The Night Mail

[SM42]

OK it's too hot today, even for train watching. 

 

Spent an hour at Kobylnica before it got too much

 

Just the one photo of an EN57 calling en route to Poznan 

 

 

Andy

[Dave Hunt]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

if you are not sure about the Bear’s “Paws Off Cake” pledge, I’m sure CCI GmbH can come to an arrangement.

 

Whilst I am sure that Bear would make every effort to stick to his pledge, let's face it that there is temptation (which I am sure Bear could cope with), there is strong temptation (likewise), there is very strong temptation (which would require much gritting of ursine teeth but is probably within Bear's resistance capabilities) but then there is LDC, which may be a step too far. Therefore I will probably be approaching CCI(s) for assistance.

 

Dave

[polybear]

7 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Whilst I am sure that Bear would make every effort to stick to his pledge, let's face it that there is temptation (which I am sure Bear could cope with), there is strong temptation (likewise), there is very strong temptation (which would require much gritting of ursine teeth but is probably within Bear's resistance capabilities) but then there is LDC, which may be a step too far. Therefore I will probably be approaching CCI(s) for assistance.

 

Dave

 

Traitor

 

 

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Traitor

 

 

Nope, realist!

[Happy Hippo]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Traitor

 

 

Well you had my vote if it helps.

[SM42]

For some odd reason, all this talk of Sqdn Leader DH providing cake aid, reminded me of  The African Queen 

 

" Can you fly a Hercules Mr Hunt? "

 

To paraphrase a line from the film.

 

In other news, tomorrow's orders have been opened and it's an early start with treatment for my ongoing back problems at 0800hrs

 

1200hrs I'm expected at the barber's 

 

1600hrs dinner at the in laws. 

 

1800hrs. Shopping for provisions as we have a visitor staying this week end whilst en route to Warsaw.

 

2000hrs tidying and cleaning in prep for visitor. 

 

Maybe some free time in between tasks

 

Yeah right. 

 

Friday is looking better though as model shopping has been authorised followed by a whole day till about 3pm doing what I want. 

Yay!

 

Mind you forecast is for 35c so not sure I'll want to do much other than melt

 

Andy

[Dave Hunt]

19 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

Well you had my vote if it helps.

 

That's bit like Bugs Bunny voting for a carrot farmer.

 

Dave

[Winslow Boy]

34 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

That's bit like Bugs Bunny voting for a carrot farmer.

 

Dave

 

Well he wasn't really going to vote for Elmor Flood was he.

[Sasquatch]

ARRRRRHHHHH.....

 

Needed to let off a bit of steam after the day I've had so far.

Woken again by Mr. "I need lots of attention" in my Kenworth logging truck using his engine brake past my house at 4:45am.

 

Mrs. S's new Honda had a flat battery and the truck has developed a curious loud rattling noise. All before the pancakes were done causing the first panic attack.

 

To cheer ourselves up I made some iced Mexican mochas. Used the wrong coffee and put in a bit too much cayenne. 

Mrs. S. is having a serious fit of the giggles and I'm having today's second panic attack.  

 

Time to get the Sasquatch suit out ready to deal with the Kenworth moron, that should put the fear of God up the disrespectful SOB!

 

...and just for you Big H!

 

Regards Squatch.

Edited August 4, 2022 by Sasquatch

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Evening all, I've been away for a while.

 

 

An update: Much work has been done on the Iron Duke since it was last seen in these hallowed pages. Progress to date includes the completion of all engine wheels and 4 of the 8 wheel bearings and their axles. Material for the footplate has also been selected. I've also been mentally making designs for how the smokebox will be made. 

 

 

Here are some photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Douglas

[iL Dottore]

6 hours ago, SM42 said:

…Friday is looking better though as model shopping has been authorised

Sorry to “rain on your parade“ (so to speak), Andy.

 

But it does occur to me to ask that although your expedition has been authorised, has it been funded?* without funding, your shopping expedition may turn into a “window shopping“ expedition……

 

iD

* assuming, of course, that funding has to go through regular SM42 household budget reviews. Alternatively, if you have the equivalent of a “Black Ops“ budget, then your modelling purchases should be free of oversight and scrutiny!

Edited August 4, 2022 by iL Dottore

[SM42]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

 Alternatively, if you have the equivalent of a “Black Ops“ budget, then your modelling purchases should be free of oversight and scrutiny!

 

What e said 🕵️‍♂️

 

But

 

 Scrutiny is always applied 

 

Answers  have been known to have a special relationship with the truth.

 

I've been saving up and she don't knowed it. 

 

Andy

[Winslow Boy]

50 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

What e said 🕵️‍♂️

 

But

 

 Scrutiny is always applied 

 

Answers  have been known to have a special relationship with the truth.

 

I've been saving up and she don't knowed it. 

 

Andy

 

When you say special relationship you mean its something like - its the truth, Jim just not necessary the truth as we know it. Or perhaps - keep the faith, the truth is out there. Is that the sort of thing you mean.

 

Some times I think the secret service are recruiting from the wrong section of society - ads for MI6 in BRM that's what's needed.

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

What e said 🕵️‍♂️

 

But

 

 Scrutiny is always applied 

 

Answers  have been known to have a special relationship with the truth.

 

I've been saving up and she don't knowed it. 

 

Andy

The oldest trick in the book is " I bought it before I met you dearest". 44 years later  that's wearing a bit thin for me.

 

Jamie

Edited August 4, 2022 by jamie92208

[AndyID]

50 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

 ads for MI6 in BRM that's what's needed.

 

That's really necessary these days. I'm schtum.

[SM42]

1 hour ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

When you say special relationship you mean its something like - its the truth, Jim just not necessary the truth as we know it. Or perhaps - keep the faith, the truth is out there. Is that the sort of thing you mean.

 

Some times I think the secret service are recruiting from the wrong section of society - ads for MI6 in BRM that's what's needed.

 

I use the pre ordered version.

 

"Been waiting 12 months for this," sort of thing. 

 

There may also be more than is admitted. 

 

I have a budget and I may stick to it.

 

The problem with shops is that they are full of shiny things.

Bit like the jeweller's.

 

Anyhow, today's first task completed. I now feel relaxed but sore after a therapeutic massage session for my back. 

 

The really odd thing is that they could tell what other minor medical  problems I have just by which area of muscles were tense. 

 

Time for breakfast now 

 

Forecast is for 33 - 36C today 😓

 

Andy

Edited August 4, 2022 by SM42

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

What e said 🕵️‍♂️

 

But

 

 Scrutiny is always applied 

 

Answers  have been known to have a special relationship with the truth.

 

I've been saving up and she don't knowed it. 

 

Andy

It's keeping the saving up secret is the key, if the savings are discovered they are liable to be reallocated.

[SM42]

13 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

It's keeping the saving up secret is the key, if the savings are discovered they are liable to be reallocated.

 

The trick here is to save up but spend a small amount of those savings on the common good, keeping the lion's share for naughty stuff

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

15 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

The trick here is to save up but spend a small amount of those savings on the common good, keeping the lion's share for naughty stuff

 

Andy

I am fortunate in having a very wise wife, so when a friend decided to dispose of his 7 mm collection, and I was given first refusal, Nyda told me to get what I needed.  I baulked at getting the full sized Porsche 911 Targa🤣.

 

She is not the happiest bunny at present, having just tested positive for Covid.

 

I've now had my final examination at the hospital. Everything in the finger department seems to be progressing well.  Nice dry wounds that are healing well, although now the dressings are off, the tips are rather sensitive and quite stiff.   The sensitivity should wear off once the wounds have scarred over although I suspect that getting the finger(s) cold might cause some discomfort. The index finger will loosen up on it's own, but the middle finger is probably going to require some professional manipulation.

 

It will be nice to get back to typing semi properly, although I think touch typing is going to be a thing of the past.

Edited August 4, 2022 by Happy Hippo

[Happy Hippo]

So here is the final line up.

 

On the right we have Lucky.

Centre is Stumpy.

On the left is Smug Bustard.

 

At least they are equally matched for length, although Stumpy will certainly qualify for a fat finger award.

[Tony_S]

23 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

So here is the final line up.

 

On the right we have Lucky.

Centre is Stumpy.

On the left is Smug Bustard.

 

At least they are equally matched for length, although Stumpy will certainly qualify for a fat finger award.

When I was producing scenery for my layout and using fingers to sculpt plaster I wore away he fingerprints on the ones I had recorded to identify myself on my phone. Fortunately I did remember the backup pin code. I hope you didn’t use any of yours for security purposes. 

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

The trick here is to save up but spend a small amount of those savings on the common good, keeping the lion's share for naughty stuff

 

Andy

No! No! No! 😮

The whole idea of “Black Ops“ funds is that they do not exist. Therefore there is nothing to share.
 

Even hinting to SWMBO that there are a few pennies “put aside“ is likely to trigger a full <congressional investigation> and hearing resulting in the entire “Black Ops“ budget being reallocated to “more socially useful programs“ around SM42 towers. And should that happen, your planned new acquisitions of rolling stock will suddenly have become chintz curtains (or some similar SWMBO purchase).

 

Remember, Andy, the Golden Rules:

• There is no money/you have no money for model railway and modelling purchases.
• Any model railway item or model kit item or similar that is suddenly noticed by SWMBO is either (a) “historically acquired material” that has been kept in storage for quite some time or (b) a gift from a friend for whom you have “done a favour“

“Plausible Deniability“ is not just the province of the security services!.

[Happy Hippo]

12 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

“Plausible Deniability“ is not just the province of the security services!.

One cannot deny non existence.  But you can confirm it:

 

'The late Duke of Edinburgh's love childen with Marie Antoinette are living on the dark side of the moon.'

 

No they are not.

 

(They are living in Macclesfield under the assumed names of Gertrude and Basil.)

[polybear]

5 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

The oldest trick in the book is " I bought it before I met you dearest". 44 years later  that's wearing a bit thin for me.

 

Jamie

 

Gets tricky when it's the latest DCC sound chip and a 3-d printed Pendolino Bodyshell....

 

53 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

No! No! No! 😮

The whole idea of “Black Ops“ funds is that they do not exist. Therefore there is nothing to share.
 

Even hinting to SWMBO that there are a few pennies “put aside“ is likely to trigger a full <congressional investigation> and hearing resulting in the entire “Black Ops“ budget being reallocated to “more socially useful programs“ around SM42 towers. And should that happen, your planned new acquisitions of rolling stock will suddenly have become chintz curtains (or some similar SWMBO purchase).

 

No! No! No! 😮

A better idea is a Black Ops fund that SWMBO has been told about - eventually.  The sneaky trick is to have an Area 51 Black Ops Fund that truly "doesn't exist".  Because SWMBO has been told about the former then it throws her off the scent and she doesn't suspect the latter...

[SM42]

The black ops fund?

 

What black ops fund?

 

"We had a bit spare my dear at the end of last month so we can afford those blinds / cushions / useless dust gathering ornaments*/ trip to the motherland etc"

 

" what's that dear?"

 

" No we can't afford that. We've just bought those blinds / cushions/ useless dust gathering ornaments*/ trip to the motherland etc"

 

" yes dear, but we'll have to save up for a bit"

 

" these new models? I ordered these ages ago, almost 2 years now, and they have just come out."

 

Deniable and plausible 

 

Andy

 

* for the avoidance of doubt, this does not refer to me. At least I don't think so  

Edited August 4, 2022 by SM42
Autocorrect strikes again