kevinlms

 

 

Modern British layouts have undergone an interesting series of developments over the past 40 years with a move beginning in the late '60s of using as few diamonds and slips as possible except where unavoidable (which usually meant some London termini - but not all).

Newcastle has to be THE classic example of that. Now there is almost nothing left of them.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=54.968614&lon=-1.612466&z=20&l=0&m=b

 

And why aren't footballers paid on results, rather than "apparent" expertise or their ability to fall over and cry when touched by the merest breath of a breeze?

The same argument could be applied to executives of the business world, who largely pay themselves huge bonuses, yet expect their underlings to accept increases that barely or don't cover inflation.

Hornby Track Mats,

 

The layout on them just doesn't seem to open itself up to ease or enjoyment of operating, more back a train out, run it round for a bit and put it back in.

 

yes, I have set a few up and quickly assembled something else.

Given the nature of the beasts - a small oval, its very hard to do much else. Perhaps its time they produced one for a BLT and fiddle yard?

But, in so doing, you knock the soldering iron off its stand and it falls to the floor where it burns a hole in the carpet or scorches the wood (you know from long experience not to try catching the iron as it falls).

Nick

Of course stepping back rather quickly, to avoid the soldering iron falling in your lap (as it did last time), you can cause all sorts of peripheral damage, usually involving paint and/or open containers of plastic solvent, which just happens to be rather close to those plastic kits, that you have just finished assembling, painting, lettering & have nicely weathered.

By the time you have cleaned up the spilt paint/solvent & thrown the ruined plastic models in the bin (forgetting about reclaiming wheels etc, until the day after the bin is emptied) you've lost interest in modelling & you return to the PC & RMWeb. Woe betide, anyone who expresses a different view to you, on your favourite topic.

Generically speaking of course - not you personally, Nick.

Luckily I don't have much furniture in the room, so it's not so much of a problem to go hunting for dropped bits, plus my floor has a slightly rough wood grain surface which seems to help slow bits down. I managed to retrieve the same lamp iron from the floor twice last night.

Obviously you're doing it wrong! You're supposed make a grab for it as it falls, but only to fail, by knocking it off course and thus ensuring it bounces to the darkest corner available.

That was my point, really. Rather than trying to specifically nail JT for this one incident (and remember, I'm a Chelsea fan and a JT fan, but it's pretty obvious that some pretty unpleasant things were said, regardless of context or intent), the FA and the referees should come down like a ton of bricks on every player who audibly swears or gives abuse to any other player or official. Players are quite obviously using sexual insuts and racial jibes to rile each other on a regular basis, and to be honest, enough is enough. What with the cheating that goes on all the time at the top level, and this level of verbal incontinence, I'm getting thoroughly peed off with the whole shooting match, and it's high time that the powers that be started to get a grip.

Yes, but JT is often targeted by, well everyone. Perhaps if he played as well for England as he does Chelsea, much of his problems would be non-existent. Absolutely agree that ALL players should be penalised the same way.

Kevin Martin

Just what I've always wanted, eleven of them.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOB-LOT-11-x-TRIANG-Hornby-class-3F-JINTY-LOCOMOTIVES-/251102716932?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUA%26otn%3D5%26pmod%3D150854229165%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D636432616689601789

Seem the bidding is fair though.

Kevin Martin

SWMBO says all wagons look the same! Almost as absurd as the claim that all Great Western locomotives look the same!

It's the boring green that does it! Inflicted on many non GWR locos too in BR days, an example being the R1 linked to later.

I thought the only variation of GWR locos were the number/type/size of wheels. One thing that never changed, was the endless string of loco names, named after various buildings, located within a set radius of one of their railway lines.

Don't get too upset guys, I'm only joking.

Kevin Martin

I don't think it could be used as a telephone either.

It would be 'different' to work looking at the keypad, with 2 rows of buttons.

Kevin Martin

Similar to the Flying Scotsman in the same way that I am similar to Tom Cruise, we both have two legs but that is about it (Oh and I am just tall enough to be USAF fighter pilot unlike him!! )

When Flying Scotsman was here in Australia, Mrs Kevinlms and I went for a ride on it. With parallel running with a Victorian Railways R Class on the 5'3" gauge, in this colour scheme.

http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/rsteam.html

When we got the photos back, she asked, how could I tell the difference between them!

Speechless and women are supposedly more observant!

Kevin Martin

The draw for the Ramsdans Cup, which is for SFL clubs only, has already been made. It's been done on a regional basis - north/east and south/west - and hasn't included Rangers, though the two teams vying for the SPL place now vacant (Dunde and Dunfermline) have been included. Once it's been decided which of them is going to be in the SPL, the obvious solution would be for Rangers to replace them, in which case they'd be playing away at either Brechin or Forfar on 28th July. Snag about that is that they're in the north/east section, whileas Rangers would expect to be in the south/west one. Rangers apologists are asking for the competition to be redrawn - fine for Rangers, not so good for the fans and clubs who have already made travel arangements. We'll see.

 

DT

I'm sure Rangers will be glad to play anyone, anywhere.

Kevin Martin

A team in a league of their own at the moment, it would seem!

Actually, according to the latest version of the SPL table, all they need to do is change their name to "Club 12", as there is a space with that name, already.

Kevin Martin

Lost the links, but tonight I've witnessed a Bachmann 08 go for £98 and a mk1 BG for £42, from our friends in Sheffield... I appreciate a trusted seller will push up the price to an extent, but what's going on?!

Nothing? If people want to pay extra, more fool them.

Kevin Martin

Or Option 4: Apply to join the English League? That would put the fear of God into the Scottish owners (and others farther afield, no doubt).

Except for one minor detail, why would the English league want them? Exactly the same process would occur, they would have to start at the bottom (Northern League maybe?).

Rangers & Celtic have both made such enquiries before & been told the same thing. Or perhaps they could persuade another club to make way for them - fat chance. Perhaps Arsenal could volunteer? Two birds with one stone.

Kevin Martin

Meanwhile, over the border at Rangers FC....

So how many years in a row will Celtic get handed the Premiership, with huge points gaps from 2nd place until the new Rangers, get back (if ever)?

Kevin Martin

Just seen the news about Glasgow Rangers and how their likely to not get voted into the Scottish Football league, let alone the Scottish Premier League.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1116110sfl-clubs-voice-%27newco%27-rangers-doubts?cc=3436

Regards

Kevin Nartin

Fancy buying a complete, exhibition model railway? A snip at £16,000 and it comes with its own transit van! http://www.ebay.co.u...726092630547021

 

Looks a bit toylike to my eyes though, especially for that type of money....

 

And it has a hidden special offer:

 

"I HAVE DECIDED A VERY VERY SPECIAL ITEM WILL BE ADDED TO LAYOUT WORTH QUITE A LOT OF MONEY BUT WILL ONLY BE KNOWN TO THE BUYER"

So did you go down to take a look? Or just buy, blind?

Kevin Martin

A fireman is outside his station one day when he sees a little girl in a bright red cart with little ladders on the side and a garden hose on the front being pulled by a cat and a dog.

 

"That's a fine engine" he says. Then he sees the dog is attached to the cart by a collar but the cat has a string around its testicles.

 

He says, "I think your engine would go faster if the cat had a collar as well"

 

"Maybe" said the girl, "but I wouldn't have a siren then."

Who said that females are the gentler sex?

Kevin Martin

So "MEGA rare" that he has 2 of them!. I got one as part of a job lot - unfortunately it's covered with a thick layer of red paint that stubbornly resists removal, so preventing it being converted into something useful (in chocolate and cream of course!)

Can't be that MEGA rare, as I have 2 as well. Admittedly mine aren't in that good a nick as that one.

Kevin Martin

A bit of a strange jump from £7.59 to £30.00???????????????????

That bidder was 'saved' by someone else bidding 31 pounds. Probably much relieved after pressing the wrong button.

Kevin Martin

Would that be the Great Western Railroad of Colorado.. It's not the first Hymek conversion. There is another conversion on the circuit, to broad gauge that runs on a beautifully modelled Broad Gauge layout to annoy rivet counters. The drive is via rubber belts on the outside of the bogies and it looks like a sno cat.

 

Jamie

I actually meant the Great Western, Western, Western & Western Railway, as it spread its influence ever further westwards, through various take overs. Just as it did the South Wales railways.

Would be great to see a photo of the Broad Gauge model. It might satisfy those that think the BG was a Good Thingâ„¢

Kevin Martin

http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_5394wt_1348 I seem to remember throwing one of these away before now, having decided it wasn't worth listing it on ebay!

But it says GWR on the side!!! Need we say more?

Kevin Martin

Not content with a listing of what can best be described as 'tut', we have keyword spam to boot which seems to filter through to his other items too.

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item19d1a9253e

As if each of us couldn't fill a couple of sidings (marshalling yards?) full anyway of similar crap goodies. Who needs to buy it?

Kevin Martin

But just think how exciting it would be. Plenty of goals for all.

How wrong can you be.

In Australia the local Footy code (Australian Rules Football) has games where one side scores more than 20 goals isn't uncommon. 6 points for a Goal & 1 point for a Behind (or a reward for a near miss as I see it).

The theory is that a lot of goals makes a 'good game' and many Australians hate Soccer for that reasons. Funny thing they love cricket which can go for 5 days, without result!

The AFL league is a fixed competition without relegation, the worst that can happen is that they get a wooden spoon. Also they get first pick at the draft for players for next season. Also has salary caps for the entire team, but individuals have no limit, as long as it doesn't breech the team limit.

So there are others ways of controlling what happens.

Kevin Martin

Fine old club like Darlington FC beset on all sides by lack of money and officialdom.

Chelsea spend £70m on two players.

Sometimes I just despair.

 

David

So what solution do you have?

Should we return to a situation where the great Stanley Matthews received the maximum wage of 12 pound a week?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Matthews

Admittedly 12 pounds was a lot of money in 1949-50, but is nothing like the dizzy heights of today, way beyond inflation.

Funny in regard to sporting 'wages', its the employer that encourages OTT payments and not as usually claimed a push by a union. Sorry to bring politics into this debate, but I think this issue is off the norm bashing.

I guess clubs COULD gang together to reduce transfer fees & player wages, but they have little desire to do so. The need for the big clubs to spend BIG money to ensure access to the benefits of playing (better still, to do well) in the UCL, means they need the best players. After all the top Spanish & Italian clubs do exactly that.

Kevin Martin