date.

Another great set Dave - and just to show I'm paying attention, it's surely a 503?

Reading through this topic, a thought occurred to me - why didn't BR paint mainline coaching stock in all over blue ('a-la-VoR' - and even the roofs in that case!)? After all, the LMR had had all over maroon (albeit mainly lined), and the SR all over green, so why not all over blue? DMUs got all over blue, as did EMUs, some suburban stock, and NPCS, but for the mainline coaches, it seems they went straight to the blue/grey with the showing of the XP64, and no other experimental liveries were tried (...or were they?). Given that policy at BR of the time was to paint everything corporate blue, I find it strange that someone overseeing the image policies must have had a vestige of aesthetic appreciation and included the grey: Did even they think all blue for coaches a step too far? Mind you, If they had been painted thus, things would have been very drab indeed! Just wondering...

Great set today Dave - really enjoyed them! - and thanks for taking the time to put them up for us. Couldn't resist a 'then and then' comparison of DAS000647 with what things looked like just about 10 years previously... Hope you don't mind! Quick question - will we be seeing any of the interior of Rock Ferry box in due course?

The metal posts were lighting supports - I took this photo in 1973, which shows the set-up:

I’d really appreciate any help here… I’m sure someone must have tried to do something similar, and apologies if this is the wrong forum for the question (didn't really fit anywhere else) Some years ago, (2004 or 2007ish) I acquired an old Class 503 destination roller blind from EBay: For the past 11 years, it’s been rolled up, with me pondering the best way to display it – it’s about 5ft long, so would take up serious wall space to display un-rolled. A few weeks ago, I came across a bus destination box complete with a modern paper destination roll at an antique fair, and I immediately thought of my old blind. It looked roughly the right size, but I couldn’t decide whether my mind was playing tricks or not. In the end, I took the gamble and purchased it, and when I got home, I was mightily surprised to find that the size was perfect! Not only was the length spot on, but the display opening and the mounting for the roll itself all exactly the same! I managed to swap the 1938 blind onto the modern rollers in 20 minutes flat! I intend to mount the box high on a wall using speaker brackets at either end – this will allow me tilt, and also give access to the back of the box so I can wind the destinations. So far so good… My thoughts have turned to back-lighting the blind with the warm yellowish glow that I remember the 503s displayed - in the underground/tunnel sections especially. The existing destination box has a small fluorescent tube from its bus days, and I don’t know what voltage it should run on, so I’m guessing that should be discarded. I would like to have the box illuminated by battery power, so there are no cables all over the place. The amount of time it will be switched on, it shouldn't be too much of a drain on batteries, especially if LEDs are used. I would like to have the box switched on or off by Radio Frequency remote (Any switch/sensor inside a metal box might defeat infra-red?). Alternatively, a movement sensor that requires a wave of the hand over it for on/off? I’ve seen some of the mains-powered ‘puck lights’ that are dimmable and colour selectable, which should give me that glow I mentioned, but I’ve found nothing available that meets all of the above. So, in a roundabout way, here’s the question(s): Can anybody point me at a ‘kit’ or similar that would do the job please? Any help would be really most appreciated. Any alternative suggestions would be good too! Additional pictures:

46242 (I think it is anyway) got to Ledsham (Chester - Birkenhead line) on a Royal train in 1957. See: https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-departure-of-her-majesty-the-queen-from-ledsham-station-1957-online Loco is shown at 8:28