Belsay Lad

The Black Country - Food and Culture Black Pudding Bertha??? (check out 'The Goodies' if you don't get it...)

OK,maybe you seriously maybe need to read (re-read) the Highway Code... 'RED LIGHTS EQUAL STOP' Even at a level crossing.

I totally agree with you 'Stationmaster' and tried to get that across (sorry if I have failed) . The most likely cause of road users jumping traffic lights, especially at level crossing, is fatalities. When are they going to recognize that? Your views of one Robert Crow might well exactly mirror mine, but I don't want to post here further as to what might be taken as a 'political' comment, so I won't.

Much as I have my own views of Bob Crow and his ilk I fear this is starting to get a bit into the realms of 'politics'? Surely the fact remains that (allowing for mechanical/electrical failure of the equipment, which seems to be very few and far between. And even when it does occur the system is set up to 'fail safe') the main problem is road users ignoring the flashing visual signs and the audio sounds... Of course, although early indications are that the crossing was working correctly, we do not yet know the full circumstances of the most recent tragedy.

Me too with my partner, we actually got talking because of model railways (although not directly! OK a tin of cat food can started it, long story not relevant here, but we both were 'owned by cats.'..) some 17 years ago. I was aware that my job at that time was going down the pan and as a result of railway modelling had developed an interest in making model buildings. Pat worked for a national visitor attraction service with many historic buildings under their care and used to come in twice a week to the office where I worked. So I was planning a plan B to get some money and wondered if I could make models of some of the buildings to be sold in the property shops. Turned out the answer was no, but I had showed her photos of some of my models (buildings, before we get into any durky regions ) and as she was interested in architeture and was organising a tour to a building a few weekends after she invited me along. The rest is history as they say. We both have common hobbies, Pat comes to a few model railway shows with me each year, I go Scottish Country Dancing with her. We also have our own hobbies and interests. As many others have said on here, a marriage/partnership is built on the strengths/interests of the individuals and the tolerance of the hobbies/interests of each.

or tried to lick their own elbows!

I bought my wife something for her birthday that went from 0 to 70 in 2 seconds. Perhaps a set of bathroom scales wasn't the best idea!!!

I have a H&M 'Duette' which on high res and half wave moves a Minitrix class 27(sic) at less than an inch a minute at min power without problem. However I don't know what would it might do to more delicate modern locos - I suspect the 'magic smoke'?

I suspect that the original post was maybe somewhat tongue in cheek (maybe an example of how dependant we have become on 'smileys' or the lack of them and other internet type symbols we need to ensure that comments are taken the way the are intended?). However, I was working in Dundee in the late 70's and travelling each day by train and remember 40 106 arriving in Dundee Tay Bridge on a Southbound express one evening whilst I was waiting for my train. First thoughts were 'I'm dreaming', second was to take a photo or two. However, at that time I was seduced by the 110 format, as the camera fitted into a pocket. Unfortunately the quality was equal to shooting through 'pocket fluff'...

My ex-employer's technical helpline had various pre-recorded messages on it including one along the lines of (female voice); 'sorry all our advisers are busy at the moment but...blah blah blah'. This was repeated, between musak on hold, until you finally got through. The thing was, us males in the organisation didn't mind holding as the voice was 'quite alluring' (to be polite!). After a few years I eventually transferred to the helpdesk and met the owner of the voice. OK the visual didn't exactly match the audio, but her personality did match the voice and she was one of the most popular people in the department. (and that is in the most innocent sense...) Perhaps these days we do put too much on appearance to the detriment of 'personality'? (OK way back in this thread I maybe mentioned Charlie Dymock! Guilty as charged , sorry...)

Of course today us members of the EC don't 'spend a penny' - we 'euronate' (does anyone know where my coat is???)

A few years' ago at work we had a leak from the floor above which left some water on a lino floor. The maintenance guys duly arrived, cleaned up, put out a bucket to catch the drips and one of those yellow warning cones 'Caution - slip hazard' until they sorted the problem. Some hours later the original cone had been knocked over and some wag had found and put a 'trip hazard' cone next to it:- even our H&S rep laughed. (It is not my intention to introduce yet another debate on H&S into this light hearted thread so please folks... )

Several years ago I used to stay in a smallish village and there was a local car with the reg B1 MBO (correctly spaced!). And yes, it was driven by a young woman with somewhat fairish hair!

Spotted today whilst driving to a certain Swedish Furniture outlet near Edinburgh. A road called 'Costkea'! And yes it lead to Costco and IKEA...(sorry didn't have a camera with me but if anyone doubts it I will happily revisit and post a photo).

Reading the other thread about Jedward reminded me of this story about Einstein (some sources say that it is true). Einstein was quite an accomplished musician (that is true) and often played with duets Rubenstein (once again true). One day they were playing a particularly difficult piece and Eistein was having trouble with the rhythm. After several attempts Rubenstein allegedly turned to him and said, 'for goodness sake Albert, can't you count?!'

I know that my friends have many photos of railways which include me. As they 'know me well' do I count? (OK coat on and heading to the door, as I already know the answer ...)

My (thankfully) ex-employers had a saying 'clear blue water', which evidently meant 'to get so far ahead of your competitors they can't see your wake'. However most of us preferred a much more literal and descriptive phrase of where we actually were concerning another type of water;- think unsavoury creek and lack of propulsion... and so it came to pass!

One that was a stalwart of the Railway Modeller in the days of CJF? 'The/A ubiquitous ...' could be used to describe anything from a loco to a railway refreshment room sandwich! Fortunately that pharse seems to have disappeared

You will be relieved to hear that I am always fully clothed!!!

A lot of good fun comments here. However, I might just have discovered something slightly more annoying than Virigin TIVO. 'Wonga.com...' Just how many people contacing them think that their call/email is being dealt with by a traditional 'Captain Mannering' type organisation with genial men/women who care who they are dealing with, rather than a modern call centre environment who are target driven? In the real World, would you trust such staff in a 'Call Centre';- sales targets, average call length, have you gone to the loo today when you were meant to be taking calls. If so and you haven't reached your target you are history...' But, what do you think?

the same thing could easliy happen today on the Nos.11 or 15 LRT buses via Morningside...

My late mother was a book-binder by trade before she married. Also my father was an accomplished musician who insisted I take piano lessons from the age of about 6. Needless to say I cursed him as I had to practice for 45mins each evening whilst my friends were out kicking footballs about and generally enjoying themsleves. However, some 50 years later... 1. Music is still a hobby which I find relaxing, although at secondary school my music teacher suggested that I also might like to learn to play the organ. (An original Hammond B3 for those who know about these things!). In the mid 90's I had sufficient spare cash to purchase my own digital classical organ so when things go wrong on the layout I switch off from modelling and switch on the organ to relax. OK maybe the neighbours don't appreciate it! 2. I was made redundant from my job of 34 years in early 2010. Through sheer chance I worked as a volunteer in a Conservation workshop which, amongst other things dealt with traditional bookbinding. Whilst maybe not at professional level I now can put together a passable book starting with;- sheets of paper, tape, thread, laminated millboard covers, hammers/ploughs/presses etc (and lots of 'effing and binding' to quote the tag line of another RMwebber). If anyone wonders why a hardback book costs so much (even if it is machine made) I can tell you...

On the food topic 'upgrade your meal with....' on menus, usually in fast food or pub chains. Why can't they call it 'optional extras, at additional cost' or something similar?

We visited Boston in 2002. As we flew from the UK via Ireland and (as we thought cleared USA Imigration control there) our arrival in Boston was a shock! Basically the third degree because we were staying for two weeks and only had one small suitcase of clothes, and other essentials, each. Is America not the land of the launderette? Having said that once we got into Boston the folks 'on the street' were extremely friendly and helpful and I would definately go back, apart from the immigration control. But to get back to the original topic... Management speak:- 'Having converstions with edge'. What does that mean? A certain team manager with the company I used to work with was awarded a special mention for her aptitude in this skill. When I asked 'does that really mean she is a stroppy c*w?' (which she was!) I was 'advised' that I might well be the recipitient of the similar from my own TM if I pursued the question... Nuf said!

pe Sorry just an extra observation as regards the bit I have emphasied in bold:- (as an amateur in the field) My old (as in 20/25year old) CH boiler gave up the will to live in November last year, just at the start of the Siberian snow/ice that hit Scotland for the best part of two months! As it was in the attic and the vent went through the roof my tame Plumbing/Heating company weren't able to replace it until mid January as until then there was around 18inches of snow and ice on the roof. They replaced the old vent with a new one without any problem, apart from breaking a roof tile and not telling me! Fortunately I spotted it pdq after they left and got my equally good builder/roofer to replace it and was able to claim his costs back! So far the roof has held during the monsoons that have passed as a Scottish summer. However, they were not able to drain the condensate from the boiler into my existing guttering/rain water system as this was cast iron and the condensate would 'rot it'. Also due to the arrangement of the house it was not possible to break into the internal bathroom/kithcen drainage without a major upheval and re-decoration. So I now have an external soak away complete with lime stone which evidently neutralises the effect on the soil. I am waiting to see what happens to the boiler this Winter when the temperature falls to 'Baltic' or below! So if you wanted to utilise the heat from the condensate maybe a 'heat exchanger' set up would be the best bet - place the soak away under your green-house whatever so that any heat from it will percolate upwards but avoid any direct usage of the resultant water?