big jim

Yes the swarf is collected in the machine on site and the accompanying roll on roll off wagon collects it all up in a container when it returns to base, the container off the truck is in the first picture, the grey one with a door and window, I’m not sure how it’s taken out of the machine but it may actually me removed manually, I’ll ask the guys later it needs stabling between turns in locations where the truck can get alongside and be serviced by the technicians, hence the long transits sometimes such as craven arms on wrexham to bidston jobs, Carlisle upperby or carnforth on northern WCML jobs and Lichfield on southern WCML jobs, for some reason though it’s bescot this week which is unusual unless Lichfield isn’t available

Some from last night, rail milling machine bescot to nuneaton and back to bescot via Stafford bescot changing ends in Nuneaton And back in Bescot same again tonight

Used to be Fat Object

A semi darkness pic of the bike with its reflective strips and spokes!

That’s exactly how I’m dressed right now but have already had someone pull out in front of me in the 2.5 mile I’ve ridden so far to the station! a white van did it to me last week and I had to swerve to avoid him as he pulled out of a side road right into my path, anyway did the usual, shook my head, (he was bigger than me!) and let it be, anyway about 2 hours later in Nantwich we were going shopping in the car and on a roundabout in town the same van (it had a name and number in the side) almost hit us when he didn’t stop entering the roundabout we were already on, when I got alongside he was on his phone, the van was a vehicle recovery company, must have been drumming up business! To be honest since I’ve started cycling for business and pleasure I’ve got a lot more respect and time for ‘proper’ cyclists but it really winds me up when I see people (not just street tuffs and hoodlums) riding round at night with no lights or just as bad, just a rear light thinking it will help them be noticed, we get a lot of bikes like that in crewe as there are lots of warehouses and the workers live in the old railway works terraces in town so ride from the outskirts to the centre at 6am or 9pm at the start or end of their shifts

First impression of the fixed mirror is it’s actually not as good as the strap on type I had attached to the grip as the lens isn’t concave so it’s a bit of a limited view but the other type won’t go on the ergonomic grip, also a bit paranoid about knocking it on something like a wall of gatepost, I may have a look at swapping the lens assembly with the concave one as it’s just a ball and socket arrangement on both, I have got a matching one for the other side but when I put it on it looked a bit daft, like one of those mobility scooters you sometimes see finished like a Harley Davidson! ive only done 2.5 mile so far tonight but the seat feels ok so far, may need to play about with the height a touch, the handgrips are a huge difference though, loads comfier on my wrists, the proof will be the towpath ride in the morning which is a bit rough in places

Had a busy weekend in london and got lots of walking in (10+ miles) but also a lot of eating and a bit of drink so I’m fully expecting a weight gain tomorrow which I’m not too bothered about as it was nice to have a few days where counting points went out of window, I still kept count (within reason) but I’m expecting at least 3-4lb gain! back to work tonight and back to the bike, I’m working out of bescot every night so I’m planning on going by train to wolves then riding to bescot from there then in the morning do the bescot to new st via the canal ride so those combined with the ride to and from crewe station should get me around 22 mile a day in I recon as for the bike I’ve been changing a few bits and bobs over for comfort I got a sprung gel seat off Amazon for £8 which at that price it’s worth a try to see if it feels comfier than the standard ‘razor blade’ it may be a bit wide for my liking though but I’ll see how I get on later ive also swapped the rear rack out as I only use it with the pannier bag but I’ve got a small rucksack for work, no point lugging round the extra weight for nothing, I’ve replaced it with a full length mud guard, also put a bottle carrier on but that may not be any use as it’s right by the battery and there is little room to get a bottle in and out ergonomic grips and a mirror that plug into the handlebar rather than strapped to the grip finally, I know it’s going to look tacky but as the nights begin to draw in I want to make myself visible so I’ve stuck some reflective strips in various places on the frame and reflective spoke covers on the wheels

Amazing the things you miss, never even noticed the missing and flush windows on the 197, and I sign 196s! couldn’t even see it parking them side by side

I really should get some of these ordered as when I with fastline they were the bread and butter of my working life for 3 years and at GB I have worked them into and out of ratcliffe a few times (a coal train ran last weekend into there with these wagons but I was away or I’d have grabbed it off the vacancy list!)

Getting a bit overgrown there!

Saw hairspray last night, Michael Ball can really belt the tunes out that’s for sure! this afternoon is the Windsors endgame with Harry Enfield which is in my most visited london theatre as it normally where the Book of Mormon is performed, in fact the set surround is still front wheel show as it’s returning in September (might come and see if for the 18th time!) seeing Six later this evening too sorry no train pics though

I know this hasn’t been updated since feb 2020 but I’ve been planning my moves, after a couple of turns where I ended up in nip……. Finally……

my first solo trip was in about 1987 aged 12 when i was staying with my grandad in prestatyn when i wanted to travel to rhyl and back which was 30p, he gave me £1.50 which let me go to Llandudno Jn, i distinctively remeber it was a ‘new’ 150 along the coast, i then had about an hours wait at the junction where there was a 31 on shed before thr next train home that came in from the bangor direction out of the tubular bridge at conwy and it was the crewe works test train with a large logo 47 and 37905 leading, it was certainly exciting and i remember it being compartment stock and the front coach was just full of bashers in the compartments and window hanging! the next time was from uttoxeter to flint on my way back from a holiday in derbyshire, again with that one i remember being stood on uttoxeter station and a light engine cavalcade came through lead by 97561 in midland railway maroon pulling the RTC livery 31 and a couple of other 47s, the next thing i vividly remember was at radway green all the railfreight grey and red 4 wheel vans in the MOD sidings happy days

Just 3 from yesterday, Donnington job Shrewsbury, slightly delayed by a trespasser so had to wait for the local train to go first Unloading lots of work for me for the next few months lined up in the terminal! Off for the long weekend now, might get some transport pics while I’m in london, back next week to a week of the rail milling machine out of bescot

Thing is the couple of weeks has made a big difference to how busy places are, it’s noticeable on the M6 driving back from small heath that things have got busier, for the first time in a long time I’ve just not wanted to be driving a car anywhere, luckily next week I’ve got jobs I can use the bike on, to top it off it’s bank holiday weekend which I didn’t know when I booked the tickets for the shows

4 west end shows booked over the 3 days, Hairspray on Saturday evening, the windsors on Sunday afternoon, Six on Sunday evening and Come from away on Monday evening! We really just want to avoid the city centre and touristy and shopping areas during our down time so are planning on having a look around the likes of Highgate cemetery and a walk on Hampstead Heath etc as they aren’t far from the hotel, I did the walk to the heath when I stayed in the same hotel with work a few months back

Only a couple from today, the 08 shunting stock in Tyseley steam trust and my train in small heath Donnington job tomorrow then 4 days off in London

was that you waving?

Some from today basford hall My train to small heath while waiting at small heath a rail tour to Scarborough passed by having departed from Tyseley warwick road Small heath same job tomorrow

Weigh in day today, 2 more lb lost so 17.9 now which means I’ve lost exactly 5 Stone Feb 21 Aug 21 huge difference in BMI too

Only the hour, it’s consumed me since you posted it!

Some of the comments say that there are all sorts of alarm and a warnings that will go off if you attempt to drive one with the door open so I’m wondering if there was an issue closing it, if there wasn’t there certainly is now! notice how the bus driver sees what’s about to happen at the last second and ducks out of the way

At least you’ve narrowed it down to a 20 year window for us to search!

The only other thing that springs to mind is a daihatsu Sirion